at a yard sale yesterday. We were on our way home from work and stopped at a market to grab a snack. There was a yard sale set up next door, right off the end of the parking lot. I joked about going over to check out the yard sale junk to my coworker. When we came out of the store my buddy says, I thought we were going to see what they have...so we strolled over and I found these 2 beauties They appear to be forged. One piece, no rivets. Heavy, solid shaft, tube handle. Weigh about 1.5 pounds each? Deal of the day...$3.00
That's a heck of a deal! They appear to be "NeverBreak" shovels by Union Fork And Hoe, Co., made in the early to mid 1900s. I've seen them go for upwards of 60 and 70 bucks a piece.
If there are no rivets or welds where the handle attaches to the scoop, I would think they were drop forged in dies. Any seam line along the length? Also check if a magnet sticks to them to rule out cast iron. No doubt a good score.
Well your right... I just like old rusty metal... I saw them and they caught my eye. When I picked them up and realized how heavy they were and thought about how my stamped tin shovel from TSC was a POS, I saw the $3 price, and handed the lady her money. I knew they were a good tool by the way they were made. Of coarse I didn't know how valuable they were...
I have two of those shovels, as well as two matching pokers. One of the pokers is like brand new, the other has seen heavy use, it has been in my family since new (almost 100 years).
They're very hard to find. My family heirloom poker is the one I use at the fireplace, the "like new" one I found here locally, for 10 bucks. I've looked on the Internet for years and never saw another one.....
