The trike guy. Anyone read German?

[tamrock]

This post has also been submitted in the old photos forum. So far it has only received lookers, so I'm going to try some of you scholars here on this mystery contraption in this old photo. I believe the written text on the back is in German?

One of the things I like to do on visits to antique shops is sift through the boxes of old photos. At times I'll purchase the ones I find interesting in location or subject. This one I found has this chap on a trike contraption that I'd your take on. It has some written text on the reverse I can't read as it is a language I'm unfamiliar with, plus what is this trike contraption the man is on? It's either his idea of a new form of transportation or an early mobile wheelchair made for a cripple. What I don't get is the design of it. It has a steering treadle and two levers to crank the rear wheels. I see the foot peddles or maybe they are just a foot rest?, but they don't look connected to any drive train or steering. One would sure have their hands full in operating this crazy form of transportation with all the rowing and steering you'd need to do all at the same time . If you can read the written language put on the back that could maybe shed some light on what, when and how this trike was used. The photo looks at one time pasted in an album and I may need to carefully scrape the old back paper off the written words covered by it. Hope first what can be read by any one who can decipher will be enough to unlock the mystery.

 

[nhbenz]

Interesting contraption. I think your idea of it being for a crippled person may be correct, as it appears to have arm cranks, rather than being leg powered.
A quick google search shows some ads for similarly powered trikes designed for that purpose; http://www.google.com/search?client...0...1c.1.48.tablet-gws..10.3.1234.5BktNECrKTs

 

[Sod Buster]

I read some German, but I am pretty sure that is written in Swedish. Wish I could help you more.

 

[tamrock]

Interesting contraption. I think your idea of it being for a crippled person may be correct, as it appears to have arm cranks, rather than being leg powered.
A quick google search shows some ads for similarly powered trikes designed for that purpose; antique wheelchair cripple tricycle advertising - Google Search

Indeed, I wonder if this could also be refereed as a velocipede?

 

[tamrock]

I read some German, but I am pretty sure that is written in Swedish. Wish I could help you more.

Sure! I did see the name Erickson at the top and that did give me the idea of being Swedish. Well if I still worked for Atlas Copco I'd have no prob running a Swed down to read it. My great grandparents were Swed's from Sweden, but never got to know them. Okay I need a Swed to read.

 

[Sod Buster]

Sure! I did see the name Erickson at the top and that did give me the idea of being Swedish. Well if I still worked for Atlas Copco I'd have no prob running a Swed down to read it. My great grandparents were Swed's from Sweden, but never got to know them. Okay I need a Swed to read.

There is a program called Google translate. I tried it, but I have some trouble reading this old style handwriting. I've always had trouble reading the letters my grandparents sent from Germany when I was younger, because of the cursive style they use.

Here is the link to Google Translate, maybe you can make out the handwriting better than I can.

https://translate.google.com/

 

[nhbenz]

Ahh, that explains why German translation wasn't working... It starts off (I believe) with: I want to send you a diet (probably recipe?) at no cost to you...
-found this by using Swedish translation online

 

[BosnMate]

I also think it's Swedish, but the letters are really hard to make out. If you come up with a translation, please let us know what it says.

 

[allenkeeton]

I want to send you a diet (probably recipe?) at no cst to you...

ah. early spam mail.

 

[tamrock]

Ahh, that explains why German translation wasn't working... It starts off (I believe) with: I want to send you a diet (probably recipe?) at no cost to you...
-found this by using Swedish translation online

That be something. We uncover a lost secret recipe for the best Swedish meatballs ever made.

 

[whammy]

I love meatballs, and would offer to taste test them.

 

[rginn]

Took me a couple of days, but I recognized it as Swedish and passed it on to a guy I know in Sweden, who's fluent in English and Swedish. He says it's pretty hard to read, so he may have made some errors in his translation. As best as he can make out it says: 'Kasa Eriksson and wife. I want to send you a card without me you you (??) me out and travel to go. I have not yet been able to get around. But I take one day after another. /../ helps me through this foreign land, yes we may expect us a push. It shall and me her go. Am Hesea doesn't let me get my power (?) back. Yes, may I be /../ and --' Best he could do with it. Maybe the writer wasn't very well educated, or maybe Swedish wasn't his first language.

 

[Gold Maven]

I wonder how you steer if your arms are busy pedaling?

 

[tamrock]

Took me a couple of days, but I recognized it as Swedish and passed it on to a guy I know in Sweden, who's fluent in English and Swedish. He says it's pretty hard to read, so he may have made some errors in his translation. As best as he can make out it says: 'Kasa Eriksson and wife. I want to send you a card without me you you (??) me out and travel to go. I have not yet been able to get around. But I take one day after another. /../ helps me through this foreign land, yes we may expect us a push. It shall and me her go. Am Hesea doesn't let me get my power (?) back. Yes, may I be /../ and --' Best he could do with it. Maybe the writer wasn't very well educated, or maybe Swedish wasn't his first language.

I'm not thinking that photo was takin in any place like Sweden. Am Hesea? Maybe he has asthma??..

 

[tamrock]

I wonder how you steer if your arms are busy pedaling?

I thought that out and I think you would pull and push with both arms to get momentum up and going to a cruising speed and then you can keep it moving with one arm and steer with the other. If you were paralyzed from the waist down foot steering would be of no help. I've found only one picture of a invalid person sitting in one of these. They looked like they came from the late 19th to early 20th century.

 

[rginn]

I somehow got to thinkin that was on the back of a postcard instead of a photo and didn't send Willie the front of the card. I don't know if that would have had an effect on the translation or not. Probably not. It is hard to make out because the ink is blurred and it's in.....CURSIVE! I should start makin all my treasure notes out in cursive right now, cause to the generation of my great grandkids that will appear as alien as Viking runes.

 

[piegrande]

I don't know Swedish at all. But I work on genealogy here in Mexico. I access the local church and civil registry records via computer from Salt Lake City.

and, the old Spanish letters were very different. LDS even has an online tutor course to teach you how to read it.

I am only theorizing that perhaps it is hard to read, not just because of poor writing, but maybe, the letters were different back then.