What trap started your collection?

Thoght it would be cool to see how guys started their trap collections.......not user traps ,but your antique/collectables...My first was a no 3 cast jaw triumph dls,and a 14 victor jump given to me by my uncle....what did everyone start with?

#114 OC, given to me as a gift.

My first collector trap was a #3 Eclipse, I saw it in a second hand store in 1983 and had to have it. Then I had to know what it was and the history.

A number five slickpan, my wife bought at a local antique store.

A couple old traps that were my dad's. They are not exactly collectors but more wall hangers. An old dogless Montgomery that has a .22 bullet dent in one jaw where he either missed or shot through something and a #3 Victor longspring. Nothing special about either one other than the sentimental value. Now I have a pile of "collector" traps in the garage that I need to go though and decide what to keep and what to sale. I'm really trying to concentrate on #0s and traps with teeth but I have a bunch that don't fit in either category. I believe trap collecting is a sickness.

My Dad left me a Hudson Bay 41AX, a 4.5 Newhouse Wolf Trap and two no 4 Newhouses. About 2 years ago I was thinking of selling them on Ebay but then I seen some other traps I thought would be nice to have and it all started then. I still have those traps along with about 250 more I bought since. Running out of room. I'll have to sell some of mine too.

I found a victor trap with the butterfly dog on it and no pan. I thought it was different and got to asking questions about it (on here I believe). That is when my very expensive and addicting hobby started. I owe a lot of the heartache to Bruce (Newhousecattrapper).

Oh, and I was going to put this on the Trap Shed, but if anyone knows where I can find a deeper wallet I would be much appreciative

I guess I started maybe ten years ago by sending away for every trap catalogue in Fur Fish and Game. Then ordering every oddball trap (Lamb Saver Trapmaster ect...) I saw in them. I didn't know anyone collected old traps. I ran on to some Diamond #21s at a flea market and the guy gave me a flyer for American Trap Collectors and that was it. My savings account has never been the same.

Number 2 Eclipse my inlaws bought me in Arizona about 35 years ago. I think they paid 10.00.

Mine was a Triumph Three-Jaw. Belonged to my granddad.

Grandmother gave me 1 1/2 cortland,#2 cooper clutch, # 2 cooper Barrel trap,and 215x Triumph around 40 years back.Told me to go and start trapping.Thanks Gram she lived to 96 years.

Bruce,

Your grandmother gave you a great start to your trap collection. Cortlands are not easy to come by. Did you actually trap with that trap?

No , I knew that they were old, was afraid of them being stolen or lost

you need to wear 2 wallets...one in each back pocket....that helps with a lot of back problems too caused by sitting croocked on one fat wallet

Two NH 114s and a 14. Now getting a few more here and there. There is a great antique place near me that gets stuff in. He lets me pick through stuff whenever he gets new stuff in

First one was a #14 Newhouse

Started by buying a pair of #14 Newhouse,

And then for some reason I got hooked on the bear traps....expensive

I went to a farm auction and bought a bundle of oddballs because I thought they looked neat. There was a 41 victor doublegrip, a Victor doubleshot, 51 diamond walloper and others. That was 30 years ago and I still haven't been cured of this disease. And I hope I never am cured.

"It's not a hobby. it's a disease".

Very true Bruce,you warned me.

I don't have much of a collection. I always look at the traps I find in flea markets. If I find one that I haven't seen before, I'll buy it. If the price is right...

So far just a #14 Newhouse and a Victor 21.5 "shoulder catch."

I knew the Newhouse would have some collector value, but I just thought it was cool. The 21.5 was just something I had never seen so I bought it.

Mike

#14 Newhouse for me too. Something about traps with teeth that blows what little hair I have back. Especially offset with teeth.

14 Victor for me as well, only mine are made of a different material.

It was either a Triumph Kangaroo No.1-XK Triple Clutch or a Gibbs Two Trigger. I might have gotten them both at the same time, but can't remember for sure.

Mine were old traps that I set out on creeks that were stolen. I finally stopped setting out traps that I knew had collector value and started collecting them and hanging them on a wall at my camp.

Acetrapper, What is that trap made out of?

Mine was a # 81 Newhouse that I acquired with a bunch of other # 1 Victors in about 1964 for muskrat trapping. I just thought at the time it was just a different type of trap, with no thought of what I had. Set these out in some rather high theft areas and it survived.

Maple

This old newhouse beartrap started my collection.I don't go out of my way to buy and sell,but I keep my eyes and ears open and buy when something turns up locally.
I kind of like the bear and wolftraps,but will pick up anything odd like this Milan Novak footsnare from the 70's still in the bag.

Great looking slick pan five Boco.

A number 0 and a number 1 victor jump trap got them for fixing a 1800s hand forged trap

That slick is a beauty Boco!

My great grandfather's 23 Sargent,I don't really collect It's more accumulate what I like.

Many years ago was given a Tree Trap. Sadly I sold everything to Oscar Cronk when I enlisted in the Marine Corps. Not long ago I decided to collect a few. I have a NH 4 1\2 on my desk I got as a gift, and now I'm at it again.

It is like alcoholism- you cant just try it again- you are hooked as soon as you start, whether it is the first, or next, time!