The pre-1920 Heddon

 lure and box

Heddon Lure Wood Boxes

 

Knowledge for Advanced Collectors of Heddon

FULL SITE INDEX & ARTICLES 

Heddon Pre-1920 Fishing Lure Wood Boxes

By Dr. Michael Echols

 

Details about pre-1920 Heddon wood lure boxes based on the size, the details printed on the box sides, ends, and tops, and above all, the nomenclature used to describe the lure.

1905-1908: Heddon wood boxes (variations type 1 - 5):  the more expensive line of Heddon lures were packaged in wood boxes.

Heddon Type I, 2, wood boxes:

Note 'New' Dowagiac Minnow wood box with exclamation mark after HUNG! and a one-way slide top with thumbnail groove for the type 1 & 2.  In the thin wood type 1, expect brass hardware and three belly weight 100 or 150's.  Type 2 boxes have thicker wood and may have had two or three belly weight 100 or 150's with brass hardware. 

hwbxnewdow.JPG (34940 bytes)

Heddon Early Type 3, 4 wood boxes:

Mentions Canada patent and "HUNG!" is with an exclamation mark. The top is now two way sliding.  Expect 100 or 150's with brass or nickel hardware and one or two belly weights.  This is also the box used for the 300 during this time frame.  Box used in 1905-6. Type 3 boxes have two way tops and hold two belly weight high forehead minnows with brass hardware.

 hwdbxhung.JPG (27465 bytes)

Later Heddon type 4 wood box:

Mentions Canada patent and "HUNG" is without an exclamation mark.  Expect nickel or brass hardware on 100, 150, or 300's with one or two belly weights.  End of box will have a color code, and sometimes the name of the color.  The 1906 and 1907 lures for this box have a somewhat pointed nose and the cups are flat-rimmed on the earlier ones.

 hwbxcanadhung.JPG (37218 bytes)

Heddon Type 5 wood box:

Doesn't mention Canada patent and "HUNG" is without an exclamation mark.  Expect nickel hardware and one belly weight.  The end of the box will have both color code and the name of the color.  The fonts are different on this box from the others.

hwbxnohung.JPG (35367 bytes)

 

Type II Heddon wood box

One way slide top

Green crackleback 100

Note "Heddon's" is not printed and the font is larger

hbxn100.jpg (63492 bytes)

Type four Heddon wood box

Green crackleback 

300

 hbxn300.jpg (63415 bytes)

Type four Heddon wood box

Old Rainbow color

175

Note this box is taller than the other boxes to accommodate the large hooks of the 175

 hbxn175.jpg (47735 bytes)

Type five Heddon wood box

Old Yellow

100

 hbxn105.jpg (53405 bytes)

Type five Heddon wood box (late)

Yellow-perch

150

Note the larger font and Heddon is again missing as it is in the early boxes.

 hbxn159a.jpg (44282 bytes)

 

Plain sides in types 1,2,3, Heddon wood boxes and early type 4's.  Photo is of the Heddon 175 box side

hbxsidearly.JPG (24276 bytes)
Message on some later Heddon type 4's & all type 5's hbxsidelate.JPG (31621 bytes)

 

Comparison of an early type 4 Heddon wood box with 'Hung!' (left) to a later type 4 without the exclamation mark after 'Hung' on the right.  The earlier box is totally unmarked on the ends or sides.  The wood is much more dense and finer grain than the later box which is more typical.
Note the grain you can see in the upper box which is the earlier type 4.
As noted, the end of the upper earlier type four is unmarked too.
The external dimensions are the same for both boxes.  Both tops indicate the 'Canadian' patent.
Internally they are the same and the thickness of the walls are identical.

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