1877 Boys’ Wooden Velocipede Bicycle

Wooden bicycles and tricycles for children manufactured in similar fashion to the original velocipedes of 1869 were popular even into the early twentieth century. Most had no maker’s name; the majority also had no individual identifying features, their parts having been made by blacksmiths and wheelwrights, and assembled by a local shop. The cast fittings on this example to do not tally with any particular patent, but it appears to predate the 1880s machines.

By comparison, the later ‘Otto’ bicycle, made by the Western Toy Co (above) in a similar style, cornered the market in the USA after 1880. That company was established by Adolph Shoeninger (the company later became the Western Wheels Works and the Crescent Cycle Co). Two inventors who assigned their patents to Shoeninger were Otto Enzinger and G.W Marble.

c1877 Boys’ Wooden Velocipede Bicycle

Front Wheel 30″

Rear Wheel 14″

Metal band Tyres

LENGTH: 43″

HEIGHT: 37″

WIDTH: 15″

(Now sold)

 

 

1880 OTTO

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14″ REAR WHEEL