AntiqueLures |
By Dr. Michael Echols
Heddon underwater minnows are among the finest made lures ever sold because of the multi-layer paint and varnish, durable hardware, and over all quality of workmanship. In the 150's, we'll concentrate on the early single belly weight, blunt nose model which came in a wood box and move to the later versions. The first lure below is an excellent example of the two belly weight type with the rest being single belly weight types.
Click on each photo to enlarge it
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Heddon's
early 150 with high forehead, brass cups, brass line tie, sweeping gill marks and two
belly weights. With the correct wood box marked 150 on the end, no writing on the long sides, and inscribed with "See how the hooks are hung!" The " ! " point is the key to the box top being the correct one for this early lure. |
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| An early Heddon 153 Aluminum, c.1908. What makes this lure interesting is the color looks greenish gold, but is in fact aluminum with the varnish over-coat having a yellow patina to give a gold color. Note the aluminum color where the varnish is flaked, the sweeping gill marks and the blunt nose compared to the earlier 150 above. |
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| A Heddon 151 Rainbow, c. 1908. At this stage, Rainbow was green on the back, peach and pink on the sides and white on the belly. The box is marked "Rainbow 151". |
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| A Heddon 159A, unmarked props, hand painted gill marks, cup rigged, single belly weight, blunt nose, color: (A) old bar perch or yellow perch, later bar perch has leaning vertical stripes. The wood box is a type four c. 1908-10 era. |
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| The post wood box model 150 in a white box with down leaping Bass box label. This lure is larger than usual, has unmarked props and sweeping gill marks. Typical of the 1912 era. |
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| An early Heddon fat body 150 in L-rig. Color is yellow and the box is the tall version with early marking "150 Yellow". |
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| A c. 1920's Heddon 151, marked props, hand painted gill marks, L-rig, single belly weight, fat body, color: (1) rainbow. The cardboard box is the down leaping bass version. |
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| An early, c. 1912, name on on prop, cup rigged, fat body, gold flitter 150 in excellent condition with a something less than matching Pine Tree box consistent with the bait. Note the sweeping gill marks. |
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| A later slim body 150 in green crackleback with L-rig hardware, and a blush on the chin instead of hand painted gill marks. |
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| An L-rig 150 in rare red scale, hand painted gill marks. |
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| An L-rig 150 in a later color of silver (aluminum) and green, with hand painted gill marks. |
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| An L-rig 150 in bar perch, with hand painted gill marks. |
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Heddon Crackle finish
Rumor has it that the crackle finish on the Heddon lures was the result of Laura Heddon drying a group of just painted lures in the oven so they could be shipped immediately. She was horrified by the results, but Jim Heddon liked the look and used the technique for years. Like finger prints, no two are alike. The photo shows the variations in crack sizes and colors of 150's.
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