# 1933 Columbia? Westfield? Elgin? Yes, No, Maybe?



## LuckyArt (Sep 11, 2018)

This is newbie, LuckyArt, posting his second thread.  You all have been so helpful with my first post, “late teens Indian”, that I’m ready to unveil my second “Barn Find”(really!) bike.  Once again, thanks to your incredible research, I think this is a 1933 Columbia.  One of the posts, by Mercian(Adrian),shows my serial number, L42031, as a 1933 Elgin Falcon.  First off, I know this is a pre-1933 forum, but my bike is a 28” pre-balloon tire bike, so I thought it might be best listed here.  If I am wrong, please let me know and I will move it.  My research of your research shows the “Coffin Chainring” and serial number as Columbia.  Am I right that it would be made by Westfield-Columbia and badged as Elgin-Falcon?  What would the head badge look like?  I think it has been repainted, looks like red(maroon?) under green. But it has arrows and stripes.  What do you think?
BEFORE YOU ALL LAUGH AT ME, I KNOW THE FRONT FENDER WAS MOUNTED BACKWARDS!  I can only wonder what the original owner was thinking. He did live on ranch, so maybe it was to heard cows with?!?
Any info would be great, also, is there much value here?  I know I’m spoiled knowing what my Indian find was worth.  Thanks so much in advance.  Art


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## Mercian (Sep 12, 2018)

Hi Art,

you read the table correctly for the date (thanks for the acknowledgement, by the way), it's a 1933 Columbia built bicycle, but not an Elgin Falcon. Here are the links I used when compiling the list for 'L' numbers, which show Elgin Falcons. You will see that the front bar is curved, and the frame looks quite different.

https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/oldest-elgin-falcon-on-the-road.60603/#post-364586

https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/elgin-falcon-sn-and-t-on-head-tube.43244/#post-244377

As to what it actually is, I can't help, I don't know enough. But I'm sure someone will be along in a minute to say.

Best Regards,

Adrian


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## ohmybike (Sep 12, 2018)

Is that the original paint underneath the green house paint. Is that green house paint?


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## LuckyArt (Sep 12, 2018)

You know, I’m not an expert, but it does look like a repaint to me.  The whole bike, even under the fenders are green over red.  Maybe the red is a primer. If it is a repaint, this rancher’s son did a lot of extra work putting on the arrows, etc.  Coud the red or green indicate a bike type.  I was sorta excited at one point thinking it was Indian red and I lucked into two of them, but the coffin chainring kinda pointed toward Columbia, as did the serial nbr.  
Art


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## LuckyArt (Sep 14, 2018)

I haven’t been able to find anything on this bike, other than it’s a 1933 Columbia.  Does that mean it was built by Columbia, or maybe by Westfield?  If not badged as a Columbia, then what other badges could this have had?  It looks like it was originally red, unless the red is an undercoat primer.  Would red indicate a certain bike?  Thanks for any help.  Art


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## ohmybike (Sep 14, 2018)

LuckyArt said:


> I haven’t been able to find anything on this bike, other than it’s a 1933 Columbia.  Does that mean it was built by Columbia, or maybe by Westfield?  If not badged as a Columbia, then what other badges could this have had?  It looks like it was originally red, unless the red is an undercoat primer.  Would red indicate a certain bike?  Thanks for any help.  Art




I’m in the same boat. Can’t find what badge goes on my this bike. It had red house paint.


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## Adamtinkerer (Sep 15, 2018)

LuckyArt said:


> I haven’t been able to find anything on this bike, other than it’s a 1933 Columbia.  Does that mean it was built by Columbia, or maybe by Westfield?  If not badged as a Columbia, then what other badges could this have had?  It looks like it was originally red, unless the red is an undercoat primer.  Would red indicate a certain bike?  Thanks for any help.  Art



Westfield is the parent co., Columbia was their main line. Well, by that time anyway, I think Pope and a bunch of others came together earlier, and they bought up a bunch of defunct companies/badges after the turn of the century 'bicycle bust'. So, Westfield had a lot of these other badges, such as Miami, Sterling, Rambler, Waverly, etc that were reused.


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## LuckyArt (Sep 15, 2018)

Thanks, Adam, so do you think the open Columbia badge I keep seeing would be the correct one?  Mine has horizontal holes.  Actually, there’s a piece of badge still on the bike, might give a clue.  Thanks again, I just wasn’t aware of the connection between Westfield & Columbia.


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## mickeyc (Sep 15, 2018)

That piece of the badge has been turned 180 degrees.  Looks like a Columbia badge outline like this one on my 1926 Columbia.


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## LuckyArt (Sep 15, 2018)

I realized that a few minutes ago, you have a good eye.  The only thing I still see is that on my bike the screw is real close to the edge & the edge has a rib around it.  The Columbia badges seem to all have the screws more inboard.  Do you know the distance between the screw holes?  I could compare that to mine.  Thanks for helping me out, Mickey.
Art


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## LuckyArt (Sep 15, 2018)

I went down and looked over the headbadge area again and got better pics.  You can clearly see the outline of the badge on the headstock.  It looks very much like Mickeyc’s badge, only the center band where “Columbia” would be written is at a much steeper angle.  Also, there are 3 holes on right side of the headstock and 2 on the left.  The closeup of the remaining smallpartof a badge that was still attached shows, I believe, that it was from a different badge.  If you look close, there is a ridge on the edge on three sides of the piece,  everywhere but where it broke.  Whatever badge was on it last, had to have some sort of squared three sided outcropping on each side.  Any ideas??  So, I guess I’m in the market for a Columbia badge with a steep angled center piece.  The holes are 2” across on the curve, the badge would be about 3” high.  Thanks, you all for your help again!  Art


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## mickeyc (Sep 17, 2018)

That bike has obviously had more than one badge on it.  Your best bet is one of the badge collectors on the CABE, they should be able to help as you have an outline of at least the last badge that was on the bike.  I had a similar problem with a Peerless I bought with just a tiny scrap of a badge under one of the screws.  Finally found a picture of what I thought could be the original badge...no one had seen one in the flesh.  Wound up selling the bike sans badge.

Mike


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## LuckyArt (Sep 17, 2018)

Yea, I may never know what’s the original badge is.  Probably do like you and sell it.  I have the Indian bike I got with it and will keep it for sure.  Anyone have a value estimate on this 1933 Columbia?  Thank you so much.
Art


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