The Wood Brothers of 594 & 596 Broadway New York City were one of the finest builders of carriages in the 19th century. Fredrick Wood was a personal friend of circus entrepreneur P.T. Barnum. President Abraham Lincoln visited the Fredrick Woods family mansion in 1860. A group of N.Y. merchants presented Lincoln with a custom Barouche for his second inauguration in 1864. The Wood Brothers, like other carriage makers, were quick to enter the Velocipede trade in 1868/69. Like the carriages they built, they also produced some of the finest velocipedes . This velo is representative of a top of the line model and retailed at the time for $165. Ivory grips, silver plated accents, gold lining, a fender and lamp bracket compliment this velocipede.
An interesting article appeared in the February 20, 1869 issue of the Scientific American titled Velocipede Notes regarding the introduction of the new velocipede.
Reading through the article - about 3/4 of the way into it - we hear of a Mr. Henriques and his new velocipede at Pearsall Brothers riding school.
"Mr. William H. Henriques rides, at Pearsall's school, a velocipede built by Wood Brothers, of the most elegant finish, we have seen. The guide handles are of solid ivory, and the mountings combine both gilt and silver plate. Its cost was $165."
William H. Henriques was a Civil War veteran serving as Adjutant in First Scott's Lifeguard, 4th Infantry Regiment, New York Volunteers. They saw action at Antietam, Fredericksburg, and Chancellorsville. The unit mustered out in 1863. Henriques was 24.
In May of 1869 Henriques is listed as a member of the New York Stock Exchange. It seems likely that he would have had the disposable income to be able to afford a fine Wood Brothers Velocipede.