In my search to find out how old a ring lock fence was, I started to look at the star picket posts.
What I found is that the design rights of star pickets are (was) owned by OneSteel Manufacturing Pty Ltd on the 09/12/ 2004 which ran out on the 09/12/ 2014
Registration AU 304602
Appln/Design 200415706
See Here… for further details.
The invention of the star picket post goes to William James Todhunter and Howard Morton Slater and patented by Rylands Brothers (Australia) Limited “Improvements in steel posts and droppers for wire fences.” Australian patent 4,058/26. 1 October 1926.
See Here… for further details.
You can take a look at the original patent: Rylands Brothers (Australia) Ltd 1926 Improvements in steel posts and droppers for wire fences 26-4058
So it looks like my star picket fence can’t be older than 1926.