Museum Archive: Vintage Eppinger Dardevle, 1oz Red Devle fishing spoon #17268

A heavy 1oz (28g) weight provides the necessary mass for distance casting with this classic 3 1/2" (9cm) spoon. Finished in the famous Red Devle pattern, the front shows a creamy white diagonal stripe with the iconic devil head logo clearly printed near the top. Flipping the lure reveals the deeply impressed 'DARDEVLE DETROIT U.S.A.' stamp, placing its manufacture during Eppinger's original Detroit era before the move to Dearborn. This item, assigned product code 17268, exhibits some paint loss and chipping along the edges and tail, though the primary colors remain vivid. The hardware setup includes the original split ring and a treble hook that shows some surface darkening from time. In terms of condition, it rates as 4/5, noting the visible finish wear while acknowledging the crispness of the stamp and logo. The concave shape of the metal blank is characteristic of Lou Eppinger's early designs, which were even utilized in military survival kits.