Dr. Todd Attends a Tackle Auction

For whatever reason, I never attend auctions. I'm not talking about the on-line varieties like Lang's and Crossroads, which I generally enjoy and participate in regularly. No, I am talking about the local auctions that occasionally feature fishing tackle. There's just something depressing to me about bidding on things you want, losing, and watching someone else walk away with the item in front of you. At least when I lose an item on eBay I'm not forced to watch it taken away like a spoil of war.

But when I got the flyer from a local auctioneer about the estate of Raymond Crowe, a former ORCA member, I figured I had to attend. I knew Ray in passing (I believe he was a former Coast Guard guy) but hadn't seen or heard from him since around 2007. I knew him to be a pack rat, and sure enough the flyer discussed over 500 reels, dozens of full tackle boxes, etc. Lots and lots of tackle, including 34 outstanding Kentucky and Kentucky-style reels.

I called my friend Buck on the phone and we decided to drive over together. Buck's literally an expert on auctions, and attends several a month. He's always showing me unbelievably rare items he's picked up for $10 at some auction in the middle of nowhere. I tell him every time I attend an auction, I'm sitting between Warren Buffet and Bill Gates, both of whom have decided they want the exact items I want.

I know I can't afford the Meek #4 and other rare reels, so I concentrate on trying to pick up one good reel. Today I have my sights set on a Talbot. I don't have one and would like a nice, honest, original Talbot to put in my collection. There are five Talbots in this auction so I have five chances, I figure, to be disappointed.

We head out early on Saturday morning and make the 75 mile drive to Madison, Indiana, where the local auctioneer Mike Taylor will be holding the auction at the Jefferson County 4H Fairgrounds. It's not the best labeled place I've ever been, and we blissfully drive right on by the first time before realizing that we've gone to far. We arrive about an hour and a half before the auction begins and only see about ten cars. Will this be my lucky day? Will I be returning home today like a pirate pillaging a helpless village?

I walk on to the auction floor and the first people I see are all ORCA members. In fact, there are so many ORCA members that it's like a mini show. I run into Bill Muth, who's here to check out all the Horton Bristol reels, and Carl Schaum, who I figure is looking for Indiana reels. Soon I meet and greet fellow ORCAns Randy Anderson, Jerry Schemechko, Willis Logan, Jerry Soete, Neil Kauffman, Mike Hines and Doug Carpenter, among many others. Some have come from as far away as Oklahoma and Wisconsin.

It's really refreshing to see so many friendly faces, even if it means there will be no bargains today.

I preview the auction with Buckley and see a lot of interesting reels, but only a few that I'm going to set my sights on. Believe it or not one of the reels I'm most interested in getting is a Union Hardware "Samson" take-apart reel marked Horrocks-Ibbotson. I have five different versions of the Samson and this is one that has eluded me. It's not a high value item but I'd be very happy to add it to my collection. I also see a couple other items I'd like to get.

The auction flyer did not lie. There is tackle literally everywhere – tackle boxes, fishing rods, lures, minnow buckets, etc. are overflowing from every crevasse. From a 16/0 Fin-Nor to a palate of Heddon Sonics, there is something for everyone. By the time the auction is set to begin, there are about 75 people in attendance, split pretty much 50-50 between locals and ORCA members. Ray Crowe's estate will do pretty darn well.















The auctioneer Mike Taylor precedes the auction with a commentary. He says in his forty years of auctioneering, he has never (and he emphasized never with "not once") come across a more helpful organization than ORCA. He literally heaped praise on the Old Reel Collector's Association, and it made me feel good how many members stepped up to help him and to publicize the auction on short notice (he had a very limited time to clean out the estate and get the sale ready).

The auction begins with non-tackle items and there is a palpable sense of disappointment in the air. Not for Buckley, though, as he has a series of booths at an antique mall and is very knowledgable on all kinds of antiques. He's picking up bargains left and right while the reel collectors are throwing all kinds of side eyes at the auctioneering, ready to get into the tackle.

The auctioneer makes a bold choice by starting with the rods first. There's some nice rods in hindsight I probably should have bid on, including a really rare Harnell black spun glass fly rod, but the only one I bid on is a Tracey-Wells trade spinning rod. I drop out at $20. It's too early to get crazy, even if it is a cool rod.



The first big reel to come up is the Fin-Nor 16/0 and it brings a healthy price. It's a sign that there will not be a ton of bargains today. The rods don't bring a high price, though, and a couple sell well below their actual value (the best being a really nice Browning Magnum bait casting rod which went for nearly nothing).



The reels come up in huge table fulls and it is "choice" bidding, meaning the high bidder gets to pick as many reels as they want off the table. The first bidder is in at around $90 and plucks off a couple of nice reels, and the number slowly declines as the pile of reels gets smaller. Buckley jumps in and picks up two very, very rare spinning reels in boxes at about half their value. Maybe there will be some bargains after all …



I look over the pile remaining and see the one reel I wanted still there, so I join the bidding. I drop out at 40 but the guy doesn't choose my reel. I'm back in again, but for some inexplicable reason the bidding goes up to 60. Weird. This guy also chooses another reel from the one I want. I bid again, and lo and behold, I win at 40. I quickly pluck the minty L.W. Holmes fly reel in a leather bag from the table and show the auctioneer my number. If I am patient, I could pick this reel up in this condition for $60-$70 on eBay, so I come out ahead. I'm going to fish this reel. Buckley tells me I've done good, so I'm happy.

Two or three tables full of stuff go quickly to the rabid collectors in attendance, but I refrain from bidding as although there are many nice reels, I am holding all my cash to take a run at a Talbot. Besides, I'm not a good reseller. I buy reels to resell, take them home, start to like them, and … well, that's how you get a basement full of reels.

About an hour in I am staring at a reduced pile of reels, when I see a rather amazing sight. An item I figured would have gone for $100 on choice is still on the table. I impulsively decide that although it wasn't something I marked, I'm going to try and pick it up. I get in at the bidding and there is not much interest left. I win at $25, and cackle as I take away a Heddon Spin Pal first model box. I am sure people were put off by the fact that the wrong reel was in the box, but the first generation boxes are super, super rare. I know I can pick up the proper reel for about $25, and Ben Wright has the combo going for $200+ on numerous occasions, so I know I've done well. Neil Kauffman, who has the best collection of Heddon reels this side of anywhere, says I have done very, very well.

