Welcome to the Frick

A Panorama of Pittsburgh
at the Frick through 10/5
Learn about Pittsburgh's past by viewing more than 130 printed views of the city.

Meissonier masterpiece
now on view at the Frick
1806, Jena is on view at the Frick through May 31, 2009.

This Sunday is
RADical Day at the Frick
Visit the Frick on 10/5 for a full day of activities and fun!

Rob Rogers discusses
political cartooning on 10/12
The Post-Gazette's award-winning editorial cartoonist will discuss his experiences covering the 2008 presidential campaign and conventions.

Music for Exhibitions
begins new season 11/18
Join Katherine Soroka and Chatham Baroque for an evening of memorable music.

View photos from the 2008 H. C. Frick Horseless Carriage Tour
Twenty-six teams of drivers made it a day of fun.

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Frick e-newsletter
Each month, receive the latest information about exhibitions; programs for adults, families, children, and teachers; events; specials at The Café and the Museum Shop; and more.

November 1, 2006 - April 1, 2007
*Built for Speed: The Allure of the Early Motorcycle* A rare and unique collection of early motorcycles is on view at the Frick Art & Historical Center's Car and Carriage Museum through April 1, 2007. Motorcycles in this exhibition include a 1923 Ace Four Cylinder, a 1929 Indian 101 Scout, a 1939 Indian Four, a 1940 Indian Four Cylinder with Sidecar, a 1950 Vincent Black Shadow, a 1950 Indian Chief, and several more. The motorcycle was created by adapting the new “horseless carriage” technology with the freedom and mobility of two-wheeled transportation. These early motorcycles were fast and noisy, creating a presence of spectacle and speed that grabbed America’s attention. Henry Clay Frick owned a 1903 Orient-Aster, one of the very first mass produced motorcycles, and a 1918 Harley Davidson. While it’s unclear whether Mr. Frick actually rode either of the two, he was no doubt influenced by the surge of motorcycle popularity that swept early twentieth-century America. Early motorcycles of this period were overhead valve models with open exhaust ports or short exhaust pipes. Often running on alcohol-based fuel, they were fast, loud and created a presence and a spectacle of speed that grabbed America’s attention and hasn’t let go since. It was motorcycling’s greatest hour, and sales of the machines soared, generating funds for companies to invest in research programs that fostered innovative motorcycle technology and designs of exceptional excellence. Many of these can be seen at the Car and Carriage Museum’s current exhibition. During this exciting era, motorcycle racing was extremely popular, with dozens of steeply-banked racing tracks popping up around the country. Races were staged on the half-mile and mile-long dirt tracks at state and county fairs, and tens of thousands swarmed to see the noisy but exciting contests. Team rivalries were fierce, with the finest riders paid huge salaries to bring home the trophies. One of the most popular early motorcycle personalities was Red Wolverton——a top racer and speed record setter in the 1920s and ’30s. He was an accomplished rider and competed in motorcycle competitions from board track to dirt track to hill climbing. He was also one of the country’s most innovative motorcycle engineers and helped test and build motorcycles built by Excelsior-Henderson and, later, Ace. One of the cycles that Wolverton helped design, the 1923 Ace Four Cylinder, is part of the Car and Carriage Museum’s exhibition. Riding a specially-designed, “souped-up” 1923 Ace, Red smashed many national records. Wolverton has a Pennsylvania connection: he ultimately became a motorcycle dealer, first in Philadelphia, then in Reading, Pennsylvania, where he was in business until his retirement in 1956. Though the Ace was an early record setter, it was the Indian motorcycle that became an icon. The current exhibition features a number of early Indian motorcycles, a brand that——among cycle enthusiasts worldwide——is synonymous with elegant design, precision manufacture, and reliability and performance. The Indian Motorcycle Company traces its origins back to 1901, when bicycle manufacturer George Hendee partnered with Swedish immigrant Oscar Hedstrom to put Hedstrom’s engine into Hendee’s bicycles. Within a few years of its founding, Indian was the premier producer of motorcycles in the world. The company’s bikes were known for their deeply-valanced fenders and the Indian-head ornament on the front fender. The company was a style leader whose design elements are still seen in modern motorcycles. Indian was the world’s largest motorcycle producer prior to WWI, producing 20,000 machines annually, and incorporating such advanced features as an all-electric starting system and a recognizably modern electrical system as early as 1913. During this period, Indian dominated the racetracks and owned the hearts of many riders, usually battling with Harley-Davidson on both fronts, as the two became the last survivors of the hundreds of U.S. motorcycle manufacturers that flourished and died through the first half of the twentieth century. The original Indian company passed through several changes of ownership before it ceased building motorcycles in the 1950s. Harley-Davidson chose to ignore the racing game at first, but soon recognized that the huge crowds and resultant publicity that the races generated required the company’s participation. Beginning in 1914, when the first Harley Davidson racing team made its appearance, the company emphasized its racing program, and within a few years Harley riders on fast 8-valve 1000 cc cycles were nearly unbeatable. Built for Speed: The Allure of the Early Motorcycle is certain to appeal to motorcycle enthusiasts as well as those interested in motorized transportation’s early history from a two-wheeled perspective. A Pittsburgh First? The facts aren’t completely clear, but many motorcycle historians believe that the very first Harley Davidson police motorcycle went to the Pittsburgh Police Department in 1909, though some claim that the honor actually goes to the Detroit PD in 1908. Whether the first police Harley went to the Steel City in 1909 or the Motor City in 1908, motorcycles caught the attention of police departments even before that. Around 1904 New York City purchased its first Indian motorcycle and other cities weren’t far behind. Motorcycles were maneuverable; they didn’t take up a lot of space. They were certainly fast enough to keep up with the automobiles of the era. And because they could get in and out of tight places if there was congestion in traffic, they became the vehicle of choice for traffic control.