LAUBY LURES REFERENCE
Identifying Lauby fishing lures
Compare the Wonder Spoon, Weedless Wonder Spoon and Surface Lure using photographs, construction details and documented sources.
Start with the whole object
Photograph the top, underside, both sides, line tie and every hook attachment. Include a ruler in one photograph and record body length separately from overall length. Transcribe stamped lettering exactly; keep uncertain letters in brackets. A single view or a familiar paint pattern is not enough to authenticate a lure.
| Attributed model | What to compare | Record |
|---|---|---|
| Wonder Spoon | Spoon-shaped body, underside contour, line-tie strap and tail attachments. | Top and underside views |
| Weedless Wonder Spoon | Single-hook arrangement and metal hardware beneath the body. | Photograph and evidence |
| Surface Lure / Chunk Bait | Broad, angular profile, hook positions and a catalog match. | Photograph and attribution |
Look underneath a Wonder Spoon
Slusar describes changes from deeply concave to partly concave and later flat undersides. His account also distinguishes the Bates successor by its nickel-plated strap. These are useful comparison points, not a complete authentication test. Chris Slusar, “Lauby Bait Company,” Splash, vol. 33, no. 3, Summer 2009, pp. 8–9.
Separate observation from identification
Write “yellow body with black markings” when that is what the photograph establishes. Use a historical color name only when a dated catalog or other identified source supports it. Replaced hooks, altered finishes and assembled lure-and-box combinations can complicate comparison.
Dating a lure
A patent date establishes an event in the invention record. An advertisement establishes an offer at a particular time. Neither alone dates the manufacture of an individual lure. Compare the object's construction with both a dated illustration and documented examples before assigning a production period.
1935 patent record · 1939 advertisement · Packaging record
What is my Lauby lure worth?
This archive does not provide appraisals. A useful valuation needs a supported identification, condition photographs, an account of any replaced parts and comparable completed sales. An asking price is not evidence of a completed sale.
Submit an identification or correction
Send the photographs, measurements, exact markings and whatever ownership history is known through the contribution page. Please cite a specific record if you are correcting it. Contributions are reviewed before they become part of a public record.