Fall Auction

eBay Report - January 2007

Reel collectors are well aware of the quality of Hardy reels, but I've found that over the past several years they are probably one of the most common line of reels on eBay. They sure must have sold a ton of reels over the past century.

Lures:

There were lots of quality mid-priced lures this month. Plenty of Creek Chub Baits such as a Wiggler in Mullet color that was EX- in a VG box which sold for $405. An EX  Plunker in pearl brought $275. A Musky Dingbat #5300, EX in silver flash, reached $260. A 1900 Creek & River in greenback and VG+ brought $636.57. An Injured Minnow, pink pearl, EX in a VG box sold for $262.

South Bend lures included a blue shadow wave Babe Oreno with TE that was EX in an EX box and brought $183.45. An EX in EX box Tarp-Oreno #979, mullet scale, sold for $225.49. A #902 Underwater Minnow, white/black back and EX in a VG+ box brought $475. A VG Lunge Oreno, yellow/red & black spots, sold for $297.

There were some unusual miscellaneous maker lures such as an ABC Minnow, red & white in VG that sold for $537. A Pepper Baby Romer, yellow with spots, in EX sold for $315. It is pictured to the right. A Moonlight Baby Sea Gull, black & white/stripes, VG+, reached $230. An Arbogast Musky Jitterbug, black scale with 2 trebles in EX- sold for $304.95. A Paw Paw Trout Caster in rainbow and EX reached $270.56. An EX Jennings Torpedo metal lure brought $338. At the end of the month a couple of Bite Em lures came on the block, with a Bite Em Bate that was EX in an EX box, red & white in color, bringing $587.77, and a Wiggler that was VG in a VG box and also R&W selling for $380.

A Paw Paw Musky deer hair Mouse in VG sold for $325. An Abbey & Imbrie Bucktail Killer that was VG in a VG box brought $494. A Weller Mouse that was EX- in a VG box sold for $355. A Kimmich Special Bucktail Mouse that was VG in a VG box reached $365.

Millsite lures continue to bring great interest, and a Rattlebug, dark green/yellow belly, and EX sold for $404.88. Another in Night Bait color (black with a white back) and VG reached $455.

Heddon lures included a Lucky 13 in yellow & black shore minnow and VG that brought $549.99. A 300 Surface Minnow, green crackleback and EX- sold for $385.56. A Spindiver in old bar perch and VG+ reached $460.

Salt water lures continue to gain in popularity. One sale was for a C. Russo Eel striper lure. It was VG in gold scale color and sold for $1623. A SW Weasel striper lure, RH/scale and NIB sold for $577.89. A well used old wooden Nichols Shrimp (unidentified by the seller) received 24 bids and finally topped out at $765.44. It is shown to the left. A CCBC salt water Darter, mackerel color, and EX in an EX box sold for $294.99.

A Pflueger 5 hook Neverfail Minnow in a rare pike color and EX- sold for $650. A Rhodes Kalamazoo 5 hook Minnow, green back/silver, but only good reached $681.20. A Winchester 5 hook minnow in Parrot color and as nice as you could ask for only brought $750. Is this a result of the reproductions?

Rods:

Featherweight Champion handles continue in demand by the Japanese, and an unusual brown one in EX brought $325. A fiberglass Heddon Pal Superlative #2270, 6' light action, which was EX sold for $227.75.

Bamboo fly rods of note included a Walton Powell Ultimate Set #77/100 with 2 butts and 3 tips in a leather case in EX-. This set made a 7'3" or 8'3" rod, and it brought $1202.51. A "Signature" rod by the same maker, 8'6", 2/2 for an 8 weight line and VG reached $565.55. An E. C. Powell 8'6", 2/2 and EX sold for $2281. An Orvis Madison, 7', 2/1 in Mint, which sold for $475. An Horricks-Ibbotson Tonka Prince, 7', 3/1 that was new in plastic wrap brought $339.04. A Thomas & Thomas 7', 2/2, 4 weight in VG sold for $700, while a Winston 7', 3/2, 4 wt. by Glenn Brackett and mint brought $3150. An L.L. Bean Atlantic Salmon Rod, 9', 3/2 and EX in a Bean's leather case reached $410. A Lyons & Coulson Crown, 7'6", 2/2 and VG brought $380.

