Garren WoodFishing Hook Reference
Harrison & Bartleet Celebrated O’Shaughnessy Limerick Hooks, Model 2989 — A forged blind-eye pattern from the legendary Redditch hookmaker Harrison & Bartleet, circa 1900-1920. This heavy-wire O’Shaughnessy bend exemplifies the Irish salmon-fishing tradition, named for the celebrated Limerick hook family. The tapered blind eye was the standard for sea-trout and salmon fishing, allowing anglers to attach their own twisted gut loops for historical authenticity in classic fly tying.
Constructed from forged wire with a superior point geometry and tapered shank, these hooks were designed for use with heavy natural baits or dressed flies on Atlantic salmon and sea-trout rivers. The bronzed finish provides both protection and the aesthetic warmth valued by early 20th-century anglers.
The original cardboard box, though incomplete, bears the historic Redditch maker’s mark and carries the names of two great hook-making traditions: Harrison & Bartleet of England and the O’Shaughnessy of Dublin, a lineage tracing to the golden age of Irish hook craftsmanship. Blind-eye hooks of this era are increasingly sought by fly-tying historians and salmon anglers preserving traditional methods.
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The forged construction dramatically increases wire strength without increasing bulk. By selectively flattening and reshaping the wire during the forging process, Harrison & Bartleet created hooks that could handle heavy tension — essential for salmon fishing where a 15-20 lb fish on a small hook demands unyielding durability.
The tapered shank reduces weight throughout the fly without sacrificing strength at the bend. This is particularly important for classical dressing, where complex wing and hackle assignments can quickly become overwrought if the hook itself is heavy.
The superior point geometry — a near-straight, shallow inner taper rather than a concave hollow — provides a fine edge without the fragility of knife-edge profiles. This balance was prized in early 20th-century salmon fishing.
The blind eye required anglers to tie their own eye attachment, a deliberate choice rooted in the tradition of gut-loop construction. This practice preserved the integrity of the fly’s presentation and allowed bespoke loop sizing for different dressing styles.
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Harrison & Bartleet — Redditch, England (c. 1885 onwards)
Harrison & Bartleet of Redditch was established c. 1885, emerging from the partnership of the Harrison family and the renowned Bartleet hook-making dynasty. Wm. Bartleet & Sons by 1895 had become celebrated for Dublin Limerick fish hooks, a reputation that Harrison & Bartleet inherited and leveraged in their product lines.
Redditch was the global center of hook manufacture by the late 19th century. The company’s origins lay in Redditch, Worcestershire, and by the late Victorian era, Redditch was producing approximately 90% of the world’s needles and fish hooks, exporting millions to the U.S., British Colonies, and Europe. Harrison & Bartleet competed in this industrial landscape, marketing their products under the credibility of both the Bartleet name (legendary in Dublin hook traditions) and the Harrison commercial reputation.
The partnership combined manufacturing capability with access to prestigious historical hook-making names. By including ‘O’Shaughnessy’ and ‘Limerick’ in their product nomenclature, they invoked a heritage reaching back to Daniel O’Shaughnessy, one of the most famous fishing hook makers in his day, who was succeeded by his son John, though the actual manufacturing of these models took place in Redditch, not Dublin.
The ‘Celebrated O’Shaughnessy Dublin Limerick Hooks’ line represents Harrison & Bartleet’s attempt to capture the prestige of historical Irish hook names while leveraging Redditch manufacturing. The model designation 2989 appears to be a Harrison & Bartleet internal catalog number. No broader series structure is evident from the packaging; this appears to be a standalone blind-eye pattern offered in multiple sizes (the box label indicates size-specific production, though the size number is now illegible on this specimen).
The ‘Forged Tapered’ designation on the box is significant: it advertises two key manufacturing specifications — forge-hardening for strength and tapered shank construction for refined aesthetics and reduced weight compared to plain-shank hooks. These were premium features in the early 20th century.
No barcode (pre-1974 indicator). Letterpress printing method, aged cream card stock typical of turn-of-century British manufacture. Phone number and postal code format not visible on surviving label. 'Reg. U.S. Pat. Off.' indicates U.S. patent registration, consistent with 1890s-1920s Harrison & Bartleet export packaging. The 'Celebrated O'Shaughnessy' nameplate echoes historical Limerick hook terminology from the 1800s. Forged heavy wire and blind-eye construction are consistent with pre-1920 British salmon/sea-trout fishing traditions. The loose-hook box construction and minimal label detail suggest early 20th century rather than later standardized packaging.
