Lot 45

Desirable Oneida Newhouse Animal Trap Co. No. 15 Bear Trap

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Desirable Oneida Newhouse Animal Trap Co. No. 15 Bear Trap

Estimate: $2,500 - $4,000

Starting Bid: $1,800

(0 Bids)

by Rock Island Auction Company
August 21, 2026 9:00 AM CDT
Live Auction
3600 Harwood Road
Bedford, TX, US 76021

Desirable Oneida Newhouse Animal Trap Co. No. 15 Bear Trap Manufactured in limited numbers by the Animal Trap Company of America, located in Lititz, Pennsylvania, from 1925 to around 1976. These traps were originally designed and manufactured by hand by the Sewell Newhouse firm of Oneida County, New York, with this large "No. 15" bear trap weighing in at about 19 pounds including the anchoring chain. Compared to firearms, traps such as these, along with their smaller variations, are an often overlooked, but no less important tool in surviving and taming the American frontier. Newhouse began making traps in the early 1800s, at first by using metal scraps from his father's blacksmith shop. In 1849, Newhouse joined a religious community started by John Humphrey Noyes and continued making traps by hand. The business gradually grew until becoming a primary manufacturing operation for the community. Their primary sellers were always smaller traps, such as those for beaver, with reported sales in 1864 being 7,250 beaver traps compared to only 30 bear traps, making these large game traps incredibly scarce. It has the Oneida Newhouse Animal Trap Co. markings on the pan in raised lettering and the offset jaws with exposed teeth.

Manufacturer: None

Model: None

Class: Other

  • Condition: Very good overall, with a small chip in one of the springs and light oxidation. Both springs retain good tension, but for safety reasons the trap has not been tested.

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $199 $10
$200 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $25,000