Psst! Hey buddy, wanna buy a watch?” That

dubious phrase conjures up visions of a

shifty-eyed street peddler hawking a host of

inexpensive, brand name timepieces.

The picture also highlights a

common risk for collectors. While

a “good deal” might be the holy

grail for many, locating a truly

great find is much more difficult. Chief among the

challenges for vintage farm wagon enthusiasts is

the need to know and authenticate the maker.

Brand name is important because it can greatly

affect sentimental, historical and resale values.

truthsHidden

An introductory guide to identifying vintage farm wagon brands

By David Sneed

Vintage wagons like this 1924 Peter Schuttler with triple box and spring seat are difficult to find with this much original paint still

intact. All images courtesy Wheels That Won The West® archive.

Above: The center reach plate on vintage wagon

gear can provide valuable clues as

to the maker.“

With a heritage firmly tied to settle-ment of the West and the great cattle drives of the 1800s, wood-wheeled farm wagons have been prominent fixtures on the American landscape for centu-ries. It’s a legacy and viability so strong that some brands were still being built into the 1950s and ’60s. Today, their period look and connection to Amer-ica’s early history have made quality, original wagons increasingly coveted. Certain brand names have taken on

particular significance; a provenance (doc-umented history for a particular col-lectible) can also benefit values.

Wagon identity crisis

Vintage wagons, like nearly anyone or anything today, are susceptible to lost, mistaken and even stolen iden-tities. The ravages of time, weather and neglect have

taken a heavy toll on the majority of

these retired work-horses. With most rel-

egated to the outdoors and

other poorly controlled environments, natural deterioration of recognizable marks only adds to the number of lost and easily mistaken characteristics.

As quality wagons become harder to find, unscrupulous opportunists and a general lack of accurate, published in-formation can also hamper the ability to positively identify a maker. Further complicating the puzzles are the thou-sands upon thousands of wagon manu-facturers that hung out a shingle dur-ing the 19th and early 20th centuries. With every builder came a different set of design and construction standards, and standards often changed from year to year with the same maker. Even if a name is still evident on an old gear (undercarriage) or box, there may be little or no information readily avail-able on the brand’s history.

Another confusing obstacle is that builders routinely assigned a multitude of different brand names to their wag-ons; names that may not clearly point to a specific manufacturer. Identification of every surviving vehicle can be very difficult – if not impossible. However, if you’re partial to whodunit mysteries or a well-scripted detective show, the pursuit itself can be just as enjoyable as actually finding the ideal wagon.

The maker almost always left clues. Approaching the task with the attention of an archaeologist and the patience of

Job can yield surprising results. To help find residual clues, we’ll start by break-ing the vehicle into three sections: met-alwork, paint and woodwork.

Start with metalwork One of the quickest ways to begin

narrowing the field of makers is close examination of metalwork. Markings are often cast into axle skeins (rhymes with stains), bolster and sandboard plates, box rod plates, front hound hardware, reach plate and other ar-eas. The reach plate is the flat piece of iron about midway along the coupling pole with a pin slot for connecting the front and rear sections of a wagon gear. A maker’s name or initials, as well as a number indicating the skein size of the wagon, is often found on the reach plate. Patent information is even cast into some reach plates.

Skeins are the thick, metal thimbles fitted over the ends of the axles and serve as the smooth surface upon which the wagon wheel rests and rolls. Num-bers, initials, logos and even names may be cast into the shoulders of a skein. This information can be help-ful for identification but is not always conclusive. Some larger companies, like Studebaker, had their own foundry and sold skeins to other makers and re-pairers. Consequently, different wagon brands might have skeins with a Stude-

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4

21- Mandt wagons often featured patented steel standards with tubes for inserting extensions, thereby offering even stronger support of the box sides. 2- Bolster standards on a Peter Schuttler wagon typically feature solid, tube-shaped upper ironwork while the lower bracing is fitted snugly to the wood. 3- Stoughton wagons often have fixed rings mounted on the face of the standards instead of loose rings (see Schuttler design) on the outer edge.