I do the same thing again when I see an item I was sure would be gone sitting on the table. It's an Airex Spinster Deluxe kit, and I jump in impulsively and excited by the auction atmosphere, keep bidding beyond where I should have. I end up going $20 over what I wanted to, and pick up the combo. The main reason I wanted it was that it has a Sears sticker on the side of the Mark 5 Bache Brown reel, which I've never seen before. Afterward, Bob Halver the Airex expert tells me it's only the second Airex "trade" reel sticker he's seen, so although I probably overpaid for the set I did get a rare if not very desirable trade reel for my collection.

Finally, the table lot with the Samson Utica reel comes out and is quickly depleted by bidders. Not surprisingly, the Samson is still there. I don't want to pay a lot for this reel, and am afraid the auctioneer will drop the ball and auction the remainders off in one lot. But I get a lucky bid accepted at $15 – I think the only time the auctioneer dropped below $20 on choice all day – and come home with it. I am very happy.

The heavy hitters come out next. A hush comes over the place as the Meek #2 hits the auction block it comes in at $900, which is a solid place. The Crowe estate is going to do well today. I had the pleasure of having Talbot expert Randy Anderson help me to identify which Talbot reel to go after; it's #28 on the list so I have some waiting to do. A nice Talbot #3 ($1100) is followed by a B.C. Milam Frankfort #4 ($900) and Talbot Niangua ($700) and B.F. Meek & Sons #3 ($700). A Meek #3 Freespool ($675), Talbot Niangua ($350), and a B.F. Meek & Sons #25 Louisville ($450) hit the gavel before the first big surprise.



It's a Kentucky Line Dryer in a two-piece box from Shelbyville, Kentucky, and I am a bit shocked it goes for $500. A Meek & Sons #25 ($300), Horton Meek #4 ($375), B.F. Meek & Sons #4 ($350), Bluegrass Reel Works #3 ($700), and Bluegrass Reel Works #4 ($600) finish. One of the best reels in the auction, a B.F. Meek & Sons serial number #2039 ends at $700. It's a nice deal.



The belle of the ball comes up in the form of a Talbot #2 (Serial #145) tournament special. It has the tournament handle but also the original handle. It attracts a lot of interest before ending at $2300. The new owner is happy and deservedly so – it's a rare, rare reel and a great buy. I'm very happy for him.

More reels hit the gavel: Milam & Son Rustic ($150), Meek Bluegrass #33 ($125), Meek Horton #3 ($200), B.C. Milam #3 ($400), Meel Bluegrass Reel Works #3 ($300), Bluegrass Reel Works #3 ($275), Bluegrass Reel Works #3 Jeweled ($400), South Bend 1131A ($75), a B.F. Meek #5 ($900), and somewhat surprisingly, a Gayle brass fly reel for $125.



It's time. Lot #28 comes up, my German Silver Talbot Star. The bidding starts at $50 and I'm in from the beginning. By $100 it's me and one other bidder. I have silently told myself I won't go past my predetermined limit for it, and my heart begins sinking as it begins to reach that number quickly. The bidder in the back goes right to the edge of my limit. I sit and think for a second before raising the bid $10. Nervous silence … and it's mine! I ended up paying about retail for it, but unlike eBay I was able to hold this one in my hands, and have it checked out by others, too. It's all original which is important to me, and runs like a fine watch. I am super happy.

After a weird Pflueger Skilcast ($45) is sold, we come to the most interesting reel of the Crowe collection. It is a tournament casting reel that has everyone baffled. I spend a lot of time looking it over, and conclude it has the end plate of a Meek bait casting reel, but the front plate and internals are familiar but not easily placed. It's clearly been put together by a supremely talented reel maker. I figured it would bring $200 but the bidding pushes it to $650 before the lucky winner gets it. I get a chance to see it again and while kibitzing Neil Kauffman exclaims, "This is an early Jack Welch!" He's absolutely right, of course. It all falls into place. There was something very familiar about the workings of the front plate, and as Neil points out all the Heddon hallmarks it becomes clear this is a reel made by Welch after he left Meek for Heddon (and took a bunch of parts with him), which explains the Meek end plate. The lucky buyer (you make your own luck in this game, folks) has gotten the true bargain of this auction. It's just an incredible reel, and I'm super happy for him for recognizing the quality before the identification came through. Properly identified, who knows what this would have brought?

We end this auction with a Talbot Star with the wrong handle ($200), a Meek #2 ($350), two tiny Dillenders from Lexington ($60 each) and a Bourne & Bond in an unmarked box ($90). All in all not a bad day.

I get up to pay for my four items and am very happy. I got my Talbot, got a chance to spend the morning with a bunch of old friends, and got to see Ray Crowe's estate do well with his tackle. Not a bad auction after all!

-- Dr. Todd

Chiswick Blues by Espen Olav Sjaastad

Today we have a wonderful treat -- a detailed look at a European tackle auction.

Chiswick Blues

by Espen Olav Sjaastad

Angling Auctions’ October sale of fishing tackle and related items at the Chiswick Town Hall is worth a visit under any circumstance. Even better this time with London in the midst of a heat wave, temperatures reaching 29 Centigrade and shorts and T-shirts adequate even into the small hours. Summer in the city? In Northern Europe we don’t complain, especially when it’s supposed to be Fall.


Friday morning, I’m sitting with coffee and auction catalog at a crowded outdoor café on Chiswick High Road when a lady plops down into the seat across from me. Her dog – a riesenschnauzer? – is a little worn around the edges but in otherwise fair condition. The lady, fortyish and blond in a very English way, probably rates an excellent plus but her enormous shades make the assessment tricky. She’s a real estate agent, and the people who move to Chiswick, she says, are mainly people downgrading from posh areas of London such as Chelsea or Mayfair. People who need to free up some funds or who are looking for more space. The real estate prices she quotes – £450,000 to £650.000 for a two-room, a million and a quarter or more for a small house – make downgrading seem like a very relative concept. “All my clients are at least a hundred years old,” she says. I suppose it represents an odd form of gentrification and explains why Chiswick most of the time seems like such a peaceful little area of London.

The viewing starts early Friday afternoon. This is the best opportunity to spend some quality time with the tackle. Just a handful of people around and hundreds of reels to play with. I’ve brought my camera, and in an attempt to get better shots, I start moving some of the rarest examples around the room. This generates a brief discussion among the staff about the trustworthiness of Scandinavians, but I manage to take my pictures without slipping any reels into my pockets.

