Antique Spools

Antique Spools Page 2

Page 1 Page 3 Page 4

Fishing Line Cards

Fishing Line Catalogs

Fishing Line Home

South Bend Dollar Oreno Antique Spool

80 years ago in 1937 the South Bend Bait Company introduced this label version of their pure Japan silk DOLLAR ORENO fishing line with an Art Deco style leaping bass fish. The fishing line and label design were both made for South Bend by the Cortland Line Company of Cortland New York and that stylized fish continued to be used by South Bend on their boxes and catalogs for several years after.

Mikado Antique Spool

The William Frankfurth Hardware Company of Milwaukee Wisconsin (est. 1861) sold this MIKADO brand of fishing line in the 1930s There is little doubt that the fishing line that was once on this empty wooden spool was a Japan silk line, even though the name “Japan” does not appear anywhere on the label. The national flag of Japan, adopted February 27, 1870, is featured prominently in the center of the label. And, the brand name MIKADO, first used in 1720 – 1730, means “Honorable Gate” in Japanese and is used to refer to the Emperor of Japan.

Kingfisher Black Wonder

103 years ago this very rare first version of the KINGFISHER BLACK WONDER was introduced in March 1914. It represented the first time a photograph of a bass fish was used by Kingfisher on a fishing line label, and the first time that the maker, E J Martin’s Sons used a red painted wooden spool for their famous Kingfisher brand silk lines.

Creek Chub Light Chub Line Spool

A very rare Creek Chub Bait Company silk fishing line. One of only two known in this label version. Two of this same line spool came from the Charles A. Krenrick estate. Mr Krenrick was a Vice President and Sales Manager for the Cortland Line company, between the years 1927 and 1939. This Light Chub line spool was made for the Creek Chub Bait Company about 1932 or 1933 by the Cortland Line Company.

Newtons Finger Lake

This 80 year old silver marbled color Celluloid covered wooden spool has the 1937 version of the foil paper label that was used for the famous FINGER LAKES brand Japan silk fishing line made by the Newton Line Company of Homer New York.

Cortland Line Beaver Antique Spool

This BEAVER brand Irish Flax Cuttyhunk (linen line) was sold by Sears Roebuck & Company in their mail order catalogs as early as 1898. This particular label version from the late 1920s to early 1930s was made for Sears by the Cortland Line Company of Cortland New York between 85 to 90 years ago. Earlier versions made prior to 1915 were manufactured by the Hall Line Company of Highland Mills New York. .

Heddon Double Header

A unique line spool – in 1931 this extremely rare and unused spool of Heddon’s Double-Header Bait Casting Line was introduced. Made from the choicest Japan silk it was double braided at both ends to provide double strength and wear. It is the only wooden line spool with this three section design that was ever produced to hold fishing line.

Black Swan

This BLACK SWAN brand bait casting line “Made from DuPont NYLON” was introduced by Gamble Stores in 1939. Gamble Stores was founded by Bertin Gamble and Philip Skogmo who were boyhood friends in Arthur, North Dakota in the early 1900s. In 1920, they pooled their resources, borrowed some money and bought an auto dealership in Fergus Falls, Minnesota. Soon they discovered the sale of auto parts and accessories was the most profitable part of their car dealership. So, in March 1925, they opened the first Gamble Auto Supply store in St. Cloud. By 1928, they had 55 stores and moved their headquarters to Minneapolis. Their stores began selling an ever-growing list of products including: household utensils, washing machines, paints, wallpaper, garden and lawn supplies and, of course, fishing tackle. By the late 1930s, the stores were touted as having “a completely diversified line of merchandise.” Eventually, Gamble stores were franchised, and by 1939 when this BLACK SWAN bait casting line was introduced there were 1500 Gamble dealers and 300 corporate stores in 24 states.

Iver Johnson Sporting Goods

This BAY STATE (Massachusetts) brand Casting & Trolling hard braided silk line was offered for sale 105 years ago in the 1912 catalog of the Boston based I. J. S. G. Co.( IVER JOHNSON SPORTING GOODS COMPANY ) and was made for them by the E J Martin’s Sons Company of Rockville Connecticut (makers of the famous Kingfisher Brand silk lines).

Kingfisher

98 years ago this month in December 1919 the Horton Mfg. Company of Bristol Connecticut (est. 1887), makers of the famous steel fishing rods, purchased the factory, equipment, patents and trade marks of the E. J. Martin’s Sons firm, makers of the “Kingfisher” brand braided silk fish lines of Rockville, Connecticut. Beginning in January 1920 Horton added their name to the lower right portion of the labels of Kingfisher Brand lines.

Outing Wetproof Getum Spool

Clarence Dewey inventor of the hollow metal ‘Getum” lures and the founder of the Outing Manufacturing Company of Elkhart, Indiana (1923 – 1927) introduced this very short lived and extremely rare WETPROOF GETUM pure Japan silk casting line in 1925.

Kosmic

One of the rarest and most desired fishing lines by antique tackle collectors today is this spool of hard braided silk casting line with the historic “Kosmic” brand name printed on an embossed gold leaf paper label. “Kosmic” as a brand name used for fishing line was a trademark registered about 1889 by A. G. Spalding of baseball and sporting goods fame for his very top quality rods, reels, and lines. The brand was then subsequently sold to the U S Net & Twine Company in 1893 which went out of business in 1898 and by 1900 the famous brand was acquired by the H. A. Whittemore Company of Boston, Massachusetts.

