Vintage Fence Wire Stretcher Ratchet marked Patent July 13, 1880 vs actual 1881 For Sale

Offered for sale is an antique wirestretcher. A ratcheting stretcher likethis would have been used for tightening livestock fencing. The tool was for stretching a single strand offencing wire on farms and ranches. The toolconsists of a cast iron body with 2 hooks and locking hand cranked winch. The winch still locks as it should. The winch handle has a wood grip that is tooold to use but still looks good. Thehooks would have been used to easily hook a piece of chain (not included) arounda fixed object, such as a fence post, to pull against. The fence wire stretcher is marked in castraised letters, “Patented July 13, 1880 A”.No other marking was found on the tool.There is confusion about the patent date. On the tool it is marked “July 13. 1880 A”while the actual patent award date was July 5, 1881 (see patent attachment). Reuben Ellwood (Sycamore, IL.) is thefirst inventor credited on the patent. Thewire stretcher measures about 10” wide to the outside of the wood handle. It is about 12” long and about 20” long withthe handle out. The marked July 13, 1880patented wire stretcher is a compact, cast‑iron, ratcheting crankstretcher for wire fencing and a practical farm tool of its era and now asought‑after farm primitive collectible.

Shipsin a recycled (used) box.