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Hi my Grandpap has a 1883 American Star bicycle

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No thats to keep it stable enough so you can even ride it this dont have brakes on it 1881 models didnt come with brakes like i said only thing missing is the seat and 2 back spokes are cracked
 
This is how you distinguish that it's an 1881 model no other American Stars have that kind of grooving on them besides the 1881 model not the 1882 not the 1885 only the 1881. Customers initially complained about the non-adjustable spoke riveted into the rims, very heavy frame of solid steel and the lack of a brake. The 1882 model made improvements and eventually American Star bicycles featured all the refinements of the ordinary (penny farthing) bicycles with hollow frames and rims, tangential spokes, and improved saddles.

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Colbz, I'm sure you are convinced on what you have and I'm not going to waste any more of my time trying to convince you, but you really need to do more research. Yes it is true the first FEW Stars had no brakes and had non-adjustable riveted spokes, but that is definitely NOT what you have here. If you want to be stubborn about this, that is your choice, but the effort has been made to try to teach you something about these bikes from people who have experiential knowledge about them.
What you have is more than likely a late 1883 or 1884 American Star.
The first FEW Stars had levers forward of the drive hub, yours does not.
Without any means for adjustments, the first FEW Stars had hairpin spokes riveted in the rims that were prone for breakage. Star wheels then were redesigned going from unbutted, to single butted, and then to double butted. H.B. Smith Machine Co. finally got a U.S. Patent filed on 7 Feb., 1884 for a nutted spoke and groove in the rim. I can see in the photos you posted that you have double butted spokes with the square nuts in the hub. If you remove the nut off the rear wheel axle and pull out the drive hub, (don't worry you won't break anything) you will be able to see the square nuts on the spokes.
Also the bracket on the right side of the handlebar is for a brake handle. You can get copies of Star catalogs from the Wheelmen library.
I made the effort and that's enough.
 
This site is a great source of knowledge, you can probably learn more on here than you would in any museums, heck museums probably learn stuff on here.
Great lesson that I have learned on here, don't be cocky or obnoxious, I made that mistake and I have regretted it. I was fortunate to be welcomed back, don't make the same mistake I made!
Enjoy the people on here, try to be pleasant. There are collectors on The Cabe from all over the world. And most have decades of experience behind their belt!
Read, listen, and learn. Some of the collectors on here have devoted their life to this particular hobby. You can't find this anywhere else IMO.
 
Colbz, I'm sure you are convinced on what you have and I'm not going to waste any more of my time trying to convince you, but you really need to do more research. Yes it is true the first FEW Stars had no brakes and had non-adjustable riveted spokes, but that is definitely NOT what you have here. If you want to be stubborn about this, that is your choice, but the effort has been made to try to teach you something about these bikes from people who have experiential knowledge about them.
What you have is more than likely a late 1883 or 1884 American Star.
The first FEW Stars had levers forward of the drive hub, yours does not.
Without any means for adjustments, the first FEW Stars had hairpin spokes riveted in the rims that were prone for breakage. Star wheels then were redesigned going from unbutted, to single butted, and then to double butted. H.B. Smith Machine Co. finally got a U.S. Patent filed on 7 Feb., 1884 for a nutted spoke and groove in the rim. I can see in the photos you posted that you have double butted spokes with the square nuts in the hub. If you remove the nut off the rear wheel axle and pull out the drive hub, (don't worry you won't break anything) you will be able to see the square nuts on the spokes.
Also the bracket on the right side of the handlebar is for a brake handle. You can get copies of Star catalogs from the Wheelmen library.
I made the effort and that's enough.




So since you sound like you no more then anybody ive ever talked to about these bikes how much do you think this is worth?
 
There are things being displayed in museums around the world not as what they are, but as what the owners or curators think they are or want them to be. No one here is trying to steer you wrong. On the contrary. There is an incredible wealth of knowledge here free of charge. All you have to do is listen...and be respectful. Been working for me going on 6 years now...
 
There are things being displayed in museums around the world not as what they are, but as what the owners or curators think they are or want them to be. No one here is trying to steer you wrong. On the contrary. There is an incredible wealth of knowledge here free of charge. All you have to do is listen...and be respectful. Been working for me going on 6 years now...

Yea i no man i dont plan on being on here after i sell this bike im not a hardcore bike guy but alot of people on here dont no either but act like they do just like the person who said they all came with brakes which is wrong it sounds like craig knows more then anyone ive talked to even people at antique bike stores had no idea. So whats this bike go for like 4-5k?
 
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