After the viewing, I walk west for about 15 minutes until I reach Kew Bridge, then turn south along the Thames to the inviting string of pubs on Strand on the Green. With the sun blasting down, the outdoor seating is woefully inadequate, so people are leaning against walls and balustrades with pint glasses in hand.

The day of the auction is Saturday, October 1, and it’s the hottest October day ever recorded in England. So if the crowd of bidders is sweating inside the Grand Hall, it’s not just because of the neurosis that comes with trying to spend absurd amounts of money on stuff designed to kill fish.

That crowd is the smallest I’ve seen at Angling Auctions, so maybe some of the normal participants have chosen the seaside instead. The impending bankruptcy of a handful of European Union countries, and apprehension about the long-term implications, may also have kept a few people away, including some dealers. In consequence, you can pick up some nice deals on the lower-end stuff. Some of the prices paid for rods, in particular, turn out to be laughable. “Come on, ladies and gentlemen, I can’t give it away,” pleads auctioneer Neil Freeman. Unfortunately, I normally buy rods only to fish, so I don’t travel to Chiswick with a suitable tube for old bamboo. After seeing what transpired this time, however, that might change.


Never mind. Angling Auctions is mainly about reels. The stuff in the low to middle ranges generally goes below or within estimate this time. But heat waves, imploding Mediterranean economies, and small crowds won’t worry Neil Freeman too much as long as he can offer some exceptional reels and as long as the big hitters show up, in person or by phone. Here’s a non-random selection of lot numbers and hammer prices in pounds sterling (excluding 15 percent premium), with low and high estimates in brackets:

30 EVH Restigouche 6/0 1300 (1000-1500)
50 Hardy Bougle 3.75” 2800 (1500-2000)
100 Hardy 1896 Houghton brass Perfect 2600 (1800-2600)
150 Allcock Aerial Roller Back 4” 2500 (2000-3000)
180 EVH Restigouche 4/0 1800 (1000-1500)

This 4/0 EVH is a peach, with drag adjuster on the headplate. All the three Restigouches on offer (see also one below) look to me to have filed or altered feet, so I was hoping at least one of them might go cheapish. Nothing doing.


200 Allcock Aerial Roller Back 5” 3400 (3000-4000)
250 Ustonson & Peters 3” folding handle 3800 (2500-3500)
270 Hardy Silex Rex multiplier 2600 (1600-2400)

I think Phil White once described the Silex Rex as “Supreme-looking,” and in many respects the Rex is obviously a copy. It looks OK, and has the typical Hardy metals, but it’s not a reel I would want to fish. Only 94 were produced, which is why it now commands such ridiculously high prices.

275 Otto Zwarg 4/0 salmon 1500 (1200-1600)
280 Hardy Bougle 3” ca 1980 1800 (1600-2400)
281 A. Evatt folding handle ca 1845 1650 (1300-1800)
298 Hardy raised pillar 4” brass winch 3600 (2500-3500)
300 Hardy brass Perfect 3” ca 1891 13000 (5000-8000)

I don’t remember if lot 300 is when Freeman shouts, “Keep going, keep going, you’re into the swing of things now,” but that’s what the bidders do. Is £13,000 a reasonable price? Who can say?


As far as I am concerned, lots 301 to 399 mean it’s time for lunch. Cased fish are, in my opinion, best admired from a considerable distance. And while I love angling literature, I buy books to read much the same way that I buy rods to fish. So while Freeman gets rid of the dead fish and his friend David runs through the books, I walk across the green and slide a couple of tapas and a beer down my throat. I’m back in time for:

400 Hardy Pomeroy Tarpon Reel 4800 (2500-3500)

It may not look like much in the pictures, but the quality, the weight, its sheer brassness… this is the type of reel that seems to vindicate an addiction to old reels. It’s nice to think that Hardy Brothers, in the old days, went to such lengths to indulge the whims and obsessions of people like Captain Pomeroy.

401 Hardy 3.5” Fly and Spinning 2200 (1000-1500)
402 Hardy 3.75” Ferris salmon 2700 (700-1000)
480 Hardy Super Silex Multiplier small 5000 (2000-3000)


Lot 480, in excellent condition, is one of only nine Super Silex multipliers made in the 2&5/8” size. The Hardy platewind multipliers – the Silex, the Super Silex, the St. George, and the Tournament Casting Reel – are wonderfully eccentric reels. As far as I know, nobody else made reels of this type. Like Dr. Todd says, things I would buy if only I could afford them. This one climbed above my pay grade in no time at all.

500 EVH Restigouche 6/0 1400 (900-1300)
510 William Blacker 2&1/8” ca 1850 2700 (1500-2500)
511 Hardy Perfect 2.5” wide drum 1900 (900-1300)
547 Hardy Ocean 6” wood 1400 (700-1000)
550 Hardy Birmingham 2.5” nickel s. 6000 (1500-2500)
580 Hardy XLM Jock Scott 1400 (1300-1800)

The XLM is the tournament version of the Jock Scott, in clear aluminum finish. It’s pretty rare, and comes in a few different versions, but quite a number of these have been sold over last ten years or so. This one has a cylindrical brass brake adjuster on the tailplate and the brass cut-out collar on the headplate, but £1400 still seems like an overbid.

611 Hardy 3.5” Fly/Spinning 2600 (1000-1500)
620 ABU Ambassadeur 6000 black 1200 (400-600)


Last time the black 6000 came up for sale at Angling Auctions in 2008, the estimate was the same; but absentee bids meant the room bidding started at £1200, and it eventually sold for £1600 if memory serves. This time, the bidding started at £600. I made sure it reached £1200 before shaking my head, making Freeman a few extra quid. But the phone bidder who beat me still got a pretty good deal.

Towards the end of the auction, everybody gets a bit tired, and Freeman becomes a little bit quicker with the hammer. Lot 634 is a box of ten K. P. Morritt’s Intrepid reels, with a 130-180 estimate. Freeman starts the bidding at 60. “One day, they’ll be very collectible,” he drawls. This gets a laugh from the crowd but no bids. Still, as far as reels are concerned, I counted only two or three passed lots during the auction, which is normal.

So much for the reels. Elsewhere, a Higginsbotham line winder made 1700 (300-400), a George IV fruitwood priest made 1100 (350-550), some creels made good money, and an Allcock bait display made 2000 (500-1000).

