What era Schwinn and Hawthorne Badges on two skip-tooth bikes?

[steve bennett]

Not expecting to find exact dating, but I'd like to get a sense of what era they were in use. I own the Schwinn, am looking at the Hawthorne. I'm also doing a little related research, for which it would be valuable to have as many opinions as possible, so if you read this, don't be shy or intimidated by our brighter lights. One man, one vote. Thanks, Steve

 

[Freqman1]

Not expecting to find exact dating, but I'd like to get a sense of what era they were in use. I own the Schwinn, am looking at the Hawthorne. I'm also doing a little related research, for which it would be valuable to have as many opinions as possible, so if you read this, don't be shy or intimidated by our brighter lights. One man, one vote. Thanks, Steve



View attachment 1947230 View attachment 1947231

It would probably be helpful to see the bikes--good pics from chain guard side. That Wards badge was used from the '30s into the '50s. The Schwinn badge pretty much the same although I think more '40s on that one.

 

[Frank and Pam Skid Kings]

The World badge is 1938 to around 1950 ? The Hawthorne style around 1936 to 1949?

 

[steve bennett]

I am more interested in just what you gave me - a ball park estimate of when or how it was being used - than I am in nailing the date. I'll bring the bikes along later if I can't date them myself.

In the case of the Hawthorne, does brass vs. aluminum matter for that design? As an indicator of age or of a high or low end product? Or anything else interesting?

 

[steve bennett]

The World badge is 1938 to around 1950 ? The Hawthorne style around 1936 to 1949?

I too am from the Pacific Northwest! I live for the CRAB!

 

[Frank and Pam Skid Kings]

I am more interested in just what you gave me - a ball park estimate of when or how it was being used - than I am in nailing the date. I'll bring the bikes along later if I can't date them myself.

In the case of the Hawthorne, does brass vs. aluminum matter for that design? As an indicator of age or of a high or low end product? Or anything else interesting?

Prewar balloon badges are usually always brass . Fazed into aluminum somewhere in forties after war. Watch for the Burley Creek Vintage bicycle swap meet March 23rd Saturday 2024. Info posted when closer.

 

[steve bennett]

Prewar balloon badges are usually always brass . Fazed into aluminum somewhere in forties after war. Watch for the Burley Creek Vintage bicycle swap meet March 23rd Saturday 2024. Info posted when closer.

That is what I might have thought. Nice to have the corroboration and more, The brass was needed for bullet and artillery shells during WWII. People were urged to dredge up their brass for salvage for the war effort. Some here may recall the steel US pennies of 1943. I wonder how many? Check in here, oldsters. Let us know.

Burley Creek sounds really fun. I'm too new at this to have been to one of these. Stay in touch.

I got a note from a Leon Dixon representing the National Bicycle History Archive of America, who intimated that we really couldn't glean much history from studying badges. "None of these entities ever imagined that one day collectors would be dissecting the histories and design formats and the imagined ages of these pieces. As if this is a linear thing– and it really isn't."

History isn't 'a linear thing,' Leon? The progression of these badges over the years is not 'linear' history? It seems to me that this information and these bikes are the tidbits of history that we here are clinging to and that real historians pore over to flesh out our understanding of the past.

I am considering a response, as his organization purports legitimacy, and I have some issues with his perspective. but I am not sure that that kind of interaction is encouraged or acceptable on this forum. All your responses have been helpful for my own bike exploration, but also in supporting my case. Thanks, send more.

Steve
University of Washington, History, 1973

Go Huskies! All the way.

 

[Wolfmac]

Other than the Schwinn plains and trains badge of the early post war, no other aluminum badge comes to mind until the early fifties as the more ornate shield type badges gave way to the generic large oval Schwinn badge. Even the large oval badge was still constructed in brass for at least 50 and 51. The brass shield badge depicting the world logo commonly adorned the heavyweight models all through the forties.

 

[Wolfmac]

 

[Wolfmac]

If you can locate the publication “The Many Faces of Schwinn”. It will detail the vast number of badges that were designed particularly for the balloon models.