Victorian Advertising Trade Catalog 1888
Northwestern Barb Wire Porcupine Barbed Wire

The following explains in part the secret of the success of our customers in building up and retaining their large trade on our wire: The clear line of difference (look at the cut) between this and other wires enables the dealer and the consumer to avoid confusion, as the close similarity in form of a large number of wires is such that it puzzles an expert to distinguish between them.

We sum up a few of the excellent points in our wire. Possessing in the highest degree all the most desirable features, namely: Strength, Effectiveness, Highest Degree of Economy in Constructions of the Barb.

During the Fall of ’87 (1887) we changed and improved all of our machines to use No. 14 for the barb, instead of No. 13 as formerly, ad have shortened the barb. The reduction in size and length gives a barb two inches in length from point to point, and requiring only 1 ¼ inches of wire to make it. This change reduces the weight of Northwestern Barb Wire over 1 ¼ ounces per rod, or about 8 ½ pounds per 100 rods, for our regular cattle wire, making our wire weigh about one pound to the rod.

The Northwestern Wire is lighter by 10 to 20 pounds per 100 rods than many other good barb wires, and does not require the strength to be twisted out of main wires in order to hold the barb in place. The difference in weight by using a No. 14 instead of a No. 13 makes the Northwestern Barb Wire the cheapest as well as the best Barb Wire in the market.