Studio : Fascinations

Publisher : Fascinations

Binding : Toy

Product Description
The successor to the wooden-wheeled boneshaker, the high wheel bicycle, also known as the Penny-farthing, high wheel, or ordinary, was first produced around 1870 in Europe. Its Penny-farthing name comes from the British penny and farthing coins. The one is much larger than the other, and from the side the wheels of the bicycle resemble a penny leading a farthing. The high wheel was not only the first machine to be called a "bicycle", but its dramatic rise in popularity also coincided with the emergence of cycling as a sport.

Production of the Penny-farthing stopped in 1893, though the bicycle was still used up to the 1920's in track cycling until the safety bicycle, which resembles modern bicycles today, was perfected.

The individual pieces are simply popped out of the two metal sheets and assembled without the use of solder or glue by simply bending and/or twisting the connection tabs. A small metal base (to be assembled) comes with the model to hold it aloft. Assembled, it becomes an authentic, museum-quality laser cut replica of a High Wheel Bicycle.