T.o.c.? Rear steer tandem

[totalcyclery]

Picked up this bike and having a hard time pin pointing what it is. Things I know wheels are 51 and most likely added at this time. Fauber crankset from the early 1900. Seats are not original as they are from Italy and Germany. Fenders also added with grips and pedals (schwinn). The fork is crazy cool and can find nothing at all. Closest is a pic from Stearns ad but not confirmed. It’s in great shape for the time the guy I got it from said he bought in the late 60 or early 70 and said it was super old then.

 

[Blue Streak]

Two references from the February 12, 1897 issue of The Wheel showing a Soudan bicycle by Mason & Mason with a similar fork crown design:

 

[totalcyclery]

Thanks for that. Have no idea how or where you found it but a great help. Or even what you searched


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[totalcyclery]

Bump


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Blue Streak]

Have been searching through period bicycle publications from Smithsonian Online Library: https://library.si.edu/books-online/subjects/bicycles for info about Mason & Mason. Found a lot and still digging. Here is an overview of what have found so far.

John Mason was an active bicycle racer in Chicago area in around 1890-92.
George Mason was involved with the Illinois Cycling Club during same time.

1893-95: Mason & Mason was a downtown Chicago dealer/retailer selling Columbia, Thistle, Stearns, Gendron, Waverley, St. Nicholas, America and Western Wheel Works small line bicycles.
1894: They began manufacturing their own bicycle. Made between 50-200 in 1894. A small business compared to Western Wheel Works who made 40,000 bicycles in 1894.
1895: First time found them using the name Soudan for their bicycle. It had diamond-shaped fork crown. Produced 300 for 1895.
1896: Now make three grades of their own bicycle. Soudan ($100 with diamond fork crown), Nile ($75 with circle fork crown) and Pyramid ($65). Projected to make 600 for 1896.
1897: Same three bicycles as 1896. Projected to make 19,000.
August 1897: Mason & Mason has financial troubles. Under funded. Assets sold.

November 1897: A new company called Soudan Manufacturing Co. opens in former Mason & Mason factory in Chicago. Managed by John and George Mason.
1898: Soudan Manufacturing made only one model (diamond and drop frame) and only sold to jobbers.
1899: Still only making one model for jobbers. Projected to make 35,000 bicycles.
Fall 1899: Moved to a new factory in Elkhart, Indiana. Does not go into American Bicycle Company Trust. Remained an independent manufacturer.
1900: Soudan Manufacturing offered three models and the optional "Nile" circle fork crown on all 1900 models. Crown looks same as the one they used on 1896-97 Nile bicycle.
February 1901: Soudan Manufacturing closes.
May 1901: Elkhart factory sold.

Did not find many images of Soudan bicycles. In reference to the tandem shown at the beginning of this thread, the diamond fork crown definitely looks like Soudan. From what I can conclude is that the diamond fork crown was used at least 1895-1897. No evidence found yet that it was used by Soudan Manufacturing 1898-1900. Tandems were only made 1896-97. The cranksets on this tandem look like Fauber as found in a 1900 Ad and also shown on a 1900 Patee.

1893:

1894:

1895:

1896:

1897:

1898:

1899:

1900:

 

[totalcyclery]

Have been searching through period bicycle publications from Smithsonian Online Library: https://library.si.edu/books-online/subjects/bicycles for info about Mason & Mason. Found a lot and still digging. Here is an overview of what have found so far.

John Mason was an active bicycle racer in Chicago area in around 1890-92.
George Mason was involved with the Illinois Cycling Club during same time.

1893-95: Mason & Mason was a downtown Chicago dealer/retailer selling Columbia, Thistle, Stearns, Gendron, Waverley, St. Nicholas, America and Western Wheel Works small line bicycles.
1894: They began manufacturing their own bicycle. Made between 50-200 in 1894. A small business compared to Western Wheel Works who made 40,000 bicycles in 1894.
1895: First time found them using the name Soudan for their bicycle. It had diamond-shaped fork crown. Produced 300 for 1895.
1896: Now make three grades of their own bicycle. Soudan ($100 with diamond fork crown), Nile ($75 with circle fork crown) and Pyramid ($65). Projected to make 600 for 1896.
1897: Same three bicycles as 1896. Projected to make 19,000.
August 1897: Mason & Mason has financial troubles. Under funded. Assets sold.

November 1897: A new company called Soudan Manufacturing Co. opens in former Mason & Mason factory in Chicago. Managed by John and George Mason.
1898: Soudan Manufacturing made only one model (diamond and drop frame) and only sold to jobbers.
1899: Still only making one model for jobbers. Projected to make 35,000 bicycles.
Fall 1899: Moved to a new factory in Elkhart, Indiana. Does not go into American Bicycle Company Trust. Remained an independent manufacturer.
1900: Soudan Manufacturing offered three models and the optional "Nile" circle fork crown on all 1900 models. Crown looks same as the one they used on 1896-97 Nile bicycle.
February 1901: Soudan Manufacturing closes.
May 1901: Elkhart factory sold.

Did not find many images of Soudan bicycles. In reference to the tandem shown at the beginning of this thread, the diamond fork crown definitely looks like Soudan. From what I can conclude is that the diamond fork crown was used at least 1895-1897. No evidence found yet that it was used by Soudan Manufacturing 1898-1900. Tandems were only made 1896-97. The cranksets on this tandem look like Fauber as found in a 1900 Ad and also shown on a 1900 Patee.

1893:
View attachment 1091845
1894:
View attachment 1091856

1895:
View attachment 1091857

1896:
View attachment 1091846

1897:
View attachment 1091847

View attachment 1091848

View attachment 1091849

1898:
View attachment 1091860
View attachment 1091861

View attachment 1091850

1899:
View attachment 1091858

1900:
View attachment 1091859

View attachment 1091862

View attachment 1091851
View attachment 1091852

View attachment 1091853

View attachment 1091854

View attachment 1091855

Thank you That is great info


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk