Bicycle: Bone Shakers, Highwheelers, And Other Celebrated Cycles [Hardcover]

Gilbert King (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 23, 2002

This photographic survey is richly illustrated with images of one of the world's largest private collections of bicycles from the 1850s to the 1950s and includes some never-before-published photographs. From antique high wheelers and "boneshakers" to tandems, tricycles, and circus clown bikes, it proves a fascinating historical retrospective of the bicycle's development and evolution. Gil King is a writer, editor, and photographer whose work has appeared in many national publications.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Gilbert King is the author of Woman, Child For Sale: The New Slave Trade in the 21st Century, which was selected by the Detroit Free Press as one of its ten notable books of 2004. In the award-winning documentary Willie Francis Must Die Again, narrated by Danny Glover, King is interviewed on camera. In addition, King has contributed articles to numerous newspapers and magazines, including Ring Magazine, Playboy, and the San Diego Union. King lives in New York City.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Courage Books (June 23, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0762412623
• ISBN-13: 978-0762412624
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 11 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,008,371 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars fascinating reading and a fascinating museum, June 27, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Bicycle: Bone Shakers, Highwheelers, And Other Celebrated Cycles (Hardcover)

this book is an excellent pictorial trip through one of the world's finest collections of bicycles and related items. i have actually been to the Metz Bicycle Museum in Freehold, New Jersey and have had a personalized tour by David Metz, the owner of the museum which is the basis for this book. this book is a very good introduction to the history of bicycles and the photograpy is excellent. however, on an actual tour of the museum you get some of the most interesting stories first hand from David Metz. this 87 year young collector is only too happy to share his knowledge of bicycles with any visitor to his museum. the book and a trip to the museum if at all possible will both be something to remember

3.0 out of 5 stars Great pictures., November 29, 2010

By 

Vernon Forbes (Columbia, MO) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Bicycle: Bone Shakers, Highwheelers, And Other Celebrated Cycles (Hardcover)

A picture book that serves as museum catalogue of the Metz bicycle collection in Freehold, NJ. Though a short book (128p) it shows the largest number of wooden bikes of any book as well as 5 velocipedes including a Michaux, the first bicycle with pedals that was manufactured. Lots of great close-up shots. In places the text is glaringly amateurish revealing the author has little idea what he is talking about. He says that Pierre Lallement had a French bicycle patent but that he sold it to Michaux before leaving for America. However, no such patent existed. He goes on to say that Michaux's company was sold to a guy named Frere Olivier. What Frere Olivier refers to are the Olivier brothers, Renee & Aimee. Whatever the shortcomings of the text, this book is only one of very few museum collection catalogues to be issued. Others are the Pryor Dodge collection, the Smithsonian collection, the Science Museum in London and the Embacher collection in Germany. While there are many other books to learn about bicycle history there are none of the Metz collection.

5.0 out of 5 stars The next best thing to an actual visit, September 22, 2006

By 

V. A. Crawford III "Affected provincial" (Pine Barrens, NJ) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Bicycle: Bone Shakers, Highwheelers, And Other Celebrated Cycles (Hardcover)

I too have had the privilege of visiting Mr. Metz's garage-cum-museum, which is only a half hour's drive from here. If you can't get to see his collection first hand, this is the next best thing.