Abbey Imbrie Lake Shore

The Abbey and Imbrie company of New York, N. Y. (est. 1820) offered the LAKE SHORE brand “waterproof braided silk bait casting line” as early as 1908 in their catalogs. By 1912 they added the image of a leaping dolphin to their labels with the slogan “Fishing Tackle that’s Fit for Fishing” which they registered as a company trademark. And, by 1922 they proclaimed in the August issue of the Forest & Stream magazine that, “we have many good lines, but sell more Lake Shore than any other.” This popular seller with fishermen from 95+ years ago is still very popular today with the collectors of antique fishing tackle.

Newtons Green Ghost

The Newton Line Company introduced its new supreme Japan silk GREEN GHOST brand fishing line for the 1940 / 1941 fishing season. However this rare short lived fishing line was discontinued after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7 1941.

Newton’s Hiawatha

Hiawatha (born in 1525) was one of the greatest and most influential Native American Indians in history. And, 93 years ago in 1924 the Newton Line Company of Homer New York honored this legendary leader who by his compelling oratory and lifelong quest for peace between the Indian tribes of the Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida, and the Mohawk was instrumental in successfully forming the Iroquois Confederacy – the largest Native American Indian coalition in history. So influential was Hiawatha that it is said that Benjamin Franklin later used the model of Hiawatha’s successful accomplishment 200 years earlier to guide the formation of the colonies into what eventually became known as the Continental Congress in America’s early quest to form an independent nation. When the Newton Line company was formed in 1909 by D D Newton he set about to create some of the best fishing lines ever made in the USA under the brand name of the Mermaid Brand. The Hiawatha was a silk casting line produced under that brand and as such is considered by antique fishing tackle collectors to be one of the most attractively labeled fishing lines every produced in the early 20th century.

Cortland Golden West

In the late 1930s Manville Robinson (1890 – 1976) and his wife Gladys operated a hardware store, gift shop, liquor store, and fishing tackle store catering to tourist in the resort town of Taft Oregon, where the 67 mile long Siletz River enters into the Pacific Ocean. In 1937 the Cortland Line Company produced this GOLDEN WEST waterproof hard braided pure silk casting line for the Robinson’s Coast Tackle & Supply. While the line was described as a bait casting line, the label features an attractive image of a fly fisherman netting his fish on that famous northwest Oregon Siletz River.

Hall Line Mermaid Cuttyhunk

100 years ago in 1917 this MERMAID BRAND CUTTYHUNK (linen) Reel Line was being sold by the Frank Schebler Company (est. circa 1885) of 110 Park Row in New York and this line was made for him by the Hall Line Company of Highland Mills New York .

Ashaway Crandall’s Deep Lake

85 years ago in 1932 this Crandall’s Deep Lake Trolling Line made of braided bronze wire was the heaviest and strongest line produced for sale by the Ashaway Line & Twine company of Ashaway Rhode Island.

Crescent Bass Line

The logo on this 1890s spool of Crescent Bass Line of Cuttyhunk (linen line) consist of the intertwined letters “E” and “C” together with a tied feathered hook. This was the trade mark of the “Empire City Tackle Company” which was not actually a real company, but was instead a “house brand name” that was owned and used by Abbey & Imbrie of New York (est. 1820) for marketing purposes on their less expensive lines of rods, reels, fishing lines, tackle boxes, and other economy priced fishing tackle they sold in the late 1800s to early 1900s.

Heddon Simson Spool

107 years ago in 1915 Heddon introduced this new SIMSON brand of hard braid silk waterproof casting line that was manufactured for Heddon by E J Martin’s Sons firm of Rockville Connecticut, the makers of the famous Kingfisher Brand silk lines..

Cortland Black Beauty

The 1877 best selling book BLACK BEAUTY by Anna Sewell was honored in 1930 by the Montgomery Ward mail order and department store retailer of Chicago, Illinois when they introduced this Japan silk casting line under the BLACK BEAUTY brand name. The line was manufactured by the Cortland Line Company of Cortland New York for Montgomery Ward as well as for their main competitor Sears Roebuck & Company using the very same brand name but with an ART DECO style label minus the image of a horse.

Captain’s Pride

Captain Henry Hall (1821 – 1892) a seafaring man from Belfast Ireland came to America in 1838 and by 1840 established the Henry Hall Company to make Irish linen fishing lines which he called Cuttyhunk lines. On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the company in 1940 Henry Hall’s image was taken from an old family portrait and was used on this CAPTAIN’S PRIDE CUTTYHUNK label to honor the firms founder

Monarch Pure Silk Line Spool

Thomas H. Wood (1846 – 1931) was the founder of the fishing line manufacturing company in South Coventry Connecticut which bore his name and produced this extremely rare and handsome looking MONARCH pure silk fishing line 100 year ago in 1917. The regal looking animal at the center of the label is from an engraving modeled after the world famous “Monarch of the Glen”, an oil-on-canvas painting of a red deer stag completed in 1851 by the English painter Sir Edwin Landseer, to hang in the Palace of Westminster in London. However, the stag has twelve points on his antlers, both in the painting and on the line spool label engraving which in deer terminology technically makes him a “royal stag” but not a “monarch stag”, for which sixteen points are needed. However, despite that discrepancy, it is still represents a magnificent looking example of mid 19th century sporting art at its finest.

Abbey Imbrie Snowflake

This very rare and unused 100 + year old SNOWFLAKE brand silk tournament casting line has the company logo on the label that was used by Abbey & Imbrie of New York (est. 1820).

