Died Henry W. Mathis, age 84
Henry was owner of Southeast Cycles on Capital Hill innthe heydey of the bike booms - 60's, 70's The shop was around from probably the 20's, maybe earlier
I had a chance to visit him in the latter years, late 80's, early 90's, in his small shop in Silver Hill, Md. News aryticles on the walls covered the small crowded shop Pix of nixon and other personalities to whom henry sold bikes. Letters, memorabilia all over
Many tool boxes spread all aound were filled with the largest and most comprehensive hub collection in the world. Henry collected unusual bike transmissions. He was curator of cars, motorcycles, and bicycles for the Smithsonian.
He had hundreds of cars and motorcycles and bicycles too numerous to mention.
He was the type of guy to buy a classic bicycles, take out a set of spoke cutters, remove the rear (maybe front as well) hub, and leave the rest of the bike for whomever.
A few years ago Henry sold a large stash of hubs and related pieces to Larkin little of Baltimore, the lot totalling a lerger sum that even I had in mind, but Larkin has been photographing and documenting the hubs for a long time, a tedious project.
There's much more to the Mathis story and maybe someone can fill us in
Viewing Monday, Burial Tuesday
The story is probably in the Post on line and should be in there Saturday
Larry Black