BSA Racing Bicycle with Wood Rims, I could use your educated help, please.

[redline1968]

Other models came with them. My early racer ( bianchi but not sure) has them

 

[sam]

Complete bicycles were a sideline for BSA. BSA made and shipped high standard bicycle components world wide. Would be nice if the yellow bike was taken by Greensboro, and talk to Dale Brown
http://www.classicrendezvous.com/British_isles/BSA_cycles.htm

http://www.cyclesdeoro.com/

 

[Jeff54]

For me, the yellow bike looks nothing like bike in the picture. I think there is an illusion because it appears
to have the same sort of angles. So, I can see why you might think it looks identical .. BUT >

> The bike in the picture has a fork crown and the yellow bike doesn't.

> The bike in the picture has lugs and the yellow bike doesn't.

> The bike in the picture has a separate seat cluster bolt off the seat stay lug and the yellow bike doesn't.

For me - totally different bike and the yellow bike doesn't resemble it in any way.

Here is my old BSA (?) that looks more like the picture - lugs, fork crown etc ( same sort of angles too )
]

Easiest point of reference between the topic bike, the BSA frames and yours is the seat post bolt and differences in the connected bars/tubes at that area.. none of the bikes shown are the same makers or at least, same time period as the topic bike.


So easy to see the difference, makes it a cake walk to narrow down that it's not a 1930's BSA frame and most especially for the appearance that most of it was electro welded verses brazed, looks more modern.

 

[bass4cash]

Thanks for all your help

 

[Jeff54]

Thanks for all your help

It seems to be down for the moment or my crappy a server is blocking it. but when it comes back you might be able to find the auction here: Internet Archive Wayback Machine Website Name:

www.archive.org

Obviously you're searching for the contents of this: Noel Barrett vintage toys @ auction; Jim Alterman Collection - Nov. 1998

If it was online, which by 1998 there were several auctions of this type or nature that were; the wayback machine is the place to find it.

Albeit, I wouldn't be so sure Noel Barrett is capable of providing a qualified answer about that particular bike, unless it contained some type of provenience.

However, because BSA is an English bike, and the English are collector's from hell,, best odds of discovery is getting in contact with bike collectors over there.

 

[bass4cash]

Thanks again for your help. I was actually able to find this bike in this auction through some help of one of the CABE members. As it happens, I was able to get the original program for this auction from the same place the bike came from, and it is definitely in there and listed as a 1920's bike. Unfortunately, not much more information. I was amazed that someone actually recognized this bike from a massive auction of unbelievable antique collections in 1998, amazing for sure.

 

[bass4cash]

I'd say the selection at this auction was pretty decent. My bicycle was in very good company. They had a few nice ones.

 

[Jeff54]

Thanks again for your help. I was actually able to find this bike in this auction through some help of one of the CABE members. As it happens, I was able to get the original program for this auction from the same place the bike came from, and it is definitely in there and listed as a 1920's bike. Unfortunately, not much more information. I was amazed that someone actually recognized this bike from a massive auction of unbelievable antique collections in 1998, amazing for sure.

Well it may be a 20's bike,, but,, here's the thing.. I practically lived on 10 speed in me teens and again into me early 20's. . not that I'd be an expert, didn't follow much in racing, but a few Olympics. I never bothered about names, followed clubs or groups. I also surfed for years but couldn't tell you who was on top, then or now, wouldn't have, even asked about a club, or competitions didn't care,, wasn't interested. Just me an me bike, me toys was all me needed to know,.. as a kid I remember story, talk about wooden rims. something about lightweight, I donno, just got an old clue from long ago.. rider preference even into the 1960's.. .. and when comparing the other race bikes of the 20's 30's, that frame looks more modern,, more lightweight, technically better than those periods.

I'd be asking Noel Barrett to give provenience, or cite just exactly why he said 1920's.. and I'm betting all he can is to say: "well it has wood rims"

 

[bass4cash]

I am not going to say I disagree or agree with you, I am not that knowledgeable. But I would say, Noel Barrett was one of the regulars on Antique Roadshow for many years, on top of his own Noel Barrett auctions. Seems like his specialty was toys, bikes, pedal cars and such. I guess I find it hard to believe that he would publish something that was factually wrong, reputation of a dealer of his caliber, as is the case with any dealer, means everything. Just my opinion.

 

[bass4cash]

If you’re like millions of other television viewers who’ve become addicted to the PBS series “Antiques Roadshow”, you might recognize this mustachioed, pony-tailed, over-grown kid who offers his unusual brand of excitement, knowledge and expertise to the world of vintage toys.

That’s Noel Barrett and this is his website.

Noel was born on September 6, 1940 in Westerly, Rhode Island. He graduated from Columbia University in 1964 with a BS in American History.
What started as an interest in antique toys and American cultural artifacts became a business. In 1986, after 20 years as a retail dealer, he broadened his business by becoming an auction promoter and has, in the last 7 or 8 years, devoted himself entirely to the auction business. He NOW HOLDS ONE AUCTION a year -- specializing in unusual and extraordinary collections.

Among the collections that he has sold are the five sales it took to disperse the Toy Museum of Atlanta, the three sales it took to sell the landmark automotive toy collection of Bill and Lillian Gottschalk, the antique advertising collection of Peter Sidlow, the antique games collection of the pioneer collector: Herb Siegel, and the American tin toy collection of the late Bill Holland. Other important previous sales include the dispersal sales of three museum: the Washington Dolls House and Toy Museum, The Mary Merritt Doll and Toy Museum, and the Old Salem Toy Museum. Another landmark sale was the Toy and Train Collection of Ward Kimball.

Mr. Barrett is actively involved with historic preservation in Bucks County Pennsylvania including the historic County Theater of Doylestown, Pennsylvania -- a nonprofit film house in his county seat. In addition he is an active collector of optical and pre-cinema toys along with eclectic toys and objects reflecting aspects of the material culture of America. He is a previous president of the Antique Toy Collectors of America and has written numerous articles for various collector publications including Antique Toy World and Collectors Showcase.