Featured in this lot is this beautiful, 1953-54 Schwinn Panther bicycle (mens style), manufactured by Arnold, Schwinn & Company in Chicago, Illinois. Ignaz Schwinn, a German-born mechanical engineer, founded the company in Chicago in 1895. It swiftly grew to fame by making high-quality bikes during the early twentieth century riding craze. Schwinn rose to prominence in the 1940s and 1950s with durable models such as the Phantom and the Panther, and later dominated the teenage market with balloon-tire bikes and attractive Sting-Ray models in the 1960s and 1970s. However, when lightweight, European, and Japanese imports became popular, Schwinn failed to adapt. The company declared bankruptcy in 1992, and the brand was later acquired by Pacific Cycle, which is currently owned by Dorel Industries. This Schwinn bicycle shows a green and white color scheme with light accents of gold throughout. It features a built-in horn tank, a chrome torpedo headlight mounted on the front fender, and a rear luggage rack with a reflector or taillight mount. The bike rides on 26-inch whitewall balloon tires with chrome rims and included a decorated “Panther” chainguard. It is marked "Schwinn" near the horn button as well. The horn on this bike works occasionally, producing a low level horn sound, but the front head light does not work at all. The kickstand is still attached and is in working order. This bike is in the mens style with a step over style and wider handle bars. The bike shows good condition overall with slight wear and cosmetic wear present, but no major signs of damage is noted. It measures 73" L x 29" W x 43" H. Provenance: From the Tombstone Western Heritage Museum in Tombstone, Arizona.