An original carte de visite style photograph of a penny farthing bicycle and rider, photographed by Frederick MJ Fricker of Esher, c. 1880. Penny farthing bicycles (so called because the wheels resembled a large penny and a smaller farthing coin) were popular in the 1870s and 80s, and the first recognisable bicycle. They became obsolete in the late 1880s with the development of modern bicycles, which were marketed as "safety bicycles" because of the reduced danger of falling and the reduced height to fall from. A rare item from the earliest days of British cycling. A higher resolution image is available for viewing on request.