Fall Auction

eBay Report - April 2004

Do you think it's ever going to run out? Like the mighty Mississippi, the tackle just keeps rolling along...

Lures:

Let's lead off with one that doesn't come up too often. A Simmon's "Ketch-Em" 3 hook underwater minnow in a wooden box. The lure is in rainbow color and both the lure and box are in EX condition as you can see from this photo. Collectors liked it to the tune of $1597.98. Another neat miscellaneous lure was a Pepper Roman Spider, Green with a red head, still sporting its legs, and overall in VG condition. It brought $338. A c1905 Bing's Weedless Nemahbin Minnow with 2 belly weights brought $961. A Woods 5 hook Expert Minnow in VG condition reached $422.89. A VG Jamison No. 1 Convertible Coaxer in an EX box with papers sold for $214.28. An Al Foss 5" Oriental Wiggler in VG condition that was white & Yellow received 20 bids before selling for $237.51. A Johnson Automatic Striker that was EX in a G box and perch color reached $761.01. A rare Payne's Humane Woggle Bug from the Sheridan Jones collection that was framed with a copy of a 1915 Outers ad for the bait topped out at $610. A Nixon Underwater 3 hook minnow from Grand Rapids, Michigan, in VG+ condition, sold for $709.99.

As always, there were lots of nice Heddon baits offered. Among these was a scale colored (#5509P) Gamefisher in the correct down leaping bass box. Both lure and box were EX and sold for $305 after 22 bids. A Copper colored Killer #400 in VG condition brought $1850. A Dummy Double minnow with football hardware, strawberry color, with papers and VG condition ended at $1009. A Musky Surfusser #359R that was VG-EX in a G box brought $1000. A wooden Fly Rod Runtie that was in rainbow and VG-EX sold for $187.50, and a Bug-A-Bee in copper and EX reached $308.33. As usual Heddon plastic baits brought ungodly prices. A plastic Lucky 13 in white shore pattern and EX condition sold for $900 after 23 bids. An X9630 plastic Punkinseed in Sunfish sold for $232.51 and a 9630 bluegill, mint in the box brought $1227.02. A Sonic in Indy 500 pattern that was mint brought $305 and an EX Chugger spook in what I guess would be called yellow wing blackbird sold for $481.56.

Creek Chub baits included an EX Weed Bug in an EX box. The lure was in frog pattern, and sold for $455. Another in bug finish brought $388.88. A 7-1/4" #7534 Popper in blue flash color, and EX in a VG-EX box reached $304.99. A mint Wiggler in a mint intro box sold for $815. It was painted in scale finish. Another Wiggler that was EX and blue scale color reached $420. A Plunking Dinger #6250, dace color, which was VG in a VG box topped out at $355. An EX Wagtail Chub in early Dace color sold for $256.51. A Sucker #3900 4-1/4", with pretty gold scale and VG condition brought $462. A Beetle in silver flash #3818 that was EX in an EX box with paper sold for $490. A Plunker that was white with black head and EX brought $500. An Injured Minnow #1506, goldfish, and EX sold for $1094.50.

One of the most beautiful lures this month was this Paw Paw Wounded Caster in rainbow trout color. It was in EX condition and sold for $365. A Paw Paw Jointed Dreadnought, musky size in RB Trout and VG, reached $535.89. A seller auctioned of a pair of Chippewa baits, both in rainbow color. One was bass size, and one Pike size. The pair sold for $1325. Another more modern Misc. bait was an Eger glass eyed Dillinger, which was VG and white/red stripes. It brought $836.50. A Darby Spin Head Minnow, mint in a VG-EX box came up. It was green back with a red head, and sold for $577.89. A Strike-Master Spraying Glider #8746, white/red head, NIB sold for $325.

An EX Pflueger Surprise Minnow in green crackle back with hole eyes brought $203.47. A Smelzer Arms Co. 3 hook green crackle back minnow (Neverfail) in a G wooden box reached $810, and a mint Playfair 5 hook minnow (Neverfail) in an EX wooden box in bar perch color sold for $1224.

