LOT 58  1910 ‘GIRAFFE’ UNICYCLE 7 FEET TALL

c1910 extra-tall ‘Giraffe’ Unicycle

24″ Wheel

HEIGHT: 7ft

A ‘Giraffe’ is a generic term for a tall unicycle. Unicycles are an interesting – though generally overlooked – part of cycling history. The first unicycles were penny farthing bicycles with the rear end detached. Circus performers became skilled at adapting bicycles to suit their individual requirements. By the 1890s, after penny farthing production ended, performers turned to building more versatile unicycles with smaller wheels, driven by chain and separate pedals.

Initially ridden almost exclusively by performers,  Schwinn and other manufacturers discovered the sales potential of unicycles in the 1960s and made them readily available to the public. As a result, children started to master the art of unicycling.

This is a rare early example with block chain.

CLICK TO SE IT IN THE MUSEUM