Yesterday the U.S. Mails brought a welcome bi-annual treat: the Fall 2011 Lang's Auction Catalog. As you know, I am always astounded by the fishing tackle brought to auction by the Lang's gang, who work year round to make sure the auction experience runs as smoothly as possible.
The nifty thing about this auction is that, as a hook maniac, it's about the finest selection of rare fish hooks to ever come to market. The collection of the late (and dearly lamented friend to all of us hook collectors) Dr. Tom Langworthy forms the centerpiece of this auction, and oh my is it incredible. I fondly recall the first time I met Dr. Tom around 1993 or so. We talked on the phone about fish hooks, and then he told me he had a box to send me. About a week later I got a banker's box in the mail and it must have weighed fifteen pounds.
It was full of hooks. Rare, common, and everything in between.
Stunned, I called Dr. Tom on the phone and meekly mentioned that as a college student, there was no way I could pay for these hooks. He laughed. "Just send me your doubles and we'll call it even." I scoured our collection and sent him one of every double hook we had. I got a nice note back from him and we continued to correspond, sometimes more frequently, sometimes less, over the next 15 years. I finally got back in touch with him regularly when I was working on Jeff Kieny's fish hook book. By then, he was already sick.
A few of the hooks I sent him are in this auction, which makes it even more special.
Anyway, mark the date (October 21 and 22) for the Lang's Auction. I believe the on-line catalog goes live tomorrow, and I'll make sure to update everyone when it does.
To order your copy of the DVD, Click Here.
-- Dr. Todd
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