Please help ID this circa 1899 bicycle

[sm2501]

There would be no use for a brake on a pace bike, plus a pace bike has a completely different frame geometry.

 

[jg2112]

not the correct Orient fork or chainring
bikes looks earlier than 1899, maybe closer to 1895 ..... could be wrong

about the "brake", cool idea, but friction braking directly on the chain like this would probably put so much tension on it that it would get ruined in a short time.

cool family history!

you are right, i had not noticed t

A very interesting post,especially because of the West Virginia connection.Considering the terrain and very rural nature of that part of the state it was a place with very little paved road and few bicycles.Walnut Grove is not far from my farm.Assuming it arrived in Walnut Grove by rail,that bicycle traveled through my farm to get there.

This is the Walnut Grove near Spencer in Roane County. It's pretty much a ghost town now. But the terrain is pretty hilly. They paved "out to the Glaze land" at some point but I can't remember the year.

 

[Myron]

Yes near Spencer,I’ve been there many times.It’s about 30 mi from me.

 

[jg2112]

Yes near Spencer,I’ve been there many times.It’s about 30 mi from me.

not the correct Orient fork or chainring
bikes looks earlier than 1899, maybe closer to 1895 ..... could be wrong
almost looks like an early 1895 Pierce model (fat fork crown, no lugs, similar chainring)

about the "brake", cool idea, but friction braking directly on the chain like this would probably put so much tension on it that it would get ruined in a short time.

cool family history!

View attachment 1775911

Maybe Pierce Special Model 44? I found a marketing image and flipped it and then placed them side by side. I can overlay them when I get home to my computer.

 

[jg2112]

Yes near Spencer,I’ve been there many times.It’s about 30 mi from me.

If you are a descendant/relation of any Glaze, Butcher, Douglas, or Rogers from that area, I can add you to my genealogy research/photo restoration group.

 

[locomotion]

Maybe Pierce Special Model 44? I found a marketing image and flipped it and then placed them side by side. I can overlay them when I get home to my computer.

View attachment 1776120

i don't think the bicycle in your family picture and the drawn bicycle on the patent are the same (completely different fork crown)
the bicycle in the drawing is lugged and the bike in the picture doen't seem to be lugged (hard to see 100%!!)
in the drawing the sprocket has 5 "spokes" and in the picture the sprocket has 6 "spokes"

 

[locomotion]

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015030256666&view=1up&seq=53

seems like you can buy the volume 89 of the Official Gazette online, there is probably a way to find it online for free!

Official gazette of the United States Patent Office. Volume v.89 Oct.-Nov. 1899 1899 [LEATHER BOUND] by United States. Patent Office: New Leather Bound (2022) | Gyan Books Pvt. Ltd.

AbeBooks.com: Official gazette of the United States Patent Office. Volume v.89 Oct.-Nov. 1899 1899 [LEATHER BOUND]: CHOOSE ANY LEATHER COLOR OF YOUR CHOICE WITHOUT ANY EXTRA CHARGES, JUST OPEN "View Larger Image" BUTTON JUST BELOW THE BOOK IMAGE AND MAIL US YOUR CHOICE. Leather Binding on Spine...

www.abebooks.com

Official Gazette Of The United States Patent Office, Volume 89, Issues 6-9: United States. Patent Office: 9781343575875: Amazon.com: Books

Official Gazette Of The United States Patent Office, Volume 89, Issues 6-9 [United States. Patent Office] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Official Gazette Of The United States Patent Office, Volume 89, Issues 6-9

www.amazon.com

 

[jg2112]

i don't think the bicycle in your family picture and the drawn bicycle on the patent are the same (completely different fork crown)

Yes, thanks for pointing that out. He could have used a drawing like that to trace from.

 

[jg2112]

I think I found the volume online in a pdf. Thanks.

 

[jg2112]

i don't think the bicycle in your family picture and the drawn bicycle on the patent are the same (completely different fork crown)
the bicycle in the drawing is lugged and the bike in the picture doen't seem to be lugged (hard to see 100%!!)
in the drawing the sprocket has 5 "spokes" and in the picture the sprocket has 6 "spokes"

I wonder if the 5-spoke sprocket which is visible on the left side is part of the brake. The chain sprocket would be on the right side and not visible.