Fall Auction

eBay Report - January 2004

The New Year started off with a big bang! There were some great lures, reels, and miscellaneous items sold this month.

Lures:

The lure of the month was a "Very old wood fishing lure" that was found in an old house that was being torn down. The house was so old it had no electricity. This six inch minnow, shown to the right, was in VG condition, and after thirty bids it sold for $14,100. Probably more than the house sold for. Another great miscellaneous bait was an 1896 Hastings Frog that was EX in a G-VG picture box with papers. This one reached $1550. A neat 5 hook Trory Minnow, white with brown back c1900 and in VG-EX condition topped out at $7,357.50. A Donaly Redfin Minnow, green back/yellow and in VG condition reached $910. A North Channel minnow in EX condition sold for $610. A triple jointed DAM Pike EverReady Bait (Jointed Hechtwobbler) along with two extra DAM boxes and in EX reached $1250.

There were a lot of nifty miscellaneous baits found this month. Take a look at this Darby Weedless Revolving Head lure. It is c1930s, and was unfished. It brought $404.99 A Detroit Minnow Bait Cage in the box with insert sheet that was unfished and is very rare brought $7000. A Wm. Mills & Son Hopatcong Perch 3 hook lure from 1905 was really nifty. It was silver foil over a wood body and in EX condition, and sold for $952.39.

Creek Chub lures of interest included a CCBC Underwater Minnow, 5 hook in red scale color and in VG-EX condition, which sold for $787.77. A CCBC Gar Minnow EX in the box with papers reached $910. A Fin-Tail shiner in Silver Flash color and in VG condition brought $550.99.

A Shakespeare Rhodes Mechanical Frog in a wooden box topped out at $2000. The frog was VG, and the box was EX. A 1910 Shakespeare Weedless Frog No. 4WF came up that was VG in a nice box. The box was unusual with 2 labels and a stamp. It sold for $5457.50, and is shown to the right. A Shakespeare (Rhodes) wooden Minnow #33RW in a wooden box seemed a bargain at $750. The lure was EX and the box and label VG.

A Heddon Dowagiac Expert 200 1902 BOX ONLY received 30 bids. It was in VG condition and sold for $8,995. A Heddon Underwater Expert in EX condition brought $2,476. A Heddon Kingfisher Vamp Spook in the box came up. It was VG as was the box and in strawberry spot. It sold for $711. A Heddon High Tail, NIB, in the Indy Flag paint pattern sold for $405.

One auction that was fun was the "Pfl Monarch Minnow Plug Wooden Box" that turned out to be a rather beat up South Bend surface bait in a very nice Pflueger Monarch Minnow wooden slide top box (which the seller called a shipping box). This one reached $1082.50. A Pflueger Catalina Minnow #2766 that was EX in a VG box and in Strawberry spot color sold for $2650.

One very unusual lure that was brought to my attention was a metal lure by Finnish goldsmith Jacob Hansted. This beauty was around 21 years before the Haskell Minnow. It did not receive the US or Museum interest, however and only reached $1644.50 US dollars. It is shown to the left. I have been informed that Nordic countries have a lot of interesting angling artifacts to give to collectors around the world. They have a tradition of making metal lures that is at least 700 years old.

Finally, a lot of 400 lures, including 150 NIB Heddons sold for $4850.

Reels:

There are lots of Mitchell reel collectors out there, and one of their favorites are the 300 Tournament reel. The one shown here was in EX condition, and it sold for $1125. An ABU Cardinal 3 that was NIB/papers and extra spool, etc. brought $305. A very unusual Tap Czechoslovakia spinning reel in VG condition sold for $431.56. A larger version that came up earlier and in EX- sold for $114.06.

Casting reels included a Meek & Milam tiny #1 size Kentucky reel. It was a bit rough, but these are rare and it sold for $2225. A Talbot Meteor in EX condition, which brought $513.01. A Horton Meek #4 that was EX in an EX box received 18 bids before selling for $810. A B.F. Meek & Sons #4 jeweled model in EX with a G unlabeled box brought $1291.66. A Record Ambassadeur 5000 Model A in EX condition sold for $611. It was interesting to see an Ocean City casting reel make $203.51. This was a 1920s EZ-2-Part that was EX in a VG box. A Heddon 3-30 NLW baitcaster in EX sold for $866. A fairly common Cycloid Micromatic, as new, but in box received 24 bids before selling for $210.50. Those boxes do make a difference. A Red Pflueger Nobby 1960 Deluxe EX in Box reached $122.50.

