Friday Funhouse

The Friday Funhouse

Video of the Week

Here is a great video that was posted on Joe's a bit back, featuring Lee Wulff and some leaping salmon. It's entitled "Salar the Leaper."



Things I Would Buy If I Could Afford Them

This is a nice 3-hook Detroit Glass Minnow Tube.


The Chamberlain Cartridge & Target Co. reels don't often come to market. Pity about the terrible pictures.


What to get the Shakespeare collector who has everything? The
1972 Shakespeare Salesman's Conference Parker Pen.


Here is a nice early Swedish Record reel.


This is a nice later Bristol product:
the Electromatic Casting Reel.


One of the all time greatest lures ever made: The Pflueger May Bug.


A nice Heddon is this Spin Diver in a box.


But the Heddon of the Week is this Jim Heddon Rod & Reel Kit.



-- Dr. Todd

Jim Chapralis has passed away

As I have had my attention elsewhere, I missed the notices that Jim Chapralis has passed away. This is very sad, as he was the pioneer of the fishing travel business.


His autobiography Fishing Passion: A Lifelong Love Affair with Fishing details--among many things--his foray into the fiberglass rod market, his time as a tournament caster, his early work as a journalist (he wrote a very early and important work on fly fishing for musky in the 1950s that I'll try to get out as a Voices from the Past article next week), and his career as the first fishing travel agent. The book is well worth reading, and my signed copy is a book I will cherish as I get older.

A nice appreciation of his life and work can be found on the web site of The American Casting Association, and Fly Anglers On-Line has a post on Jim worth reading as well.

May he rest in peace.

-- Dr. Todd

One Second and One Foot

One second and one foot. Sometimes that’s the difference between life and death.

I discovered this salient fact the hard way last Friday evening at approximately 6:15 p.m. on Interstate 74, mile marker 200—about twelve miles from Champaign, Illinois where I was going to see friends for the weekend. I was coming up on a semi when three cars passed me, so I pulled over into the left lane to pass the slow moving truck when I noticed lights in my rear view mirror. A mid-sized red truck was speeding in the right (slow) lane trying to get past me before we reached the semi; as he pulled alongside, he pulled into my Saturn SUV as if I wasn’t even there.

I swerved left to avoid a full collision, pulling on to the shoulder of the highway. The back end of my Saturn began to slip, so I tried to correct, and the next thing I know I am sliding into the steep and narrow ravine between the east and west bound lanes. Within a second I was rolling over.

One second you’re driving down the highway, listening to Nancy Griffith on the CD player. In the blink of an eye you’re upside down and vaulting through the blackness of time and space. That’s how quick it can happen.


Both axles cracked, the roof 18" down, all support pillars broken, but as my wife said "she sure was a good ship."
You’ve probably seen a lot of Hollywood movies and TV shows that try to capture the essence of the final moment before your death. Let me tell you from first hand experience that they are complete and utter bunk—the reality of the situation is very, very different. Contrary to popular belief your life does not flash before your eyes in linear motion and the world does not reduce to slow motion. You do not get to be a spectator.

What happens in the moment before you lose consciousness is simply this: brief flashes of what truly matter to you in life. My wife in the passenger seat. My seven year old daughter (in a booster seat) in the back seat. My family and friends. That’s it. Things move too quickly for anything else.

I seriously doubt anyone who has ever been in a situation like this ever thought, “Gee, I wish I had worked longer hours or “Man, I really hate that guy.” No, it forces you to recognize what is important in your life, what truly matters to you.

The last thing I remember as the car came to a halt, upside down and parallel in the fast lane of the opposite side of the highway, was that it kept getting brighter. Hanging upside down, I reached my opposite hand back to get my daughter and used my left hand to unbuckle myself, and then fell and hit the center console, knocking myself unconscious. Then all went black.

