Ben Smith Lures, Inc., St. Augustine, FL
Ben Smith was an early inventor of plastic lures. His first lure was the Swimming Minnow and was made about 1940. They are engraved along the top center of the lure "A Ben Smith Lure" on one side and "St. Augustine, Fla" on the other. He later sold a hinged shrimp lure in 1950 when he bought the design and rights to the Norwich shrimp.
BEN SMITH Lure, circa 1940
BEN SMITH Shrimp, circa 1940