World War 2 Era Plastic Lip Jitterbug
These aren’t the kind of antique fishing lures that bring big money. You won’t stumble on a rare example worth tens of thousands of dollars. The real reason the Arbogast Jitterbug earns our lure of the week nod is simple: they are just plain fun to collect!!!
The Arbogast Jitterbug ranks among the most popular and easiest-to-find vintage fishing lures. Whether you have a first-generation wooden model or a post-WWII plastic version, these baits have ignited the antique lure collecting bug in plenty of collectors.
Although the Jitterbug didn’t hit the market until the late ‘30s, its prototype took shape in the mid 1920s from a wooden broomstick and the bowl of a spoon. Once released, it quickly became one of the most popular lures around. Arbogast still makes the Jitterbug today, and fishermen continue to favor it.
The earliest Jitterbugs were wooden with a metal lip. During WWII, plastic took the place of the metal lip. Some wooden colors and styles turn up easily, like the white body with red head. Harder-to-find colors include black with a white head, blue head, and pearl with herringbones. You can date these lures by checking several traits, including material, lip, body style and hook hangers. For instance, the first generation of wooden Jitterbugs had a rounded body and round “toilet-bowl” style hook hangers, the first of seven styles used through the years.
Many collections may have begun with Jitterbugs, but nobody will get rich selling them. The wide range of colors and patterns that makes Jitterbug collecting so enjoyable also keeps them from being the most valuable lure on the market, though rare colors can bring several hundreds of dollars at auction. Of course, as we’ve said before, antique fishing lure collecting is seldom about building assets. Jitterbugs give beginners and veterans alike a chance to put together an impressive display of vintage lures. Check out JitterbugDrillers.com for a great look at both wooden and plastic models.
You can track these lures down on Ebay.com, in antique shops or even at garage sales. Grab them whenever you can, because beyond being fun to collect and display, they also make handy trade items between collectors. And.....did I mention they are a blast to fish with!!!
The Arbogast Jitterbug ranks among the most popular and easiest-to-find vintage fishing lures. Whether you have a first-generation wooden model or a post-WWII plastic version, these baits have ignited the antique lure collecting bug in plenty of collectors.
Although the Jitterbug didn’t hit the market until the late ‘30s, its prototype took shape in the mid 1920s from a wooden broomstick and the bowl of a spoon. Once released, it quickly became one of the most popular lures around. Arbogast still makes the Jitterbug today, and fishermen continue to favor it.
The earliest Jitterbugs were wooden with a metal lip. During WWII, plastic took the place of the metal lip. Some wooden colors and styles turn up easily, like the white body with red head. Harder-to-find colors include black with a white head, blue head, and pearl with herringbones. You can date these lures by checking several traits, including material, lip, body style and hook hangers. For instance, the first generation of wooden Jitterbugs had a rounded body and round “toilet-bowl” style hook hangers, the first of seven styles used through the years.
Many collections may have begun with Jitterbugs, but nobody will get rich selling them. The wide range of colors and patterns that makes Jitterbug collecting so enjoyable also keeps them from being the most valuable lure on the market, though rare colors can bring several hundreds of dollars at auction. Of course, as we’ve said before, antique fishing lure collecting is seldom about building assets. Jitterbugs give beginners and veterans alike a chance to put together an impressive display of vintage lures. Check out JitterbugDrillers.com for a great look at both wooden and plastic models.
You can track these lures down on Ebay.com, in antique shops or even at garage sales. Grab them whenever you can, because beyond being fun to collect and display, they also make handy trade items between collectors. And.....did I mention they are a blast to fish with!!!
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