The Pope Manufacturing Co. was founded by Albert Augustus Pope in 1876 in Boston, to build bicycles – at that date, high-wheelers. Pope incorporated in Connecticut in 1877, with his father Charles and cousin Edward as founders. The Pope factory is closely associated with the town of Hartford, where the large brick Pope manufactory still stand;, bicycle manufacture began in 1878. The Pope name wasn’t attached to the bicycles, which were sold primarily as the Columbia brand (which still exists). To build his 'Columbia High-Wheeler' bicycle, Pope purchased Pierre Lallemont's original patent for the bicycle. His canny business strategy of purchasing bicycle patents meant Pope collected royalties on the booming two-wheel market of the late 1800s, reaping huge profits. It also meant Pope bicycles owned cutting-edge technology, which made them the largest bicycle manufacturer until 1896, producing around 250,000 bicycles per year.
The Pope Manufacturing Co. began selling motorcycles in 1902 under a sub-company, the American Cycle Manufacturing Co. which were badged as Columbia, Cleveland, Imperial, American, Crescent, Monarch, and Tribune – all of which were basically identical, and used 19.3 cu-in.(316cc) F-head motor with automatic inlet valve, and all-chain drive via a small primary chain. The machine weighed 130 pounds dry and would go 1,000 miles on full battery charge with a top speed of around 35 MPH.
Pope ceased manufacture of its various motorcycles in 1906, and Albert Augustus Pope died in 1909. Two years after his death, in 1911, the Pope factory made a completely new motorcycle under the 'Pope' name. Its first design was an F-head single of 30.45 cu-in. (499cc), using a Breeze carburetor, with direct belt drive and a leaf-spring fork, the Model H.
This 1912 Model H2, serial #2540, is a very rare early example of the single-cylinder Pope and is in astoundingly complete and original condition, with period accessories like a Klaxon horn, a carrier, and even an original toolkit!