Any advice on 3 unusual vintage cycles?

[bagpuss]

Thank you for the up dated pictures .
"Generally speaking shaft drive bicycles start been made from the 1900 onwards .They first appeared in France .Indeed Frenchman Gaston Rive're won the Bordeaux - Paris race on one in three consective time ,1896 ,1997 & 1898 ..
In the USA the first shaft drive bicycles appeared around 1900 combined with 2 or 3 hub gears .
Shaft drive again reappeared in the 1990s ."
Information on the shaft drive was sourced from Michael Embachers book Cyclepedia.

As said you have three rare bicycles .
Lots about Columbia here.
https://oldbike.wordpress.com/1898-pope-mfg-columbia-chainless-shaft-drive/

More on your shaft drive here.
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/384570-dayton-cycles-ohio.html

Check them over mechanically and enjoy riding them . On a vintage ride they would steel the show .

 

[classic33]

View attachment 639509

Do both sets of handlebars turn the forks?
Are the wooden wheels 28 inch, with solid tyres?

Dates from 1890 to 1900.

 

[classic33]

From Harper's Weekly, 1897.

Publication date, 29th May 1897.

 

[bagpuss]

Looking the left hand fork crown I would say yes & you can see the connecting rod on the rear pivot .{last picture}

 

[321GOJO]

Thanks for all your kind replies. I’m wondering if the Cinelli is rare. Ser# 6240 stamped on the bottom crank group.

 

[TTSS]

Personally, I think bike number 2 is the rarest. I bet there's quite a few people over there would be interested in that.

Most of the nice head tube badges of that era were removed by collectors so that one can be identified and dated fairly easily by an enthusiast me thinks.

 

[321GOJO]

Personally, I think bike number 2 is the rarest. I bet there's quite a few people over there would be interested in that.

Most of the nice head tube badges of that era were removed by collectors so that one can be identified and dated fairly easily by an enthusiast me thinks.

Yeah theses seem fairly intact. The Columbia (shaft) has a faint stamp on the stem.

 

[biggs682]

Tandem looks interesting for sure

 

[bagpuss]

Does the handle bar stem on the Cinelli have a badge like this . It could also a brass

 

[bagpuss]

As these were your fathers bicycles I would keep and treasure them . Enjoy riding them .Hours of priceless pleasure .