# liberty schwinn origins



## SJ_BIKER (Sep 18, 2013)

Does anyone know when schwinn started using liberty badges on their bikes? Be10s or 1935 motorbikes and older?


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## rhenning (Sep 19, 2013)

Schwinn before WW2 made many if not most of their bikes for other companies including one that used the name Liberty.  Among my collection I have had Schwinns with Cadillac, B F Goodrich, Chicago Cycle Supply, Hackes, World and others.  Dating anything prewar is very hard at best. You would need to find out who Liberty was and when they bought bicycles from Schwinn.  Roger


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## Freqman1 (Sep 19, 2013)

Actually I don't think "Liberty" was a company but just a brand offered by Schwinn such as World, LaSalle, or Lincoln that was offered through retailers such as Chicago Cycle Supply. Just from observation it seems to me these badges start appearing about the time of the introduction of the 26" motorbikes e.g. B10E. I'm not well versed in Schwinn though so hopefully one of the experts will chime in. V/r Shawn


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## hoofhearted (Sep 19, 2013)

*Schwinn LIBERTY BADGE*

Most everyone may be familiar with the acid-etched, Schwinn Liberty badge .. as shown in the foto, below..

But ... are you aware of a much-earlier specimen of Schwinn Liberty badge ??  What sets the older specimen apart from 
the newer-artifact in the Liberty-foto (below) is the knowledge that the EARLIEST example of this badge design was carried 
on a stamped-copper sheet .. AND .. this earlier specimen was much, much thicker than necessary for an acid-etched badge.  

I have often wondered if these earlier Schwinn Liberty badges were ever intended to hold finely-ground, colored glass .. 
and fired at fairly-tall temperatures .. much like the Sear's Chief badge.  For more information regarding the unification 
of finely-ground, colored glass - copper and fire ... peep the term ... CHAMPLEVE .. using your favorite search engine.

Although this typist does not have knowledge of the exact moment in time the Schwinn Liberty badge was installed on a 
Schwinn bicycle ... one aspect does ring a bell ... the Davis-Built, Sear's-Distributed VICTOR has the SAME outline-shape 
as the Schwinn Liberty .. AND .. the VICTOR was NOT MADE to hold paint (being of very-thick copper sheet) ... it was made 
to contain fired, green-colored glass, as one aspect of its identity.

Ah .. how quickly the enlightened, human mind wants to draw a conclusion.  

Pause .. and know this ... Much More Research Is Indicated,  before any scholarly conclusions can ever be reached.

..............  patric cafaro 

post script ... sorry, I do not have a sample of the early, Schwinn Liberty badge.


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## cyclingday (Sep 19, 2013)

Now that is the kind of fascinating information, that I was hoping the soul searcher articles in C.B.N. were going to have.
Not that they weren't entertaining mind you, but the doors of perception to Patric Cafaros mind, requires a certain level of enlightenment, before one can navigate the multitude of layers and fully comprehend what the symbolism represents in American headbadge design.


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## bike (Sep 19, 2013)

*but the doors of perception to Patric Cafaros mind*

have very crusty hinges and require a lot of hammering...


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## SJ_BIKER (Sep 19, 2013)

*two on nostalgic.net*

there is a schwinn 1936 and a schwinn 1937 with liberty badges in nostalgic.net....look like originals


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## hoofhearted (Oct 3, 2013)

*Wha' ... Not A Schwinn LIBERTY .. but same UNUSUAL SHAPE ??!*

No .. It's Not The LIBERTY but ... here's that badge SHAPE once again ...........

....... patric cafaro



  And Here Are The Other SAME-SHAPE SPECIMENS already documented


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## Thonyv1974_ (Jun 11, 2016)

We recently bought a 1935 Liberty badged schwinn  , I know that in a  1923 Chicago cycle supply catalog  , the  Cadillac and  Liberty  bikes  were  made by  Schwinn  for them  , also  the  Schwinn  serial number  is  on  them....


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## Freqman1 (Jun 11, 2016)

Thonyv1974_ said:


> We recently bought a 1935 Liberty badged schwinn  , I know that in a  1923 Chicago cycle supply catalog  , the  Cadillac and  Liberty  bikes  were  made by  Schwinn  for them  , also  the  Schwinn  serial number  is  on  them....
> 
> View attachment 328017




Another problem is determining whether a badge is original to the bike. In the photo above the badge is obviously a poor repaint and has been cleaned. It may, or may not, have originated on this bike. V/r Shawn


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## onecatahula (Jun 11, 2016)




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## John zachow (Jan 20, 2017)

Badge on my 36 LIberty


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## Jesse McCauley (Feb 4, 2018)

For the sake of posterity -
Here is one of the thick stamped early version of this badge with the extra wide hole spacing and indeed as Patric hypothesized they used this extra deep relief to use legit enamel.
Also interesting though is the way the colors are divided in this version of the badge vs. later ones.
I assume this proved to be entirely more time consuming and difficult than the later thinner painted version.


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## SLM (Feb 9, 2018)

Hope this helps.  This is photo is the Liberty badge and the frame decal (liberty) on my Pre-war Autocycle (all orginial) .


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## Soondite (Aug 31, 2018)

Can anyone tell me about this bike? We found this in my grandmother's attic. It has a liberty badge and tank.
It has everything but the grips.


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## Kickstand3 (Aug 31, 2018)

Here another one 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro


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## Kickstand3 (Aug 31, 2018)

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro


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## 2jakes (Aug 31, 2018)

Looks like Schwinn "put out" to many companies.
I have a ACE Schwinn badge on one of
my phantoms.
I read somewhere that these bike badges were
made exclusively for Ace hardware stores.
Patric... what do you think?


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## cyclonecoaster.com (Aug 31, 2018)

*Original paint 1940*


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## Oldbikes (Aug 31, 2018)

Here’s a rare “1938 Schwinn Liberty” listed on Chicago CL!
Too funny!






Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## ace (Sep 6, 2018)

Would love to pair it up with this bike. Very cool colors.


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## Tonylannon (Nov 19, 2018)




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## Tonylannon (Nov 19, 2018)

Tonylannon said:


> View attachment 904328View attachment 904329View attachment 904328
> 
> View attachment 904329



Does any body know anything bout this bike... It even has a drag slick on The back


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## Mr. Monkeyarms (Nov 19, 2018)

Tonylannon said:


> View attachment 904328View attachment 904329View attachment 904328
> 
> View attachment 904329




Made by Murray Bicycles some time after 1973 due to BMA/6 sticker on seat tube. Awesome seat on that one!


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## Mr. Monkeyarms (Nov 19, 2018)

Soondite said:


> Can anyone tell me about this bike? We found this in my grandmother's attic. It has a liberty badge and tank.
> It has everything but the grips.
> View attachment 861615
> 
> ...




Since this was posted in August, I hope this bike has been rescued from Grandma's attic to be serviced and cleaned to ride.....


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## barneyguey (Nov 19, 2018)

ace said:


> Would love to pair it up with this bike. Very cool colors.View attachment 864587



I'm in love with your bike!


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## Tonylannon (Nov 19, 2018)

Mr. Monkeyarms said:


> Made by Murray Bicycles some time after 1973 due to BMA/6 sticker on seat tube. Awesome seat on that one!



Thanks


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