There seems to always be confusion when identifying old bikes. I don't believe any of the manufacturers ever thought anyone would care about dates of the bikes and some of the crazy questions that are asked here on the Cabe , every day.
Keep in mind, many companies sold bikes with various names on them and never, ever "built" one : Sears, Wards, Western Auto, Spiegles, and a 100's of other local stores. Prior to about 1948, if you wanted a Schwinn bike with a head badge that said "Tinker stores " on it, you would get it. Some manufacturers were bought out by other companies that used up old frames, and placed their name on them. Just prior to, and in the early days of WW 2 , companies used up old parts and frames that were lying around in anticipation of wartime regulations ,limiting the sales of civilian bicycles. Rather then add their obsolete 1930's frames to the scrap drives, companies like Schwinn put them together and sold them, creating confusion and arguments among bicycle collectors today. Unlike today, where a corporation would think nothing of tossing a ton of bicycle frames in a dumpster, knowing that they could take a tax write-off for much more then the parts were actually worth.
So...... When anyone wants to ask here, on the CABE , what their particular bike, or frame is, or what year it is: decent, clear and full photos of the entire bike should be posted.
On Monarks,after the close of WW 2,[ at least every one I've seen] this includes the Spiegle Airman and Rockets, the serial number is on a aluminum tag, on the bottom bracket. Here is a photo of two tags I sold to a Cabe member, that I never shipped him and I still have.
View attachment 648751 Some folks can't follow basic instructions, but that's for a future post......