GH Mansfield Round Up

Before the G H Mansfield Co. of Canton Massachusetts (est. 1821) filed for bankruptcy and went out of business in 1933 they produced many wonderful artistic labels over the years featuring a variety of themes for their fishing line brands. To my knowledge this ROUND UP brand is the only fishing line ever produced by any manufacturer that honored the American cowboy with a label image and brand name. This one is the only example that I have ever seen other than the image of it in the catalog of 1933.

WS Brown Inc

The W S Brown Company of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania traces its founding to 1848 as the Enterprise Gun Works and by 1889 W S Brown became the sole owner of this gun maker and sporting goods firm. This 1927 spool of silk fishing line was produced for W S Brown by the G H Mansfield Company of Canton Massachusetts. It is to my knowledge the earliest and one of only two known surviving examples of a line spool label that features a lady fishing. The lady landing her fish in a net on this label is wearing the style of ladies’ fishing attire that was popular in the late 1920s. .

Diamond Brand Shamrock

The World’s best linen came from Ireland and after it was imported to the USA was then manufactured into some of the strongest fishing lines that were ever made for both salt water and fresh water fishing. This SHAMROCK brand fishing line was manufactured by the A. G. Hall company (established 1840) and sold by the Shapleigh Hardware Company of St. Louis under the “house brand” name of the Diamond Manufacturing Company from 1900 until 1940.

TH Hall The Jap

Thomas H. Wood (1846 – 1931) was the maker of this silk fishing line at his South Coventry Connecticut factory named “The Jap” brand produced about 1900 that features a 19th century style engraving of a fisherman casting his line beneath a stand of trees along side a river. The manner of his dress is from the 1880s to 1890s when Wood began making his lines.

South Bend Anti Backlash

This ANTI-BACK-LASH pure Japan silk casting and trolling line, with its leaping bass label art by commercial illustrator Louis Paeth, was introduced in 1923 to complement the South Bend Anti-Back-Lash casting reel that had been introduced in 1911. This very rare and unique silk line was made for the South Bend Bait Company of South Bend Indiana by the Cortland Line Company of Cortland New York. .

Bevin Wilcox Osceola

In 1925 the Bevin Wilcox Line Company of East Hampton Connecticut (Est. 1903) produced this Irish Linen Cuttyhunk fishing line that honored a famous Florida Seminole Indian warrior. Osceola. pronounced Asi-yahola (1804 – 1838), born as Billy Powell, became an influential leader of the Seminole in Florida. Of mixed parentage, Creek, Scots-Irish, Black, and English, he was raised as a Creek by his mother, as the tribe had a matrilineal kinship system. They migrated to Florida when he was a child, with other Red Stick refugees, after their defeat in 1814 in the Creek Wars. In 1836, Osceola led a small group of warriors in the Seminole resistance during the Second Seminole War, when the United States tried to remove the tribe from their lands in Florida. After more than 90 years, less than a handful of these very rare spools of OSCEOLA line are known to exist today. .

Pflueger Nonpareil

Unique among all of the wooden fishing line spools ever used by all of the different fishing line firms in the 20th century was this two color, half green and half white, spool that was used by Pflueger from 1932 – 1939. The NONPAREIL brand (French – meaning “having no match or equal”) combined with Pflueger’s famous bulldog logo, first used in December 1914, makes this a truly classic silk fishing line as well as being a very scarce one to find today.

Robert Ogilvy Lion of Lines

The Robert Ogilvy Company of New York. which dates to 1893, sold this attractively labeled and very rare “The Lion of Lines” brand fishing line 85 years ago in 1933 for just one year prior to the firm being acquired by the Horrocks Ibbotson Company of Utica New York in January 1934.

Ashaway Joseph Jefferson

This rare 114 year old 1904 “Joseph Jefferson” brand Cuttyhunk linen line manufactured by the Ashaway Line & Twine Company represents two very significant “first”. It was the “first” time that a celebrity ever publicly and commercially endorsed any item of fishing tackle. Joseph Jefferson was a famous American stage actor and the fishing partner of President Grover Cleveland when he did this on October 21, 1904. And, it was the “first” time that a photograph of a person ever appeared on the label of a fishing line. A rather historic photograph that had been taken of Joseph Jefferson at the studio of Matthew Brady, the famous photographer whose photographs chronicled the American civil war and who also created publicity stills for Jefferson was used for the label.

Firestone Black Treasure Antique Spool

In the 1930s and 1940s the Firestone Tire Company of Akron Ohio sold a lot more than just tires. Their tire and auto supply stores also carried everything from radios and appliances to sporting goods too. Among the rarest of the Firestone fishing tackle items to find today are the original silk fishing lines like this BLACK TREASURE brand that was made exclusively for Firestone by the Newton Line Company for only 3 years: 1939, 1940, and 1941.

Seahorse

The Samuel A Jones Line Company (1930 – 1939) made this SEA HORSE brand Cuttyhunk Linen line for saltwater fishing in 1938 and featured one of those large multi-deck galleon sailing ships from the 16th – 18th century at the bottom of the green, silver, and black colored foil paper label.

SA Jones Kanyon

This 1930s era WATER – KANYON – PROOF brand name was selected to honor a man named Herbert Kanyon who was the head of the enameling department at the S. A. Jones Line Company (1930 – 1939) Kanyon developed a special system for enameling fishing lines that forced the enamel into and completely throughout the threads of the lines making them much more water resistant.

SA Jones Kilrush

This 1934 KILRUSH brand Cuttyhunk linen line was made by the S A Jones Line Company (1930 – 1939) to honor Kilrush (Irish: Cill Rois, meaning “Church of the Woods”) which is a coastal town in County Clare, Ireland.

