Buying old reels, lures and tackle. Long ago, I discovered an old wooden tackle box with wooden glass eyed lures and a Meek No. 3 casting reel. That got me started. Collecting old fishing tackle is a fun hobby. Fishing items from the late 19th or early 20th century show the craftsmanship that was common to those Victorian times. I am specifically interested in the preservation and history of antique angling memorabilia and have written and published many articles on the subject.
I am a private collector, not a dealer, of antique fishing related items for over 40 years. As such, I am able to offer a fair price for your antique tackle. I am especially interested in and buy early fishing reels, wooden and metal lures, and fishing medals. Over the years, I have bought items from nearly every location in the United States and Canada. If you are interested in selling your old tackle or simply want a free appraisal, you can send me an Email or Text or Call me at my Cell phone number 407-496-7940.
For any questions about vintage antique fishing reels, lures or tackle, please feel free to Email or Call me. I always like to talk about old tackle.
Remember, I’m always buying old reels, lures and tackle! I am a vintage fishing tackle buyer and can provide an appraisal.
Email me at: ron@luresnreels.com or
Call or Text me at: 407-496-7940
Thanks!
Ron Gast
Orlando, FL
To help you know which fishing tackle items are collectable, I have listed the ones I’m most interested in. This list is not inclusive of all collectable fishing reels or lures. Please contact me for specific information. Emailing or texting photos will speed up my response.
FISHING REELS – All of these fishing reels will be marked with the makers name. Value range is $50 to $3,000. I am especially interested in any reel made by companies from Kentucky and New York. Reels with Boxes is a plus. I am buying these reels.
- ABBEY & IMBRIE: A&I – NY, Any Model
- AMERICA: America-Meek, Any Model – Rockford, IL
- AMERICAN REEL CO.: Any Model – Indianapolis, IN
- BATE: T.H. Bate or T.H. Bate & Co. – New York, NY
- BENJAMIN: Benjamin-Sellars Mfg. Co., Benjamin Thumezy – Chicago, IL
- BILLINGHURST: William Billinghurst, Any Model – Rochester, NY
- BLUE GRASS REEL WORKS: Any Model – Louisville, KY
- S.E. BOGDAN: Any Model – Nasuha, NH
- BRADFORD & ANTHONY: Any Model – Boston, MA
- CARLTON MFG. CO.: Any Model – Rochester, NY
- CHAMBERLAIN: Chamberlain Cartridge & Target Co., Hunter Reel – Cleveland, OH
- CHUBB: Thos. H. Chubb – Post Mills, VT
- CLERK: A. Clerk – New York, NY
- CLINTON: C.M. Clinton – Ithaca, NY
- COATES: A. Coates, Any Model – Watertown, NY
- CONROY: J.C. Conroy, Thos. J. Conroy, or Conroy, Bissett & Malleson – New York, NY
- COXE: J.A. Coxe – Los Angles, CA
- COZZONE: Cozzone Corp. – Newark, NY
- CROOK: J.B. Crook – New York, NY
- CROTHAMEL: John Crothamel – New York
- DAME, STODDARD & KENDALL: Dame, Stoddard & Kendall – Boston, MA
- DEALLY: J. Deally – Louisville, KY
- DREISER: John Dreiser, Any Model – NY
- FIN-NOR: Any Model – Miami, FL
- FLINT REEL CO.: Any Model – Flint, MI
- FOSS: Al Foss 3-25
- FOWLER: A.H. Fowler – Ithaca, NY
- H.J. FROST & CO.: Any Model – New York
- FULLILOVE: Frank W. Fullilove – Owenton, KY
- GAYLE: Geo. W. Gayle, Geo. W. Gayle & Son or C. Gayle – Frankfort, KY
- GIROUD: P.G. Giroud – Brooklyn, NY
- HARDMAN: J.W. Hardman – KY
