Letterheadings with Jim Jordan: Peckinpaugh (1929)

This weeks feature, a former piece from my collection will give contrast to last weeks simple unillustrated Peckinpaugh letterhead. It clearly indicates that Peckinpaugh did not confine all his correspondence to such a plain presentation. Aside from his standard letterhead, Peck also used what he referred to as a folder where the cover doubled as a letterhead. These folders were illustrated catalogs made up of several pages of Pecks baits, along with some hints for anglers. The folder covers were bordered along the left side with illustrations of some Peck's baits and a boy float fishing from a dock with his dog as a companion.The vast majority of the cover was left blank in order for the company to use for correspondence. Printed at the bottom is one of my all time favorite slogans from any tackle company "Peck's Insurance Against Fishless Days."



This communication is to the same addressee as last weeks feature, Mr. L.G. Hayes. This is a response to a letter from Hayes telling Peck of his recent success with Pecks Tandem Fly on the Meramec river. Peck informed L.G. that the flies he had requested would be shipped under a separate cover. Peckinpaugh requested when Hayes made future orders of weighted casting flies that he specify the colors he desired. Peckinpaugh concludes by telling Hayes that nearby streams have been very low and fishing was hardly worthwhile. I really like the way Peck incorporated both catalog and letterhead with these. I have only seen this style catalog/folder where the cover doubles as a letterhead dated for the years 1929 and 1930.This 1930 example featured eight pages, with the cover being considered page one.

Best Regards,

-- Jim Jordan

The Friday Funhouse

The Video of the Week

Take a peek at the tackle section of this 1928 Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett & Co. catalog!



12 Things I Would Buy If Only I Could Afford Them

This is just the most super cool home made spinning reel.



This Hardy St. George is spectacular!



Philip Geen made some incredible lures.



Oh my. This DAM Everready underwater minnow is incredible.



This Kent Floater in the box is incredible.



This ABU Matic #72 is breaking some kind of record.



Can't beat this Tycoon Regal rod.



Who doesn't love this Bagley World Bass lure?



This B.C. Milam #3 is a great reel.



Heddon Crazy Crawlers in Glow Worm are wonderful.



3 Dolly Bobbers for one price…attracting a lot of interest!



Heddon Lucky 13 in Red Head/Pearl? WOW!



As always, have a great weekend, and be good to each other -- and yourself.

-- Dr. Todd

Ben Wright's Spinning Reel Report (June 2013)

JUNE 2013

RAIN, RAIN AND MORE RAIN WITH MORE INTERESTING REELS !!!

Featured Reels:
Abu Record 500 exc+ extra spool w/fitted leather case @515.81
Abu Record 500 same as above @ 753.00
Rare Early Mepps Vamp exc @ 1924.94

Reels of Interest:
Ocean City 350 yellow like new @ 81.00
Swiss Esquire nib @ 224.26
check out the prices paid for these Orvis Ulta-Lites
50A Like New @ 299.50
50A nib @ 400.00
75A nib @ 332.26
75A nib @ 535.00 holy cow !!!

Reel Deals:
Alcedo Micron curved Leg exc @ 51.03
Feurer Bro's Astra 414 exc- @ 14.50
Flo-Line exc+ w/poor box @ 42.00
Mepps Super Vamp exc @ 53.55
odd ball Mustomatic CF exc- @ 9.99
Penn Special 430 CF nib @ 41.00
South Bend Sup-Matic 606 ewb @ 33.60

Other reel-----
Abu:
Abumatic 155 CF exc @ 164.13
700 third version ewb @ 220.65
1000 second version nib @ 229.60
Suveran S2000M e+wb @ 385.00
Cardinals:
   C33 nib @ 79.95
    52 nib @ 256.00
    54 nib @ 171.38
    55 exc @ 191.70
   752 nib @ 76.01
   755 nib @ 71.00

Airex:
Astra ewb @ 26.15
Vic green e-wb @ 102.50

Daiwa:
GS30 ewb @ 127.50
SS3000 nib @ 151.88

Dam Quick:
Super 270 nib @ 58.00
listed as a Super TWO SPEED nib "BUT" all photo's showed the reel as a SINGLE SPEED ??? @ 110.55

