George Townsend 1889ca The Ecoissais 3512-83

George Townsend 1889ca “The Ecoissais” frame # 644

The safety bicycle was the successor to the legendary high bicycle: the penny farthing. This early model of a cross-frame safety bicycle was made around 1889. It has 30 inch wheels and solid rubber tyres. The bicycle still has all kinds of features that are reminiscent of the high bicycle, such as the direct spokes, the simple pedals and the steering. The bicycle, with frame number 644, was made by George Townsend in Redditch (UK), in the same factory where Royal Enfield later built bicycles and motorcycles. Beautiful details are for instance the water buffalo horn handles, the elegant brake lever and the heavy chain. In a sales brochure of George Townsend it is mentioned as the model ‘Ecossais’, which is, strange at it seems, the French word for ‘Scottish’.