Welcome to The Wrenching News
A website for the
sharing of information on all types of collectible wrenches
Check back often for Bus's irregular updates
Bemis & Call one of as kind prototype ratcheting monkey wrench. Lot No. 286 From the Don Ervin Antique Wrench Auction:
Late Breaking Wrenching News
(Posted Mar. 20, 2008)
Update for the Don Ervin's Antique Wrench Auction - York, NE - April 18 and 19, 2008
The web catalog for the Don Ervin Antique Wrench is now finished. The printed catalog is at the printers and will be mailed next week. If you are on our regular bidders list or have ordered a catalog you should be receiving a copy soon.
(Posted Jan. 15, 2008)
Don Ervin's Antique Wrench Auction and Missouri Valley Wrench Club Annual Spring Meet - York, NE - April 18 and 19, 2008
The last of Don Ervin's wrenches for the Wrenching News Wrench Auction to be held April 18 and 19, 2008 in conjunction with the Spring Missouri Valley Wrench Meet at York, Nebraska have arrived from Maine (I picked up the first half at the Fall Wrench Meet in Indianapolis last October). I've sorted most of the wrenches and started on the catalog. The catalog in progress can be viewed
Here.
The printed catalog with pictures of all lots should be ready to mail by the middle of March.
Don Ervin of Surrey, Maine has been collecting wrenches for almost twenty years and attended most of the major wrench meets and auctions during that time and amassed a large collection of rare and unique wrenches, both adjustable and farm implement types. Included in this first of two sales are rare cutout wrenches including: Zenith, Bradley's Wonder, Ames, and a very rare Deere variant with two hammer polls. There are a large number of other John Deere wrenches including: a King Corn Silo and both large and small letter Dains plus examples from almost all the other farm implements manufactures.
Among the nearly 2000 wrenches in this auction are rare and interesting wrenches from all the different categories of antique wrenches with examples for the most advanced collectors to those just starting to collect. Already cataloged are over Seventy buggy and wagon wrenches including a No. 1 Oliver and a Kinsman and Merrill patented combination adjustable wagon wrench with an oilier. Especially well represented are examples of quick adjusting type wrenches and combination type wrench/tools and by far the largest collection of "enhanced" Crescent type wrenches that we have had the opportunity to catalog. Other categories include; a large number of H. D. Smith Perfect Handle wrenches and tools, many "double-enders" including Baxters, Crescents, etc., a large selection of automotive wrenches, many ratchet wrenches including a "one off" Bemis and Call monkey wrench and ratchet prototype, A nice selection of adjustable alligator wrenches including a very scarce Whitman and Barnes, and several impressive looking foreign made wrenches.
A note from owner Don Ervin:
"I have been tool collecting for close to 40 years, and joined the wrench club after attending a meet in Council Bluffs, Iowa, in the early 90’s. My early collecting was done in Maine, New York, Idaho, Illinois, and Arkansas, all places where Annie and I have lived doing the Corporate career in the food business. I got serious about wrench collecting while living in Western Iowa from 1990 on. This made the meets convenient from home, and only about 80 miles to the sales in York, Nebraska.
We have met many wonderful people, and really enjoy the hobby, having accumulated over 3,000 wrenches. My collection has outgrown my little museum area above my shop, and thinking about the future, nobody in my family is interested in perusing the hobby, with a fairly large investment tied up in it. In the event of my demise, people here would have no clue how to dispose of it!!!!! Meanwhile, I intend to continue collecting, and attending meets and auctions after my sales are complete this year and next and reinvesting in some interesting items.
I am selling part of my collection this spring, approximately 300 to 500 adjustables, and 800 to 1,000 implement wrenches. And the balance which would be cutouts and adjustables the following spring."
UPCOMING WRENCHING EVENTS
April 18 and 19, 2008 - Missouri Valley Antique Wrench Club Spring Meeting and Auction at York, Nebraska, (York City Auditorium, 6Th and Nebraska Avenue) - Wrench Club Show, Sale, and Meeting.
To order a catalog or for information on wrenches in the auction - Contact Bus Haury - 316-283-5876 (home phone) or 316-284-7345 (cell phone, call anytine) - Email:
donhaury@southwind.net
For Wrench Club Meet Information - Contact Stan Schulz - 402-362-7686 - Email:
mvwcnews@neb.rr.com
Farm cast malleable wrenches with cutout letters from the Don Ervin Antique Wrench Auction to be held April 18 and 19, 2008 in York Nebraska: Zenith, rare Deere A196 with hammers, Blackhawk, Planet Jr., Bradley's Wonder, three Iron Age variants, and an Ames.
