Cortland Traps

Can anyone tell me about the Cortland Trap company? I ran across a Cortland # 2 single longspring, double jaw with teeth and was not familiar with the company. Thanks

I hope you bought it they are good traps

Get in touch with Marten1 on your Cortland. No one knows more about Cortland's than Roger.

Made from 1888 to 1892. I think the company was based in New York State.

Came in several sizes and 3 different models. All models were long spring traps and dog less.

A hard to find trap and quite valuable to a trap collector.

The Cortland Trap Co. was a subsidiary of The Hitchcock Mfg. Co. of Cortland, NY and was only in business a short time from 1888 to early 1892 when the trap business was sold to Oneida Community LTD. I believe the #2 is the next hardest to find behind the #0. All #2's Ive seen are double jaw and most have 14 teeth. The smooth double jaw model is very rare I have only come across one. They came from the factory with a B&L style lock link chain although I've seen Cortlands with every style chain imaginable because they could be purchased back then without chains and trappers added whatever they had. Congrats on your find. Cortlands are certainly a scarce and valuable antique trap. Roger

Bruce- Thank you for the compliment... but the most knowledgeable person I know on Cortland Traps would be Jim Stewart of California.

Got any pictures of the Cortland trap? I was born in Cortland, NY and for years have tried to find one. I've only seen one at a trap collectors show in PA.

I did not buy the trap Sat but after reading the posts I was kicking myself. The antique store is an hour and a half away.Went back Monday and they were closed.I was finaly able to go back and get it today. I will post pictures tomorrow. It is just as Martin described.

Looking forward to the pics. Hope u got a good buy on it. Congrats.

Great shape, expect for a small crack in the inner free jaw.

Nice trap and a tough one to find in any condition and that one is pretty nice, even if it does have a crack in the jaw, I would leave it the way it sits, don't try and do any repairs. Whatever you paid, you got a heck of a nice trap.

Is that the correct chain?

From the Cortland's that I've seen and I have also had just a couple myself, it looks all correct to me, including the chain. Some of the cast pan series Sargent's and the some of the 20 series Sargent's also came with pretty much the same chain set up.

Thanks for posting the pics. That is sure gnarly looking with all those teeth on top.

Nice looking trap! Thanks for showing.

Very nice #2 Cortland. The chain is definitely factory including the tree spike which on Cortlands looks short and blunt edged.Nice pan too. I wouldn't worry about the small crack in the jaw.The teeth are in nice shape too, not too worn down or broken off. I think overall you have a nice Cortland there in a hard to find size.

Its a beauty

Cortland made 0, 1, 1 1/2, in single plain jaw no teeth.And 0,1, 1 1/2, 2, in double jaw with teeth.There 1889 catalog claimed that a # 3 double jaw with teeth was for sale, not sure if any were made.Cortland sold out to Onieda Newhouse in early 1890's Not to make traps again for 99 years.

OK, we are all thinking it but no one will ask..........what did they have it priced at?

Most common to find is a 1 1/2 db jaw with teeth could be up to $300 or more for a reel nice one.# 0 Cortlands Start at $ 300 to 600 or better.Many confuse #1 with a # 0.Hard ones are the single jaws with no teeth, don't see many.They made thousands of traps 125 years ago.Factory was about 45 miles from where I live.Their trap designer Thomas Donolon lived at 32 Owego Street in Cortland NY , his house is still there.Cortland Trap Company was a side business of the Caleb B. Hitchcock Wagon Company Elm St Cortland NY.Made traps from 1888 to 1892.Trap Shop was on 32 Port Watson S.T Cortland NY.They could make 100 dozen traps a day.Hitchcock owned his own Foundry they could cast or make all parts on site.Sold out TO Onieda Community in 1892.Original buildings are all gone now.

Awesome find! I dream of those kinds of finds. What was the price? I noticed most antique stores price junk traps way too high and rare traps way too low!

Hey Bruce1, that's some great info! I'm in Cortland right now, I'll have to take a tour before I head back north. Thanks! Thanks also to gregs250 for posting the photo, now tell us how much you paid!