- HATCH: A. Hatch – New Haven, CT
- HAWKS & OGILVY: Hawks & Ogilvy – New York, NY
- HEDDON: Reel No.’s 30, 35, 40, 45, 3-15, 3-24, 3-25, 3-30, 3-35, 4-15, 4-18 – Dowagiac, MI
- HENSHALL: Henshall-Van Antwerp – Post Mills, VT
- HOLZMANN: Any Model – Brooklyn, NY
- HORTON: Horton Mfg. Co. – Bristol, CT
- HOWARD & SIEVERS: Any Model – Hebron, IN
- M. JAMES: Morgan James – Utica, NY
- JANCIURAS: Joe Janciuras – Rochester, NY
- KIEFER: L A Kiefer – Indianapolis, IN
- KING: Pequea Works – Strassburg, PA
- KLEIN: C.R. Klein – Santa Monica, CA
- KOHLHEPP: Ralph Kohlhepp – Plainfield, NJ
- KOPF: John Kopf – Brooklyn, NY
- KOSMIC: A.G. Spalding & Bros. – New York, NY
- KOVALOVSKY: Arthur Kovalovsky – Hollywood, CA
- LEAVER’S CASTING REEL: Leaver Reel – Chicago, IL
- LEONARD: H.L. Leonard or Leonard-Mills – Bangor, ME
- LIBERTY BELL: Liberty Bell Co – Bristol, CT
- LOVELL: E. Lovell – Savannah, GA
- MALLESON: Frederick (Fred’k) Malleson – Brooklyn, NY
- MARSTERS: J.F. Marsters, Any Model – Brooklyn, NY
- MEDLEY: Medley’s 20th Century Kentucky Reel, Automatic Fly Reel – Hopkinsville & Gracey, KY
- MEEK: B.F. Meek, B.F. Meek & Sons, Horton Mfg. – Louisville, KY
- JF & BF MEEK: Any Model – Frankfort, KY
- MEEK & MILAM: Any Model – Frankfort, KY
- MILAM: B.C. Milam or B.C. Milam & Son – Frankfort, KY
- MILLS: Wm. Mills & Son – NY
- MORGAN JAMES: M. James marked Reels – Utica, NY
- ONION, HAIGH & CORNWALL: Any Model – New York, NY
- ORVIS: C.F. Orvis Fly Reel – Manchester, VT
- PHILBROOK & PAINE: or Philbrook & Payne, Any Model – Bangor, ME
- REDIFOR: Redifor Rod & Reel Co. – Warren, OH
- ROCHESTER REEL CO: Any Model – Rochester, NY
- ROSS: Any Model – Buffalo, NY
- SAGE: J.L. Sage – Frankfort, KY
- SCHRALL: C.L. Schrall, CHAR-LEM, – Wayzata, MN
- SEAMASTER: Bob McChristian – Miami, FL
- SHIPLEY: A.B. Shipley & Son, Malcolm A. Shipley, Any Model – Philadelphia, PA
- SLOTE: William Slote – Brooklyn, NY
- SNYDER: George Snyder (marked “GS”) or J. & G. Snyder – KY
- STAR REEL WORKS: A. Hendrick & The Star Reel Works – CT
- TALBOT: Wm. H. Talbot (Nevada, MO) or Talbot Reel & Mfg Co. (KC, MO) or Richardson Rod & Reel Co. (Chicago, IL)
- UNITED STATES NET & TWINE: Any Model – New York, NY
- USTONSON: Onesimus Ustonson – London, England
- VOM HOFE: Edward vom Hofe, Julius vom Hofe, or F. vom Hofe – NY
- EDWARD VOM HOFE HERITAGE: Heritage Fly Reel – Ross Hauk Maker – Montrose, CO
- WALKER: Arthur L. Walker – Hempstead, NY
- WARRIN: J. Warrin – New York, NY
- WELCH: Jack Welch – Dowagiac, MI
- WHEELER: Wheeler & McGregor – Milwaukee, WI
- WINCHESTER: Winchester – New Haven, CT
- WISNER: C.H. Wisner – Flint, MI
- YALE: Yale Metal Products – New York, NY
- YAWMAN & ERBE: Yawman & Erbe – Rochester, NY
- ZWARG: Otto Zwarg – St. Petersburg, FL
FISHING LURES – The wooden lures typically have glass eyes and may or may not be marked with the makers name. Value range is $30 to $3,000. Lures with Boxes is a plus. I am especially interested in any lure made Heddon or by companies from Florida. I am buying these lures.
- ABBEY & IMBRIE
- ADAMS: E.C.Adams, Jersey Expert
- AMMIE LEE: Like Live Bait Company – Jacksonville, FL
- BARRACUDA: Florida Fishing Tackle Mfg. Co., Barracuda Brand – St. Petersburg, FL
- BATE: T.H. Bate metal lure – NY
- BITE-EM: Bite-em Bait Co.
- BOULTON: T.J. Bolton
- BRUSH: H.C. Brush Trolling Spoon
- BURGESS: Burgess Weedless Hook Co.
