Museum Archive: Vintage Abercrombie & Fitch Joe Messinger Bucktail Frog , fishing #21902

Tightly spun deer hair, clipped into a smooth, rounded frog profile, provides the buoyancy needed for this 1920s-era fly rod lure. Hand-tied by legendary West Virginia maker Joe Messinger and marketed by Abercrombie & Fitch, this rarity (Product Code: 21902) showcases the intricate craftsmanship of the early American fly-fishing scene. The legs consist of dyed yellow and natural brown bucktail, secured with black thread wraps that remain remarkably intact. Each eye is meticulously rendered as a black pupil centered on a gold-painted leather pad, mounted on the side of the dense hair body. This specimen originated in the USA and maintains a high-quality 5/5 condition, with the materials retaining their original texture and contrast. The wire line tie is positioned at the front-bottom, designed to keep the head tilted up during a pause on the water's surface.