Auction of Lefty Kreh's Fishing Gear

[MathFish]

This morning I saw that there is an auction this weekend of Lefty Kreh's gear and fishing related items. It is actually going on right now. There are about 2000 items for sale. If you're interested in owning something that he once did, hurry up and check it out.

The proceeds of the auction are for the benefit of Lefty's family.

It looks like most of the fly fishing related items will be sold today. The estimates looked to be priced pretty reasonably, but I checked it later and many of the items estimated for $50 to $75 are selling for upwards of $150 to $600...

Here is a link to the auction site, or check out ginkandgasoline.com to see the write-up on it on the blog.

Lefty's auction

 

[PennKev]

MathFish wrote:
The estimates looked to be priced pretty reasonably, but I checked it later and many of the items estimated for $50 to $75 are selling for upwards of $150 to $600...

Those $50-75 estimates are low ball estimates by quite a bit. Those reels, for instance, are worth far more than that price range just as desirable reels without the connection to Kreh. Heck, they listed a Tibor Everglades as $100-150. LOL. Not on this planet.

 

[laszlo]

Yeah, those reels are selling for $500-$800. To own a reel owned by Lefty would be pretty cool.

 

[sandfly]

I do from the 70's

 

[poopdeck]

Not slighting the man but I can't imagine his gear being worth much more then anybody else's gear. I hope his family does well.

 

[DriftingDunn]

I'm surprised it's not being donated to the Pennsylvania Fly Fishing Museum or some other such place.

 

[laszlo]

I imagine some will be donated but I always thought of Lefty as a Maryland guy.

 

[sandfly]

silver springs Md.

 

[geebee]

wow, they sold all his awards and everything. that's kind of sad.

some of those rod prices were quite reasonable, but i'd feel bad buying from his Estate if the proceeds weren't going to charity.

i don't imagine he was a 'sell everything' kind of guy, but maybe he was.

 

[poopdeck]

It's kind of sad that nobody has given a thought about the needs of his family over some silly museum or donation to a charity. I'm pretty sure the family knows what's best for them and his estate.

 

[ryansheehan]

poopdeck wrote:
It's kind of sad that nobody has given a thought about the needs of his family over some silly museum or donation to a charity. I'm pretty sure the family knows what's best for them and his estate.

+1

 

[geebee]

poopdeck wrote:
It's kind of sad that nobody has given a thought about the needs of his family over some silly museum or donation to a charity. I'm pretty sure the family knows what's best for them and his estate.

He was one of Americas most successful authors- he published over 30 books worldwide, you think his family needed the cash ? :roll:

 

[ryansheehan]

geebee wrote:

poopdeck wrote:
It's kind of sad that nobody has given a thought about the needs of his family over some silly museum or donation to a charity. I'm pretty sure the family knows what's best for them and his estate.

He was one of Americas most successful authors- he published over 30 books worldwide, you think his family needed the cash ? :roll:

You think he died a wealthy man? You think he was really one of America's most successful authors???? How many books do you think he sold? The bottom of America's most successful author list is Tom Clancy with 100 million copies sold, guessing Lefty finished just above Tom.....?????

 

[jifigz]

ryansheehan wrote:

geebee wrote:

poopdeck wrote:
It's kind of sad that nobody has given a thought about the needs of his family over some silly museum or donation to a charity. I'm pretty sure the family knows what's best for them and his estate.

He was one of Americas most successful authors- he published over 30 books worldwide, you think his family needed the cash ? :roll:

You think he died a wealthy man? You think he was really one of America's most successful authors???? How many books do you think he sold? The bottom of America's most successful author list is Tom Clancy with 100 million copies sold, guessing Lefty finished just above Tom.....?????

Lefty was a prolific author, not a famous one. Most people don't buy fly fishing books and I highly doubt that he made much money at a from them. The same holds true for his Fame and popularity. 99% of the people in the United States would say "who in the hell is Lefty Kreh?"

 

[troutbert]

In my opinion the negative remarks about Lefty Kreh are totally without merit, inappropriate, disrespectful, and should be deleted.

 

[jifigz]

troutbert wrote:
In my opinion the negative remarks about Lefty Kreh are totally without merit, inappropriate, disrespectful, and should be deleted.

I don't think there is a single negative remark about him in this thread. All I see are people's opinions about the auction of his gear and some assuming that he financially prospered from books, teaching, etc. I agree with a lot of what has been said. Fly fishing is a great thing and Lefty was very well known in this community, but that doesn't mean his stuff is worth a ton of money, it doesn't mean he profited from book sales, and it doesn't mean most people would know who he is. I guarantee that if you want up to 100 strangers and said "do you know Lefty Kreh is now deceased?" MAYBE 10% (and that is being generous) would have any idea who that is. I'm guessing more like 2-5%.

 

[poopdeck]

Lefty’s legecy is not in the value of his gear or the in the display of his gear. The high brow take of his monetary value to fly fishing is disrespectful.

 

[RLeep2]

>>He was one of Americas most successful authors- he published over 30 books worldwide, you think his family needed the cash ?>>

I'm doubtful Kreh, even at his level, was able to earn enough from his fishing related work to be "wealthy" by any definition. There simply isn't enough money in it. After all, he held a number of day jobs through his career, perhaps most notably at the Baltimore Sun.

If you look at the vast majority of the more popular FF authors from Traver to Schweibert to Gierach and on and on, most of them came into the field avocationally. Judges, journalists, academics, etc.

Whatever and however, I'm sure the Kreh family is doing what they need to in this situation.

 

[ryansheehan]

RLeep2 wrote:
>>He was one of Americas most successful authors- he published over 30 books worldwide, you think his family needed the cash ?>>

I'm doubtful Kreh, even at his level, was able to earn enough from his fishing related work to be "wealthy" by any definition. There simply isn't enough money in it. After all, he held a number of day jobs through his career, perhaps most notably at the Baltimore Sun.

If you look at the vast majority of the more popular FF authors from Traver to Schweibert to Gierach and on and on, most of them came into the field avocationally. Judges, journalists, academics, etc.

Whatever and however, I'm sure the Kreh family is doing what they need to in this situation.

Agreed, people judging the family's actions without any knowledge of the situation is wrong. .

 

[geebee]

ryansheehan wrote:

RLeep2 wrote:
>>He was one of Americas most successful authors- he published over 30 books worldwide, you think his family needed the cash ?>>

I'm doubtful Kreh, even at his level, was able to earn enough from his fishing related work to be "wealthy" by any definition. There simply isn't enough money in it. After all, he held a number of day jobs through his career, perhaps most notably at the Baltimore Sun.

If you look at the vast majority of the more popular FF authors from Traver to Schweibert to Gierach and on and on, most of them came into the field avocationally. Judges, journalists, academics, etc.

Whatever and however, I'm sure the Kreh family is doing what they need to in this situation.

Agreed, people judging the family's actions without any knowledge of the situation is wrong. .

i'm not judging them, i'm just saying its a little bit sad - a bit like when your hear a Vet having to sell off his service medals.