Conclusions? No real surprises. In tough times, the big names shine, and in England Hardy is the biggest name. Many of the top lots went a long way beyond the high estimate. The Restigouches also did well, but there are normally just a handful of EVH reels on view in Chiswick. The rare Aerials did well, the more common varieties not so well.

As usual, being hopelessly naïve, I’d bookmarked a few choice lots around which to build my bidding strategy. As usual, I returned home with a couple of nice reels but not the treasures I really wanted. Outnumbered, outgunned, outbid. At least I managed to be the underbidder on some good lots this time. I resolve to return to Chiswick, if not richer then at least more reckless.


-- Espen

An Early Fishing Tackle Auction

An Early Fishing Tackle Auction

There's been some discussion of early tackle collections before, but this ad--dated 02 July 1922 and printed in the Salt Lake City Tribune--references an interesting sale by W.H. Adams Auctioneers. It references a sporting collection owned by a Mr. Daggett that was appraised "the finest collection of sporting goods in the state owned by a private individual...the collection consist of guns, fishing tackle..." It contained some great tackle and shows the kind of tackle kit a wealthy sportsman might have ca. 1920.

Here is a partial list of tackle that Mr. Daggett had accumulated:

-- One eighteen foot "split bamboo fly rod made by Conroy, Bissett & Malleson."

-- One fifteen foot "Irish fly rod, split bamboo, by same maker."

-- One eight foot split bamboo tarpon rod "made by Nichols."

-- One nine foot split bamboo sea bass rod, "Leonard make, the inventor of split bamboo rods."

-- One eight foot split bamboo heavy trolling rod, "English make."

-- One nine foot heavy steel trolling rod, "Horton make."

-- One eight foot light steel bass casting rod, "Horton make."

-- One eight ounce, nine foot trout fly rod, "made by Conroy, Bissett & Malleson."

-- One 5 1/2 ounce nine foot "full silk wrapped trout fly rod, carved handle and reel plate, a strictly hand-made rod."

-- One split bamboo trolling or bait casting rod.

-- One split bamboo light rod.

-- Seven reels for all kinds of fishing.

-- Nets, gaff hooks, creek tackle, boxes, fly books, stock books, butt rests for seat of belt and lots of other fishing tackle.

It looks like the kind of auction that one could find a few bargains! And it also looks like Mr. Daggett did not scrimp on his fishing tackle. Keep in mind Conroy, Bissett & Malleson tackle was already forty years old at the time of this auction, so it was already vintage. I wonder what reels he had to go with those fly rods?

-- Dr. Todd

Lang's: Final Thoughts

Well, it was an exhausting weekend. I watched A LOT of football (Go Middies! Go Ohio State!) while keeping one eye on the laptop as the auctions went off in a fast and furious mode. What can one say in the final analysis? I have several final thoughts.

1) Contrary to public opinion, I think this auction signals an upward trend in pricing. While some items went below auction estimates, and there were many items to be found at reasonable (and a few at downright bargain) prices, overall I think the prices reflect an upward surge. This bodes well for the hobby in general.

2) It is a blast being able to view auction items, like the Haskell minnow, that almost no one will ever be able to own themselves. I will never own a Haskell Minnow, but I am very pleased to be able to see photos of one, and know it is going to a collector who understands its historical importance. Items like the Haskell, the Hosmer in the box, the Thad Norris rod, etc. are literally fragments of our nation's past, and I feel honored to be able to see them, even in photos.

3) Technology has come a long, long way. Just in this auction, you've been able to see more rare tackle than most people saw in a lifetime just 20 years ago. I don't know the logistics of it, but if possible I'd love to see a live camera feed to the auction site. It would make viewing Lang's an even bigger (and more entertaining) event.

4) As much as I loved watching this on the internet, nothing beats being there in person. Next spring I plan to be at Lang's in person, so I can experience the Discovery Auction and the live auction in person.

5) Lang's run a professional and high class auction. From the incredible auction catalogs, to the precise auction descriptions, to the generally accurate pre-auction estimates, Lang's should be commended for not just running the premier tackle auction in America, but for promoting our hobby near and far, to every corner of the globe. My little blogosphere here was viewed in the past four days in every state in the union and over twenty countries--can you imagine how many people watched the live auction or followed individual items? I'd bet the number is in the tens of thousands. Kudos to John, Debbie, Jim and the rest of the Lang's gang.

That's all for now folks!

-- Dr. Todd

Lang's Auction, Part IV: The Results (Live)

OK here we go, another full day of Lang's auctions! Today we start with the bamboo fly rods, and I expect a lot of action on the classics--Payne, Edwards, Leonard, etc. The first Payne rod comes in at $1900, interestingly, eBay appears to be down at the moment so I can't check particulars. Wonder if this is affecting bidding. As a multibillion dollar firm, I fully expect this to be fixed in moments.

Working fine now...but I wonder if there is a lag in the ending bid and the absentee bids? Some of the rods are finishing at strangely low prices; both a Leonard and Payne fell far below auction estimates as of the posting on the eBay web site. Perhaps this is the same situation as last night.

In the meantime, let me entertain you with a little ditty:

There once was a Leonard from Maine
Who told an apprentice named Payne
You may have your youth
But the God's honest truth
Is that I am the master of Cane

Well, that wasn't very entertaining, was it? Dr. John Elder, Steve Vernon, and Bob Miller would be so disappointed.

A Payne 202 just hit the gavel for $2200. That's more like it! Take that Mr. Leonard.

A Stan Bogdan reel just went down for $1900. Two sets of McPherson flies went for $1200 per. Not bad.

By the way, if you're not watching this on eBay Live, you are missing out! Go to any Lang's page and click "View Live."

Lots of fishing and outdoor-related prints coming up now. Many of these are going for reasonable prices, $125-$500.

The Billinghurst is coming up...but not before a great Vom Hofe went for $3750 with some spirited floor bidding. Whoah. Now we're cooking! 8 straight reels over $1250! The Billinghurst at $1500, a Leonard Bi-Metal for $4600. A Coates two-speed for $4250. Moving on to some lots of multiple reels, some pretty good deals to be found. I think today and tonight, one can get a bunch of really good deals buying reels in lots of 3-10. Although not all were bargains; Phil White must have smiled at the two Meisselbach Gogebics that went for 50% above auction estimates.

The Winchesters are up now, and they are bringing prices ranging from $75-$200 each. They are popular reels, and this is quite an extensive selection of them.

