Old Traps

[comanche 2,799]

2 hours ago, Ratmanwan3 said:

I think the round wire trap is french aswell. I picked one up on monday from Newark antiques fair for a fiver.

Yes. The little bird trap . I pinched that one from my brother as well

I've one somewhere in the loft that's still fitted with the mesh for enveloping its victim. 

[Ken's Deputy 4,456]

'Nice', Pole Trap, Stockpot. 

Banned in 1904, I have adverts for them still offered as some ridiculous other name or other, long after.

What size is that one?

[Ken's Deputy 4,456]

" Penny Gin "? You don't mean a fukking Kingfisher trap???

[OldPhil 5,364]

10 hours ago, Stockpot said:

Just a touch over 4" that one.

I once knew a bloke who had renovated an old mill. I was around his place for some reason one evening when he said "oh, your into hunting aren't you?, I found an old trap when I was doing this place. You might as well have it". We walked into his office and there on the window sill was a penny gin in mint condition. I'm an open kind of guy and obviously my poker face must be shite because I gave the game away. Instead of playing it cool and accepting my gift in a nonchalant manner and getting the fook out of there, my face lit up and I started to explain what little I knew about it. Next thing I know he thinks he "might like to hang on to it for a while"!!....pr*ck! Oh well, life goes on.

Another pic of the 4" trap.

 

Schoolboy error Brother...

As a dealer in Antique Carpets once told me,...when you see a genuine piece,...keep cool, calm and uninterested..

[Ken's Deputy 4,456]

Not sure I even ever Had a smooth jawed Pole, to be honest? Nice!

Back when I was a player, some guy emailed me, out of the blue. Wanted my opinion of a trap. Can't remember the exact details now. (Can't remember much about Yesterday, these fukking days!)

Think it was something along the lines that his old, Gamekeeper, friend had given him this trap. He was wondering ...

Now, I'd absolutely built my reputation on being completely, transparently honest about traps. I looked at the photo's. Passed out. Came round and told the guy he had a Factory condition, makers stamped Kingfisher Trap. And that it could sell, all day, every day, for £300.00.

Bitter sweet upshot is that he told me he'd send me the trap. I could pay him off in instalments. And that's what we did. It was disgustingly beautiful. Had obviously never seen a day outside since it was made. Absolutely immaculate.

And it became my fukking albatross! Remember the old Dr Hook number; 'When You're In Love ...'? It got like That! FFS!

In the end, I got so fukking sick of it all, I Gave it to my mentor. Just so he could marvel at its exquisite beauty. And other Collectors would stop working their fukking tongues into my ears about it!

[OldPhil 5,364]

 A

Edited July 7, 2022 by OldPhil

[OldPhil 5,364]

Edited July 7, 2022 by OldPhil

[Ken's Deputy 4,456]

Had Both versions, Phil. They did that one. And a bigger one. I dunno. Eight? Ten inch panels? Rabbit / Cat sort of a thing.

I actually still have the Fenn Cat Cage. Available only by direct order. Green plastic coated mesh. If we were to talk about 'Trap Porn'? I'd say That baby is, to me, of the stuff one could only find on the Dark Web!

Dunno why. It just gets me going. Thinking about it? I reckon I might bring it in here and hang it above the door Right now, it's salted away inside two plastic sacks. Haven't looked at it in years. (Cue Ian Dury)

[Ken's Deputy 4,456]

Stock Pot. I was typing to you when something went west and I lost the fukking lot!!!

Ever read " Nathan ", by Brian Plummer? Well, I'm like the character Mr Merchenson. Once known to have had The Fukking Bizzness. Now? Burbling on about days long past .

Regret passing on that KFT? Never, mate. Not once. Not for a moment.

Man I gave it to. My mentor. He had absolutely No concept of a monetary value on traps. Honestly don't think he'd ever paid over the retail value of the moment for any trap in his Collection.

And, I knew full well I could Easily have shifted his hoard for tens of Thousands. Easily

No. His absolute fascination and sheer Delight in the minutiae of Any trap was so pure and child like, it was wonderful.

My peers, meanwhile, suppurated rank oil from their pores at the very whiff of my little gem. It just brought out the very worst in people. But, they only wanted it for bragging rights. Then, they'd willingly splurge the house keeping on the next 'Must Have'. It, genuinely, got me down.

I expect it's in Essex now.

[Ken's Deputy 4,456]

9 minutes ago, Stockpot said:

Last one for tonight.

 

That's a fukking keeper, Stocks! Never seen that one before. Cheap. Nasty. Pressed piece of junk? Exactly the sort of thing I'd recommend buying a fukking case full, at retail. Then store them away

Why? Because they're cheap, nasty crap. Won't last a season in the ground. Pro's wouldn't touch them. Maker will go out of business and the " Junk Mole Crap " would soon be forgotten.