English:
Loncast S.E. Cook exc @ 97.20

French:
Dopeer exc- @150.00
Centuare Carbie green ewb @ 79.00
Croizix finish wear @ 89.10

Heddon:
100 CF nib @ 69.01
200 SCF nib @ 89.05
260L nib @ 37.55

Japanese:
Karmann 41 Gold color exc+ @ 140.00 wow
Grant Sport exc starting @75.00 NO BIDS

Johnson:
710 CF exc @36.50
Centurary 100A CF nib @ 45.00
Pink Princess 100AP CF exc @ 110.00

Mitchell:
3rd version paint wear @ 194.06
Garcia 300 nib box marked 300X @ 255.00
common 308 e+wb @ 76.00
Custom 308 w/one tier tournament spool all polished @196.22
410 Special ewb @ 97.20
MPU only for 302 nib @ 53.00

Penn:
700 3rd version exc+ w/poor box @ 156.50
716Z nib @ 195.72

Italian:
Alcedo--
  2C/S bronze exc @ 114.08
Jupiter e+wb @ 202.55
Mercury last version exc @162.00
Nautilus B1 exc- @ 152.50
Nettuno marked Foreign exc @ 127.50
Zangi---
Pelican 50 gary exc @ 194.24
    "       "    orange/white cup exc @ 271.93
Orvis 100A e+wb @ 210.50

Zebco:
44 Cf nib @ 103.50
55 CF Ewb @ 43.00
Cardinals---
7X nib @ 120.00
557 exc+ @ 90.00
                                                                                                                   
More reels:
Sea Martin mk 2 exc @ 142.01
Tamco by La Salle exc @ 132.50
Uslan 500 ewb @ 162.53
Ranger Lime Tamer 33 nib @ 158.49
odd ball James 3 in 1 CF nib @ 66.98
Last- two Waltco ny-o-Lite boxes with papers only
one sold @32.50   one sold @ 12.50
Have a great summer
Ben

Focus on Full Page Ads: 1970 Lee Wulff Abu Garcia

This April 1970 advertisement for Lee Wulff's line of Garcia fly tackle was run in a number of publications. It's a neat reminder that Wulff was both a genius and a shrewd promoter of tackle. Those Abu Delta fly reels never caught on, but they are interesting examples nonetheless.


-
- Dr. Todd

Voices from the Past: Raymond R. Camp (1955)

The following epistle is from the great Raymond R. Camp, long-time outdoor editor of The New York Times. In an article entitled "Production Line Equipment Fails to Dim Popularity of Old-Fashioned Fly Rod," published on March 11, 1955, he opined on the great bamboo rod maker Jim Payne:

Many new tackle items are being displayed and tested at the booths and pools at Kingsbridge Armory, many of them fabricated of plastic, fiber, glass and assorted materials. But it was a relief to find one angler at the casting pool with an old-fashioned fly rod.

This man was dropping a fly lightly on the water with a Payne rod, a precisely engineered and fabricated wand formed of six carefully selected strips of bamboo. It cannot be "thrown" in a boat. You can't arc the tip around until it touches the butt. No angler would try to stretch a cast to 100 feet with this old-fashioned but far from obsolete item of tackle.

But there are quite a few dry fly purists who would seriously consider some other sport if Jim Payne stopped making these rods exactly as he made them when father was a lad.

In the midst of production line tackle, it is refreshing to find a rod that has a quality undimmed by time. Custom rod makers are aging, and apprentices are few. So many anglers are worrying about the future source of this equipment. Prices for custom rods have increased, but who ever met a wealthy rod-maker?

-- Dr. Todd

News of the Week: June 24, 2013

Don't have time to read 50+ fishing and tackle collecting blogs and web sites? Well, let us do it for you! Follow all of the latest news, articles, and stories on our Whitefishpress Twitter account! Hint: You don't need to be a member...just bookmark the Twitter Feed Page or click on latest links to the right!

THE MONDAY 10: The Ten Fishing Stories of the Week You Need to Know

The Big Lead: Old baits still catch fish.

From the Starting Them Early files: 13 year old boy charged with fishing tackle theft.

Angler going for most fish caught in 24 hours record.



