John Mann Tandem Improved Trolling Spoon

The John Mann Tandem Improved Trolling Spoon is an early Pre 1900’s or 19th Century fishing Lure. The John H Mann Company of Syracuse NY is one of the most successful grocery, sundries, dry good and fishing tackle store central New York would ever have. Most don’t know Mr. Mann actually sold guns and revolvers out of his store. I will do a whole page on Mann so I don’t want to speak of all the his wonderful accomplishments both from a Small Business or to a 1800’s fishing tackle manufacture. I first brought up John Henry Mann on the Pocket Watch Page. Needless to say the Bastable Block Landscape in Syracuse New York would house on iconic business run by a great inventor and community leader.

The lure shown was first produced in roughly 1870, and would be granted a patent for the lure on 1871. The version shown below in the gallery is a large size post patent lure as noted by the stamping of the Patent Date on the lure. The two large tear drop shaped trolling spoons were meant to land a large Northern or Large Wall Eye fish. Fashioned in between the spoons is Mann’s patented use of the glass bead or washer. These large spoons are followed by an equally impressive set of tell tale Mann Hooks. For the better part of most all John H Mann lures you will see he employs a a single double hook. These hooks have the most beautiful Japanning done to them (Black Enamel of sorts) of any Pre 1900’s maker.

This lure would be advertised in some classic angling magazines, such as American Angler. But, you can find ads for these in the early News Papers of Syracuse. The spoons will be discussed in Hardware store trades such as Iron Age, and even shown in more GQ type magazines of the day such as Country Gentleman.

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