eBay Report - December 2007
Happy New Year everyone. Trends throughout 2007 show no letup in
the amount of quality tackle for sale on eBay. However, as sellers get
more numerous the chance of running into slick salesmen becomes
greater. Study your interests and buy with caution. A perfect example
of a good sales pitch came up this month when a seller listed a
Winchester #4250 take apart casting reel. It was described as
Excellent, rare, etc. etc. This reel had pitting all over it, was
missing and end cap, and was what I would poor condition. It drew 26
bids and sold for $160. Oh well...
Reels:
As a long time
collector of Meisselbach reels it was interesting to note a German
silver Takapart #680 in VG sell for $573.63. That's quite a bit more
than I would have expected this reel to bring. It is shown here.
An unusual and scarce Aqua Sportsman that was EX in an EX box reached
$222.49. A brown Ambassadeur #5500 that was EX in a VG box/papers,
etc. sold for $411. A rare black Record Ambassadeur 5000 in VG- in the
leather case with tools brought a whopping $3439. A Shimano silver Bantam BM-7D in EX topped out at
$322.01, while a BM-7 gold colored reached $306.01. Both are Japanese
prototypes. A Penn Levelmatic #940 LW Casting reel that was VG
in a G box brought $127.50. A Winchester #4291 casting reel in G sold
for $181.50. A Horton-Meek #3 that was EX in a fair box/bag reached
$560.
An Edward Vom Hofe Peerless 3½ Trout reel M355
in VG+ condition sold for $1980. A Winchester #1312 raised pillar, 60
yd fly reel in EX brought $336. A Fin-Nor #3 "wedding cake" SW fly
reel that was EX in a VG- box reached $1061.87. An unmarked (Pettingill)
3" side mount fly reel in VG brought $280.55. A McVickar & Son
Bushkill Trout Reel in EX sold for $280. An Orvis 1874 model fly reel
in nickel over brass and G, but with no wooden box brought $429.49. A
rare 1906 Hardy Perfect 3¼" in EX reached $2900. Another good example
of a good sales pitch was the sale of an Airex
Ablette #370 that was
EX in a VG box/papers. These reels are quite common in box, but it
brought $169. A Gayle Simplicity #6 that was EX in a VG box sold for
$231.50.
An unusual Heitman lever drag salt water reel,
serial number 207, and VG condition brought $277.55. It is shown to
the left. An ABU Ambassadeur big game lever drag reel called a 30
Ambassadeur in EX sold for $316.54. A 200 yard Cozzone Surf Reel that
was VG in a G box brought $191.50. An early California J. A. Coxe 3/0
reel in EX reached $911.
Lures:
Miscellaneous
maker lures included neat Penberton Busy Bait display box of 12 NIB
lures in assorted colors. It sold for $745, and is shown to the right.
A Live Action Frog that was green and EX in a VG box and sold for
$204.07. An FC Woods Expert 5 hooker in silver that was VG in a VG
wood box/half a label seemed a bargain at $388.99. A Jennings Torpedo
#1 EX and Nickel brought $416.88. A Smithwick Musky Devil's Horse,
white/red nose and tail and EX in an EX box reached $152.50. An orange
& black Spiral Lure, EX in a G box sold for $255. An EX in VG box
Immell Musky Chippewa in white/green crackleback/red spots, topped out
at $3350. A 3 hook Shur Strike Gar Minnow in bullfrog color and EX
brought $611.11. A Ropher (pre-South Bend) Fin-Dingo, white/black ribs
and EX in a VG box reached $470.
A silver scale Pflueger Live Wire in VG condition sold for $169.01.
A Pflueger Sienna crackleback 5 hook minnow in VG reached $376. A 3
hook minnow in the same color that was EX- and fitted with clip
hardware brought $363. Another 3 hooker in Luminous color and EX- in a
G box sold for $433.87. A (Pflueger Neverfail) Kingfisher 5 hook
minnow that was EX in an EX- box and in Green Crackleback sold for
$495. A 3 hook (Pflueger Neverfail) H. J. Frost Senate bait, EX in a
VG- box, green back/yellow belly brought $860.
An unusual Wright & McGill spider fly, green and VG, sold for
$482.99 while a W & McG Moss Bug in large size, green & yellow and EX
brought $432.79. A CCBC Fly Rod Froggie in meadow frog color and EX
brought $271.66.
A South Bend Babe Oreno, red, white, & blue in EX- brought $738.68.
An EX- Shakespeare #41 Favorite Floating Bait #520 in Yellow sold for
$520. A Creek Chub Bait Co. Crawdad picture box ONLY with red letters
and EX brought $835.
