*2-Day* Fresh Barn Finds & Country Estate Auction (Day 1/2)
Lot 42:
Description
C-18888
Small grouping of early leatherworking and cobbler’s tools including a hand hammer, awl or punch, leather slicker/burnisher, rolling edge tool, and a triangular-bladed hand trowel or paring tool. Each piece reflects simple, purpose-built construction typical of small workshops and repair shops, with turned wooden handles paired to forged steel working ends. The forms are direct and unadorned, designed for repeated daily use rather than longevity on display, and collectively suggest use in shoemaking, leather repair, or general bench work. Sets like this would have been common in rural and urban shops alike, where individual tradesmen relied on a compact assortment of hand tools rather than specialized machinery. The varied wear patterns across the handles and steel surfaces indicate long-term use, with each tool acquiring its own surface character over time. As a group, they present a strong snapshot of early American hand-tool culture, when even the most basic implements were made to be repaired, reused, and adapted as needed.
All tools are in antique, used, primitive condition with heavy surface wear and patina throughout. Steel components show oxidation and darkening consistent with age. Wooden handles show wear, rounding, and surface loss from handling. Hammer head is loose and will need to be secured if the tool is intended for use. Sold as-found.
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