# Seeking info on child's quadracycle



## killerbee (Dec 22, 2010)

Hi everyone,
Just purchased this ride toy that I suppose is a quadracycle.  Any info or insight anyone can contribute would be much appreciated.  No markings found.  Nice stenciling on the metal parts.
Thanks!


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## ridingtoy (Dec 22, 2010)

Looks like it could date back as far as the 1920s...possibly a bit earlier. I'll go through my collector catalogs later today and see if I can spot something very similar. This type of ride-on vehicle was well known as an "Irish Mail" in older toy catalogs.

Dave


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## killerbee (Dec 23, 2010)

Thanks Dave! I had never heard of the term 'Irish Mail' so I'm sure it will help with my research.  Much appreciated.
KB


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## ridingtoy (Dec 23, 2010)

KB,

Finally had some time to check more catalogs. I found very similar irish mails, or hand cars as they were also known by, from the period 1907 to the mid-1930s. No brand names were given in these old catalog page reprints. One thing they all appear to have in common was the name decaled or painted across the middle of the wooden seat. If there's still a name on yours, that's where you'd find it if it's not completely worn off. The ones I saw had the same frame, open gears, seat support, and rectangular wooden seat as yours.

Dave


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## killerbee (Dec 24, 2010)

Dave,
You are very kind to make the time to find that info for me.  Much appreciated!
Best regards and Merry Christmas!
Killerbee


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## Flat Tire (Dec 24, 2010)

Could be a Colson Fairy hand cart.....there was one on the bay last year and like Dave said it was marked on the wooden seat....heres a link to some pics, its on the 5th or 6th page. Looks like the only difference is theres a cover over the rear sprocket.

http://www.ohiomemory.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/p267401coll36&CISOPTR=7007&REC=3


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## ridingtoy (Dec 24, 2010)

Flat Tire said:


> Could be a Colson Fairy hand cart.....there was one on the bay last year and like Dave said it was marked on the wooden seat....heres a link to some pics, its on the 5th or 6th page. Looks like the only difference is theres a cover over the rear sprocket.
> 
> http://www.ohiomemory.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/p267401coll36&CISOPTR=7007&REC=3




Don, thanks for posting those Colson catalog pages. I love to check out vintage tricycle catalogs!

I noticed in the my collector catalog the more deluxe models had the enclosed or covered sprockets. The basic models had them exposed.

This is the collector book I have which has the catalog pages in it on these children's vehicles, if anyone wanted to pick up a copy: http://cgi.ebay.com/Evolution-Pedal...585?pt=US_Nonfiction_Book&hash=item5196a4a159

This book came out in about 4 or 5 volumes, this being the first and having more of a variety of riding toys. The later volumes dealt more with pedal cars.

Dave


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## killerbee (Dec 27, 2010)

Many thanks to you both, Dave & Don!  I really loved seeing the catalog link Don posted.  How neat.  Unfortunately there is pretty much no paint left on the seat of the one I bought, but it does look just like the Colson one except for the sprocket cover. 
Thanks again!
Killerbee


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