Hoffman Bicycle Co., Cleveland Tandem?

[Boisenberi]

It is my hope that someone here on The CABE might be able to help me determine the manufacturer/brand of these two tandems. The attached images are of one tandem missing tires, saddles, chains, and pedals, and a second tandem frame missing all but seat posts and one crank with a sprocket. Some of the images of the second tandem frame are of the frame flipped upside down.

I have scoured The CABE attempting to solve the identity of these beauties. Based on the rear dropouts and on the grease or oil ports on the bottom bracket I started thinking that these might be Hoffman frames. Since the head tube lugs are not external, it would seem that the frames are from 1897 - 1899; however, with as little as I have been able to find on the Cleveland Hoffmans, I am still very much in the dark.

In a thread posted recently on an 1895 Hoffman, I noted that CorbettClassics seems to have a good bit of info and knowledge on the Hoffman brand, so I hope that he might chime in on this thread.

Here's hoping...

 

[hoofhearted]

@Boisenberi

Paul … you seem to have a real liking for the Hoffman bicycle.
What features do you enjoy seeing in them .. or what feature or
manufacturing trait do you see in them that calls your name ?

If you can share some of those traits … someone here may be
able to tell you if your tandem(s) is or is not a Hoffman.

Some years back .. a great friend of mine .. the late Phil Scott
(he was a member here as shoe3 ) .. a Wheelman thru and thru ...
was fielding a bunch of my questions … (2000--2002 or there-
aboutz .. was the last period of time I had a jonez for balloon-
tire bicycles).

'' Say .. Phil … I don't get how you can like these things … they're
mostly all black with little variation .. and they mostly-look like
ten-speeds. And how can you tell what brand they are … if they
don't have a badge ?''

Phil threw back his head .. took off his sunglasses and made
hard-ass eye contact with me. He had the voice of Charleton
Heston as Moses delivering the Ten Commandments … but he
displayed the wisdom of Soloman.

He said, ''Patric … the stuff you like in those ballooners is all
about streamlining and formed sheet metal ….. these older
machines are all about connecting tubing together in an
efficient and structurally-sound manner... and being able to
move like the wind.''

''THERE IS ONE PROBLEM …. if you remove the badge and
misplace it … these ol' relics tend to all look alike … and some
refer to them in a badgeless condition as ''black-pipe bikes.''

The last time I spoke with my friend, Phil … was in mid-November of '18.

..... patric

@thehugheseum
@corbettclassics

 

[New Mexico Brant]

Side view images of both tandems, taken straight-on, not at an angle, would be most helpful. Also helpful would to be take the photos at a spot where there is a solid wall behind, not workbench with lights, and etc. hanging from the bike.

 

[Boisenberi]

@Boisenberi

Paul … you seem to have a real liking for the Hoffman bicycle.
What features do you enjoy seeing in them .. or what feature or
manufacturing trait do you see in them that calls your name ?

If you can share some of those traits … someone here may be
able to tell you if your tandem(s) is or is not a Hoffman.

Some years back .. a great friend of mine .. the late Phil Scott
(he was a member here as shoe3 ) .. a Wheelman thru and thru ...
was fielding a bunch of my questions … (2000--2002 or there-
aboutz .. was the last period of time I had a jonez for balloon-
tire bicycles).

'' Say .. Phil … I don't get how you can like these things … they're
mostly all black with little variation .. and they mostly-look like
ten-speeds. And how can you tell what brand they are … if they
don't have a badge ?

Phil threw back his head .. took off his sunglasses and made
hard-ass eye contact with me. He had the voice of Charleton
Heston as Moses delivering the Ten Commandments … but he
displayed the wisdom of Soloman.

He said, ''Patric … the stuff you like in those ballooners is all
about streamlining and formed sheet metal ….. these older
machines are all about connecting tubing together in an
efficient and structurally-sound manner... and being to ride
like the wind''

''THERE IS ONE PROBLEM …. if you remove the badge and
misplace it … these ol' relics tend to all look alike … and some
refer to them in a badgeless condition as ''black-pipe bikes.''

The last time I spoke with my friend, Phil … was in mid-November of '18.