Edward Tryon Hopatcong

This 105 year old very rare HOPTACONG brand casting and trolling braided silk line was offered for sale by the Edward K Tryon Company of Philadelphia Pennsylvania under their house brand name “Cohantic Line Company” beginning in 1913 to honor the famous lake of that same name located in New Jersey which attracted many fishing tourist in the early 20th century.

Diamond Brand Ultra Casting

The fancy cursive script font of the ULTRA CASTING brand is from the first quarter of the 20th century and is both distinctive and a highly sought after brand name by collectors of antique fishing tackle. The ULTRA CASTING brand was introduced about 1908 by the Shapleigh Hardware Company (known at the time as Norvell – Shapleigh) of St. Louis Missouri which traces it beginnings to 1843 when its founder Augustus F. Shapleigh established the firm.

Gladding Catalina

The CATALINA brand name braided imported Irish linen Cuttyhunk fishing line was manufactured by the B F Gladding Company (Est 1816) of South Otselic N. Y. from 1910 – 1936 to honor the famous Santa Catalina Island which is one of California’s channel islands located southwest of Las Angels and noted for its abundant salt water fishing in the early 1900s. This very rare customized version made exclusively for sale by Edward Vom Hofe was manufactured only during the years 1917 – 1921 when the business was located at the “112 Fulton St. N. Y.” address printed on the red label.

Cortland Congress

90 years ago in 1928 this PERFECTION brand name pure silk braided fishing line was made by the Cortland Line Company of Cortland, New York for the “Congress Line Company” which was not a real company but rather a “house brand” name owned and used by the Supplee-Biddle Hardware Co. of Philadelphia, a huge wholesale dealer in fishing tackle who used that trade mark “Congress” with an arrow through the body of a fish from 1914-1960.

Newton’s Michigan Silk Casting Line

In 1837 Michigan was admitted into the Union as the 26th state. It soon became an important center of industry and trade in the Great Lakes region and a popular destination for outdoor recreation. 90 years later in 1927 the Newton Line Company of Homer, New York honored the Great Lakes state with its MICHIGAN brand silk casting line that featured a leaping fish graphic art scene on the label attributed to artist William Schmedtgen (1862 – 1936).

Newtons Michigan

This 1934 version of the MICHIGAN brand bait casting and trolling line was manufactured from a high quality imported silk by the Newton Line Company of Homer New York with this attractive label designed exclusively for the Sears Roebuck & Company of Chicago (est. 1887) .

Sears Black Hawk

This BLACK HAWK brand Cuttyhunk linen line spool from 1940 was made for Sears Roebuck & Co. of Chicago Illinois by the Newton Line Company of Homer New York for only two years and then discontinued when World War II started for America on December 7, 1941. The label art pays tribute to the famous warrior Chief Black Hawk who was an important figure in the history of Illinois. While this same image of an Indian paddling in a canoe may occasionally be seen with an orange label (used for silk lines) the green label was always used for the Cuttyhunk linen lines.

Gladding Trophy

This 1935 TROPHY brand waterproofed silk casting line with its ART DECO style lettering and label design was made by the B F Gladding Line Company of South Otselic New York. While it did not carry the manufacturer’s name and was not a cataloged item, it was made by Gladding until 1942 as an economy priced line for the retail fishing tackle sellers including hardware, sporting goods, and department stores.

Ashaway Victory

This rare and very historic “V for Victory” label was used on the line spools of the Ashaway Line & Twine Company of Ashaway Rhode Island (est 1824) during World War II. This red white and blue colored patriotic label contained the following message to explain to its customers the shortage of their fishing lines during WWII : “Our Government during the war has first call on all of Ashaway’s equipment, materials, and labor. This line was made of the best materials obtainable and manufactured under trying war conditions.” During WWII Ashaway converted its manufacturing facilities to produce cords for the Army’s parachute shrouds and emergency survival fishing kits (which were stored on rubber life rafts) for use by air force pilots and crews whose planes were downed at sea.

Newton’s Black Diamond

The luxurious looking BLACK DIAMOND brand Japan Silk Casting Line Was introduced in 1935 by the Shapleigh Hardware Company of St Louis, Missouri under their “house brand” name of “The Diamond Mfg. Co.” The BLACK DIAMOND fishing line was manufactured for Shapleigh by the Newton Line Company of Homer New York and was equal in quality and construction to Newton’s own top of the line brand “The Ace”. For Shapleigh’s own “top quality brand” a special new box to hold the spools in place and an Art Deco style graphic image of a sparkling diamond with bright light rays was also created and patented by Dillis H Stoughton in September 1934 for use on the box and spool labels to be sold in 1935. The spools were the Celluloid covered wooden spools in a ivory mother of pearl color to compliment the red and black colors of the gold leaf foil paper labels. Shapleigh’s idea was to create an image of a luxury fishing line with their new BLACK DIAMOND brand, and I think they succeeded.

RJ Hillinger Bull Frog

On July 2, 1913 R J Hillinger of Chicago filed for a trademark for his “BULLFROG” brand silk fishing line label which was subsequently granted and registered by the United States Patent and Trademark Office on October 18, 1914. This is the 3rd version of that Bullfrog label image which made its appearance on the line spool labels and in magazine advertisements 8 years later in January 1922. This Bullfrog brand was the line of choice for the great tournament casting champion and tackle manufacturer Al Foss who endorsed it publicly beginning in 1920 and proclaimed it to be the only line he used.

