“Vintage Phantom Minnows” from my Vintage Fishing Collections (please excuse any ‘camera glare’ on some of the photos). The “Phantom Minnow” was invented by iconic Scottish tackle maker William Brown c.1840’s & quickly became a staple item in the tackle box of United Kingdom anglers. Its popularity spanned the British Isles, as well as parts of Europe, Canada & USA, and continued for about 100 years). …… These often colourful minnow imitations usually had 3 treble hooks (a tail treble & 2 ”flying” trebles), but sometimes just one or two, and had bodies made of various materials, including silk, fish skin, waterproofed cloth, horsehair, quill, metal, cork, celluloid & leather (to name a few). Phantom Minnows were designed to spin (thus the curved ‘blades’ attached to the head) & the resulting line twist was a common problem. From the mid-1890’s to roughly the early 1900’s, the ”mouths” of Phantom Minnows were commonly fitted with ”GEEN’s PATENT SWIVEL” to reduce the line twist problem). ……. I’ve only recently started populating this web site with vintage tackle from my collections & the “Phantom Minnows” below are just a start …….. there’s lots more to be added regularly. Please feel free to email me with any questions or comments related to any of my website’s content):

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Hardy’s Patent ‘Ideal’ Phantom – Undated Catalog Image from Turner’s ”Ultimate Collector’s Guide”, pg.608 -1aa

 

Hardy – Patent GB190109683A Drawing – Original 1901 Patent for Hardy’s ‘Ideal’ Phantom – (copy from ESPACENET) -1aa.

 

Hardy – Patent GB155523A Drawing – Hardy’s 1920 Patent for ”Improvements in Spinning Baits” (incorporated into the 6 ”Ideal” Phantoms shown immediately below) – (copy from ESPACENET) -2aa

 

Hardy Brothers: 1920-c.1939 ”Ideal” Phantom Minnows (2”, 2.5”, 3” & 3.5” / ‘Ex-‘ to ‘Mint’, all look unused) – EXCEPTIONAL Group of 6 with 1 Phantom in Original Box – All are stamped with Hardy’s 1920 Patent # 155523. (Note the 3 beautiful wood boxes hand-crafted by my son Jason Robinson) – 1aaa

 

Hardy Brothers: 1920-c.1939 ”Ideal” Phantom Minnows (2”, 2.5”, 3” & 3.5” / ‘Ex-‘ to ‘Mint’, all look unused) – EXCEPTIONAL Group of 6 with 1 Phantom in Original Box – All are stamped with Hardy’s 1920 Patent # 155523. (Note the 3 beautiful wood boxes hand-crafted by my son Jason Robinson) – 1bb

 

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Group of 5 Unusual Phantom Minnows – maybe c.1923 – Anodized Metal-Bodied (hollow, filled with tiny lead pellets for added weight) Unknown Maker -1aa

 

Group of 5 Unusual Phantom Minnows – maybe c.1923 – Anodized Metal-Bodied (hollow, filled with tiny lead pellets for added weight) Unknown Maker -1bb
Group of 5 Unusual Phantom Minnows – maybe c.1923 – Anodized Metal-Bodied (hollow, filled with tiny lead pellets for added weight) Unknown Maker -1dd
Group of 5 Unusual Phantom Minnows – maybe c.1923 – Anodized Metal-Bodied (hollow, filled with tiny lead pellets for added weight) Unknown Maker -1cc

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Allcock – Flexible Woven Wire Phantom – Patent GB189726704 Description -1aa

 

Allcock – Flexible Woven Wire Phantom – Patent GB189726704 Drawing -1a

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Allcock – Flexible, Woven Wire Phantom Minnow – 3” – RARE & MINT to NEAR MINT – With Just a Splash of Sky Blue & Gold, This Exceptionally Beautiful Example Appears to Have Never Been Used – (c.1897-c.early1900’s) -1a

 

A Allcock – Flexible, Woven Wire Phantom Minnow – 3” – RARE & MINT to NEAR MINT – With Just a Splash of Sky Blue & Gold, This Exceptionally Beautiful Example Appears to Have Never Been Used – (c.1897-c.early1900’s) -1 c

 

Allcock – Flexible, Woven Wire Phantom Minnow – 3” – RARE & MINT to NEAR MINT – With Just a Splash of Sky Blue & Gold, This Exceptionally Beautiful Example Appears to Have Never Been Used – (c.1897-c.early1900’s) -1 d

 

Allcock – Flexible, Woven Wire Phantom Minnow – 3” – RARE & MINT to NEAR MINT – With Just a Splash of Sky Blue & Gold, This Exceptionally Beautiful Example Appears to Have Never Been Used – (c.1897-c.early1900’s) -1 e

 

 

Allcock – Flexible, Woven Wire Phantom Minnow – 3” – RARE & MINT to NEAR MINT – With Just a Splash of Sky Blue & Gold, This Exceptionally Beautiful Example Appears to Have Never Been Used – (c.1897-c.early1900’s) -1 ff

 

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Allcock – Flexible, Woven Wire Phantom Minnow – 2” – RARE (Ex-Ex+) – (c.1897-c.early1900’s) -1 a

 

Allcock – Flexible, Woven Wire Phantom Minnow – 2” – RARE (Ex-Ex+) – (c.1897-c.early1900’s) -1 c