Now for the high quality stuff. The Leaver's casting reel went for $4500 after serious floor bidding, the Wisner for $3250, and the JF and BF Meek came in under auction estimate at $2700. The Meek & Milam #5 just hit the gavel after 21 floor bids at $5200, well over 2 grand over estimate. Wow! The Meek & Milam #4 just hit double the auction estimate at $4900. This is turning out to be a very good day for the Kentucky Reels, which seem to appreciate 10% every year. For those keeping track that's $26,250 for the past 10 reels...

The Heddons came in below auction estimate, in part because i thought the estimates were too high on both of them. Some great lots of Montagues and other reels coming up now too...The Meeks keep exceeding expectations. Just spoke with J.K. Garrett watching from Maryland, he agrees with me that this auctions shows a marked upward trend in prices. This bodes well for collectors in general.

Lots of really high quality, moderately priced reels going now. These are the lifeblood of the collecting world, and its a pleasure to see them going into the hands of people who will enjoy them. Love those Montagues, Hortons, Heddons, Winchesters, etc.

As I just finished a VL&A article for the next NFLCC Magazine, I was excited to see the lots of VL&A reels attract some interest. Lots of great deals in these big lots of reels, as I suspected there would be. I think a lot of reel collectors will be upset they didn't place some internet bids...

Some big ticket items back on the blocks now. A Bogdan set of anniversary reels for $5500 got some people's attention. A couple of Vom Hofes in the four figure range, and the Lee Wulff Restigouche for $1900 and $1200, respectively. Strange doings...the Saraccione set went for half the auction estimate, while the Fin-Nor #4 Wedding Cake came in at an astounding TRIPLE the high auction estimate--$9000!

One of the pieces I profiled below--the Hardy Zane Grey--just came in at $10250. A true beauty. A Kovalovsky 14/0 just went for $8500, or around twice the price of a picture of a Kovalovsky reel (see yesterday's blog). The Guy-Ra-Tory reel went for $2000, above high estimates.

The Mitchell Salesman's case just hit 29 bids and $5200. Got to be a record for a Mitchell item!

The fly rods are back up on the block, and some real high end items are flying off the blocks. A Lyle Dickerson fairy wand went for $4100, a pair of Paynes for $2600 and $2700, and a Leonard for $2400. A Hiram Hawes 10' fly rod just wenrt for $1300. In a bit of a surprise, a 7' Wright & McGill Granger Fly Rod went for $1400, about 25% above high auction estimate.

On to the Lee & Joan Wulff section, a lot of items owned by these IGFA Hall-of-Famers. A custom made Florida Tycoon Wulff Tackle rod went for $700, a good price that was nearly twice the auction estimate. Joan Wulff's recent induction into the IGFA Hall-of-Fame could not have hurt the prices of this section of the auction.

The misc. items are coming up next, and some nifty items will be on the block. First up are some hand-tied flies, and 13 by Megan Boyd just sold for $900, while one single Boyd tied Atlantic Salmon fly just went for $250. A nice E.Vom Hofe Streamside Fly and Tool Kit just went for $600, about double the pre-auction estimate. A nifty Leather Trimmed Split Willow Creel went for $1600.

Get ready for the surprise of the auction--the Pflueger reel display. This was purchased at an earlier auction about a year ago, if memory serves me right (I think in North Carolina). 34 bids and $4500 later, this baby became a centerpiece of someone's Pflueger collection. To me the highlight of the auction so far (pre-auction high estimate was $600).

The CCBC Stoneware jug sold for $550, and a beautiful 1894 Hemphill's Bait Bucket sold for $1200. A really nice Early Michigan Fish Decoy went for a cool $1000, the high water mark for the few decoys in this auction. Some nice fish carvings are selling well, including a Brook Trout Plate by Jim Nelson for $650, over triple the pre-auction estimate.

Some really neat items coming up now. An Orvis catalog #21 sold for $300, a lot of early BASSmaster magazines for $500, the Peach Oreno papers for $125, and and Allerton Brook Trout Fishing Book for $800.

All I can say is: WOW. The Kingfisher advertising poster went for $5850, while the gorgeous Bristol Horton ad went for $2750, quadruple the auction estimate (which I thought was way too low). The original Oliver Kemp painting used by Bristol went for a cool $10,000--a third of the auction estimate. An original Louis Rhead trout painting came in at $2900, below the pre-auction estimate. Turning out to be a bit of a weak market for the paintings.

Get yourself a drink, take a quick break, and in about 15 minutes the Haskell Minnow goes to the auction block. The Haskell finished with 11 bidders and $30,000--the low auction estimate but still within the range. I thought this might go higher. The Smith Wiggletail came in at $10,000 and the Hosmer Mechanical at $12,500. The first six lures in this section brought nearly $60,000.

The Minnow tubes seem to be going a bit on the low side, with a Detroit Glass Minnow Tube selling for only $100, and a Welch & Graves for only $275. Not much in the way of great folk art in this particular auction, but the exception was the two neat brass minnows--one went for $325 and the other for $825. This was followed by a $1200 Chippewa, over twice the pre-auction high estimate. Chippewas are the Kentucky Reels of the lure world--appreciating every year. For contemporary bait fans, the Macatawa baits came in over the auction estimates, establishing the fact that there are a lot of collectors of these lures.

GO NAVY!!! 46-44. Unbelievable game. Notre Dame flames out, 43 game losing streak is over. GO MIDDIES!!!! But I digress.

Awesome Heddons going to the block now, Slopenose for $2600, Swimming Minnow for $1500, Slope in picture box for $2100, and a 159 in box for $1600. Is it possible to fall in love with a fishing lure? I think I have a crush (at least) on the Heddon Goldfish Baby Vamp Lure that went for $1100. The Rainbow Zaragossa went for $950.

Late in the second day, many bargains can be found, and today was no exception. Some of the Heddons came in at buyer's prices, including a Heddon Big Mary Saltwater Minnow for $75. A lot of the late Heddon items were, while not cheap, certainly a good deal in which the buyers will not be complaining.

This is my favorite part of the auction, because these are the bread-and-butter lures that the majority of collectors want. Lots for even the modest budget here, so anyone who says Lang's is only for the deep pocketed is flat wrong. 2 Heddon 150s for $225? That's within most of our budgets.

One of the big hits of the late auction was the South Bend Truck Oreno, which came in at $2800. A beautiful 3-hook Pflueger Monarch was also a popular bait at $1100. Pflueger tackle has been making strong increases the past two years. A beautiful Shakespeare Minnow Lure in Wood Box went for $2200.

