One
of many bicycle manufacturers to abandon two wheels for four in the
early 1900's was the American Bicycle Company in Toledo, Ohio. Initially
building lightweight steam cars such as this simple Dos-a-dos (with the
rear seats precariously placed atop the rear-mounted boiler and facing
backwards) with full elliptical buggy springs located by perch rods and
tiller steering, the company soon shifted to gasoline power. Amalgamated
soon thereafter into the burgeoning empire of Col. Albert Pope, another
bicycle magnate intent upon dominating the automobile field, to become
the Pope-Toledo, the Toledo steam cars had a short but honorable
history. This example's history is even more intriguing, forming part of
the famous Chicago Museum of Science and Industry collection in the
early 50's when owned by Lenox Lohr, the museum's president, a colleague
of famous collector D. Cameron Peck. Finished in dark green with black
leather seating, black tires on bicycle-style wheels, it was restored to
good touring condition some years ago. Its most recent owner had the
boiler converted to LP fuel and ran it in the New London-New Brighton
Antique car run in Wisconsin in 2006. The coachwork is distinguished by
canework embellishment on the sides and it has model black-finished
lighting. It comes with a collection of old documentation including a
bill of sale from Lenox Lohr and a letter from the Museum transferring
its interest in the Toledo.An attractively presented older restoration, its condition and presentation invite its use and enjoyment. It is an ideal introduction to smooth, nearly silent steam power and its fascinating mechanisms.
Please contact Mark Hyman at 314-524-6000, mark@hymanltd.com
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