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liberty schwinn origins

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Schwinn before WW2 made many if not most of their bikes for other companies including one that used the name Liberty. Among my collection I have had Schwinns with Cadillac, B F Goodrich, Chicago Cycle Supply, Hackes, World and others. Dating anything prewar is very hard at best. You would need to find out who Liberty was and when they bought bicycles from Schwinn. Roger
 
Actually I don't think "Liberty" was a company but just a brand offered by Schwinn such as World, LaSalle, or Lincoln that was offered through retailers such as Chicago Cycle Supply. Just from observation it seems to me these badges start appearing about the time of the introduction of the 26" motorbikes e.g. B10E. I'm not well versed in Schwinn though so hopefully one of the experts will chime in. V/r Shawn
 
Schwinn LIBERTY BADGE

Most everyone may be familiar with the acid-etched, Schwinn Liberty badge .. as shown in the foto, below..

But ... are you aware of a much-earlier specimen of Schwinn Liberty badge ?? What sets the older specimen apart from
the newer-artifact in the Liberty-foto (below) is the knowledge that the EARLIEST example of this badge design was carried
on a stamped-copper sheet .. AND .. this earlier specimen was much, much thicker than necessary for an acid-etched badge.

I have often wondered if these earlier Schwinn Liberty badges were ever intended to hold finely-ground, colored glass ..
and fired at fairly-tall temperatures .. much like the Sear's Chief badge. For more information regarding the unification
of finely-ground, colored glass - copper and fire ... peep the term ... CHAMPLEVE .. using your favorite search engine.

Although this typist does not have knowledge of the exact moment in time the Schwinn Liberty badge was installed on a
Schwinn bicycle ... one aspect does ring a bell ... the Davis-Built, Sear's-Distributed VICTOR has the SAME outline-shape
as the Schwinn Liberty .. AND .. the VICTOR was NOT MADE to hold paint (being of very-thick copper sheet) ... it was made
to contain fired, green-colored glass, as one aspect of its identity.

Ah .. how quickly the enlightened, human mind wants to draw a conclusion.

Pause .. and know this ... Much More Research Is Indicated, before any scholarly conclusions can ever be reached.

.............. patric cafaro

post script ... sorry, I do not have a sample of the early, Schwinn Liberty badge.



libertyheadbadge.jpg
Davis-Built Sear's VICTOR.jpg


libertyheadbadge.jpg


Davis-Built Sear's VICTOR.jpg
 
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Now that is the kind of fascinating information, that I was hoping the soul searcher articles in C.B.N. were going to have.
Not that they weren't entertaining mind you, but the doors of perception to Patric Cafaros mind, requires a certain level of enlightenment, before one can navigate the multitude of layers and fully comprehend what the symbolism represents in American headbadge design.
 
but the doors of perception to Patric Cafaros mind

have very crusty hinges and require a lot of hammering...
 
two on nostalgic.net

there is a schwinn 1936 and a schwinn 1937 with liberty badges in nostalgic.net....look like originals
 
Wha' ... Not A Schwinn LIBERTY .. but same UNUSUAL SHAPE ??!

No .. It's Not The LIBERTY but ... here's that badge SHAPE once again ...........

....... patric cafaro

26560412.jpg
And Here Are The Other SAME-SHAPE SPECIMENS already documented
libertyheadbadge.jpg
Davis-Built Sear's VICTOR.jpg


26560412.jpg


libertyheadbadge.jpg


Davis-Built Sear's VICTOR.jpg
 
We recently bought a 1935 Liberty badged schwinn , I know that in a 1923 Chicago cycle supply catalog , the Cadillac and Liberty bikes were made by Schwinn for them , also the Schwinn serial number is on them....

20160605_140739.jpg
 
We recently bought a 1935 Liberty badged schwinn , I know that in a 1923 Chicago cycle supply catalog , the Cadillac and Liberty bikes were made by Schwinn for them , also the Schwinn serial number is on them....

View attachment 328017

Another problem is determining whether a badge is original to the bike. In the photo above the badge is obviously a poor repaint and has been cleaned. It may, or may not, have originated on this bike. V/r Shawn
 
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