1894 Victoria Overman Wheel Company Ladies Bicycle

'The bicycle presented here is believed to be the finest example of this machine in regards to its completion and original finish known to exist. It is mechanically complete and ridable and retains approximately 90+ % of its original nickel and enamel making it an ideal candidate for a very superficial conservation. Look at the nuts and bolts and you scarcely notice a mark from a wrench. Just plainly amazing condition. By all indications it was lightly used and well stored to have survived so well.

This bike retains it's original "trap door pneumatic rims" in wonderful condition. The original tires which were proprietary and never survive to this day in usable condition were replaced with solid rubber replacements prior to my acquiring this machine. In many cases, the original trap door rims have  been replaced on early Victors because of the inability to secure tires for them. Obviously not in this case though.

The original 1894 owner installed then what today is an excessively rare divided ladies hygienic independent swivel saddle. It retains its original leather in wonderful condition. Grips were at some point replaced with early celluloid grips. The rubber guards are of course not present as the natural rubber could not have survived the intervening 117 years. 

The nameplate or head-badge is in amazing condition and bears patent dates no later than May, 1892.

The pedals are in astounding condition retaining even clear patent dates in the original rubber blocks and yet retain the felt dust washers on the outer bearing adjustment.

The original Victor block chain is as near pristine as i have ever seen on a bicycle with only a few small isolated spots of superficial surface oxidation.

The brake and its associated hardware are all present, functional and in amazing condition.

All spokes and nipples are present and perfectly sound which is an important consideration in a machine that uses a non-standard spoke such as these.

Per the Catalog description below, this particular bike is equipped with the optional 28 inch wheels and is geared 16x8.

This is a rather large bike with wide, tall handlebars and those big 28 inch wheels. As pictured, there is 24 inches from the saddle top to the center of the crank axle. The saddle could be either lowered an inch or so, or raised about 5 inches. With the 5 3/4 inch cranks, the reach to the pedals can be therefore adjusted anywhere between about 28 inches to almost 35 inches.

Fine early pneumatic safeties in museum quality condition just do not become available anymore most of them having already been installed into large private collections and traded privately. This particular machine has spent the last 20 years of it's life at a public transportation museum locally.'