Predator Calls....The First 50 Years by Jay Nistetter and Al Lux. An expensive book it cost me $45.00 back in 2002. However when your into predator calling like me you natuarally obtain many mouth calls.

Notice for example: Primos only made one wooden call from 1989 to 1992 then discountinued them. If you have one put it up because it's highly collectable.

Pied Piper first made in 1952. The woodsman introduced in 1954. However the molds for all the Pied Piper were destroyed in 1978 after the death of owner A.L. Lindsey. Yep you have any of these little plastic calls put them up!!!!!!!!Actually all type of Pied Pipers are highly collectable.

Mallardtone Predator call......However if you have the mallartone that says Fox Call on it instead of Predator Call ........Yep put it up it highly collectable. It's one and same but the Fox Call desgination was issued first and they are rearer then the one with Predator Call written on it.


J C Higgins Calls and or Sears Call.....Yep highly collectable. All types of wildlife calls not jut predator calls.

Anyway if you are starting to accumulate calls you might want to own this book.


I sure wish all you new predator call makers would put them in a small box instead of a plastic bag. Yep......If it's in a box it worth more!!!!!!!!!!!

One of the sources for the book. Actual author web site.

http://www.shop.rhinocalls.com/product.sc;...0F8EAFD89664065 322F15CF3146A.qscstrfrnt02?categoryId=1&productId=1

Great post!! I don't really know anything whatsoever about the collectibility of calls. So, I might get the book just to learn a few things...thanks for turning me/us onto it.

Do you collect calls? I've seen a few makers of custom calls that I love their work, thought about getting a few just to set out. Just for cause they're pretty. That's cool that there's a market for antique/vintage calls...never knew there was!

Yes I do collect calls. Started off by buying them to use. Then I start looking through the book and I start to see some that are collectable. Must have about 100 mouth calls now. Neat thing is the ones that were real collectable I find them at Trapper fleamarkets or outdoor flea markets just laying on the table. The three Pied Piper calls I found I got them for $2.00 each. There is a predator calls called "WEEMS". If you see any of those laying on the able and they are cheap buy them. 5 years ago they were going for about $50.00 each. Just like your lure collection if it has the box, the instructions inside it's even worth more money. As you know don't ever throw away a box from a gun, call, lure, etc.

Turkey calls, duck, goose, etc calls are collectable too. I found some beautiful Olt duck calls at a trapper flea market. Got 5 of them for $10.00. 3 were in the orginal box yet. Next time the trapper have a flea market or a get together in your area. Go. You don't know what is going to be laying on the table. It could be alive too!!!!!

I have a couple of older calls, but I don't really know if they are collectable or not... I'd sure like to have that book. I just wish it wasn't quite so expencive.

Mongojo send me a P. M. Provide me the name of Call company first. Companies alone can make it highly collectable. they provide a rating of low, moderate and or highly for each call company. If you have the name or model number of the call it just might highlight them as quite collectable. I will get back to you with the info I have found in the book.

For example Johnny Stewarts are Low for collectable. There are so many out there that it's easy to get your hands on them.

Off hand, I believe I have an old, wooden CIRCE, an old OLT, (both still in the original box) an old BURNHAM BROS., and maybe one or two others... One of these times I'll dig them out and send you the information on them....and thanks.

All wooden Circe are collectable so I would put it up and tell you children don't sale it at a yard sale for $1.00. If the Olt is Model 22 and or 33 they are highly collectable. T20's with black plug and mottled brown barrel instead of the green plug and black barrel ....1954-1955 highly collectable. 1957 T 20 green plug is a different shade of green then 1959's to present. 1957 emblem is different then 1958- present. 1954-1958 T20 are highly collectable.


Burnham Bros calls range from low value to high value. the older they are the highly collectable they are. Low value ones would be the models still be manufactured now.

Well, actually, they are put up... Somewhere back in the dark recesses of my the gun room... I remember putting them up, just don't remember off hand exactly where...LOL.........

There is one that I wondered about, and was still useing back when I was still able to get out and run traps and call. In fact it was the one I used more than any other... I got it, used, from my father in law back in the late 70's... It says "BURNHAM BROS. FOX CALL" on it, and "MARBLE FALLS TEXAS"..... I believe they still make this call, but it is called the "C-3" now.

Mongojo


If it's the Wooden C3 it's highly collectable. It was first introduced in in 1952 and stopped being manufactured as the C3 wooden call in 1958. They changed the wooden C3 model # to a WF4 in 1958. The WF stand for Wooden Fox call.. The plastic C3 was introduced in 1957. Should your call turn out to be the wooden C3 put it up for saving.

No, it's the brown plastic.... I do have an old wooden CIRCE, still in the box, and another one, an OLT I believe(but I may be wrong), also still in the original box... Like I say, I only have a few that I figure may be collectable...and those are "put up", and have been for years... I know they are in the gun room somewhere...but I'd have to launch an expedition to find them.

Mongojo best to let them lay. However make sure you tell the kids the potential for them to be worth something should they have to go in there someday and find them.