Dyess & Crawford bring in a big creel.



A great grandfather-and-grandson fishing story.

Fishing tales from days gone by.



5 year old is much better angler than you, catches 10 & 12 pound bass. On the same day.

New study shows Skeena river once held 50X more chum salmon.

93-year old angler not ready to retire.

Finishing with a (Terrible) Flourish: Angler assaulted by gang of thugs.

-- Dr. Todd

Letterheadings with Jim Jordan: Peckinpaugh (1930)

This weeks feature is from the E. H. Peckinpaugh Company, Chattanooga, Tennessee.
 
The business of fishing tackle has no off season. In the first month of 1930 we find Ernest Hilary Peckinpaugh adding a new creation to his line, promoting existing baits, seeking orders and testimonials.
 


This January 21, 1930 letter offers some wonderful content. Peckinpaugh informs Mr. L.G. Hayes that he is sending him a complimentary card of  L.G. Hayes Hair flies. Absent of a sample, these flies were tied based on a pattern described by Hayes. Peck also mentions that Hayes gave him permission to sell these bass flies in the Peck line. Peckinpaugh was unsure if these new Bass flies would make it into the Pecks catalog this printing. (Peck was correct, the Hayes Fly was absent from a Peckinpaugh Tackle catalog/folder with a July 24, 1930 date typed on it). Pecks salesman would be given samples and a price list of the Hayes Flies. List price would be $4.80 a dozen.

Along with the Hayes flies, Peck sent along  a sample card of BCS minnows in the Bill Dobs pattern as well as a Skunk tail fly. Ernest lets L.G. know that he would be glad to have an order from his firm. After the letter was typed, Peck added a hand written request that Hayes send him a brief testimonial including a description of his flies in his own wording, especially about the success Hayes has had with them. Finally, it is simply hand signed with the abbreviated name, Peck. Of the handful of Peckinpaugh correspondence I have seen only one was formally signed with his full last name.

The actual heading on this piece is rather uninteresting, simply listing the company name, location, the fact their baits were hand made and a mention of a few baits the company originated. As well as Pecks slogan "LURES THAT CATCH FISH".

Best regards,

Jim Jordan

The Friday Funhouse

Video of the Week

If you missed this earlier in the week, this is pretty awesome news about an upcoming ABU documentary.



12 Things I Would Buy If Only I Could Afford Them

Any K&K ANimated Minnow is a nice lure.



A Heddon Simson line spool is a great find.



Yeah. This Bagley DB3 is pretty much lighting the world on fire.



This is one awesome Heddon 150.



A Cabo Blanco ashtray is a cool find.



Any birdcage reels are fun.



This is a cool and interesting Piro's Water-Whacker.



This Pink Princess is in nice condition.



Love this Farmer's Corpus Christi shrimp lure.



All Shakespeare glass minnow traps are outstanding.



A Wagtail Chub in Goldfish is pretty incredible…



Unreal -- how rare is this Wright & McGill Baby Crab box? I've never seen another.



As always, have a great weekend, and be nice to each other -- and yourself.

-- Dr. Todd

Hooked on Paper with Michael Koller: Shakespeare Pocket Calendars

Since I'm not the sharpest tack in the box it took me several years to understand some things about Shakespeare pocket fishing calendars. I first bought a 1947 calendar. Several years later I found a couple different years. Eventually it dawned on me these calendars were a give-a-way item each year. The earliest year I have is 1942 and the latest is 1968.

These wallet size calendars are 2 1/2" by 3 3/4" and  are double sided. They list each month of a year and indicate which are the best days to go fishing. From a 1960 Shakespeare catalog I see these calendars listed for sale at a cost of $5.95 for 500 calendars with three  imprinted lines.  It states, "Dealers hand them out when writing up licenses or upon completing a sale." Each calendar features a different Shakespeare item for sale. Great graphics!
 
If anyone has more information cocerning these Shakespeare Pocket Calendars I'd love to hear from you: michaelkoller39@yahoo.com. Since I have many missing years I'd also be interested in any calendars you might have for sale.






