Hellbender fishing lure color no. 917 (not authenticated)

This item is a vintage fishing lure presented inside its original rectangular cardboard and clear plastic display packaging. The lure features a segmented, rounded body painted in a yellow and black striped pattern resembling a perch or bumblebee design, with painted yellow eyes outlined in black. It is equipped with metallic hardware including treble hooks attached at the tail and belly via split rings, and a metal diving lip at the front. The cardboard packaging includes a prominent yellow sticker affixed to the top that clearly reads "hellbender" in lowercase bold sans-serif typography, along with the text "COLOR NO." and a stamped number "917" in red ink. The box shows visible dust, surface wear, and smudging on the clear plastic window, while the lure itself appears to have some slight scuffing or storage residue on its back. The attribution rests directly on the legible text and brand name printed on the packaging label. This piece is characteristic of mid-20th-century tackle manufacturing, though the physical item remains unverified and unauthenticated in terms of its exact production date or factory origin.

Based on what I can see in the photograph, this item presents as a vintage fishing lure housed in packaging that bears a label style consistent with mid-20th-century tackle manufacturing. The box features a yellow sticker with lowercase bold typography reading "hellbender" alongside the stamped text "COLOR NO. 917". The lure itself is segmented with a yellow and black striped pattern, treble hooks, and a metal diving lip. However, I cannot verify from a photo whether the lure and packaging are factory-original to one another, nor can I evaluate the internal materials, exact age, or manufacturing provenance. Physical inspection would be needed to confirm these details. Assuming the labeling and item are period-correct and as they appear, vintage packaged lures of this type typically appeal to niche collectors of mid-century fishing memorabilia, with general market demand supporting a value range of $75 to $150. This valuation is entirely dependent on physical authentication. An unauthenticated piece, modern replica, reproduction, or item "in the style of" would likely trade at a substantially lower decorative-only level, closer to $15 to $30. To establish true authenticity and a more precise value, an in-person examination by a vintage tackle expert, along with detailed research into packaging and catalog variations, would be required.