How Do You Identify Antique Fishing Lures?
Fishing is a popular recreational hobby. Some people fish for sport, others fish for food. Antique fishing lures are still used for fishing, but most are collected. Highly collectible antique fishing lures are worth up to a few hundred dollars apiece, pre-1900 lures being the most valuable. Fishing lure companies from this time period are Henry Loftie, John Mann, Riley Haskell Minnow and WD Chapman. The post-1900 companies are James Heddon, William Shakespeare Jr., Creek Chub, South Bend, Pflueger and Moonlight and Paw Paw. Look over the antique fishing lure. On the pre-1900 lures, many are made from old wood, un-glossed and not painted in bright colors. There may be an aluminum-only finish. Check for the characteristic acorn body, meaning the shape of the lure is similar to an acorn, especially toward the head of the lure. Check the finish on a post-1900 fishing lure. Many made after 1900 will be carved and painted to look like tiny bait fish; a popular color being strawberry with a b