Abbey Imbrie Jim Richards

Introduced in their 1930 catalog by the Abbey and Imbrie Company of New York and manufactured by the Horrocks – Ibbotson Company of Utica New York, the JIM RICHARDS brand Cuttyhunk line honored the firm’s Southern sales representative who had been working for Abbey & Imbrie for more than 40 years (prior to 1890) selling fishing tackle to hardware, sporting goods, and retail department stores. This line spool is the only one ever produced to honor a company employee for his 40 years of service selling their fishing tackle.

Delaware Line & Tackle Company Antique Spool

The Delaware Line & Tackle Company Inc. is not one I was ever able to learn much about from making Internet searches which lead me to believe it is like some others: a fictitious company name that was created and used as “house brand” for some other business which I have likewise not yet identified. What is known for sure is that NYLON was first used for fishing lines in 1939 and that wooden spools were being phased out in preference to plastic spools almost immediately following World War II. So, this line was most likely manufactured in that mid to late 1940s era when “braided” Nylon was first in use What else is known is that it features an eye appealing illustration of one of those large multi-deck galleon sailing ships from the 16th – 18th century at the center of a sky blue colored label attached to an ocean royal blue wooden spool. That artwork and an impressive sounding company name (even if it was made up) would have helped to sell more than a few spools of this line back in its day 70 + years ago.

Goat Wool Line

This 1909 era line spool of GOAT WOOL LINE was sold by the Townley Hardware and Metal Company of Kansas City Missouri (est 1885). While this line was humorously described on the label as being made from the “Finest Fleece of the Blue Ridge Mountain Goat”, it was in fact a simple cotton line that served its intended purpose while pulling the legs of many a fisherman in the early 1900s .

TH Wood Fish Hawk

96 years ago in 1922 the T H Wood Company (est 1879) of South Coventry Connecticut introduced their FISH HAWK BRAND silk fishing line with black and white engraved label art of an Osprey catching a fish on a fishing line that it is holding both with its beak and with its talons.

Hall Line Gus Walz

This Cuttyhunk Linen Bass Line was intended to be used for catching the Striped Bass game fish of the Atlantic coast, like the one that is illustrated on the label above the name of the fishing tackle dealer Gus Walz who sold this line from his fishing tackle shop at 117 3rd Ave, at 5th St. in Brooklyn New York that was established in 1898 This fishing line was made during that first decade of the 1900s by the Henry Hall Line Company of Highland Mills New York and features that firm’s standard line guarantee language used in 1904 printed at the base of the label. Both the linen line on the wooden spool and the paper label are still in remarkably good condition after more than 110 years .

Lakewood Supreme Japan Silk

The LAKEWOOD brand fishing line – In 1925 the Cullum and Boren Sporting Goods firm which was located on Elm street in downtown Dallas Texas introduced this hard braided silk fishing line brand to the public and two years later on February 15, 1927 obtained a trade-mark for their brand name LAKEWOOD which also served as a tribute to a popular geographic location in Dallas. Lakewood, is an affluent and historic neighborhood that is located in Northeast Dallas, and is situated in part, on the western shores of White Rock Lake. The Lakewood neighborhood was developed in the early 1900s and is also home to the Lakewood Country Club and Golf Course established in 1912.

Newton’s Father of Waters

Named by Algonkian-speaking Indians, Mississippi can be translated as “Father of Waters.” The river, the largest in North America, drains 31 states and 2 Canadian provinces, and runs 2,350 miles from its source to the Gulf of Mexico. This rare Celluloid covered wooden spool of Japan silk fishing line produced by the Newton Line Company of Homer New York with its attractive label showing an Indian in full headdress and a map of the river was made to honor the great State of Mississippi on its 120th anniversary of Statehood eighty-one years ago in 1937.

Kingfisher Italian Bass

This rare 1909 KINGFISHER ITALIAN BASS silk casting line manufactured by the E J Martin’s Sons Company of Rockville Connecticut was the first to use a color tinted photo-engraved image of a bass fish on their line spool labels 109 years ago .

Shakespeare Otsego Antique Spool

This extremely rare and short lived 111 year old Shakespeare OTSEGO SERVICE brand casting line is the only one that I have ever owned or seen in 35 years of collecting, except in the 1907 – 1909 William Shakespeare Jr. Company fishing tackle catalogs. .

Kresge Flyer

This 90+ year old KRESGE’S FLYER brand line spool of silk casting line from 1927 represent a collaboration of talents between S. G. Kresge who established his dime store business in 1899, and D D Newton who established his Newton Line Company in 1909, and the attractive label art that has been attributed to William Schmedtgen (1862 – 1936) .

Shakespeare Chicago

More than 100 years ago the Shakespeare Tackle Company honored the City of Chicago with this beautiful fishing line spool label featuring the historic “I WILL” Maiden, wearing a crown with the mythological Phoenix bird rising from the flames, created by artist Charles Holloway, and chosen in 1892 to represent “the spirit of Chicago” symbolizing Chicago’s recovery from the Great Chicago Fire and its determination to host the 1893 World’s Fair and Columbian Exposition. The Y-Symbol on either side of the Maiden represents the three branches of Chicago River, which forms an alphabet Y topography at the “Wolf Point”, where the main branch of the river, divides into the North and South branches. The Y-symbol is still the official symbol of the City of Chicago and the “I WILL” has remained its longtime Motto.

RJ Hillinger and Company

This BULL FROG brand silk casting line from R J Hillinger & Co. of Chicago Illinois, with its graphic label image of a bass rising to swallow a frog that the fisherman in the boat is using for bait, is more than 100 years old. This is the second version of the various label designs that were used for the BULL FROG brand and was produced shortly after the U S Patent was approved on October 18, 1914, .

