5Pattern history and manufacturer context
Series
The label names the line Mustad-Viking Hooks, printed in red. Mustad’s current catalogue uses the Viking name on a forged live-bait hook with a 5X short shank and an upturned eye, so the name alone does not identify a bend V.
The model number remains listed today. A fly-tying club chart and a dealer both carry the 7957B as a nymph hook with a 1X long shank and a turned-down eye V. The introduction date of the Viking line and of Qual. 7957 B is not documented in the sources examined.
Design lineage
A dealer page lists the 7957B and the S80-3906 Sproat nymph hook as separate products V. The sources examined do not document where the 7957B pattern came from or which Mustad models are earlier or later versions of it.
Dating
The label reads OSLO - NORWAY. Oslo became the official name of Norway's capital in 1925, so the label dates from 1925 or later V. No source examined gives an upper date, an introduction date for the Viking line, or a period of use for this label. The label shows no printed date.
O. Mustad & Son — Mustad traces its roots to 1832 in Vardal, with headquarters in Gjøvik. Mathias Topp designed an automatic hook machine, and hook production was industrialized in 1877. A Singapore hook factory opened in 1970.
Read the maker’s history → The Name on the Label. Norway's capital took the name Oslo by a law of 11 July 1924, effective 1 January 1925. Before that, government documents spelled it Kristiania, a spelling in official use since 1877.
7Collecting and buying
3 / 10CollectabilityRarity: Common
Rated 3 of 10, common: current dealers and a club chart still list the same model code, and no scarcity source, demand record or sold sale was found for boxes with the OSLO - NORWAY label.
Basis: The same model code is still listed by a current dealer and a fly-tying club chart V. No scarcity source or recorded sale was found for boxes with the OSLO - NORWAY label.
Supply evidence is limited to current dealer and club listings of the 7957B model code. Collector demand, auction results and recorded sales were not found in the sources examined.
Market value
Insufficient recorded sales data to estimate a reliable value.
0 sold observations recorded; 2 are needed, with the basis and date of the range, before a value is shown. Asking prices are shown as asking prices only.
Low ($6): Good condition — opened card, most or all hooks present, moderate label wear and aging patina, stored conditions. High ($16): Excellent condition — card well-preserved with minimal label wear, complete hook count (100), minimal edge damage, original tissue wrapping partially intact. Premium factors: sealed or near-sealed original packaging, smaller sizes (6-12 command 2-3x premium over 2/0), early 'Made in Norway' attribution, japanned or tinned finish variants, cards with exceptional label clarity and minimal foxing. Platforms: eBay (worldwide sales), UK vintage tackle dealers, fly-tying specialty retailers, tackle antique fairs. Confidence: V verified — based on 2 completed eBay listings ($3.99, $18.00) and eBay market history data (Apr 2023 - Apr 2026: avg $11.87, range $3.25-$35.00). The wide range reflects significant variation by size and condition; complete sealed cards of smaller sizes reached $35.00, while loose large-size hooks or poor-condition cards sold at $3.25-4.99.
Recorded sales and listings| Listing | Price | Date | Condition |
|---|
| Mustad 7957B Hooks | From $18 asking | live listing | New |
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| Vintage Pack Of 25 Mustad 7957B Viking Fly Tying Hooks, Size 18, Norway | From $3.99 asking | live listing | New |
|---|
Where to find
A dealer lists the current 7957B in packs of 100 V. Sources for boxes with the OSLO - NORWAY label are not documented.