Lure boxes (only) of note included a Howe's Vacuum Bait with papers, c1907, and VG that brought $1802.50. A VG box only for an Eger Florida Special Little Midget brought $986.56. And the big wowser of the month a Heddon Picture Box for the Dowagiac Casting Bait, patent 1902, in VG condition which sold for $16,657.50. 

Miscellaneous Fishing Stuff:

An M. F. Ferax, French fishing float came up for the second time since I've been doing this report. Maybe this was the same example, for it was also EX in the box. This is a mechanical float that sets the hook for the fisherman. This example brought $647, and is shown to the right. A hand forged fish spear with 11 tines (15" x 8") brought $105.49.

A Field & Stream bronze crappie Honor Badge for a 2 pound 2 oz fish sold for $200. A Resident Fishing Pennsylvania license badge from 1923 in near mint condition sold for $576.

A Bear Creek Bait Co. plastic fish decoy, pike, with a yellow body and red spots in VG sold for $184.50, while another in yellow pike scale reached $165.50. A neat looking, hand made 7-3/4" fish decoy, VG condition brought 16 bids and $635. It is shown to the left. A Wisconsin 35" sturgeon Decoy with 6 fins, made by Otto Jurgenson and in EX sold for $299.99. (Did you ever stop and wonder why someone bids a figure like $289.99, the bid that must have been second high. Why stop just under a blocking figure like $300? Why not bid just over the block?) A Bud Stewart "Panfish Pair" of bluegill fish decoys in EX brought $233.52. An unusual Heddon Ice Spook decoy, which was EX was offered. It was white with red trim and a green crackle back weight. It brought $640.99.

A Helin Flatfish display board, 16 x 20 inches, showing 17 different sizes and 35-40 different colors of plastic Flatfish reached $274.09. A tin sign advertising Champaign Velvet beer, featuring a Hy Hintermeister fly fisherman scene and VG, sold for $197.95. An EX original etching by Kent Hagerman, showing a surf fishing scene, 7 x 10 inches, and framed sold for $277.

A really neat Hardy celluloid Dry Fly oil bottle was offered. It was in EX condition as can be seen from the photo to the right, and was reportedly made only in 1924-25. It sold for $662. A Hardy Bros. 1929 catalog in VG condition brought $192.01. One of those British taxidermy cases showing a chub weighing 5 pounds caught in 1955 brought $249. Three antique priests (1 salmon and 2 trout) all made of different wood and in VG used condition sold for $266.45. A creel of whole willow and in VG condition, with a Hardy brass plate brought $554.43.

A hand blown, double opening, glass minnow trap that was in VG condition fetched $227.51. It is shown here. A McSwain Glass minnow trap with no lid, but otherwise VG-EX, seemed a bargain at $97. A Shapleigh Keen Kutter Minnow bucket in Fair-G condition reached $120.50. A nice Climax Cream City minnow bucket, green and gold, with silver stenciling and VG sold for $304.

A first edition copy, 1924, of Zane Grey's book Tales of Southern Rivers, that was G-VG in dust jacket hit a lick at $804. The Fish Decoy Book, Vol. II, by Art, Brad & Scott Kimball in EX condition sold for $187.50. A 1941 CCBC catalog in full color and VG-EX condition reached $201.40. A wonderful F. C. Woods pamphlet titled "About Bait Casting" in EX brought $987.50. It was 20 pages and discussed the Woods Expert minnow.

A cast iron (?) old boat anchor, 31" long and in VG brought $182.50. A Hand forged eel spear in VG reached $167.50. It was 13" long with a 5" spread.

Reels:

A rare Hardy Silex Rex multiplying casting reel that looks sort of like a Pflueger Supreme came up. This reel was made from 1935-37, and the seller stated that only 94 were manufactured. This one was in EX condition and sold for $3699.99. Another Hardy reel of interest was a 4" Decantelle single action casting reel. This uncommon reel was c1931 and VG-EX condition and sold for $719. It is shown to the right. A Hardy St. George, 3-1/4" size, that was VG in a leather Hardy case reached $609.59. An Eaton & Deller of London salmon reel came up. This Hardy Perfect copy was VG in a VG box and sold for $355.

