Lot 56

Antique Penny-farthing Highwheel Weathervane

Estimate: $3,000 - $5,000

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$0 $5
$50 $10
$100 $25
$500 $50
$1,000 $100
$2,000 $250
$5,000 $500
$10,000 $1,000
$25,000 $2,500
$100,000 $5,000
Featured in this lot is an Antique Penny-farthing High Wheel (Hi-wheel) Bicycle Weathervane from Tombstone, Arizona, circa late 19th century to early 20th century. Provenance: Tombstone Western Heritage Museum, Tombstone, Arizona. The penny-farthing, also known as a high wheel, high wheeler or ordinary, is an early type of bicycle that was popular in the 1870s and 1880s, with its large front wheel providing high speeds, owing to it travelling a large distance for every rotation of the wheel. The name came from the British penny and farthing coins, the penny being much larger than the farthing, so that the side view of the bicycle resembles a larger penny (the front wheel) leading a smaller farthing (the rear wheel). The Tombstone Western Heritage Museum presented an ever-expanding collection of 12,000-plus objects related to Tombstone and the broader Old West. At the heart of the museum were original papers, photos, firearms, furniture, clothing, conveyances and other artifacts relating the history of the town and its citizens. The sheer volume of the collection hit visitors on walking through the door. 1880s high-wheel bicycles, stamped silver bars and a roulette wheel from the Crystal Palace Saloon were displayed along with items from the event and participants that placed Tombstone on the history map, The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. This antique Penny-farthing Highwheel Weathervane features a copper penny-farthing highwheel perched on a rotating large arrow, a central supporting wrought iron rod, rotating zinc directionals, a copper sphere below the directionals, with the whole weathervane resting in a Victorian era three-footed decorative wrought iron base with locking screws for the rod. The weathervane is in amazingly well preserved condition, rich patina observed throughout. Measures 32"W x 18.5"D x 50.75"H, weight is 15lb.

All items will ship at our North American Auction Company in-house shipping department. Please allow up to 14-21 days after a complete invoice payment is made to package and ship your purchase. After you are notified of your winning bids from our company and your item invoice is paid in full our new shipping department will contact you. Make sure when signing up with our company that your preferred shipping information is up to date as this information will be used to estimate shipping cost. Once the items have been packaged our team will contact you for shipping payment. Shipping invoices and payment will be completely separately than the items invoice. Please notify the shipping department with any alternate request or instructions at mark@naabid.com or 800-686-4216 ext. 3. For a shipping quote please contact the same information above. PLEASE NOTE a shipping quote price can fluctuate in price. Auction company is not responsible for actual shipping cost being higher than quoted shipping cost. Thank you for trusting North American Auction Co. with your bids and shipping. As our shipping department is brand new please understand that delays can be expected.