# Earl , Model C, ~1900



## FreedomMachinist (Jan 8, 2021)

Hello Everybody.

I`m new to this forum but not new to the hobby of old bicycles -  I already have a few older bikes in my posession, so far strictly German brands, from the 1930s down to 1907.

But now my newest member of the familly is an American made machine, which came to Germany presumeably shortly before the first bicycle crisis around the turn of the century, when many inexpensive Yankee-machines flooded the European markets 






I`m kind of proud having such a beatifull bike in my collection - the preserved state is excellent and far beyond many of my younger vehicles . I also have to state that I am really impressed by the quality of this machine, very good craftsmenship bundled with a nice design:  light, slim and elegant but yet still strong.











I would be interested to know the year of built and if anything on the bike might have been changed - to me everything looks and feels  not only period correct but also originaly equipped to the bicylce, except the headlight of course- presumably laterns where optional at this time, just like in Germany, until the post WW2 era.

The head badge states:
A.D. Meiselbach
Earl
N.Milwaukee, Wis
Model C








The serial number under the badge says:
EB 1121 C

could also be:
EE 1121 0





Note:
The white color of the serial number is residue from the white hard wax I use to polish the frame. The rest of the bicyle is in orginal color. 
I have not painted or altered the bike whatsoever, I only cleaned, waxed and polished all parts, being especially carefull in the areas with those detailed ornaments.
It even still has what seems to be the original tubular tires on it- the rearside is even still holding air.

I think this orignial state makes the bike very special 




















From my judgement the bike seems to be a bit younger than the one from user "Bent spokes"

Link:
The EARL model E ---- Any information ? | Antique Bicycles Pre-1933 | The Classic and Antique Bicycle Exchange (thecabe.com)


Any cataloge-scans or information whatsoever on the bicycle or the Earl brand in general would be greatly apreciated.


Thanks in advance and greets from Germany

Jochen


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## Ricker (Jan 9, 2021)

beautiful- nice chainring display too!


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## manuel rivera (Jan 9, 2021)

Beautiful  machine love the  color


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## FreedomMachinist (Jan 9, 2021)

Thanks Ricker - yes, its very neat. Also the whole drivetrain (blockchain+sproket) is in great condition - I think it is ridebale, but i don`t dare putting any pressure on the wheels and saddle.

For some pleasure rides, I`m building a rideable set of wheels at the moment and maybe somebody has an optical matching saddle for sale ? (or just a matching saddle frame/springs).

Thanks


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## FreedomMachinist (Jan 9, 2021)

manuel rivera said:


> Beautiful  machine love the  color



Yeah, agree.  American Bicycles seemed to be more colorfull in the early days than their German counter parts, so the bright color was very compeling to me, probably one of the main reason I bought the bike


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## dnc1 (Jan 9, 2021)

Are there any makers marks on the saddle, it's beautiful?
Fantastic bicycle!
Paul Watson (in Australia) makes some lovely replicas of American saddles of this era.
Here's a link:

paul.watson.bicycle@gmail.com


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## locomotion (Jan 9, 2021)

welcome to the site
great bicycle, love the color, the stencils and the matching tires
seat looks to be a Garford
Paul Watson is great for restorations of you could buy one of his reproductions
beautiful ....  I am somewhat envious, all I find are black TOC bikes


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## catfish (Jan 9, 2021)

How about some batter photos of the head badge?


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## locomotion (Jan 9, 2021)

FreedomMachinist said:


> Hello Everybody.
> 
> I`m new to this forum but not new to the hobby of old bicycles -  I already have a few older bikes in my posession, so far strictly German brands, from the 1930s down to 1907.
> 
> ...




I would like to know the paint code if you ever get the paint scanned by an auto paint shop or if you have paint cards
I am redoing a TOC bike in green and would very much like to use this green


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## FreedomMachinist (Jan 9, 2021)

catfish said:


> How about some batter photos of the head badge?



Here you go ... hope this will serve better. I tried it wihtout flash too, but the result was worse.
Sooner or later I`ll invest into a real camera- cell phone pics just don`t cut the mustard.


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## FreedomMachinist (Jan 9, 2021)

locomotion said:


> I would like to know the paint code if you ever get the paint scanned by an auto paint shop or if you have paint cards
> I am redoing a TOC bike in green and would very much like to use this green




Sorry, I don`t have paint cards, but I assume the auto shop near by does so. How soon do you need this ?

