on sale
Rustic "singletree" made of wood and steel. The wood on this one is very weathered and has been refinished with an amber color. The metal is also worn and bent in some places - overall, this piece has tons of character!
It can easily be hung from the rings on either end and then something can be hung from the middle bolt - pictures, flags, plaques, etc. Or you can hang from the loop in the middle and use the brackets on the ends to hang other items. This can also be turned a coat rack by adding some hooks or into a rustic chandelier. If you Google "whippletree repurpose" you can see some examples.
This piece of horse tack (equipment) is known by several different names - singletree, yoke, whippletree, wiffletree- great article on Wikipedia with a description of how it was used:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whippletree_(mechanism)
The singletree measures 37 1/2 inches long. Including the loop in the middle, it is 7 3/4 inches tall. The brackets at either end are 7 1/4 inches long.
As mentioned, this singletree has lots of wear, both from use and from being exposed to the outdoors. The wood looks a bit like driftwood to me, which I think is amazing, and with the amber finish, it is an amazing mix of colors, mostly on the darker side. The brackets on the ends are bent from use over the years and the bolt on one of them can come loose, but is easily put back into place. One end has extensive weathering and the wood has worn down to expose a bolt. There are scuffs, scratches dents and dings on the surface and the metal bolts and brackets have rust.
Note: If hung from the middle, the singletree will lean to one side. To balance it, you can add weight to one side (lead fish sinkers work well) or put a nail under the side that is leaning. If you hang it from the brackets on the ends, this won't be an issue since you can balance both ends as you hang it.
Please let me know if you have questions - thanks!
Free pickup in Minneapolis, either in my front yard (near exit off highway 94) or near the Lowry Ave. bridge on the NE Minneapolis side - contact me for details!