# Head badge ID



## slcurts (Feb 23, 2021)

Hey all,

Probably a long shot, but does this head badge ring any bells? The bike is a pretty generic-looking TOC ladies' bike with wood rims, handlebars, and rear fender. I'm sure there would have been an insert in there.


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## slcurts (Dec 7, 2022)

Bump?


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## Iverider (Dec 7, 2022)

Post some pics of the rest of the bike. Jointery details etc. might help in figuring out the manufacturer or marque.


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## Iverider (Jan 4, 2023)

A clue for you. 1896 Bellis Ad featuring their badge shape which is very similar to the badge you posted sans some of the engraving.


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## Iverider (Jan 4, 2023)

Here's the Clincher. 1897


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## Blue Streak (Jan 4, 2023)

Partial 1897 Bellis Cycle Company catalog with reference to Model F in last photo below:


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## Blue Streak (Jan 4, 2023)

From January 28, 1897 issue of _The Referee_


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## slcurts (Jan 4, 2023)

Blue Streak said:


> Partial 1897 Bellis Cycle Company catalog with reference to Model F in last photo below:
> 
> View attachment 1762933
> 
> ...



This is great! So what I have is a Bellis Model F, probably 1897, made in Indianapolis which is where I live. That group photo in the catalog is in front of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument on Monument Circle. It was under construction from 1888-1902 and is very much unfinished in this photo.


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## Blue Streak (Jan 4, 2023)

The same Bellis group photo from November 27, 1896 issue of _The Wheel._


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## slcurts (Jan 5, 2023)

According to The Wheel, Bellis was organized in 1895 and may have started production by late in that year. They ran a lot of ads in 1896, but sometime in 1897 the ads stopped and by '98 the only news from them was that they were trying to collect money owed from their dealers.


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## locomotion (Jan 5, 2023)

interesting headbadge
I wonder what was at the center of the headbadge!
a decal? an insert?

can you share more pictures of the whole bicycle @slcurts ?


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## slcurts (Jan 5, 2023)

locomotion said:


> interesting headbadge
> I wonder what was at the center of the headbadge!
> a decal? an insert?
> 
> can you share more pictures of the whole bicycle @slcurts ?



Iverider posted an ad from 1897 that shows what it looked like. The bike is in pieces in a bucket right now; I'll have to spread it out for a photo.


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## locomotion (Jan 5, 2023)

slcurts said:


> Iverider posted an ad from 1897 that shows what it looked like. The bike is in pieces in a bucket right now; I'll have to spread it out for a photo.



yes, I did see his post, it shows something in the center, but it doesn't show what the center piece is made of
decal?, metal insert? plastic type insert? painted on headtube? or something else?


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## Blue Streak (Jan 5, 2023)

A Bellis Model F sold at 2006 Copake Auction. Auction listing says badge was celluloid and nickel plated.


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## locomotion (Jan 6, 2023)

Blue Streak said:


> A Bellis Model F sold at 2006 Copake Auction. Auction listing says badge was celluloid and nickel plated.
> 
> View attachment 1763721
> 
> ...



nice find, i never think about searching the Copake past sales for examples

celluloid ..... that is the word that I was trying to find when I said "plastic type" 
a decal maker could probably easily reproduce that little insert


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## slcurts (Jan 6, 2023)

Blue Streak said:


> A Bellis Model F sold at 2006 Copake Auction. Auction listing says badge was celluloid and nickel plated.
> 
> View attachment 1763721
> 
> ...



Aha, so that’s where that photo came from. I just found it elsewhere but couldn’t tell whose bike it was.


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## slcurts (Tuesday at 9:10 AM)

For anyone waiting for photos of my Bellis, here she is. As I said, it's pretty generic looking. The frame has a lot of pitting and had been painted blue, as shown in the original badge photo. I was going to paint it for use as a prop, but now that I know what it is I may have to rethink that. The catalog says it came with 28/32-spoke wheels and that's what these are, so I"m assuming the hubs and probably the rims are original, but the spokes are new. The rims are in great shape but the tapered wood bars are obviously broken.


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