MORE WRENCHING NEWS
Wrenching News Message Board Update - The Wrenching News has a new guest book/message board. Spammers ruined the old free one and all old posts were lost. I have to pay for this one but hopefully spammers can be kept off. So if you have a wrench question, some new information, a wrench you would like to show and tell (even brag a little),or just want to
sign in and leave a comment about this web site. Click Here
Archives - Some of the old wrenching news is stored in the achieves. Click Here
A few of the adjustable buggy and wagon wrenches from the Don Ervin Antique Wrench Auction to be held April 18 and 19 at York, Nebraska. Top Row, Left to Right: Miller Falls, Remington, Miller Falls, Goodell, Oliver No. 1, Joy, Bottom Row: American Wrench Co., Universal Wrench Co., G. A. Hosmer, Millea's Emergency Tool, J. H. Hebblethwaite's Combination Tool patented Nov 20, 1894.
To view all my Ebay auctions in a picture gallery Click Here
To Order Books on Wrench Collecting
Herb Page the author and publisher of "The Brothers Coes and Their Legacy of Wrenches" has given The Wrenching News the opportunity to add his excellent book to our inventory of books for wrench collectors. For a review and ordering information Vist the Wrenching News Book Store.
P. T. Rathbone's Book on Farm Wrenches Volume II (we also have a few copies of Volume I left)
Click here for more information
If you have any interest in Deere Company wrenches, oil cans, seats, or tool boxes you should have the current edition of Wayne Dill's "John Deere and Merged Companies Wrenches, Tools, Oil Cans, Cast Iron Seats, and Implement Tool Boxes" - The 2008 list contains 611 wrenches, (with a few deletions and several additions from the 2007 list), 22 oil cans, 41 cast iron seats and 71 tool boxes. This is the first year that the list has included Deere tool boxes. The list is updated every year and the price is $20.00 postpaid. Contact: D. Wayne Dill - 584 Courtland Dill Road - Harrington DE - 19952-5666 - 302-284-4004 - email:dill@dmv.com
If International Harvester wrenches (or tool boxes, seats, oil cans, etc.) are your thing then you need to contact Gil Irps for information on his "IHC Tools and Equipment That They Were Issued With" and his "IHC Tool List" which is updated every year. Contact: Gil Irps - 3156 Old Waldron Road - Kankakee IL 60901-6013 - 815-937-9698.
Information for Wrench Collectors
Guide for Identifying Markings Found on Collectible Wrenches - One of the most frequent requests for information I receive is asking help in identifying the logos, initials, etc. seen on old wrenches. This is an attempt to identify these markings. A work in progress, keep checking for new additions. Any comments or new information will be appreciated. Click Here
A list of Steam Engine and Separator Wrenches of The Advance Thresher Machine Co. Battle Creek, Michigan compiled from old parts books. Click Here
An article on wrenches furnished with Hercules and Economy Gas and Kerosene Engines.Click Here
The Catalog for the MISSOURI VALLEY WRENCH CLUB 2007 FALL Antique Wrench Auction
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2007 at Indianapolis, Indiana
Past Wrench Auctions Catalogs (we have Prices Realized and printed catalogs for most of these auctions, email or call for details)
Carl Bolt's Antique Tool Museum
Lots of pictures of Carl's Tool Museum including tractors, gas station equipment, old wrenches, more tool links and an informative page on wrench standard markings found on old wrenches.
Pa Paws Wrench
First-rate site for wrench and other antique tool collectors with a friendly and helpful discussion forum.
Hand Tool Preservation Association of Australia (HTPAA)
History and heritage of tools of Australia. Has several pages of wrenches pictured and identified and an extensive "Directory of Australian Tool Manufacturers and Makers"
The Winchester Store
Tim Melcher's Winchester Site focuses primary on Winchester Store collectibles. Contains an excellent section on Winchester "Fakes" including wrenches.
The Old Tool Nut Journal
The Old Tool Nut Journal is a monthly publication concerning old, antique and collectible tools
plus tools for sale and wanted ads. Check out the web site for more information, more tool collecting links, and order a free issue.
Dean's Antique Safe and Padlock Page
Sure padlocks are tools and most tool collectors have a few (I have several hundred down from over a thousand). Excellent pictures of locks, safes, and advertising items from Dean's collection plus "caveat emptor" Let The Buyer Beware", an excellent section on reproductions.
My Old Tools
A mostly woodworking tool site from the Lone Star State - Tools, Books, and Manuals for sale with a discussion board and an excellent list of links.
More Links
ANTIQUE-CENTRAL
A Directory of collectors, shops and auctions with a section on reproductions with links to other sites with reproduction information.
