Dr. Todd's Mailbag: December 2009

Dr. Todd's Mailbag
It's been FAR too long since I've done a mailbag. Well, I'm here to remedy the situation today. While I can't say I will be able to answer every question sent to me on the blog, I do make an effort to email everyone who sends a query.

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Dr. Todd, Has anybody ever followed up on this? Would make a great story. Imagine finding a collection of fishing tackle started in 1924! Gary M.


Thanks for sending this our way, Gary! Someday maybe we can convince Dan Basore, Bill Sonnett or another intrepid author to write and article on the old-time lure collectors. I recall an article on a Priest-turned-tackle-Collector who had something like 5000 lures in the late 1930s. As far as I know, no one has followed up on this. But what a find if it was all still stashed in a warehouse somewhere!

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Dr. Todd. I enjoy the blog! I've been thinking of making a small collection of Mepps, but don't know how to tell the original first Mepps spinner from the later ones. Can you help? Sincerely, Mary H.

Hi Mary!

This is a great idea! I've been waiting for these small spinners to become collectable, and maybe now is the time. Since Mepps was imported from France by Sheldon's in Antigo, WI, and since I used to shoot squirrels and send the tails to them every fall, I have a particular fond spot for the Mepps spinner.

Here's the original French patent drawing from 1938. Note it says "Mepps Shimmy" on the blade. I believe this is the first marking.


Someone please write a history and ID guide to Mepps spinners!

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Here is my Heddon Cribbage Board, the new addition to my collection, measures 16" long 6" wide and 2" high, has a built in drawer that holds the pegs and deck of cards, inserted one of my early replacement glass eyes into the Heddon 150 , also dissplays up bass box, enjoy, Norm


Dear Norm,

I come from a Scandinavian family that is very, very difficult to impress. But this is an impressive feat. First of all, I admire anyone who works in metal and have long desired to get a lathe and learn how to machine metal parts. It's just something I think would be awesome. Second, I love cribbage. My whole family loves it. Sometimes when we are up at my cabin we'll get into matches that last a full week. Nothing I like better than coming roaring back down fourth street and leaving my opponent in the skunk hole. So this is one of the coolest things I've seen in ages!

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Hope all is well with you. Here is a photo of six Native American lures/hooks I thought you might like to use on your blog. If you wanted individual photos of them, I can do that too but not right away. Happy Trails!
Ronn


Hi Ronn,

Yes, I definitely think many people would be interested in seeing these native hooks and lures. Native Americana is a great field, and fishing items from it are of particular beauty. I love the organic look and feel of these lures, and moreover, I have no doubt they would absolutely work to catch fish. Thanks for sharing!

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Hello Dr. Todd.  Thank you again for your fishing history blogspot; through your article on G.M. Skinner lures, I was able to identify a skinner lure that I recently purchased as a pre-1895 model (Skinner's Combination Bait?); Arlan Carter's book shows an add on page 94 for the Skinner's Combination Bait, that states that it came in nickel, copper and brass; however, my lure appears to be plated with silver (german silver?) - my photos do not show the true tarnished colors due to the overwhelming flash.

I would greatly appreciate any confirmation/information on this lure - though the real reason why I am contacting you, is the braided metal "trace" that is attached to the swivel - is it possible that this is original?  On page 90 in Arlan's book, he has a Skinner add that shows a trace attached to the swivel.  This is a neat lure and I would love to know more about it.  Thanks!  John


Hi John,

What would a mailbag be without a Skinner question! Besides, flattery will get you everywhere here on Fishing for History. You indeed have a very early German Silver G.M. Skinner spoon hook, as evidenced by the placement of the number at the top instead of the center of the blade and the tell tale signs that differentiate the German Silver from the nickel plate. I have not seen a Skinner on a card or in a dealer box with a metal trace on it, but that doesn't mean they didn't ship them that way. They sold the fluted blade in a bewildering array of styles, and this is certainly one of them. The metal trace does look original to me. It's an awesome pre-1900 Skinner fluted spinner.
 
Well, that's it for the mailbag this time! I'll try to make it a more regular feature in the future.