With the NFLCC Patch auction ending for $300, the Fall 2007 Lang's Auctions is in the books. Thanks for checking in and following along! Tomorrow I'll have some final thoughts, for those interested. It was sure an amazing two days!

--Dr. Todd

Lang's Auction, Part III: The Results (Live)

Oh my oh my oh my, Billinghurst In the box just hit the gavel at $36,000! This is well over twice what the Edward Hewitt Sparse Grey Hackle Fly Reel came in at ($15,000). The great Rare Early Exceptional Mother of Pearl Trout Reel came in at $6500.

In other developments, the Philbrook & Paine came in at $9000, the 2nd Version Meek No.44 Trout Reel at $9500, and the Fabulous 7' Pinky Gillum DeLuxe Fly Rod at $5750.
The big surprise in fly rods was the price paid for the Thaddeus Norris fly rod, item #192, an astounding $16,000. I will be profiling Norris as rodmaker in an upcoming entry.

By the way, the first 120 auctions to end came in at $347,810, which with the buyer's premium means that the average lot came in at $3500. Gee, anyone else think those arguments about the market being "soft" don't hold water?

Of the amazing Derrydale books, probably no one was prepared for the $60,000 paid for four Angler's Club of New York Bulletins by Derrydale Press. Another rare Derrydale--A Bigelow Background came in at $17,000, as the printing was limited to just 25. Eugene V. Connett's Magic Hours came in at $39,000.

As my ancestors would say, uff da! The Derrydale Grasslands International Steeplechase, a 16 page booklet, just hit the gavel at $16,000. Holy moly rocky. And then the 1931 version of the same booklet went for $18,000. Wow.

William Hale Harkness' Ho Hum the Fisherman just came in at $6200, Heywood's Charles Cotton and His River finished at $10,000, and Lynn Bogue Hunt's An Artist's Game Bag ended at $20,000.

Preston Jennings' Book of Trout Flies just hit the gavel at $80,000! Followed not long after with Charles Phair's Atlantic Salmon Fishing at $45,000. Pollard & Barclay-Smith's British and American Game-Birds hit the gavel for $32,500. The Derrydales are about the end and the Zane Grey and lure auctions about to begin...but not before William Woodward's Gallant Fox hit $60,000.

The books are done, and we are on to the Zane Grey collection and the rest of the tackle. We start with a $650 Thos. Chubb catalog from 1890, the last year it was an independent firm. A sweet 1789 Tackle Invoice from Onesimus Ustonson hit $800, one of the earliest tackle ephemera sold in recent memory.

The first bomb drops from the Zane Grey collection...$22,000 for the Grey fighting chair! $7500 for a Zane Grey Large Three Spool Line Dryer; a bit surprising. The fun is just starting...Zane Grey Broadbill Gladiator Flag $22,000, followed by ZG Pennant from the Fisherman for $19,000. The Zane Grey South Bend Teasers went for as much as $7500, and all of them above $850. When his riding pants ($8750) and wading boots ($1500) sell for astronomical prices, you know this is going to be a good Zane Grey day! $2600 for a Zane Grey photo of a broadbill...$3250 for a PHOTO of a Kovalovsky reel. I may be wrong, but isn't that about what a Kovalovsky reel goes for in real life?

800 auctions down so far...we are almost through with the Zane Grey portion, and it has not disappointed. 12 Grey-owned paintings running between $1000-$3500. From first to last the Zane Grey items were a big hit, with a few surprises thrown in (some high ticket items sold for more than twice the auction estimate).

After a short break, here comes the lures!

The Clark's store display kicks things off with a solid $7000 ending bid, and a Woods Ultra Casting Minnow (sold by Norvell-Shapleigh Hardware) for $4250. Item #930, a Keeling Expert Minnow Lure in Box, went for only $700--1/3 the high auction estimate. And people say there aren't bargains to be had! I thought many of the Experts went on the low end of the pricing scale; good bargains in the grand scheme of things. Boxed Experts went generally from $400 to over $2000, however. By the way, this is an unbelievable collection of Experts. Harkauf Minnows seem to be doing really well.

And the Rush Tangos are coming up to the block next.

Before the Tangos, the beautiful North Channel Minnow referenced by Jeff Kieny below came in at $2100--did anyone else think this might go higher? A K&K Animated Minnow hit $1900 and a Michigan Life-Like went for $1425. In 1994, I watched a guy pay $325 for a Life-Like and thought he was crazy...Hey now! The Tango six-pack came in at $1250, also thought this one would go a bit higher but it came exactly between the auction estimate so it must be right on. The Yellow Field Special unrigged went for 1/4th the auction estimate, and I sort of suspected this would happen. Tango groupings are selling in the range of $50-$75 per Tango.

Lots of misc. groupings of lures coming up, I thought this would be the place to find some bargains, looks like my hunch is holding true. 3 Florida Shiner Lures in boxes for $1400. Balance has been restored to the world, folks. And a bunch of Millsites went for $1100, I hope this means this company will start getting more respect.

UPDATE: Apparently, the above crazed ravings were based on live auction results, not on absentee bids (which were factored in after the fact). I noted the 23 empty Heddon boxes only got bid up to $100, which was true, but the absentee bids pushed it up to $375--still a bargain but not quite the incredible bargain of $100. The 16 Foss lures in tins went for $275, again a good deal ($17 each) but not the steal mentioned last night. And the 7 spinnos were absentee bid up to $300 and $450. Thanks to Jay Folsom for pointing this out!

With the lures done...BRING ON THE 'BOO!

That's it for tonight, folks. Check back tomorrow for some more off the cuff remarks as it all goes down live.

-- Dr. Todd

Lang's Auction Week, Part II

Lang’s Week Part II

Well, I got some terrific feedback yesterday to the choices of our panel of experts. I have to once again thank all of them for taking the time and effort to make some very informed (and informative) choices. While I don’t pretend to the level of expertise of this blue-ribbon panel, I did find ten items of particular interest in the upcoming Lang’s auction.

Item #2: Rare Early Exceptional Mother of Pearl Trout Reel. Simply a gorgeous piece, with just the most amazing eye appeal of any item (to me) in the auction. How incredible. A question was raised about whether it was simply a raised-pillar reel with abalone sideplates put on later; Dean Smith, who has held this reel, claims that it is of the quality of a Vom Hofe reel all the way throughout. I just hope whoever buys it appreciates it!


