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I have two estate sale stories .....

The first one I ever went to, some 25 or so years ago, I arrived a few minutes before the sale was to begin. But, the line was going all the way down the drive and I was told I needed a number to get in. I knew nothing about numbers and was very discouraged as there was a fellow standing right by the front door wearing a fishing vest who I assumed was there for the advertised tackle.

Rather than wait in line I went around the house to the back door where folks were exiting after going through the house. When the fellow with the fishing vest came out I followed him all the way to his car where I asked him if he had bought the tackle. He said he bought all the lures and the reels, but only collected lures and I could see the reels if I was interested.

He then took a solid nickel silver, half handle, raised back, Hawks & Ogilvy reel out of a beautiful half round leather case (See Lang's November 2006 item # 1023 for the exact reel, or Graham Turner, Page 295, bottom left, again, the exact reel). The fellow also had a solid nickle silver, revolving handle plate reel, later determined to be a Conroy. Needless to say I wanted them and his price of $100 seemed more than reasonable ...so I paid the man.

Fast forward about 15 years to another estate sale ...to which I arrived 2 hours early to get a low number (1). The ad in the paper advertised Halstead and Gillum rods. I live in Ridgefield, CT, home of Pinky and George ...and the sale was in the center of town at a grand old estate. As soon as they let me in the house I asked where the rods were and was escorted to a room where I was shown the rods. Notice I said "shown" ...there was no touching allowed. They knew what they had and the rods were priced steep.

Totally discouraged I turned to leave and asked if there was any other tackle. I was told they had found a reel in the garage that morning and she went off to find it for me. She came back and put a box in my hand ...an early Hardy box. It said "Bougle" on the side. When I opened the box my heart near stopped ...it was 3", blued and absolutely new. She said they hadn't time to have it appraised, but I could have it for $500. I paid her so fast I made her head spin.

When I got home I called Marty Keane and told him about the rods. He was able to buy them all and sent me a nice gift ...a finders fee of sorts. Long before I started writting my Vest Pocket Collectibles articles for Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Marty was taking all of the little treasures he acquired and putting them in a box ...which he sent to me. It was like a pot of gold. Hardy doo-dads, early bottles, Hewitt items ...I was in heaven.

That was a good day.

Dean.

Unfortunately, no.

I was into American reels back then and traded it for a Leonard Bi-Metal ...which I no longer have either.