-- Dr. Todd

Dr. Todd's Mailbag: 29 April 2009

Dr. Todd's Mailbag
It's time for another installment of the Mail Bag! We get tons of mail here at Fishing for History and we try to answer some of the more interesting questions and queries every six weeks or so.

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Dr. Todd,

Your blog is amazing! 

I just read your discussion of the Skinner Spoon, and I'm wondering if I may have stumbled upon an early store display or folk-art endeavor characterizing the famed Gardiner Mills invention (see photos below). The giant lure measures more than 20 inches long and its patina suggests 1930s, give or take. The treble hook is dressed in turkey feathers, and while the blade lacks the Skinner fluting detail, the white paint does seem to approximate the characteristic fluting shape. At the yard sale where I purchased the item, the former owner said it was hanging outside a bait shop in Michigan when he found it years ago.

Could this be a Skinner Spoon novelty? Your impressions would be deeply appreciated.

Bill N.




Well, I have to say that is one of the biggest spinners I have ever seen. It looks like the blade is almost 12" from top to bottom, which is far too large for actual fishing. So I definitely think it is a dealer display item. G.M. Skinner did indeed sell an enameled blade with a similar paint pattern on the front of the blade. However, the striping on the back of the blade is not indicative of Skinner. The spinner is not a fluted, and it would seem logical that any oversized spinner would be an actual copy of a Skinner fluted spinner.

What I think you have, instead, is an unbelievably cool either small maker or folk art dealer display spinner. I've never seen anything like it. VERY COOL!

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Good Afternoon,

I have been hunting for the name of a reel I have and some one pointed me in your direction. I have posted as many pics of the reel as I have on here and if you need more please feel free to email me. Thank you so much in advance for the help.

Zak H.



Hi Zak,

Your reel is a Montague surf reel. It first shows in the 1904 Montague catalog as the 6000 series and was sold for almost two decades afterward, in various forms. Yours is the earliest style I know of. Keep in mind your reel is missing a ratcheted screw on handle, later versions came without the ratcheted screw. This model was sold by a large numbers of resellers.

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Dr. Todd,

I wanted to send you a quick thank you. I read your blog every week and being a Texas lure collector it is appreciated to see some of our home grown stuff make the headlines.

Also, although many of the items featured and on your “things I would buy if I could afford them” list are items I will probably never see or collect, it is still knowledge that I can use. Friday I was at an estate sale here in Houston roaming around in the garage where I found a tackle box. The excitement built as I reached down and opened the box, to find nothing but misc stuff and no treasures. As I looked around I saw hanging in the corner a boat cushion, and I remembered an old blog from your post about collectable boat cushions. Well $5.00 later I left very pleased and knew I needed to let you know that your efforts are appreciated. I would have never even thought about buying an old dusty boat cushion had it not been for your article. It cleaned up nice and although I am not sure how old collectable or valuable it is, it will now hang in our newly restored and redecorated (thanks to Hurricane Ike) beach house in Galveston.

Mike K.

Ah, Texans. Such nice people. Very happy to help; and you definitely got a steal for $5. For the record, no article(s) have received more hits than the two on Vintage Boat Cushions. I've been working on some history and expanding the section in the near future.

For the record, you can read Part I of the Vintage Boat Cushions HERE and Part II HERE.

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This last query concerns the Handle Rod made in Muskegon, Michigan that I wrote about earlier in a post about the Cincinnati tackle show.


Todd,

I have bought and sold over 20 of those in the last 8 years so I don't think they are uncommon. An interesting fact about them is that the government made them discontinue the production of them after it came to light the process of making/using Beryllium copper caused cancer! The one in your picture is an earlier labeled one .The later ones came with embossed/raised letters in the reel seat. The last models were a cheaper made ones with open wire type line guides.

John W.

Well, Steve Lumpkin also pointed out to me that he had one of these new in the box, so apparently they are not all THAT rare. They are, however, quite neat.

UPDATE: A note from Bill Sonnett: it was made in Michigan, it was manufactured in Pennsylvania. I have only seen a couple that were marked as being from PA. I always envied my buddy as a kid who had one as it was great for long canoe trips. Put it in the Duluth pack while going over the log portages, take it out at the far end and take a few cast into waters that seldom saw a cast. Most of the time that meant instant fish on the line.

