Velocipede Hair Oil label with woman riding velocipede

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The label for this hair oil shows a woman riding a velocipede, the early pedal-driven bicycle that was the rage in the late 1860s. Velocipede was a common brand and product name of the era, and manufacturers borrowed the fashionable machine to lend an air of modernity to everything from tonics to toiletries. Its appearance here reflects how quickly the bicycle had become a cultural symbol, so the image tells us as much about Victorian advertising and consumer tastes as it does about cycling itself. The woman's presence is also worth noting, since riding was still a novelty that drew attention to women's changing place in public life.

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