For a few brief decades of human history, just before combustion engines and motorcycles and cars burst onto the scene, the bicycle was the most advanced personal land vehicle around. They were wonders of technology and personal style — as these beautiful ads show.
Let’s take a second to imagine what life was like in a time when the bike was the epitome of technological progress — here are 29 ads for long-list bikes, from the stylish, to the curvy, to the sometimes crazy.
Victor, Victoria bicycles. Overman Wheel Co., 1896. Artist: Will Bradley.
Source: Library Of Congress
Orient cycles lead the leaders. Waltham M’f’g’ Co., c1890. Artist: Edward Penfield.
Source: Library Of Congress
Déesse bicycle, Paris, c1890. Artist: Jean de Paleologue.
Source: Library Of Congress
Ride a Stearns and be content / J. Ottmann Lith. Co., Puck Bld’g, N.Y., 1896. Artist: Edward Penfield.
Source: Library Of Congress
Victor Bicycles Overman Wheel Co., 1896. Artist: Will Bradley.
Source: Library Of Congress
Dayton cycles, France, c1898. Artist: Henry Thiriet.
Source: Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Waverley cycles, Paris, 1898. Artist: Alphonse Mucha.
Source: Bibliothèque nationale de France
The Prudent buyer selects the Shirk, the latest, neatest, and lightest bicycle in the world / Ottman, Chic., c1890. Artist: unknown.
Source: Library Of Congress
Cycles Clément, Paris, 1898. Artist: Jean de Paleologue.
Source: Library Of Congress
Cycles Humber, 1890. Artist: Alfred Choubrac.
Source: Bibliothèque nationale de France
Gladiator cycles, 1880. Artist: unknown.
Source: Bibliothèque nationale de France
Townsend’s Limited Cycles. Redditch. England. 1890. Artist: unknown.
Source: Bibliothèque nationale de France
Papillon bicycle by the Société française pour la construction de cycles, 1890. Artist: A. Bonnard.
Source: Bibliothèque nationale de France
American Crescent cycles, 1899. Artist: T. Ramsdell.
Source: Bibliothèque nationale de France
Cycles Decauville, Paris, 1895. Artist: Alfred Choubrac.
Source: Bibliothèque nationale de France
Clément cycles, Paris, 1890. Artist: George Moore.
Source: Bibliothèque nationale de France
Brillant Cycles, 1900. Artist: Raymond Tournon.
Source: Bibliothèque nationale de France
Peugeot, c1880. Artist: Francisco Tamagno.
Source: Les Silos Médiathèque
Clément, 1896. Artist: Lucien Baylac.
Source: Les Silos Médiathèque
Cycles Gladiator, c1880. Artist: Unknown.
Source: Les Silos Médiathèque
Clément, 1896. Artist: Unknown.
Source: Les Silos Médiathèque
Clément, c1880. Artist: Jean de Paléologue.
Source: Les Silos Médiathèque
Delizy and Poiret bikes, 1890. Artist: Unknown.
Source: Bibliothèque nationale de France
Le Cyclone, 1892. Artist: Unknown.
Source: Bibliothèque nationale de France
Howe bicycles and tricycles, 1895. Artist: Unknown.
Source: Bibliothèque nationale de France
Cycles de luxe and chainless cycles, 1897. Artist: Unknown.
Source: Bibliothèque nationale de France
Cycles Papillon, c1880. Artist: Certhus.
Source: Les Silos Médiathèque
Cycles Peugeot, 1895. Artist: Ernest Vulliemin.
Source: Bibliothèque nationale de France
Cycles Perfecta. 1902. Artist: Alphonse Mucha.
Source: photobucket/muchacompleteworks