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That's it for this episode, so keep the questions coming!

-- Dr. Todd

Dr. Todd's Mail Bag

Dr. Todd's Mailbag
Well it's been too long since I've opened the Mail Bag, but here is a sample of some of my favorite questions from the past couple of months:

Happy New Year Dr. Todd,
I wasn't going to email you direct but another Joe's board member authorized the harassment. Ha Ha! Anyway is a spinner stamped Old Reliable Fluted Bait Boston January 1902 common? The swivel on the bait looked similar to a McHarg but with larger rings attached to the brass swivel and it was stamped size 8. It sure looked like a common Skinner fluted bait. I came across one today and wasn't sure it was worth a chance so I passed on it. I collect early Canadian metal as it is more readily available up here in the north country and at times I pass on stuff I am unsure of. I might be able to pick this one up if there was any interest or if you know anyone that collects these.

All the best for the new year and keep up the great work on your Blog.
Jason H.

Jason,

Well, I've got good news and bad news. The bad news is that Old Reliable 1902 fluted spinners are fairly common--usually in the $10-$20 range. The good news if the #8 is the largest and most difficult size to find, so it increases value (in good condition) to around $20-$30.



They were sold by H.A. Whittemore of Boston, who also by the way were sole distributors of G.M. Skinner baits. So it is likely they were made by Skinner as well.

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Hy Professor Tod, First I want to give my congrats for you excellent page about Fishing´History. My name is Walter from Argentine. I have a Supersonic Heddon year 1958 aprox and I want to know something about the history this lure, samething date, history will be gratefull with me.
Walter

Dear Walter,

Thanks for writing! The Supersonic is a larger version of Heddon's popular Sonic lure, which was profiled in an article from a few months past.


Basically, its history follows closely the regular sonic, although it did not last as long in the Heddon catalogs. It was made in a bewildering number of colors and is a popular collectible. I have heard that certain colors, like Crystal Shad, were quite good fish catchers in s\altwater regions around the Gulf Coast.

-- Dr. Todd

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I have a Johnson fishing reel (model johnson princess 100a) This reel is in a pink ,white ,black and box. The reel is pink and black. In the box is the paper work,parts list and use instructions. With the reel in the box I also have the rod  just says Johnson on it  model  2c56p. Someone recently told me there are not many of these out there and I wondered what the history is about this rod and reel. The rod and reel appear to never have been used and even the box and paper work are like new. I was willed this rod and reel along with 5 large tackle boxes full of lures ,reels and gagets ,some of which  I have never seen before and I concider myself a fisherman!!! Thanks for any help you can provide. Doug G.

Hi Doug,

You have a good one there. They generally sell anywhere from $75-$125 in the box, depending on condition. I think the Johnson rods have also become more collectable and could also bring a nice price for you.

The Johnson Reel has an interesting history, having been formed not too far from where I grew up in Mankato, Minnesota. Along with Zebco, they are the original closed-face spinning reels. The Pink Princess was made in order to tap into the female market.

More information can certainly be gleaned from Vintage Johnson Reels, a web site dedicated to Johnson reel enthusiasts.

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Prof. Larson,

I picked up a South Bend Oreno 1165 fly reel recently. Is there anyway the production date can be determined? It has a pawl drag system, has the oval South Bend Bait company logo stamped into the aluminum body, and was patented.

You were able to identify the South Bend production date of my Model 29 earlier this spring- about 1941-1942 vintage. Would this reel been paired up with the rod? Thanks for your assistance in advance and have a Happy New Year.

Regards, Fung C.

The South Bend 1165 was one of a number of models introduced in the 1940s and 1950s that included the 1155, 1165, the 1185 and 1190 (Steelhead models), and the SA 1195 and 1196. Of these only the 1165 had any real longevity, lasting until the 1960s. It is a serviceable and useful reel that would pair nicely with one of the mid-range South Bend bamboo fly rods.

Well that's it for this mail bag! Thanks to everyone who continues to write in questions, which I will answer as time permits.