Until, fifty years down the line, when a factory conditioned one turns up, and the Mole Trap Collecting Community collectively shits it's fukking self!

" Have you heard? Some kunt's come up with a Junk Mole Crap!!! Those things are Rocking Horse!!! So short a production run ~ because they were shit and rotted in the ground ~ It's a wonder Any have survived! "

See? The Lanes 'Ace' was probably one of the most successful and popular rabbit gin's ever. Thousands still out there. Two a penny.

British Sara? Over engineered piece of stupidity, virtually guaranteed to explode in to bits at its first firing? Now? Top five of British Trap Collectors Holy Grails. Because they were So shit, there's probably barely double figures of the things still existing!

[EDDIE B 3,120]

10 hours ago, Ken's Deputy said:

 

That's a fukking keeper, Stocks! Never seen that one before. Cheap. Nasty. Pressed piece of junk? Exactly the sort of thing I'd recommend buying a fukking case full, at retail. Then store them away

Why? Because they're cheap, nasty crap. Won't last a season in the ground. Pro's wouldn't touch them. Maker will go out of business and the " Junk Mole Crap " would soon be forgotten.

Until, fifty years down the line, when a factory conditioned one turns up, and the Mole Trap Collecting Community collectively shits it's fukking self!

" Have you heard? Some kunt's come up with a Junk Mole Crap!!! Those things are Rocking Horse!!! So short a production run ~ because they were shit and rotted in the ground ~ It's a wonder Any have survived! "

See? The Lanes 'Ace' was probably one of the most successful and popular rabbit gin's ever. Thousands still out there. Two a penny.

British Sara? Over engineered piece of stupidity, virtually guaranteed to explode in to bits at its first firing? Now? Top five of British Trap Collectors Holy Grails. Because they were So shit, there's probably barely double figures of the things still existing!

Isn't it amazing. Least popular traps at the time, becomes most sought after traps, a few decades later

[earth-thrower 490]

13 hours ago, Stockpot said:

Last one for tonight.

 

Nice, never seen that design , before. Would you know who made it ?

[earth-thrower 490]

12 hours ago, Ken's Deputy said:

 

That's a fukking keeper, Stocks! Never seen that one before. Cheap. Nasty. Pressed piece of junk? Exactly the sort of thing I'd recommend buying a fukking case full, at retail. Then store them away

Why? Because they're cheap, nasty crap. Won't last a season in the ground. Pro's wouldn't touch them. Maker will go out of business and the " Junk Mole Crap " would soon be forgotten.

Until, fifty years down the line, when a factory conditioned one turns up, and the Mole Trap Collecting Community collectively shits it's fukking self!

" Have you heard? Some kunt's come up with a Junk Mole Crap!!! Those things are Rocking Horse!!! So short a production run ~ because they were shit and rotted in the ground ~ It's a wonder Any have survived! "

See? The Lanes 'Ace' was probably one of the most successful and popular rabbit gin's ever. Thousands still out there. Two a penny.

British Sara? Over engineered piece of stupidity, virtually guaranteed to explode in to bits at its first firing? Now? Top five of British Trap Collectors Holy Grails. Because they were So shit, there's probably barely double figures of the things still existing!

just read this, after i responded above

[Ken's Deputy 4,456]

14 hours ago, OldPhil said:

The Folding Fenn Rat Trap...

Arguably, amongst the fastest firing, slickest and smoothest rodent cage traps,.. of all time...

Here we go, mate From my records:

FOLD FLAT:

  Mink, rat ect.  24 x 8 x 71/2".  Made of 1" square 14 Guage weldmesh.  Constructed from three hinged panals which can be folded flat.  Coil spring operated, triangular door.  Pan, 6 x 4", made of 1/2" sqr weldmesh, hinged to the floor on each edge by bent, looped wires.  Connect Rod from one edge of the pan holds a side closing door open (for release of captive) 1985.

  Special Order Model:  29 x 11 3/4 x 12". 1" sqr. weldmesh 8 1/4 x 6 1/2" Pan of galvanised sheet.

 

  So, I had your one. And the other one I mentioned was the " Special Order Model ", look.

 

[Ken's Deputy 4,456]

On 18/05/2021 at 11:10, comanche said:

Comanche; Might it surprise you to know those are both Mk III. ? And the black painting is no mistake. Fenn himself did that. I've no idea why! He just suddenly decided to paint a number of his Mk III variations black. An enigma.

(Now, I can't get Elgar and Mick Jagger out of my mind, for some fukking reason!)