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Excelsior bicycles

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chitown

Cruisin' on my Bluebird
There are lot's of different Excelsior's out there and hopefully I can document some of these different companies and fill in the time lines of the what they built and or sold.

Excelsior Supply Co of Chicago was the founded by George Robie. Here are some clips from a 1903 Motor Magazine article:

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They were exclusive distributors of several products including Continental Tires and Shelby Seamless Tubing

Here are some interior shots from that same 1903 article:

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They moved into manufacturing sometime around 1905-06 and were listed as one of the bicycle manufacturers in a tariff hearing in 1908

Here is the 1st ad of the "Original Design" Twinn-Truss in 1906:

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Copy of the Tariff Hearings list of manufacturers in 1908

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George Robie's son Fred was the one who pushed to get into manufacturing. They formed the Excelsior Motor & Mfg Co and built a huge plant at 22nd and Union to build engines, motorcycles, bicycles and Franks prototype cycle car.

Fred Robie is the one who contracted Frank Loyd Wright to build his house. This would become to be know as the Robie house. One of the most important of Wrights homes, it was built near the University of Chicago where Franks wife attended and had strong connections.

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Here he is in his prototype car:

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I'm a big "Wright Style" fan and I never knew there was a connection between the Robie house and Excelsior. Cool! Thanks for the info Chitown!
 
The manufacturing drained the company and was turned over to creditors hands in Nov of 1910:

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Not because it did not do enough business but because it did too much the Excelsior Supply Co of Chicago and with it the Excelsior Motor & Mfg Co which helped drain the supply company's resources literally are in the hands of their creditors. The fact that the companies had over reached themselves and had become embarrassed by lack of ready cash has been a matter of trade knowledge for several months but until last week it was hoped that efforts that were making to bridge the gap would prove successful then, however it became apparent that the best interests of all concerned would be served by turning over the business to the creditors who hastily were called into conference. The investigation of the creditors committee showed that during the past year the Excelsior Supply Co had done a business of more than $3,500,000 and that while the assets exceed the liabilities of $1,000,000 by fully $400,000 careful handling would be necessary to conserve and make the most of the situation. The offer of the Excelsior principals to turn over the control and direction of the business to the creditors was therefore accepted the officers of the company placing their resignations at the disposal of the committee. It is evident that this case is a case for extension is the statement subscribed to by a group of the larger creditors whose claims aggregate $650,000 and we recommend to all creditors to join with us in accepting the Excelsior Supply Co s notes for the amount now due with interest at 6 per cent per annual payable January 1, 1912. With this extension there would seem to be no occasion for alarm or concern.

The creditors committee which according to the plan submitted is to take the entire management and control consists of:
John F Alvord of the Standard Co
Excelsior Needle Co and National Needle Co JE Maass
Corn Exchange National Bank of Chicago
G.E. Benson National Tube Co
F.E. Semal Morgan & Wright
G & J Tire Co Hartford Rubber Works Co and Continental Caoutchouc Co
F..L Watters Chicago Handle Bar Co
C.C. Boynton A.R. Mosler & Co W.E. Diehl Corbin Screw Corporation.

The original business of the Excelsior Supply Co was the sale of sewing machine supplies not the machines themselves which attained huge proportions to it were successively added the manufacture of bicycles and motorcycles and the jobbing of bicycle and automobile accessories and in each respective field the company has been a factor to be reckoned with at all times Last year under the style the Excelsior Motor & Mfg Co it took up the manufacture of automobile engines which involved such heavy outlays of cash and such large obligations that the other and firmly established and flourishing departments felt the drain and consequently were crippled.
 
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Before the company was put into creditors hands, Frank may have sold to sundries portion of the business.

This is from a Feb 1909 Bicycling and Motorcycle review in the classified section:

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I wonder who bought out his sundries business... I'm thinking either Mead or Chicago Cycle Supply would be the most likely. I'll have to do more digging to find that one out.
 
Ignaz Schwinn bought the motor plant but had no use for the bicycle manufacturing as he had his own huge facility by then. According to the buyout, Schwinn bought ALL the assets and names of Excelsior Manufacturing & Supply. But he may have made a deal to sell the name rights and old jig equipment that he didn't need anyhow.

So starting in Jan of 1912 there are two names and companies that exist in Chicago:

Excelsior Cycle Co (Peter O'Horo, president and general manager who would in 1916 move the company from Chicago to Michigan City Indiana. He also brought 50 families of workers to the Michigan City plant also. It was to leave the troubled labor relations.)

Excelsior Motor & Manufacturing Co (Schwinn bought this portion and stayed there until his new plant was built on Cortland ave in 1914)

From Jan 1912 Bicycling and Motorcycle Review industry news clip:

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Followed in the same issue with this ad to distinguish the new company.

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In 1913 the Schwinn owned factory and office are listed at the 22nd and Union address.

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