Penny Farthing Bicycle (1880s) Vintage Giclée Poster Print

Travel back to the age of invention and Victorian sport with this stunning Columbia Bicycle Penny-Farthing Poster reproduction. This 1880s print is a quintessential piece of American advertising art, celebrating the elegance, speed, and engineering marvel of the high-wheel bicycle.

This elaborate poster was created by The Pope Manufacturing Co. of Boston, the most prominent early bicycle manufacturer in the United States. It showcases the Penny-Farthing at the peak of its popularity, before the invention of the safer "Safety Bicycle" rendered it obsolete.

• Victorian Graphics: The poster is a highly detailed example of late Victorian chromolithography. The design uses ornate decorative borders, multiple small illustrations, and detailed figure work to present a wealth of information—a style characteristic of 19th-century American commercial art.

• Symbol of Speed and Status: The gentleman cyclist, dressed in his riding attire, represents status, athleticism, and technological confidence. The poster actively promotes the bicycle's performance by listing early speed and endurance records, making the machine synonymous with progress and personal achievement.

• Historical Context: This image is a fantastic document of the birth of mass-market personal transportation, capturing the cultural excitement that the bicycle ignited across America and Europe.

This print is an essential acquisition for collectors of vintage Americana, early automobilia, and graphic design history.

• Manufacturer: The Pope Mfg. Co. (Columbia Bicycle), Boston, Massachusetts.

• Era: 1880s (Peak popularity of the Penny-Farthing or "High-Wheel" bicycle).

• Artistic Style: Victorian Chromolithography / Commercial Art; noted for ornate borders, detailed scenes, and record-keeping text.

• Subject: The bicycle as a symbol of sport, speed, and American ingenuity.

• Print Quality: Museum-quality Archival Giclée Print faithfully recreating the original's rich colors, intricate detail, and antique finish.

• Aesthetic: Ultimate vintage garage decor and sophisticated Americana wall art.

Secure this charming, historically significant icon of 19th-century travel and technology. This stunning Columbia Penny-Farthing print offers vintage nostalgia and a deep connection to American industrial heritage. Order this Giclée reproduction today.

Related collections

• Vintage cycling prints 
• Vintage posters