Wayne Edens’ peerless collection of antique fishing lures will hook new owners at Morphy’s Dec. 9 auction

Antique lures of extraordinary rarity – many of them boxed – include one of eight frogs hand-carved in 1898 by James Heddon and displayed at Heddon factory in Dowagiac, Michigan

DENVER, Pa. – Fishing lure enthusiasts from coast to coast will be angling for the catch of the day on Monday, December 9 at Morphy’s live gallery auction of the Wayne Edens collection. The incomparable assemblage of lures – said to be the largest, most comprehensive and historically-important collection of its type ever to come to the public marketplace – is brimming with ultra-rare gems, not the least of which is one of the eight celebrated Heddon “factory board” frogs hand-carved in 1898.

The all-original Heddon frog lure (or “bait”) was personally crafted by James Heddon, founder of the Heddon Company. It was subsequently exhibited on a display board at the Heddon plant in Dowagiac, Michigan. In 1977, Clyde A Harbin Sr, an outdoorsman, author and fishing lure archivist known as “The Bassman™,” was invited by Heddon to visit the company’s factory and declutter the display board, removing any baits that were not Heddon productions. The eight frogs were present on the board both before and after the assortment was thinned out, and were photographed many times. 

Harbin would later write a book titled Heddon Historical Footprints in which he details where each of the eight frogs ended up. Today, it is believed that one of them is held in the Bass Pro Shops corporate collection, a few others are privately owned, and yet another may be in an aquarium’s collection in Oklahoma. 

The frog lure in Wayne Edens’ collection was acquired from Dudley Murphy (1940-2022), co-founder of the National Fishing Lure Collectors Club. Murphy had obtained the lure directly from the Heddon factory. In addition to its unbroken line of provenance, Edens’ frog lure has been definitively photo-matched to one of the original eight “board” examples. It will make its first-ever auction appearance on December 9 with a $30,000-$80,000 estimate.

The revered Heddon brand is amply represented in the sale. A 7¾-inch-long Heddon 747 presents in a coveted, uncataloged special-order color of blended red and purple. Not found in any standard Heddon catalog, this lure was offered exclusively by VL&A for one year (1917) as the “Dowagiac Mascallonge Minnow.” It is one of very few known examples and is graded Excellent, placing it among the finest of very few known examples. At auction, it is expected to reach $35,000-$50,000.

Nicknamed “Big Baby” by a previous owner who obtained it from the Heddon family in California, a Heddon Giant Underwater Minnow was expressly produced as a one-off special-order item for fishing in the Pacific Ocean. Measuring 13 inches long, the mammoth 8-bellyweight bait has oversize glass eyes and is finished in a rainbow paint pattern with red stripes separated by yellow. That particular motif was typically seen during the 1909-12 seasons. The auction example’s nameless props and cup rig suggest its production pre-dated 1912. In all-original condition and almost certainly a unique specimen, it carries pre-sale estimate of $30,000-$60,000.

Ultra-rare and a real show-off amongst antique baits, a Heddon special order 1309 five-hook Black Sucker boast a wonderful white saltwater color with a glitter finish, and solid amber-glass eyes. Measuring 5¾ inches long, it was created with a five-hook configuration rather than the normal three. In Excellent Minus to Excellent condition, it could land a $35,000-$45,000 winning bid.

A super-special Heddon 1904 set of “The Dowagiac Perfect Casting Baits” is housed in a handsome red-velvet partitioned box with a stunning black bass graphic on the lid’s underside. All three baits have a rare aluminum finish with brass hardware and gold-washed cups. Each is graded Excellent Minus. The set is an actual book example shown on Pages 23 and 64 of The Heddon Legacy by Bill Roberts and Rob Pavey. It comes to auction with a $25,000-$50,000 estimate.

The array of rare, early Heddon baits continues with a two-hook Rimless Cup Slopenose in its original black pictorial box. According to owners of The Heddon Museum, this 4¼-inch lure dates to the first five or six weeks of Heddon production in early 1902. It is one of fewer than a dozen known of the earliest iteration of Rimless Cup Slopenoses, presented in one of only three known examples of the introductory black box with silver printing. Estimate: $20,000-$30,000

Of the many desirable baits by companies other than Heddon, it would be hard to beat a Shakespeare No. 64 five-hook Red Musky (Muscallonge) Minnow for eye appeal. Its high forehead design dates it to around 1906-7, and it is accompanied by an extremely desirable circa-1908 pictorial box. Oversize baits of its type are rarely encountered, making it a top prize for any advanced collection. The pre-sale estimate is $20,000-$40,000.

Historically important, an Enterprise Mfg. Co. Trory Minnow marketed around 1899 is considered to be America’s first manufactured wooden minnow. The 4 1/8-inch-long bait offered by Morphy’s has blemish-free milky-white glass eyes, original wire-tied side hooks, an early gut leader, and signature squared props with upturned corners and red glass prop bearings. Bidding is expected to reach the $20,000-$30,000 range.

Wayne Edens once said that after he started collecting lures in 1988, he came to appreciate their history, beauty and engineering, and noted that each one was “a little work of art that has its own story.” The December 9 auction – the first in a series of three sales taking place in 2025 – is packed with rare fishing treasures, each with a unique story to pass along to its next owner. 

Part I of the Wayne & Lori Edens fishing lure collection will be auctioned live on Monday, December 9, 2024 at Morphy’s gallery, 2000 N. Reading Rd., Denver, PA 17517, starting at 9 a.m. Eastern Time. All remote forms of bidding will also be available, including absentee, by phone, and live via the Internet through Morphy Live. For additional information on any item in the auction or to reserve a phone line for bidding, call 877-968-8880 or email [email protected]. Visit Morphy’s online at www.morphyauctions.com.