Knowledge for Advanced Collectors of Heddon and Shakespeare

FULL SITE INDEX & ARTICLES 

Notes on Identification of pre-1915 Heddon lures

By Dr. Michael Echols

Extensive charts to help you identify and determine the exact age of Heddon fishing lures, based on information from Clyde Harbin and others who produced this original work over many years.

As one tries to match up early lures with the correct box, the size and length of the lure is a good indication of what lure is correct for a given year or box....within reason!

 

All the information in these personal notes is drawn from the original works of Clyde Harbin in his Heddon Catalogs & Heddon Historical Footprints; The Heddon Legacy, by Roberts and Pavey; and a recent article on Heddon Underwater Minnow Characteristics in the NFLCC Gazette, by Jack Looney; and two articles in the Gazette: Chronology of Heddon Lure Boxes by Bruce Dyer and 8 Years of Heddon Hardware by William Sonnett.   (Specific references on request.)  What I have tried to do is cross reference and coordinate the information in these various articles to put together a chart with corrections made using updated information and hopefully correcting conflicting information.

 

Just when you think you have it all figured out, along comes someone with  better information.  In this case, measuring the length of the minnow in your box may make or ruin your day.   It all depends on if the lure is right or not. 

 

First, let's set up the parameters for how the length of the lure was measured.  It is the length of the wood only, not including the hardware.  The direct distance is measured  from a vertical line drawn perpendicular to the nose and the tail of the wood body.  It is not along the back of the wood as that would measure the curve of the body and increase the length.  (Verification of this technique is from  personal correspondence with Clyde Harbin, Sr. 2/2004)

 

For pure research, I would default to Sonnett's data as it is much more precise and accurate.  This is not to detract from the other works, but just that Sonnett is more research oriented in his history and observations.   When Bill Sonnett speaks, everyone stops and listens!  He IS a scholar.

 

Since my main interest is in early Heddon lures, I'll restrict this information to that era for the Heddon 100 and 150 underwater minnows

 

Year	100 length	150 length	Belly Wts.	Box / type	Notes
03	not made 2	not made 2
04	2 5/8 4	3 5/8 4	3 small	(100) picture 3 (150) wood I, II	brass hardware
05	2 3/4?	3 1/2	2, 3, or 1 lrg	wood III, IV	High forehead, brass hardware
06	2 3/4	3 1/2	1 lrg or 2sm	wood IV	Tapered nose, plated hardware
07	2 3/5 5	3 3/8	1 lrg or 2sm	wood V	shorter tapered nose
08	2 3/5	3 3/8	1 large	wood V white	flat bluntnose
09	2 3/5	3 3/8	1 large	wood V 1  white	pointed bluntnose
10	2 3/5	3 3/8	1 large	white	pointed bluntnose
11	2 3/4	3 3/4	1 large	white
12	2 3/4	3 3/4	1 large	Pine Tree White, blue	Dlb later, 'spinner' on all
13	2 3/4	3 3/4	1 large	dlb	blue, white, red border 'spinner' on all
14	2 3/4	3 3/4	1 large	dlb	red border 'spinner'
15	2 3/4	3 3/4	1 large	dlb	red border 'spinner'

Notes: Subscript

1. Sonnett states in his article on wood boxes, the wood box ran into the 1909 year.

2. Sonnett states in his article on 8 years of Heddon Hardware,  the first year for the 100 is in 1904.

3. Roberts and Sonnet both note the existence of the 100 picture box in 1904.

4. Measurements of the 1904 Heddon 100 and 150 were taken from new-in-the-wood box examples

5. The 5th's measurements were from the Heddon Catalogs (Harbin, Sr.)

 

The accuracy of the following information is a work in progress at best.  Some of it is drawn from Bill Sonnet's article on 8 years of Heddon Hardware, which I would totally trust and some is from Jack Looney's article on Heddon Configurations, which has multiple omissions and errors.  There is much missing or omitted information.  Consider parts of this chart incomplete and subject to correction.  I'm just trying to cull out the mistakes and blend the information into a useable form.  Nothing is final.

 

Year	Hardware	Line Tie	Eyes	Body Shape	Cross-section
04	Cone shaped, shallow cup / Flat or low rimmed, flat-bottom brass cup	brass	yellow	slim and thin pointed nose	triangular
05	Flat or low rimmed  flat-bottom, brass cup	brass / nickel plated	white	wedge, high forehead	triangular/more oval
06	Flat or low rimmed  flat-bottom, Nickel-plated cup	nickel plated	white	tapered	slim body
07	Flat or low rimmed  flat-bottom, Nickel-plated cup	nickel plated	white	tapered	slim body
08	Flat or low rimmed  flat-bottom, Nickel-plated cup / Forward raised edge, nickel plated cup	nickel plated	white	bluntnose round taper	wider and full
09	Forward raised edge, nickel plated cup	nickel plated	white	bluntnose moderate taper	wider and full
10	Forward raised edge, nickel plated cup	nickel plated	white	bluntnose round taper	wider and full
11	Forward raised edge, nickel plated cup	nickel plated	white	round taper	first fat body
12	Forward raised edge, nickel plated cup	nickel plated	Large	large and thick
13	Forward raised edge, nickel plated cup	nickel plated	Large	large and thick
14	Forward raised edge, nickel plated cup	nickel plated	Large	medium taper
15	Forward raised edge, nickel plated cup	nickel plated	Large	medium taper

 

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