Let's first look at the difference between a cup rigged Heddon on the
left and a cup rigged South Bend on the right. Note the side hook
cup of the Heddon is left side forward relative to its right side relative
to the eyes. On the South Bend, the right cup is forward compared to
its left side.
South Bend: right cup
forward...!
The confusion usually
comes between South Bend and Heddon because the cups are so much alike as
is the nose gear. Of course the props may be marked "South Bend", "OVB"
which is also South Bend, or "Dowagiac" which is Heddon. |
|
Now compare the a South Bend on the left, a Pflueger in the center, and
a Heddon on the right. All the nose gear looks the same. The
South Bend has right cup forward, but so does the Pflueger. So now
you have to look at the hardware itself to differentiate the Pflueger from
the South Bend based on right forward cup. See the individual cup
photos below for the difference. |
|
Heddon
This is the early Heddon
cup rig hook hardware. In the 'center' of the cup is an eye screw.
Note the glass eye. |
|
Pflueger
Here we see the unusual design of
the Pflueger off-set screw. See how the loop with the hook is
actually part of the rim of the cup? That is Neverfail hardware and
only Pflueger used it. It is distinctive and the key to
identification of Pflueger lures after 1910. Prior to 1910, Pflueger
used a gem-clip type of hook hanger like Shakespeares. |
|
South Bend
South Bend
is different in the depth of the cup. It uses a center eye screw,
but the cup is notably more shallow and sloped compared to the Heddon more
squared side and deeper cup. |
|