Velocipedist at Eagle Gate in front of Brigham Young’s home in Salt Lake City, Utah; the home of the Mormon church. 1869
NEXT TORONTO MEETING: Wed, May 18, 2016
Lorne Shields: The First Bicycles in 3D – Contemporary Velocipede Images of the 1860-70s
Lorne Shields, of Thornhill, ON, has been an avid collector and researcher of early bicycling history for almost 50 years. He has been a member of the PHSC for over 20 years and has spoken to us on a number of occasions. His lectures on early Cycling Photographica have been presented in Europe and throughout North America.
Portions of his collection have been on display at many public institutions including the Smithsonian, the ROM, Canada’s National Museum of Science & Technology (Ottawa) and the Museé d’Art et d’Industrie (St. Etienne France).
Lorne says the image shown above is a “Velocipedist in front of the ‘Eagle Gate’ at Brigham Young’s home in Salt Lake City – Utah; 1869. This was the seat of the Mormon church. The photograph is considered to be the first Velocipede in the Utah Territory. Anaglyph of an Albumen Stereosciopic Card.”
The public is welcome. Go to our Programs page for times and directions.
Last August (2015), was a very important milestone in the history of the bicycle. It was the 150th anniversary of the first extended journey on a bicycle driven by pedals mounted on cranks – a journey taken by the Olivier brothers from Paris to Avignon. Cycle historians gathered from around the world near Avignon to commemorate this event.
Early cycles, ephemera and memorabilia were on display and presentations were given covering all aspects of the historic occasion. Lorne presented a selection of 3-D Stereoscopic images which illustrated the velocipede’s social and mechanical histories, showing its place in areas such as commerce, leisure, sport, theatre, and utility. With the help of the photographers, satirists and artists of the time, the showing offered a unique perspective on the velocipede.
By adapting this presentation for us, Lorne adds another dimension to our understanding of the velocipede and its place in transportation’s history. He invites you to come along and enjoy the ride. It’s worth a visit to the Gold Room at the North York library on May 18th!
