Antique French Sheep Shears Hand Forged Iron Spring Shears 1908264

Antique French Sheep Shears

Hand-forged antique French sheep shears of the type used across rural France for centuries in sheep farming and wool production. These antique French sheep shears are a genuine working tool, made entirely from iron in the traditional bow-spring design that preceded the pivot-blade scissors model. Single-piece construction with no rivets or joints — the spring action comes from the curved iron bow connecting the two blades.

The shears are forged from heavy iron stock, finished with a dark oxide surface that shows age-appropriate patina and surface oxidation consistent with decades of use and storage. The blades are triangular and pointed, tapering to sharp tips — a form typical of French wool shears rather than the blunter grass or hedge shear variants. Each blade shows a small notch or step near the heel, visible in the close-up photos, which is a characteristic feature of hand-forged shear construction. The spring bow at the top is wide and robust, formed from a flat iron strip bent into a full loop to provide tension. No maker's stamp or mark is visible in the photos.

Total length approximately 34cm / 13.4 inches as stated by the seller. The bow spring adds width of approximately 6cm / 2.4 inches at its widest point. These are a substantial, heavy-gauge example of the form.

A practical and visually direct piece of French rural craft history. Works well as a display object in a farmhouse interior, alongside textile or agricultural collections, or as a reference piece for blacksmithing and tool collectors interested in pre-industrial ironwork.

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