Unknown Makers
It is not uncommon to find a marked reel by an unknown maker, as the mark is that of a seller, such as Abercrombie & Fitch, Peck & Snyder, Bradford & Anthony and others. In some cases these reels can be identified, as is the case with reels made by Julius vom Hofe for Abbey & Imbrie and William Mills & Son. In other cases, such as with the Peck & Snyder and the Bradford & Anthony reels pictured below, the maker remains a mystery.
I am quite fond of reels that show high quality, but the maker is unknown. I find the mystery intriguing.
~ Click On Pictures To Enlarge ~
This Reel Is Unusual In That Not Only Is The Maker Unknown, But The Country Of Origin Is A Mystery As Well. The Reel Shows Both Distinctly American And English Features.
The Offset Foot And Nickle Silver Construction Are Classic American Traits, While The Folding Handle And Iron Screws Are Typically English.
One Tackle Historian Has Suggested The Reel Might Be The Result Of A Joint Venture Between Makers In Both The US And The UK
Henry Rutgers Conger
(September 3, 1877 – June 18, 1920),
___________________
Conger Graduated Williams College In 1899 And The Yale School Of Law In 1902. His Literary Work Is Honored Annually By Williams College With The Awarding Of The “Henry Rutgers Conger Memorial Prize For Literature”.
In Addition To His Literary Work, Conger Was A Lawyer (Garvan, Armstrong & Conger) In Manhattan And The Business Manager Of The Columbia Law Review.
_________________
Unquestionably A Reel Fit For A Man Of Means
My Favorite Kind Of Reel … Small, Beautifully Made And No Idea Who The Maker Is
This Mystery Reel Is Just 1-7/8″ In Diameter, Is Possibly Made From Monel Metal, Has Brass Spool Flanges And A Steel Arbor
An Unusually Artistic Crank And Knob. The Anonymous Maker Had A Wonderful Sense Of Aesthetics.
Maker Unknown? I Think So. While Many Attribute These Early William Mills & Son “Fairy” Reels To The Shop Of Julius vom Hofe, Others Disagree.
I Think The Earliest Mills “Fairy” Reels Were Made By William Slote, Of Brooklyn, NY
This Solid German Silver Reel Is 2″ In Diameter
Andrew Peck And Irving Snyder Founded The Peck & Snyder Sporting Goods Company In 1866. It Is Unusual To Find A Reel So Small With A Raised Check Housing.
This Nickle Silver And Hard Rubber Reel Is 2-1/8″ In Diameter
Note The Bearing Cap, Which I Have Not Seen Before. Bessie Was Born In Dallas In 1878 And Died In Los Angeles In 1955.
Early Nickel Silver Fly Reel By Unknown Maker. Note The Elaborately Figured Crank
A Narrow Spool Reel With A Constant Click And Clever Push Button Drag. The Reel Is 2.75″ In Diameter.
Beautifully Turned Pillars
This Nickel Silver And Hard Rubber Fly Reel Is 2.5″ In Diameter
The Maker Is Unknown
This 2″ Brass Fly Reel Displays A High Degree Of Craftsmanship
Likely By A New York Maker, Circa 1880
This Nickel Silver Ball Handle Reel Is Just 1-7/8″ In Diameter And Is A Bit Different In Two Respects …First, It Has A Click, Activated By A Rim Switch And …
…It Has An Unusually Narrow Spool At Just 1″ Wide. Fishing Photographs From The Mid To Late 1800s Sometimes Show Tiny Ball Handle Reels Such As This One Mounted On Fly Rods.
The Maker Of This Reel Is Unknown.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I Buy Old Tackle ~ Click Here
reelsmith@aol.com
©
All Rights Reserved
This Reel Is Unusual In That Not Only Is The Maker Unknown, But The Country Of Origin Is A Mystery As Well. The Reel Shows Both Distinctly American And English Features.
The Offset Foot And Nickle Silver Construction Are Classic American Traits, While The Folding Handle And Iron Screws Are Typically English.
One Tackle Historian Has Suggested The Reel Might Be The Result Of A Joint Venture Between Makers In Both The US And The UK
Henry Rutgers Conger
(September 3, 1877 – June 18, 1920),
___________________
Conger Graduated Williams College In 1899 And The Yale School Of Law In 1902. His Literary Work Is Honored Annually By Williams College With The Awarding Of The “Henry Rutgers Conger Memorial Prize For Literature”.
In Addition To His Literary Work, Conger Was A Lawyer (Garvan, Armstrong & Conger) In Manhattan And The Business Manager Of The Columbia Law Review.
_________________
Unquestionably A Reel Fit For A Man Of Means
My Favorite Kind Of Reel … Small, Beautifully Made And No Idea Who The Maker Is
This Mystery Reel Is Just 1-7/8″ In Diameter, Is Possibly Made From Monel Metal, Has Brass Spool Flanges And A Steel Arbor
An Unusually Artistic Crank And Knob. The Anonymous Maker Had A Wonderful Sense Of Aesthetics.
Maker Unknown? I Think So. While Many Attribute These Early William Mills & Son “Fairy” Reels To The Shop Of Julius vom Hofe, Others Disagree.
I Think The Earliest Mills “Fairy” Reels Were Made By William Slote, Of Brooklyn, NY
This Solid German Silver Reel Is 2″ In Diameter
Andrew Peck And Irving Snyder Founded The Peck & Snyder Sporting Goods Company In 1866. It Is Unusual To Find A Reel So Small With A Raised Check Housing.
This Nickle Silver And Hard Rubber Reel Is 2-1/8″ In Diameter
Note The Bearing Cap, Which I Have Not Seen Before. Bessie Was Born In Dallas In 1878 And Died In Los Angeles In 1955.
Early Nickel Silver Fly Reel By Unknown Maker. Note The Elaborately Figured Crank
A Narrow Spool Reel With A Constant Click And Clever Push Button Drag. The Reel Is 2.75″ In Diameter.
Beautifully Turned Pillars
This Nickel Silver And Hard Rubber Fly Reel Is 2.5″ In Diameter
The Maker Is Unknown
This 2″ Brass Fly Reel Displays A High Degree Of Craftsmanship
Likely By A New York Maker, Circa 1880
This Nickel Silver Ball Handle Reel Is Just 1-7/8″ In Diameter And Is A Bit Different In Two Respects …First, It Has A Click, Activated By A Rim Switch And …
…It Has An Unusually Narrow Spool At Just 1″ Wide. Fishing Photographs From The Mid To Late 1800s Sometimes Show Tiny Ball Handle Reels Such As This One Mounted On Fly Rods.
The Maker Of This Reel Is Unknown.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I Buy Old Tackle ~ Click Here
reelsmith@aol.com
©
All Rights Reserved