Shakespeare Universal

This UNIVERSAL brand of extra strong braided linen line with its colorful and attractive label image of a belt wrapped around the globe was produced more than 100 years ago and was featured in the 1915 issue of the William Shakespeare Jr. Company fishing tackle catalog.

Shakespeare Dark Horse

This beautiful graphic label on this Shakespeare Tackle Company DARK HORSE brand Indian silk casting line was only cataloged for sale for just one year in 1917. So it is now celebrating more than 100 years of survival and I have never seen another one like it in the past 35 years of antique tackle collecting. I now believe that I may have the only surviving example of this extremely rare Shakespeare fishing line. The image of the horse used on the label was well known and easily recognized in its day as the world famous Dan Patch (1896 – 1916) the 14 time world record breaking harness racing horse that had died just the year before the DARK HORSE brand was introduced in 1917 by Shakespeare .

Newton’s Mermaid

The MERMAID BRAND braided fishing lines, introduced about 100 years ago, were manufactured by the Newton Line Company of Homer New York (est. 1909) who advertised these high grade silk casting lines with the simple marketing slogan – “Mermaid bought – big ones caught” This colorful and eye-catching label image of a mermaid taking a leaping fish with her silk line and landing net was used throughout the 1920s and into the early part of the 1930s. While these were manufactured in rather large numbers for more than a decade, very few survive today and are highly sought after by the collectors of antique mermaid related advertising as well as antique fishing tackle.

Newton’s Silver Flash

The SILVER FLASH brand hard braided silk casting and trolling line with its attractive blue colored spool and label art was produced by the Newton Line Company of Homer New York during the 1930s for sale exclusively by Sears Roebuck & Company of Chicago Illinois.

Shakespeare Standard

109 years ago in 1909 this STANDARD “Indian Silk” brand silk casting line was introduced by the William Shakespeare Jr. Company of Kalamazoo Michigan. It features an attractive and patriotic label image of an American bald eagle with its wings spread holding a banner that reads “INDIAN SILK” together with an olive branch and a shield of the American red, white, and blue stars and stripes. This label was used on the Shakespeare STANDARD from 1909 – 1923 when the “Indian Silk” lines were finally discontinued .

Ashaway Sun and Ocean

The Ashaway Line and Twine Company of Ashaway Rhode Island (est 1824) used this back side label with the image of the sun and ocean and flying sea gull from 1934 – 1936 after discontinuing the use of their 1902 -1933 U S registered trade mark Swastika “Good Luck” symbol after Adolph Hitler and the Nazi Party came to power in Germany in 1933.

GH Mansfield Gibraltar

The G H Mansfield Company of Canton Massachusetts made its superior fishing line products from 1866 to 1933 at their mill (which had been established in 1821) including this very rare “GIBRALTER” brand line from the 1920s. The “GIBRALTER” brand was just as solid as the “Rock of Gibraltar” illustrated on its label. It was considered to be the top of the product line manufactured by Mansfield and owed its strength to the nearly 53 miles of individual silk threads (the thickness of a human hair) that were tightly and finely braided together to make up a single 50 yard spool.

Ashaway Original Cuttyhunk

The ORIGINAL CUTTYHUNK brand linen line for catching the Tuna, Tarpon and Bass game fish was created in the 1800s by the Ashaway Line & Twine Company of Ashaway Rhode Island (est 1824) specifically for the rich and famous members of the private Cuttyhunk Fishing Club at Cuttyhunk Island, Massachusetts (est. 1859). It became so popular and in such high demand that by 1902 it was being offered in Ashaway’s catalog and made available for use by all fishermen. This particular version of the line spool label with Ashaway’s “good luck” Swastika trademark and an image showing a sea coast shoreline with several buildings was introduced in the 1928 Ashaway catalog 90 years ago and was used for 5 more years until the Swastika was removed after Adolph Hitler and the Nazi Party came to power in Germany in 1933.

Newton’s Expert Antique Spool

This mid 1930s era EXPERT brand silk casting line manufactured by the Newton Line Company of Homer New York, with its gold foil paper label on a wooden line spool, depicts a bearded fisherman in hat and coat that is reminiscent of the attire worn by the late 1800s Victorian era sporting gentlemen. There are a few other variations of this label art known to exist, this one being my favorite.

Shakespeare Indian Perfect

Another example of the colorful graphics used on label art 100+ years ago by the Shakespeare Tackle company to advertise and sell their PERFECT “Indian Silk” casting line – circa 1909 .

Little Comet

This 1930 era LITTLE COMET brand pure silk fishing line was made for the Montgomery Ward catalog and retail department stores by the Cortland Line Company of Cortland New York. It is thought that the brand name LITTLE COMET likely derived from the historic event of the passage of Haley’s Comet in 1910 that was visible from earth and photographed for the first time to became a part of the American popular culture.

GH Mansfield Mount Everest

At 29,029 feet Mount Everest, is Earth’s highest mountain above sea level, located in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas. In 1924 the G H Mansfield line company (est 1866) introduced the MOUNT EVEREST brand silk fishing line with a label image of this world famous “highest” landmark for their “highest” quality braided silk bait casting line. This line was offered for 9 more years until the firm filed bankruptcy in 1933. .

