# 1897 Tonk Hickory



## decotriumph (May 7, 2013)

I posted this in the eBay section, too, but if you're an antique fan, you'll want to see this one.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=181136047507&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1123


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## bricycle (May 7, 2013)

That is soooooooo awesome!!!!


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## scrubbinrims (May 7, 2013)

I love it...as does the lady in my avatar!
The starting bid is a bargain for what these are bringing at Copake recently, but not knowing the reserve?
Chris


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## bricycle (May 7, 2013)

scrubbinrims said:


> I love it...as does the lady in my avatar!
> The starting bid is a bargain for what these are bringing at Copake recently, but not knowing the reserve?
> Chris




how can you tell she likes it??


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## scrubbinrims (May 7, 2013)

bricycle said:


> how can you tell she likes it??




Because her other ride is a broom...this is made of broomsticks right?
Chris


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## bricycle (May 7, 2013)

scrubbinrims said:


> Because her other ride is a broom...this is made of broomsticks right?
> Chris




Ahhhhhhhh!


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## dfa242 (May 7, 2013)

I thought that looked familiar - they even reused some pics...

http://copakeauction.auctionflex.co...yword=hickory&lso=lotnumasc&pagenum=1&lang=En


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## willswares1220 (May 7, 2013)

*A Beautiful Machine!*

IS IT ALL RIGHT TO DREAM ????


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## bricycle (May 7, 2013)

And they think they are gonna get over 15-16k??????????????????????????????


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## willswares1220 (May 7, 2013)

*I quess so~~~~~*

I prefer pants with shallow pockets.............That's all I can afford!


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## scrubbinrims (May 7, 2013)

bricycle said:


> And they think they are gonna get over 15-16k??????????????????????????????




Anybody hoping to get it at that better be knocking on wood...15K Copake hammer + 2,250 premium +1,200 tax + undisclosed shipping (winner was on the phone)... and then there is the ebay slice off the top.

A risky and probably a long term flip is likely.

Chris


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## bricycle (May 7, 2013)

Even if I had $10,000.00 bills falling out of my pocket I would never spend $20K on that.


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## scrubbinrims (May 7, 2013)

I remember being there on the floor at Copake last month and at that ending price, we were all swept away (you still with me Bri?).
Chris


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## bricycle (May 7, 2013)

scrubbinrims said:


> I remember being there on the floor at Copake last month and at that ending price, we were all swept away (you still with me Bri?).
> Chris




...no, I passed out...


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## Iverider (May 7, 2013)

I'd love to build one of these just to do it. Steel is real, but Wood is better!


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## Balloontyre (Dec 19, 2013)

*Tonk Old Hickory*

Fantastic bike, does anyone know when these were produced or in what numbers, models etc...?


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## dfa242 (Dec 19, 2013)

The Wheelmen say 1897-98 by the Old Hickory Cycle Co in Chicago.


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## Obi-Wan Schwinnobi (Dec 19, 2013)

scrubbinrims said:


> Because her other ride is a broom...this is made of broomsticks right?
> Chris




Now that's funny!....


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## Balloontyre (Dec 20, 2013)

*1900 Catalog*

I found 1896 to 1900 ads so Tonk probably produced bikes at least 5 years in some form or variety. The wheelmen site is not all inclusive many times,


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## bikewhorder (Dec 20, 2013)

Does anyone have an image of the patent the seller mentioned to share? I'd love to see these hollow tubes.  Laminating wood into such tight radiuses is difficult, laminating them into such tight radiuses as hollow tubes is off the scale difficult.


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## filmonger (Dec 20, 2013)

One of the cooler TOC's out there.....Interesting in many ways.  If the date is correct and the rims are Orig ( as they look to be based on the stamping ) Then these are lobdell rims that were manufactured in his Marietta OH plant and highly likely the last ones he produced there before the fire in 1897 or the first ones produced after the fire in his other plant ( former Piano Works ) that was making handlebars before he move the operation to MI.


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## Balloontyre (Dec 20, 2013)

bikewhorder said:


> Does anyone have an image of the patent the seller mentioned to share? I'd love to see these hollow tubes.  Laminating wood into such tight radiuses is difficult, laminating them into such tight radiuses as hollow tubes is off the scale difficult.




This clip is from  Jan 1896, "The Hardware Reporter" the article was reporting on the attendees of the Jan 1896 Chicago Cycle Show:


The Tonk Manufacturing Company Chicago showed the Old Hickory an epoch maker The entire frame is made of hickory wood The stock is all select second growth and is first cut in thin strips and laminated together then the round rods are sawed in halves and the grooves cut out in the center leaving cross braces or trusses at regular intervals then the two halves are cemented together and the outside rounded up to shape


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## walter branche (Dec 20, 2013)

*tonk*

I have owned 3 of these none of them were hollow wood ,all were solid wood made from laminated hickory, i have bought and sold them also 2 others I sold for other owners all were solid  wood , yes it is amazing the way they could bend this material into shape, when it is wet and properly steamed ,the wood is similar to modeling clay or some other substance with that kind of ease of control, back in the ole days they did many variations of this bike . chillion is one , some models used basic metal blade front forks ,,  walter branche ,always searching selecting ,buying selling , parting out rare and unusual bikes and accessories, parts , rust ,ones trash is anothers treasure ,.


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## Balloontyre (Apr 29, 2014)

*Give this a good look*



bikewhorder said:


> Does anyone have an image of the patent the seller mentioned to share? I'd love to see these hollow tubes.  Laminating wood into such tight radiuses is difficult, laminating them into such tight radiuses as hollow tubes is off the scale difficult.



https://www.google.com/patents/US58...a=X&ei=oglgU8byNo6dyATZ2IGQDA&ved=0CDcQ6AEwAA


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