Could you please help to identify this unusual American inventor's model of a plow from the 1800s?

[Romak]

Dear antique and vintage farm experts. I have an original antique 1800s small handmade model from an unknown American inventor. It was just discovered in New York. The owner only knew that it was an inventor's model from the 1860s or 1870s. I have never seen a plow with such an unusual design. What else puzzles me is its very flat bottom. It is almost like some kind of a plow designed to be used on snow, I think. I am attaching some photographs. The model is only 8" long but it is made with great precision of wood and brass. I think the real size plow of such design could be attached


Thank you!

 

[Diggin It]

Looks like a sod cutter.

 

[Wagtail]

Looks like a sod cutter.

That is my first impression. Variable depth 'Centreboard' sod-cutter.

Would work well in a prairie environment of the time.

 

[npalen]

Sod cutter seams likely but don't understand how the horizontal blade could cut the sod beneath the bottom of the board. Looks like the board would run at ground level.

 

[KennyG]

Sod cutter seams likely but don't understand how the horizontal blade could cut the sod beneath the bottom of the board. Looks like the board would run at ground level.

After the first pass, the board would run on the stripped soil, so below sod level. How the first pass gets taken out is unclear, but maybe the vertical blade is to score the soil to take the first pass sod off manually.

 

[Egon]

The one picture shows that the leading edge will have a downward tilt. The edge blade should make a vertical cut on the edge of the strip. ??

 

[jigs_n_fixtures]

From Upstate New York, my first guess would be that it is an Ice Plow. Before Refrigeration Ice Harvesting was a major industry in the area, and they would ship ice to cold storage house all over the east.

Tools for Harvesting the Ice

 

[hube2]

From Upstate New York, my first guess would be that it is an Ice Plow. Before Refrigeration Ice Harvesting was a major industry in the area, and they would ship ice to cold storage house all over the east.

Tools for Harvesting the Ice

Actually, some type of ice saw was my first impression as well. Guess that comes from living where people still do it, not that I've actually seen it done.

 

[Romak]

Actually, some type of ice saw was my first impression as well. Guess that comes from living where people still do it, not that I've actually seen it done.

Thank you to everybody! This is so interesting. I am not sure if the blade is able to penetrate the solid ice, but what if it is for cutting the snow, rather than ice?

 

[Romak]

Sod cutter seams likely but don't understand how the horizontal blade could cut the sod beneath the bottom of the board. Looks like the board would run at ground level.

Amazing! I never even thought about that. I will research in this direction also!