4-5/8" Baby Coes Wrench for guessing Price of 72" Coes Key Model Wrench

[Bus]

The Spring 2015 Wrenching News Antique Wrench Catalog is finally complete and on the web at:

http://wrenchingnews.com/2015-york-auction/catalog.html

All the photos can be seen at:

http://wrenchingnews.com/2015-york-auction/all-pics-one-page.html

In case you haven't heard the main attraction is the super large and super rare 72" Coes Model Key Wrench. Rustcollector on his facebook farm wrench site has started a contest to guess the hammer price. I will up the stakes a little and give one of my 4-5/8" "Baby Coes" wrenches to a member of Papaws Tool Board who comes within $100.00 of the final price. If more than one person guesses within $!00.00 the closest wins.

Below are the auction photos and catalog description of the big boy.


0630. PAT. OCT 20. 1903 - MADE BY COES WRENCH CO (marked on the upper jaw) - TRADEMARK KEY MODEL with a skeleton key logo (marked on handle shaft) - - 72" Coes largest Key Model adjustable wrench. Patented by Loring Coes of Worcester, Mass, (Loring Coes' last wrench patent).


The rest of the story: I never dreamed that I would have the opportunity to sell one these mammoth wrenches but they all changed when I got a call from British Columbia from a collector who had just purchased one from a retired bridge contractor. After a few more phone calls he consented to let us sell it on this auction. It arrived in a 53" Roadway semi-trailer and with help from the driver slid it from the trailer into my van. When I got home I took it out of it's crate and slid it onto a dolly and wheeled it under our carport where I took the photos.

This is only the second 72" Coes Key Wrench that have been discovered by collectors. For years rumors of one residing somewhere in New England floated around tools shows till Herb Page author of "The Brother Coes and Their Wrench Legacy of Wrenches" tracked it down and after a couple years and two trips from the Midwest to the East Coast managed to purchase the only one known at the time. It had came out of one of the offices of Billings & Spencer when they closed and had evidently never been sold and was passed from The Coes Wrench Company to Bemis & Call to Billings & Spencer as The Coes Wrench Company changed owners. Herb later put on his best suit and had a photograph taken of him standing beside the wrench like the iconic photo of Frank Coes standing by one with a "Baby Coes between the jaws, I wonder if they are photos of the same wrench? According to advertisements announcing the new 72" size to their 28". 36" and 48" Key Wrenches it was a special order item that was intended mainly for bridge builders. According to the announcement the jaws weighed 33-1/2 pounds; adjusting screw, 5-1/2 pounds; strap, 8-1/2 pound; key, 4-1/2 pounds and bar, 114 pounds for a total of 166 pounds! It was advertised by Coes as "probably the largest adjustable wrench ever made".

This wrench maybe the only remaining example of one that was actually sold. The previous owner said he never used the wrench and he doubted that it was ever used and it doesn't show any signs of use with no dings around the jaw edges which usage usually causes. A beautiful impressive wrench with dark patina and no defects. The only thing that I should mention is that at one time parts were painted with a reddish brown paint (probably for owner's identification) and there is some paint residue left. This really doesn't distract from the appearance and could easily be removed if desired.

The markings on this one are different than the one Herb Page owned. His was only marked "PAT. OCT 20. 1903 - MADE BY COES WRENCH CO " on the shaft. This one has those markings on the upper jaw and is also marked "TRADEMARK KEY MODEL" with their skeleton key logo on the shaft.

A once in a life time opportunity to own one of the largest, rarest, most impressive and most desirable of all collectible wrenches. I usually don't include an expected price but I have had several inquires as to the hammer price of this one. Herb Page valued it at $12.500 in his 2005 Price Guide in his Coes book. Four of the twelve or thirteen know examples of the John Deere TR590 cutout wrenches have sold in the last few years between $10,000 (with a broken letter) and $20,000 and this wrench is about six times rarer than the TR590. Have fun bidding and Good Luck.

Loring Coes with 72" Coes Key Model Wrench                           Herb Page with 72" Coes Key Model Wrench

[Papaw]

I posted my guess.

[jimwrench]

Too late I posted my guess also.

[turnnut]

Bus, my guess has been posted.

 I sure wish that I could get my weight down to the same as that wrench.

[Bus]

Would you guys post your guesses here so I can keep track of them. So far I have:

rustcollector - $15,500
rudeawakening55 - $7,500
Papaw - $16,555
jimwrench - $24,100.
turnnut - $16,600
Lewill2 - $14,800
Yadda - $25,300
bill300d - $12,200
1930 - $25,301
Carl Wagner - $11,700
BRwrench - $21,000
Chillylulu - $18, 640
eddie hudson - $18,350
stanley62 - $15,000
Nolatoolguy - $19,150
Plyerman - $17,000
Heelspur - $26,850
skipskip - $11,245
gibsontool - $31,555
johnsironsanctuary - $26,165
Mitch - $29,300
stillfishin - $10,501
mvwcnews - $16,600
northkid - $13,750

[Lewill2]

$14,800.00

[Yadda]

I'm in.

I straightened up the list. I hope no one minds.

Lewill2 - $14,800.00
rustcollector - $15,500.
Papaw - 16,555
turnnut - $16,600
jimwrench - $24100.
Yadda - $25,300.

[bill300d]

$12,200

[1930]

25,301 

[Carl Wagner]

$11,700. Playing it conservative.

[BRwrench]

21,000

[mvwcnews]

Our local govt. will be gratified if your guesses are anywhere close -- the City of York has 2% sales tax  (1/2 % is special use for interlocal  -- City & School District -- projects including street improvements, new sports facilities, etc. )  And the State of Nebraska gets 5 1/2% -- so if you have a tax exempt number for your collection "business," be sure to invoke it.

[Chillylulu]

$18, 640.00

Chilly

[eddie hudson]

$18,350

[stanley62]

$15,000