Creels

An example of how to create an area displaying a Creel, Net and Mount combination. Click image to see an enlarged photo. Note: Items not for sale, display only.

`With the advent of “catch and release” the fishing creel no longer has much utilitarian value. Instead, it is being recognized for its folk art appeal and the fine workmanship that has gone into many of the old creels. Further, the fishing creel is now widely recognized as a symbol of fishing and it is used in fishing art, logos and interior decoration. “The Art of the Creel” is a photographic perspective on a wide variety of creels, their makers, their materials and their artistic appeal. With more than 200 different creels photographed, this book provides a comprehensive look at all the major categories of creels as well a some very rare, one of a kind, creels that are tucked away in private collections. The authors have also provided pertinent information about the history and the makers for most of the creels. There is still much to learn about the subject and “The Art of the Creel” is a good place to start for anyone interested in fishing or folk art. Written by Hugh Chatham and Dan McClain / Photography by Gretchen Duykers / Dedicated to Daryll Whitehead / Published by Blue Heron Publications / ISBN 0-9659172-7-4 196 Pages **Please click on its image to see additional closeup ** Can be shipped "Book Rate"!

Appears unused late 1940's Asian Wicker Fishing Creel with sliding peg lock to close lid (in style of the Ed Cummings Co. of Michigan). This creel has a rear carry handle with round circle metal hinges. Besides being used as a fishing creel we have seen many of these less expensive baskets used as decorative planters, centerpieces, and so on. This creel measures approximately 13.5 inches wide across it bottom at the widest point, 7 inches tall at its back and 6.50 inches front to back. Please click on its image to see additional views!

Appears unused late 1940's Asian Wicker Fishing Creel with sliding peg lock to close lid (in style of the Ed Cummings Co. of Michigan). This creel has a rear carry handle with round circle metal hinges. Besides being used as a fishing creel we have seen many of these less expensive baskets used as decorative planters, centerpieces, and so on. This creel measures approximately 13.5 inches wide across it bottom at the widest point, 7 inches tall at its back and 6.50 inches front to back. Please click on its image to see additional views!

This is a Orvis "Center Hole" Creel that was listed in their 1950 products Catalog. It was quite unusal with its' overlap lid/top design and a woven wicker divider in the creel creating an option to store fish and carry other gear or food. The basket was hand woven from whole wicker. It retains its 'original closing leather strap & metal buckle. It is in excellent condition and comes with an aftermarket harness found with the creel. Great finish patina. Collect or display in home, cabin or lodge. This creel measures approximately 14.5" across the bottom, 7" front to back, and 9" high. Please click on it's image to see additional views!

Nice vintage George Lawrence Split Willow fishing creel with a leather sheathed Queen made fish/bird knife. The fish/bird knife is hanging from the side of the split willow basket on a leather strap. The Lawrence company was one of the premier Oregon creel makers in the City of Portland from 1923 to 1954! They used saddle leather , tooled, embossed, and split willow baskets some colored very effectively to provide additional water protection. This model was known as their "Supreme" series and is stamped with a "4" denoting its model size on the lid top. This creel comes from the late '40"s. The company logo stamping can be seen on the back side. This creel measures approximately 15" across the bottom, 7" deep (front to back), and 10" high at the back side. Dark brown finish patina! This creel was not found with a harness, which was an after market purchase anyway due to the large degree of waist size variations. There some minor split willow weavings that have separated. Barely visable is a 1/8" opening behind the strap where the knife sheath is attacxhed. However, bottom line this is a very collectable creel for home, cabin, or lodge! Please click on its image to see additional pictures!

Spectacular Cradle Harness fishing creel. This split willow is an older basket that was refurbished by a creel maker in Idaho. It has been cleaned & stained reddish/burgundy to help protect the willow from water damage.It has been completely re-leathered and a cradle style harness was created for it. It appears unused (minty) now! All rivets, buckles, strap, rear carry handle, and shoulder harness are intact and working great. Measures approximately 15" across its bottom, by approximately 6" deep, by approximately 9" high. 10" measure across the back top side of the lid. Signed on the top back by rear carry handle with the "Lost River" logo. Please click on its image to see additional closeups!

This beautiful creel was made by the A.E. Nelson Leather Co. originally in Salem, Or. . The Nelson Leather Co. started in Salem, Or. around 1938 but did not initially produce creels has part of their product offering until the mid 1940's. They offered a pocketed style creel and a non-pocketed. They tanned the leathers in different finishes....this one is what they called their dark chocolate. This creel has the Salem,OR. stamped on the back by the rear carry handle! This creel measures approximately 16" wide at its' bottom. Notice how the Nelson Co. reinforced all corners, edges, and creel base to strengthen the split willow basket. The Nelson family made creels for many well known retailers like Abercrombie & Fitch, Meir & Frank, and numerous well sporting shops around the country! A harness was found with this creel and we are including it too. The snap closure on the A. E. Nelson creels is another nice touch being very solid and alm most exclusive to their sytem of closing the lihds down. This creel has great history and would make a nice addition to any collection! Please check out our pictures to see additional views.

A rare creel from master creel maker Joseph Schnell! Made in Portland, Oregon in the 1920s, the leather is nicely tooled and in extremely good condition. Found a very scarce after market George Lawrence harness also nicely tooled with same brick pattern! Schnell used a large 16" wide split willow basket to make his creel. Original closing straps and buckles still intack as is the rear carry handle! The split. willow is in overall great shape with only a couple of very thin weaves that have slitely opened, again npthing that detracts from the collectable or displaying of this rare creel! Please click on the image to see additional closeups!

Mint is this never used D. Brock leathered tooled split willow creel including a matching custom harness. This Oregon creel maker has made less than 100 creels in his lifetime and is retired from creel making! This is No.25 and is so marked on the rear at the carry handle. I have seen him hand sew and hand punch every hole in his creels. He is one of the few master creel makers alive today. I have personally selected this Clark influenced design from my own personal collection. He hand selects his saddle quality leather that he then applies to these antique and vintage baskets. This basket was cleaned and stained a green which was an option most of the other famous Oregon creel makers did as well. The application of color stains is that they protected the baskets from the elements of water damage. Most earlier makers c.1923 charged $1.00 to $2.00. for staining the split willow before the application of the leather trim. Please click on its image to see additional views!