1874 Boys’ Velocipede Tricycle

1870-1874 Boys’ Velocipede Tricycle

Metal frame, wooden wheels, leather saddle

LENGTH: 42″

WIDTH: 15″

HEIGHT: 31″

Front wheel 25″

Rear wheels 18″

The design of this tricycle is very similar to adult velocipedes made around 1869, and appears to predate the juvenile tricycles that were patented from 1875 onwards by Gendron, Western Toy Co and others.

It is beautifully crafted – as adult velocipedes were – with the same type of handlebar. Like a velocipede, it has a metal body and front fork with pivot head and plain bearings. The wooden wheel rims, hubs, spokes and pedals are also identical to a velocipede but scaled down in size and there is the same type of metal band tyre. In my opinion, this was built by a velocipede maker rather than a toy manufacturer.

The tricycle is in excellent preserved condition, and is original and unrestored apart from the saddle which had its leather top replaced by a saddle expert.

 

 

The velocipede illustrated below, from St Nicholas Toy Co around 1875 is similar in design, though it has the standard type of handlebar fitted to juvenile tricycles from that time onwards.

 

The 1885 Western Toy Co catalogue shows an 1875 patent velocipede tricycle (below) with wood body.

Also a ‘Parlor velocipede’ with metal body and seat design that seems quite similar, though the front end is different. It is possible that the tricycle featured here is an earlier version of the Western Toy Co Parlor Velocipede, or that its body followed its design.