5- A thimble skein is the metal thimble upon which the wheel hub rests and rolls. Typically, larger openings in the shoulder of the skein translate into heavier load capacities for the wagon.

4- Many wagons built by the Springfield Wagon company utilized a unique fixed loop on the standards as shown on this Springfield lumber wagon.

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5

baker Brothers (SB) mark but have no other affiliation with the company.

Unique designs, logos and numbers may be found on bol-ster/sandboard plates (fifth wheel) and box rod hardware. Prominent brands regularly touted the differences and advantages of their fifth wheels since that was a component that sustained a lot of stress and could weaken over time. Elsewhere, the style of metalwork on standards, circle irons, reach boxes and overall bracing can also contain information but usually must be com-pared to period catalogs for complete authentication.

Names are sometimes cast into brake ratchets, the serrated, latching section of the hand- or foot-operated wagon brake. Typically, this is not the wagon maker’s name but simply that of the maker of the brake part. Since brake manufacturers sold to many vehicle builders, this data is usually of mini-mal benefit. However, there are always exceptions and it’s still a good idea to document any markings found here.

Even when the brand is known, it’s important to pay attention to subtle construction features. Several years ago, I watched a very nice triple box Weber wagon sell at auction. It still

had a significant amount of paint and, as might be imagined, it brought spir-ited bidding and a healthy price. Close inspection of the iron and woodwork, though, revealed that the entire front rocking bolster did not match the rear and was not from a Weber wagon.

Details in paintThe topic of paint includes all ref-

erences to the overall shape, style, lo-cation and color of pinstripes, base colors, logo application, stenciled se-rial numbers, maker and dealer names, wheel and skein sizes, and other pig-ment-based marks. Many times, the wagon box and even the rear axle or bolsters will retain the name of a hard-ware store, implement company or other business establishment. This is typically not the wagon maker but the retailer of the vehicle. The practice of applying the dealer’s name goes back to the 1800s and is a marketing tradi-tion still alive in today’s automobile industry.

As with methodical evaluation of metalwork, all remaining original

paint should be carefully documented. Even if the wagon has been repainted or the paint appears long gone, traces of valuable information can be found. Original paint colors may still be pres-ent beneath hub bands and other met-al parts.

Original color information is useful because it can help shrink the pool of potential makers. If the vehicle is still in an original state, it’s important to remember that stenciled lettering and numbers can be found anywhere on the box, gear and wheels. This some-times means the box will need to be carefully lifted from the gear to allow a visual search of the top of the bolsters. Stenciled information typically details

wheel heights, skein sizes, track widths, capacity information, brand/maker name or logo, se-rial numbers and patent num-bers. Patent numbers are espe-cially helpful since they can be quickly researched.

No easy answersI receive numerous que-

ries asking how a particular wagon maker painted his wagons. It’s one of the most difficult questions to answer because few, if any, makers painted their wagons a par-ticular way on a consistent basis. Times and preferenc-es changed just as they do today, and knowing how a brand was colored during one era doesn’t guarantee

it was made the same before or after.

Original paint information can be tough to come by as it usu-ally requires knowledge of the general time frame in which the vehicle was constructed. While information does exist in a few private collections, details can also be found in museums or historical soci-eties in the city where a given wagon was manufactured. For instance, fans of 20th century International Har-vester branded wagons like Weber, Co-lumbus, Steel King and Buckeye can obtain color information by contact-ing the Wisconsin Historical Society in Madison.

The identification process can be lengthy. As a result, it’s important to gather as much clear, detailed photog-raphy as possible. Sun, rain, heat, cold, dirt and other environmental pressures play havoc with paint, making it first on the list to deteriorate and disappear. Consequently, unless the wagon is in a light-, temperature- and humidity-controlled environment, the paint will

Placing dealer name signage on new wagons was commonplace from the late 1800s through the mid-1900s. It’s a promotional tool still used by automobile retailers today.

