Bicycle, American Star, metal / leather, made by H. P. Smith
Machine Co., Smithville, Burlington County, New Jersey, USA,
1885-1890, designed by George W. Pressey, Hammonton, New Jersey,
USA, 1881 This unusual bicycle features the reverse arrangement
of the well-known penny farthing design in that the small wheel
is at the front and the large one at the back. It is propelled
by a system of treadles and is called the American Star. It was
an attempt to make the penny farthing a safer and steadier
machine and was achieved by the rider sitting further back over
the rear wheel which meant that falling forwards over the handle
bars, called a header, was prevented. This advantage was
illustrated in publicity generated when Will Robertson, riding
an American Star bicycle, rode down the steps of the Capitol
Building in Washington D.C. in 1885, a feat never contemplated
by penny farthing riders, as well as playing mounted polo. The
American Star also had the advantage that it could be ridden
very fast as both feet cou