19th century Hudson Bay fur trade trap, signed IV, attributed to Isaac Veal (English, 1796-1862), hand forged iron with leaf spring action for trapping bears and other wild animals. 28" x 12" x 6". 

Note: According to "Isaac Veal, Trap Maker," (Museum of the Fur Trade Quarterly, Vol. 38, No. 1, Spring 2002), Isaac Veal was born in Ringwood, England in 1796 and died there in 1862. At the time of publication, about two dozen traps marked IV had been found, all but one of them in the region of the US-Canada border between New England and Quebec. They are believed to have been imported for sale through a large fur trading company, possibly the Hudson Bay Company, prior to the development and wide distribution of the Newhouse trap, which became standard by 1860. A copy of the issue of the magazine containing this article is available to the winning bidder. 

Overall very good condition with oxidation and general use wear.