60 seconds later I hear my wife, who I am partially lying on top of, screaming at me to get out. I crawl out the window, run around the other side of the car, and am astounded to see a half dozen people already surrounding the car. My wife is pulled out, followed by my daughter. Unbelievably, the man following me on the highway is an EMT, the third person to stop for help is another EMT, and the fourth gentleman to stop is a third year resident medical doctor. Within a minute of crashing, we are surrounded by medical professionals. Even more surreal, within another minute, an Illinois State Trooper who was ferrying a car back to Champaign is there, having been less than a mile from the crash when it happened.

The car is totaled. Completely and utterly destroyed. But, and this is a tribute to everyone at General Motors who ever worked on the Saturn Vue from concept to production, it literally saved our lives. Many of you don’t know that I have also published books in other fields. My favorite project to date has been bringing out a massive book from Ken Kayser, a long-time GM exec and the world’s leading Corvette authority, from my imprint called The Tachometer Press. If the GM Saturn people had one fourth the intelligence and attention to detail that Ken possesses, it does not surprise me in the least that the Saturn performed the way it did, even under such extreme circumstances.

We are all unhurt, save for bumps and bruises and a cut on my hand. It is a miracle that only hits home the next day when we go pick up the few possessions that managed to be saved from being strewn out across the highway. The tow truck driver who pulled in the car asked me what I remember, I tell him about how everything got brighter and then went dark again. He says “You know what that was, right? It was a semi traveling in the hammer lane who swerved and missed you by a foot.” I’d never heard the term “hammer lane” before, so I asked him what it meant. He cringed. “Lots of sleepy truck drivers out there at night…” I shuddered.

He then explained that if I had stayed on the road one second longer, I would have flipped into the ravine and went sidelong into the cement supports of the underpass that was less than a hundred feet from where we ended up. So many what ifs, and all of them bad.

The most amazing part of all this is my seven year old daughter. We had role-played various scenarios in the past, like what to do if you are in a car and it goes into the water. We had told her if she was ever in a car crash and was flipped upside down, to NOT undo her seat belt as she could suffer serious injury falling to the ground, and that she could be in shock and wander into more danger if she got out on her own. She was told hold tight, and in a loud voice say “I’m OK, Please come get me!”

I have never been more proud to report that—with her parents unconscious in the front seat, upside down in the dark—she did exactly this. She held on to her Webkin stuffed frog and yelled clearly “I’m OK, Come get me!” until someone did just that. Amazing. Never even cried, until she saw her daddy bleeding from the cut in his hand.

I would remind everyone that children under 85 pounds should always be in a booster seat, as my daughter was. It keeps the seat belt right where they are supposed to be, and miraculously, she didn’t even have a bruise on her as a result.

I guess my point in writing this is to try and get you to remember what is important in your life. Like everyone else, I get frustrated and angry over small things, but I’d like to believe this event will give me a bit of perspective. But I’ve gone on too long already. I guess what I’d really like you to remember is that, the next time you find yourself getting worked up over something small, just remind yourself you’re not hanging upside down in your car in the hammer lane of the highway with a semi coming at you.


So I am still here, but with a different perspective on life. Interestingly, in the moments after the crash, when I realized everyone was OK, my thoughts turned to all of the things I still want to do in life, and how close I came to not being here to do them. No one, and I mean NO ONE is promised tomorrow. All we have is today, a memory of yesterday, and a dream of the future.

Do your best today. Say your prayers tonight. Try to do better tomorrow. Sounds like a pretty inviting way to live my life, and live my life I will.

My very best to everyone who takes the time to indulge me by visiting my site. I promise to return to the fishing history stuff tomorrow, and to make this a more informative and more entertaining place to visit in the future.

God bless.

-- Dr. Todd

News of the Week, 12 November 2007

Bernie Schultz gets some love from ESPN…a total jerk busts his fishing partner’s jaw while fishing…The Chinese love the FLW…Johnny Morris uses his Bass Pro wealth to save the environment…why you shouldn’t dynamite fish in the Philippines… Zebco finalizes purchase of Fin-Nor…a 14-year old who is already a better fisherman than you…a college sophomore catches two 6+ pound bass on same cast…it must be THE NEWS OF THE WEEK!

