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Oldest Schwinn Privately Owned

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Freqman1

Riding a '37 Dayton Super Streamline
Just curious what the oldest Schwinn is in a collectors hands. The 1898 posted here not too long ago is the oldest I've seen outside the Schwinn family tandem in the BMA. Anyone got something older than 1898? V/r Shawn
 
I think that my tandem might be older than 1898
world_tandem_21.jpg


More pics here http://fattiretrading.com/world_tandem.html
 
So are you thinking 1897 based on one piece crank? This would be awesome if you could find everything to make it road worthy. Badge holes have me puzzled. I think I took pics of the one in the BMA. If I can find them I'll post them up. Anyone else? V/r Shawn
 
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The reason that I think it might be older is the mechanism to take out the slack on the idler chain. The mechanism on the Schwinn Family Tandem seems more advanced.
 
Ok so far two tandems. I looked at my pics I took at the Bicycle Museum of America (BMA) in New Bremen, OH and don't see any other pre 1900 Schwinns. I have also given a quick look at that last ten years of Copake and do not see anything. It just seems to me there should be more of these out there. I might need to move this question to the antique section to get more visibility? V/r Shawn
 
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I'm curious as well, Shawn.
I've always wondered about that "I Will" headbadge and am thinking that it may be from the origins of the company.
I've never seen another one or on a picture of it on a bike, and the lack of information about pre 1900 bicycles built by AS&Co might explain why.
For now, the thing is kind of a mystery, and may be just one of the few pieces of a Schwinn bicycle built before 1900.
Don't know?
 
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Marty the "Chicago" was Schwinn's lower priced line with "The World" being its main line. The 1898 catalog list the Chicago bikes at the end of the catalog. The World Model 22 Standard Roadster listed for $75 while the Special "Chicago" Roadster Model 31 listed for $40 and had a two piece crank, different fork, and lesser grade components. Interesting to note that Schwinn only guaranteed their World or Chicago bikes for 60 days from date of sale or at the latest 60 days from Dec 31, 1898 for all 1898 bicycles. V/r Shawn
 
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