# Can I get a little help over here...



## KingSized HD (Jul 20, 2013)

Hello,
I just discovered Tricycles. Love how their features like truss bars can mirror "big bikes".

Can anyone offer ideas of Maker and year/era for these?

Prices on Fleabay are all over the place and not wanting to overpay because I'm green, can I get some best guesses as to value?

I can see that #2 had it's wheels changed, it seems that would be a real value killer but maybe the fender styling makes up for that??

Throw your best guess up!  Thanks.


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## ridingtoy (Jul 20, 2013)

The second one is a Morgan Blackhawk tricycle and has it's original wheels. Despite how it looks with the skinned up seat, it's actually a fairly new tricycle. Morgan designed these tricycles after the streamlined models of the mid-1930s. Here's one toy site that sells them - http://ekidstricycle.com/morgan-tricycles/ - I'm sure there's other sites as well. If the seller is asking a lot for the Morgan, you'd be better off buying a brand new one.

Could you get a closer view of the head badge and a view of the rear step plate on the first one? I can't quite read the badge, even putting a magnifying glass up to my monitor. The badge shape doesn't look familiar either. The rear step design could also provide a clue. Looking at it as is, I'd guess mid 1950s or so, particularly if that is the original seat. Possibly old as mid/late 1940s if the earlier seat has been replaced with this one...a replaced seat is the feeling I'm getting. That's my best guess on this one.

Dave


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## KingSized HD (Jul 21, 2013)

ridingtoy said:


> Could you get a closer view of the head badge and a view of the rear step plate on the first one? I can't quite read the badge, even putting a magnifying glass up to my monitor. The badge shape doesn't look familiar either. The rear step design could also provide a clue. Looking at it as is, I'd guess mid 1950s or so, particularly if that is the original seat. Possibly old as mid/late 1940s if the earlier seat has been replaced with this one...a replaced seat is the feeling I'm getting. That's my best guess on this one.
> 
> Dave




Thanks for the great info! The Morgan is priced at $130 on CL so good to know it's not "30s" as stated. Here are two more pics of the older one:





Thanks again for helping out.


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## ridingtoy (Jul 21, 2013)

Yeah, if you like the Morgan you'd be better off spending $30 more and getting a brand new one. That one doesn't appear to be cared for very well at all for as new as it is.

Those photos helped a lot! I'm fairly certain the first one is a Hedstrom tricycle from the mid/late 1940s. Now that I have a better view of the seat, I do believe it is original to the trike. The teardrop shaped openings on the rear step plate are a Hedstrom design. If there were teardrop shaped *pads* stamped into the plate instead of openings, it would have been a Junior Toy tricycle of the same time period. It's a pretty much standard model trike of the time and I wouldn't figure it to be valued more than $100 in it's condition. It may have been sold through a store chain and badged with the store's brand. That's why I don't recognize the badge. Several trike and bike makers sold their models that way.

Dave


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## KingSized HD (Jul 28, 2013)

*Thanks much!*

Thanks Dave, you're the MAN!! I really appreciate the education and especially your value estimate. I've got to learn more about trikes.....and find some more room to display them Pete


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## ridingtoy (Jul 28, 2013)

Just to give credit where credit is due, the tricyclefetish site has been immensely helpful to me in identifying unique design features of different tricycle makers, to help ID their trikes even when the head badge or decal is gone. Here's the Hedstrom mfr. page - http://www.tricyclefetish.com/hedstrom.php - and one of the photos submitted by collectors shows a Hedstrom trike a little older than yours, but having those same teardrop openings on the rear step.

Dave


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## ridingtoy (Aug 7, 2013)

Found another Hedstrom having the same head badge I wasn't sure of on my previous post: http://www.ebay.com/itm/190880020219?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

It's a Tubecraft model from Hedstrom Union, the exact same badge as on yours. That's another ebay photo I'm saving for future reference.

Dave


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