# My collection ww1   WESTFIELD COLUMBIA military model



## blackcat (Mar 25, 2018)

Hello;
I am french collector, i live next to the park DISNEYLAND-PARIS.
I presentyou my bikes COLUMBIA ww1.
The first, my bike, found in June 2012, n° of frame J29908.
The second, my brother bike, found in September 2017 on LANGRES, no frame n°.
The third, my brother bike, found in March 2018 in the center of FRANCE , n° frame ?
Regards
Serge


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## catfish (Mar 25, 2018)

Very Nice! I'm interested in buying one, if you ever want to sell one.


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## blackcat (Mar 25, 2018)

Re;
Thank you but sorry, they are not for sale.
My brother and me, are going to restaure them.
Regards
Serge


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## fat tire trader (Mar 26, 2018)

Hi Serge,
Those are neat bikes. I often wonder what stories a bike could tell if it could talk. Do you have French or other military bikes too?
Thanks,
Chris


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## blackcat (Mar 26, 2018)

Hello Chris;
Yes it's is true that if  they could talk ,  we would be really surprised by what they lived, but now they are saved, by them they did not have that chance (France 1919).
We do not have french bike, a captain GÉRARD is  very  expensive. 
We Aldo have 4 ww2 g519  that i will  put another post  and 4 ww2 german truppenfahrrads. 
Regards 
Serge


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## hoofhearted (Mar 30, 2018)

*

Serge's contribution with added horsepower.



 *


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## blackcat (Mar 31, 2018)

Hello;
Thanks hoolfhearted 
Small back of This day .
A beautiful TROXEL saddle found in the north of the France for thé first bike ( the one on it is a PERSON ww2 ).
To repair the chassis  redo the upper springs and leather.
Regards 
Serge


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## fat tire trader (Mar 31, 2018)

blackcat said:


> Hello;
> Thanks hoolfhearted
> Small back of This day .
> A beautiful TROXEL saddle found in the north of the France for thé first bike ( the one on it is a PERSON ww2 ).
> ...



Hi Serge, Are you finding more war era American bikes and parts in France than non war era parts, or is it just that you are searching for war ear? 
I spent some time working on my 1943 Huffman yesterday and tomorrow morning I am going to look at another BSA Paratrooper.


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## blackcat (Apr 1, 2018)

Hello Chris;
It is very hard to find the two, but hey i 'm doing, you have to have a good sharp eye.
I am mainly looking for us military bikes ww1-ww2.
By against, i happen to see the american civil bicycle 1880-1914 imported before ww1 and also to see american civillian bikes 1950-1960 that the GI's have left with us that they left in 1966.
Regards;
Serge


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## johan willaert (Apr 1, 2018)

Great bikes, Serge...

Please show us your G519s....

Cheers,

Johan


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## blackcat (Apr 1, 2018)

Hello;
Thank you very mush Johan.
I will make a new post for the g519.
Regards;
Serge


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## blackcat (Mar 19, 2019)

Hello;
Found last week in a flea market of spare parts of cars and old motorcycles, a superb 1918 rear rack .










(courtesy  @Mercian)

Regards;
Serge


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## ChadC (Mar 19, 2019)

Nice score Serge! I just joined the Westfield Columbia family myself. Looking forward to progress on your bike!


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## blackcat (Mar 20, 2019)

Hello.
Thank Chad, a little pic of your Wesfield Columbia?
Last November, 3 lamps found in France on a marketing flea including a beautiful NEVEROUT no stamped USA.

















Regards;
Serge


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## Mercian (Mar 22, 2019)

Hi Serge,

You certainly have more luck than I do down here, but then Haute Savoie didn't really see the same action in either WW1 or WW2.

The bike rack is interesting. Until recently, when I found the pictures ofthe bike with the rack and rifles, there was no 'type' of rack specifially associated with these bikes. Even after finding the pictures, I wasn't convinced that the rack shown was necessarily a military rack, it could have been something obtained just to demonstrate the possibility of fitting one.

However, finding a US rack of exactly the same type in France, in an area where the bikes also occasionally surface tends to make it more certain that this is a particular rack used with these bikes. 

Since we did not have these pictures this time last year, would you have walked past this rack if you'd seen it at an earlier show? How many have we missed over the years? (-:

Have a Good Weekend,

Best Regards,

Adrian


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## blackcat (Mar 22, 2019)

Hello Adrian;
When you find a piece, there is always a bit of luck; but as i always say the basis of any self-respecting collector is the documentation ( archives, catalogs...), without it there has no knowledge.
He was found in a show in Champagne behind a stand at the bottom of a crate, the seller said he found it between Dijon and Langres ( the former camp bourg?).
How many percent of bicycles have been equipped with a rear rack by US ARMY in France?









