"Penny-farthing" fakes

Sir,

May I warn your readers that fake pennyfarthings are now on the market. Because they are fetching good money now someone has found it worth their while to start manufacturing them, and they’re beginning to appear at auctions put in by disillusioned collectors who’ve paid £350 to £400 for them. A true collector wouldn’t value them much over £5.

Buyers want to look out for brand new metal all round, note no pitting from rusting, smooth and shining under all the “gunged-up” black paint, dirtied after to deceive. Note the new Spokes, new rim (pull back the new tyre, black, to see the rim:. A big give away is the different back wheel and the fact that they have no bearings, pedals are off old bicycles or made up crudely of two wood blocks.

Watch out for them, potential buyers; you’ll lose a lot of money if you get caught.

Bromley P. QUAYLE

(More grab-grab! -Ed.)