Sutton Collection

[walnut109]

Thought I would share a photo of my Sutton flutter spoon collection that I have been gathering for a few years.  Odd that I am aware of 42 different numbers and that I need a number 42 to round out the board.  

[Sk8man]

Sweet! Nicest one I've seen yet. Some real rare ones in there too I'll check to see if I have one....I doubt it though. Just checked... no luck there....sorry about that.

Edited November 6, 2019 by Sk8man

[Fishstix]

Great idea. Thanks for the picture. #5 if its hammered is a real killer.I will look for a 42 when I get to the boat.

 

[walnut109]

Thanks to those who are looking. The 42 is going to be hard to find.  It is a hand cut spoon that was made in the same time period as the 43 and 47.  

 

Suttons are works of art in a fishing lure.

 

 

[Fishstix]

No #42 I just checked my sutton box. By the way Ive got 3 miller 66's I will never use if anyone is looking for them.

Ive probably got 15 of the #5's. In the early 2000's I took the #1 laker in the NLT derby on a #5 off the boards. Most of them have caught fish.They get bent up easily and the hooks break its hard to get them swimming right after you bend them.The #88 used to be my diver spoon it died the last few years I dont know why.

Not much info here just trying to get something going on the fingerlake board. Its 12 degrees.Boat winterized?

 

[Sk8man]

Those # 5, 6, and 8's have always been deadly in the Finger Lakes....great rainbow and landlock lures. I always changed out all the hooks on the Sutton's to single Mustad stainless with the open eyelet  and cut the trebles off while maintaining the solid ring on the spoon. # 1/0 for the smaller spoons and #2/0 for the larger spoons with only minor changes in the action of the spoons.  The Millers were great spoons too and sturdier construction than Sutton's. I still have some of them which I purchased directly from Bernie Klimczac (the maker of them) while fishing the Seneca Lake Derby back in the 80's. Another great and highly effective spoon of that size range was the Quick Strike #11 ( hammered silver, swirl silver , brass hammered, brass swirl), made by Bill Quinn and I still run a whole rig of them from time to time.

[Sk8man]

I checked with the person at Sutton's in Naples and she said she had never heard of the #42 just 41's and 44"s I explained about the age and nature of it etc.

One of the other LOU members has a bunch of Sutton's and he graciously said he will check out his group of them for one.

[walnut109]

In the back of the store there is a piece of paper tacked up.  There are three spoon outlines, 42, 43 and 47.  The first 47 I saw I thought was a fake and I did not purchase it.  Then I saw the outline in the store.  Got lucky to come across the 47 and the 43.   

 

5's are my favorite for RT on hot flat days in mid-summer, but a hammered 44 is a great all-around spoon.  31 was the go to for LT back in the day along with the 88 at the bottom leader of the Seth Green rig.

 

Miller finishes seem to hold up a bit better over time and would not bend quite as easy as a Sutton.  But Suttons always seem to have that certain awkward kick every 3rd or 4th flip if run at a certain speed.   I like them all, Miller, Sutton, Quick Strike and Pine Valley.  

[Sk8man]

Right on the money with everything you said

[Lucky13]

My all around favorite for landlocks in the Adirondacks is a Silver 44, oddly I have never found one for sale up there, I've always had to go to Naples and buy them.  Number 2 is a Mooselick wobbler.  Be aware that there are Chinese knockoffs of Suttons out there now.  It is likely bittersweet flattery that a manufacturer halfway around the world will copy your product, then undercut your prices, which they can do because they are not faced with the regulations on plating and plating wastes.

[walnut109]

I got a 5, 44 and 31 from Old Forge Hardware years ago.  I wish I had gotten more as they were old stock. 

 

Got out this AM and had a 10 minute flurry from shore.  17" and 21" RT.

 

 

 

Edited November 10, 2019 by walnut109

[Sk8man]

Nice work!

[plecos4sale]

Nice work!

I’m sure I have around 100 Sutton spoons. Started with 4 dz I got back in the 70s when I fished out of Clark’s. Most still in tissue as when I started fishing Ontario I lost a couple on float rigs so I packed them away.Picked up others as I came across them.


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[vogel451]

I was hoping someone could give a little info on this harness. My grandfather just gave me a tackle box.   Ive never seen one before and cant find anything online about them.  It says Sutton #4.  I guess Im hoping to find a manufacture date and rarity?   Thanks

Edited November 30, 2019 by vogel451

[land locked]

1 hour ago, vogel451 said:

I was hoping someone could give a little info on this harness. My grandfather just gave me a tackle box.   Ive never seen one before and cant find anything online about them.  It says Sutton #4.  I guess Im hoping to find a manufacture date and rarity?   Thanks

Kind of looks like someone put it together and put a Sutton spinner on it.ldk

[vogel451]

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[58Johnson]

It is likely pre 1936 due to the style of swivel on it. Here is a 1936 ad with box swivels and the circular Sutton stamping

 

 

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Edited July 1, 2021 by 58Johnson
updated info

[58Johnson]

On 11/30/2019 at 4:32 PM, 58Johnson said:

It is likely pre 1936 due to the style of swivel on it. Here is a 1936 ad with box swivels and the circular Sutton stamping


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Gang hooks were not uncommon.

(Scott R Sutton applied for a Gang Hook patent in 1908)

https://tinyurl.com/sfr6s59

 

 

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Edited January 22, 2022 by 58Johnson
formatting information update

[58Johnson]

There are 4 Generations of the Sutton stamping.

Your lure is 4th gen (modern). It is reasonably recent although I have not seen one like it. You might want to check to see if the bead is glass or plastic. Glass would definitely date it earlier.

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Edited December 1, 2019 by 58Johnson
spelling

[vogel451]

Yes those are it!  You harness defiantly looks older. I've been seeing a lot of Sutton spoons over the years but the harnesses i have not.  Thanks for the info!

[Sk8man]

Mark is "the man" when it comes to Sutton's and their history etc. Those box swivels pictured are a major indicator of age going back to 1900 or so on any of the spoons and spinners. Some spoons also used the suspended brass wire connection for the treble hooks. Some older spoons  had an almost "pewter" color finish and the hook connection was in the mid portion of the spoon rather than at the extreme rear.

[glenm]

I acquired a few of those some years ago and had no idea what they were until someone showed me a copy of an article from the National Fishing Lures Collectors Club magazine that spoke of them. I brought one to the store and gave it to Dee along with a copy of the article. As I recall she had no recollection of them and unfortunately her dad wasn't in the store that day, but she was going to ask him about them. Haven't had a chance to speak with her about them since. If you Google the magazine and article about Sutton Spoon Company you may find it, or if you want to PM me, I can get a copy off to you. I believe the article stated that the harness was the only patent that they had received. Maybe Mark or someone else could confirm that,

[58Johnson]

walnut you have a PM


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[TROUTMAN 87]

To Walnut 109- Sir.I have  quit fishing and after going through all my boxes (about a 40 year collection) I found a Sutton Spoon stamped 777. It has the Sutton company stamping but not the stamped numbers that most Suttons have.I took it over to Sutton store and the lady never heard of it. It is shaped like an 88 or 23 but a little smaller. I would like to donate to your collection. Also wondering if anyone else has ever seen one of these. RSVP  607 535 2390-Troutman 87

Edited June 27, 2020 by TROUTMAN 87
phone #

[walnut109]

Troutman 87,

I appreciate it.  I will contact you later today.