Merrick wrench on ebay

[rustcollector]

Not my listing, thought some of you may be interested. The shipping looked a little high, but if you use the calculator at the bottom, it had a cheaper price to my location. The condition seems to be fairly decent.

On the topic of this wrench, I have one myself, but the handle has been replaced. I'd love to find one that the metal is just junk but the handle is original and in good shape.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VERY-RARE-SOLYMAN-MERRICKS-PATENT-WRENCH-SPRINGFIELD-/310641591629?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4853ae854d

[Papaw]

How high do you think it will go?

[rustcollector]

I don't really know the value of them. I hate to say what I got mine for, I just stumbled on it, paid less than what they were paying for plain old common monkey wrenches at the auction. 

Here's a couple of shots of mine. Not the best example of the wrench, but good enough for me since I don't really do the monkey wrench thing.

[johnsironsanctuary]

I'll take a swing at it.

[Papaw]

Ending soon! Are you in JIS???

[johnsironsanctuary]

Sorry Papaw, I was out wrench hunting in the wild early this morning and forgot all about it. Just as well, $75 + 18 was way out of my range.

[rustcollector]

Now I wonder if that is the general value of the Merrick's. Ebay is getting worse by the day as far as trying to decide values on anything. Same listings can be miles apart one week after the other. It's always been that way, just seems even more so now.

[johnsironsanctuary]

IMHO Ebay is tanking.  I have sold some things, but the number of hits is horrid. Less than 10 on many items. They took all of the teeth out of the feedback system and seem to be catering more to the retail merchandise types.

[rustcollector]

I agree John, to much China seconds on there for me. I made the mistake of buying printer ink once. That choice told me if you can buy it in your local store, then buy it in-store.

I've just started trying Etsy a little. Low number of views so far on the wrench I have listed, but it's not a wrench for the casual collector either. I think a lot of Etsy sellers are out to lunch on prices, but so be it. Many will think the price I have on mine is high too. But they have $40 on a common 6 inch monkey wrench a lot. At 20 cents a listing for a four month period, it's cheap enough to see what happens. Looks like it will be around a 7% fee on sold items when all is said and done too. Ebay wouldn't be much different in the end I guess, but I'd like to see some good competition for them, it may bring rates down for all of them, and make them more user friendly.

[rustcollector]

At the risk of digging up an old thread....

I happened upon a 1895 Chas. A Strelinger & co catalog today. The Merrick wrench is in it. 8, 10, 12, 15 and 18 inch versions costing from 75 cents to 2.15 for the largest. A 4 inch Bazter was 40 cents. Oh, plus the 5 cents postage added. There is also a very neat article in it about wrench patents.

[mvwcnews]

At the risk of digging up an old thread....

I happened upon a 1895 Chas. A Strelinger & co catalog today. The Merrick wrench is in it. 8, 10, 12, 15 and 18 inch versions costing from 75 cents to 2.15 for the largest. A 4 inch Bazter was 40 cents. Oh, plus the 5 cents postage added. There is also a very neat article in it about wrench patents.

That Strelinger piece is a classic;  wonder if he lived long enough to see the automobile age, the impact of good quality steel on wrench design, etc.