Collection
/
Decorative Arts and Design

Trade Sign (Boy Riding Bicycle)

Lewis Simon

Brooklyn Museum photograph

Caption

Lewis Simon (American, 1884–1970). Trade Sign (Boy Riding Bicycle), 1932–1934. Painted wood, metal, rubber, other materials, 40 1/2 x 18 x 23 in. (102.9 x 45.7 x 58.4 cm). Brooklyn Museum, H. Randolph Lever Fund and Dick S. Ramsay Fund, 74.29. (Photo: Brooklyn Museum)

Gallery

Not on view

Title

Trade Sign (Boy Riding Bicycle)

Date

1932–1934

Geography

Place manufactured: Brooklyn, New York, United States

Medium

Painted wood, metal, rubber, other materials

Classification

Sculpture

Dimensions

40 1/2 x 18 x 23 in. (102.9 x 45.7 x 58.4 cm)

Signatures

no signature

Inscriptions

no inscriptions

Markings

Metal plate with manufacturer's mark on front shaft of bicycle frame was painted over.

Credit Line

H. Randolph Lever Fund and Dick S. Ramsay Fund

Accession Number

74.29

Frequent Art Questions

  • How did this advertising piece end up in the collection?

    The artist, Lewis Simon, sold this piece to a dealer named Ivan Karp in 1961. This was purchased by this museum in 1974 from a gallery. This was a time when American museums were interested in collecting American "folk art" and even showing it alongside "fine art" by traditionally trained artists.

  • Can you tell me more about this?

    The artist, Lewis Simon (also known as Louis Simon) was born in Russia and immigrated to New York City. He was an avid motorcyclist and he opened a shop to sell and repair motorcycles on Manhattan Avenue in Brooklyn in 1912. He made several man-on-bike signs like this one. The pedals and wheel would actually move by a motor and the boy's eyes would have lit up.

  • Can this boy still "pedal" the bike or is it too old to work anymore?

    The sculpture no longer has the electric motor that made it pedal and it is in delicate condition so I don't know that we would ever try it out. However, I assume if our conservation team said it could be done, he would pedal again with a new motor!
    Interesting, thanks.
    You're very welcome.

Have information?

Have information about an artwork? Contact us at

bkmcollections@brooklynmuseum.org.

Artists and makers

Lewis Simon

1 work in the collection