There is a DJ #0 on ebay right now. Anyone know what the value would be? I can't find it in the price guide.

Thanks for all the comments. I was very lucky. As a newbie collector is was more than I was used to paying but a lot less than what Parr has it listed.

That " #0 DJ Cortland " on eBay right now is a #1. Cortland #0 Traps are single jaw no teeth. Diggdug the reason its not in the price guide is it doesn't exist.

So, if we haven't seen one it doesn't exist? Please explain. It is listed in the up to date price guides that I have.

A #0 Cortland Double Jaw Trap with teeth? If you are referring to "The Trap Collectors Guide" By Parr and Andreski ( The most up to date price guide I'm aware of) it is not listed in there. I have never seen or heard of one. If one exists let's see it.

In 1889 Hitchcock Mfg. Co. of Cortland, NY (Makers of Cortland Traps) published a booklet called "Hints On Trapping" In there they list among their traps for sale a #0 Single Jaw. They DO NOT list a #0 Double Jaw Trap. Proof enough for me.

I consider Roger, Marten1 the expert on Cortland Traps, I have visited with him and he is very interested and quite knowledgeable in them.
Thanks for the info Roger again I learned something that I will try and file away. As we all know people piece traps together and try and pass them off for big $$$ and knowledge is priceless.
Thanks.
Mike

I, on the other hand am not an expert. Just a retired guy with a curiosity about many things. I am just curious enough to not put a lot of faith in an omission in a single pamphlet. Just out of curiosity I will keep on asking questions. At this point I believe they did exist in very small numbers. Wouldn't the 2 1/2" inside jawspread be a zero? Wouldn't it be very difficult or impossible to mix and match parts with a size one? If they did exist, Norwich, N.Y. seems like a probable place for one to surface since it is near Cortland.

A new collector learns by listening to the advanced collectors that have researched what they specifically collect, amassed large collections from that particular manufacture, have seen literally hundreds of traps from that particular manufacture, and know what they are talking about. The #0 Cortland does exist, but only in a single jaw.

Nhousecattrapper, I took your advise and with help, found four advanced collectors who have owned a Cortland #0 double jaw with teeth. These men are in their mid 70's and older. They are old enough to not care about getting into a controversy, but they know what they had. One man did say that they were very scarce 50 years ago, and were being locked away in collections then. One collector said that he had seen 5 or 6 of them when he was a very young man. I guess we might as well say that they do not exist for the modern collector.

For what it's worth. here is my opinion again. First I would like to know the names of those collectors, and better yet, see pictures of their " #0 Double Jaw Cortlands ". There seems to be a lot of confusion with some collectors who mistake the #1 Cortland Double Jaw for a #0. Cortland Traps in general are small for their designated size. And remember, a #1 Double Jaw jawspread is measured by the OUTSIDE Jaw, not the INSIDE Jaw. Also I have seen examples of #1 1/2 Cortlands with #1 pans. They came that way from the factory. But they are STILL 1 1/2's. It is entirely possible a few #1 Double Jaw Traps may have left the factory with #0 pans (I have not seen one yet) .But they would still be #1's. So in conclusion, in my humble opinion, the only TRUE #0 Cortland Traps that ever left the factory were SINGLE Jaw Traps.

Very interesting! I hope you find one some day and prove yourself wrong. It should be worth a small fortune!

This just goes to show you Roger that you can't educate those that refuse to learn!

In 1889 Cortland Catolog # 3 Cortlands were $14.00 per Dozen, used for Otter Trapping, double Longsprings.6 1/2 " jaw spread.I have never seen an Original.
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If one is ever found it may look something like this Replica

Cortland Factory was known to put wrong size pans on their smaller traps.For example your on the assembly line in 1889 working on Friday afternoon and your job is to put pans on 1 1/2 traps,your pan box is empty but the guy next to you has a whole box of # 1 pans and they will fit right on your trap.There is how it happens.The worker says no one will care, they will never be collectible in a hundred years.Yeah right !Bruce

Looks correct. I have some with chains (and wedge) like this.