RARE 1890S ANTIQUE PHOTO BICYCLE SHOP JOHN A. WILDE INDIANAPOLIS IN BIKE BOOM For Sale

ORIGINAL! RARE! 1890S ANTIQUE PHOTO BICYCLE SHOP JOHN A. WILDE INDIANAPOLIS IN BIKE BOOM

1890S ANTIQUE PHOTO BICYCLE SHOP JOHN A. WILDE INDIANAPOLIS IN BIKE BOOM

FEATURING "JOHN A. WILDE BICYCLES" & "WILCOX PLUMBING" – INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA

UP FOR SALE IS A CAPTIVATING, HIGHLY DETAILED PIECE OF TRANSPORTATION HISTORY FROM THE HEIGHT OF THE LATE-1890S AMERICAN BICYCLE BOOM. THIS GENUINE ANTIQUE PHOTOGRAPH CAPTURES A LOCALIZED, SHARED STOREFRONT DISPLAYING EARLY "SAFETY BICYCLES" AND THE TRADESMEN OF THE ERA.

HISTORIC BIOGRAPHY: JOHN A. WILDE BICYCLES

JOHN A. WILDE WAS A PROMINENT BICYCLE RETAILER AND CUSTOM BUILDER BASED OUT OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA. ARCHIVAL CITY DIRECTORIES FROM 1896 RECORD HIS RETAIL LOCATION AT 108 MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE.

• THE REMINGTON CONNECTION: PERIOD ADVERTISEMENTS FROM THE INDIANAPOLIS JOURNAL SHOW THAT JOHN A. WILDE WAS A PREMIER REGIONAL DEALER SPECIALIZING IN REMINGTON BICYCLES (MANUFACTURED BY THE FAMED REMINGTON ARMS COMPANY), WHICH WERE HIGHLY SOUGHT AFTER FOR THEIR PRECISION ENGINEERING AND METALLURGY.
  
• BESPOKE MANUFACTURING: BY 1899, RECORDS INDICATE WILDE EXPANDED HIS OPERATIONS TO BUILD CUSTOM, BESPOKE "WILDE BICYCLES" CONSTRUCTED TO ORDER TO FIT A RIDER'S EXACT PHYSICAL BIOMETRICS. HIS SHOP WAS A CENTRAL HUB FOR DEEP OVERHAULS, RE-ENAMELING, AND REPAIRING CUTTING-EDGE PNEUMATIC TIRES.

PHOTO INSIGHTS & CO-HABITATION CONTEXT

THE PHOTOGRAPH PROMINENTLY FEATURES THE BUILDING NUMBER 450 AND BEAUTIFULLY SHOWCASES THE CROSS-TRADE REALITY OF 19TH-CENTURY SHOPS. SHARED WITH "WILCOX PLUMBING" (VISIBLE ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIGN), THIS LAYOUT CAPTURES AN ERA WHERE BICYCLE MECHANICS FREQUENTLY CO-HABITATED WITH PLUMBERS, BLACKSMITHS, OR MACHINISTS. BECAUSE BOTH PLUMBING AND BICYCLE BUILDING RELIED HEAVILY ON SPECIALIZED TOOLS FOR CUTTING, THREADING, AND BENDING STEEL TUBING, THESE TRADES NATURALLY INTERTWINED.

ITEM CONDITION & DETAILS

• SUBJECT: JOHN A. WILDE BICYCLE & REPAIR DEPOT WITH WILCOX PLUMBING.
• ERA: CIRCA LATE 1890S TO EARLY 1900S.
• VISUAL ELEMENTS: INCLUDES 4 MEN IN PERIOD ATTIRE (BOWLER HATS, SUSPENDERS, WAISTCOATS), A BEAUTIFULLY HAND-PAINTED WINDOW DISPLAY WITH EARLY DIAMOND-FRAME SAFETY BICYCLES, AND DETAILED EXTERIOR ARCHITECTURE.
• CONDITION: EXCELLENT VINTAGE CONTRAST AND CLARITY. VERY SHARP FOCUS ALLOWS YOU TO EASILY READ THE TYPOGRAPHY ON THE WINDOWS AND SIGNS. (PLEASE INSPECT THE HIGH-RESOLUTION IMAGES FOR EXACT PHYSICAL MARGINS AND WEAR).

THIS IS A PHENOMENAL, INVESTMENT-GRADE CROSS-OVER COLLECTIBLE PERFECT FOR ANTIQUE BICYCLE ENTHUSIASTS, INDIANA REGIONAL HISTORIANS, OR COLLECTORS OF TURN-OF-THE-CENTURY AMERICANA.

(please see pictures).

THIS IS NOT A COPY OR REPRODUCTION

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