Originally Posted by bikemeister
I found a frame in an alley the other day - no wheels or components. Decent lugged steel frame, cottered crankset, and looks like it was a 3-speed judging from the cable guides. The nameplate on the head tube says it's a Sears, and I can just make out "made in Austria". Is this for real? Did Sears buy bikes made in Austria? Can anyone give me a date of manufacture - even a ballpark would help.
I'm no expert, but I think I've heard that Sears sold bikes built in Austria from a period stretching from at least the early 50's into the late 60's or early 70's. The earlier bikes were branded J.C. Higgins, later they simply sold them under the Sears name. The three-speeds they sold were pretty reasonable, probably not too far off from Raleigh three-speeds in quality. The hubs, which were Sturmey-Archer AWs built under license (slightly different shell, stamped with either "J.C. Higgins" or "Sears") may have actually been somewhat better than contemporary genuine Sturmey-Archer hubs, from at least the mid 60's on.
That's all I know. There are a few three-speed experts on these boards. Another good person to ask is Sheldon Brown, though I don't know how much time he spends in the Classic & Vintage forum. I see him post mostly in Bicycle Mechanics.