Barbed Wire Collection Display, Patented 1876 - 1943

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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 - 1943

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 - 1943.

Location

Not on exhibit to the public.

Object ID

89.4.15

Material

Wood (Plant material)
Metal
Paint (Coating)

Color

Yellow (Color)
Pale green
White (Color)
Black (Color)
Red

Dimensions

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

Inscriptions

on right side display board: VARIOUS / UPHAM'S HAMMERED BARB STERLING, ILL. / GUILLEAUME 4 POINT PAT. 1893 COLOGNE, GER. / GLIDDEN'S BARB'S [sic] ON EACH LINE - DE KALB, ILL. / BROTHERTON ROUND BARB PAT. 1887 AMES, IOWA / BROTHERTON FLAT BARB PAT. 1887 AMES, IOWA / BURNELL ONE LINE TWISTED PAT. 1877 MARSHALLTOWN, IO / VOSBURG'S [sic] "CLINCH WIRE" PAT. 1876 / HAISH'S RIPPLE SINGLE LINE PAT. 1887 / ABBOTT'S AUSTRALIAN KINK PATENTED 1943 / WACO COILS KINK UNDER BARB / TWO POINT - TWO LINE WITH STAY / BROWN'S LINK DEWITT IOWA PATENTED 1876 handwritten on side: VARIOUS
Barbed Wire Collection Display, Patented 1876 - 1943