Posted 10 years ago
ho2cultcha
(5051 items)
I just found this on the Smithsonian website - under their bicycle collection. I believe that this is one the purchased from my uncle's estate when he died [around 1975?]. I think it set a record at the time for a price paid for a bicycle - i think it was around $15,000. My Uncle Conrad owned the Toy Castle in Claremont, NH and he had a large collection of bicycles, along w/ model airplanes, model trains, and everything else a kid could go nuts over! i used to stay w/ them sometimes when my parents were traveling and he would grumpily take me into the huge and wonderful 'Castle' and let me pick out anything i wanted. The 'Castle' was originally the home of my great grandparents and where my Pepere grew up.
it is very beautiful!!
Shame you didn't pick that out!! LOL!
thanks SEAN68! i sure wish i could say it was mine!
Such a fantastic post, love it! Many thanks for share and for the lovely comment as well!
Awesome story:)
Thanks for sharing!
thank you SEAN68, blunderbuss2, Virginia.vintage, Trey and Jewels!
What an incredible looking bicycle!!
Actually, a tricycle jscott. I see the advantage as I've ridden a "high wheeler" & they are a "B" to get started & on & same almost getting off. Hit the slightest slope & forget it! I spent more time taking the "bike" for a walk than riding it. No brakes or ratchet gear on the peddles. The only brake is jumping off! Traumatic experience, but I can say I have actually ridden one! Like other idiots! LOL! I don't usually admit that I was stupid enough to ride one. LOL. But, how many of you can say, "I rode one of those". Don't go, just send your money & say you did! LOL!!!
I have one like that but it is a two wheeler all forge made.
YES PatSea! and that's my Uncle Conrad in front of the place! i'll never forget his camelhair coats and fedoras w/ feathers in it!
you know, this might not be the bicycle afterall! the bicycle that the smithsonian purchased was a boneshaker - made of wood. this one is iron. sorry bout that!
they also purchased some trikes and other bikes, and this one does look like one i remember.
they had a french poodle named coco which bit me a couple times and was very unpredictable - scared me and my sibs a lot!
Ho2, yo dun be fa'mus by proxy! Was the poodle a guard dog & you were trying to nick something? LOL!!
no. it was just a mean ol' poodle named coco. we had a lot of animals and when we saw fur, we liked to play w/ it, but coco was on another page.