Sold: Winged Wheel Bicycle Medal

Victorian bicycling competition medal / gold / c. 1890s

Extraordinary antique Victorian bicycle race presentation medal in 10-karat gold, c. 1890s. Awarded by the Superior Cycle Club of Superior, Wisconsin for the Mile Championship, the nearly three inch long medal takes the form of a winged bicycle wheel, taking flight at the axle. Located on the shores of Lake Superior, the cycle club was highlighted in an 1892 edition of “The Bearings” which indicated the club was “growing fast” with over forty members participating in a particular Sunday run. It is unclear what manner of velocipedes were raced to garner this award, but given the distance was only a mile it seems likely they may have been the high wheel, penny-farthing variety.

Without a doubt, the medal is the work of a master jeweler. The details are exquisite: each feather in the wing is articulated and faceted to catch the light, as are the laurel leaves, which are tinted a subtle green. Even the tire on the bicycle wheel is buffed to matte finish, simulating rubber. This kind of painstaking workmanship is simply unknown today, and even setting aside its bicycling provenance, the medal stands alone as a remarkable example of the jeweler’s art.

A singular piece of American cycling history which would be a jewel in any bicycle collection.

Condition

Excellent condition.

Measurements

2.75 inches long
2 inches wide
10-karat gold 12.5 DWT Pennyweight.

Shipping

Free in the continental United States. If an international buyer, please contact me for a shipping estimate by clicking here.