Early henderson photo 1914-1916?

[stoney]

Picked this up some months back. In original frame, colorized photo. Gentleman's name-Fred Ruckh, Buffalo N.Y. area. Looks like Fred had a few bucks.

[pfindlay]

Great picture. It looks like a '15 Model D (long frame). I wonder why the colorizer chose to make the bike red? Or did Fred have enough money to custom order a red paint job? Now that would be a great find!

[stoney]

Great picture. It looks like a '15 Model D (long frame). I wonder why the colorizer chose to make the bike red? Or did Fred have enough money to custom order a red paint job? Now that would be a great find!

I tried to get more info from the guy I got the photo from. All he had was the guys name and where he was from. The tank has Fred's initials on it. I took a gamble and purchased it by photos only. It seemed right. When I got it I took the frame all apart. It is an original colorized photo. Photo was taken by Langtry photo studio. The color in the picture looks to be more maroon. Can't get a good color photo with the glare. What I really liked to is that the photo is 9 1/2" x 8". Thanks for your input.

[pfindlay]

According to Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org, in 1930 Fred lived at 35 South Ryan Street in Buffalo with his parents, John and Emma, and his younger sister. They still lived there in 1940, although father was gone by then. It appears Fred never married and always lived with his mom.

John was born in 1887 and, in 1930, worked as an upholsterer in a furniture factory. Maybe that explains the luxurious accessory seats on his Henderson. He appreciated a good seat. His father was a laborer in a lumberyard. No great wealth there.

Maybe somebody needs to stop by 35 South Ryan Street and check out the run-down old shed in the back yard

The Henderson is loaded with options and accessories:
- 2 speed rear hub
- prestolite (acetylene) tank, head and tail lamps
- speedometer
- klaxon horn
- rear view mirror (very uncommon back then)
- some sort of ornament on the front fender
- seat back support for rider
- passenger seat, with ornate leatherwork
- something else in the middle of the handlebars which I can't make out (could it be a camera?)
- something else on the rear fender, below the tail lamp
- monogrammed (maroon?) tank

The flag suggests it was some sort of occasion. There's a good story in there somewhere.

Peter

[stoney]

Thank you for the history Peter. It is very much appreciated. Ray

[exeric]

Great picture Stoney, and thank you for posting it. Looks like the first, and original 'king/queen' seat arrangement Obviously, Fred Ruckh was a proud Henderson owner.

[duffeycycles]

It would be good to ad to his Find a Grave site
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg...839843&df=all&

[stoney]

Thank you very much. Never knew such a site existed. I will see how to ad it. Thanks

[stoney]

Photo added to Find a Grave site.