These images of an unidentified spark ignition motor were sent in by my valued Spanish friend Jesus Ortega Delgado. He had no idea what it was, but it seemed to be very well made. You have to love the unusual cylinder configuration! Jesus suggested that it may be of French origin, but this was just a best guess.

IDENTIFICATION MADE!! Reader Michel Rosanoff has positively identified this one as a Jidé 6 unit of 3 cc displacement, made in a suburb of Paris, France in 1944. I should have caught this one myself - there's a reproduction of a 1944 advertisement for the engine on page 59 of Adrien Maeght's fine book on French engines.

This was the first model engine to be produced commercially by Jacques Durand, whose initials gave the marque its name. Durand also produced a range of pioneering diesels, subsequently manufacturing the Vega engines before moving into the field of full-sized sports cars. Michel has written a very informative capsule history of the Jidé range (in French) which is readily accessible to anyone interested. Many thanks, Michel!!