19th Century Fishing Lures

Arlan Carter

This eagerly awaited book subtitled A Collector's guide to U.S. Lures Manufactured Prior to 1901, deals with an area of lure collecting that has sorely been lacking in reference material. Arlan Carter is well known after 20 years of NFLCC membership and has the credentials to put together this book. 

19th Century Fishing Lures is a hardbound, 8.5 x 11 inch book, typical of the reference materials published by Collector Books. It retails for $29.95. The book has 303 pages, which are mostly an alphabetical listing of lure makers from the years the book covers. Most of these lures are metal baits, and thus the reader is provided with a well documented history of these makers, which has never been available before in one book. The famous baits of Buel, Haskell, Chapman, Skinner and many others are illustrated with patent drawings, catalog cuts, and high quality color photographs. There are many old period black and white photographs as well. 

The book has prices on many of the lures, but as Carter explains, the values are most often for the exact lure pictured in the book. Metal baits were made in many grades, and they do not have the same value. As explained in the values section, "a nickel plated blade (is not) worth as much as a gold plated one." However, the values shown with the lures do provide a starting spot to compare one lure with another.

19th Century Fishing Lures was published by Collector Books, PO Box 3009, Paducah, KY 42002, or is available from the author. Send your check or money order for $29.95 plus $2.00 postage to Arlan Carter, PO Box 107, Fall Creek, WI 54742, or call 1-800-695-6017. Visa and Mastercard accepted.

If you have any interest in metal baits, the history of old fishing tackle, or just like great old fishing stuff this book belongs on your library shelf. You will refer to it many times, and maybe finally appreciate some of those old metal baits that some very wise collectors have been accumulating for many years. 

Review by Phil White
July 2000