Barbed Wire Collecting as Metal Art 2

The things we collect. Mike and I love all things old and rusty. The things that bring us a connection with the past- ours and our culture’s. A friend recognized that obsession in us, and gave Mike a really cool Barbed Wire collection. 

The tags on the collection say the collector was Phil Smith, of the California Barbed Wire collectors Association, and the display was part of a challenge from The American Barbed Wire Journal  titled- “1868-1968- 100 Years of barbed wire.” 

The back of the label reads, “It’s been said that the most important factors in the taming of the West were barbed wire, the six shooter, and the windmill. There are over 1000 known types of barbed wire with a story behind every fence. Why don’t you see how many 18″ lengths you can collect to keep abreast of the phenominal wire collecting hobby.”  The American Barbed Wire Journal.

This collection is varied, from old pieces of wood mounted to the wire, to plastic wrapped with most likely, aluminum barbs. It’s mounted on a piece of carpet and easily stored. But who would want to store such a work of art? We’ve got to find a place to display this collection. It needs to hang up away from little hands and curious K9s. These barbs are serious. Some of them 1/2 inch long. I’m wondering if they were intended to keep cattle in or predators out? Maybe both.

I’ve worked with barbed wire before to create wreaths. It isn’t easy to shape or gather so I can imagine the struggle a rancher would have had stretching this very sharp wire on fence posts for miles on end. Both of my Grandfathers were just such ranchers and I wrote about one of them here. The West was and still is a rugged and wild place. It takes perseverance to stick out the cold winters and the long scorching summers. This barbed wire collection is a reminder that someone believed the challenge was worth it.