One question:
What does "TOC" stand for (sorry, I`m German).
Actually the abreviation "NOS" became kind of common on German Ebay, but with "TOC" I`m not familiar with.

Wikipedia says all kinds of wired stuff like   

Transnational organized crime
Teacher On Call
Train operating company
Total organic carbon
What the heck ?


Thanks

Jochen


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## FreedomMachinist (Jan 9, 2021)

dnc1 said:


> Are there any makers marks on the saddle, it's beautiful?
> Fantastic bicycle!
> Paul Watson (in Australia) makes some lovely replicas of American saddles of this era.
> Here's a link:
> ...



Thanks, and thanks for the advice.
There is actually a small makers stamp underneath the saddle.
I overlooked it at first sight, it only got visible after applying a tiny amount of leather grease to the saddle for conservation. I did not take a picture yet, but will do so tomorrow (need to dismaount it).


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## Billythekid (Jan 9, 2021)

Toc = turn of century


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## gkeep (Jan 9, 2021)

Beautiful bicycle! Here is a reference to the company mentioning that one of the founders of Harley Davidson was an employee at the factory in North Milwaukee. Very interesting history.

"Old North Milwaukee has been known by several names. It started out as the Schwartzburg hamlet within Granville named after an early German settler, Christian Schwartzburg. This hamlet, with its own post office, was centered on Villard and 35th Street. The development of Schwartzburg was spurred by two railroad lines that intersected just west of the hamlet. In turn, the railroads attracted industry in the latter years of the 19th century, including Wisconsin Bridge & Iron Company and Meiselbach Bicycle Company (with one noted employee—William Harley, co-founder of Harley-Davidson). Gradually Schwarzburg became known as Northern Junction, but only until 1897 when hamlet leaders received a charter from the State of Wisconsin and incorporated as North Milwaukee."

And this from the Harley Davidson website.

MADISON, WI (August 22, 2018) — When three Milwaukee friends first put together a motorized bicycle, it needed a name. Since the motorbike was originally his idea, William Harley got top billing. They called it a Harley-Davidson.

Before they co-founded what would be the world’s largest motorcycle manufacturer, Harley and Arthur Davidson were next-door neighbors on 38th in Milwaukee, where they spent many childhood hours tinkering with bicycles and engines in the Davidson family basement.

Taking his interests to work at age 15, Harley began as a cycle-fitter and draftsman for a high-end bicycle maker, Meiselbach Manufacturing Company. Soon, he joined Davidson to work at metal-fabricator Barth Manufacturing Company.

Along with Davidson’s brother Walter, a mechanic, the three combined their industrial knowledge to sell their first motorcycle in 1903. That same year, seeking more engineering know-how, Harley enrolled at the University of Wisconsin.

Here is a thread about this company from a  few years ago.








						The EARL model E ---- Any information ? | Antique Bicycles Pre-1933
					

Last week everyone was so helpful with information about my 1891 Victor model C bicycle. Here are some photos of another interesting bike. The head badge is marked--"The Earl Model E, A.D.Meiselbach, Milwaukee, Wis." When I Google this, I find that Meiselbach had a bicycle factory in Milwaukee...




					thecabe.com
				




Enjoy!


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## locomotion (Jan 10, 2021)

FreedomMachinist said:


> Sorry, I don`t have paint cards, but I assume the auto shop near by does so. How soon do you need this ?
> 
> One question:
> What does "TOC" stand for (sorry, I`m German).
> ...




TOC means turns of century.
I am in no hurry on the paint color ..... let me know when you can get it from them


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## SKPC (Jan 10, 2021)

Great looking survivor.  I will add a bit more information regarding AD Meiselbach late teens/20's..  If the frame badge represents the same gentleman, then he was also responsible for founding/resurecting the Shelby Cycle Frame Builders in 1921, who may have had a working relationship with Consolodated Manufacturing during that time.  Shelby CFB then purchased Davis in 1923, then became the Shelby Cycle Company in 1925.


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## catfish (Jan 10, 2021)

FreedomMachinist said:


> Here you go ... hope this will serve better. I tried it wihtout flash too, but the result was worse.
> Sooner or later I`ll invest into a real camera- cell phone pics just don`t cut the mustard.
> 
> View attachment 1335890
> ...




