Saturday, July 19, 2014

The Art of the Lure with Elissa Ruddick: Vim Wood Minnow


Manufactured in about 1907 for the Vim Company by the Joseph E. Pepper Company, Rome, NY, is this wonderful five hook underwater minnow and picture box combo. Vim was a general merchandise company located on 68 Lake Street, Chicago, Illinois in the early 1900s. Joe Pepper produced trade minnows for several companies, and distinguished his minnows from other makers of the day, by hand painting them with reverse gill marks, and when using glass eyes, they were normally forward facing. The twisted wire through-body hook hangers and line tie, tube-type “bow tie” props, milky yellow egg-yolk glass eyes, and hand painted body all lend a true “folk-art” feel when gazing at this lure from any angle. The printing on the right hand side of the box top pretty much sums it all up for me, stating, “You Will Like It.” And indeed I do!





If you have any questions/comments, Elissa Ruddick can be reached at elissaruddick AT aol DOT com.

-- Elissa Ruddick

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