THE BIG LEAD: NFLCC member, Joe’s Board denizen, and top flight Bass Pro Bernie Schultz is taking us to school on bass fishing .


Babe Winkelman gives us words of wisdom from a fishing pro.

Bass Pro Shops' Johnny Morris uses his enormous wealth to reclaim mining land in the name of conservation.

The Northern News Service shows us how to catch fish--Inuit style.


The In Fisherman opines on coldwater bass.

Angler catches Idaho state record Brown Trout.

The NOAA proposes fishing limits for flounder, scup, and black sea bass.

The Manchester Guardian tells us of the joys of fishing.


HOME GROWN FILE: Minnesota #1 for kids fishing and hunting.

The Manila Standard reports on the crackdown on dynamite fishing.

Seeing the outdoors through the eyes of children.

Angry angler busts friend’s jaw while fishing.

Bored? Eat more fish.

Be a real man: display your fishing tackle.

Did you know it was illegal to sell mounted fish? Neither did I.

14-year old Montana angler boats more than 500 mackinaws.

Famed Nantucket Tackle Shop now has new owners.

The Conway Sun details the story of a man, his mom, an auction and some fishing tackle.

New Zealanders name the kahawi “The People’s Fish.”

The last remaining international Fin-Nor trademarks now belong to Zebco.

The Detroit Free Press tells us the thrill of a big muskie is hard to beat.


My Nassau Sun opines on the overlooked sinker.

Bass.com lists the Top 6 Lures of 2007.


FLW news is now carried…in China?

The Bexley Times tells us not to get shafted by expensive rods.

The Orange County Register profiles Tom Kelleher, custom rod maker.


A fly-fishing legend who refuses to act his age.

Do you know Charles Ebanks? The Cayman Compass says you should.


College sophomore boats two bass (six and seven pounds) on same cast.


FINISHING WITH A FLOURISH: Lafayette County (IL) High School and Kansas City, Missouri teachers take students fishing; helps promote fishing to new generation.



-- Dr. Todd

Friday Funhouse

The Friday Funhouse
I'm sure many of us are suffering from a Langover, but we must wade back into the muck of eBay to find us some gems. It's the Friday Funhouse, brought to you from the dreary and cold Queen City (and we're not talking Titusville, PA).

Video of the Week
I have not watched the following full length video, but as the clip shows, anyone who boats 30 northerns in three days over 23 pounds is doing all right in my book.



Things I Would Buy If I Could Afford Them
One of the truly beautiful reels ever made is the four-screw Montague, and this VL&A Expert was offered for over 20 years in VL&A catalogs. It is a thing of beauty.


As a River Runt Spook collector, they don't get much cooler than this DD0350RT, a Tiny Deep Dive Runt in Rainbow Trout.


This Bagley in frog is so pretty it should change some people's minds about this very important and popular company.


This is a really interesting salesman's sample of something called Norwood Baits. They look like low end dime store lures, so the fact they survived in decent condition makes them even more desirable.


The Heddon of the Week: A Heddon 7001 Musky in Rainbow. Anything big enough to need six belly weights is a whopper of a lure.


Florida collectors are salivating over this Pfeffer Bluegill, the centerpiece of any Pfeffer collection.


A really awesome reel is this Ed. vom Hofe 1/0 Wahoo.


This Ed. vom Hofe is in a very interesting box...


Finally, in honor of Hollywood giving the greenlight to the Green Hornet movie, you can get the ultimate (Bronson) Green Hornet package and beat the rush.


Be good to each other, and yourself.

-- Dr. Todd

Review: The Reel News, Nov. 2007

The latest issue of ORCA's The Reel News hit the mailbox yesterday, which as usual, paralyzes life in the Larson household for the next hour or so. Read the issue from cover to cover, and its another winner.



