Museum Archive: Johnson Silver Minnow 1460 BS (1950s), 1oz brown fishing spoon #19813

Featuring a distinctive brown honeycomb scale pattern, this vintage 1oz (28 g) Johnson Silver Minnow remains an iconic piece of 1950s tackle. The spoon body measures 3 1/2" (9 cm) and is paired with Louis Johnson’s original guarded single hook design, specifically engineered for navigating heavy weed beds. This specific specimen, cataloged under product code 19813, arrives in its original orange cardboard box which proudly displays the "Johnson Spoon" branding and its status as a domestic favorite. The spoon is constructed from a specialized copper and zinc alloy, intentionally weighted thicker in the center to maintain its orientation and help avoid line twist. Despite its age, the lure is unused and remains in excellent preservation, maintaining its original finish and hardware. Historically, these spoons utilized real silver plating to provide a brighter flash than common chrome alternatives, specifically directed downwards and to the sides where predatory fish typically strike. This model, identified as No. 1460 BS, showcases the manufacturing quality from when Johnson production was still based in the USA.