Top-estimated lot: the first American wooden minnow bait to embody the link between late-1890s plugs and the first commercially offered minnows from just after the turn of the 20th century
DENVER, Pa. – Fans of antique fishing lures found the waters quite inviting at Morphy’s December 9, 2024 auction of Wayne and Lori Edens’ antique and vintage fishing lure collection, Part I. The highly anticipated debut selection of treasures from the Edens trove surpassed $900,000 and left bidders eager for more. On Saturday, May 17, Morphy’s will auction Part II of the storied collection, which is widely regarded to be the largest, most comprehensive and most important collection of its type ever to come to the public marketplace. In all, 680 ultra-rare lures – or “baits,” as they are known to fishing enthusiasts – will be presented at the exciting gallery event, with all forms of remote bidding invited, including live online through Morphy Live.
For historical value alone, it would be hard to beat the first American wooden minnow that embodies the link between the rotary and cedar plugs of the late 1890s and the first commercially offered minnows from just after the turn of the century. The auction example is the exact bait that was famously found in the tackle box of Twin Lakes, Ohio, resident Hiram C Rice. A hand-shaped bait with natural wood grain and a dark back, it features slightly curving gill marks, striking copper-colored “perch” stripes, and a golden belly. The “File Maker” spade-shaped props are original and identical to those on a similar bait seen in an Arlan Carter reference book, and the prop bearings appear to be original and unchanged. When found, the bait’s right eye was cracked but still intact, and the left eye was missing. In the interim, a pair of reddish decoy-style eyes was inserted. Its glass eyes and added side hooks are easily removable, should that be the new owner’s preference. This wonderful antique minnow is one of the most significant and desirable objects in angling history and is the best representative predecessor to all other American wooden underwater minnows. In strong VG Plus condition, it will cross the auction block with a $15,000-$30,000 estimate.
Also incredibly rare, a circa-1910 Model #7000 Heddon 747 Mascallonge Minnow bait was originally found in a group of three at a doctor’s lake estate residence in Maine. This big boy is huge, measuring 8 inches in length. The cup is rigged with extra-strong trebles and fore and aft unstamped props. Specifically designed as a floater, it lacks belly weights. This choice bait has flawless amber glass eyes and short hand-painted gill marks on its chin. It is in VG Plus condition and carries an auction estimate of $10,000-$20,000.
Another top entry is a Heddon Introductory Model 155 all-brass Dowagiac Minnow, solid yellow with black gill marks. Its design incorporates three belly weights, each completely sealed. Both its white iris glass eyes are perfect, and its unmarked nickel-plated props are shiny and spotless. The brass eyes, cups, and bearings have all mellowed with a chocolatey patina, and all five non-nickel-plated hooks appear to be original. The box is of the correct era for the lure, being a type II with thicker panels and the thumbnail notch on the lid, and bearing the phrase “NOTICE HOW THE HOOKS ARE HUNG!” Very few Heddon Minnows combine this magnitude of rarity with such beautiful condition. Estimate: $10,000-$20,000
One of the rarest combos in the Edens collection is a 3½-inch brown-spotted Wilcox Wiggler graded Near-Excellent with clear, solid-glass eyes. One of few of its type ever to surface, it is housed in an equally rare VG-condition paper label box from The Wiggler Mfg. Co., Elmwood, Indiana. Even the extremely rare paper insert remains inside the lid. The Wiggler’s beautiful hardware suggests it has never seen water. This desirable bait is expected to land $10,000-$20,000 at auction.
A brown and gold Trory Minnow made by Enterprise Mfg. Co. (Pflueger), of Akron, Ohio, is one of the most influential American underwater minnows every produced. Morphy’s specialists confirmed that it is a very early model dating to 1900 or 1901, at the latest. Its details include a crudely-formed wooden tail, gold perch bars on a natural brown body with a dark back, and large, blemish-free eyes. The silver belly has fine hand-painted gill mark on either side, and its hardware is original and uncleaned. This eye-catching bait was discovered in a tackle box in the Canton, Ohio, area. In Excellent Minus condition, its pre-sale estimate is $6,000-$12,000.
Collectors are expected to “leap” at the chance to acquire a Hosmer Mechanical Froggie bait in a rare yellow color with its (restored) original paper-labeled box. John D. Hosmer of Dearborn, Michigan, started making his six-section kicking frogs around 1929 but didn’t sell any commercially until approximately a decade later. Hand-painted with fastidiously-detailed red and black spots on the back and red lines on the belly, the auction example has perfect glass eyes. Its well-conceived mechanical leg apparatus is still functional. There isn’t a serious frog lure collector who wouldn’t want this example, which is in Excellent Minus condition and estimated at $5,000-$10,000.
Other standout lots include a circa-1915 Strawberry Spot Miller’s Original Wood Minnow bait, reversible and in its solid picture box with a $1 price imprinted on its label; and a late-1920s bait made for Herbert Kinney by Heddon with cup and screw-eye hardware and solid glass eyes. Each of the baits is estimated at $2,500-$5,000.