-- Dr. Todd

Dr. Todd's Mailbag: 22 October 2008

Dr. Todd's Mailbag

It's been some time since I ran the mailbag, and it's not because of lack of questions. Lots going on so some things have to be put on the back burner, but I will try and make it a monthly feature as it is a lot of fun. Here it is:

Hi

I seen the guys talking about Hi Quality Montague on ORCA and always wanted to know about this one like Year? Rare? etc any help would be appreciated. It has the little oval with fish and Montague OFFSHORE written in oval.

Bruce



Dear Bruce,

After having consulted with my great friends, the esteemed Montague historians Jim Garrett and Skip Brooks, I think I can give some information on this reel.

There are two possibilities with this reel. First, it may be a very late Montague/Ocean City reel dating from 1932-1934. When Montague discontinued their trade line in 1930 they inaugurated a series of reels marked with this same Montague oval and using traditional Montague fishing rod names (Fishkill, Rapidan, etc.). This was continued for a short time after Ocean City purchased the firm in 1933.

The second option, and far more likely in our opinion, is that what you have is a hybrid saltwater model constructed after Ocean City had purchased Edward vom Hofe in 1940. Garrett and Brooks have seen other reels with similar vom Hofe-type footplates as this, but clearly an Ocean City product. That they would use a traditional Montague rod name is not surprising; what is a bit of a shock is that they put the name Montague to it as well. I believe this is what this reel is.

-- Dr. Todd

Dr. Todd,

I hope this note finds you well. I was watching eBay the other day and saw a Johnson reel marked "Shy Poke" sell for a lot of money. Do you have any information about this trade name? Thanks! T.B.

Dear T.B.,

I saw that auction as well, and the one that followed it showing a Bronson baitcaster marked Shy Poke. Both listed it as coming from a Minneapolis/St. Paul area distributor, and the Johnson was additionally marked "S.M."


I regret to inform you that I don't know who sold Shy Poke tackle. I do know it was available in the late 1950s and 1960s in many, many retail stores in the WI-MN-IA region, so it is likely the distributor was based in the Twin Cities. It was advertised in a number of small retail and department stores in a wide variety of newspapers, including the following ad from The Waterloo Daily Courier on 24 April 1958.


What is known is that Shy Poke was used on rods, reels, and tackle boxes, and likely a host of other items. Anyone with any information on Shy Poke please drop me a note and I'll post an update.

By the way, a Shy Poke is a colloquialism for a Heron--which is why the Shy Poke logo was a circle with a heron in the middle.

-- Dr. Todd

I saw that your poll indicated the economy has not slowed down most collectors in their search for tackle. Do you think this will be true a year from now if the economy keeps tanking? Thanks.

Dave T.

Dear Dave,

An interesting question, but one that requires a huge amount of speculation. I think the majority of collectors love this stuff, and are going to keep collecting regardless of the state of the economy. Of course, it might make you rethink that $5000 purchase, but collectors are a smart group and can make up for it in other ways. I believe we are already seeing the reemergence of the good old-fashioned swap/trade. Many collectors who have never sold a thing are now moving some tough pieces in order to add other tough pieces to their collections. All of this means that tackle that has never been on the market before is now available for the first time.

The bottom line is that tackle collectors will collect tackle, even in tough times.

-- Dr. Todd

Dr. Todd's Mailbag, 30 July 2008

Dr. Todd's Mailbag

Its been a while since I answered questions, and I've gotten quite a few. Here is this month's edition of the Mailbag.

Dr.Larson,

I have an old bambo fly rod. It is a Noris Kamerad with the number 214 on it. I would like to find out about the history and the worth of this rod. Everything I find on the computer is about Thaddeus Norris. Could you please give me information about how I can track down info on my rod. (Note: The rod name is spelled with one "r" in Noris and Thaddeus Norris' name is with 2 "rs".

Sincerely,
Jerry K.

After some digging around, and with the help of the folks over at Clark's, it appears that Noris was a German company (the "Kamerad" should have been a bit of a dead give away). Noris was in fact purchased by Shakespeare in 1965 and used as its European branch for retailing tackle. I own a couple of snelled hook packets with the Shakespeare/Noris branding on them. Apparently the rods are solidly built but don't bring high prices in America. More information can be found in the Clark's board thread by clicking here.