The November issue (Vol. 17, No. 6) contains a spectacular article on a fishing reel you probably didn't know exist--the Lew Morrison "Superfine" reels from Wisconsin. Written by Chris Slusar--2007 NFLCC Nationals "Best in Show" winner--the article contains information never before published, and is a significant contribution to the history of reel making in America.

Additionally, the regular columnists offered up some interesting fare. Bob Miller's ever-popular "Pflueger Pfacts" column deals this issue with the Pflueger Ohio, one of the longest lived (and most overlooked) Pflueger saltwater reel. As always, its well done and informative. Yours truly penned "The Song of Hiawatha Reels: Fishing Reels of the Gamble's Stores" which cover the nice selection of reels sold by this great store chain. Stu Lawson's "Predicting Tomorrow's Reel Collections" was another entertaining commentary, and is going to make me try and hunt down some info on the Tanahashi Sideplates from Japan. We should all congratulate Ben Wright as he is a new grandfather, and wrote a moving little piece about collecting for his granddaughter's future for his "Spinning Lines" column. A hearty congratulation go out to Ben and his family! Jim Schottenham's always anticipated "Auction Report" details us on the past two months of auction activity. Finally, Col. Milton's "Reel Fix" tackles the Langley White Cap reel, as always with exploded drawings. Roger Schulz offered a review of the new Philips Fly and Tackle book.

Other contributions include a nifty piece by Jack Bright on miniature reels, a commentary on Pam and Brian Barnes--Florida tackle dealers--by Ed Slane, and Dale Noll's great photo lesson on how to unstick a stuck gear post. Well done Dale!

The Reel News is ably edited by Richard K. Lodge. For all the ORCA members out there, your dues forms are printed on blue at the center of the issue, so don't forget to renew. For those who aren't ORCA members, what's up with that? Join now and get into the fun. Click the ORCA link on the list of the links to the right.

-- Dr. Todd

Bob Newhart: Semi-Disgruntled VL&A Employee

Von Lengerke & Antoine, the subject of my next article in the NFLCC Magazine, has been preoccupying my free time of late. For those who don't know about this venerable Chicago firm, it was founded in 1891 by Oswald von Lengerke, one of six sons of a German immigrant gunsmith, and Charles Antoine, the only child of a prosperous French immigrant banker. Boyhood friends in New Jersey, the two went into business together in 1891 and opened a sporting goods store on Wabash Avenue in downtown Chicago's famed Loop.


The firm had a fascinating history (which you'll have to wait for the article to read the rest), but I ran across an interesting tidbit that I couldn't fit in but is worthy of knowing, as it deals with one of my favorite comedians, Bob Newhart. Many of you probably know Newhart (b. 1929) from his television shows bearing his name, and without doubt this Chicago native has had a brilliantly succesful career.


So what does he have to do with anything remotely related to VL&A? In 2006, Newhart wrote an op-ed piece for The New York Times called "Death of a Salesman." It chronicled pieces of his life as a struggling 28 year old comedian in Chicago forced to take a seasonal clerking position at VL&A, at that time a subsidiary of Abercrombie & Fitch (which bought the firm in 1928). He was forced to work on "Returns Day," the infamous December 26, when people crowded the stores taking back items they did not want.

A "floater" who worked wherever needed, he was asked to staff the VL&A camera counter when a customer brought in a return. With his typical droll wit Newhart described it as follows:

I him asked if I could be of help. He told me he wanted to return the batteries he had received for his camera on Christmas. He frequently went to Africa on safari, he told me, and the humidity destroyed this particular type of battery. Suddenly, my problems — having to work part time on the day after Christmas, trying to make it as a comedian — seemed somehow insignificant. It gave me a whole new outlook on life.

Another incident came when a customer purchased a huge amount of goods ($3000 worth) and when he gave his name, Newhart immediately recognized it as an infamous Chicago mafia member. Nervously, he rang up the sale, noting "I didn't require any identification," and then felt compelled to tell the mafioso that "once the shipping clerk picked up his presents, they would be out of my control. If any arrived damage, he should get in touch with the shipping department, not me."


