Nevison Baits update

Hi, I'm back after a few weeks off. Actually, what initiated this new listing is the fact that I received a comment from Tracy, about an earlier blog on the Nevison Minnow. Have a look in the archive if you like, here in my Vintage British Fishing Lures blog. Basically I am being asked for more information about the Nevison Prawn, rather than Minnow.

Well, before a couple of weeks ago I would have had no more info to provide. However, I went to a big game fair down at Blenheim Palace recently, and whilst there was fortunate enough to buy a 1939 Allcocks catalogue. Therein the following information lay.

Printed above is a plate from the book, where you can indeed see the prawn (and also minnows and trout and golden sprat). Don't know if you can read the text above, it is a bit small, but Allcocks don't actually say that they invented the Nevison,but they do say that they market and manufacture it.

It would also appear that 1939 was the first year that these were marketed by Allcocks(after 12 months of testing and development). So maybe any traceable, earlier versions came from the actual inventor of the lure?

The real fish(or prawn), when caught was killed and preserved by a 'special process'. The fish is then coated in clear cellulose, which forms an everlasting and unbreakable coating!

Although the minnows retain their original appearance, apparently back in 1939 it was illegal to keep and kill small trout, so the trout Nevisons were actually minnows that had been hand painted to look like trout.

The text doesn't mention too much about prawns, apart from the fact that they are indistinguishable from natural specimens.

Also,Tracy,I think you can see on the print, that hole that you currently have in the prawn is where the wire for the swivel and hook was threaded through.

Two other things of interest from this catalogue, were that the following year Allcocks were hoping to extend the list of Nevison baits to include silver sprats,gudgeon,sand eels and frogs! That I would like to see. Wonder if a little thing like WWII got in the way though?

The other interesting thing was that Allcocks obviously considered these things so attractive, that you could buy a range of Nevison brooches and hat ornaments as well. Only trout appear to be available as jewellery though. If I met a woman wearing a Nevison brooch I would be well impressed. Anybody got one or seen one?(brooch I mean not woman).

OK ,that's all I can provide on what proved to be quite an entertaining, little topic in the world of Antique Fishing lures. If anybody else has any extra information please send it in. Sorry dont know why the layout is all scrunched up on this blog. Have I run out of space?

Thanks for asking Tracy, bye til next time.