1869 VelocipedeÂ
by Charles Sargent, 73 Champs Elysees, Paris
35″ Front Wheel. 31″ Rear Wheel
Charles Sargent was one of the French pioneers of velocipede manufacture, and his company had an enviable reputation. It’s reported that the original prototype velocipede commissioned by Michaux was built by Sargent. As Michaux did not take out a patent for it, Sargent built them and sold them in competition with Michaux.
This example is in excellent original condition, with the remains of its first paint in various places on the body and wheels. It has some unique features, such as adjusters for the top spring to suit riders of varied height, and an interesting sprung mechanism for the brake which is far superior to that found on most velocipedes. I sold it to a collector in Poland in 2018.