..... patric

@thehugheseum
@corbettclassics

Patric,

Where to start? What about these bikes speaks to me, or any bike for that matter? It isn’t specifically the Hoffman that appeals to my senses. There is something beautiful about all bikes.... well, almost all. There are some that are downright hideous. Bikes are relatively simple, artistic machines that are cheap to operate and offer an exciting and unparalleled view of the world.

I have owned and own a variety bikes, from modern road bikes to folding bikes and even a bicycle that is fitted to aluminum pontoons. I just like bikes. That’s all.

About 10 years ago I learned about these two tandems from an acquaintance who is now offering to sell them to me. He thought they were 1899 Columbias; which clearly they are not. I am trying to id them so that I can determine whether his asking price is appropriate. I should mention that it’s a 3 bike deal, the third being a nearly complete 1915 Sears Master.

That’s the short version.

Why do I want these bikes? They’re a piece of history, from back when people took pride in what they produced. If these are indeed Hoffman wheels they seem to be pretty special bikes.

Paul

 

[Boisenberi]

Side view images of both tandems, taken straight-on, not at an angle, would be most helpful. Also helpful would to be take the photos at a spot where there is a solid wall behind, not workbench with lights, and etc. hanging from the bike.

New Mexico brant,
Okay, I’ll see if I can get those shots.

Paul

 

[Blue Streak]

Tandem production increased in 1895 and seems to have slowed down by 1900. I have looked through 1895 and 1896 issues of The Bearings magazine and have not found one that matches your frames. I did find most of the Hoffman references CorbettClassics already posted on the above referenced 1895 Hoffman discussion. The one serial number you show is 287 which is low. Per the period references Hoffman made 1500 bicycles in 1895 (their first year of production) and no tandems. They did offer tandems in 1896. I did find one Hoffman ad on the internet showing a tandem with no date but its frame is different than yours. Below are some general tandem references from The Bearings magazines I have looked at so far. I will keep looking for one that matches your frames. Are there name badge screw holes on your frame head tubes?

From March 1, 1895 issue of The Bearings:

From March 15, 1895 issue of The Bearings:

From March 22, 1895 issue of The Bearings:

Eclipse Tandem from April 5, 1895 issue of The Bearings:

Standard Cycle Works Tandem from November 21, 1895 issue of The Bearings:

Period tandem photo from a local family:

 

[Boisenberi]

Tandem production increased in 1895 and seems to have slowed down by 1900. I have looked through 1895 and 1896 issues of The Bearings magazine and have not found one that matches your frames. I did find most of the Hoffman references CorbettClassics already posted on the above referenced 1895 Hoffman discussion. The one serial number you show is 287 which is low. Per the period references Hoffman made 1500 bicycles in 1895 (their first year of production) and no tandems. They did offer tandems in 1896. I did find one Hoffman ad on the internet showing a tandem with no date but its frame is different than yours. Below are some general tandem references from The Bearings magazines I have looked at so far. I will keep looking for one that matches your frames. Are there name badge screw holes on your frame head tubes?
View attachment 1057492

From March 1, 1895 issue of The Bearings:
View attachment 1057487

From March 15, 1895 issue of The Bearings:
View attachment 1057488

From March 22, 1895 issue of The Bearings:
View attachment 1057489

Eclipse Tandem from April 5, 1895 issue of The Bearings:
View attachment 1057490

Standard Cycle Works Tandem from November 21, 1895 issue of The Bearings:
View attachment 1057491

Period tandem photo from a local family:
View attachment 1057494

Blue Streak,
Wow! Thanks for all that information. I’m curious, where can “The Bearings” ads be found? I have spent hours looking online for any information that can be found on old tandems and the only place I have seen these ads is here on the CABE.

Neither of the frames for which I posted pictures have any badge mounting holes on the head tube. However, the frames do have mounting holes for a chain guard on the left side of the front bottom bracket. Another interesting fact is that the rear bottom bracket also has a serial number (15516) on it, see attached pic.

I hope this info helps.

 

[Blue Streak]

The Bearings and other 1879-1912 bicycle publications can be found at Smithsonian Online Library:

https://library.si.edu/subjects/bicycles

 

[Boisenberi]

The Bearings and other 1879-1912 bicycle publications can be found at Smithsonian Online Library:

https://library.si.edu/subjects/bicycles

Thank you for the link, Blue Streak.