Pichney A 40 Originals????
 

So these big boys arrived today, 3 original pichney a 40s, supposedly.

These things are beefy, they weigh 3.5, 4.2 and 4.3 oz without hooks.

Bottom belly weight is visible, they feel solid and indestructible.

They are bigger than any other atom 40 I've ever seen or owned, much bigger than the original bob pond wood 40s I own and even bigger than the bm 40s.

But I think now after handling them they are not pichney's work.

The lip doesn't have the bends in the edges, the angle of the wire in te front isn't as extreme, the rear taper looks off, the nose isn't as round and they are 8" long on the body not 7.5".

Tail wrap, grommets, hardware and finish look right though.

Any ideas?

Homemade old school clones of his work?

Earlier or later design?

http://i1227.photobucket.com/albums/...8F08445E3B.jpg

http://i1227.photobucket.com/albums/...8F0B833BF7.jpg

The yellow I'm skeptical (I'd be guessing Bluestreak which was a heavy trolling plug made of mahogany), the middle and maybe the top may be Pichney's. The blunt head was a feature of his early A 40's. I have one that is similar but it is 7.5". Is there a belly weight 2 1/4" in from the chin? If so it is probably a Pichney.

The belly weight from the nose is a hair over 3"
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are lips all scratched up? Lets see the lips.

http://i1227.photobucket.com/albums/...D76FBF776E.jpg

http://i1227.photobucket.com/albums/...D775B499A2.jpg

http://i1227.photobucket.com/albums/...D7799DC0EE.jpg

http://i1227.photobucket.com/albums/...D77DC0CB4D.jpg
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Look like Pichneys to me?

yup lips look genuine and the marks on the front where the spur center stuck in. He never really sanded those out very often. Blanks were cut right to size, no false ends. They were fishing catching implements, not art projects.

Thanks guys, was hoping they were originals

The other a 40s ive seen of his were much more finished, rounded nose, lips had the bends on the edges, angle of nose loop was different, but those were collector ones that had never seen water.

Im glad these are originals and adding them to the collection is nice too, hopefully I can turn some copies this winter, if i do Ill post all the dimensions.

any idea why his are so much bigger than the rest of the atom 40s made around the same time? It makes the wood bob pond 40s i have look so tiny.

Thanks again guys.

Big plug, Big Fish :uhuh:

maybe he wanted to be a nice guy and not knock them off exactly

Good answer Paul.

Looking forward to making some over the winter. Seems like i have plenty of ideas to keep me busy over the winter.
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You might want to ask over on the Tackle Collector's forum on SOL. Somebody might know more history about these.
Was the yellow one originally white and the varnish has yellowed it?
It is not a color I recall seeing Pichney use.

Started a thread there with a bunch of pics.

Yeah I think it was his standard white with flake job that has yellowed over the years
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