Heddon stuff was led by a 4-7/8" Dowagiac 1903 Underwater that had
been 
repainted,
in a poor box, which sold for $10,600.Take a look to the right. A
yellow Spin Diver that was EX in a G box and sold for $5101. A Meadow
Mouse in yellowed white? and EX in an EX down leap box brought
$282.51. A Heddon Midget River Runt in a rare clown color and EX
received 26 bids before topping out at $777.90. An EX- #903R natural
scale Surface Minnow brought #859.99. How about a VG plastic Lucky 13
Spook in a VG research box, in what was called South Bend color and
sold for $3161. Whoa.... A Heddon Punkin Spin #382, blue chrome, NIB
topped out at $205.56.
A Freeport Hook (spinner) EX in a wood box/papers received 26 bids
before selling for $357.52. A Winchester 5" Seattle Trout Spoon #9408
in VG sold for $128.26.
Rods:
There were some nice condition bamboo fly rods sold at fair prices
this month. A Gene Edwards Deluxe 8'6", 2/2 and EX- brought $250. A
Mint Montague Redwing, 9', 3/2 and Mint reached $209.06. A 7'6" Hardy
Marvel, 3/2 and EX sold for $1555. A Wright & McGill Granger Favorite,
9', 3/2 that was mint brought $910. An F.E. Thomas Speciat Salmon rod,
10', 3 pc with 2 mids & 3 tips, and VG sold for $416. A Heddon Black
Beauty #17, 8'6", 3/2 and EX reached $375.
Antique fly rods included a C. E. Wheeler of Maine 9'6", 3/1, over
varnished, but VG in a form case, which sold for $230.47. A B.F.
Nichols c1880 10' fly rod, 3/2 and VG brought $611. An Orvis 10', 3/2,
serial #675 in G condition (in need of a refinish) topped out at
$332.51.
A Walton Powell EX fiberglass fly rod, 8'6", 2/1, brought $260.
A V.L.&A. casting rod with trumpet guides, 3/2 and VG sold for
$235.
Miscellaneous Tackle:
There was lots of interesting miscellaneous items this month. A
Bronson reel parts 
plastic
box in VG sold for $80.99. A lot of 115 red antique guides said to be
red agate (I don't think so) in EX sold for $341.66. A carton of
Pflueger Cincinnati Bass hook barrels in EX reached $162.50. The
Forest & Stream tobacco tin shown here, in VG brought $185.50. A pair
of Winchester Lakeside fishing line spools in EX reached $600. An
Evans Eagle Claw fish trap, pat 1877 and VG in a G unmarked box
reached $405.01.
An unusual creel made of woven strips of aluminum by Red Head of
Chicago in EX brought $90.99. An Angler's Club of New York silver
award tray from 1982 and EX sold for $228.50. A Patrick Nasmyth 1822
oil painting of a fishing scene, 7"x5½" and VG
brought only $355. An Old Town canoe seat in VG reached $127.50. A
J.C. Higgins silk fly line, NIB, sold for $96.
There were quite a few quality books and
catalogs, including a Walton & Cotton Complete Angler 1772 10th
Ed. G in a leather binding that brought $349.59. A G copy of the 1892
1st Ed of Mary Orvis Marbury Favorite Flies and Their History
brought $305. My Musky Days by Louis Spray in soft cover and VG
sold for $420. A 1926 Shakespeare catalog in VG sold for $144.49,
while a 1928 catalog in VG brought $305.10. (The sales pitch means a
lot). A Creek Chub 1923 Catalog in EX reached $647. A whole bunch of
Pflueger catalogs were sold: 1929=$78.77, 1938=$132.50, 1941=$112.50,
plus some others. All were VG to EX.
I found this 1958
Underwater Fish Viewer with glass bottom to be of interest, but not
many others did and it sold for $56.55. An unmarked cast iron outboard
motor stand, 36" tall and VG sold for $521.78. An
old hand forged 10 tine eel spear in VG sold for $510. A Butler
Submarine minnow bucket in G brought $255, while a Harford Minnow
Float, pat 1905 and VG brought $505.55. A black UMCO-U plastic tackle
box with catalog and tags in EX sold for a whopping $260.25.
Many thanks to Ben Wright, Heddon Spook,
Frank Cristao, Dave O'Rourke, Dean Smith and Dan Basore - and to all
those that have sent in eBay tips throughout 2007. We also wish a
happy new year to all our readers.
Phil White and my famous
fishing partner, Bert the Boykin
