Museum Archive: Vintage Eppinger Weedless Dardevle Midget, 3/16oz Black / White / Nickel fishing spoon #1867

Polished nickel on the reverse bears the clear stamp of the "DARDEVLE MIDGET," marking it as an authentic Eppinger product. This 1 1/2" (3.5 cm) spoon, weighing 3/16 oz (6 g), features the classic black-white-black striped pattern with the distinctive devil head graphic centered on the white stripe. Registered under product code 1867, it represents a specialized weedless variant equipped with a fixed single hook and dual wire guards to navigate thick cover. The condition is a solid 4/5, with the paint showing only the gentlest evidence of its history in a tackle box. This specific concave profile was developed by Lou Eppinger in Detroit using proprietary dies to ensure a specific weight distribution for casting.