On the Great Plains, a land barren of wood and rock for the traditional rail and stone fences, the wire fence was a logical invention. Hundreds of barded-wire designs were invented, and the more practical patents were manufactured and shipped west at great profit. Today collectors are carefully searching out that wire for both enjoyment and historical interest. This book was designed to provide a well-organized identifying, classifying, and cataloguing system for the many designs and variations of barded wire. Nearly one thousand drawings and three indexes to patents, inventors, and manufacturers provide an immediate means of identification. "The most complete and illustrated catalog of antique barbed wire and related devices yet to come off the press." The Prospector. "Invaluable for the collector or for those simply interested in being amazed by the inventiveness of the human mind." Associated Press. "Eminently enjoyable and informative to the novice collector and the experienced historian alike." Real West.