CCM Ivanhoe

Submitted by Mark McGuire on Wed, 04/21/2021 - 11:34

As I continue to investigate the origins of early CCM brands, Ivanhoe remains somewhat of a mystery for me.

Originally, I assumed the Ivanhoe name originated from the Still Motor Company that became the Canadian Motor Company acquired by CCM in 1903.

CCM built their own first automobile, an electric ‘runabout’ called ‘Ivanhoe’, in the old Still factory for the next 2 years. This was prior to CCM’s introduction of the Russell motor car.                                                                                               (courtesy – Canada Cycle and Motor the CCM Story - by John A. McKenty)

Later, I see that Ivanhoe was a brand name used by the Indiana Bicycle Company. The Indiana Bicycle Company would later be known as the American Bicycle Company, in 1899, and soon opened a branch in Canada called National Cycle and Automobile Company.

CCM acquired National in 1900 and acquired the rights to its brands, such as Columbia.

 

My question:

Did the Ivanhoe brand come from the electric runabout or did the brand come from the acquisition of National Bicycle and Automobile Company, similar to how CCM acquired the rights of the Columbia brand?

 

 

18 Comments

Submitted by DUOMATIC on Wed, 04/21/2021 - 15:08.

Keep on researching ! Love your dedication ! It will benifit us all as collectors and historians !

Thank you !

 

Submitted by Mark McGuire on Sat, 04/24/2021 - 13:34.

So, my relentless search relative to the ‘Ivanhoe' brand may have come to a final conclusion (so I thought before lol).

Neither of my initial speculations appear to be correct.
 
As I was searching the endless web I came across two items that I probably have seen before.
 
1)  The Ivanhoe poster which identifies the CCM manufacturing plant located in St Catherines Canada. 
Which indicates to me, Welland Vale Manufacturing Co. production plant. It burned to the ground in 1900.
This would put the poster reference before the Ivanhoe runabout.
 
2) A quote from the Canadian Science and Technology Museum collection seems to support the poster theory:
 
"Demand for bicycles recovered very slowly after 1900. Because many of the smaller makers 
had gone out of business, C.C.M. became the dominant force in the Canadian industry. 
The company manufactured many different models under the brand names of the original five companies: 
Lozier’s “Cleveland” (860187), Massey-Harris’s “Silver Ribbon” (880414), and Welland Vale’s “Perfect” (860186) and “Ivanhoe” (950959)."
 
Threfore my conclusion at this point is the Ivanhoe brand name originated from the Welland Vale Manufacturing Co.
 
ivanhoe.png

Submitted by jdwillia on Sat, 04/24/2021 - 13:52.

Hi Mark,

Although this does not help you with the origins of the Ivanhoe brand, I did have an Ivanhoe branded CCM bike with a 1942 serial number. This must have been the end of the Ivanhoe name with CCM.

Regards,

John Williamson

Submitted by Mark McGuire on Sat, 04/24/2021 - 17:06.

John,

Good to know. I suspect most of the early brand names and head badges (Massey, Perfect, Ivanhoe, Columbia, Cleveland, Redbird, etc.) were discontinued just prior to the introduction of the 'Wartime' bicycles in 1943.

 

Thanks. I always appreciate your input.

 

Mark

Submitted by Brian R. on Mon, 05/03/2021 - 21:25.

Thanks Mark for tackling this question. It had always been a mystery to me as well.

Submitted by 37Rider on Fri, 10/08/2021 - 12:28.

on the topic of Ivanhoe how do you know an ivanhoe is real? example I own a 1937 double bar the chain ring says CCM the serial number is CCM but the head badge says ivanhoe but its a replacement I can see other mounting holes on the head tube so my question is what bike do i own an Ivanhoe or CCM? 

 

hope soomeong can help

 

Submitted by jdwillia on Fri, 10/08/2021 - 13:45.

Ivanhoe was a CCM brand. CCM kept using separate headbadges on some models until around 1942.

Submitted by 37Rider on Sat, 10/09/2021 - 08:21.

thanks for the info.  is there anyway of telling if my headage is original or not? I was being held on by screws and there is another set of hole on the head tube.

is there any way to know if it is truly and ivanhoe? or what model of ccm it is?

 

Submitted by jdwillia on Sat, 10/09/2021 - 09:51.