-- Michael Koller

New ABU Documentary Coming Out July 10

Voices from the Past: An Indian Hollow Rod (1907)

The following passage comes from Ceylon Marine and Estuary Fishing: Notes on a Neglected Pastime by A.H. Pertwee (London: Caper & Sons, 1907), a nifty account of fishing in India around the turn of the twentieth century. It's particularly interesting because of its reference to a hollow rod -- and its emphasis on the importance of a one piece rod in general. Of course, the principle of the hollow rod would later be fully explored in the 1920s and 1930s, and today hollow building is commonplace in the bamboo fly rod world. But at the time, the idea of a hollow rod was pretty novel. I also like this passage as it references Luscombe, and I have several spinners marked with his name.

When I first took seriously to fishing—which was many years ago, and in India—the fates directed my footsteps to a shop in Allahabad kept by a Mr. Luscombe who was, and for that matter still is, not only a true artist with rod and line, but a practical fishing tackle-manufacturer to boot.

A Wonderfully Cheap Indian Rod. Here I was introduced to a new kind of rod which deserve to be much better known than they are, and which, in my opinion, are far superior for general all round fishing to the most expensive weapons made at home. These rods are known in Northern India as Ringalls, and are, I believe, the same thing as Messrs. Oakes & Co. of Madras sell under the name of Labeo Rods. They are a sort of bamboo reed, hollow, and very light, but of most astonishing strength and flexibility. A rod of this kind, fully mounted with snake rings and brass reel fittings, and measuring, say, 12 to 15 feet (mine are 14 ft.), cost about R10 at Allahabad, or one-eighth of what you would have to pay for a new English salmon rod of the same size. I have found that for spinning purposes, they are not only lighter than English rods, but are much quicker in "recovering."…

But to return to the Ringall. Like most good things, it is not quite perfect; there is ore disadvantage about it that has probably lost it more admirers than all its good features has attracted, and that is, you must take it all in one piece. It is no good at all if you cut it and make the ordinary ferule joints you've got to take it whole or not at all.

I hear the chorus of disapproval that will greet this fact, as also the enquiries as to why it cannot be cut, so I will tell you why it can't, and also why it needn't be. The Ringall being, as I have already mentioned, hollow, depends for its strength chiefly on the fact that at the moment of striking, and during all subsequent strains, all of the rod gives, and that from tip to reel it forms a perfect unbroken curve. Now no jointed rod does this, for the simple reason that the parts bound by the brass ferrules are kept perfectly rigid, and the under side of the curve a* those points does not contract as it should do; in other words, the under half of the joints remain the same length as the upper half, consequently the under edge of the ferrule cuts through the very thin wall of the bamboo, and a bad smash-up follows. That is why you cannot successfully joint any hollow rod and retain its full strength.

A "Carrier" For The Rod

The reason why you needn't is simpler. When not, in use, hang up your rods tip uppermost, from a loop, and not from the top ring. When transporting them from place to place, or from your house to river or sea, carry them (or rather get a cooly to do so) in an ordinary bamboo carrier. These cost about one rupee each, and with ordinary care will last a lifetime. This is how to make one. Take a female bamboo, the kind used for scaffolding will do, of about, three inches diameter, and a few inches longer than your longest rod. Split it lengthwise and knock out all the joints except those at each end, and tack three or four short buckled straps round it so as to form hinges on one side and fastenings on the other. You now have a case very light, strong, and perfectly safe, it will go into the guard's van if you are travelling by rail, or the smallest podian can carry it.

1 have frequently carried mine in rickshaws, ticca gharies, bullock carts, and even on a bicycle, and hope to do so many a time again. If you are very particular you can have a teak case made, for out here, where none of us march for miles across country carrying our own rods as we might at home, a few pounds weight more or less is neither here nor there.

The Fishing for History Magazine for May 2013 is UP!

The June 2013 issue of The Fishing for History Magazine is up and ready to be downloaded! It's 90 pages of pure fishing history joy!

