eBay Report - May 2004
I noted a very suspicious bidding sequence on a Heddon Big Hedd
this month. I looked at this auction because there were 52 bids. The
winning bidder, @ $571.01 made his winning bid on 5/24, five days
before the auction closed. Another bidder, with private feedback, then
made 48 bids on 5/29, the ending day of the auction. He started
bidding in minimal increments at 10:37 in the morning. After 20
minutes and 48 bids he finally reached the eventual winning bid, and
then immediately retracted that final bid. That left the bid at the
maximum amount the winner had bid back on 5/24. Very fishy...
Miscellaneous:
One of the leading
items was a wonderful Oscar Peterson decoy from his Period IV (late
1930's). This rare brook trout decoy was in VG condition and brought
$1777.77. It is shown to the right. A Greg Pususta golden trout decoy
in mint condition sold for $225. A Turner Nightcaster Decoy from
Coldwater, MI c1920s, in EX sold for $495.
A nice South Bend "Fish and Feel Fit" standup cardboard die-cut
that was 5' x 2.5' sold for $633.99. One of those Hall Line Co.
displays that were common a few years back came up to auction. They
are from the late 1930's and have 26 spools of line plus a catalog in
a 20 x 24 inch box. This one sold for $233.50.
A Fine copy of the highly sought after book, Men, Fish & Tackle,
The Story of J. A. Coxe came up for sale. This 1936 Ralph Bandini
book brought $303. A 1948 Creek Chub Bait Co. catalog that was near
mint in the original mailing envelope topped out at $261.56. A Heddon
1937 catalog in EX sold for $132.49. A Mitchell Collectors
Reference
Guide in VF condition brought $177.50. An Edward vom Hofe 1923 catalog
in VG condition sold for $405. I was quite surprised by the sale of a
small soft cover book titled Fishin' in Vilas County, by Abe Eberly at
$308.57. This 1956 booklet sold for $1.00 in 1956 and is a guide book
to fishing that Wisconsin county. It must have a cult following.
A 12 inch Copper
minnow bucket with liner from a Kentucky estate that was in EX
condition brought $300. You can see it here. Another nifty decorator
item was a Caille 1904 brass and copper outboard motor by the Bowen
Mfg. Co. It was in VG condition, and drew lots of interest. The final
selling price was $3150. A silver (2nd place) Field & Stream Honor Badge, for a 6 pound 8
ounce Walleye, reached $136.49. A Gephart Rod Company advertising
whistle in VG brought $85.80.
Reels:
Would someone please explain to me why a Martin #48 Automatic Reel
new in it's bubble wrapped packaging received 19 bids and sold for
$153.60? I don't get it.
A #3 brass Meek &
Milam reel from the 1850's in VG condition brought $3749. It is shown
to the right. A VG B. C. Milam #3 in German silver with a 12 o'clock
counterbalanced crank sold for $985.03, while a #4 size Milam in
similar configuration and EX brought $1525. It was engraved with the
owners name and "1888" which always is nice. A Blue Grass Reel Works #3 Kentucky reel in EX sold for $465.
A Talbot Special from Nevada, MO that was "found in Granpa's barn"
brought $4560. It was a #3 size and jeweled. A Pflueger Redifor
Kentucky style reel that was jeweled and in VG topped out at $157.50.
The bargain of the month seemed to me to be an early unmarked
German silver and hard rubber Pflueger Hawkeye in a very graphic
maroon box. It was the 60 yard size and sold for $261.08. An Otto Zwarg steelhead reel #400 in 2/0 size and in EX reached
$1875. A hard rubber and German silver #2 trout reel marked Wm. Read
and made by Julius vom Hofe in EX topped out at $304. Another Julius
vom Hofe fly reel in hard rubber and aluminum, model 50A, with half
crank and a fixed click brought $950. A Hardy Duplicated Mark II
Perfect, 2-7/8", with agate line guide, and in VG condition brought
$880. A 4-1/4" Hardy Perfect in a leather Hardy case c 1930s topped
out at $1034. A Clark-Horrocks birdcage reel (copy of a Billinghurst)
in G-VG condition brought $1150, and an uncommon Meisselbach vertical
Amateur with front click in VG sold for $316.
There was an abundance of Winchester reels this month. Bidding reached $575.21 for a Winchester #4345 German silver level
winding casting reel. This was Winchester's best quality LW reel. A
Winchester #4250 casting reel in VG-EX and 80 yd size brought $183. A
small 25 yard brass, raised pillar Winchester #1119 in VG+ sold for
$163. Another small, raised pillar, nickel plated brass single action
fly reel, the #1312 in EX reached $163, and another a week later
soared to $232.49.
An unusual Yale King Duz Wine #88 in German silver and hard rubber
and in EX sold for $209.48. A scarce Meisselbach Okeh #600 in VG
brought $359.20. A J.A. Coxe Invader #26 that was Mint in the box with
case and papers sold for $513. An ABU/Garcia #2600 that was EX in a VG
box reached $227.50. A M1975 Bi-Centennial Shakespeare, the red, white
& blue model that was mint in a EX box with all accessories sold for
$213.50.
A Penn Coronado #95 that was Mint in an EX picture box sold for
$711.01. A very unusual Salter Future wood and brass star back sea
reel in VG condition sold for $304. A rare F. vom Hofe & Son brass
ball handle reel in 1/0
size reached $1125.99. A Worden Jet Belly Reel with the original belt
and in VG-EX topped out at $172.50. Even more interesting was an Alvey-Like
pivoting reel with a wooden spool and all metal parts gold plated. It
was one of several similar reels from an Australian collection. This
one brought $223.44, and is shown to the left. Another pivoting reel,
a Malloch sidecaster, c1920 and in VG condition, sold for $250.