Part II of the Wayne & Lori Edens fishing lure collection will be auctioned live on Saturday, May 17, 2025 at Morphy’s flagship gallery, 2000 N. Reading Rd., Denver, PA 17517, starting at 9 a.m. Eastern Time. All remote forms of bidding will also be available, including absentee, by phone, and live via the Internet through Morphy Live. For additional information on any item in the auction or to reserve a phone line for bidding, call 877-968-8880 or email info@morphyauctions.com. Visit Morphy’s online at www.morphyauctions.com.
All images courtesy of Morphy Auctions
1029 –
https://auctions.morphyauctions.com/HEDDON_747_IN_BLENDED_YELLOW-LOT626259.aspx
Incredibly rare circa-1910 Model #7000 Heddon 747 Mascallonge Minnow bait. Originally found in a group of three at a doctor’s lake estate residence in Maine. Huge 8 inches long. Cup rigged with extra-strong trebles and fore and aft unstamped props. Designed as a floater. Flawless amber glass eyes. Short hand-painted gill marks on chin. VG Plus condition. Estimate: $10,000-$20,000
1080 –
https://auctions.morphyauctions.com/YELLOW_HOSMER_MECHANICAL_FROGGIE_IN_BOX-LOT626335.aspx
‘Hosmer Mechanical Froggie’ bait, a six-section kicking frog, in rare yellow color with restored original box with printed paper label. Designed by John D. Hosmer (Dearborn, Mich.) circa 1929, with commercial sales beginning around a decade later. Hand-painted with fastidiously-detailed red and black spots on the back and red lines on the belly. Perfect glass eyes. Mechanical leg apparatus well-conceived and still functional. Length: 5in. Excellent Minus condition. Estimate: $5,000-$10,000
1137 –
https://auctions.morphyauctions.com/KINNEY_BIRD_LURE_IN_RED___WHITE_WITH_FLITTER-LOT626439.aspx
Late-1920s bait made for Herbert Kinney by Heddon. Cup and screw-eye hardware, solid glass eyes. Bait is graded at least VG Plus with a bit of varnish flaking. Length: 4¼in. Estimate: $2,500-$5,000
1138 –
Circa-1915 Strawberry Spot Miller’s Original Wood Minnow bait, reversible, in solid picture box with $1 price imprinted on label from Union Spring Specialty Co., Cayuga Lake, New York. Donning Neverfail hangers, uniquely-shaped bi-metal spinners. Excellent condition with a few nicks and pointers. Length: 4-3/8in. Estimate: $2,500-$5,000
1157 –
https://auctions.morphyauctions.com/RARE_BROWN_SPOTTED_WILCOX_WIGGLER_IN_THE_BOX-LOT626328.aspx
One of the rarest combos in the Wayne Edens collection, a brown-spotted Wilcox Wiggler graded Near-Excellent with clear, solid-glass eyes. One of few of its type ever found, in an equally rare VG-condition paper label box from The Wiggler Mfg. Co., Elmwood, Indiana, with extremely rare paper insert still intact inside the lid. Beautiful hardware that has likely never seen water. Length: 3½in. Estimate: $10,000-$20,000
1239 –
https://auctions.morphyauctions.com/BROWN___GOLD_PFLUEGER_TRORY_MINNOW-LOT626819.aspx
Brown and gold Enterprise Mfg. Co. (Pflueger), Akron, Ohio, Trory Minnow. Very early model dating to 1900 or 1901, at the latest. Crudely-formed wooden tail, gold perch bars on natural brown body with dark back. Silver belly with fine hand-painted gill mark on either side. Original, uncleaned original hardware. Wire rigged treble hooks. Large, blemish-free glass eyes. Discovered in a tackle box in the Canton, Ohio area. Condition: Excellent Minus. Estimate: $6,000-$12,000
1258 –
https://auctions.morphyauctions.com/THE_HISTORIC_FIRST_AMERICAN_WOODEN_MINNOW-LOT626584.aspx
The historic first American wooden minnow embodying the link between the rotary and cedar plugs of the late 1890s and the first commercially offered minnows from just after the turn of the century. This is the exact bait that was found in Twin Lakes, Ohio, resident Hiram C. Rice’s tackle box. Hand-shaped bait with natural wood grain, dark back, slightly curving gill marks, striking copper-colored ‘perch’ stripes, and golden belly. “File Maker” spade-shaped props are original and identical to those on a similar bait shown in an Arlan Carter reference book. Prop bearings appear original and unchanged. Strong VG Plus condition. One of the most important and desirable objects in angling history, as it is the best representative predecessor to all other American wooden underwater minnows. Estimate: $15,000-$30,000
1481 –
https://auctions.morphyauctions.com/HEDDON_INTRO_155_ALL_BRASS_MINNOW_YELLOW_IN_BOX-LOT626608.aspx
Heddon Introductory Model 155 all-brass Dowagiac Minnow, solid yellow paint graded Excellent with black gill marks. Three belly weights, each completely sealed. Perfect white iris glass eyes. Unmarked nickel-plated props, shiny and spotless. Brass eyes, cups, and bearings display chocolatey patina. All five non-nickel-plated hooks appear original. Box is of the correct era for the lure, a type II with thicker panels, thumbnail notch on lid, bearing the phrase ‘NOTICE HOW THE HOOKS ARE HUNG!’ Very few Heddon Minnows combine this magnitude of rarity with such beautiful condition. Estimate: $10,000-$20,000
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