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Dear Dr. Larson,

I'm wondering if you can assist me in identifying the approx. production date of a South Bend No.29 . The rod was my late father in law rod which was hung on the wall in his wood shop.

It is a 2/1 , 7 1/2', w  D  or HCH markings. It has the comficient handle w/ grooves, however, the reel seat was some type of plastic which shriveled. Unfortunately the finish  was heavily alligatored; however, the  ferrules are in excellent condition--still has the nice pop which taken apart. All of the labels are intact, the main label is oval(yellow/red) w/ the name South Bend Bait Co., quality tackle. The rod was recently restored w/ all of the labeling intact. It's a  very nice rod.

Any information would be appreciated.

Regards,

F. Chin

Dear Mr. Chin,

You own a very cool rod. The Model 29 appears in the 1940 South Bend catalog, as well as the 1941 Trade Catalog. It was a single built rod of 7 1/2 feet, with welted and serrated ferrules and an attractive orange and black jasper silk wraps. Definitely a nice rod and well worth the restoration. Here is a pic from the 1941 catalog:



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No subject inspires more questions to my mailbox than that of G.M. Skinner. Here are three recent ones:

Dr. Todd,

My name is Dave B____ and I have recently acquired a small collection of early Skinner baits. One in particular has a stamp of 1874 on it and is in fantastic condition. The blade is similar to the Abbey and Imbry, though it appears to be early "buck tail". I do not believe it to have been used very much, but that is besides the point. I am having trouble finding history of the lure as well as adequate values for the lures. I can find no information on Skinner before 1881. Can you help please?

Dr. Todd:  My nephew has a lure in mint condition that is a #7 pat. in U.S. and Canada.  It looks like the picture of the one in the catalogue with the black and white speckled feathers.  It is a GM Skinner and has the year 1874 stamped on it also.  Could you please tell me more info on it?  I read the story you had in your May posting about GM Skinner and how a book is in the making on him.  I would really like to find out about this lure but am having a hard time contacting the right people.

Dear Dr. Todd Larson,

I have recently found an old spinner in my collection. The spinner blade is marked "G.M. Skinner" with "Clayton. N.Y." underneath it. On the other side of the blade reads "Pat. U.S. & Canada 1874." The Spinner is a size 4 (with a small "4" in the middle of the blade). The Skirt is a turkey pattern, with one treble hook.
 
Enclosed is a picture of the lure. Any information surrounding this lure would be greatly appreciated!

Thank You,

Charles

Dear Skinner Owners,

Ah yes, the famed Gardiner Mills Skinner fluted bait! No other lure has sent more collectors, pickers, and dealers' hearts into a flutter than the Skinner Spoon Hook, as it was popularly known. This is because nearly every blade ever stamped (and there were probably twenty million sold over the years) carries the same marking:


On the left side of the blade is stamped the words "G.M. Skinner, Clayton, NY" and on the right side of the blade is "Pat. U.S. & Canada, 1874." This, of course, leads many to (understandably) believe they are holding a very old and very rare piscatorial piece.

The truth, however, is that even into the 1970s, G.M. Skinner blades were stamped exactly the same as they had been 90 years before. Combined with the fact that the Skinner Spoon Hook might very well be the most popular American fishing lure ever made, it means that the standard nickel-plated blade with these stampings is very, very common and not worth very much ($5-$10 in good shape).

Based on Skinner's 1874 patent for "flutes" that would reflect light in a better way, it spawned a mania and was (and is) one of the most effective lures ever made. For this reason every tackle box had to have a handful, and nearly all of them were nickel plated models.

There are, however, variations of the Skinner spoon hook that are worth more. For example, the blade was made in Sizes 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 4 1/2, 4 3/4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 (and 9 and 12 in Willow Leaf pattern). The smallest Size 0 can bring $50 or more, as it is much harder to find, and the #1 and #2 bring more than the middle sizes. #7 and #8 blades are still purchased by smart musky and northern anglers, and thus are usually worth a bit more as well.

