eBay Report - January 2003

There have been months when every one of the top ten rods in my completed auction search did not meet reserve. This month the top five rods all met reserve. That's the best sign I've seen for the economy this New Year.

Rods:

And the winners are: A beautiful Dickerson #7612. This is a 7-1/2 foot, 2/2 rod that was in VG+ condition. It reached $5600. You can see it right here. Also meeting the reserve was a Pinky Gillum 8' 6", 3/2 rod in VG condition that topped out at $3250; an kE. F. Payne 7'6", 3/2 for a 5 weight line that was in VG+ that sold for $3200; and a Leonard Yellowstone #39H, 2/2, in a leather case and in EX condition that sold for $2850.

A Heddon bamboo casting rod, 6', 2/1, restored to mint sold for $302. An Orchard Industries fiberglass Actionrod in mint condition topped at $415. It was very pretty in brown fiberglass, with a gold reelseat.

Miscellaneous:

Some lucky seller found a couple of Pflueger Four Brothers Topper wooden float assortments #2452. These were new old stock on the card. The first one brought $120.25 after 20 bids, and the second sold for $170 after 21 bids. You can see it here. Also of interest to Pflueger collectors was a Pflueger Marvel Pocket Oiler with a paper label in G-VG condition that reached $182.49. These rarely survive with the paper label still attached.

Also selling was one of those Eagle Claw fish trap hook by S. W. Evans with the 1877 patent mark. It was in VG condition and sold for $462.

A Ball glass minnow trap in the original box and all in EX condition brought $265, and a small oval minnow bucket (4" x 7"), probably European, reached $130.

Lures:

There was a lure up this month that I really thought was neat. It was that Abel "Three Rivers Minnow Lure" from NY state. It was a very old three hook underwater minnow that was Excellent if not new in a worn box. I love it when sellers innocently start their lures at $4.99 with no reserve. This one drew 29 bids and sold for $3007.50. It is shown to the right.

This lure was topped by an empty Heddon #200 Dowagiac Expert lure BOX ONLY that was in G-VG condition. This box reached $6257.50 after 31 bids. A Big Hedd Plastic Big O type lure in a black scale orange color and in EX condition brought $1136. A River Run Spook floater in Waterwave color (said to be 1938 only), 2 pc. hardware, and EX condition sold for $342.50.

A Creek Chub Husky Pikie, EX in the box, #2335 purple eel color reached $579.98. A Striper Pikie in the same color and EX in the box sold for $710. A special order Salt Spin Darter in Pike color and EX sold for $568. A rare CCBC Underwater Minnow #1800 in redside scale, and EX condition, sold for $1033. A 12 pack of Plunkers #3202 (white with red head) with all 12 lures NIB reached $850. a Beautiful Weedbug #2800 in Bug Scale color and VG-EX brought $482. Those are really neat looking lures.

A Shakespeare Whirlwind Spinner in Red color and VG condition sold for $436, and a South Bend 3 hook minnow that was EX in box brought $381.77. It was #3443 - white with red head and tail. A beautiful jointed Paw Paw Pike Caster in EX condition sold for $365.78. It is shown here. Other lures of interest were a Clarks Expert in VG condition and Gold with green back that topped out at $1683, and a Pico Shrimp (plastic), in white with red spots and EX condition that sold for $212.51.

Reels:

Just as with the Abel lure above, we had a "Childs Fishing Reel" that turned out to be an H. L. Leonard patent 1877 Bi-Metal fly reel. It also had no reserve, and started at $9.99. Even with a missing end cap this reel reached $1039.

An unusual reel was a Kantos Bros. reel in VG condition. It is shown here, for I doubt if many have seen one. It brought $405. Other rare or unusual reels were a Wheeler and McGregor early level wind reel that sold for $1026.99 in G-VG condition. A Van Horn Automatic Reel, with a 1905 patent and in G-VG condition sold for $175.

When a reel is stamped with a lure manufacturer's name (such as the Meisselbach/Heddon Dowagiac) they always shoot up in value. This time it was a Moonlight reel. This Montague generic reel was in G condition only, but brought $366.99. A Chamberlain Cartridge Company Hunter Reel in VG-EX condition, c1905, reached $293.00.

A Mitchell 300 Deluxe spinning reel with the gold trim in the box came up. It was from 1961, mint, and sold for $922 after 26 bids. Another Deluxe reel was an ABU Ambassadeur 5500C Deluxe in the wooden box that sold for $2325.  

A box for a Meisselbach Surf Reel #635, with the Reel Meat booklet, and in only good condition brought $184.49. A Pflueger Kihoga salt water reel with a leather thumb brake and in G-VG condition sold for $711.69. It is shown to the left. A Bronson/Coxe 9/0 salt water reel that was EX in the box received 13 bids and sold for $231.50. A rare Meisselbach Expert #33 trolling reel in G condition sold for $466. a Wm Slote, Bklyn NY, marked New York style reel with S handle  and in VG condition brought $290.65.

A very nice Julius vom Hofe hard rubber and German silver fly reel in size 3-1/2 and in EX condition sold for $886. Another probable JVH fly reel, but all brass and VG condition sold for $255. It was stamped Dame, Stoddard & Kendall. And finally a little brass clamp winch from England, c1850 and VG condition, brought $500.

Many thanks to Larry Pearson, Chris Labuz, Dan Basore, Carl Schultz, Nick, Harvey Garrison, Ben Wright, Frank Knapp, Doug Jobe, and Dave O'Rourke for your help this month.