REDVERS — Ten years ago, Ron and Juanita Henderson made a seemingly insignificant purchase. Little did they realize how it would affect their lives.
Ron’s aunt, Alice Zimmerman, was about to enter a personal care home and her family was deciding what to do with her personal belongings. Alice had an unusual collection — more than 100 pieces of assorted barbed wire. Wanting to keep it in the family, the Hendersons decided to buy it from her as a keepsake.
The collection sat in their possession for about five years, gathering dust. One day, upon noticing it, they became fascinated by how many types of barbed wire existed. Further investigation revealed that what they had was simply the tip of the iceberg.
They learned that the history of barbed wire could be traced back to 1853. Its origins were actually a barbless wire developed by a rancher hoping to fence in livestock, though it proved ineffective. Fifteen years later, in 1868, that wire was enhanced with barbs by someone else, who patented the design.
Since then, barbed wire has been used around the world to confine livestock — and for many other purposes. It has been used by the military, in jails and even in concentration camps.
Not only have its uses expanded, but so have the varieties. Incredibly, more than 2,000 varieties of barbed wire have been created since that first patent. As the Hendersons say, “We had no idea how many types were out there!”
The couple has since gone on a quest to collect as many varieties as possible.
Their search has been aided by a 377-page publication, Barbed Wire Identification Encyclopedia by Harold L. Hagemeier. The Antique Barbed Wire Society periodically publishes supplements to the encyclopedia. These resources provide details and illustrations of all known styles of barbed wire.
The “Henderson collection” has grown to about 270 different pieces — still a long way from the full catalogue. Their pieces include single-strand wire, double-strand wire, triple-strand wire and twisted wire, each valued at anywhere from 25 cents to $150 for an 18-inch strip.
They find pieces online and in places like antique stores.
They have purchased an enclosed trailer, and every new discovery is added to the inside walls. The trailer has become a barbed wire museum of sorts, complete with a few fencing tools. The Hendersons take it to farming shows a few times each year to educate people about the history and use of barbed wire. Ron also enjoys going into the trailer periodically just to admire his collection. As far as they know, they are the only barbed wire collectors in the province.
Barbed wire is a much bigger world than they ever imagined when they bought Aunt Alice’s collection. There are several barbed wire museums throughout North America, including the largest in La Crosse, Kansas. Numerous shows take place in the United States each year — events the Hendersons hope to attend someday. They also subscribe to a bi-monthly publication called The Barbed Wire Collector.
Yes, a simple decision to keep something in the family has proved life-changing for Ron and Juanita Henderson in their retirement years.