As always there were some nice fly reels. An Otto Zwarg 3/0 #400 multiplying salmon reel in EX condition reached $2175, and a 2/0 M300 Saguenay salmon reel in EX reached $2300. A Meisselbach-Catucci Symploreel #372 with agate line guide and in G-VG condition sold for $203.50. Another, in the box, but without the agate line guide sold for $191.50. A Carlton Lightweight sidemount fly reel in bronze finish and VG-EX condition topped out at $227.50, while a Carlton Automatic reel in VG reached $187.50. A Hardy Bougle, c1930 3" trout reel in VG sold for $2175. An older model 1492 Pflueger Medalist in VG reached $204. A "first click" wire reel, patented 1883, in VG condition sold for $666.

In Salt Water reels a Meisselbach surf reel with the dial free spool mechanism sold for $660 to compete with the big boys. These handsome reels are German silver and hard rubber. This one was unfished, and like new. It is shown here.An Edward vom Hofe 12/0 big game reel #722 in EX brought $3600. A Kovalovsky Big Game Reel in VG topped out at $1421.28. An EX Cozzone 250 yard surf reel in an EX box, German silver and hard rubber construction, was a nice buy at $231.38. A Hardy Fortuna 7" BG reel and in VG sold for $865. A rare Pflueger Kihoga Deep Sea Reel, 350 yards with Williams Drag handle, but only in G-VG condition brought $1345. And an older Pflueger HR/GS sandwiched reel with a Rabbeth Drag handle and in VG sold for $430.

New York style reels included a Conroy, Bissett & Malleson brass ball handle in VG condition, which sold for $330. A very interesting brass sidemount, ball handled reel from the late 1800s and VG sold for $310.02. A Clerk, Green & Baker brass ball handle, c1860 and VG, reached $725.

An Indiana Reel called the D&T Specialty Mfg. Co. Spider Reel and in VG condition received 18 bids before selling for $229.50. It is shown to the right. A 12 spoke Aerial reel in EX condition brought $515.

A fishing reel collection of 186 reels received 13 bids and sold for $3,900.

Miscellaneous:

The star of the month was again an old casting medal. This one was 14k gold and was awarded for the longest cast in 1/2 oz. baitcasting event. It had been won by a tournament casting notable, and sold for $587.77.

A really great old item was the Pflueger ice decoy that came up. It was c1905 and in EX condition. It sold for $1525 and is shown here. A Heddon Ice Decoy in the box sold for $1243. Two Pflueger oilers, one the rare one with the name embossed down the side, and both in VG brought $225. A Horton Meek screw top oil bottle in G-VG sold for $154.49.

A rosewood tackle box with stainless steel interior and in EX condition sold for $607.77. An Edward vom Hofe black tin tackle box in VG sold for $261.77. A Ideal factory display bobber that was 19 1/2" long sold for $600.

A Heddon cardboard store sign, 4 x 16 inches, dated 1928 and in EX reached $230.29. A Meisselbach catalog #29 in VG-EX condition sold for $124.50. A Wm. Shakespeare Jr. 1926 catalog in EX condition sold for $147.50. An H-I Utica Tackle advertising sign that was 10 x 26 inches and in VG condition received 34 bids before selling for $494. A copy of Jim Brown's book, Fishing Reel Patents of the United States in Fine condition with no dust cover sold for $152.50.

An Adirondack Sockdologer springhook in VG condition brought $475 after spirited bidding. It is shown to the right.

A five spool carton of Edward vom Hofe Tarpon and Tuna Linen Line came up. Two of the spools were missing their labels, but it still seemed a bargain at $42.77. A woven aluminum creel in EX condition reached $305.44.

A celluloid top split shot tin with the unusual marking of "J. Ward White & Co." sold for $91.69.

Rods:

A Fenwick Glass Lunkerstik #2000, proved that the Japanese still are looking for old glass rods in EX condition, when it sold for $787. It was as new, and 5'6" with light action. Fishermen still like glass fly rods, too. A Phillipson 6'6" fly rod #R66LC, for HDH line brought $275. It was EX.

A Leonard Hunt model #40, 8', 2/2 for a 5 weight line and as new brought $2000. A 7' Winston, 2/2 for a 3 wt line and in EX sold for $1710. An F.E. Thomas Model F-769, 7'6", 3/2, and VG condition reached $1302. An Orvis Battenkill Penn's Creek, 7', 2/2 for 4 wt, reached $11.50. And finally a Phillipson Peerless 7'6", 2/2 and EX condition sold for $771.25.