Known Makers
Sometimes reels by known makers are unmarked. Such is the case with the William Slote reel pictured below, which is marked “Crown”. This tells us it was sold by William Mills & Son, as it is included in their catalogs. But it took a bit of sleuthing by knowledgeable collectors to determine these reels were made by Slote. The marking on a reel is often the seller, not the maker.
~ Click On Pictures To Enlarge ~
Talbot’s “Ben Hur” Fly Reel. This Example Was Sold By Abercrombie & Fitch.
The Talbot “Ben Hur” Fly Reel Was Made In Two Sizes: The Model 100 (2-1/8″) And The Model 101 (2-1/2″). This Example Is A Model 100.
This Julius vom Hofe Reel Has Been Dubbed The “Perforated Reel” By Collectors.
This Size #3 Reel Is 2-3/8″ In Diameter And Is Listed In The 1914 Catalog As The Model 163
Francis J. Philbrook Patented What Is Today Referred To As The Leonard “Bi-Metal Reel”. The Patent Number 191,813 Was Filed On May 10, 1877, And Issued On June 12, 1877. The Patent Covered Two New Ideas: The Use Of Raised Pillars And Recessing A Side Plate To House The Click Mechanism.
This Example Measures 2-5/8″ In Diameter, Including The Pillars And Is Cataloged As A 2-1/2″ Reel. In The Mid-1880s This Reel Cost $8.50 …Which Was Roughly Two Weeks Average Wages At The Time.
This Philbrook & Paine Fly Reel is 2-5/8″ In Diameter, Including The Pillars
Philbrook & Payne’s Reel Making Shop Was Located In Bangor, Maine
Note Payne Is Misspelled As Paine
_______________
The Beautiful Orange Mottled Plates
Are Often Referred To As Hard Rubber, But, They Are Actually Molded Of “Mud”. While There Is No Stringent Formula For Mud, It Is Generally A Mix Of Natural Resins Similar To Shellac And Rosin With Added Coloring Agents.
The Iconic 1874 Patent Orvis Fly Reel Is 2-7/8″ In Diameter
This Is The Second Version Of The 1874 Reel. The First Version Is Solid Nickel Silver And Is Marked On The Foot.. The Third Version Is Constructed With Screws Rather Than Rivets, And The Click Is Moved To Inside The Rear Plate. The Fourth Model Adds An Anti-Foul Rim.
The First And Second Versions Of The 1874 Patent Reel Came In A Nifty Walnut Box
The Edward vom Hofe “Perfection” Is Aptly Named As It Is Widely Considered As Such
This Size #3 Perfection (Model #360) Is 2.5″ In Diameter And Pre-Dates The Use Of Serial Numbers
Often Imitated …To This Day
A 2.25″ Gayle Fly Reel Constructed Of Aluminum And Nickel Silver
George W. Gayle, A Silver Smith And Watch Maker, Apprenticed Under B. F. Meek
There Are Currently Only Eight Known Examples Of This Reel
The “Crown” Fly Reel Was Made For William Mills & Son By William Slote Of Brooklyn, NY. The Reel Has A Frame Of Hard Rubber, The Spool And Revolving Plate Are Aluminum And All Other Parts Are German Silver.
This Example Is A Model 543, Which Is Stamped On The Underside Of The Foot. The Reel Is A Bit Under 2.5″ In Diameter (Including The Pillars) And The Serial Number “24″ Is Stamped Between The Foot Pillars.
Turned Pillars Are A Hallmark Of Slote Fly Reels
The First Model Meek 44 Fly Reel Is Differentiated From The Second By Its Dog-Leg Crank.
Both The First And Second Model Meek 44 Reels Have What Collectors Refer To As A “Flat Back”. The Third Model Has A Raised Back.
The First Model Meek 44 Is Highly Embellished
As Far As I Know, This Is The Only Size (#1) Fly Reel Julius vom Hofe Made With An S-Handle
Marked “Abbey & Imbrie, NY”, This Reel Is 3-1/8″ In Diameter, Including The Pillars
Raised Pillar Julius vom Hofe Reels Were Cataloged In Sizes 1, 2 and 3, With Size 3 Being The Smallest
This Tiny Example Is A Size 4, Which Was Not Cataloged And Measure Just 2-1/8″ From Pillar To Pillar. This One Pre-Dates The 1889 Patent.
The Redifor Model X is 2-1/4″ In Diameter And Is Aluminum With A German Silver “Handle Disc”
Redifor’s Patent 820,326 Is For A “Protected Handle On A Fly Reel”, Which Kept The Line From Fouling
This 4X Multiplier Was Marketed As “The First And Only Multiplying Fly Reel”
Tackle Historians Hypothesize That Tiny Kentucky Reels, Such As This Narrow Spool Meek & Milam, Were Likely Used As Fly Reels By Some Anglers
This Julius vom Hofe Fly Reel Is 2.25″ In Diameter, Including The Pillars
Julius vom Hofe’s Earliest Reels Have Square Pillars, Like This One
The Hardy “Perfect” Seen Here Is The Smallest Cataloged Size: 2.5″. This Example Has The 1905 Check.
A Fairly Early Julius vom Hofe Fly Reel Constructed Of Nickel Silver And Hard Rubber.
This 1-7/8″ Reel Pre-Dates vom Hofe’s 1889 Patent For His Compensating Bearing.
