locomotion
Cruisin' on my 1897 Comet
The bb and frame geometry is totally different.
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1892 Featherstone "Count"
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Blue Streak
Wore out three sets of tires already!
I agree with Brant that your Count is related to 1893-94 +/- Templars starting with the badges which are almost identical except for name. 1895 and later references state Templars ($60.00) were made by Wm Read & Sons of Boston who also produced New Mails ($85.00) and some other less expensive lines. No direct reference to Read making the Templar prior to 1895, so not sure if Read made them for 1893-94 or someone else. The unrestored one listed below has a sticker with Chicago on it. Wm. Read & Sons made their own lines but also sold to others in the retail trade who possibly renamed them. There are several Templars online and on CABE that have a lot of similarities to the Count. One in particular has the exact same crank sprocket. Can you post photos of your frame at rear hub?
Here is link to a nice unrestored Templar: http://templar-1892.straight-seat-t...ties.the-safety-bicycle.antique-bicycles.net/
This one has similar crank sprocket as the Count: https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/early-bicycle-templar.169518/
From March 20, 1893 issue of The Burlington Free Press (VT)
From August 19, 1894 issue of The Boston Globe. The Count serial number begins with a C.
From January 4, 1895 issue of The Referee
From May 25, 1895 issue of The Hardware. Ad has Wm. Read & Sons, Templar and Featherstone Line all listed.
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locomotion
Cruisin' on my 1897 Comet
thank you so much for this, let me know if you can pull more information on Templars, especially stolen bikes and ads for their bikes ..... kind of helps to see stolen serial number to pin-point a YOM.
thanks to @New Mexico Brant also for his first hunch
it does have a lot of similarities, you are right
@Blue Streak you can see a picture of my rear hub in post #7 on the first page
crazy that there are so many similarities between the Featherstones, the Templars, and the New Mails bicycles
I am going to drive the moderators crazy, with me asking them to please change the titles on this post as we are getting new leads every week .... so I am going to wait a bit until we can find more information.
I like the connection with the NEW Mail,
"The Encyclopaedia of Cycle Manufacturers mentions Templar as a brand name introduced in 1894 by William Read & Son, from Boston Massachusetts (makers of the New Mail bicycles)."
Lets keep this digging going .... I am enjoying it
Max
New Mexico Brant
Riding a '38 Autocycle Deluxe
The holes measure out at 2.424 inches on my on Templar; the other I own is in Hershey and not have the measurements.
Blue Streak
Wore out three sets of tires already!
Templar from 1895 New Mail catalog:
locomotion
Cruisin' on my 1897 Comet
thank you.
@Blue Streak , do you see a Count in the New Mail catalog?
if I may as you a question, is the Templar/Count bicycle a New Mail built bicycle?
locomotion
Cruisin' on my 1897 Comet
now, last piece of the puzzle, is to figure out how the seat leather attaches to the seat frame on the bike
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