Fall Auction

eBay Report - June 2004

I'd say there was a decided Summer slow down this month. There were some very nice, quality items, but the numbers were not there.

Reels:

One of the more interesting reels to come up this month is pictured at the right. This is a marked Edward vom Hofe Kentucky style casting reel. It was made of brass, and is in EX condition with a nice leather case. This rare reel sold for $1525. June must be a good month for Talbot Kentucky type reels. We had a Comet with Nevada, Mo. markings that was EX in an EX leather case. It sold for $500. Another Comet in EX brought  $550 later in the month. Also offered was a Star with K.C. markings that was EX, except for being minus an end cap (I would think that to be a BIG minus), and it brought $356.01. Finally, a much rarer #33 with Nevada marks, serial number 3864, and in VG+ reached $1445. A B.F. Meek & Sons #3 with 12:00 o'clock crank and EX sold for $861.03.

Some of the fly reels for sale in June included a Pflueger - 4 Bros. Delite hard rubber and nickel plated brass, 100 yard model. It was in EX condition and brought $330. A Bogdan Champagne salmon reel, 3.75 x 2 inches, and VG sold for $1625. A Brass Hardy Perfect, 2-1/2", in EX reached $622.58. An early Pflueger Medalist 1596, the 4" size, with finish wear sold for $305.

Fin-Nor trolling reels seemed to be schooling, as four different sizes were offered. The top dollar was achieved by an EX 7.5/0 in a leather case with papers, which brought $735. A Pflueger Kihoga, GS and Hard Rubber, 250 yard, and in VG condition sold for $381.65.

An early version of the Oliver side cast reel with NY markings that was EX with papers received 32 bids. It finally topped out at $143.75. An Ambassadeur 5500 in rare champagne-gold color that was only G-VG sold for $393. A brown Ambassadeur 6500 in VG reached $300.01. Those Bronson Invader #26 reels are still going strong. One in VG brought $256 this month.

A German Silver Abbey & Imbrie bay reel by "Vom Hofe", S handle, and EX condition sold for $800. An unusual half-handle NY reel marked "A. Clerk & Co. NY" and reportedly made by Conroy that was brass and VG reached $428.63.  

Miscellaneous Stuff:

A few catalogs from the 1800s brought a great deal of interest this month. A John P. Moore Fishing Tackle Catalog from 1882 that was in VG condition brought $746, for one of the highest catalog prices in recent years. The same seller offered a couple of Cornwall & Smock Fishing Catalogs, from 1891 and 1892. Both were in VG condition and sold for $471 and $290 respectively. A British E. Farlow & Co. Ltd. catalog from 1905 and VG was bid to $356. The George Reiger book, The Bonefish - Tales of the Flats did well, as it sold for $132.50. This was a first edition that was in new condition.

An iron eel spear that was in EX condition and 11" tall sold for $133.50. It is shown here. A Falstaff Beer Company fishing sign showed dual appeal, receiving 25 bids, but most bids seemed to come from beer sign collectors. It was 31" x 23" and framed, and sold for $599. An embossed steel, enameled sign for a "Wisconsin Fishing License Authorized Agent" brought $208.83. It was 6" x 28" and in EX condition. These were all topped late in the month by a 15 x 21" S. Allcock & Co. tin sign from the 1890s. This sign featured a fly fisherman and a Victorian lady. It was in EX condition and sold for $2192.57.

An Old Gold Silk Fly Line by Horrocks-Ibbotson, size HDH that was new old stock sold for $125.95. We've all seen lots of those Tip Up Town, USA buttons for sale on eBay, which are from Houghton Lake, Michigan. As with most things, the first one in a series is uncommon. Thus a 1964 badge, which was the first one, in VG condition skyrocketed to $212.51.

A lot of interest was generated in a 1920's primitive tin weathervane in the shape of a fish. It was 40" long in VG condition, and sold for $1075. It is shown to the left. A nice "Chetek Life Preserver Tackle Box" made of wood and in VG condition drew a lot of interest before selling for $315. UMCO boxes are still in demand if you've got a very nice condition one. A #3500 UPB (the possum belly) that was EX brought $280.  A Novelty Minnow Float with worn paint sold for $283.

