Sam Hart was the principle owner and manager of Blake & Lamb for a number of years from the late 1930s until they went out of business. I met Sam at E.J. Dailey's place in the 1960s and visited with him occassionally at the NY State Trapper's Association conventions in Piseco, NY. We did a limited amount of business with him when we ran a trapping supply house in the 1960s, '70s and 1980s. Sam had a lot of B&L stuff, just how complete I can't say for sure, but I would guess his collection was near complete.

Red raider 50, thanks for sharing. Cool little bit of history there.

I guess I'm confused, if the trap wasn't known to exist, why would it be listed in Andreski and Parr's book? Or am I missing something? Thanks.

fiftynine, The trap was listed in an old Blake & Lamb catalog. The #5s had been seen but not the #6 until this one. So, it was a known trap it just had not been seen by the collecting community.

Fiftynine, also in that 1895 Blake and Lamb catalog there is listed a #15, and a #4 Deer trap. Neither of these two have surfaced either, many times in catalogs, items that were intended to be produced were put into catalogs that may or may not have been produced. Before production on anything begins, the marketing and advertising is always finished before the product, whether it ends up being produced or not.
As Dean pointed out, this is the first time a later model Raised letter pan Blake has surfaced, so for many of us advanced collectors we always assumed that it never was produced until now. The earlier model three circle pan #6 is rare in itself as there are I believe only 5 known examples of that one which was produced from around 1884-85 to around 1894-95 after Chambers death, and his son took over. This was the period when Blake produced its first long spring, "The Oneida Pattern". Before that, as Blake and Lamb started production around 1865, all their traps were the double under springs, which included the double under spring #5 and #6 Blake and Lamb Bear Trap.
Another thing I want to point out is that a price guide is just that, just a guide, and in the Blake Bear trap section, the Blake bear traps are extremely undervalued. As the few people that own the #5 Raised letter and the #6 Three circle pan, were never contacted, or consulted with about price when the guide was put out, and all of us gave more for their Blakes than what they are priced for in the guide.

Bruce, I know for a fact that there is a new price guide in the works, the way I understand it is that they were trying to have it ready for the National Convention in New York later this summer. I do know that there were some very knowledgeable collectors, and trap sellers that were consulted, and asked to help make a contribution of knowledge, as far as price and rarity, condition. You know as well as everyone on here, the price of some of this stuff is just going nuts. Some of the traps are bringing a of a lot more than when Tom and Blaise put together the last price guide. Folks that is why they call it a GUIDE, it's not a Bible, Thanks Phil

Sure wish Bruce would post a picture of his BLAKE & LAMB 4 1/2!!!!!!

Dale,
I do not have a #4 & 1/2 Blake & Lamb. The last one that I saw was at the nationals in Lima. It was the later model with stamped pan, and I do not know if it sold or not. I believe Frank De Bolle had it. I have heard that there is an earlier model in a collection in the New England States, but have never seen pictures of it.

Nhousecattrapper and snakecollector, thx for the information. Is the value of these rare traps based on what the owners would accept if they decided to sell? Now that one was sold, is this the new value of these traps? I ask because I attended an auction recently where a Herter's 41 AX was sold for $2200. Several of us trappers in attendance figured the value around 6 to 700 dollars. I know the competitive atmosphere of an auction can cause bidders to overpay on items sometimes, but can it be assumed that because several individuals were willing to pay at least double the printed value in a price guide, that the value of similar traps has doubled?