First off I know we have used this photo of Buster Keaton riding a "Dandy-horse" in Our Hospitality before, but this last weekend I actually watched Buster woo his actual wife Natalie Talmadge (the first of three) in this great silent film. Though many people have pointed out that the Dandy-horse would have been rather old fashioned in the 1830's, when the movie is set, the thing that amazed me was how much fun Keaton made it look!
Another great fact is that when Keaton couldn't find a real Dandy-horse to use, he and his crew decided to make the one shown in the film! They did such a great job on it that it now sits in the Smithsonian Institution in a display for bicycles and not film history. This made me realize two things; first that I would LOVE to ride/have an old bike (or proto-bike), and second that there is no way that I have the skills to build something like that!
What I can do is beg! So if you have an old bike like a Dandy-horse or a Penny-Farthing just lying around... with its sad puppy-dog eyes begging for someone to love it and take it for walks... just let us at The Alpena Tweed and Bike Club know and we will give it a good home! (P.S. This would be out of the goodness of our heart, no money need change hands... P.P.S. I would also give that motorcycle pictured above a good home)
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