We are not sure what year your bicycle was made. Checking your serial number should tell us. By the late 1930's, CCM had only higher-priced models and lower-priced models. Their prices may have had a 4 to 6 dollar difference. Higher-priced models had slightly better equipment, such as a Triplex crank, Gibson pedals, better tires, and different fenders. CCM sometimes used hesdbadges for various CCM brands on the higher-priced bikes. This included Cleveland, Red Bird, Columbia, Perfect, Massey, and even Ivanhoe. Other than the headbadge, there was really no difference in these bicycles. You can determine whether your bicycle was a higher-priced model by the type of equipment on it. For example, if it has a Triplex crank rather than a one-piece crank, it would be a higher-priced model. Other indications of a higher-priced model would be chrome-plated Dunlop "W.O." rims with a painted red center stripe. Lower-priced models, such as Rambler, or Cadet, had painted rims with pinstripping.

If your Ivanhoe headbadge does not line up properly on the head tube, I suppose it is possible that it was put on by someone at a later date.

Submitted by 37Rider on Sat, 10/09/2021 - 12:02.

my serial number has an "A" as the second letter which i believe indicates a 1937 and it does have a three piece crank but the rims are rusted but can see a thin double pin stripe on either side.

as far as the head badge goes it was attched on with three little screws and when attached you can see one hole on either side of it where a classic two rivet CCM badge would be rivited but the holes look un used?

the pics are of the rim, head tube holes, and crank

thanks

 

image_67220993.jpg image_67177217.jpg image_67154689.jpg 239799321_10159184889635520_5555812756218850707_n_1.jpg

Submitted by 37Rider on Sat, 10/09/2021 - 12:06.

Serial # 3A1389

image_67191297.jpg

Submitted by 37Rider on Sat, 10/09/2021 - 12:08.

correction 3A1689

Submitted by jdwillia on Sat, 10/09/2021 - 12:39.

It is a CCM Ivanhoe. I had a similar bike branded Ivanhoe from 1941. My bike had the Dunlop "W.O" wheels but I think that your wheels are original for 1937. It is really just a case of a different headbadge. The bike is esentially the same as other higher-priced CCM models.

Submitted by 37Rider on Sat, 10/09/2021 - 13:33.

Thanks for the help :-)

 

Submitted by 37Rider on Sun, 10/10/2021 - 09:28.

Wayne kind of kick stand would my bike have had?

 

Submitted by Mark McGuire on Sun, 10/10/2021 - 15:04.

These were the typical CCM bicycle stands from that era.

screen_shot_2021-10-10_at_3.02.56_pm.png

Submitted by T-Mar on Sat, 10/16/2021 - 12:35.

There was an Ivanhoe brand in the USA in the very late 1890s, manufactured by the Indiana Bicycle Co. I do not know if it was one of the brands bought out by the American Bicycle Company but that is a moot point. The subject advertising poster can be dated to a relatively narrow time period between the formation of CCM in August 1899 and the Welland Vale fire in May 1900. This period pre-dates CCM's acquisition of the ABC brands in November 1900, so the USA brand is not the source of the name, as used on CCM manufactured bicycles.

Similarly, CCM did not acquire the Canadian Motor Co. Ltd. and their Ivanhoe automobile until 1903, so it cannot be the source for the CCM bicycle brand.

There is evidence to suggest that the Ivanhoe brand existed in Canada prior to the advertising poster.  In the mid-1980s, Anita Rush compiled a list of Canadian bicycle manufacturers for NMST. In that document, she states that the Ivanhoe brand was owned and manufactured by the Manufacturers' & Merchants' Cycle Company of Toronto Junction. Reportedly, they offered 22 models in 1899 and existed from circa 1897-1903.

I have been unable to trace the primary source that Rush employed but have confirmed  the company's existence, though only for 1899. Still,  that would pre-date the advertising poster and could be the source of the name. It could also be the explanation as to why none of the extant, pre-1900, Welland Vale literature mentions Ivanhoe, yet routinely include the Perfect, Garden City and Dominion brands.

Submitted by anyOldBicycle on Wed, 04/26/2023 - 11:58.

I know that this does not help with the identity of the original Ivanhoe brand name, but I thought it  was interesting.

The Ivanhoe bicycle was exported to Japan in the early 1900s.

In 1892, Mr. Kenji Ishikawa established Ishikawa Shokai and opened stores in Yokohama and Toronto, Canada.

The company sold bicycles and cameras imported from North America. The main brands of bicycles were Pierce, Ivanhoe and Snell.

Mr. Ishikawa stepped away from the company in 1909 and the new owner renamed the company to Maruishi Shokai,
which eventually became the Maurishi Cycles Ltd. and went bankrupt in 2004.

This information is courtesy of Blog of the Japan Bicycle History Research Society Copyright © Yukio Ootsu

http://ordinarycyc.blogspot.com/2009/04/blog-post_01.html
http://ordinarycyc.blogspot.com/2009/04/blog-post_06.html
http://ordinarycyc.blogspot.com/2009/04/2_04.html
http://ordinarycyc.blogspot.com/2009/04/3_05.html