Pacific Coast Special

This 1930 era PACIFIC COAST SPECIAL brand Irish linen line was made by the Cortland Line Company of Cortland New York for the New York Hardware Trading Company (established in 1910) which despite its geographically designated name was never actually ever located in New York at all, but rather in Los Angeles California. The label features a wonderful image of a beautiful Tarpon fish on a line leaping from the sea that was painted by some yet to be identified artist.

Shakespeare Indian Silk Favorite

In 1909 the William Shakespeare Jr. Company of Kalamazoo Michigan introduced its “Indian Silk” brands of fishing lines and in 1910 the new FAVORITE brand label featured coiled branches of thorns circling the central image of red roses. This one is an extremely rare one to find today after 108 years and especially in full mint and unused condition. .

Newton’s Black River

The Black River is a tributary of the White River, about 300 miles long in southeastern Missouri and northeastern Arkansas. In the mid 1920s the Newton Line Company of Homer New York introduced the BLACK RIVER brand waterproofed silk line with this attractive line spool label art.

Shakespeare Professional

This PROFESSIONAL brand braided silk line is one of the Shakespeare’s “Indian Silk Lines” (1909 – 1923), and features an image on the label of a “lamp of knowledge” symbol and a book to honor and pay tribute to Izaac Walton (1593 – 1683) the father of fishing education and author of “The Complete Angler” published in 1653.

Sears Expert

This X-PERT brand Cuttyhunk linen line with its octagon sided label featuring a leaping sailfish was made for the Sears Roebuck & Company of Chicago Illinois in January 1942 by the Newton Line Company of Homer New York. This “Guaranteed Non-Kinking” “High-Top Twist” linen line (50+ LEA is the highest grade linen) was essentially the same grade and quality as Newton’s own Princess Pat brand linen line and was simply repackaged and rebranded for Sears.

Superlative Antique Spool

The Bevin Wilcox Line Company of East Hampton Connecticut (Est. 1903) produced this SUPERLATIVE brand “WPF (water proof finish) SILK” casting line with an attractive label image of a skywriter plane pilot spelling out the SUPERLATIVE brand name with red smoke in a cursive writing style. This line was made in the late 1920s and early 1930s and is one of only a very few line spools to ever feature an airplane image on the label.

Shapleigh’s Flyer

This Shapleigh’s FLYER brand silk casting line was made for the Shapleigh Hardware Company of St. Louis, Missouri (AKA the Diamond Mfg. Co.). by the Henry Hall Line Company of Highland Mills, New York throughout the 1930s. It is one of the very few fishing lines with an airplane image and aviation theme brand name on the label and was offered for sale from 1931 – 1941.

Ashaway Starling

This STARLING brand braided silk waterproof line was offered as early as 1928 in the the Ashaway Line & Twine Company catalogs, but this version is the 1936 model with the new “lightening bolts” company logo that replaced the Swastika dropped in 1933 and the blank space where the Swastika one appeared that followed in 1934 and 1935. This very attractive bird label is popular with collectors, but very few seem to ever show up, making it one of the most desired but scarce line spools to find.

Black Wonder

This BLACK WONDER brand hard braided water proof Japan silk line is a bit of an enigma. At first glance it appears to be a spool made by the Newton Line Company because the fish illustrated on the label was painted in 1927 by Charles Otis Wilson and used for many years thereafter exclusively by Newton. However the brand name BLACK WONDER was a trade mark brand name used continuously by the Ashaway Line and Twine Company as early as 1914 and at least through 1941 when Japan silk imports were discontinued due to World War II. Compounding the mystery further is the use of the orange / yellow colored wooden spool that was introduced in 1932 by the Cortland Line Company for use on its own line spools as well as those they made for the South Bend Bait Company. Was this line spool a collaboration of these various companies? Whoever the maker or makers might have been, what is known for sure is that it is a nice example of an American made fishing line that was made sometime after 1931 and before 1942.

Ashaway Nu Way

The NU-WAY brand waterproof silk bait casting and trolling line was introduced in the 1928 Ashaway Line & Twine Company (est. 1824) catalog. However, the version shown here is the one pictured ten years later in the 1938 catalog with the newly introduced arched Ashaway lightening bolt trademark. The brand name NU-WAY referred to Ashaway’s “new way” of hard braiding its silk line that cost less, but still provided a strong line that would not mildew nor rot and would be able to land the big fighting bass just as shown in the graphic action scene on the label.

Bear Cat

This 1930s BEAR CAT brand silk line was sold as being from the Big Bill Tackle Company. However the Big Bill Tackle Co. was not actually a real company though, but was instead a “house brand” trade name that was used for marketing purposes by the Marshall Wells Hardware Co. of Duluth MN founded in 1893. Likewise, the BEAR CAT or bearcats are from Southeast Asia and are known as binturongs (Arctictis binturong) and are related to neither bears nor cats. However, their cat-like head and bear-like bodies have earned them this nickname. These are shy animals unless threatened and then you will see them as on this label display their sharp fangs and sharp teeth as a warning.

Newtons Bass Trout

The BASS -TROUT brand pure silk assortment was produced by the Newton Line Company in the late 1920s to early 1930s with handsome label art of a leaping bass image created in 1925 by William Harnden Foster (1886 – 1941) .

Cortland Leaping Bass

This attractive line spool label by some yet to be identified artist featuring the image of hooked bass leaping from the water was used on the back side of the orange wooden line spools introduced in 1932 and manufactured by the Cortland Line Company of Cortland New York.

Cortland Black King

Montgomery Ward & Co. of Chicago, Illinois, the mail order and department store retailer, which operated between 1872 and 2001, sold this stock number 60-6848 BLACK KING brand “Japan Silk Casting Line” that was made for them by the Cortland Line Company of Cortland New York in the early to late 1930s .