Thank you


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## FreedomMachinist (Jan 11, 2021)

gkeep said:


> William Harley, co






gkeep said:


> Beautiful bicycle! Here is a reference to the company mentioning that one of the founders of Harley Davidson was an employee at the factory in North Milwaukee. Very interesting history.
> 
> Company and Meiselbach Bicycle Company (with one noted employee—William Harley, co-founder of Harley-Davidson)





Hello gkeep.
Thank you so much for the reference to Harley-Davidson - indeed a very interesting side note.

With your hint I was led to Wikipedia (which you probably already know, but I thought I`d post it anyway...).
______________________

*William Sylvester Harley*

_Early life_​_Harley was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1880 to William Harley Sr., a railway engineer, and Mary Smith from Littleport, Cambridgeshire, England who emigrated to the United States in 1860.[1][2]_

_Career_​_After moving to Milwaukee's north side on Burleigh Avenue, Harley first worked at the Meiselbach bicycle factory at the age of 15. In 1901, Harley drew up plans for an engine to be mounted on an ordinary bicycle while working as an apprentice draftsman at the Barth Mfg.__Co. Over the next few years, Harley and his childhood friend Arthur Davidson worked on their motor-bicycle with the help of Henry Melk, who owned a machine shop in northside Milwaukee. They later received help from Ole Evinrude, who was then building gas engines of his own design for automotive use on Milwaukee's Lake Street.[3]_

_Harley received a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1907.[4][5] He co-founded Harley-Davidson with Arthur Davidson in 1903 and served as chief engineer and treasurer until his death in 1943.[4][6] While in college he worked at a Madison architect's office and as a waiter for the Kappa Sigma fraternity house._

_Personal life_​_In 1910 he married Anna Jachthuber, with whom he had two sons and a daughter. _



______________________
William S. Harley - Wikipedia
______________________



If  my model was build between 1895 and 1901, there is a good chance that the founder of Harely Davidson had his hands on it- who knows, maybe he even had his first ideas for that bicycle-motor, ending up in this huge and sucessfull company, just while assembling the bike in my living room ;- LOL  
We will never know, but it is nice to let imagination flow 

He later maried  Anna Jachthuber - good choice, deniftely German   -  just kidding


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## oldmtrcyc (Jan 11, 2021)

That green is sililar to 1976 MG Midget green.


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## FreedomMachinist (Jan 11, 2021)

Yes, that green seems to match quite well. 
What came to my mind was the "Jaguar Green", or "British Racing Green", although this type is not clearly definded, variies from dark to light green.

I think I will need to compare it against the RAL6000 numbers - one of them should match, maybe "Emeral Green" or "May Green"- I will need to check with a print out - my monitor may lie 







Source: Wikipedia
List of RAL colors - Wikipedia


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## FreedomMachinist (Jan 11, 2021)

> dnc1 said:
> Are there any makers marks on the saddle, it's beautiful?
> Fantastic bicycle!
> Paul Watson (in Australia) makes some lovely replicas of American saddles of this era.
> ...






FreedomMachinist said:


> Thanks, and thanks for the advice.
> There is actually a small makers stamp underneath the saddle.
> I overlooked it at first sight, it only got visible after applying a tiny amount of leather grease to the saddle for conservation. I did not take a picture yet, but will do so tomorrow (need to dismaount it).




Hello dnc1,

Here are some pictures of the seat- in yellow I wrote what I could decipher - no clue if it makes sense...



The bottom side has two markings:

On the left side there seems to be a maker stamp:










right side the model number:





I could not see "Garford" yet.::


Unfortunately the last bolt holding the polster saddle and the cariage toegther is very tight. The nut doesnt come lose, instead bolt and nut are spinning.
I turned about 10° and dont want to go futher - I can feel and hear the material (wood ?) holding the bolt to the body is not strong enough to widthstand the force of the frozen nut.
I have no way of holding the bolt it in place, welding a dummy bolt onto the tip is too dangerous with all the fragile leather and wood around (I think).
However, I'd like to separate the two and manufacture my own replica saddle to the original undercariage.

Any advice ?

Tommorow I will also reach out the guy you mentioned  for some tipps on this and/or maybe just a replica saddle.


