Anyone here own a Miami / Flying Merkel Bicycle?

[Dreamweaver]

Interesting results at the John Parham museum auction. The diamond frame Merkel with original paint but with touch-ups on the badge, and missing a fender hammered at $13,500 putting it at approx. $16,000 +/- depending on how the buyer bid. It has a few issues to resolve but a very respectable bicycle. Congratulations to the buyer!

Amazingly the faux-Merkel with the "sea shanty" badge and homemade stove pipe tool box tank sold hammered at $12,000! It is hard to call this a tribute as such a bike really never existed; fantasy bike? So gross, I threw up in my mouth a little watching that sell!

There is a link at the bottom that should take you to the good bike. Advance forward one lot to see the Sea Shanty.

To the buyer of the diamond frame, I have an original paint Flying Merkel fender that would resolve your main issue with that bicycle.

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Can’t believe the “black pearl” Titanic badge Sold for so much.. love the throw up 🤮 comment for emphasis! Guess minimum real Flying Merkel is 13k and Upwards based on condition! . I better keep saving and sell some bikes at memory lane next week . Thank you Brant for your time researching and writing about this! It helps when preparing to step into one. Rick

 

[New Mexico Brant]

Not sure if these have been posted before in this behemoth thread? From September 1915 Bicycle News:

 

[Dreamweaver]

Not sure if these have been posted before in this behemoth thread? From September 1915 Bicycle News:

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Awesome Read ….OMG

 

[MEW1359]

Probably my last Mecum auction. Paid $100 just to be able to bid on the internet. Paid $700 dollar "Buyer Fee." Paid $294 for "Taxes." Paid $135 dollars for "Credit Card Fee," and $605 dollars for shipping. $1,834 dollars just in fees alone. A whole lot of people are getting rich, and it aint me!!

 

[BatWaves]

Well I have a raycycle catalog I never posted but I'll look.. your bike has Miami traits but Merkel is a name brand and should say that on the head tube with a badge or a decal and the frame.. the badge for Merkel is bottle cap or newly discovered ( to me) or finally announce screwed in for a short time.. the screws are vertical instead of horizontal position.. I see you have a badge on there which is horizontal screws and a name.. this would be the brand for the bike... So it's a Miami built and sold as that specific brand on you badge...

That’s funny. Why is it that Flying Merkel’s were less expensive than Racycle’s and Hudson’s..? HA! Even the Miami line was more expensive then the Flying Merkel line…

*Being present day collectors often live in some facade they created all on their own, for resale value.

 

[BatWaves]

@New Mexico Brant
What Bicycle did the
“Miami Old Comfort Special” Saddle come on? The one I posted on FB, that you wanted to buy?

 

[oldmtrcyc]

Probably my last Mecum auction. Paid $100 just to be able to bid on the internet. Paid $700 dollar "Buyer Fee." Paid $294 for "Taxes." Paid $135 dollars for "Credit Card Fee," and $605 dollars for shipping. $1,834 dollars just in fees alone. A whole lot of people are getting rich, and it aint me!!

In addition they made a hundred dollars from me so that I could bid on the yale that I did not win. But I signed up for it. My dad used to say that education is rarely free ha ha

 

[redline1968]

That’s funny. Why is it that Flying Merkel’s were less expensive than Racycle’s and Hudson’s..? HA! Even the Miami line was more expensive then the Flying Merkel line…

*Being present day collectors often live in some facade they created all on their own, for resale value.
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I don't think they are cheaper I think they were phasing out the brand..

 

[BatWaves]

I don't think they are cheaper I think they were phasing out the brand..

In 1915?

 

[redline1968]

I'm trying to figure out what you're trying to prove... That you have a Merkel or that the Merkel brand is cheap I don't understand it..

In 1915?