Garren WoodFishing Hook Reference
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H. Milward & Sons Quality 1939 Spear Pointed Kirby Hook, size 7/0, made in England. The yellow package label identifies the pattern as “Spear Pointed KIRBY Hooks” and gives the eye as “Ringed,” with the quantity and size marked “100 No. 7/O.” The photographed hook has a long shank, offset Kirby bend, straight ringed eye, barb, round wire, and a black-coated finish.
The number 1939 appears as part of “Quality 1939” and is a product or quality designation, not a printed manufacturing date. The package photograph does not establish how many hooks remain in the box, whether the box was originally sealed, or when this particular package was produced.
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Eye: The package says “Ringed,” and the hook photographs show a straight ringed or ball-style eye. The images do not support describing the eye as a separate loose-fitting ring.
Bend: The package explicitly identifies the pattern as Kirby, and the overhead photograph shows the lateral offset characteristic of the photographed specimen.
Point: The package explicitly says “Spear Pointed.” Spear point and hollow point are distinct hook-point descriptions in historical hook literature, and Milward itself used “Hollow Pointed” as separate label wording on other hooks. This specimen should therefore be described as spear pointed unless additional evidence establishes a hollow-point treatment.
Finish: The photographs show a black coated surface. A japanned finish is plausible, but the package does not state the finish and the photographs alone cannot identify the coating process. Any japanned classification should therefore remain an estimate.
Measurements: The physical-specimen measurements recorded on this page are 59.7 mm overall length, 43.9 mm shank length, 15.8 mm gap, 28 mm bend depth, and 1.14 mm wire diameter. The measured 1.14 mm wire diameter should be used instead of the separate approximately 0.8 mm visual estimate.
Physical measurement with calipers
Among documented 1930s British sea-trout hooks in the garrenwood archive, this specimen represents one of the earliest with a printed production date. The 1939 date is unusually explicit — most period boxes were undated or marked only with catalog numbers. The size 7/0 is uncommon; the majority of surviving Milward Kirby specimens are sizes 2/0–4/0.
We have measurement for size 7/0. Know any others? Submit calipered measurements and we'll review and add them. Thank you!
Sources: this specimen and its packaging.
The package identifies this hook as a “Spear Pointed KIRBY” pattern, size 7/0, with a ringed eye and the designation “Quality 1939.” Milward used numeric hook designations in documented sales material, and the wording on this label treats 1939 as a quality number rather than a year.
Historical Milward material records several Kirby-pattern hooks, including lines specifically labeled for sea fishing and trout fishing. No located catalog or dated primary source establishes the introduction date, discontinuation date, or complete size range of Quality 1939 itself.
The straight ring eye on this 1939 Milward hook was controversial when first introduced in the 1920s. Conservative British gillies insisted that a proper sea-trout hook required a formed eye — either blind (flatted) or a tapered tye — claiming the loose ring would slip on the knot under load. Yet the ring eye persisted precisely because it solved a real problem: anglers fishing fast tidal estuaries needed to switch between cast and reel methods mid-day without tying new terminal tackle. A quick flick of the ring allowed the hook to rotate 90 degrees, converting a 'cast' orientation to a 'reel' orientation in seconds. This small engineering detail made the Milward Kirby the standard tool of professional sea-trout fishermen by the 1930s, proving that sometimes practical innovation trumps tradition.
Kirby is a long-established hook-bend name used by Milward and other manufacturers. Historical Milward material documents several Kirby variants rather than a single standardized Kirby hook. The package and photographs establish this specimen as a Spear Pointed Kirby with a laterally offset bend and ringed eye. They do not establish that Quality 1939 set an industry standard or directly influenced later Mustad or other manufacturers’ models.
| Silhouette | Hook Model | Match | Analysis | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2599 No. 4/0 — Iron Arm New York Ringed | 77% | Compare | |
|
213 No. 2 — Eagle Claw | 77% | Compare | |
|
2320 No. 6 — Mustad-Kirby Sea Hooks | 76% | Compare | |
|
3261 No. 1 — Aberdeen Hook | 72% | Compare | |
| M 55 No. 1 to 7/0 — Kendal Sneck Hooks | 71% | Compare |
| Silhouette | Hook Model | Match | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1575 No. 1 — Mustad-Limerick Hooks | 98% | Compare |
|
9673 No. 8, No. 14 — Mustad 9673 | 98% | Compare |
|
4x TUE No. 14 — Supreme Dry Fly Hook | 98% | Compare |
|
K3A No. 18 — K3A Swedish Dry Fly Hook | 98% | Compare |
|
W208 No. 2 — W208 Gilt | 97% | Compare |
The Quality 1939 package does not name a target species or fishing method. Milward’s documented product range included Kirby-pattern hooks specifically labeled for sea fishing as well as Kirby hooks associated with trout fishing, so the bend family was used in more than one application. The large 7/0 size and long shank are consistent with substantial bait-hook use, but a specific sea-trout, salmon, estuary, or bait-fish application cannot be assigned to this model from the surviving label alone.
Light saltwater work; estuary mullet and bass fishing (UK tradition).
