Museum Archive: Vintage Mepps Aglia 3, 1/4oz Bronze (Brass) spinning lure #1099

Stamping on the copper-toned blade reveals the "BRITISH FRENCH PAT" and "AGLIA 3" markings, a direct nod to Andre Meulnart's 1938 French design. This particular specimen, identified as product code 1099, carries a 4/5 condition rating, showing the honest character of a lure that has seen some water but remains in solid functional shape. Measuring 2 1/4" (6 cm) and weighing in at 1/4 oz (7 g), it features the classic Mepps construction consisting of a weighted brass body with red-painted grooves and a trailing treble hook fitted with a vibrant red attractor tube. The components were manufactured in France and later assembled in the USA, a production legacy popularized by Todd Sheldon in Wisconsin during the 1960s. The size 3 Aglia is built around a central wire shaft that allows the blade to rotate around a brass clevis, which is designed to start spinning the moment the retrieve begins. On the reverse side of the blade, the "MEPPS FRANCE" identifier is clearly visible against the polished bronze finish.