OLD TRAPS Real or not?

2434me

Well-Known Member
Three traps to look at.
They have been hanging around for a few years and I wondered how you could tell if they are old or not ?
Even so ,are they worth anything?
No Names on any of them.
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they look like early variations of gin traps to me , i doubt they would be worth a significant amount , in the back of my mind i think it would be illegal to sell them in working order , but i may be wrong
 
Perfectly legal to sell them and flea bay would be as good a place as any there are collectors out their. ( definitely illegal to use em )
 
First one is a pole trap by look of it ( for birds of pray) rest are a make of gin but ones i have seen have square shape jaws it may be just down to to regional makers
 
yep, top one's a pole trap, worth a few quid that one. speak to john bryan of fourteenacre ltd, he'll know more.

James
 
There is no pole trap among them, the top two pics are of the same trap you just can't see the spring in the first pic. There are still plenty gin traps on ebay but you have to state for display purpose only when listing.
 
Agree with roebuck above, no pole trap, pole traps don't have the spring sticking out the side. Pole traping was made illlegal around 1900's and i think gin traps were probably made illegal then too so prob older than 50 years

I actually think it's illegal to own a usable trap like that, have to be deactivated/welded shut. Sort off pointless thing RSPB would doo u for if they knocked on ur door and put in 'wildlife crime stats'
 
You can own them in full working order i had a few my self but over the years they have disappeared. If you set them you are in for real trouble.
 
I actually think it's illegal to own a usable trap like that, have to be deactivated/welded shut. Sort off pointless thing RSPB would doo u for if they knocked on ur door and put in 'wildlife crime stats'

Can't see it I have a mate who has a large collection including a man/bear trap measuring about three feet across the jaws in perfect working order which he regularly takes to shows.
 
I may be wrong but i thought it was illegal to own them the same as illegal (i think anyway) to have non free running/locking snares hanging up in ur back shed, as u could use them. Possibly 1 off those bizare laws they would only prosecute u for if realy wanted to do u.

A few of the keepers i know that have them have them welded up so they cannot be used
 
they look european , maybe french , John at fourteenacres would put you right on that and their price , maybe £40-50 . Its not ilegal to buy , sell or own these traps in working order its just ilegal to set them , john would tell you how to clean them up to
 
You cannot sell them on fleabay any more!

Its not illegal to sell them for display purposes only.
Put "fenn trap" into the search box on fleabay, or you could try putting in 181102693139 and see what comes up
Tikkat3
 
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These things sell regularly as ornaments in auctions, they are probably more saleable if safely welded (deactivated) into the 'set' position as they can be more easily hung on a wall.
 
These things sell regularly as ornaments in auctions, they are probably more saleable if safely welded (deactivated) into the 'set' position as they can be more easily hung on a wall.
DO NOT do this , collectors want them in working order NOT welded
 
Used to have loads of gin traps of all sizes which were my granddads (poacher!) Think they all took a trip to the scrap man a few years ago.

​Wish I had kept them now
 
DO NOT do this , collectors want them in working order NOT welded

All very well, but they sell for more when welded safe. Anyway, anyone who owns an angle grinder can remove the welds in minutes, putting them back in working order for the serious collector.
 
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