1897-1898 Ladies Sterling Paint

[Ed Minas]

I have a 1897-1898 ladies Sterling. The Sterling catalog of those years notes that Olive Green was the only paint choice. To my eye it looks black but my wife sees a hint of green. If it is green it is so dark it looks like black. Does anyone have a TOC paint chart showing Dark Olive green that it looks black except under some light conditions? Thanks

 

[New Mexico Brant]

Your bicyle looks black from previous pictures you posted Ed. There are also areas on the mud guard and rear mounting bracket that look overpainted; also those bolts would have likely been nickel, not black. Have you looked inside the bottom bracket to see if it started out life as green or black? Black was the most common bicycle color in the 19th century so it is entirely possible a batch was done in that color. The only color on the the period charts that visually presents as black is the L.A.W. purple. Olive looks like olive.

 

[Freqman1]

I've seen an original Sterling and you can definitely tell it is olive unlike "Brewster"green used by Schwinn in the late 1890's that does look really dark particularly after 120 years!

 

[Ed Minas]

Thanks gentlemen. I completely agree it looks black, but I also think it was over painted. Great insight to look inside the bottom bracket. I think I will add that to todays to do list. You know you are both rockstars.

 

[Barnegatbicycles]

It's also a 96. My 96 is original paint black but there are hints of sterling green on the rear fender.

 

[Barnegatbicycles]

This is sterling green.

 

[Ed Minas]

Upon taking it apart today I discovered original paint was black and I found traces of pin striping. That in itself is interesting enough but what that really tells me is that it is not a 1898 and was built prior since the only color listed in the Sterling catalog for a ladies Sterling in 1898 was Olive Green.

 

[Ed Minas]

This is sterling green. View attachment 1310733

I wonder if green was a primer on your machine.

 

[Blue Streak]

Olive Green enamel was the standard color for at least 1896-1899 Sterlings per their catalogs and period articles. Black enamel was listed as an optional color in the 1897 Sterling catalog and in the 1898 Sterling catalog describing The Finish for all models (below) and 1899 references.

 

[Ed Minas]

Olive Green enamel was the standard color for at least 1896-1899 Sterlings per their catalogs and period articles. Black enamel was listed as an optional color in the 1897 Sterling catalog and in the 1898 Sterling catalog describing The Finish for all models (below) and 1899 references.

View attachment 1311039

Thank you!!!! Fascinating ours must have had the optional black. I wish I could see the actual olive green color. I wonder how dark it was.