Posted 10 years ago
ibodi
(4 items)
This is either a salesman sample or a store display of a T.V. Allis buckthorn barbed wire fence. The base is 32" by 4" and the post stands 12" tall. One of the angle support pieces was missing but the two small square nails where still there(machine made I believe). With the wood pegs holding the post I think this could of been made not to long after the pat. date of 1881 of the wire. Salesman sample or store display, what do you think? This was found in Ward, South Carolina, left behind in a old shed that a young couple bought.
Thanks to TheGateKeeper for having solved the mystery of what this is, store display, and the real person who patented it, Josiah Ells, 1885, and for finding his twin brother at the Devil's Rope Museum in Texas.
I think the wire is in remarkable like new condition for having been made over 100 years ago. Probably worth a fortune.
Check out all of the gates here on CW by thegatekeeper - he has an awesome collection of these samples!
Yes he does have a collection.
I believe this could have been either a salesman demonstrator or a store display. Due to its size I would lean more toward a store display. The machine to manufacture this wire was patented by Josiah W. Ells of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on January 6, 1885, patent number 310,394 (search google patents by this number). It is not clear who manufacture the wire. Several barbed wire factories operated in the Pittsburgh area. Very nice piece of history. Would love to have one in my collection.
What kind of device is used to attach the wire to the posts? Could you post a photo of the opposite side?
Thank you for the additional photos. This is a really nice piece of history. Curious to know where this was found.
Hi. Will post a photo of the brother of this display that is located in the Devil's Rope Museum in McLean, Texas.