eBay Report - May 2003

Sorry we're a bit late this month, but we completed a 4000+ mile trip to Dowagiac, Michigan for the ORCA National Convention at the end of the month. It looks to me like there was a drastic slowdown in quality fishing items on eBay in May.

Reels:

Leading the pack this month was a A. Coates, Watertown, NY reel on a birdseye maple handle. This is a 2 speed convertible reel that is in demand. This example was in EX condition and brought $2035.10. Other fly reels of interest were a Leonard Fairy Trout fly reel in mint condition. It received 26 bids before selling for $1691. It is shown to the right. A Pettingill in VG condition brought $318.13; a Winchester #1312 raised pillar, 60 yarder in EX topped out at $159.05; and a small Meisselbach Expert with front click in EX condition reached $305.00. 

An Edward vom Hofe #2 Black Bass Reel, model 484, in mint condition received 17 bids before selling for $910. A Talbot Premier #3 from Nevada, MO in VG+ got one bid - the starting figure of $900, and sold. A Heddon #3-30 Tournament reel made of German silver stopped at the buy it now price of $750. A small, 60 yd Winchester utility reel in the box - the reel was EX the box VG - sold for $787.77. And finally a Shakespeare Beetzsel LW reel in VG+ slipped through the cracks and sold for only $110.48.

Salt Water reels were represented by an Ocean City Bay City surf reel that was EX in an EX box with papers. It topped out at $151.50. A Shakespeare Tournament Surf Caster #1756 in EX condition sold for $166.28. It is pictured here. A 12/0 Penn Senator that was from the Penn family estate and in mint condition sold for $331.99, and an Edward vom Hofe 621 in 1/0 and EX reached $1000.

Lures:

Northwestern Salmon plug collectors must have been excited when a White's Trolling Plug manufactured in Oregon and mint in box, sold for $1602.77. It is shown to the right. A very nice old flower pattern metal spinner that was 2.5" and in VG condition sold for $1280. It received 15 bids. A pair of lipless Bomber Waterdogs that were identified at "prototypes", and were mint in celo top boxes came up. There were in green scale color, and sold for $837.26.

An EX Creek Chub Bait Co. Jointed Pikie #2625, which is a gold scale with red and black pattern, reached $768. A #3855 Beetle in Red & Black beetle that was NIB in an EX box brought $691.

An EX Heddon #150, green crackleback, in a VG wooden box with papers reached $2559.99. Some Heddon plastics of note were a #9630 Punkinseed in golden shiner color, and EX condition, which was sold with buy it now for $2050. The pretty Lucky 13 #2500BL pictured here and EX in a G box brought $1136.

A Shakespeare Worden Bucktail bait that was VG+ condition reached $256.01. A Pflueger Kent Frog in VG+ received 13 bids before selling for $561.01. A Kingfisher (Pflueger) 3 hook underwater minnow in a wooden slidetop box, all in VG+ condition, sold for $750.

Miscellaneous Fishing Stuff:

How about this Indian coiled fishing creel. It was described as coming from the Thompson Valley in British Columbia and from the 1800s. It was in EX condition and sold for $5850, after 16 bids. A nice split willow, Oregon tooled leather trimmed creel, with a Marshall Wells marked strap brought $380.37. It was in VG condition.

A five tray cantilever UMCO tackle box that was unused, and from 1971, sold for $611.59. Wow! A very nice wood minnow bucket, painted green with fish graphics and in VG condition brought $305.01. A folding canvas Planet minnow bucket brought $103.44. This bucket carries a 1900 patent.

Rods:

A Paul Young 6'3" midge rod, 2/2, and in as new condition sold for $3107. A Leonard 36ACM bamboo rod, 6', 2/2 for a 2-3 weight line and in unused restored condition received 18 bids before selling for $2278.03. It is shown to the right.

In the popular glass casting rods a Fenwick LunkerStik #2060, 6' for 3/8-3/4 ounce lures sold for $475.

Thanks to Ben Wright, Scott Schwindt, Bill Wiedemann, Carl Schultz, and Bill Land for your contributions to this report.