# Early Peerless...possibly Yale built?



## fordmike65 (Feb 14, 2022)

Slowly I've been adding interesting early bicycles to my collection including my Racycle Rideabout, Crescent chainless & G&J. I've been on the lookout for an early parallel double bar, so when this popped up at Turlock I knew I had to have it. Unfortunately it had caught me when the bike fund well was dry....but the local friend who found it took some items in trade and even delivered it.

Some of you might recognize it from the Turlock swap thread a couple of weeks ago. Not knowing what it was and @New Mexico Brant's suggestion that it might be a Yale,  I did a bit of digging & came across @dmk441's thread regarding Pre 1916 Consolidated Manufacturing Yale bicycles. There I found a frame with very similar construction & a Cornell badge that looks very much like the Peerless on this bicycle. All badges are from Toledo,OH, and most are stamped "Consolidate MFG Co" or "The Kirk MFG Co." while mine is "The Lion MFG Co.". @Jesse McCauley knows a bit about this company, but has not seen any ties to bicycles.  If anyone happens to have any information on this bike or of it's details, please feel free to post here. I'm hoping a few key Cabe members will chime in, among others: @Blue Streak , @dmk441 , @hoofhearted , @New Mexico Brant , @Jesse McCauley, @cds2323  . Thank you in advance for any help. Mike

@dmk441 Thread regarding early Yale built bikes








						Pre 1916 Consolidated Manufacturing Yale bicycles | Antique Bicycles Pre-1933
					

The focus of this thread is dedicated to the research and preservation of Pre 1916 Consolidated Manufacturing Yale bicycles. Please contribute to the research efforts and share what you might have that's Pre 1916 Yale bicycle related. Whether it's consolidated manufacturing Yale catalogs, head...




					thecabe.com
				































Looks to be the same chainring in this ad





Very similar badge




Similar frame construction


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## Blue Streak (Feb 14, 2022)

Here is a Peerless that sold at Copake 2012. Not exactly like yours but some similarities.










						'peerless' - Past Lots - Copake Auction Inc.
					

Past Lots, Copake Auction Inc., Real Auctions: Search, Bid, Win., 'peerless'




					copakeauction.hibid.com


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## Drosentreter (Feb 14, 2022)

fordmike65 said:


> Slowly I've been adding interesting early bicycles to my collection including my Racycle Rideabout, Crescent chainless & G&J. I've been on the lookout for an early parallel double bar, so when this popped up at Turlock I knew I had to have it. Unfortunately it had caught me when the bike fund well was dry....but the local friend who found it took some items in trade and even delivered it.
> 
> Some of you might recognize it from the Turlock swap thread a couple of weeks ago. Not knowing what it was and @New Mexico Brant's suggestion that it might be a Yale,  I did a bit of digging & came across @dmk441's thread regarding Pre 1916 Consolidated Manufacturing Yale bicycles. There I found a frame with very similar construction & a Cornell badge that looks very much like the Peerless on this bicycle. All badges are from Toledo,OH, and most are stamped "Consolidate MFG Co" or "The Kirk MFG Co." while mine is "The Lion MFG Co.". @Jesse McCauley knows a bit about this company, but has not seen any ties to bicycles.  If anyone happens to have any information on this bike or of it's details, please feel free to post here. I'm hoping a few key Cabe members will chime in, among others: @Blue Streak , @dmk441 , @hoofhearted , @New Mexico Brant , @Jesse McCauley, @cds2323  . Thank you in advance for any help. Mike
> 
> ...



Another very similar badge on my own Witte Flyer. Seemingly identical besides the names


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## fordmike65 (Feb 15, 2022)

I wonder if the Lion MFG Co could be this department store in Toledo,OH?

*The Lion Dry Goods Co. (The Lion Store)*_ (1857)_
St. Clair, Adams and Summit Streets
Toledo, Ohio


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## Blue Streak (Feb 15, 2022)

From September 4, 1909 issue _The Bicycling World & Motorcycle Review:_


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## Blue Streak (Feb 15, 2022)

Some other double bars for comparison:

1907 Emblem




1907 Pope 




1908 Excelsior




1908 Reading Standard




1909 Emblem 




1909 Sterling


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## GTs58 (Feb 15, 2022)

That 1908 Excelsior has the same slotted hardware on the crank arm.


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## Blue Streak (Feb 16, 2022)

1907-1913 newspaper references listing Peerless Bicycles and direct/indirect reference to Double Bar. All are from California newspapers except last one (1913) is from Phoenix:

June 1907:




April 1908:




May 1908:




August 1908:







September 1908:




October 1908:




December 1908:




December 1908:




February 1909:




September 1910:




March 1912:




November 1913:


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## Blue Streak (Feb 16, 2022)

Couple more other double bars for reference. Looks like the parallel double bar frame was popular from around 1907-1913 +/-. The 1914 Iver Johnson ad below introduces the new _Mobicycle _with upper bar sloping down to seat post. Some bicycle frame designs of the time were following general frame development of motorcycles.

July 1911:







May 1912:







July 1912:




April 1914:


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## Blue Streak (Mar 13, 2022)

Peerless Heavy Roadster shown in undated catalog on eBay.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/203859060608?campid=5335809022


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## Archie Sturmer (Mar 13, 2022)

The Strauss/Buffalo picture looks to have a Westfield spider-web chain ring sprocket?


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## SKPC (Nov 16, 2022)

Great advertising as usual from the Blue Streak.    AS-^^^yes, but it has a Fauber One Piece crank per the ad text. Appears Consolodated had their hands full jobbing bikes out.


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## Wheeled Relics (Dec 15, 2022)

Very cool. I’m glad I checked in for the holidays this is nice Mike


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