Description
For sale by auction on Saturday 8th April 2023 with Historics auctions.
Originally a gunsmith, John Warrick, the founder was apprenticed to William Soper and the two had considerable success manufacturing rifles. After some years, the market in guns declined and Warrick turned his attention to the growing trade of bicycle manufacturing and he used both the Warrick and Monarch brands in their factory on the Caversham Road, Reading. The company specialised in delivery and later motorised tricycles, specifically for lighter items and comestibles.
Interestingly and more recently, they moved on to enamelling and electroplating including making some parts for the prototype of the Concorde aircraft.
Thought to have been manufactured around 1940, this Warrick Tricycle was restored in 1992 by Alan Jones and George Dawes with help from John Pinkerton, a cycle historian. Now Ideal for a trip to the shops, office art or corporate advertising this classic piece of cycling history falls between two stools, that of modern steam punk and classic/ traditional bicycles. Interestingly, in recent years, it has even had a starring role in Tim Burton's 2019 film, Dumbo, with Colin Farrell, Danny DeVito and Michael Keaton.
