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Copake Auction anticipates this rare 1883-1886 Columbia-built three-track tricycle will coast to $16,000-$22,000. Image courtesy Copake Auction Inc.

Century of cycling represented at Copake specialty auction April 17

Tom Hoepf
Tom Hoepf
Copake Auction anticipates this rare 1883-1886 Columbia-built three-track tricycle will coast to $16,000-$22,000. Image courtesy Copake Auction Inc.
Copake Auction anticipates this rare 1883-1886 Columbia-built three-track tricycle will coast to $16,000-$22,000. Image courtesy Copake Auction Inc.

COPAKE, N.Y. – Mike and Seth Fallon, father and son owners of Copake Auction, will conduct their 19th annual Bicycles 1850-1950 auction April 17 beginning at 10 a.m. Eastern. LiveAuctioneers will provide Internet live bidding.

The Fallons will also preside over their Friday bicycle swap meet from dawn ’til dusk April 16. The swap meet consists of between 75 and 100 vendors offering anything from highwheels to lightweights, parts and collectibles.

This year’s auction will contain deaccessions of museums in the United States, Europe and Japan. Highlights include a rare circa 1883 Columbia adult three-track tricycle, highwheels, boneshakers including a rare circa 1870 ice velocipede made in Bellville N.J., hard tire safeties and pneumatic safeties, including a scarce Bronco.

Also included will be a museum collection of prewar and postwar German race and tourist machines together with a BMW R25 motorcycle used as a pacer. This year will feature many collectible balloon bicycles including a Hopalong Cassidy model, Indian, Harley Davidson, Schwinn Black Phantom and more.

Collectibles include a 19th-century Professor Pug Frog mechanical bank, a 19th-century tricycle clockwork toy, books, ephemera, steins, bottles, parts, porcelains, posters, prints, and an excellent collection of 19th- and early 20th-century bicycle stands.

A slideshow of important early cycling photography will be shown at 4:15 p.m. the day of the swap meet. The slideshow was originally presented at the 14th triennial Symposium on the History of Photography at George Eastman House in Rochester, N.Y. This event will presented free of charge. Donations to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital will be appreciated.

As an added convenience to their customers that can not make it to Copake for this year’s sale there will be live online bidding through www.liveauctioneers.com as well as absentee bidding via their online catalog (e-mail or fax) and live phone bidding (on approval). Visit their website www.copakeauction.com for details, or e-mail info@copakeauction.com or phone 518-329-1142.

View the fully illustrated catalog and register to bid absentee or live via the Internet as the sale is taking place by logging on to www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE

The cast-iron mechanical bank known as ‘Professor Pug Frog’s Great Bicycle Feat’ crosses over to bicycle enthusiasts. Designed by Charles Baily, the circa 1885-1895 bank has a $2,000-$3,000 estimate. Image courtesy Copake Auction Inc.
The cast-iron mechanical bank known as ‘Professor Pug Frog’s Great Bicycle Feat’ crosses over to bicycle enthusiasts. Designed by Charles Baily, the circa 1885-1895 bank has a $2,000-$3,000 estimate. Image courtesy Copake Auction Inc.

Built by the makers of Columbia bicycles, this circa 1920s Indian Board Track Racer has a head badge attached that reads, ‘Indian Motorcycle Co, Indian, Springfield Mass., USA.’ It has a $600-$800 estimate. Image courtesy Copake Auction Inc.
Built by the makers of Columbia bicycles, this circa 1920s Indian Board Track Racer has a head badge attached that reads, ‘Indian Motorcycle Co, Indian, Springfield Mass., USA.’ It has a $600-$800 estimate. Image courtesy Copake Auction Inc.

This rare and possibly unique type of bicycle was built for traversing ice. Deacessioned from a private museum, the ice velocipede carries a $2,000-$3,000 estimate. Image courtesy Copake Auction Inc.
This rare and possibly unique type of bicycle was built for traversing ice. Deacessioned from a private museum, the ice velocipede carries a $2,000-$3,000 estimate. Image courtesy Copake Auction Inc.

Restored to excellent condition is this 1888 Victor Light Roadster Highwheel worth $4,500-$5,500. Image courtesy Copake Auction Inc.
Restored to excellent condition is this 1888 Victor Light Roadster Highwheel worth $4,500-$5,500. Image courtesy Copake Auction Inc.