Item #104: Fabulous RARE 7' Gillum DeLuxe Fly Rod. I really love the fairy wands—the short fly rods—and few made them as well as Pinky Gillum. With a total lifetime output around 2000 rods, Gillum rods are rare to begin with. Having learned his craft from the master E.W. Edwards, he created a series of rods that are a wonder to behold. This is an exceptional item from one of the great rodmakers of all time.


Item #221: Norman Maclean Owned Flies. I am not a collector of celebrity-owned fishing tackle, but I would make an exception for Norman Maclean, the erstwhile University of Chicago literature professor more famous for writing A River Runs Through It. Actually, although he only wrote a very small number of works, the more famous one is not his best book—pick up Men and Fire one day and marvel at a true wordsmith at the top of his craft. This lot is basically Maclean’s fly box. There’s a lot of history in it.


Item #606: Manuscript for A Book of Trout Flies by Jennings. As an old bookhound, I am always attracted to the books in any auctions. Lang’s is carrying a dizzying array of Derrydale books, which need no introduction to sporting book collectors. However, this is the book for me—the original working manuscript of Jennings’ A Book of Trout Flies. I like nothing better than seeing what changes and edits were made by great authors at the last minute, and this would be a blast to go through.


Item #1057: Rush Tango Flyrod Lure 6 Pack Box. I don’t collect display boxes, but I have a few and this one caught my eye. It’s not as rare as, for example, the South Bend Trout Oreno 12-pack, but it is nonetheless a beautiful example. There are a bunch of great Rush lures in this auction, and this is one of the best.


Item #1520: Scarce Dame, Stoddard & Kendall Reel. There are many reels more expensive than this one in this auction, but as a trade house guy I like this reel. It fits my bill: reasonably priced, reasonably old, reasonably scarce. Dame, Stoddard & Kendall was an old Boston trade house and this reel dates from around 1900.


Item #1626: Hawks & Ogilvy Brass Ball Handle Reel. Unless you are among those people who have collected 19th century reels for a decade or more, it can be difficult to ascertain whether any particular reel was made in 1880, 1900, or 1920 (many styles were continued almost unchanged during this period). One way to be certain is to know your trade names; Hawks & Ogilvy underwent a name change in 1893, meaning this reel is the real deal: pre-1893. A great piece of truly old New York tackle.


Item #1673: Hardy Zane Grey Big Game Reel with Case. In an auction with so many great Zane Grey owned pieces, it is a bit ironic that the one I selected wasn’t owned by Zane Grey. Still, I thought this Hardy Zane Grey big game reel would look great in a display case. It is one of the finest reels of its kind ever made.


Item #2173: RARE Hosmer Mechanical Frog Lure in Box. With Don Wheeler’s book on frog lures imminent, I would be remiss to not mention the Holy Grail for Frog Lure Collectors (not counting the James Heddon frog): the Hosmer Mechanical Frog. After reading the terrific article about the Hosmer in the outstanding NFLCC Magazine, complete with Dudley Murphy’s amazing photos, I was hooked on this lure. Who wouldn’t love it? Any lure that is THAT complicated is a thing of true beauty.


Item #2436: Scarce T.H. Bates Serpentine Lure. Fishing tackle made in America dating from the 1850s rarely comes to market. Here is an example of a true American classic, made by the British immigrant Bate family. The son-in-law of Thomas H. Bate was none other than William Mills, who took over after his father-in-law’s death and changed the name of the firm to the more familiar William Mills & Son. This piece drips early American tackle history from every pore.

Well, that’s it folks! Over the next two days I’ll post on the Lang’s results, so keep an eye out. I’m sure there will be some great surprises for us all.



-- Dr. Todd

Lang's Auction Week, Part I

It's Lang's Week here at Fishing for History! The auction catalogs are out--if you haven't gotten yours, what's wrong with you? It's like a museum catalog; the photography is amazing, and you'll see items simply not pictured in any other reference book. Get your copy here. Here is a copy of the ebay catalog on-line, all 2456 items.

With the greatest auction in the world about to take place on Friday and Saturday, we thought that we'd get people in the mood for it by surveying some notable collectors of wide interests and asking them to pick out the items of note, interest, or historical relevance that caught their eye. They had two provisos--not to choose an item they were going to bid on (duh), and not to worry about choosing the most expensive item (the Haskell was not named in any of the responses). The panel of experts picked some fascinating choices, and then explained why. We'll divide them up by individuals.

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Bill Muth is an incredibly savvy collector with a keen eye for a good deal. He is also the preeminent expert on Bristol Horton, and the co-author of a forthcoming book on the subject. Muth sent a list of very interesting picks:

Item #689: Zane Grey Owned Iron Shark Hook with Chain. Muth opined “whether Zane Grey owned it or not, this is
cool. Great character.” Ed. Note: Zane Grey most definitely owned this hook.

Item #1034: North Channel Minnow Lure In Rare Box. “If I still collected lures,” Muth declared, “I would buy this one at almost any price. The North Channel Minnow is the perfect bait, with a folk art look and the five-hook underwater minnow style. Combine it with the box - perfection.”

Item #1156. Scarce Heddon Light Six Pack Lure Box. “ just look at those graphics, a great piece.”

Item #1411. Rare Coates Marked Two Speed Trout Reel. “Reels built into rod handle are a great item to begin with,” Muth declared, “but this might be the most beautiful example of the genre I've ever seen.”

Item #1879. Rare 19th C. Ice Fishing Reel Fish Trap. “It's not too often that you see a piece of antique ice fishing tackle that has eye appeal, but this one has it in spades. Beats the hell out of a wooden tip-up.”

Item #2050: Rare Original Oliver Kemp Oil Painting. “Original art from the maker that I collect that I can't afford.”



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J.K. Garrett. The seeminly omniscient Garrett is usually in attendance at Lang's, but this year (like me) has to watch from the sidelines and bid via proxy. Here are his choices:

1) Item #2015: Pequea Works Letterhead. "Most collectors don't realize what a large player Harry Kaufman was in the tackle industry," he opined, "from lures to reels to bobbers and other terminal tackle. His products appear in the vast number of retail tackle catalogs of the first half of this century. His impact was enormous. Some day his full story will be told with all his flaws, innovations, blood ties to others in the tackle industry and his legacy. This signed letterhead is just a great piece of history from fairly early in the company's long life."