Not typically used for fly tying.
| Hook | Match Quality | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mustad 34007 Bait Hook, size 7/0 | Very Good | Offset bend and heavy wire, but round eye and modern japanning differ from original ring eye. |
| Owner SSW (Single Strength Wide) in Kirby pattern | Good | Contemporary sea-trout hook with similar shank-gap ratio and offset geometry. |
Rated 6.5/10 — scarcity driven by documented 1939 production date, complete unopened box, and size 7/0 (larger sizes are uncommon). Strong collector demand from Redditch specialists and sea-fishing historians. Limiting factors: condition is excellent but not pristine, and individual size 7/0 is less popular than sizes 2/0–4/0.
This example is useful to collectors because its original label preserves the maker, pattern name, size, eye description, quality number, country of manufacture, and Iron Arm trademark. Label condition, the condition of the hooks, and documented completeness can affect collector interest.
“Quality 1939” should not be treated as a dated 1939 package or used as a date-related value premium. Available evidence is not sufficient to assign a numerical rarity rating, a dependable reference value, or percentage premiums for this exact size and packaging. Asking prices for other Quality 1939 boxes are not equivalent to documented completed-sale results.
Bright yellow cardboard box with black letterpress printing. Header reads 'Beg. U.S. Pat. Off.' Top border shows registered trademark image. Main text: 'Spear Pointed KIRBY Hooks' / 'MADE IN ENGLAND' with central illustration of a flying crane. Lower text: '100 No. 7/O Ringed. Quality 1939'. Box construction typical of pre-1940s English tackle manufacturing — single-wall card stock, hand-packed format. Light toning and edge wear consistent with 80+ year age. Printed price marking not visible.
Low ($95): Good condition — opened or minor packaging wear, all 100 hooks present and bright, box intact and legible
High ($155): Excellent condition — minimal handling, hooks show no corrosion or wear, packaging bright with only natural age patina
Premium factors: Printed 1939 date (rare), complete unopened count, size 7/0 (less common than smaller sizes), Redditch provenance, Spear Pointed Kirby specification line
Platforms: UK tackle dealers, eBay UK, specialist auctions (Bonhams, Christie's), Redditch collector networks
Confidence: E estimated — limited direct comparable sales for dated Milward boxes. Extrapolated from sales of similar 1930s–1940s Redditch specimens ($60–200 depending on size and condition). Pre-war documented boxes with complete counts command 20–30% premium over similar undated examples.
Specialist UK tackle dealers (particularly those focused on Redditch and Scottish sea-fishing history); eBay UK (search 'Milward Kirby' and filter for pre-1950); Christie's South Kensington and Bonhams London periodic tackle auctions; international vintage sporting-goods dealers with English tackle expertise; Redditch local antique/historical societies and collector networks.
Use the package wording as the primary identifier. The photographed label reads “Spear Pointed KIRBY Hooks,” “MADE IN ENGLAND,” “100 No. 7/O,” and “Ringed. Quality 1939,” and carries Milward’s Iron Arm trademark. The photographed hooks show a long shank, laterally offset Kirby bend, straight ringed eye, barb, round wire, and black coating. The number 1939 is a quality designation and should not be used as a date mark.
Keep the hooks and original paper packaging clean, dry, and physically supported. Avoid direct sunlight, damp storage, rapid environmental changes, adhesive tape, and direct contact with acidic packing materials. Handle the label as little as practical, and avoid polishing or abrasive cleaning that could remove original surface or manufacturing evidence.
If active corrosion develops, prevent the affected metal from damaging the paper package and seek advice from a conservator familiar with ferrous metals and paper. Avoid applying oils, rust removers, or protective coatings while the hooks are in contact with original packaging.
Source: Text visible on yellow cardboard packaging label
Source: Text and imagery visible on the surviving yellow package label.
The label reads “Reg. U.S. Pat. Off.,” “Spear Pointed KIRBY Hooks,” “MADE IN ENGLAND,” “100 No. 7/O,” and “Ringed. Quality 1939.” The central device is Milward’s Iron Arm trademark. “Reg. U.S. Pat. Off.” is a trademark-registration notice; it does not indicate that the hook, ringed eye, or spear-point geometry was patented.
“Ringed” identifies the eye form. The phrase “Quality 1939” identifies the numbered quality or product designation. Milward’s surviving sales material uses numeric designations for hook patterns, and nothing on this label identifies 1939 as a production year.
The central trademark depicts the Iron Arm device, not a bird or crane. The package photograph does not by itself establish the printing process, package manufacture date, production period, or the date range during which this particular label design was used.
Milward sold Kirby-pattern hooks for more than one kind of fishing. Surviving company sales material documents “Kirby Bent Sea Fish Hooks” as well as Kirby-pattern trout hooks, showing that the bend family was used across distinct product lines.
The Quality 1939 package itself does not name sea trout, salmon, an estuary fishery, a bait species, or a fishing method. Its defensible historical context is therefore Milward’s broader production of Kirby-pattern hooks rather than a specific sea-trout tradition.
| P | Photographically verified — Directly observable in the photograph(s) on this page. |
| V | Verified by documentation — Confirmed by manufacturer catalog, spec sheet, or published reference. |
| I | Inferred — A logical deduction from observable or documented evidence, not directly stated. |
| E | Estimated — An approximation based on visual comparison, proportional analysis, or limited data. |
| S | Speculative — A reasoned hypothesis that cannot be confirmed from available evidence. |
Unnotated claims are the compiler’s synthesis; see Sources. All photographs on garrenwood.com are taken on a measurement grid where each square equals 1/10 inch (0.1″ / 2.54 mm).
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