Antique & Collectible Fishing Creels

For centuries, the fishing creel was an essential companion of the angler—a practical basket designed to carry the day’s catch while allowing air to circulate. By the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, creels had evolved beyond simple fishing equipment into beautifully crafted objects featuring distinctive willow and wicker weaving, leather trim, pockets, harnesses, and specialized fittings.

Creels were produced in many forms, influenced by American, Native American, European, and Asian basket-making traditions. Notable American makers and suppliers included George Lawrence, McMonies, Clark, Schnell, and Mousel, whose surviving examples are especially interesting to collectors today. As explored in Hugh Chatham and Dan McClain’s The Art of the Creel, their varied construction and craftsmanship provide a fascinating record of angling history.

Angling Artifacts offers a continually changing selection of antique and collectible fishing creels, from traditional wicker examples to scarce leathered and pocketed creels by recognized makers and individual craftsmen. Each represents a distinctive piece of fishing history and the craftsmanship of an earlier era.

Should you have any questions regarding any item, please feel free to call: 
310-446-3079 or
Email us with your request sales@angling-artifacts.com

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