# Day Manufacturing Co. Lake View, NY



## Warhorse (Feb 4, 2021)

Any chance anyone has any information on this old bike? I’ve had it a little over a decade when I acquired it from a friend but know absolutely nothing about it.
It shows it age but nothing is seized, paint is tough but no dents etc... 
I really am limited in knowledge when it comes to bikes anywhere near this vintage, but would be potentially interested in moving it along to where it may be more appreciated as I basically just use it as a dust collector...


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## fordmike65 (Feb 4, 2021)

@New Mexico Brant 
@Jesse McCauley 
@hoofhearted 

I think you guys will like this one


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## Jesse McCauley (Feb 4, 2021)

Killer bike! 
I have one advert in my archive for a 1900 Day MFG Light Roadster


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## catfish (Feb 4, 2021)

Nice !


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## Warhorse (Feb 4, 2021)

Thanks for sharing that ad Jesse! That’s super cool to see and the plain black colour lends me then to believe this must be the original paint as I wasn’t certain!
Reasonably similar looking bikes too I suppose with the exception of the handlebars.

also any idea anyone as to the vintage of the bell with the anchor & American flag shield?

cheers!


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## cr250mark (Feb 4, 2021)

Killer bike 
Great wheel set ( Fairbanks ) 
Thanks for posting 

mark


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## Blue Streak (Feb 4, 2021)

*Day Manufacturing Company (1898-1903)*

Began in early 1898 as successors to Queen City Cycle Company.
Ended May 29, 1903 in bankruptcy.

February 25, 1898 issue of _The Wheel:_







April 27, 1899 issue of _Buffalo Evening News:_




March 8, 1901 issue of _The Brooklyn Citizen:_




June 6, 1903 issue of _The Bicycling World and Motorcycle Review:_


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## Warhorse (Feb 4, 2021)

BlueStreak, thank you very much for that wealth of information! That was a very interesting read, beyond what I expected. Explains the very brief history... even shorter then I thought beginning in 1898 not 1895...
This thing definitely shows it’s age a bit so maybe not worth the entire original $29.50.


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## Warhorse (Feb 5, 2021)

I’ve been pretty surprised by the amount of interest this bike has generated in terms of people wanting to purchase it.
Unfortunately everyone is asking me to name a price basically and I am just as clueless to value as I was to it’s history yesterday morning!
I love know knowing more about the bike, and I suppose have to decide whether to stop it off to someone who will appreciate it more then I and give it the love it deserves or place it back near the rafters to go about collecting another round of dust!
Any help in even just the roughest terms of what something like this may be worth would be greatly appreciated, though also living in Canada imagine the exorbitant cost of shipping would likely dissuade interest...


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## dnc1 (Feb 8, 2021)

Or, you could stick another saddle on it and maybe some newer tyres, and enjoy riding it. 
What a joy to ride something that original from that era!


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## Billythekid (Feb 10, 2021)

I would think $1000 is a fair number


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## locomotion (Nov 16, 2021)

Blue Streak said:


> *Day Manufacturing Company (1898-1903)*
> 
> Began in early 1898 as successors to Queen City Cycle Company.
> Ended May 29, 1903 in bankruptcy.
> ...



Jeff, do you have any information about when Queen City Cycle was in operation?
thanks
MAx


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## fat tire trader (Nov 17, 2021)

There is a flaw in Blue Streak's information. The Day company was in business for a lot longer than he states. I don't have time to investigate it now, but I promise, I will soon. I am basing this claim on the fact that I have an original copy of the 14th annual catalogue of Day Bicycles.


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## Blue Streak (Nov 17, 2021)

Great reference source. Will be curious if there is a date in it. All references I have found so far show Day Manufacturing Company going bankrupt 1903 and the manufacturing equipment and factory listed for sale January and February 1904. 