Careful application of distilled water on weak, brittle or faded wagon

paint can sometimes re-veal information otherwise

undetectable.

Standard

Sand Board

Stake RingsFront Bolster

Wagon Gear Parts

Front View of Front Gear

Hind View — Top View

Sway Bar

Nut

SkeinHound BraceFront Axle

Front Hound

Rear Axle

HoundBrace

RearBolster

RearHound

ReachPlate

Truss Rod

Skein

Standard

Bolster Plate

King Bolt

Tongue Bolt

continue to suffer ill effects.Detailed imagery helps pre-

serve what is still visible for future study. Should the paint or stenciling

be extremely faded, distilled water can be carefully applied. Sometimes water will help add enough contrast to allow numbers, letters and logos to be legi-ble. Because original paint on these old vehicles is usually very fragile, brushes, high pressure washes and other heavy-handed approaches to cleaning should be avoided. I also typically resist put-ting oil-based preservatives like linseed oil on bare wood as they can perma-nently discolor and even devalue a quality wagon.

Reading the woodworkWhen it comes to woodwork, no

area should be overlooked. Some mak-ers pressed numbers, symbols and oth-er data into different areas and simple, cursory searches can easily miss these features. I’ve found details like those imprinted on inside box panels, side board cleats, and bottom and top of the box floor as well as inner and outer axle faces, inner wheel felloes, bolsters

and brake blocks. One surviving mark may not be enough for identification, but when combined with other indica-tors from different parts of the wagon, it can be vitally important.

The type of woodwork along with the overall fit, finish and style of crafts-manship can also lend specific clues. Different brands often used different styles of construction. Some of these unique design traits had an engineered purpose while others were merely dec-orative. The Newton Wagon Co., Bata-via, Ill., offers a good example.

Instead of incorporating a straight hound on the front gear like most builders, a significant portion of New-ton’s 20th century farm wagons were built with drop-front hounds that helped reduce wear and turning fric-tion on the wagon. Other makers, like Peter Schuttler, Chicago, added extra contouring and elaborate pinstriping to the wood, reinforcing their quality reputation with stylistic distinction.

Careful research is keyA gentleman once asked me whether

the Miller Wagon Co., Edina, Mo., ever built wagons with a steam-bent, wooden front hound. It seems he had passed up an opportunity to buy a rare, well-preserved Miller wagon because he believed the wag-on hound was not original. Unfor-tunately for him, he was mistaken. Knowing the level of originality is not only essential to determining the maker, but can also be key to mak-ing sound invest-ment decisions. In some cases, the potential value of a wagon may war-rant hiring a qual-ified consultant to help authenticate and document the vehicle.

Also consider overall measurements. Wheel heights, tire widths, hub sizes, box sideboard heights and even the geometric design of the sideboard cleats should be reviewed. Specific features of accessory items such as toolboxes, end-gates, brake systems and rein holder position can also point to individual maker differences.

Right: Vintage wagon literature can be

extremely helpful in the authentication

process.

The curving “drop” in the forward section of a Newton wagon gear is meant to reduce friction and binding of the reach, or coupling, pole.

Standard

Sand Board

Stake RingsFront Bolster

Wagon Gear Parts

Front View of Front Gear

Hind View — Top View

Sway Bar

Nut

SkeinHound BraceFront Axle

Front Hound

Rear Axle

HoundBrace

RearBolster

RearHound

ReachPlate

Truss Rod

Skein

Standard

Bolster Plate

King Bolt

Tongue Bolt

Even though we may never know the name brand and history of every old wagon, there’s always hope. Two examples come to mind as proof that almost anything is possible. In my research and travels over the past few years, I happened upon two very different wagons. Each was well over 100 years in age. One had almost no paint and neither vehicle contained any numbers or names identifying the maker.

