gkeep
I live for the CABE
Hi Cabers,
The show-Yesterday at work one of the forklift drivers handed me this Colonel Albert A. Pope Paperweight. He pulled it out of a load in the public dumping area, there was also a 1917 magazine and a few WWII artifacts but that another story. I see Gary Mc posted one some years back. I was wondering if the Nov 1892 patent date is real or was this some sort of promotional item made for the 100th anniversary in the 1960s? Does anyone know the story behind these? There seems to be many floating around for sale online. They just seem a bit too perfect to be 100 years old. No wear on the bottom like a piece of old pottery or art glass. They are usually well worn from sliding around.
And now the tell- I have a neighbor, Ken, who I run into every couple of months. He's maybe in his 70s(?) and partially paralyzed on the right side. He is an TOC bike and motorcycle guy from way back and uses an old Ladies Columbia to get around town. The bike was built up by a friend with the old frame. With the step through frame he doesn't have to deal with getting his leg over and the brake and trigger are mounted on the left since his right hand is mostly non functional.
As I got off the bus coming home yesterday we met up waiting to cross the street and started chatting. I pulled the paperweight out to show him. He then told me he had just gotten his bike back last weekend. It had been stolen and missing for about a month. His buddy that built it for him spotted the frame in an Oakland homeless camp and bought it back for $30 bucks. This time he put a nice Sturmey Archer hub on the back so Ken has gears, what a cool friend! I just thought that was a great story and a great friendship. Now here is that sweet TOC looking ride that he pedals all over town. (Anyone have a guess as to the actual age of this ladies scorcher?) I want one, you'd never guess it's not TOC when you see him flying by.
All the best and have a great weekend,
Gary
The show-Yesterday at work one of the forklift drivers handed me this Colonel Albert A. Pope Paperweight. He pulled it out of a load in the public dumping area, there was also a 1917 magazine and a few WWII artifacts but that another story. I see Gary Mc posted one some years back. I was wondering if the Nov 1892 patent date is real or was this some sort of promotional item made for the 100th anniversary in the 1960s? Does anyone know the story behind these? There seems to be many floating around for sale online. They just seem a bit too perfect to be 100 years old. No wear on the bottom like a piece of old pottery or art glass. They are usually well worn from sliding around.
And now the tell- I have a neighbor, Ken, who I run into every couple of months. He's maybe in his 70s(?) and partially paralyzed on the right side. He is an TOC bike and motorcycle guy from way back and uses an old Ladies Columbia to get around town. The bike was built up by a friend with the old frame. With the step through frame he doesn't have to deal with getting his leg over and the brake and trigger are mounted on the left since his right hand is mostly non functional.
As I got off the bus coming home yesterday we met up waiting to cross the street and started chatting. I pulled the paperweight out to show him. He then told me he had just gotten his bike back last weekend. It had been stolen and missing for about a month. His buddy that built it for him spotted the frame in an Oakland homeless camp and bought it back for $30 bucks. This time he put a nice Sturmey Archer hub on the back so Ken has gears, what a cool friend! I just thought that was a great story and a great friendship. Now here is that sweet TOC looking ride that he pedals all over town. (Anyone have a guess as to the actual age of this ladies scorcher?) I want one, you'd never guess it's not TOC when you see him flying by.
All the best and have a great weekend,
Gary
