 Nail Puller – extractor 1898 and 50 similar items

Patent approved Oct 25 1898 Miller Falls tool company . 2,853 Oct. 25, 1898 Nail extractor John A. Leland Millers Falls, MA One of these appeared in a Martin J. Donnelly auction This slide handle nail puller is American made by Millers Falls Co. which was a tool manufacturing company originally based in Millers Falls, Massachusetts. It was established in Greenfield, Massachusetts in 1868 as Gunn Amidon[1] by Levi J. Gunn and Charles H. Amidon.[2] Gunn and Amidon, along with a third partner, Henry L. Pratt built a factory in the north of Greenfield.[1] After the Greenfield factory burned down, the company was reorganized as the Millers Falls Manufacturing Co.[1] It merged with Backus Vise Co. in 1872 to form Millers Falls Co..[3] In 1931 Millers Falls tools purchased the majority of the shares of Goodell-Pratt tools and merged with that manufacturer in 1932.[4] In 1962 the company was acquired by Ingersoll Rand.[5] In 1982, Ingersoll Rand sold the Millers Falls business to the newly created Millers Falls Tool Co. This tool is 21 inches long, maximum spread when open is 14 inches and maximum extension for the slam weight is 25 inches. It works by clamping the “teeth” around the nail head, compressing the arms and then slamming the slide weight down so as to penetrate the wood around the nail, followed up by levering the nail out. The age of this tool is early 1900’s as more modern, efficient, smaller designs started appearing after WW I. The metal is rusted, the metal shows casting marks and is pitted. The wood handle is split, badly weathered and almost worn away, given its age and use this puller is still in reasonable condition and is operational. This tool is rare, nothing like it on the market, the last one sold a few years back at auction for close to $200 USD. Please see the pictures for the most accurate condition of the product. Examine the pictures closely as they are provided as part of the description.