A wooden slide top box for a "Fancy Back Minnow No. 100" that was in VG condition sold for $711.03. A Minnesota Leroy Howell fish decoy, almost 10" long, and with flower design sold for $361.99. It was in VG condition. A Hardy Angler's Knife in VG (part of the scissor missing) brought $384.28. A B. F. Meek & Sons #3 casting reel came up along with a bunch of other "stuff". The other items included a cork stopper Meek oil bottle in the box (which was probably worth more than the reel); 2 very early metal baits; a great old silk fly line; a Wilson Wobbler and an eagle trolley weight. This lot sold for $911. Quality creels were missing this month, or had unreasonable reserves.

Lures:

An unusual bait that drew quite a bit of interest was a salt water Jet Squid bait. It has glass eyes, was in EX condition, beige/silver splatter finish. It sold for $381 and is shown to the right. A Detroit Glass Minnow Tube in VG brought $547.77, and a rarer Detroit wire Minnow Cage sold for $400 in the same condition. A Red & White Bite-Em-Bate that was EX in a VG picture box reached $650.01. A lot of 20 Albert Angell's Wings lures from the 1890s sold for $2995. A couple from this find were sold before the seller discovered the article about them on this site and identified what he had. You can learn about this old E. Orange, NJ bait here. A Bud Stewart Baby Duck lure in Mint condition sold for $515.05. A plastic Francois The Frog bait that was NIB topped out at $355. An Outing Baby Du-Getum, red head on aluminum, that was EX in a VG Box with papers was bid to $315. A solid yellow Keller Gets 'Em lure from 1914 and in VG sold for $141.50. A Roberts Mud Puppy that seemed unfished, but had two worm burns on it and in a scale finish topped out at $420. A 5 hook Expert Minnow that was in EX condition and silver colored seemed a bargain to me at $625.78. The month ended with a bang as a small Comstock Flying Helgramite in VG condition sold for $9500.

Creek Chub baits of interest included a Green Gar in VG condition that sold for $430. A Husky Musky that was VG and red head/orange body and black spots brought $295. A CCBC Crawdad #302 in Tan Shell finish that was EX (except for missing rubber legs) in a poor intro box with papers sold for $412.77.

An EX Pflueger 5 hook Neverfail Minnow, listed as an "Antique glass eye wooden green minnow fish lure", sold for $660. A yellow Shakespeare Rhodes? "Cockeyed Minnow" with see through plate hardware and EX condition brought $279.09. A Shakespeare 3 hook Metalized Minnow with style B props and plate hardware reached $322. It was VG+ condition.

An EX Heddon 150, pre-1909 and gold colored in a VG wooden box sold for $1525. A VG red 150 in a VG wooden box reached $1150. A Heddon counter display card of 6 Triple Tease lures, with stand-up back, and in EX condition sold for $1087.69. A Crazy Crawler #2100 that was white? with red wings and VG received 18 bids before selling for $341. Another then was offered that was called natural/red wings and was EX. It brought $585. It is shown to the left. A black shore wooden Punkinseed with 2 pc hardware and VG+ reached $515. Heddon plastics of interest included a Lucky 13 Spook in XBW with a gold eye and EX which brought $910; and a Wee Tad #590 that was EX in a fair box which sold for $405. A Giant River Runt, identified in the sale only as a "Vintage Lure" and in Strawberry color and VG+ condition sold for $735. A Salmon River Runt in shiner scale that was Mint in a VG box with papers reached $300. Finally, a Heddon 00 Minnow in the rare frog scale finish that was in VG+ condition generated a lot of interest before selling for $5130.01.

Rods:

Bamboo fly rods are still not selling for the speculators. I failed to find a single rod with a high starting price that sold this month. An 8'6" Payne that had been sold by Abercrombie & Fitch and was VG did bring $1475. Nice sound rods in the $500-1000 range are doing well. A nice price for a Horrocks-Ibbotson bamboo fly rod was achieved for a 7' 2/1 Pocono in EX as it sold for $167.50. An Orvis Wes Jordan 7'6" fly rod in EX brought $898.

A Hurd Super Caster in the case in VG condition brought $158.05.