The O'Shaughnessy name on this hook is a marketing echo of a defunct tradition. By 1900, the once great reputation of Limerick hooks had all but died by the 1860s, with only one master hook maker left — Michael Selles of Quay Lane. Yet by packaging 'Celebrated O'Shaughnessy Dublin Limerick Hooks,' Harrison & Bartleet traded on ghostly prestige. The Irish hook-making craft had essentially died in Limerick, but Redditch industrialists successfully marketed reproductions bearing the original names to generations of anglers who never knew the difference.
The O’Shaughnessy bend traces to Daniel O’Shaughnessy, about sixty years ago [from 1866], was one of the most famous—if not the most famous fishing hook maker in his day. The pattern was later adopted and industrialized by Redditch manufacturers including Harrison & Bartleet, H. Milward & Sons, and others. While the original Limerick hooks were individually crafted, these Redditch versions were mass-produced using standardized tooling and forging dies. The blind-eye form persisted into the 1920s-1930s for salmon fishing but was gradually displaced by looped and ball-eye variants as modern tying materials (nylon, dacron) replaced gut.
| Silhouette | Hook Model | Match | Analysis | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2867 No. 2/0 — Milward Quality 2867 O'Shaughnessy | 88% | Compare | |
|
241 No. 2/0 — Mustad Quality 241 | 79% | Compare | |
|
Celebrated Dublin Limerick No. 2 — Harrison Celebrated Dublin Limerick Hook | 75% | Compare | |
|
Harrison & Bartleet’s – Celebrated Pennell Limerick Hooks | 74% | Compare | |
|
3828 No. 3/0 — Quality 3828 | 72% | Compare |
| Silhouette | Hook Model | Match | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|
|
9620 A No. 7/0 — Mustad 9620 A | 97% | Compare |
|
92642 No. 2 — Mustad 92642 | 96% | Compare |
|
K12ST No. 12 — Longshank Sedge/Caddis | 96% | Compare |
|
Short Shank, TUE No. 6 — Red Label Short Shank, TUE | 96% | Compare |
|
3051 No. 7 — Chathundeley Sproat | 95% | Compare |
Designed for classical salmon and sea-trout fishing on British Isles rivers. The tapered blind eye was the standard eye form for dressing flies with twisted gut loops, a requirement for authenticating 19th and early 20th-century salmon fly patterns (e.g., dressed irons for complex wing patterns on the River Dee or River Tweed). The heavy forged wire provides the strength and weight needed to drive the point through the mouth of large fish when long baits or heavily-dressed flies were in use.
Saltwater bait fishing for large species; classic salmon wet-fly tying with modern substitutes for gut loops (silk, dacron).
Classic salmon dry flies and wet flies requiring blind-eye irons: March Brown, Jock Scott, Silver Doctor, Dusty Miller, Akroyd, Glentana. Modern fly patterns adapted to blind-eye hooks.
| Hook | Match Quality | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Gaelic Supreme Harrison-Bartleet Blind Eye | Excellent | Direct modern reproduction using historical Bartleet bend geometry, tapered shank, and blind-eye form. Designed for classical salmon fly tying. |
| Partridge of Redditch Bartleet Supreme CS10/1 | Very Good | Blind-eye Bartleet pattern from the company that acquired both Bartleet and Milward. Highly regarded by classical tyers. |
| Mustad 3407 O'Shaughnessy | Good | Modern O'Shaughnessy bend in standard loop-eye configuration; same bend family but not blind-eye form. Suitable for adaptation to gut-loop tying by advanced tyers. |
| Eagle Claw 254 O'Shaughnessy | Moderate | Contemporary saltwater O'Shaughnessy; shorter shank than vintage pattern. Good functional equivalent but lacks historical authenticity. |
Rated 5.5/10 — blind-eye O'Shaughnessy hooks are genuinely scarce due to declining use after 1930s and the fragility of vintage cardboard packaging. Collector demand is strong among classical salmon fly tyers and hook historians, but limited by the specific eye form and the fragmentary condition of original boxes. This specimen benefits from both the hook quality and the rare surviving box, though the box is incomplete.
What makes this hook collectible: Blind-eye hooks are the gold standard for classical salmon fly tying. This hook embodies the marriage of two prestigious traditions — the Bartleet name (Redditch elite) and the O’Shaughnessy/Limerick heritage (Irish craft tradition). The forged construction and superior point geometry make it functionally superior to modern equivalents for traditional-pattern work. Original packaging in any condition is exceptional for early 20th-century hooks.
What limits the rating: Harrison & Bartleet produced these hooks in significant quantities (the box once held 100), and many loose examples survive. The rating is constrained by the surviving count of intact original boxes and matched sets. Single loose hooks, while valuable, command significantly lower premiums than carded or boxed groupings. The incomplete box condition (missing bottom panel) and illegible size marking reduce the premium, though the hook itself is undamaged.