2) Item #2016: South Bend Peach-Oreno Purchase. South Bend Peach-Oreno Patent Material. Garrett wrote: "Any time you can obtain this degree of background information on a bait or reel it is a wonderful and valuable addition to our hobby. So much information vital to our hobby has been scattered to the winds, thrown away through ignorance or intentionally destroyed, that what remains is all the dearer. Any South Bend collector would be very lucky to be able to acquire this documentation."

3) Item #1904: Rare Pflueger Store Display Case. "That has got to be the all time best case to display a Pfl Tackle collection," Garrett noted, "If I were attending the auction I would seriously consider going after it. I just hope it goes to a collector who will do it justice."



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Skip Brooks, one of the truly knowledgable collectors in the club (and the nicest guy alive), also chose three items.

1) Item #1490: Very Rare Leaver's Level Wind Casting Reel. "I think that this is a truly unique piece which appears to be ahead of its time considering all the individual features and capabilities incorporated," Brooks wrote. "It has a quality and beauty that far surpasses what is necessary for its functional design and is in super condition."

2) Item #1656: Lee Wulff Vom Hofe Restigouche Reel in Box. "Seldom do you find a quality EVH piece with its correct box," Brooks declared, "Even more infrequently do you run across a piece which can be traced to a specific owner. These two factors make this item interesting to me, and I suspect, to a great many other bidders."

3) Item 1734: Garcia Mitchell Reel Salesman Sample Case. Brooks declared "This Mitchell Parts Kits is so complete and contains so many quality samples - to include supporting paper and tools - that it stands out for me. It gives you a clear picture of the material a Garcia/Mitchell Salesman was armed with as he plyed his trade."



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Dean Smith is as his name implies, a dean among collectors. With 30 years of collecting knowledge behind him, he has pretty much seen it all. Here are his choices:

1) Item #6 Very Rare F. Malleson Multiplying Trout Reel and #10 Crown fly reel. "If I was still collecting reels I would be excited by [these]," Smith wrote."These are the sort of reels I collected and I was never able to acquire either of them."

2) Item #219. Early Orvis Fly Box & Fly Cards. "I've had dozens over the years," Smith noted, "[and I] still have two."

3) Item #1. Edward Hewitt Sparse Grey Hackle Fly Reel. "The most exciting item in the auction, for me, is the Hewitt reel," Dean declared. "I think this will set a world record. I know of one that changed hands privately more than ten years ago for over $50K. I think the Hewitt is the pinnacle of collectible American fly reels."



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Robin Sayler's collecting knowledge belies his age; don't let the fact he is an undergraduate at Michigan Technological University fool you. He knows his stuff, particularly Pflueger reels.

1) Item #1904: Rare Pflueger Store Display Case. "This thing is sweet," Sayler declared. "If i could afford it, it would be in my living room next week! Doesn't get much more awsome for a Pflueger collector to show off his stuff than in this thing."

2) Item #658: Historic RARE Original Zane Grey Fighting Chair. "Just think of some of the awsome things that happened in this chair."

3) Item #1507: Exceptional Unknown German Silver Reel. "Don't know who made it but this is a pretty cool reel," Sayler declared. "Looks very well built."

4) Item #1506: Scarce Kentucky German Silver Reel. "Again Don't know who built it, would put my money on Montague though but it is a great looking reel and would definetly have a place in my collection."

5) Item #1503: Redifore Reel with Very Rare Flegel Spooler. Sayler opined: "Definitely my favorite thing in the whole auction is this Redifor reel. That spooler is awsome, I really wish I could afford that one. Pretty much the coolest aftermarket level wind there is."



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Jeff Kieny is one of the outstanding collectors (and guys) in the NFLCC. His knowledge of hooks and harnesses, as well as folk art baits, is legendary. Here are Kieny's picks:

1) Item #2. Rare Early Exceptional Mother of Pearl Trout Reel. "Doesn't get more special and unique than this...I'd ask Todd Larson to do detailed research on the acronym 'L.E.D.K. - 1892.' Yes, he's that good!" Ed. note: Jeff if you won this, I'd track it down for you for sure!

2) Item #25. Early Ustonson Brass Reel. "I've been in love since seeing my first 'good' pics of one in Graham Turners classic English tackle book. Exudes history."

3) Item #923. Clark's Expert Lure Store Display Box. "Need I say more?" Kieny asked. "But seriously, it would be a great item to store the following two other items in..."

4) Item #925. Woods minnow lure catalog. "I'd love to hold it and read it."

5) Item #936. Very Early Holzworth Expert Minnow Lure in Box. "Shaffer Holzworth with box and papers. I may have kicked the habit once, but I'm an early miscellaneous collector at heart."

6) Item #2136. The Wiggletail Smith Minnow. "OK, OK, this Smith would fit in there too!"



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Chris Labuz, the world's leading Horrocks-Ibbotson collector and all around world class dude, is knowledgable in numerous areas of collecting. Here are his choices:

1)Item #2136. The Wiggletail Smith Minnow. "The bait has it all...just a pure classic."

2) Item #927. The Keeling Musky Minnow HICO Box. Labuz rather crazily declared: "Just for the Stamped HICO only! Keep the bait."

3) Item #5. Billinghurst In the box. Labuz has a legitimate reason for wanting to own this: "If I owned that I figure I could get Jim Schottenham to cut my yard for life."



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Don Champion, ORCA's resident caretaker of the Harvey Garrison Memorial Library who holds himself an almost encyclopedic knowledge of reels, offers us the following choices:

1) Item #53. Bi-Metal Raised Pillar Multiplying Reel. "Very interesting use of metal components," Champion opined, "I just like the 19th century unmarked reels."

2) Lot 59. Rare Coin Silver NY Multiplying Reel. "An Interesting reel," Don declared. "I would like to see under that raised back cover."

3) Lot 61. Conroy & Bissett German Silver Multiplying Reel. "Just a very nice example of an early well made Conroy & Bissett reel," Champion wrote.

4) Lot 1676. RARE Kovalovsky 14/0 Big Game Reel. "I'm not into salt water reels," Champion admits, "but the Kovalovsky reels were great! What with all the skill, time and attention that went into making them."



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Well, that's it for today...you'll have to wait until tomorrow (gasp) for my picks of what I think is the most interesting and historically important in this auction. My sincere thanks to the eight historians/collectors above for offering us their choices, and some useful information as well!

-- Dr. Todd