1896 SILVER DOLLAR WORTH

Hinde Rijwielenfabriek
In 1896 the company Van Gink & Co established one of the very first bicycle factory in the Netherlands in 'villa De Hinde' at De Omval, just outside Amsterdam.

It is a big building, (...) wider and better equipped than the small workshop in the Vossiusstraat wrote a newspaper 'The News of the Day "in November 1896.
The newspaper was also very positive about the two young owners, who were very willing to show around the public in their modern factory.

Helas it did not last long. The Hinde Rijwielenfabriek went bankrupt in 1900.

The Frits Wiersma connection
Frits Wiersma (1894) was born on the Amstel, at the Weesperzijde near the Schollenbrug (Schollen Bridge), a stop for Boat Lines, and a tram terminus.
The city buildings stopped completely there.

If you crossed the bridge, also passed Cafe Schollenbrug and its playground on the corner with the bridge and you followed the river Amstel, then within a five minutes walk there was a peninsula between Amstel and the Weespertrekvaart: De Omval.

Around 1900, De Omval was developing to a business park. It was easily accessible by both road and water.
(You understand: in Frit's time De Omval is no longer the place Rembrandt had drawn in the 17th century.)

Cycling Races
Both the Schollenbrug and the railroad crossing to Utrecht at the end of De Omval (near De Hinde) were often the start or finish of cycling courses.
The City of Amsterdam seldom allowed cycling races in town.
Frits' father was a wielerfan, and often took his son along to such a start or finish. Frits was fascinated by it.

Now
De Omval is not a peninsula any more. About twenty years ago that part of the Weespertrekvaart was muted. It is now a cycle path between tall buildings. Also the contaminated soil has been cleaned up.

Drawn by JG van Caspel.
Johann Georg (Johan) van Caspel (1870 - 1928) was a Dutch artist and architect.
I think this lady is riding her Hinde bicycle through the Dutch bulb fields. That would mean that the dark band behind her the fields forests are and dunes.

0405

This 1896 Benz is similar to the cars that ran in the Chicago Times Herald race. The Benz Velo of 1893 was the first automobile to be mass produced and this 1896 "comfortable" model, at about three horsepower, was more powerful.