Lures:
The star of the month was a Chapman
#2 Kilby Minnow. This c1875 silver and brass bait was stamped W. D.
Chapman, received 33 bids before topping out at $18,066. It is the
bait shown to the right. Another nice Chapman
Spinner in VG to EX, and silver plated was bid to $2700. Another rare
bait was a British Allcock/Gregory Cleopatra lure from the 1870s. This
jointed metal bait was sold in the US and brought $860.
There were some nice Shakespeare baits offered this month. The
leader was an "A" notch prop 3 hook minnow with gem clip hook holders
in Yellow. It was EX in a VG picture box with papers. This nice item
sold for $7,500. A 3 hook Metalized Minnow in EX condition sold for
$313.88. An Acorn style Revolution in EX reached $523.70. A Strike-It
Minnow in Mullet with ball hook holder and EX sold for $325.34.
A Creek Chub Bait Co. Fintail Shiner in silver flash color and VG+
condition brought $475. Another in Redside that was VG in a G box
topped out at $451. A Wagtail Chub #8000 in goldfish scale, and EX
in a G+ unnumbered box/papers sold for $380. A Tiny Tim #6419, Frog,
that was near mint in an EX celo top box/papers reached $927.07. a
Giant Jointed Pikie (11" long) with tarpon hooks and in silver flash
color in a water stained box sold for $565.55. $412.07 was the selling
price of a nice Jigger in Redside Scale color.
A rare Moonlight Dreadnought Minnow that was VG and red and white
color sold for $1603.06. A Moonlight #504 that was mint in an EX box received 22 bids before
selling for $1311. A Schoenfeld-Gutter Sea Gull (Moonlight) Pikaroon
was sold. It was red, with black & yellow, and EX in a VG box, and
brought $1823.06. A Moonlight Self Glowing Floating Bait that was VG
in a VG box reached $1200. A Charmer Minnow in EX-, orange with a red stripe
brought $390.26. A Nif-T salmon plug, pearl with silver scale and EX,
brought $510. A Snook Bait Co. "Big Snook" lure in silver flash color,
that was VG in a poor box, sold for $745.99. Another salt water plug,
an Atom Masterlure, as new in a Mint box, and 8" in green scale color
brought $810. An Outing Du-Getum, pike scale, and EX in a G+ box
reached $222.50. A Flood Florida Shiner Minnow, new in the box with
paperwork, brought $750. A Clinton Wilt Little Wonder Lure that was
gold with a green stripe and VG reached $410. An Arbogast Musky
Jitterbug with two trebles, red & white and VG+ sold for $316.21. A
Staley-Johnson Honey Floater that was mint in a VG box and yellow
scale sold for $251.50.
Heddon baits of note
included a #140 Flipper, in the neat frog scale/red head pattern, L
rig and EX reached $1525. It is shown to the left. A Punkinseed in
white shore pattern, with 2 piece hardware, and VG to EX condition
sold for $760. Another 740 in Goldfish Scale and EX brought $1324.75. A Heddon Artistic Minnow #57, Sienna crackle back, in
EX brought $426.02. A Spin Diver #3000 in bar perch, VG+ sold for $812
for a Japanese seller. A #100 Minnow in its wooden box, all EX sold
for $1475. A Heddon Salmon River Runt, mint in perch scale color,
topped out at $667.77. A River Runt #110 with 2 pc hardware that was
called perch, but looked frog scale to me, received 21 bids and sold
for $2291.56.
A South Bend Surf Oreno #963YP, with tack eyes, and EX in a VG box
reached $305.12. A rare Truck Oreno that was red & white and VG+ in a
G box received 25 bids before selling for $2824.74. (I'll never forget
the day a Montana cowboy gave me an old tackle box, and there in the
bottom was a cut off leg from an old pair of Levi's. Rolled up in that
blue denim was a mint Truck Oreno).
A New Winner 5 hook Minnow by Pflueger in green crackleback that
was EX in a VG wooden box sold for $910.
Some newer collectible baits included an original Big O, hand
carved by Fred Young. It was mint and in a yellow with green splatter
color. It topped out at $201.99. A Heddon Lucky 13 Spook in a rare
white/orange head color and EX reached $1738, and a Heddon Sonic with
the Johnson Sea Horse logo and EX brought $430.
Rods:
We had a really neat Ocean City Fly Fishing Kit come up for auction
this month. It included a bamboo rod (probably Montague since they
were merged), OC reel, line, flies, and all the necessary accessories.
This complete outfit was boxed as a set and in mint condition. It sold
for $100.05.
A black Featherweight Champion rod handle in EX sold for $150.
A Heddon Premier #115 fly rod, 8'6", 3/2 in as new condition
brought $405. That must be the established price for later another
#115, only more desirable at 8' long, 3/2 and also EX brought $405 as
well.
A Hardy Jock Scott casting outfit, which included a free spool
tournament reel, and Palakona casting rod topped out at $1605.A Hardy
Glen Rinzie bamboo spinning rod in EX sold for $222.22.
As always, many thanks to those who
sent in tips - Alan Reed, Ben Wright, Frank Knapp, Mike Frome.
