Victor bicycles were made by the Overman Wheel Company of Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts from 1882 till their bankruptcy and sale of bicycle manufacture to Stevens Arms in 1900.
They were the first American manufacturers of safety bicycles and were known for their high quality. The ad above dates to 1898, artist/ illustrator; William Henry Bradley.
That is one strange ad for a bicycle! Looks more like some occult recruiting program.
ReplyDeleteCould be a tongue-in-cheek allusion to the hypnotism craze they had going on
ReplyDeleteback then. If so it shows at least a sense of humor.
Wouldn't you love to talk to the artist... he didn't even put a bicycle in a bicycle ad, and that was 120 years ago.
ReplyDelete