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Henry Napiorkowski

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horrorhead View Drop Down
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    Posted: 05 Jan 2017 at 3:23pm
A couple of weeks ago I bought some Dempsters. As we were talking the seller pointed out a particular lure that was twice as fat as the others. I commented that it was most likely the thickness of the timber used at the time.

Last night a friend on Facebook asked me if I had or seen any Henry Napiorkowski lures. Apparently he was around at Henry's place where he was told that Henry was taught by George Dempster how to make and paint lures. The only differences was that Henry's were much thicker and he used white eyes where George used yellow eyes - so mystery solved of the fat (it ain't a) Dempster lure.



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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote micknq Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Feb 2017 at 7:45pm
It's identical apart from the thickness and eye colour. Will have to go have a re-look at mine.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Seaweed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Feb 2017 at 11:23am
Martin, when I get my own laptop back from the repairers, (if ever?) I'll post a pic of another Dempster like lure. Found in Darwin, I'm thinking it could be a Joe Flint. Be open to opinions, on it and another I've already traded to Toby.
(typing this on my sons girlfriends MacBook)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote horrorhead Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Mar 2017 at 9:26pm
This is a Dempster painted by Henry - coolClap
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote steiny Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Mar 2017 at 9:53pm
I have dempsters that come in a wide variety of thicknesses and some with white eyes also.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote micknq Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Mar 2017 at 10:10pm
Originally posted by steiny steiny wrote:

I have dempsters that come in a wide variety of thicknesses and some with white eyes also.

Yeah me too .
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote horrorhead Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Mar 2017 at 6:55am
It seems that you may have some Henry's then Mick and DarrenThumbs Up
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote steiny Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Mar 2017 at 8:22am
I am not convinced Martin. It doesn't prove that George never painted white eyes on his lures.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote horrorhead Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Mar 2017 at 12:01pm
That's right, he most probably did, especially if he ran out of yellow - or just made a mistake - or for a bit of a change, but take it into account the width of the body and it may point more towards it being a Henry.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote steiny Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Mar 2017 at 2:17pm

I have just been threw my boxes and counted quite a number of Dempsters with white eyes. The yellow eyes do account for most, however the white eyes are still represented strongly with a 1 in 5 ratio....

Some of the lures pictured are the very EARLY ones that George made. If you look closely on some you can see the thin galvanised eyelets (not Stainless steel). I would be 99.9% sure that these are not made by Henry. I have only a handful of George's original lures made this way...and ironically most have WHITE eyes. The set of three black lures are very early ones with the faint white body stripes. Furthermore, some of the white eyed lures inspected were also very thin in thickness....also squashing the theory that if they are fatter ones they are probably Henrys lures. Look at the colours on some of these old lures. They are not common colours and they are early, with white eyes.

In addition, several of these lures were purchased directly from George himself, by a mate of mine, or via Ross Johnston who was a travelling rep for Georges lures. I purchased some of these pictured lures directly from Ross Johnson himself, hence they were not made by anyone else.


This black and white gorgeous 3 hooker also has a white eye. It reminds me of a wrasse (not sure why). It is a very very early pattern with the white stripes applied by hand, similar to the yellow ones that George did. I have only seen one other like this....and that was on face book a few weeks ago, but it only had 2 hooks. Arguably one of my favourite lures that I own, and as a Dempster collector, hard to beat in my opinion.


The three lures pictured above on the left with the wide black arrow bars are all early ones. The little pink trout pattern is another old dempster lure with white eyes. Sorry Martin, but I do believe that these lures were made and painted by George Dempster, and have no evidence to suggest otherwise.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote hooknose Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Mar 2017 at 3:02pm
Have to agree with Steiny Martin, and where thickness is concerned you should take into account that most of these old fellas (eric moller and most likely Carl included) did not make every lure exactly the same, it was a day to day thing I think. I'm sure a lure wouldnt have hit the bin because it came out a few mm thicker than the norm, as long as it passed the swim test she would be right.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote hooknose Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Mar 2017 at 3:03pm
By the way Nice lures Steiny
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote horrorhead Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Mar 2017 at 6:13pm
The plot thickens. The Henry in this original post is not just a few mm thicker, it is more then twice as thick and quite oval shaped. 

I'm waiting for a reply from my mate that knows Henry about my latest lure.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote horrorhead Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Mar 2017 at 6:23pm
Just did some measurements, my Dempsters range between 6 mm and 9 mm. What I believe is a Henry's in the original post is 15 mm thick.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote steiny Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Mar 2017 at 7:56pm

Martin, if you are referring to the yellow lure on the left in the first pic, I believe it is a 100% a Dempster. You cannot identify a lure going by the thickness, and especially not a Dempster. I have many dempsters that are oval shaped. This doesnt prove anything. Of all the lure makers I know, George would probably have the MOST discrepancy in lure thickness.

Here is an example of 4 minnows (two of which are pictured earlier). They range in size from 7mm to 27mm. Quite frankly, every lure George made is a different size. So many variables Martin. Part of the reason I like these lures is the difference between them. Take for example Dempster scorpions....no two alike.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote horrorhead Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Mar 2017 at 4:28pm
I'm happier that that lure is a DempsterClap. That is a HUGE variation. Makes me think that he cut a lure out of what ever thickness of timber that he laid his hands on.

Now to put it with the rest of my Dempsters.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote horrorhead Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Mar 2017 at 4:43pm
Just googled Henry, a blank facebook account. A mention of him and his son sighting a great white shark off Cardwell in Fishing Monthly May 2008 edition stating a game fisher from Cairns who had fished further south.

My mate will be seeing Henry in a couple of weeks time so I'll question him some more when that happens.
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