Additionally, the spinner was made in a number of metals: nickel plated, brass, copper, gold plate, and enamel. All Skinners that are NOT nickel plated are usually worth 2-3X more than their common cousins. The rarest are the German Silver models, which we will get to in due time.


Most Skinner spinners are found without packaging, but if you happen to find one on an original card or in an envelope, it certainly increases value by as much as 10x. The vast majority of Skinner Spoon Hooks were sold on the common wire form body, but some (pre-1940) were sold on wire and gut leaders. These, too, command higher prices.


The rarest Skinner spinners come from the 19th century. Originally produced in Canada, if you find a spinner which on the left side reads "Gananonque, Ontario" you have a really, really rare bait and one that is now pushing $500-$750 if you can find one. These are the earliest baits and date from the mid-1870s. Not long after the patent was issued in 1874, Gardiner Mills Skinner moved across the river to Clayton, New York, and the blades began to reflect this move almost immediately.

The earliest Skinner blades marked "Clayton, NY" are relatively easy to spot, if you know what to look for. The size marking number (i.e. 7) on most blades is always found in the middle of the spinner. When you find a Skinner with the number stamped at THE TOP of the blade, you have a pre-1895 G.M. Skinner spinner. Additionally, for a time the firm produced blades in German Silver, which can be spotted by its unique tarnish and patina. These early Skinner blades are valued from $75-$100.

But even these pale in comparison to the rarest of the G.M. Skinner fluted spinners. If you find a Skinner Spoon Hook with a patent date of 1891 on it, you have a real gem. This date represents the moveable clevis that Skinner patented that year in an effort to keep a monopoly on his fluted spinner patent (which expired that year). It didn't work AT ALL and was quickly pulled from the market. These 1891 patent blades are worth $300-$400 if you can find one, but in some senses these are badly underpriced. They are 30 times rarer than an equivalent Turkey Foot or Turkey Wing (two of Skinner's variants, one shaped like a kidney blade with flutes and the other with a design resembling a turkey foot) that sell for twice as much.

The very latest blades can be found with a clevis connector, instead of a soldered one. Believe it or not, these are pretty scarce and I would say valued twice what a normal blade is worth.

The Skinner Spoon Hook is my all-time favorite lure. I have nearly 600 of them, including three full sets of nickel plated blades and I am desperately working toward full sets of copper and brass (if anyone has a Size 0 in either drop me a note!). G.M. Skinner made other lures--the coveted Turkey Wing, Turkey Foot, and others--but it is the Spoon Hook that is his lasting contribution to the world of fishing. Long live the Fluted Spinner!

-- Dr. Todd

Dr. Todd's Mailbag: 11 June 2008

Dr. Todd's Mailbag
The last edition of the Mailbag seems to have been a popular addition to the site, so I am running a sequel. Keep the questions coming!

Dr. Todd,

I have been wondering for sometime when manufacturers
of metal baits started to use Chrome for plating some of their lures. I have a Chapman Safe Deposit that looks like it is chrome plated. I plate with silver and nickel in making some of my own baits and I know that this Chapman is not silver or nickel plated because it is just so shiny but weathered and old at the same time.

What do you think?

Philip A.

A great question to which I believe there is not a definitive answer. According to George Dubpernell’s “A History of Chromium Plating” (Plating & Surface Finishing, June 1984), chrome plating first came into widespread use in 1928, the fundamental principles of chromium electroplating not having been discovered until 1924. It wasn’t really popular until the early 1930s.

Theoretically it is possible it was used on lures in the 1880s and 1890s, and Chapman, being one of the largest of the manufacturers, might have done it. But it does not appear that it was likely that they did.

Chromium plating is a type of electroplating, which was invented in 1805 by Italian scientist Luigi V. Brugnatelli (don’t believe all the hype about “ancient batteries” as they are pure speculation). The inventor of the Bunsen burner (R. W. von Bunsen) actually produced limited samples of electro-deposited chromium in 1854 using chromium chloride solutions. Electroplating itself was a widespread industrial technique by the 1860s, with the British (of course) taking the lead and America following in the 1870s, but chrome was not one of the substances used. Chrome really became a household name in the 1940s and 1950s due to its use on automobiles.

