Vintage wood handled wrenches pre-1900

[Slackmaster G]

Anyone collect them besides me? They are still around

 

[four.cycle]

Hello Slackmaster G and welcome to the site.

That is another genre of tool I have not myself dabbled in, although it does look intriguing.
As close as I've gotten is a couple early "bicycle" wrenches, but from what I understand they are a different animal than the old wood-handled "monkey wrench" I believe you are referring to (i.e., Trimont, Peck Stow & Wilcox, Bemis and Call, and the ubiquitous Coe's.)
Other than some of the names, I don't know much about them, but would certainly be interested in seeing examples of what you have and some insight on what is and is not of "value" insofar as "collectible" (to use both terms loosely.)

(PS: Putting your location in your "profile" would be of great help.)

 

[crguy]

They are actually very common, with the Coes Patent being the most common.

 

[notlob]

If you are referring to monkey wrenches, they are so common around here that most, other than unusual or pristine examples, won't sell for even $1 or $2 at the flea market.

 

[four.cycle]

^ well... as with anything else, "value" is kind of subjective... if you were using Ebay "sold" prices as a metric, they're all worth a fortune because they're "rare" and "vintage".
(Kind of like everything else we collect here.)

 

[Stuart in MN]

If you are referring to monkey wrenches, they are so common around here that most, other than unusual or pristine examples, won't sell for even $1 or $2 at the flea market.

That just means collecting them is a nice, cheap hobby.

 

[drivesitfar]

ALL: they might be $1 or $2 now if you are just talking about pipe or monkey wrenches, but i would be willing to bet you that some day you'll be kicking yourself saying why didn't i grab a few more of those.

i love wood handled screw drivers and have a few of the wood handled pipe wrenches, but i'm not really collecting them yet just gathering.

Stuart: YEP!!

Slack: welcome to GJ and from the few posts i've seen from you i'm happy you joined our group. so can you post up pictures of your wood wrenches? if you need any help just ask.

 

[crguy]

ALL: they might be $1 or $2 now if you are just talking about pipe or monkey wrenches, but i would be willing to bet you that some day you'll be kicking yourself saying why didn't i grab a few more of those.

Almost every collectible old tool except for the top 1 or 2% brings less money today than they did 10 years ago. I don't think they are going up much.

On a related note: About 10 years ago there was a local estate sale that included about 7000 wrenches, nearly all the basic Coes type. There were only about 25 good odd wrenches there (and I bought them).
They started off trying to get around $5. apiece, and were able to sell a few.
Tool dealers around the country were contacted, and none came.
At the end of the sale there were about 6000 left and I could have had them for $1. apiece. Last I heard they're still there.
Many of the wrenches still had prices on them, (up to $15.), from when the owner bought them at antique shops. He would have been so much better off if he had bought just a few good scarce wrenches instead of the Coes.

 

[drivesitfar]

CR: thanks for the heads up. i have passed on a lot of them myself, but there are a few i think that i could actually use instead of just collect if i needed to.

 

[Corndoggeh]

ALL: they might be $1 or $2 now if you are just talking about pipe or monkey wrenches, but i would be willing to bet you that some day you'll be kicking yourself saying why didn't i grab a few more of those.

I kick myself all the time when I had a chance to buy over 30 sets of USA craftsman wrench sets and 20 zipper case socket sets at the sears outlet in 2013 for $10 a wrench set and $15 for a socket set. They now sell for 3x on ebay

For those old monkey wrenches, not sure it they would be worth much more in the future, kinda a niche interest with the adjustable wrenches having more interest in them. Though they may be good for twisting hot iron at a forge!

 

[Gmonkee]

Antique tools are a money pit. I have a lot of them from 1890's to WWII.

It would be hard to get my collection to break even in resale but the give me a cheap hobby. I may have a few worth a bit in the right market but for now none are being sold. I am not done enjoying the relics of the past yet.

 

[four.cycle]

I think it's probably a given that your ROI on old tools is most likely going to be far less than it would be on something that's a proven winner.
Not all of us collect weird old oddball tools with the goal or intent of the process turning out to be a big money maker.

I think a couple of you are somewhat disconnected to the reality of selling prices on Ebay, where buyers bid those old monkey wrenches (that you're claiming can be had at any swap meet for a buck) up to mind-boggling prices.

But enough of all that. I want to see what kind of stuff Slackmaster is collecting. I find them fascinating, actually. The early versions were made during an era where any independent entrepreneur who had access to a forge could make an attempt at building a better mousetrap. Some of the designs are actually quite interesting.

 

[crguy]

There are, of course, some old wrenches that have collector value. Most of them are ones with unusual adjustments, or other features that didn't make them big sellers.
The kind you seldom find.

 

[ganymede]

Wood handle monkey wrenches are quite common but the op mentioned pre 1900.

 

[ganymede]

There are, of course, some old wrenches that have collector value. Most of them are ones with unusual adjustments, or other features that didn't make them big sellers.
The kind you seldom find.

I see that Bullard even without enlarging the thumbnail.
Anything made in RI catches my eye like Scarlet Johansson and Gwyneth Paltrow naked making out on top of a parade float.

 

[notlob]

Given that the Coes patent monkey wrenches are by far the most common type of wooden-handled wrench I've seen, and the fact the Coes patent was granted in 1841, I can only conclude that a substantial portion of those wrenches were made in the 19th century.

Coes patent:

https://www.google.com/patents/US2054 (in which the inventor is mistakenly identified as "Loeing Goes" rather than Loring Coes)

 

[ganymede]

Given that the Coes patent monkey wrenches are by far the most common type of wooden-handled wrench I've seen, and the fact the Coes patent was granted in 1841, I can only conclude that a substantial portion of those wrenches were made in the 19th century.

Maybe but consider also advances in production technology that continued until production ceased.
They made more wrenches in 1900 than they did in 1880 and more in 1920 than in 1900.