The V-CC library has the 1947-48 season British catalog for Humber, which shows duplex forks for the Cob line of bikes. Some of the bikes, such as the cable brake Elf line, do not appear to have duplex forks (looks like plain oval). Whether this one having a plain oval is a US market thing, I don't know. I would think it should at least have the old-style round-profile fork ends if it's a pre-1960s fork, or the older type pinched ends for an even older fork. If I am looking at the right photos from this thread, it looks like pinched fork ends. I think the fork is either original or a period replacement. Either way it looks fine to me.
The '47-48 catalog also shows the Cob line of bikes as being "entirely brazed up" frames, with the brazed seat stays. The frame reminds me most of the somewhat older Cob line from immediately before and after WWII, though the fork would be a duplex on that normally. Shifter would be 1939 to 48 or so, though based on the 47-48 season catalog, I think it's older than 1948. The undated hubs usually appear on bikes right before and after WWII. The innards are definitely pre-'51 Sturmey Archer from the look of it. Best that I can pin down is sometime between 1939 and 1947.
It's a really nice bike somewhat unusual for the US market.
Last edited by SirMike1983; 03-05-24 at 09:37 AM.