Julius’ Signature Hole In The Foot And The Size Marking, #5
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I Buy Old Tackle ~ Click Here For More Information
reelsmith@aol.com
©
All Rights Reserved
Talbot’s “Ben Hur” Fly Reel. This Example Was Sold By Abercrombie & Fitch.
The Talbot “Ben Hur” Fly Reel Was Made In Two Sizes: The Model 100 (2-1/8″) And The Model 101 (2-1/2″). This Example Is A Model 100.
This Julius vom Hofe Reel Has Been Dubbed The “Perforated Reel” By Collectors.
This Size #3 Reel Is 2-3/8″ In Diameter And Is Listed In The 1914 Catalog As The Model 163
Francis J. Philbrook Patented What Is Today Referred To As The Leonard “Bi-Metal Reel”. The Patent Number 191,813 Was Filed On May 10, 1877, And Issued On June 12, 1877. The Patent Covered Two New Ideas: The Use Of Raised Pillars And Recessing A Side Plate To House The Click Mechanism.
This Example Measures 2-5/8″ In Diameter, Including The Pillars And Is Cataloged As A 2-1/2″ Reel. In The Mid-1880s This Reel Cost $8.50 …Which Was Roughly Two Weeks Average Wages At The Time.
This Philbrook & Paine Fly Reel is 2-5/8″ In Diameter, Including The Pillars
Philbrook & Payne’s Reel Making Shop Was Located In Bangor, Maine
Note Payne Is Misspelled As Paine
_______________
The Beautiful Orange Mottled Plates
Are Often Referred To As Hard Rubber, But, They Are Actually Molded Of “Mud”. While There Is No Stringent Formula For Mud, It Is Generally A Mix Of Natural Resins Similar To Shellac And Rosin With Added Coloring Agents.
The Iconic 1874 Patent Orvis Fly Reel Is 2-7/8″ In Diameter
This Is The Second Version Of The 1874 Reel. The First Version Is Solid Nickel Silver And Is Marked On The Foot.. The Third Version Is Constructed With Screws Rather Than Rivets, And The Click Is Moved To Inside The Rear Plate. The Fourth Model Adds An Anti-Foul Rim.
The First And Second Versions Of The 1874 Patent Reel Came In A Nifty Walnut Box
The Edward vom Hofe “Perfection” Is Aptly Named As It Is Widely Considered As Such
This Size #3 Perfection (Model #360) Is 2.5″ In Diameter And Pre-Dates The Use Of Serial Numbers
Often Imitated …To This Day
A 2.25″ Gayle Fly Reel Constructed Of Aluminum And Nickel Silver
George W. Gayle, A Silver Smith And Watch Maker, Apprenticed Under B. F. Meek
There Are Currently Only Eight Known Examples Of This Reel
The “Crown” Fly Reel Was Made For William Mills & Son By William Slote Of Brooklyn, NY. The Reel Has A Frame Of Hard Rubber, The Spool And Revolving Plate Are Aluminum And All Other Parts Are German Silver.
This Example Is A Model 543, Which Is Stamped On The Underside Of The Foot. The Reel Is A Bit Under 2.5″ In Diameter (Including The Pillars) And The Serial Number “24″ Is Stamped Between The Foot Pillars.
Turned Pillars Are A Hallmark Of Slote Fly Reels
The First Model Meek 44 Fly Reel Is Differentiated From The Second By Its Dog-Leg Crank.
Both The First And Second Model Meek 44 Reels Have What Collectors Refer To As A “Flat Back”. The Third Model Has A Raised Back.
The First Model Meek 44 Is Highly Embellished
As Far As I Know, This Is The Only Size (#1) Fly Reel Julius vom Hofe Made With An S-Handle
Marked “Abbey & Imbrie, NY”, This Reel Is 3-1/8″ In Diameter, Including The Pillars
Raised Pillar Julius vom Hofe Reels Were Cataloged In Sizes 1, 2 and 3, With Size 3 Being The Smallest
This Tiny Example Is A Size 4, Which Was Not Cataloged And Measure Just 2-1/8″ From Pillar To Pillar. This One Pre-Dates The 1889 Patent.
The Redifor Model X is 2-1/4″ In Diameter And Is Aluminum With A German Silver “Handle Disc”
Redifor’s Patent 820,326 Is For A “Protected Handle On A Fly Reel”, Which Kept The Line From Fouling
This 4X Multiplier Was Marketed As “The First And Only Multiplying Fly Reel”
Tackle Historians Hypothesize That Tiny Kentucky Reels, Such As This Narrow Spool Meek & Milam, Were Likely Used As Fly Reels By Some Anglers
This Julius vom Hofe Fly Reel Is 2.25″ In Diameter, Including The Pillars
Julius vom Hofe’s Earliest Reels Have Square Pillars, Like This One
The Hardy “Perfect” Seen Here Is The Smallest Cataloged Size: 2.5″. This Example Has The 1905 Check.
A Fairly Early Julius vom Hofe Fly Reel Constructed Of Nickel Silver And Hard Rubber.
This 1-7/8″ Reel Pre-Dates vom Hofe’s 1889 Patent For His Compensating Bearing.
Julius’ Signature Hole In The Foot And The Size Marking, #5
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I Buy Old Tackle ~ Click Here For More Information
reelsmith@aol.com
©
All Rights Reserved