- CARTER: Carter’s Bestever Bait Co.
- CASE: Case Bait Rotary Marvel
- CHAPMAN: W.D. Chapman & Son metal lures – NY
- CHARMER: Charmer Minnow Co.
- CHAUTAUQUA: ANDERSON & CO. Chautauqua Minnow – Jamestown, NY
- COLDWATER: Coldwater Bait Co. – Hell Diver, Wiggler, Skipper, Ghost, King
- COMSTOCK: Harry Comstock Flying Helgramite
- COSTA: H.B. Costa Bait Co. – Tampa, FL
- COX: Cox’s Tampa Minnow, Grover Cox – Tampa, FL
- CCBCO: Creek Chub Bait Co.
- DECKER: Ans. B. Decker
- DETROIT BAIT: Detroit Bait Co. North Channel Minnow
- DETROIT GLASS: Detroit Glass Minnow Tube
- DONALY: Jim Donaly
- EGER: Eger Bait Co. – Bartow, FL
- ENTERPRISE: Enterprise Mfg. Co. or Pflueger
- EUREKA: Eureka Bait Co.- King, Wiggler
- FLORIDA FISHING TACKLE CO.: Barracuda – St. Petersburg, FL
- FLORIDA SHINNER BAIT CO.: Flood Minnow
- FRENCHY: Frank “Frenchy” Chevalier – St. Petersburg, FL
- GARLAND: Garland Bros., Cork-Head Frog Minnow
- GREGORY: Gregory marked metal baits – UK
- GRESH: Earl Gresh – St. Petersburg, FL
- HAAS: Haas Tackle Co.
- HAMILTON: Hamilton Mfg. Medley’s Crawfish
- HANSEN: Jacob Hansen
- HARRIS: C.R. Harris Frog
- HASKELL: R. Haskell Minnow metal lure – Painesville, OH
- HASTING: James Hasting rubber frog or minnow
- HEDDON: James Heddon & Sons – Dowagiac, MI
- IMMELL: Immell Bait Co. Chippewa lure
- JEANETTE HAWLEY: Jeanette Hawley Lures and Baits – Mohawk, FL
- KALAMAZOO: Kalamazoo Fishing Tackle Co.
- KAUFMAN: H.C. Kaufman & Co. Harkauf Minnow
- KEELING: Fred C. Keeling & Co., Keeling Bait & Tackle Co. – Expert
- LIKE LIVE BAIT COMPANY: Ammie Lee – Jacksonville, FL
- LLOYD: Lloyd & Co. – Hungary Jack
- MCHARG: John McHarg metal lure
- MOONEY: Goodrich Special
- MOONLIGHT: Moonlight Bait Co. – Ladybug Wiggler, Pikaroon, Zig Zag, Fish Spear
- MURPHY: D.A. Murphy
- OLD HICKORY ROD & TACKLE CO.: Kinney Bird Lure – Tampa, FL
- ORLANDO BAIT CO: Master Bait
- OUTING: Outing Mfg. Co. metal lure
- PALM BEACH PIER CO.: Wiggle Diver Lure
- PARDEE: Fred A. Pardee
- PFEFFER: Jim Pfeffer – Orlando, FL
- PEMBERTON: Pemberton Bait Co. – Seffner, FL
- PEPPER: Joe E. Pepper
- PFLUEGER: Pflueger Mfg. Co.
- PONTIAC: Pontiac Mfg. Co.
- RHEAD: Louis Rhead
- RHODES: Fred Rhodes
- ROBINSON: Robinson Bait Co. – Orlando, FL
- SHAKESPEARE: Wm. Shakespeare Tackle Co. wooden lure
- SOUTH BEND: South Bend Bait Co. wooden lure
- SILVERCREEK: Silvercreek Novelty Works – Pikaroon
- TAMPA: Tampa Bait & Tackle
- VANCE: Dazzy Vance – Homosassa Springs, FL
- VANN-CLAY: Vann-Clay Co.
- WELCH: Welch & Graves glass minnow tube
- WILSON: Wilson Bait Co.
- CLINTON: Clinton Wilt Mfg. Co.
- WINCHESTER: Winchester Repeating Arms Co.
- WOODS: F.C. Woods Co.
- WORDEN: F.G. Worden Bait Co.
This is only a sampling of the lure manufacturers. Contact me for specific questions. Remember, I’m buying old reels & lures.