So is your Chapman chrome plated? In a short answer: no. So, if it isn’t nickel or silver, what is it? German Silver perhaps (a nickel alloy), or burnished aluminum? Any speculation would be greatly appreciated…


Somewhere some scientist is chuckling about this…

References:
Dartmouth College has a great web site about chromium.

The Finishing Industry’s cool home page has lots of info on electroplating.

Web Elements Periodic Web Table

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Hello Dr. Todd,

I picked up a reel at this years [ORCA] national that I have a couple questions on.

It is exactly the same as a four brothers regal in every way. The markings on it are congress which if I remember is for Supplee-Biddle but above Congress there is a trademark I don't recognize.

It is a fish with an arrow through it. The fish points up at a slight angle and the arrow is horizontal.

Can you tell me anything about this reel as far as what that trademark is and what time period it came from? I would guess the late teens or early twenties. If you need or want some pictures let me know.

Robin S.

Dear Robin,

This is one of my favorite logo reels, made for Supplee-Biddle of Philadelphia (as you mentioned). It dates from the late 1920s or early 1930s, based on the three examples I own in my own collection.

The “speared fish logo” was actually originated by Supplee Hardware before they merged with Biddle Hardware around the start of WWI. It is one of the most distinctive and attractive logos, used on rods, reels, lures, ephemera, etc.


Shakespeare-made Congress Speared Fish logo reel
Interestingly, I believe these “speared fish logo” reels were brought in to fill the enormous gap left by the end of the Montague trade line (which began to be phased out in 1929 and culminated with its end in 1931). Shakespeare, like the one pictured, and Pflueger, like the one you own, stepped in by producing these beautiful trade reels for Supplee-Biddle.

References:
Dr. Todd E.A. Larson, “The Mark of Congress: The Fishing Tackle of the Supplee-Biddle Co.” (NFLCC Magazine, June 2006).

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Hello!

I have an authentic first edition (1881) of the original "Book of the Black Bass" by James A. Henshall, M.D. of Cynthiana, KY (and also Cincinnati, OH). It's in excellent condition, and very rare. I was researching the book when I found your website…When I received the book, I discovered, tucked away between the pages, two newspaper clippings from 1963 and 1964. The first article was about the AFTMA naming an award after Henshall, the second is about the unveiling of a historical marker commemorating Henshall, near Cynthiana. I live in Georgetown KY, about 15 miles from Cynthiana, and have seen this marker myself.

-- Margie B.

I love Henshallania, as we call anything related to Dr. James Alexander Henshall. I was not aware there is in fact a historical marker in Cynthiana, Kentucky devoted to the father of bass fishing in America! I discovered that it is located in Cynthiana, south of the I-27 bridge, and is Kentucky Historical Marker #651. Here is a photo of this cool marker, courtesy of the State of Kentucky:


Your First Edition should be worth good money as there were probably no more than 2500 copies of the first edition printed (and most of those sold by pre-order). It is one of the seminal works in American fishing history. As a Cynthiana native, it may interest you to know that he devotes a lot of space in his autobiography to his Civil War years spent there.

References:

The Autobiography of Dr. James A. Henshall , edited by Clyde Drury.

That’s it for this edition of Dr. Todd’s Mailbag!

-- Dr. Todd

Dr. Todd's Mailbag: 14 May 2008

Dr. Todd's Mailbag
Here at Fishing for History we get all kinds of questions, some of them simple and others incredibly complex. We'll start publishing them once a month--the good, the bad, the asinine alike. Here's a great lead off question (and yes, all of these are real).

Dear sir,

We are heading out with the kids to do some river fishing this week and my daughter stumped me with the question, "why do they call it 'tackle'?" I can't find the answer, and ran across your site, do you know the origin of the term "tackle" as it refers to fishing gear? Any input would be fascinating to our fishing quest this week! Thank you.

Katy B.

Dear Katy,

A terrific question! And one that not many people have stopped to think about.

