When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

56 Traveller Violet

#eBayPartner    Most Recent BUY IT NOW Items Listed on eBay
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture

rollfaster

Riding a '38 Autocycle Deluxe
Work will began soon on this one a friend picked up. Rare color I believe.
1240802
 
Nice...what's the serial number?
It looks earlier than '56 to me.
Here is my '56. S/N W56130 dates to 5/31/56

View attachment 1240803
Yours may be a 1957. I have a gold Traveler dated 1955 by the serial number and the hub, but according to the catalog, the 1955 "Lightweight, Middleweight and Jaguar" colors were black, or Opalescent Red, Blue or Green.
http://www.trfindley.com/flschwinn_1951_1960/1955_28.html
Gold and Violet were added in 1956, at least according to the catalogs.
I posted a couple of pictures of my Traveler here: https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/off-center-head-badge.126517/
 
Could be I suppose. I'm just going by what the S/N lists say.
I don't really know either. At a glance, the "colors" page doesn't really match the rest of the 1955 catalog, but I don't have a copy of my own to double check. I get the impression that the Travelers weren't big sellers, but would Schwinn actually keep them that long? Talk about slow moving!
 
Could be I suppose. I'm just going by what the S/N lists say.
From what I have seen, somewhere in 1956 they switched over to the new design. I have a blue traveler dated 1956 as well (I think early-to-mid 1956 SN but need to check). This new decal package and paint setup switch appears to be a lot less defined than other similar transitions in decal/paint/component setups. In 1956 I see a lot of both–just my observation.
The color is somewhat rare, but I have seen at least 5 of these pop up for sale over the past 3-4 years. I see a ton of the black ones and rarely see the blue ones. @s1b picked one of these up not too long ago (second image). Third image is another one I saw for sale a while back. Not great pics but here is a 1955 violet (probably a late '55 SN stamped frame)(Also owned by a CABE'er at one point). Fourth pic, I randomly found this 1956, but no information on it.

s-l1600-8.jpg
F554ED42-0CEB-4D45-B671-7BF408D14968.jpg

s-l1600.jpg
Screen Shot 2018-09-02 at 12.25.23 AM 2.png
1955_20.jpg
IMG_9448.jpg
 
Last edited:
From what I have seen, somewhere in 1956 they switched over to the new design. I have a blue traveler dated 1956 as well (I think early-to-mid 1956 SN but need to check). This new decal package and paint setup switch appears to be a lot less defined than other similar transitions in decal/paint/component setups. In 1956 I see a lot of both–just my observation.
The color is somewhat rare, but I have seen at least 5 of these pop up for sale over the past 3-4 years. I see a ton of the black ones and rarely see the blue ones. @s1b picked one of these up not too long ago (second image). Third image is another one I saw for sale a while back. Not great pics but here is a 1955 violet (probably a late '55 SN stamped frame)(Also owned by a CABE'er at one point). Fourth pic, I randomly found this 1956, but no information on it.

View attachment 1241010View attachment 1241012
View attachment 1241011View attachment 1241023View attachment 1241058View attachment 1241057
That's good information, Thank you! Now you've got me thinking about another question. Sometime during the early to mid '50's they changed the seat post decal from the longer "Schwinn World" version to the shorter "Schwinn" type, you can see the long earlier type on the 2nd picture you posted, the one that @s1b picked up, the rest have the shorter type. His also has the first generation Weinmann levers, where my '55 has the shorter decal and the 2nd generation levers. Do you know the year of his? I would guess a 1954, but was Schwinn using violet in 1954? The only thing on T.R. Findleys' site for 1954 is a brochure that doesn't list the colors, but the traveler in the picture looks like it could be gold. The '54 price list may have the colors listed in the fine print, but I can't make it out.
 
Last edited:
Good eye @Oilit! There were quite a few subtle decal changes that some may not know about. I have outlined them all below in some ongoing research I have been doing over the years (also see attached PDF). These are based on examples found and what I am seeing.

My 1954 dealer catalog shows violet as a color offering, as well as gold.

Transition Years Decal Breakdown (World Traveler, World, World Varsity, Welterweight)
  • 1950-1953
    • Seat tube = Winged world graphic “SCHWINN WORLD” lettering (all models with this type of decal)
    • Down tube = winged world graphic “WORLD” lettering (all models with this type of decal)
    • Top tube = winged world graphic “SCHWINN” lettering
    • Chain guard = decal specific to each model
  • 1954
    • Seat tube = Winged world graphic “SCHWINN WORLD” lettering (all models with this type of decal)
    • Down tube = winged world graphic with lettering specific to each model, e.g. “TRAVELER” or “VARSITY”
    • Top tube = winged world graphic “SCHWINN” lettering (all models with this type of decal)
    • Chain guard = decal specific to each model
  • 1955
    • Seat tube = Winged world graphic “SCHWINN” lettering (all models with this type of decal)
    • Down tube = winged world graphic “SCHWINN” (all models with this type of decal)
    • Top tube = winged world graphic “SCHWINN” lettering (all models with this type of decal)
    • Chain guard = decal specific to each model
  • 1956/57
    • Seat tube = white and red decal, same as corvette
    • Down tube = swirl Schwinn decal, same as corvette
    • Top tube = swirl Schwinn decal, same as corvette
    • Chain guard = decal specific to each model, e.g. traveler decal “Schwinn TRAVELER
  • 1959
    • Seat tube = red / white / blue winged, hat in the ring decal
    • Down tube = red / white / blue winged “Schwinn” decal
    • Top tube = red / white / blue winged “Schwinn” decal
    • Chain guard = decal specific to each model
  • 1963
    • Seat tube = red star decal
    • Down tube = simple text traveler decal – “Schwinn TRAVELER”
    • Top tube = none
    • Chain guard = line w/ star, dart design decal
 

Attachments

  • Schwinn_Lightweight_Decals.pdf
    4.4 MB · Views: 120
Last edited:
Thank you, Sir! That's the best write-up of the differences between model years I've seen for the lightweights! And good pictures, too!
So I guess my gold Traveler is a 1955, after all!
 
The decal package that starts in 1955 runs into 1956 and at some point in '56 switches over to the next decal package. So it could still be a 1956 stamped frame and get that decal package that started in 1955. For whatever reason I am not seeing a hard transition on the decals between 1955 and 1956 like I see in other years.
 
Back
Top