As Newhart concluded:

My sleep the eve of December 26 could probably be described best as fitful. Work was equally unsettling. In fact, that particular returns day was one of the longest in the history of returns days. The clock didn’t move. In the end, however, the workday came and went without incident. Two men with suspicious bulges in their jackets never visited V.L.&A. that day. Apparently, everything survived undamaged — including, thankfully, me.

Just another day in the life of Bob Newhart, part-time VL&A seasonal clerk. Bob's big break was just around the corner, fortunately, as just a couple of months later he got his break when he took a job working for Chicago TV producer Fred Niles, where he developed his famed telephone routine. Within two years, he had the #1 album in the country (ahead of both Elvis Presley and the Sound of Music movie cast album). The rest, as they say, is history.

So the next time you pick up a 1950s vintage VL&A item, keep in mind it just might have passed through the hands of a legendary TV star.

-- Dr. Todd

Voices from the Past: Fishing Rods from 1898

The following commentary I thought described the "fishing bug" that many of us catch perfectly. The fact that it was first published in The New York Sun in January 1898 goes to show you that things have not changed much in the past 110 years.

FISHING RODS:
The Varied Assortment That the Devoted Angler May Accumulate
A man devoted to angling might have from 20 to 40 fishing rods. There are many men that own as many as 40, for fresh water fishing only, which is here alone considered. At the outset of his fishing career a man accumulates rods with experience. Here is what might happen in the case of a beginner, to whom the cost of rods was not a matter of importance.

He would start, say, with black bass, and buy a split bamboo rod weighing seven ounces and 10 feet in length. Out fishing he would meet a man using a six ounce rod, which seemed to answer tbe purpose just as well, and very soon he buys a six ounce rod himself. After awhile he buys a bass minnow casting rod, with light tackle, a rod weighing four or five ounces and measuring 7 feet in length. He looks forward to the day when he can attach a live minnow to his hook and cast it 100 or 125 feet and not kill the minnow in the cast. Before he has reached this degree of proficiency, however, he is likely to begin on trout fly rods. And of these, before very long, he will accumulate eight or ten, ranging in weight from three to eight ounces.

He will have rods for different kinds of fishing, for fishing from the bank and for fishing whiile wading, and rods adapted to the character of the waters fished, as to width of stream and strength of current and so on, and rods adapted to special regions and the fishes found in them. Then the angler begins buying salmon rods. He is likely to buy first a rod 17 feet in length and weighing 30 to 32 ounces. He finds that too heavy and buys a rod 15 1/2 feet long and weighing 24 ounces. Later still he buy a salmon rod 14 1/2 feet in length and weighing 19 ounces.

All the rods the angler has bought so far are of split bamboo. Now he goes in for a collection. He had begun to be especially interested in rods when he was buying trout rods, and now he is more interested than ever. He goes in for novelties. He buys, for instance, a green heart salmon rod. Betore the introduction of the split bamboo rod, which is now for fresh water fishing displacing all tbe rods of wood, including bethabarra and lancewood, the green heart was the ideal salmon rod, and it is still used. Green heart rods were originally turned out, as they are still, by local makers in Scotland and Ireland. The most celebrated of green heart rods, one of Scotch and the other of Irish make, are known to all salmon fishermen. The angler buys, it may be, two green heart rods of different lengths, one of 15 1/4 feet and one of 17 feet. He may prefer to use his more modern spilt bamboo rods, but he loves the green heart.

Then the angler provides himself with grilse rods of two lengths, 17 and 13 1/2 feet, weighing 15 and 16 1/2 ounces. By this time he has perhaps 15 or 20 rods, may be more, and gradually he adds to his collection. Most anglers buy new rods every two or three seasons; some buy two or three rode in a season. The constant tendency of anglers as they become more expert is toward light rods.

There are men who are lovers of fine fishing rods and buy them though they may never use them. They may be noted anglers who are prevented by circumstances from fishing, but, on seeing fine rods buy them just because they like them. They may be men who never fish. There is, for instance, a man in this city who never fishes, though he belongs to a fishing club and has 30 fishing rods of the finest description, a perfect outfit. He never shoots, but be has a fine colllection of guns. He buys these things because they are beautiful and perfect and because they are of interest to friends who come to see him.