July 25, 1903 issue of _The Buffalo Commercial:_




December 3, 1903 issue of _The Iron Trade Review:_




January 11, 1904 issue _The Buffalo Evening News:_




January 23, 1904 issue of _The Buffalo Evening News:_




January 30, 1904 issue of _The Buffalo Evening News:_




February 27, 1904 issue of _The Buffalo Evening News:_




April 1, 1904 issue of _The Buffalo Commercial:_




From the book _Motorcycle Industry in New York State_:




Cover of 15th Annual Catalog for Day Bicycles on The Bicycle Museum of America website that has 1900 written in pencil at top of cover:


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## Warhorse (Nov 17, 2021)

Perhaps as the successor company to Queen City Cycle, the catalogues are accounting for those years of operations as well?
That could potentially help answer Locomotion’s question as well… if apparently Day operated 1898-1903 and put out a 15th Annual catalogue in 1900, perhaps QueenCity operated 1885-1898?
Just a guess though.

I’ve actually since moved out of my old shop, and with reduced space for storage am likely going to list this particular Day Mfg Co bike for sale locally shortly, despite being such a cool old bike it’s even more crammed away now then I’ve had it over the past 14 years I’ve had it.


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## Archie Sturmer (Nov 17, 2021)

It sounds like the “advertised” start date should be the one in question, for taking some *liberty*.

Not quite the same as Huffy’s successors advertising that “it all started in 1892”.


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## manuel rivera (Nov 17, 2021)

@ locomotion


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## alexander55 (Nov 17, 2021)

What an awesome and enjoyable thread to read.  I learned a lot.  Thanks so much for sharing this great research.


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## locomotion (Nov 17, 2021)

locomotion said:


> Jeff, do you have any information about when Queen City Cycle was in operation?
> thanks
> MAx




so any clue as to when Queen City Cycle actually was in business?

@Blue Streak


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## New Mexico Brant (Nov 17, 2021)

locomotion said:


> so any clue as to when Queen City Cycle actually was in business?
> 
> @Blue Streak



Does anyone have the Buffalo bicycle book close at hand?  This may answer Max's question; sadly my copy is in Pennsylvania.


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## Blue Streak (Nov 17, 2021)

locomotion said:


> so any clue as to when Queen City Cycle actually was in business?
> 
> @Blue Streak



Queen City Cycle Company was in business from 1892-1896.

Queen City Cycle Company history begins when a jeweler named J. H. Isham (1831-1897) moved from Titusville PA to Buffalo NY in 1882. From 1882-1891 he operated both a jewelry, clock, watch store and a bicycle dealership. He closed the jewelry store in 1891 to focus only on bicycles.

February 1892 Isham and G. Frank Fries form Queen City Cycle Company selling Columbia, Cleveland, Rambler, Waverley, Gendron and other makes.
1893 begin manufacturing the Erie Bicycle.
August 1895 move business from Buffalo to Lake View NY.
January 1896 Queen City Cycle Company is incorporated by Fries and Isham and their wives.
July 1896 begin to have financial issues.
October 1896 voluntary dissolution of the company.
1897 J N Adam & Company Department Store of Buffalo buys 3000 Erie Bicycles to resell in their store at 75% and more off original price.

1898 G. Frank Fries starts Day Manufacturing Company as successor to Queen City Cycle Company.
1903 Day Manufacturing Company goes out of business.

Here are a few references. I will make a new post just on the history of these companies so that all the information found so far is in one place.

1883:





1891:




1891:




1892:




1893:




1894:




1895:




1896:


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## locomotion (Nov 17, 2021)

thank you again Jeff for your hard work, greatly appreciated
I would not of guessed that my Erie, Buffalo N.Y. was that old (ie:1895)


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## alexander55 (Nov 17, 2021)

The volume of research done and the generosity in sharing it is remarkable to me.  Thanks so much.  Absolutely fascinating!!


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## C M Gerlach (Nov 17, 2021)

Very intetesting history, the factory in idleview.....which is now called Lakeview in Hamburg, NY was dismantled and the manufacturing equipment was sold to William Schack and William Heil who were employees at Day bicycles.  This equipment was used by Schack and Heil to establish the first Emblem factory in Angola around 1906.


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## Blue Streak (Nov 18, 2021)

New Mexico Brant said:


> Does anyone have the Buffalo bicycle book close at hand?  This may answer Max's question; sadly my copy is in Pennsylvania.




Some history of Queen City Cycle Company, Day Manufacturing Company and Emblem Manufacturing Company from the book *Buffalo's Bicycles* by Carl Burgwardt:


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## New Mexico Brant (Nov 19, 2021)

Queen City Cycle Co. bicycle for reference:


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