A Hurd Supercaster with walnut handle, mint in case, topped out at $275. Another with the plastic handle in near mint received 24 bids and sold for $405.09.

A c1900 Hardy big game split bamboo rod, 6'10" with agate guides and VG condition sold for $847.73.

Reels:

Salmon size fly reels were topped by an Otto Zwarg 2/0 salmon reel in EX which brought $1800. The Percy Wadham Dreadnought "Cowes" reel shown to the right was a brass and hard rubber 4" salmon reel in EX condition. It sold for $1889. A Hardy Perfect salmon Spey reel, 4" diameter, and VG sold for $412.78.

There wasn't a great selection of trout size fly reels this month, but right towards the end of the month a narrow pillar Julius Vom Hofe #3½ nickel plated brass reel in VG condition soared to $919.09. The same seller offered a probable JVH German silver and hard rubber reel with unbalanced crank with the unusual marking of "Appleton & Litchfield, Boston". It was a #4 size in VG condition and sold for $975. A Dingley British fly reel with telephone latch and agate line guide in EX- brought $617.15.

Featured Kentucky reels included a B. C. Milam #4 in EX condition, which sold for $1200. A Horton Bluegrass #3 that was VG in a VG box/papers brought $401.76. A Meek & Milam #2 with numbered screws and VG reached $1800. A Meek & Milam #3 with 12:00 crank and VG- sold for $1080.56.

Other casting reels included a Meisselbach Tripart #780 in German silver. It was VG condition and received 21 bids before selling for $425. An Edward Vom Hofe Regal hard rubber and German silver in a size 2 and VG sold for $650.

An ABU Ambassadeur 900 in EX started off the salt water reels and sold for $249.50. A Penn #49 Super Mariner in EX brought $280.

Modern casting reels included a Shimano Beastmaster V two speed reel that was mint in box and sold for $245.05. A Shimano Calcutta limited edition "Stogie" mint in its wooden box brought $222.50. An ABU Ambassadeur 6000 in a rare early black color, but only G to VG, brought $890. An interesting ABU distance tournament casting reel built into the handle in VG condition brought $334.99. These were the only commercial distance casting reels ever manufactured. This reel is shown to the left.

Miscellaneous Fishing Stuff:

A 1932 Michigan non resident pinback fishing license with paper license and EX sold for $152.50. A 2" Garcia Mitchell Commemorative Coin celebrating the 10,000,000 Mitchell 300 reel that was EX in box brought $750. It is shown to the right. A framed display of 14 George Grant flies mounted with an original pen and ink sketch of a trout, 22 x 18", sold for $1200.

An English silver cigarette case with enameled fish scene in EX sold for $517.40.  A triangular glass minnow trap in EX sold for $450. A Michigan Propeller tin sign in EX sold for $555. A Heddon employee silver leaping bass pin with jeweled eye and EX reached $255. A Durham Fulton Gun Co. celo top split shot tin in EX brought $224.72. An Abercrombie & Fitch Rex linen line spool, EX in a VG box sold for $330.

A 1939 CCBC catalog, EX in mailer, brought $158.50, while a 1937 version in same condition sold for $280.01. An EX condition Hardy Angler's Guide from 1926 reached $141.49.

A large collection of fish knives was auctioned off during the month. Some examples were Case XX Stainless $175; Ibberson for Abercrombie & Fitch $202.50; K-Bar pre 1950 $305; Russell bone handle lock back $300; Case Tested XX $455; Catteraugus goldstone scales $375; Robeson Shuredge bolsterlock $450; Neft Safety with Orange & brown handle $517; and a Remington Daddy Barlow 5" $455. All were in VG to EX condition.

An interesting fish spear with a decoy cast into the handle and VG sold for $214.50. It is shown to the left. An 8" Pearl Bethel fish decoy, white/red head & trim, and VG brought $361.01. A Brainerd, MN fish spear, 7½" wide and EX sold for $230.29.

Many thanks to Ake Sundberg, Bill Arp, Ben Wright, Frank Cristao, and anyone else who sent in tips this month. I had a computer crash and lost the tips sent in the first 20 days of the month.