Of rods used in fresh water angling, bass and trout fly rods of split bamboo cost $1 to $75 each. The rod for $75 would owe its cost not to expensive mountings, but to the material and workmanship, which would be of the best. There are rods with costly mountings that are sold at far higher prices, but these are made usually for presentation. Salmon rods of split bamboo sell at $30 to $55 and grilse rods for less than salmon rods.

-- Dr. Todd

News of the Week, 05 November 2007

Secret American plan to undermine Iraq’s infrastructure by secretly stocking sharks in inland rivers…an amphibious RV that allows you to fish while driving…an Indian fisherman lands an explosive catch…Former TV Bachelor and pro bass fisherman trying to make world realize he’s still alive…a 400 year old quahog…it must be THE NEWS OF THE WEEK!

THE BIG LEAD: Shark caught over 100 miles from sea in Euphrates River near Nassiriya, Iraq; Americans blamed. Seriously. “75% chance Americans put the shark in the water.” Because, as we all know, a significant part of rebuilding the country’s infrastructure is to release live sharks in inland rivers. This is clearly the story of the year.


Operation Iraqi Shark, a.k.a. Weapons of Bass Destruction
Illinois has two state records broken in one angling year.

A 38.6 pound Northern Pike from the Chew Valley. It's in Britain, silly.


Amphibious RV allows anglers to fish while driving. Still wouldn’t be as dangerous as teenage girls driving while text messaging…


In Alumni News: Univ. of Illinois Prof. studies catch-and-release.

Ben Wright's October spinning reel monthly report is now up.

Phil White's October eBay Report is also available.

CATCH OF THE DAY: Indian Fisherman lands...a rocket launcher.

Kevin Costner likes Turkish fishermen.

UK’s Angling Times writer Greg Whitehead catches a monster Chub.


Professional angler and former tv “Bachelor” Byron Velvick is not checking out.

From the Home Grown Files: A 50 Pound Musky comes out of Mill Lacs Lake, Minnesota.

Fisherman boat a 400-year old quahog off Iceland.

Kissimmee hopes to attract European bass anglers; genetically modifying bass to grow mouse ears not considered at this time.

The Philippines has launched a Fish Conservation Week.

The final C.A.S.T. for Kids tournament will be held this following weekend in Fort Myers Beach, Florida.

From Richard Lodge, editor of ORCA’s Reel News, comes an article on Lang’s, from his day job as editor of The Metro West Daily News in Framingham, Mass.

The Moberly Monitor reports that Bass Pro Shops wants your antique tackle and memorabilia for a display in Denton Springs, LA. Only problem: they don’t want to pay for it.

The Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History unveils "Seeing Wonders: The Nature of Fly Fishing.” The exhibit includes Babe Ruth’s E.F. Payne rod, the Shakespeare rod used by Ted Williams; Bing Crosby’s Orvis rod, fishing net, pipe and flies are included, and Glenn Miller’s Paul Young rod.

The Detroit Free Press opines on the future of the fly rod. Looks surprisingly like the fly rod of today. Or yesterday.


The Jamaica Gleaner illustrates marlin fishing the hard way.


The Vindy asks: are you a real angler?

The Great Bridge Fisherman’s Association has a new cook book. Shockingly, it has lots of fish recipes.

The Times Colonist opines on plastic lures for salmon and steelhead.

From the Depressing File: The Connecticut Post tells us to put away our rods, fishing season is over.

KULR Channel 8 on your Helena, Montana TV dial, notes that Helena High Students instructed in fishing fundamentals.

The St. Petersburg Times shows us how mackerel can be whipped into a frenzy. I’ve always found name calling to work just fine.


FINISHING WITH A FLOURISH: The Florida Sportsman profiles disabled kids fishing with pros.



-- 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