Museum Archive: Vintage Eppinger Dardevle, 1oz Yellow / Red Five of Diamonds fishing spoon #0303

Five red diamonds are set against a bold yellow enamel, creating the iconic pattern on this 3 1/2" (9 cm) Eppinger spoon. Weighted at 1 oz (28 g), this 0303 model is built for long-distance casting into heavy cover. The classic devil head logo is printed clearly on the front, while the back features a bright brass finish stamped with the 'DARDEVLE DETROIT USA' mark, signifying its American manufacturing roots. This specimen remains in 4/5 condition, showing well-preserved paint and clean metal on the reverse. The concave shape of the body is paired with a vintage treble hook secured by a heavy-duty split ring. Since Lou Eppinger started hand-making these in a Detroit basement in 1906, the design has remained virtually unchanged because of its effectiveness in the field. Every detail, from the specific taper of the brass to the precision of the diamond spacing, reflects the proprietary dies used by Eppinger to ensure consistency across generations of tackle boxes.