# Need help on dating an old bike in a photo



## Groundhog (Jan 15, 2015)

Hi- thought I'd see if I could narrow down a date for a friend's family photo- anyone have a good guess?


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## corbettclassics (Jan 15, 2015)

Groundhog said:


> Hi- thought I'd see if I could narrow down a date for a friend's family photo- anyone have a good guess?
> View attachment 191144





I would say a guess of 1896 - '99.  Somewhere in that few years span..


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## Groundhog (Jan 15, 2015)

Thanks! I'm away from my books, etc. but was guessing around TOC, maybe Columbia? Any parts that look a little earlier?  I looked at the chainwheel database but all I could find was Schwinn, Rollfast, and Hawthorne and all those 4-ring wheels had larger rings with less gap between than this seems to.


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## Groundhog (Jan 15, 2015)

Don't know that this is any better but- badge


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## sam (Jan 15, 2015)

That clip style headset makes it look European to me. Did pre-1900 American bikes use this type head set?


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## Groundhog (Jan 16, 2015)

A European bike would be unlikely as the photo was taken in rural North Carolina. I just assumed it was older than the 1915 date he was guessing for it and it seemed close to the TOC bikes I've seen


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## bike (Jan 16, 2015)

appears to be a Columbia to me


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## sam (Jan 18, 2015)

Manny of the bicycles used in Cabinet photos belonged to the Photography studio taking the photo not the person in the photo.


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## andy812 (Jan 25, 2015)

I believe this is a Columbia. The year is early 1899 or early 1900's


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