After extensive photography and note taking during a firsthand examination of one wagon, I spent months digging through 19th century catalogs and other period materials. I was finally able to confirm the wagon as an extremely rare Peter Schuttler brand. It had been unearthed in 1988 after being buried in 1856 when it sank on the steamboat Arabia in the Missouri River. After resting more than 130 years underground, the paint was almost non-existent but the wood and metal were remark-ably well preserved, helping significantly in the evalua-tion process.

Another identity conundrum I came across pondered the question of who built a unique wagon shown in a one-of-a-kind Victorian-era photo. After two full years of determined research, I was finally able to positively identify Jacob Becker, Seymour, Ind., as the maker. Mr. Becker had built the wagon with numerous distinctive features and exhibited it in 1876 at the Centennial Ex-position in Pennsylvania.

While the road to identifying these vehicles came with its own set of challenges, the initial amount of in-formation available for both was minimal. To read more about the incredible search for answers and the ultimate revelation of each wagon’s identity, log on to www.wheels thatwonthewest.com, click on the “Featured Vehicle” sec-tion and check out the “Archives” banner on the left-hand side of the web page. Clearly, these success stories are extreme exam-ples, but they serve as encouragement for those working to identify other wagons with minimal maker clues. – David Sneed

While spring seats, tongues, single-trees and doubletrees can also hold valuable maker information, these pieces are often transient. Since they are easily transferred from one wagon to another, over time they may no longer be original to the wagon being reviewed. Overall, it’s important to continue looking beyond single con-struction features and secure as much detailed documentation as possible. The collective whole of information will help avoid the pitfalls of misiden-tification while also highlighting the level of originality and, hopefully, re-vealing the identity of the wagon.

Once ordinary, now uniqueWood-wheeled farm wagons were

the most prevalent vehicle on the farms, plains, and ranches of 19th and early 20th century America. Even with such a dominant historical pres-ence, they are still among the most unknown today. Beyond the research

challenges of an enormously large horse-drawn transportation industry or poorly kept records from maker to maker, the greatest obstacle in learn-ing much about vintage wagons may be that almost from the beginning, their go-anywhere, do-it-all design made them so popular that they be-came ordinary; ordinary to the point of being taken for granted and, ulti-mately, counted as useless. The result is that too many of these historical connections to our ancestry have been overlooked and left to rot in a forgot-ten barn, shed or field.

For every wagon desperately cling-ing to the last remnants of its wood, paint and identifiable markings, there are hundreds of thousands that have slipped away into a nameless, faceless obscurity. While some are forever lost, there’s a growing recognition and ap-preciation for those still in existence. Ironically, the same wagons that sold for a few hundred dollars when new

can now fetch several thousand dol-lars. Just like other classic vehicles today, factors such as quality, rarity, condition, originality and the brand name have a tremendous impact on auction prices.

Perhaps though, the real value isn’t monetary after all. As most who have seen an antique wagon on display can confirm, these rolling icons have a way of drawing attention. Maybe the old wheels remind us of a simpler time, a greater sense of community or possibly it’s a feeling of belonging; a connec-tion to the hopes, dreams and raw will that built America. Perhaps those are the real hidden truths we can all en-joy from these relics of yesterday still loaded with spirit for tomorrow. FC

David Sneed is an early western vehicle historian, writer, collector and founder of the Wheels That Won The West® archives. Contact him by e-mail at info@wheelsthatwonthewest.com.

identities To discover more details on availability of vintage catalog reprints, horse-drawn vehicle books, plans, illustrations and histories, check these resources:American Chuck Wagon Association, www.chuckwagon.orgCarriage Association of America, www.caaonline.comHansen Wheel & Wagon Shop, www.hansenwheel.comIndividual State Historical SocietiesNational Stagecoach & Freight Wagon Association, www.stagecoachfreightwagon.orgWisconsin Historical Society, www.wisconsinhistory.org/libraryarchives/ihcWheels That Won The West® Publishing, www.wheelsthatwonthewest.com

loST ANd FouNd

This wheel is part of a

150-year-old wagon uncovered

from the steamboat Arabia in 1988.