Size and finish variants: Larger sizes (1/0, 2/0, 3/0) command higher premiums than smaller sizes, particularly if the size is documented on the box. Bronzed finish is standard and desirable; any surviving hooks with original japanned (black lacquer) finish would be notably scarcer. Complete original tissue wrapping adds 15-25% to value.
Condition factors that most affect value: Hooks themselves must be bright and corrosion-free to retain full premium (oxidized or pitted specimens lose 20-40%). Original box condition is critical — complete boxes with all four sides intact and legible printing command 2-3x the value of incomplete boxes. Original tissue wrapping or envelope packaging intact adds 20-30% premium. Matched sets (multiple hooks from the same box) are more desirable than singles.
Cardboard box, lid-style. Printed label on lid reading: 'HARRISON'S [decorative ornament] Reg. U.S. Pat. Off. [crossed-out section] Celebrated O'Shaughnessy Dublin Limerick Hooks, 100 Forged Tapered [size illegible] No. 2989'. Letterpress printing on aged cream stock. No barcode visible. Tan/cream paper exterior with light toning consistent with early 20th century.
Low ($12): Good condition — incomplete box with 2-3 hooks present, slight wear, printing legible. High ($35): Very Good condition — box 3/4 intact, all 4-6 hooks bright and undamaged, original tissue wrapping if present. Premium factors: Blind-eye form (rarer than looped), Bartleet-O'Shaughnessy name prestige, forged construction, complete readable size marking (illegible on this specimen). Platforms: eBay UK and US specialist tackle listings; occasional vintage fishing tackle dealers; specialized salmon-fly auction houses. Confidence: E estimated — limited recent comparable sales; Harrison & Bartleet blind-eye boxes are uncommon enough that each transaction is noteworthy rather than routine.
Specialty vintage fishing tackle dealers (UK and US); eBay UK postings (fewer on US eBay); Coventry/Redditch fishing heritage markets; classical salmon-fly tying forums and FB groups; rare-book and antique dealers specializing in sporting ephemera.
Look for the ‘HARRISON’S’ nameplate in bold, serif letterpress type at the top of the box label. The crossed-out section (likely a previous patent claim) is diagnostic of an earlier box revision. The ‘Celebrated O’Shaughnessy’ nameplate and model number 2989 are key identifiers. Blind-eye hooks are rarer than modern looped or ball-eye forms and command collector interest.
Hooks: Store loose hooks in archival paper (acid-free) or sealed glass vials away from moisture. The bronzed finish is stable but can develop desirable patina in humid environments. Avoid contact with copper, aluminum, or other metals that could cause galvanic corrosion. Do not immerse in water or oil — the hooks are already fully protected by their finish.
Original Packaging: If the box survives, store it flat in a cool, dry location away from direct sunlight. UV exposure will fade the printed label over time. House in an archival cardboard box with acid-free tissue for further protection. Do not attempt to reassemble or repair incomplete boxes — original construction and damage history are historically significant. Document the condition with photographs before any storage, as handling can accelerate paper degradation.
Functional Use: These hooks are fully usable for fly tying. If you plan to dress patterns on them, begin with a small test hook to assess point sharpness and eye condition. The tapered eye may require careful wrapping technique to secure a gut loop securely — modern tyers often prefer a simple loop knot or whipped attachment. Do not sharpen the point aggressively; the original superior geometry is optimized for the wire weight and temper.
The box label is entirely printed via letterpress — no handwritten annotations are visible. The crossed-out section on the label (likely a previous patent claim or revision) appears to be part of the original printing plate design, not a hand alteration. The box shows no pencil prices, stock codes, or dealer marks. This absence of secondary markings is typical of packaging that remained in original inventory stock for extended periods without retail circulation.
Visible Text (from packaging):
‘HARRISON’S [decorative ornament] Reg. U.S. Pat. Off. Celebrated O’Shaughnessy Dublin Limerick Hooks, 100 Forged Tapered [size illegible] No. 2989’
Analysis: The ‘Reg. U.S. Pat. Off.’ (Registered U.S. Patent Office) claim indicates that Harrison & Bartleet held a U.S. patent on some aspect of this hook’s design or manufacturing process. This marketing claim was common from the 1880s through 1920s but is now difficult to verify without access to U.S. Patent Office records. The patent likely covered either the tapered shank construction or the forging process, not the O’Shaughnessy bend itself (which predated this company’s formation).
The designation ‘100’ refers to the quantity per box (100 loose hooks), a standard packaging count for British hook manufacturers of the era. The size number is worn or faded on this specimen and cannot be reliably determined from the remaining impression.
Source: Box label, letterpress printing, circa 1900-1920, Harrison & Bartleet, Redditch.
| 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. |
Claims with no notation are confirmed by multiple independent 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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