Fishing Tackle derives from Middle German word "takel" which referred to the rigging of the ship. It was first brought into English sometime in the middle ages (around 1200) and is still with us in the term "Block and Tackle" which is a reference to the mechanical workings on the rigging on a ship (the "block" in this term comes from "Bloc," the French term for a stump, related in this case to a ship's mast). "Tackle" soon came to encompass the entire set of gear that went with sailing, which included fishing gear (lines, hooks, nets, etc.). As the sport of fishing developed in the 15th and 16th centuries, the term was then brought into use to refer to "a fisherman's kit" or what we call today fishing tackle. Interestingly, "Fishing Tackle" and "Fishing Kit" were basically interchangeable terms up until the 1920s, when the later term disappeared from common use. We are left with fishing tackle in all its wonderful forms.

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Dr. Todd,

I heard there was a book on G.M. Skinner coming out. Do you know anything about it? What do you think is the rarest Skinner bait?

Jim F.

Dear Jim.

I had not heard that there was a Skinner book coming out imminently, but I did know that Steve Hays in New York had been working on one for many years. If it is ready then we will all be in celebration mode, as it would promise to be a huge contribution.

As for the rarest Skinner bait, many would probably answer the classic Turkey Foot and Turkey Wing. But there are at least two Skinner baits I know of that are far, far rarer than these two highly sought after metal baits.

The first is the hinged clevis blade patented by Skinner in 1891. This bait is ultra rare simply because it didn't work very well; I took one of mine out to the lake to see how it worked and it fouled on about every third cast. So it didn't sell well and wasn't offered very long, and I would surmise for every 30 Turkey Foot and Turkey Wing blades, one of these comes to market. It is marked "Pat. U.S. & Canada, 1891" on the blade. (I'll add a picture later when I get to my other computer).

But I don't think that is the rarest Skinner. The rarest Skinner I know of is the first known G.M. Skinner trade spinner--made well before the patent expired in 1891 (the same date old G.M. tried to corner the fluted spinner market a second time with the above patented blade). This is the only trade spinner I've found marked with the Skinner patent date and someone else's markings. Pictured in the 1882 American Angler and the 1883 Abbey & Imbrie catalog, this awesomely rare bait is marked "Abbey & Imbrie, New York" on the left side and the standard Skinner patent on the right. It's pictured in front of an 1882 ad below.


I know some might think the Skinner fish-shaped spoon is rarer, or even the early Gananonque marked Skinner, but I've seen dealer cards of the fish-shaped bait and a couple of dozen Ganananque blades, and only have seen TWO of these A&I Skinners ever (I bought them both--lucky me). They are really, really rare, and my vote for the rarest of all Skinner blades, and one of the rarest New York metals around.

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Dear Doc,

Do you consider vintage fishing tackle a hobby or an investment?

Marc L. in Minnesota

Neither. I consider it an invobby. Or a hobvestment. Seriously, why does it have to be one or the other? Of course, I fall more along the lines of a hobby, but then I didn't lay out $100,000 for the Haskell at Lang's either. I can afford to consider it a hobby because I can't afford baits that would make it an investment. The truth of the matter is that anything you put money into is an investment--some better than others. How you anticipate what will be done with that money is where you fall on this question; if you anticipate a high rate of return, you look at primarily as an investment. If you look at it and don't really worry when or if you'll get your money back, its a hobby.

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Prof. Larson,

Can you explain to me The Mayflower Compact? I can't find it in my notes.

Charles B.

Charles,

Well, the Mayflower Compact was the first democratic document in American history, signed...HEY! No class room questions please.

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Doc,

Would would win in a fight, Hiram Leonard or Jim Heddon?

Tony

Tony,

Wow. A serious inquiry like this requires a serious answer. Let's look at the Tale of the Tape. Hiram Leonard was a backwoods guide and hunter from Maine noted for his superhuman strength, epic endurance and for shooting Bull Moose from close range with a freaking pistol that he designed himself. Jim Heddon was a beekeeper. You make the call, but keep in mind Vegas has already closed the books on this one.

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By the way, you think I am making that last question up but I can assure you it is so surreal I couldn't even if I wanted to. All of these are questions I've fielded over the past six months (some have been edited down).

So...having exhausted the mailbag, please send your queries to me on any subject (preferably fishing related) and maybe you'll be featured in a future mailbag column. Email me at whitefishpress@yahoo.com.

-- Dr. Todd