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Sold Amazing Historic Cleveland Bicycle Aluminum Tip Tray 1904

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New Mexico Brant

Riding a '38 Autocycle Deluxe
A very historic piece of bicycle history from 1904; an aluminum tip tray showing C.M. Darling and C.C. Murphy (who would receive a $5,000 bet if they were successful traveling through every State (at that time) of the United States on bicycle. The tray has an image of the two and their Cleveland bicycles; the front bikes displays a fantastic sign attached to the frame: "Around the United States by Wheel on a Cleveland." I thought it would be an interesting project to recreate on of the riders bikes with such a sign. The two started their trip without a cent in their pockets! Part of the bet involved they were only to receive money by selling these tip trays; "they were not to beg, steal, borrow, or work, and the only way for them to earn the necessary wherewithal to procure food was by selling aluminum tip trays." The size is: 5 1/8 by 3 3/8 inches. Very good condition, minor soiling and surface wear as expected, more wear and scratching on the top two line of print on the rear. The League of American Wheelman (L.A.W.) is mentioned on the tray as are the Y.M.C.A.; and the K.O.T.M. (Knight of the Maccabees). Included are 10 pages of excerpts from different newspapers and journals who mention the two. After traveling over 10,000 miles, withstanding "sacrifices, hardships, and narrow escapes, even death" the State of Vermont did them in as they could not sell the tip trays and had to yield to working for funds. In the literature it is mentioned a book would be written after their trip but I cannot find any record this happened.

$200 shipped; please PP Friends and Family or add 3%. Please send PM if interested. Tray shipped from Santa Fe, NM.

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So these two young men where so close to earning:
$5,000 in 1900 → $137,856.35 in 2017
It is too bad the frugal folks of the Green Mountain State were too tight to buy an aluminum tray or two!
 
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