Penny-Farthing Bicycle Poster Print (1880s)

Product details

Victorian cycling history for your wall

Celebrate an interest in early bicycles with this reproduction of an 1880s Columbia Bicycle poster. Its penny-farthing subject connects the print with the high-wheel era of cycling, making it a thoughtful choice for a study, workshop or cycling-themed gallery wall. Display it individually or combine it with later bicycle advertisements to explore the changing history of two-wheeled travel.

About the poster

Created for Boston’s Pope Manufacturing Co., the advertisement celebrates the Columbia bicycle at a time when high-wheel riding was a popular sport. The named manufacturer and 1880s date give the reproduction a particular identity within Victorian advertising. For collectors, it provides a starting point for considering how bicycles were promoted before the forms familiar to modern riders became established.

Create a personal cycling corner

Imagine displaying the print beside a shelf of cycling books, with warm wooden furniture, softly textured fabrics and a treasured ride memento nearby. It can bring a historical sporting connection into an everyday room without requiring the entire space to follow a workshop theme. The recorded beige, red and blue palette offers a starting point for coordinating accessories or companion prints in related tones.

A smaller format can join an established gallery arrangement, while a larger print gives the bicycle advertisement a more prominent place. Pairing it with Mucha and Blanche Hermine posters creates a shared cycling connection across different periods; adding the Harley-Davidson advertisement introduces early motoring alongside pedal-powered travel. Consider your available wall space and surrounding furniture before selecting your size.

Paper, printing and finish

This product is a reproduction, not an original advertisement from the 1880s. It is produced using giclée printing on 200gsm matte art paper, offering a matte paper surface for your chosen display. Select a print-only version if you would like to use your own frame, or choose a framed option with a black wooden frame and white mount. Three paper sizes provide flexibility for an individual cycling feature or a grouped transport gallery.

Choose your size

• Small: 11 × 14 in, available as a print only or framed.
• Medium: 12 × 16 in, available as a print only or framed.
• Large: 18 × 24 in, available as a print only or framed.
• Framed options include a black wooden frame and white mount. Select your preferred size and finish above.

Pair it with

Continue the cycling theme with Alphonse Mucha’s Bicycle poster (1902) and the Bicyclette Blanche Hermine poster (1926). For a broader display of early two-wheeled transport, add the Harley-Davidson motorcycle advertisement (1912), contrasting Victorian cycling with early motoring.

Explore more vintage advertising and cycling decor ideas

Discover complementary period designs in our vintage advertising posters collection.

Find inspiration for your display in The Visual Impact of Vintage Cycling Posters in Modern Home Decor.