Barbed Wire Collection Display, Patents 1876-1881

01

Artifact Overview

Inventors received hundreds of patents for barbed wire during the late 1800s. Some innovators created strands of fencing with sharp metal points cut into the wire; others incorporated small wire spurs twisted and attached to the wire to create a painful barrier. Each inventor believed their variation made the best fencing to keep livestock out of crop fields or confine them to pastures.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Showcase

Date Made

1876-1881

Creator Notes

Display made by Ed Mulcrone of Hometown, Illinois. Barbed wires found in display made by numerous makers and patent date ranges from 1876-1881.

Location

Not on exhibit to the public.

Object ID

89.4.1

Material

Wood (Plant material)
Metal
Paint (Coating)

Color

Red
Yellow (Color)
Blue
White (Color)
Black (Color)

Dimensions

Height: 42 in (Closed)
Width: 22 in (Closed)
Length: 5 in (Closed)

Inscriptions

on left display board: SINGLE LINE / NAIL AND CLAMP STAPLE ON SINGLE LINE / SCUTT'S "BUTTERFLY" SINGLE LINE - JOLIET, ILL. / ALLEN'S FOUR POINT TWISTED BARB 1876 CRESTON, ILL. / MERRILL'S TWIRL FLAT WIRE 1876 TURKEY RIVER STA, IOWA / GLIDDEN'S SQUARE LINE WIRE 1876 DEKALB, ILL. / GLIDDEN'S OVAL PAT - 1876 DEKALB ILL / MERRILL'S "BUFFALO HOLDFAST" TWIRL SINGLE LINE / NELSON'S "CLIP" PAT. 1876 - ONE LINE CRESTON, ILL. / KENNEDY BARB INSTALLED ON SMOOTH WIRE FENCE / HANGING TWO POINT BARB ON SINGLE LINE / ALLIS PARALLEL BARB PAT. 1880 NEW YORK, N.Y. / NEW ROCK SAW HIGH TINSEL TWISTED WIRE / BRINKERHOFF'S TWISTED RIBBON 1881 AUBURN, N.Y. / T. V. ALLIS BARBLESS RIBBON WIRE 1881 N.Y., N.Y. on right side display board: ORNAMENTAL / HATHAWAY-WOODARD'S EDGE WEAVE PAT. 1890 / FINGRAHAM LOOP HITCH PAT. 1892 / D. SMITH VINEYARD PAT. 1897 YONKERS, N.Y. / J. CLEAVELAND 4 STRAND PAT. 1894 INDY IND / M. SHELLABERGER ZIGZAG PAT. 1891 BEAVER FALLS PA / MINE CABLE USED FOR FENCING / PEANUT FENCE WIRE / MINE CABLE CUT IN HALF NEV-COLORADO / D. SMITH SNOW FENCE PAT. 1897 YONKERS N.Y. / M. SHELLABERGER GRAPE WIRE PAT. 1891 N.Y. / MESH RIBBON SEVENTEEN STRAND BRAID / SPRING JOINT FOUND IN SHEEP FENCES / KILMER'S WINDOW STRIP PAT. 1885 SCHENECTADY N.Y. / J. HOLLNER "GREENBRIAR" PAT. 1878 ITHICA, NEB. handwritten on side: SINGLE LINE / ORNEMENTAL [sic] WIRE
Barbed Wire Collection Display, Patents 1876-1881