Lang's Auction Report Part 2

Lang's Auction Spring 2007 has come to a close, and it was one for the books! Some unbelievable reels sold over the weekend, including three Philbrook & Paine reels that brought $12,000, $19,000, and $26,000 respectively. There were other shockingly high prices paid, in particular $9,000 for a marked Abercrombie & Fitch Talbot Ben-Hur fly reel. Some incredibly rare Kentucky reels sold, including Meek, Milam, Deally, Gale, and others. Several dozen fishing reels reached the four figure and up mark.

Perhaps the neatest lure to sell was a baby Haskell minnow, which came in at $18,500. An early Abbey & Imbrie "Octopus" wood slide-top box topped out at $4500; one must surmise that the bidder had the Samuel Friend lure for this box! Somewhat on the high end of the spectrum was a Hungry Jack in the box, which came in at $2000--I have seen them recently in the box for $1250-$1500. But not all lures sold on the high end; some lures were downright bargains. Some of the Chapman lures came in at a downright reasonable price, and even the exceptionally rare 1882 catalog was not oversold at $1900. An Eagle Claw fish trap sold for $450 when they have brought twice that much in the past. A PFlueger Kent Frog went for only $275.

I am awaiting a report on the Discovery Auction, and hope to have some first-hand accounts available later this week.

Congratulations to the Ganungs and to Lang's for another spectacular auction!

--Dr. Todd