Seller thought it prewar British, I think 50s or 60s French. Probably overpaid, but cool to find in original finish. I think I have the parts to get it back together.Oh, 531 main tubes.

That is cool. Post up some pics when its built up.

way cool!

Looks like oval fork tubes... is that commonly found on track frames? Yet there is no brake mounting hole.

There are a couple of irregularities in the paint where a brake mounting hole would be. I wonder if there was a mounting hole at one point, and it got patched and covered over, or if it's just markings in the paint.

I'm thinking English, on account of the lug shapes. I look forward to more photos. You don't have it in hand yet, correct?

I'm pretty sure that lugwork is Martian.

Very nice Dbakl! Love that head badge. Seems odd a French bike might be named Sterling, but, stranger stuff happens.

I do have it. Headset is Stronglight and Reynolds decal is in French... haven't done anything with it yet.

I don't think its uncommon.

should be very quick work to check the OD of the main tubes, as well as the BB threading to determine if it's BSC or FR.
If it's British, there might be a connection to Hobbs (of Barbican) since they were known to share workshop space (and maybe work) with "Sterling Works" a firm that was associated with machine guns (!).
Could be the frame is more of a "road-path" model than strictly for track use, hence the oval fork blades.

Could we have a detail shot of the head badge? I see 'Sterling' and 'Special' but what's written below that?

Maybe, not set up for brakes though.

sometimes they were not drilled for brakes, as the racer used temporary "clip-on" brakes (maybe just a front), and these would be removed for the track. Might even clip on a lamp bracket if riding home after dusk.
Or, it could be this builder just preferred oval blades.
I'm inclined to say: "British" based on these pics, too...but just guessing at this point.

It just looks Brit to me — but hell, what do I know?

What I DO know is that I am super envious. I crave such a bike for my usual run that I often I do on my SS roadie — also in 531 ... and maybe as much as decade or two later as I put your frame down to being late-40's to mid-50's. But maybe I should just shut up. Just I am so delighted that you got this bike that I have to chime in.

I so wanted to bid on that, but I didn't know how it would fit, or if I wanted to spend yet more money on yet another bike.

Those head lugs look like a Norman soldier's helmet with the two centerline extensions reminding me of a helmet's nose protector.

Is the tubing metric or imperial dimensions? Very cool bike.

...and no, I'm not drunk or stoned.

Very interesting.

Funny, Scooper, but I thought of those helmets too when I saw those lugs!

looks 40s to me

awesome!

Here's a couple more pics. I found a place that sells clamp on converted modern Dia Compe brakes. I think I want to leave this one alone:

That 531 decal in French might be a clue that it's, uh, French.

That was my thought too, from the first time that decal was mentioned. Plus the ovalized fork tubes are a French thing. Not that I'm an expert, LOL, it's just that I've read a lot, trying to learn about my Bertin.

Scooper, if we all started wearing Norman helmets as bike helmets, would we be considered cool, or just nuts?

And whose fault is that?