c1888 Velocipede Tricycle, small size
Top Quality manufacture, possibly made by Gendron
Front wheel 14″
Rear wheels 10″
LENGTH: 26″
HEIGHT: 21″
WIDTH: 10″
(Now sold)
When cycle manufacturers built children’s tricycles in the mid-1870s, they had wooden frames and wooden wheels. The next evolution was metal frames and metal wheels. Metal wheel rims and spokes were developed by Gendron in the USA in the 1880s.
This example is interesting because the standard of workmanship is so high, equivalent to that of an adult bicycle. Look at the hubs for example. It was made before parts for children’s tricycles started to be mass-produced in the 1890s and the tricycles sold cheaply in volume by department stores and catalogues. When this example was made, a children’s tricycle was very expensive, and only the richest familes could afford one. This size is suitable for ages around 2 to 4 years old, so it would have been a child’s first tricycle.
Wooden tricycles became obsolete soon after the metal models were introduced, but for a few years metal tricycles still had some wooden parts. As you can see, this example has a wooden handlebar, seat and pedals, which is why I estimate its age as 1885-1888, ie after wooden tricycles but before those built completely of metal parts.
It is in excellent original condition and fully functional. I purchased it from a friend who found it in the USA, where it had been owned by a collector fr many years. When my friend got it, the wooden seat had been damaged, so he had part of it replaced. He left this part visible (it’s a different colour) to show what had been done, but the seat can be varnished if required.