Okay... this is without a doubt the shoe I found most interesting in Bobs collection. Bob had two of these. He sold the nicer of the two to Lee Liles in Oklahoma for his museum. It took me awhile to get Bob to even name a price for this one. Let's just say it's more money than I can pay for a horseshoe!! It's in the hundreds folks! Circa 1900.

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg181/msgough/Blacksmith-Shop/Day-Two/IMG_0016.jpg?

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg181/msgough/Blacksmith-Shop/Day-Two/IMG_0015.jpg?

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg181/msgough/Blacksmith-Shop/Day-Two/IMG_0017.jpg?t=1225859387

Yeah... I'm gonna have to practice a lot more to get my heartbars to look like that. Not too sure about those nail holes though. Look pretty fine punched to me.

Plain stamped, Bruce Matthews drafthorse special.

It's about 18 inches from toe to heel; 17 inches from outside web-to-web at widest point.

Made from 1/2" by 1 1/2" stock. Nice wall-hanger.

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg181/msgough/Blacksmith-Shop/Day-Two/IMG_0001.jpg?

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg181/msgough/Blacksmith-Shop/Day-Two/IMG_0002.jpg?t=1225859849

I think Danvers called 'dibbs' on this one! No, really!

We interrupt this regularly scheduled program for this special hammer announcement.

It's a nice, catseye heller brand hammer. Sigh....

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg181/msgough/Blacksmith-Shop/Day-Two/IMG_0003.jpg?

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg181/msgough/Blacksmith-Shop/Day-Two/IMG_0004.jpg?t=1225860076

Now... back to our regularly scheduled program...

If you're gonna make stuff, you need to be able to measure it! All handmade pieces.

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg181/msgough/Blacksmith-Shop/Day-Two/IMG_0005.jpg?

More handmade tools. Chisels, knife blades, etc.

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg181/msgough/Blacksmith-Shop/Day-Two/IMG_0007.jpg?t=1225860277

Lots of handmade tools. Bob didn't know what a lot of these were used for. Best guess is that often a blacksmith would have need for a 'one-off' type tool and just make what he needed at the time.

A couple of these are saw tooth alignment tools (T shaped, shiny tool).

The tool with the iron ring has a rotating plate with a serrated edge on the plate. Was used to lock a cable in place. You rolled the plate up tight against the cable and the weight of whatever hung from the cable locked it down against the teeth.

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg181/msgough/Blacksmith-Shop/Day-Two/IMG_0008.jpg?t=1225860339

Remember the fisher anvil at the entrance to the blacksmith cabin in an earlier thread?

Here it is again in more detail. Bob corrected my earlier weight value. It's 194 pounds. Sorry for the earlier mistake.

Check out the date on this thing. Bob just bought this a couple weeks ago and isn't quite ready to part with it. It's called a plow-anvil due to the offset shelf face. Considered extremely rare.

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg181/msgough/Blacksmith-Shop/Day-Two/IMG_0013.jpg?t=1225860826

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg181/msgough/Blacksmith-Shop/Day-Two/IMG_0010.jpg?t=1225860862

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg181/msgough/Blacksmith-Shop/Day-Two/IMG_0011.jpg?t=1225860899

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg181/msgough/Blacksmith-Shop/Day-Two/IMG_0012.jpg?t=1225860930

I showed a wall shot of this buttress sole knife. Bob let me take it down for a closer shot so we could see that horses hoof shaped into the end.

Bob found another one at an antique blacksmith collectors gathering. The other one had the hoof plus a small anvil sitting atop and behind the blade. Bob offered the guy $1,000 and he wouldn't take it!

$200 bucks and this one is yours. Circa 1850-1860

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg181/msgough/Blacksmith-Shop/Day-Two/IMG_0018.jpg?t=1225861199


http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg181/msgough/Blacksmith-Shop/Day-Two/IMG_0019.jpg?


Yep, he even took time to carve the frog into the hoof.
http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg181/msgough/Blacksmith-Shop/Day-Two/IMG_0020.jpg?t=1225861265

Here's another hoof buttress. This one is dated 1852 and is originally from England. That's 156 years ago folks!

No price, so make your best offer.

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg181/msgough/Blacksmith-Shop/Day-Two/IMG_0021.jpg?

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg181/msgough/Blacksmith-Shop/Day-Two/IMG_0023.jpg?t=1225861576

This is an unusual creaser/forepunch combination tool.

United States Calvary, circa 1900.

Sorry guys, this one is sold. I bought it!

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg181/msgough/Blacksmith-Shop/Day-Two/IMG_0030.jpg?t=1225861779


http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg181/msgough/Blacksmith-Shop/Day-Two/IMG_0032.jpg?t=1225861821


http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg181/msgough/Blacksmith-Shop/Day-Two/IMG_0031.jpg?t=1225861853

That's it for now folks. I've got another 50-60 pics and will post those tomorrow. Some more old and unusual shoes, more tools and gadgets and a really strange looking "Doctors Anvil"???.... all coming up tomorrow. Also have a giant block/tackle, a 600 + pound anvil, a miniature smithy station and the dangest handmade pencil sharpener you've ever seen anywhere!

Hope you've enjoyed these photos as much as I have taking them.

If you've seen something in the group/collection photos that you want more detail on just let me know and I'll get some close-up shots and more information the next time I visit Bobs "Ultimate Blacksmith Shop".


See ya then!

Mark