A collection of vintage Orvis flies and boxes

A place to discuss the collecting and tying of classic flies, the tyers who made them famous, the tools, materials and techniques they used as well as the waters they were designed for. While classic is generally used to describe old things, classic is also used in the sense of first class or in the highest form. Therefore a fully dressed Salmon Fly, or a Carrie Stevens Streamer are just as much classics as a Chernobyl Ant would be. Enjoy the forum.

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Mike N
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Joined: 11/19/19 00:57
Location: West By God Virginia

A collection of vintage Orvis flies and boxes

#1

Post by Mike N »

Here are some vintage Orvis flies in boxes and on cards, some with the tiny gold identification label.

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Mike N.
Founder, Old Reel Collectors Association (ORCA)
Member, NFLCC & FATC
Vintage Orvis collector


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Mike N
Master Guide
Posts: 394
Joined: 11/19/19 00:57
Location: West By God Virginia

Re: A collection of vintage Orvis flies and boxes

#2

Post by Mike N »

Dating these fragile green cardboard boxes is tricky and a project in the works. Orvis has always claimed its start of business date on these boxes as “1856.” At least one of my boxes uses the phrase “..for over Seventy Years,” which puts it in the circa. 1927 era.

I welcome any comments.

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Mike N.
Founder, Old Reel Collectors Association (ORCA)
Member, NFLCC & FATC
Vintage Orvis collector


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thehersh
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Re: A collection of vintage Orvis flies and boxes

#3

Post by thehersh »

Nice museum quality collection.The boxes with the cork rings for the flies are really cool.

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kevinhaney1
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Re: A collection of vintage Orvis flies and boxes

#4

Post by kevinhaney1 »

Very nice Mike, as always!

Kevin
Kevin Haney, Vintage Anglers
http://www.vintageanglers.com

NewUtahCaneAngler
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Re: A collection of vintage Orvis flies and boxes

#5

Post by NewUtahCaneAngler »

Way cool; thanks for sharing Mike. Someone local to me is selling a Fraser(Perfect) reel in one of these green boxes, which I assume contained an early Orvis reel at one time. You boxes have much darker printing 👍

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roycestearns
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Re: A collection of vintage Orvis flies and boxes

#6

Post by roycestearns »

Take a look at the viewtopic.php?p=930560 1940 catalog that Greg R. posted. This was the first catalog the Ducky C and Wes J era.
The round cork ring boxes were sold in the 1940 catalog.
Flies were still offered as snelled on cards or eyed in the boxes in 1940.
The 70 years is referenced in this 1940 catalog which would coincide with the start of the company in 1870.
Some of the cards can be dated by the style of hook and how the flies are tied. Many cards have had replacement flies installed which is unfortunate.
The rectangle boxes for flies probably predated the 1940 catalog, as the catalog states the cards came in cellophane envelopes.
There were several size and style of fly cards, and it appears the riveted cards were earlier than the die cut cards.
It seems that the earliest cards had beautiful handwritten fly size and id (in ink), later cards had typed tags glued on.
Just my 2 pennies.
Last edited by roycestearns on 10/24/22 14:24, edited 1 time in total.

Mike N
Master Guide
Posts: 394
Joined: 11/19/19 00:57
Location: West By God Virginia

Re: A collection of vintage Orvis flies and boxes

#7

Post by Mike N »

Thanks for all of the comments.

Royce, your reference to the 1940 catalog is insightful since that is the first mention I’ve seen of the acetate plastic container. Here’s that page from the 1940 catalog and a photo of the one in my collection. Thanks.


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Mike N.
Founder, Old Reel Collectors Association (ORCA)
Member, NFLCC & FATC
Vintage Orvis collector


Image

Mike N
Master Guide
Posts: 394
Joined: 11/19/19 00:57
Location: West By God Virginia

Re: A collection of vintage Orvis flies and boxes

#8

Post by Mike N »

We have a fascinating discussion regarding the Orvis start date going on at ORCA’s Reel Talk between a few of the leading vintage tackle experts in the country. If interested, here’s a link:

https://reeltalk.orcaonline.org/viewtopic.php?t=24948

Mike N.
Mike N.
Founder, Old Reel Collectors Association (ORCA)
Member, NFLCC & FATC
Vintage Orvis collector


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