Early Hawthorne De luxe

[rrtbike]

Got this the other day. I believe this looks like the oldest bike I have ever had.
I don't know much about bikes this old... Or what I am going to do with it yet. Appear's to have something wrong with stem or fork.
Any info would be appreciated!

Thanks for looking!

 

[MazdaFlyer]

The head badge should ballpark date it. Not sure when Hawthorne bikes first appeared. My catalog starts at 1934 with 26" tires. I don't think I see your bike illustrated as it look to have 28" tires.


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[rrtbike]

Yes....28" ....and they are rock hard too! Look to be possibly original as they were cream colored and strange tread pattern.

 

[Phil Fink]

The bike may have been built by Great Western Manufacturing, La Porte, Indiana. Clues are the the Fauber chain ring, and the gentle curvature of the top (drop) bar.
Some Hawthorne bikes sported a "snowflake" chain ring; GWM identified it as an "R.S. deisgn" from Reading Standard, (a Pennsylvania company GWM absorbed).
GWM may have been absorbed by Snyder Manufacturing, (a NY company known for building Hawthorne bikes for Montgomery Ward).

 

[rrtbike]

That's neat info and picture @Phil Fink ...Thanks!
I sent this bike to Chicago a while back. I believe from there it was possibly heading to Poland. Hopefully it will get a new life!