On the second picture with this Polish soldier in France, we guess the rear rack behind his left arm.
For your question, yes and no. but without knowing, i would have taken that even and you know why?

Regards;
Serge


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## Bozman (Mar 23, 2019)

As I recall the original contract called for a rack on the back of the bikes. 

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk


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## Mercian (Mar 24, 2019)

Hi Boz,

I didn't know that, thanks. Do you know where it is possible to see a copy of the original contract?

Best Rgards,

Adrian


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## blackcat (Apr 21, 2019)

Hello;
Small finds from home, 2 beautiful models lamps NEVEROUT with their supports.
A first model and a second modèle no stamped USA.



























Regards;
Serge


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## Bozman (Apr 21, 2019)

Mercian said:


> Hi Boz,
> 
> I didn't know that, thanks. Do you know where it is possible to see a copy of the original contract?
> 
> ...



Adrian,

I'll see if I can find the newspaper article that called for the WWI bicycles to have a rear rack on them. 

Boz

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk


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## Bozman (Apr 24, 2019)

Adrian,
Here is the article about the contract specifications for the original WWI US Army bicycle.  I'm researching to see if I can find the original contract in US Army records.


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## Bozman (Apr 24, 2019)

Here is the info on the Westfield Contract. 

WESTFIELD GETS ARMY CONTRACT

Will Supply Uncle Sam with 10,000 Military Bicycles; Making Deliveries Now 

WESTFIELD, Mass., Oct. 29.— The Westfield Manufacturing Co. has just been advised that it has been awarded the contract for the 10,000 military bicycles on which the government recently received bids, the action being taken through the Quartermaster's Depot at Chicago, where the bids were filed. The decision was naturally received with rejoicing at the Westfield plant, inasmuch as the contract referred to is the first to be awarded by Uncle Sam for army bicycles in quantity.

The Specifications Demanded Work on the army bicycles is already under way at the Westfield plant. All the extensive resources of the company have been thrown behind the production of the wheels, and the first deliveries are now being made. The entire contract is to be cleared up in ninety days.

The general specifications of the military bicycle as it is being turned out by the Westfield company are as follows: Twenty two inch double-bar frame of drawn seamless tubing; forged toe pieces; olive drab finish with black striping; twenty-six tooth front sprocket and ten tooth rear; seven inch cranks; Diamond No. 71 roller chain; steel rims; Standard No. 2 spokes ; front and rear mudguards with braces riveted to the guards; rubber splasher on front guard; box type extension handle bars with corrugated rubber grips; Vitalic single-tube tires ; Bridgeport telescope pump ; Troxel No. 1 Motobike saddle; Troxel tool bag with complete set of tools ; Standard No. 4 rat-trap pedals with toe clips ; rear luggage carrier with web straps and the Neverout oil lamp.

The Westfield company quoted a price of $28.65 per bicycle, with deliveries to start at 75 a day and increase to 150 to 200 a day. An extra charge of 40 cents was stipulated by the company for crating for foreign shipment

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nyp.33433069061806;view=1up;seq=295


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## blackcat (Jun 2, 2019)

Hello;
A managed to have a friend in France this beautiful headbadge with still his original painting.




Regards;
Serge


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## ChadC (Jul 6, 2019)

Sitting in my living room...


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## blackcat (Jul 7, 2019)

Hello Chad;
You found him a place of honor my friend!
He will make envious!
He looks good your WW1 COLUMBIA military.
Cheers;
Serge


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## ChadC (Jul 7, 2019)

Sorry, I thought these pictures were posted in my last post....


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## blackcat (Oct 31, 2021)

Hello;
This morning, a little flea tour in the south of Paris with the MISS  😺
A great find for me, a NEVEROUT lamp , USA stamped with its color of military origin.










Regards;
Serge


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## blackcat (Mar 13, 2022)

Hello;
This morning, found in France on a flea market of spare parts of cars and old motorcycles, a beautiful NEVEROUT lamp stamped U.S.A.




Regards;
Serge


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## blackcat (Aug 22, 2022)

Hello;
This weekend, a WW1 GREAT-WESTERN model AMERICA military bike with its good original badge  😸
Found in the south west in France at a collector of old bikes, 3 years of waiting to acquire it 😺
I did not find a serial number under the bottom bracket, it is very crusty, a little disappointed...
The wheels, the crankset and the handlebar stem are not good.





With its New Departure rear hub model A original to the bike .





Regards;
Serge


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