Primitive Red-Painted Gamefowl Rooster Carrier — Iron Strap Hinges

A hand-built solid wood gamefowl transport carrier finished in barn red over an earlier layer of sage green — two original paint coats, never stripped, the stratigraphic record of a working object that earned its surface honestly. The form is purpose-built: a hinged-lid box with a center divider creating two separate compartments, each ventilated by a row of drilled holes running the length of the case. Separation was not incidental — fighting cocks cannot share space without attacking each other, making the divided interior a functional necessity, not a stylistic one. Two integral wooden bar handles span the lid for two-man carry, and an iron strap hinge pair secures the lid on the long face. The hexagonal wooden latch plate centered on the lid is a hand-cut folk detail. Construction is cut-nail joinery throughout; no machine fasteners visible.

Spanish settlers introduced cockfighting to the Southwest earlier than English colonists brought it to the Eastern seaboard, and the sport became deeply embedded in New Mexico's rural culture. New Mexico was one of only three states where cockfighting remained legal into the modern era, making the region a center of gamefowl culture long after most of the country had banned the practice. A carrier like this one moved prize birds — animals that could represent years of selective breeding and thousands of dollars of value — between farms, derbies, and pits across the Mesilla Valley and beyond. It is folk craft in service of folk sport, and both have deep roots here. Oklahoma Historical SocietyHigh Country News

CONDITION Good — finish wear and loss throughout consistent with long working use; the red-over-sage paint stratigraphy is intact, unrestored, and authentically rustic. Iron strap hinges show moderate surface oxidation but remain structurally functional. No splits, breaks, or structural compromise observed in the wood body.

DIMENSIONS / SPECIFICATIONS

• Overall: 13.5" H × 30" W × 12.75" D
• Compartment 1 (interior): 10" W × 11" D
• Compartment 2 (interior): 17.25" W × 11" D
• Construction: Solid wood, cut-nail joinery
• Finish: Original red paint over earlier sage green; unrestored
• Hardware: Iron strap hinges (2), wooden bar handles (2), hexagonal wood latch plate
• Ventilation: Drilled oval holes, multiple rows on long faces
• Campbell's Soup Can (4" H) Shown for Scale

Please Note: Soup for Scale Shown in Photo