Editorial: Memorial Day

The Fishing Photographer with Doug Bucha

Deconstructing old Ads with Bill Sonnett: Bristol Rods

John Etchieson’s A Few Lines About Lines: Mermaid Line Spools

Michael Koller’s Hooked on Paper: Shakespeare Pocket Catalogs

Robert Ellis’ Bronson Reel History: Bronson Meisselbach Reels

Tom Jacomet’s Lure Lore: The Deuster Gopher Lure

1000 Words: Chief Mohawk

Ben Wright’s Spinning Reel Report for May 2013

Annotated Tackle Catalogs with Dr. Todd E.A. Larson -- Supplee-Biddle 1915 Underwater Minnows

Buck’s Shots with G. Buckley Juhasz: The Case for the 10' fly rod

1000 Words: Female Fly Fishers

Steve Lumpkin’s Illinois Tackle History: Bite Alarms

Focus on Full Page Ads: 1922 Winchester

Big Game Fishing History with Dr. Tim O’Brien: A History of Big Game Rods

Gary Hall’s Quiz of the Month

Gary Miller’s Angler’s Miscellany

Voices from the Past: Hardy Ads

The Friday Funhouse for May 2013

Letterheadings with Jim Jordan

Voices from the Past: A Tour of Allcock

Photo Essay: The Fishing Magazine Cover

The UNID Files

Dick Braun’s Zebco Memories

Blast from the Past: Gypsy Fish Oil by Steve Barrow

Finn Featherfurd on Newspaper Tackle Ads Part I

The News of the Month for January 2013

Lost Patents: Doc’s Leader Straightener (1932)

Hollywood Goes Fishing

News of the Week: June 15, 2013

Don't have time to read 50+ fishing and tackle collecting blogs and web sites? Well, let us do it for you! Follow all of the latest news, articles, and stories on our Whitefishpress Twitter account! Hint: You don't need to be a member...just bookmark the Twitter Feed Page or click on latest links to the right!

THE MONDAY 10: The Ten Fishing Stories of the Week You Need to Know
The Big Lead: Big Lou McEachern casts over the Astrodome. Jeremy Wade is jealous: local native lands 6 foot Wallago. Orca steals angler's catch off the line. The Dietrich Brothers are making split cane rods. Lead ban makes it through New Hampshire house. Why fishing with dad can be reel fun. Fishing rod brandished as weapon? Remembering Bill Dewitt, tackle man. Dry fly fishing hooks fathers and sons. Finishing with a Flourish: Prince William is spotted in a Hardy & Grey's hat; world implodes. -- Dr. Todd

SNEAK PREVIEW: COMING MONDAY AFTERNOON!

Letterheadings: Hildebrandt Ad Sheet (1930)

I thought this early two sided John J. Hildebrandt ad sheet would make an  interesting follow up to last weeks Hildebrandt letterhead/ envelope feature.The majority of collectors and fisherman associate the Hildebrandt name with quality spinners and hackle and hair tied flies. An often overlooked fact is that the John J. Hildebrandt Company played a big part in promoting and making famous the floating bass bug.

There is much debate among historians as to who was responsible for creating the bait which is now referred to as the popper. Two of the front runners in the debate are Bill Jamison and his Coaxers and Ernest Peckinpaugh with his Night Bugs. This debate may never be settled, but by the 1930s  the name Peckinpaugh was considered synonymous with the floating bass bug. In 1900 a floating bass bug could not be found on the market. Just thirteen years later Peckinpaughs Night Bugs were readily available through Peckinpaugh in Chattanooga and from Hildebrandt in Indiana. Pecks Night bugs were made of cork as well as red cedar.
  
This Hildebrandt ad sheet  listing  (floating) wood bodied Night Bugs is undated. Night Bugs are said to have been listed in Hildebrandt catalogs as early as 1913.



The reverse of the ad sheet advertises  Bucktail streamers and shiners , as well as Guinea Belle treble flies. The Bucktail Shiner was also a product of Peckinpaugh. In the 1919 book Fishing, Tackle & Kits, author Dixie Carroll sings the praises of both Pecks Night Bug and Bucktail Shiner.



By 1930 any mention of the Night Bug is absent from Pecks catalog, while the Bucktail Shiner was still being listed . Perhaps as an homage to fellow bass bug pioneer Bill Jamison, the 1930 Peckinpaugh catalog offered Pecks  Bass Bugs and Bucktail Shiners supplied on Jamison barbless hooks at 60 cents per dozen  additional cost.





Best Regards,
    
-- Jim Jordan