Copake Bicycle and Transportation Auction - October 15, 2022

 I occasionally peruse the Copake Auction catalog when their spring or fall bicycle auction takes place. Copake is about 60 minutes west of my home, so if there was something I absolutely had to own, I probably would go and bid on it. 

The next auction is October 15, 2022. The catalog is available HERE 

This year's auction is strong on pre-1933 "antique" or "wood wheel" era bikes - Iver Johnson, Columbia/Westfield, Crescent, etc. There are several very old, shaft-drive (chainless) bicycles.

However, it is pretty thin on roadster/utility/three speed content. I am not surprised as most of the basic three speed models don't bring in the money to justify the auction. 

My pick of this auction is lot #18 - Sunbeam bicycle

 

This looks to be an old school Sunbeam with that brand's somewhat unique brake system and the oil bath chain case. A true "oil bath" chaincase is a fully-enclosed chain guard with a pocket of oil on the bottom. The chain passes through the oil pocket once per revolution through the system. Not all fully-enclosed chain guards are "oil bath" chain guards, though some people call any fully enclosed chain guard an oil bath. That is technically incorrect - a fully enclosed chain guard is a "chain case" or "gear case", and not all of them have the oil bath pocket in them. 

Sunbeam advertised the "little oil bath", apparently a compact-ish version of the oil bath concept.

This bicycle is for a taller rider, but for being in the US, it's a nice example of a classic British bicycle.

 

For a more mundane (and smaller) bicycle, Lot 30 - Humber Sports Lightweight, looks interesting. It looks to be a drop bar conversion of a standard three speed "Sports" type bike. But it is a tastefully done variation.

 

 I will not be bidding on any lots in the auction, but good luck to those who are bidding.