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## oldmtrcyc (Jan 11, 2021)

I would STOP and not force anything on the seat.  If you want to ride the bike, buy a reproduction saddle and undercarriage. Then, I would put your original saddle back together and put it in a safe place on a shelf.


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## Barnegatbicycles (Jan 11, 2021)

1897


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## dnc1 (Jan 13, 2021)

oldmtrcyc said:


> I would STOP and not force anything on the seat.  If you want to ride the bike, buy a reproduction saddle and undercarriage. Then, I would put your original saddle back together and put it in a safe place on a shelf.



I completely agree with @oldmtrcyc.
Don't force it!
That saddle is only original once, I wouldn't want to replace the top.
I would go down the replica route, or simply stick a Brooks saddle on when you ride it, or perhaps a German equivalent if that's easier to find.
Do you have any knowledge of "American Makers" , Ohio? 
@Jesse McCauley 
@catfish


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## Blue Streak (Jan 13, 2021)

The American Saddle Company in Cleveland OH from February 16, 1899 issue of _The Wheel_. :




Circa 1903 ad for saddles sold by American Cycle Manufacturing Company. There is a Garford No. 290 - Racer Saddle:


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## dnc1 (Jan 13, 2021)

Blue Streak said:


> The American Saddle Company in Cleveland OH from February 16, 1899 issue of _The Wheel_. :
> View attachment 1338213
> 
> Circa 1903 ad for saddles sold by American Cycle Manufacturing Company. There is a Garford No. 290 - Racer Saddle:
> ...



Brilliant information @Blue Streak!
Pretty rare saddle I'm guessing.


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## FreedomMachinist (Jan 17, 2021)

Thank you so much Blue Streak for investigasting the origin of the saddle - it indeed looks very much like the "Garford 290 Modell".

That would place the Earl-machine also around season 1903, wouldn`t it ?  Nice ...

Also big "Thanks" to Barnegatbicycles for more company histroy of Meiselbach.


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## FreedomMachinist (Jan 17, 2021)

Oh, and please don`t worry about me destroying the saddle. I`m very much aware of the value - not refering to "money-value".

I could not forgive myself altering an item of this age and originality to a state which could not be reversed.

Opening a bolt and temporarely mounting another seat sounds like I´m not appreceating, but since the undercariage has no rust or weakeness of any kind I thought about this option, but I will abondon this route now for a complete replacement- it will only be for a short test ride, so period-correctness is not a major issue...


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## FreedomMachinist (Jan 17, 2021)

By the way, talking about value of original state:

I`m very glad about the change of mind in recent years in Europe and I believe/hope in the US it is similar:

Back until the late 1990s, the only acceptable condition for an "good" oldtimer would be full restauration, stealing all history out of an item.

But these days in Europe we are at a mindset that a restauration, no matter how good it is done, is much less atractive and moneyworth, as an orginal item, in let's say media condition.

I`m very glad about this, because it might prevent people from unnecessarly painting or coating over beautifully grown patina from years of use or storage. Many items have survived decades in their true and honest state, to be destroyed shortly before being truly apreciated - kind of sad.


Even though I ride many of my old bicycles, I find it to be sufficient to just use wax for preservation and to prevent further corrosion.

Wax is completely reversible and therefore the perfect treat for an historical item - not just for display, but also for riding.
Some people also use line seed oil or "ovatrol"-oil, but it hardens out, over time getting a yellow shine, and cannot be removed without issue.
So over here it is mainly agreed that wax is the route to go, at least for smaller items like bicycles - cars are a whole different animal (body cavity preservation etc.)

Just for curiosity: What is common practice in the US?


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## gkeep (Jan 17, 2021)

I'd say most people here would completely agree with you on preserving original finishes when possible. They're only original once with all the scars , bumps and scratches the years have put on them. I've done restoration work on 19th century sailing ships, schooners, fishing boats and with a salt water boat everything gets replaced over time since they were only expected to last 15-20 years originally. But the bikes are a different animal. Like a fine old piece of furniture the patina can so much. I have used a linseed oil lightly wiped on my 1916 Pierce with wax over that for protection. I live very close to San Francisco Bay and the air is damp and salty so metal rusts quickly here if not protected. Other than that it's the original finish all the way! I ride it all the time.


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