Horrocks Ibbotson Pawtucket

The America Line Company was created by Ed Ibbotson of the Horrocks – Ibbotson Company after he purchased the Pawtucket Braided Line Company of Pawtucket R. I in 1928 and moved it to Utica New York to make fishing lines for H-I. This colorful and patriotic theme back side line spool label features a red, white and blue colored shield of stars and strips together with two fish and a world globe with North America clearly visible and was used from 1928 – 1933.

Newton’s Pikie

This PIKIE brand silk casting was made by the Newton Line Company of Homer New York in the late 1920s and early 1930s with this attractive label image of a brown trout that was painted by Charles Otis Wilson in April 1927 for the cover of the Outdoor America magazine.

Shakespeare Marlin

This very scarce version of the Shakespeare Tackle Company’s MARLIN brand Cuttyhunk Irish linen line features an Art-Deco 1930s style lettering and a graphic design with an image of that great billfish leaping through its brand name on a gold, orange, and blue colored foil paper label.

Horrocks Ibbotson Eagle

In 1932 the Horrocks – Ibbotson Company of Utica New York began using royal blue colored wooden spools for their fishing lines that featured a back side label which was very patriotic. This label, in colors of red, white, and blue with gold included, features an American bald eagle at the center with shields on either side that have both stars and strips.

Heddon Down Bass Simson

The SIMSON brand waterproof pure Japan silk casting line was introduced in 1915 by the James Heddon Company (est. 1898) of Dowagiac Michigan and manufactured for them by the E. J. Martin’s Sons Company of Rockville, Connecticut. (est 1884) the makers of the famous Kingfisher Brand lines which James Heddon had used exclusively and had endorsed since the early 1900s. The image on the label of a downward leaping bass was used by Heddon from 1925 through 1928 and was the second in the series of the four different label image variations that were used between 1915 and 1938.

Gold Eagle

This is the back side line spool label for the GOLD EAGLE Brand that was owned and controlled by the E J Martin’s Sons Company of Rockville, Connecticut. (est 1884) makers of the famous KINGFISHER brand of braided silk lines. This new brand of fishing lines was introduced after Lou S Darling, author, tournament casting champion, angler, and inventor, joined the Martin’s firm in 1909 and sometime prior to his death in April 1917. The lines with this label represented a quality line that would provide good service as was noted on the red banner the flying golden eagle carries in his talons.

Plfueger 4 Brothers Oriole

In 1916 E. F. Pflueger’s Enterprise Manufacturing Company of Akron Ohio (est 1881) that made the Pflueger brand rods, reels, lures, and lines, for fishing introduced a new and less expensive brand name for the economy minded customer called the 4 BROTHERS which referred to four Pflueger brothers, who were E. A., Joseph, George, and Charles. The 4 BROTHERS brand was used throughout the 1920s and into the 1930s and featured lines like this somewhat scarce “ORIOLE” silk bait casting line.

Old Ireland

The OLD IRELAND brand 100% pure Irish Linen Cuttyhunk line was manufactured in 1938 just prior to the S A Jones Company of Norwich, New York being sold to become the Norwich Line Company of that same city. The attractive green and gold colored label features an embossed map of the island of Ireland showing its 32 counties and overlaid with a head and shoulder silhouette of a pipe smoking Irishman (or leprechaun) wearing a traditional 1890s top hat.

Submarine

The SUBMARINE brand Japan silk fishing line was manufactured by the Cortland Line Company of Cortland New York in the mid to late 1930s with the dramatic graphic label image of a large fish that has taken the bait rising in an explosion from beneath the water.

Cortland Hercules

This HERCULES brand braided phosphor bronze wire for trolling was sold circa 1938 by the Cortland Line Company of Cortland New York and featured a graphic label of two fishermen in a row boat on a lake with one rowing and the other trolling this strong and heavy fishing line.

Nashotah

This NASHOTAH brand silk casting line is a hard braided and perfectly round line made from Japan silk that was sold in the 1920s by the William Frankfurth Hardware Company (est 1861) of Milwaukee Wisconsin. The label features the firm’s logo of Neptune (Roman god of freshwater and sea) holding his trident that appears just above the NASHOTAH brand name which refers to the upper and lower Nashotah Lakes located in Wisconsin and which is also an Indian word meaning “Twins” .

Reliable

This “RELIABLE” brand cable laid silk bass casting line was made by the Henry Hall company of Highland Mills New York in the early 1900s and features an image of a bass fish very similar in design to the logo used by William Mills & Son firm of New York during that same time period.

Sears Black Hawk

This 90 year old BLACK HAWK brand Japan silk line spool from 1928 was made for Sears Roebuck & Co. of Chicago Illinois by the Newton Line Company of Homer New York. It pays tribute to the famous warrior Chief Black Hawk who was an important figure in the history of Illinois. This version of the label was replaced by the early 1930s and due to its short life, few were made and even fewer have survived.

Kingfisher Diamond Back

The Kingfisher DIAMOND BACK brand pure silk casting line was introduced by E J Martin’s Sons circa 1915 and was offered as a third place prize for the large mouth bass in the Field & Stream Fishing Contest held in 1916. It was valued at $3.10 at that time which is the equivalent of $74.00 in today’s dollars. This version of the DIAMOND BACK brand’s label was produced in 1929 by the Horton Mfg. Company, the successor to the E J Martin’s Sons firm in 1920. The design around the outer edge of the label is similar to the pattern on the back of the famous rattle snake from which the brand name was derived. .