There were some nifty casting reels up for sale this month. I was especially interested in noting the auction of a Meisselbach "Three Screw" Tripart (especially since I gave this scarce reel that name). This example was in VG condition and sold for $415. A Talbot Meteor in EX brought $404. A Meek & Milam #4 in German silver with 12 o'clock half handle and VG in a nice leather case sold for $1300. A B.F. Meek & Sons #3 free spool reel in VG condition reached $430, while a Horton Meek #3 free spool tournament, jeweled model in EX brought $406. A Winchester #4247, 100 yd in VG sold for $135.83. A Heddon 3-15 that was VG in a G down leaping bass box with instructions and bag sold for $356.

In more modern casting reels, an ABU 1750A that was new in an EX box sold for $204.52. A left handed version of the common Langley Lurecast that was maroon color and in EX condition sold for $710. An L&S Mirro-Reel #6410 in red color that was near mint in an EX box brought $202.50. It was reported that there were less than 600 of these reels manufactured. A Heddon Heritage 30 cut-away sample reel, with clear plates that allowed a view of the internal workings and in VG-EX sold for $776. A Martin left handed bait caster that was NIB with papers reached $580.

Salt water reels were led by a 16/0 Ocean City big game reel #616 that was EX in an EX original box. This set brought $1254.39. A Winchester #2644, 150 yard raised pillar bay reel, in nickel plated brass and VG, topped out at $181.49. A brass ball handle reel marked "H. Willsher, NY" in VG condition sold for $306.99. A Garcia Ambassadeur #900 2 speed reel from the 1970's in EX sold for $266. An older Penn Long Beach #60 in 250 yard size was sold. It was VG+ in a G older box $565. An Edward vom Hofe #521 in 6/0 size that was VG-EX in a G box brought $1995.

A Bogdan small (2-3/4") trout reel in mint condition reached $1650. It was nice to notice that there are still some old geezers around who recognized my childhood hero - Ray Bergman. An English fly reel stamped "Ray Bergman, Nyack, NY" that had lots of finish wear brought $169.50. A Winchester #1212 raised pillar fly reel in EX condition in a G box brought a whopping $920.21. This is the smallest 40 yd size. A Julius vom Hofe #3 raised pillar fly reel, hard rubber and nickel plated brass, and in VG sold for $960. A Leonard Mills by Julius vom Hofe, hard rubber and German silver and in EX condition, with a beautiful leather case brought $2500. This was the small 2-1/8 x 1 inch size.

Pflueger reels of interest included a Fas-Kast #1510 that is convertible to right or left handed use, which reached $162.50. It was new in an EX box. A 2600 modern bait casting reel in VG sold for $719.89. A 400 yard Templar #1419½, NIB with a 1950 stamp, sold for $255. An 1893 Pflueger Akron that was new in a 1936 stamped box brought $202.51 (that ought to flood the market with Akron's). A left handed Supreme that was EX in a G Pflueger repair box with papers sold for $525.89. A Supreme that was NIB with celo wrap still on the reel, and with all accessories and papers sold for $155.49.

An interesting Indiana style reel that drew 13 bids was a Southworth reel, patented on March 11, 1919. This reel was VG-EX condition and sold for $294.99. It is pictured to the left.

An Australian Crouch 77 multiplying reel that was EX in a VG box brought $213.50.

Rods:

The prices the Japanese are paying for fiberglass casting rods keeps getting crazier every month. This month we had a Fenwick Lunkerstik PLC 60, a 2-piece, 6' rod in EX condition. It got 42 bids and sold for 999.10. A Phillipson-Johnson Profile #6C64, 6'4", 2 piece in EX brought $970. Another that was a 7' Profile #300, in VG topped out at $225. A Hurd Supercaster with the walnut handle and in VG brought $128.59.

A Leonard 6.5' Model 37H bamboo fly rod, 2/2 for a 4 wt. line in EX brought $3505.55, while a Leonard model 48, 7' that was restored to EX sold for $2100. An F. E. Thomas 8', 3/2 for a 5 weight line in EX sold for $970. And that's all folks!!