 

Allcock – Flexible, Woven Wire Phantom Minnow – 2” – RARE (Ex-Ex+) – (c.1897-c.early1900’s) -1d

 

Allcock – Flexible, Woven Wire Phantom Minnow – 2” – RARE (Ex-Ex+) – (c.1897-c.early1900’s) -1 ee

 

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Wm. Bartleet & Sons – 1894 Ad for ”Serpentantic Bait” (credit: reelsnlures.com) -1aa

 

Wm. Bartleet & Sons ”Serpentanic Bait” Phantom Minnow – 3” (c.1893-c.early1900’s) – VERY SCARCE to RARE – Excellent Example -1b

 

Wm. Bartleet & Sons ”Serpentanic Bait” Phantom Minnow c.1893-c.early1900’s – VERY SCARCE to RARE – Excellent Example -1c

 

Wm. Bartleet & Sons ”Serpentanic Bait” Phantom Minnow – 3” (c.1893-c.early1900’s) – VERY SCARCE to RARE – Excellent Example -1d

 

Wm. Bartleet & Sons ”Serpentanic Bait” Phantom Minnow – 3” (c.1893-c.early1900’s) – VERY SCARCE to RARE – Excellent Example -1e

 

Wm. Bartleet & Sons ”Serpentanic Bait” Phantom Minnow – 3” (c.1893-c.early1900’s) – VERY SCARCE to RARE – Excellent Example -1ff

 

Wm. Bartleet & Sons ”Serpentanic Bait” Phantom Minnow – 3” (c.1893-c.early1900’s) – VERY SCARCE to RARE – Excellent Example -1gg

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R. Harrison, Bartleet & Co. c.1876-c1902 Phantom Minnow on Card + Box (‘brown trout’ pattern) -1aa

 

R. Harrison, Bartleet & Co. c.1876-c1902 Phantom Minnow on Card + Box (‘brown trout’ pattern) -1bb

 

R. Harrison, Bartleet & Co. c.1876-c1902 Phantom Minnow on Card + Box (‘brown trout’ pattern) -1cc

 

R. Harrison, Bartleet & Co. c.1876-c1902 Phantom Minnow on Card + Box (‘brown trout’ pattern) -1ee

 

R. Harrison, Bartleet & Co. c.1876-c1902 Phantom Minnow on Card + Box (‘brown trout’ pattern) -1ff

 

R. Harrison, Bartleet & Co. c.1876-c1902 Phantom Minnow on Card + Box (‘brown trout’ pattern) -1h

 

R. Harrison, Bartleet & Co. c.1876-c1902 Phantom Minnow on Card + Box (‘brown trout’ pattern) -1g

 

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Brown’s Phantom Minnow Ad 1895 (credit: Ron Gast’s luresnreels.com)

 

 

Brown’s Phantom Minnow Ad – (The Fishing Gazette, Nov. 28, 1896 edition) -1aa

 

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graphic from front cover of 1909 Farlow Catalog

 

Farlow – c.1926-c.1930’s ”Superior” Phantom Minnow on Card + Box (gold & silver – silver paint drop on back is factory flaw) -1bb

 

Farlow – c.1926-c.1930’s ”Superior” Phantom Minnow on Card + Box (gold & silver – silver paint drop on back is factory flaw) -1cc

 

Farlow – c.1926-c.1930’s ”Superior” Phantom Minnow on Card + Box (gold & silver – silver paint drop on back is factory flaw) -1aa

 

Farlow – c.1926-c.1930’s ”Superior” Phantom Minnow on Card + Box (gold & silver – silver paint drop on back is factory flaw) -1dd

 

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Pflueger 1925-1941 ”Famed Phantom Minnow” #1511 (brown & gold) on card -1aa

 

Pflueger 1925-1941 ”Famed Phantom Minnow” #1511 (brown & gold) on card -1bb

 

Pflueger 1925-1941 ”Famed Phantom Minnow” #1511 (brown & gold) on card -1cc

 

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Charles Playfair Silk Phantom Minnow on Card + box – has Geen’s Patent Swivel – c.1886-early1900’s (box end stamped ”Blue & Silver, 3, Leaded”) -1aa

 

Charles Playfair Silk Phantom Minnow on Card + box – has Geen’s Patent Swivel – c.1886-early1900’s (box end stamped ”Blue & Silver, 3, Leaded”) -1bb

 

Charles Playfair Silk Phantom Minnow on Card + box – has Geen’s Patent Swivel – c.1886-early1900’s (box end stamped ”Blue & Silver, 3, Leaded”) -1cc

 

Charles Playfair Silk Phantom Minnow on Card + box – has Geen’s Patent Swivel – c.1886-early1900’s (box end stamped ”Blue & Silver, 3, Leaded”) -1dd

 

Charles Playfair Silk Phantom Minnow on Card + box – has Geen’s Patent Swivel – c.1886-early1900’s (detail of right blade stamped ”C”) -1ff

 

Charles Playfair Silk Phantom Minnow on Card + box – has Geen’s Patent Swivel – c.1886-early1900’s (detail of left blade stamped ”P”) -1gg

 

Charles Playfair Silk Phantom Minnow on Card + box – has Geen’s Patent Swivel – c.1886-early1900’s (box end stamped ”Blue & Silver, 3, Leaded”) -1hh

 

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