Featherstone pictures?
#2
Extraordinary Magnitude
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Waukesha WI
Posts: 13,679
Bikes: 1978 Trek TX700; 1978/79 Trek 736; 1984 Specialized Stumpjumper Sport; 1984 Schwinn Voyageur SP; 1985 Trek 620; 1985 Trek 720; 1986 Trek 400 Elance; 1987 Schwinn High Sierra; 1990 Miyata 1000LT
Liked 1,738 Times
in
952 Posts
That is a way cool picture!
Is your great-grandfather in the picture?
Is your great-grandfather in the picture?
__________________
*Recipient of the 2006 Time Magazine "Person Of The Year" Award*
Commence to jigglin’ huh?!?!
"But hey, always love to hear from opinionated amateurs." -says some guy to Mr. Marshall.
Commence to jigglin’ huh?!?!
"But hey, always love to hear from opinionated amateurs." -says some guy to Mr. Marshall.
#4
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Featherstone was an independent company started in 1890 and in 1897 was proposed to be in the big 'bicycle trust organization' which wanted to control production and prices (obviously in the days before anti-trust). Then in 1899 it was finally acquired by the American Company (as part of a massive consolidation and I believe the originator of the planned trust 2 years earlier) but still continued to manufacture bikes under the Featherstone name. My dream of course is to some day own one!
#6
Newbie
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Featherstone factory
my name is Don Featherstone and would love to find memorabilia or an actual bike for sale
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Point Reyes Station, California
Posts: 4,567
Bikes: Indeed!
Liked 3,550 Times
in
1,158 Posts
#11
Senior Member
IIRC correctly, Featherstone's claim to fame was that they were the USA licensee of Dunlop's pneumatic tyre, which was purchased circa 1891, for $100,000.00 US. They leveraged that acquisition into becoming one of the premier bicycle manufacturers of the 1890s. Prior to that, the Chicago factory was producing primarily baby carriages, rocking horses and sleds. When the 1890s bicycle boom went bust, Alfred Featherstone sold the company to the fledgling American Bicycle Company in 1899, for cash and shares in the new company. ABC had been formed by industry giants Pope and Spaulding in attempt to resurrect the bicycle market, which was suffering a recession due to saturation that had been caused by under-priced bicycles as a result of excessive competition. ABC eventually took over and closed dozens of bicycle manufacturers, in an attempt to control the market. As one of the major acquisitions by ABC, Alfred Featherstone rec'd a directorship with the new company and the Featherstone premises continued to act as a factory and sales division for ABC. However, Featherstone's personal interests seemed to have drifted from the cycle industry to his growing stable of racing horses.
Last edited by T-Mar; 03-14-19 at 12:42 PM.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
vol
General Cycling Discussion
14
08-19-18 07:01 PM
Kamala
Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg)
15
09-01-10 08:47 AM