Antique Fishing Reels

"...I can think of no other hand-powered machine which has undergone such remarkable evolution and yet must still be powered by hand, even in this age of the electric tie rack. That evolution reflects the reelmaker's attempts to compensate for the hand's deficiencies.

The modern casting reel automatically compensates for line deceleration during casting and prevents backlash; it winds the line evenly on the spool during retrieval; it applies drag to the spool when a hooked fish attempts to swim away. All of these functions once were performed by the angler's fingers."

From the Preface, Antique Fishing Reels, by Steven K. Vernon,
Stackpole Books, 1985

I found this introduction the most beautiful and charming introduction to the world of old fishing reels.

Hand-powered machine. Perhaps this is the concept. A mechanical tool which doesn't need any battery or source of energy but the person who is using it.

I don't know about you, but I love this concept. Similarly to old mechanical photo cameras and manual coffee grinding machines, there are tools thought by men for men in a time when time itself was closer to the human pace and life itself was yes (at times) much harder and yet boldly looking ahead.

Because, as I grow older, I feel History a little bit more closer and I start to capture the period we are living in and so the persons who came and lived before me and us...

So, to start with, here is a list of important manufacturers of fishing reels:

1. ABU (with Abu Ambassador and Abu Cardinal)
2. BRONSON
3. COXE
4. FOUR BROTHERS
5. GARCIA MITCHELL
6. HEDDON
7. HENDRIX
8. LANGELY
9. MITCHELL
10. OCEAN CITY
11. PENN
12. PFLUEGER
13. SHAKESPEARE
14. SOUTH BEND
15. ZEBCO

These are really the BIG companies of the past (and for some of them also today).

As you know, rarity is THE word in collecting anything, including antique fishing reels. Large companies like the ones listed above produced for the mass market but some early items might be made by hand in a limited quantity and so their value is higher.

Check here, the Len and Carol Codella Website for examples of reels and values as well!

Other important antique fishing reels manufacturers are listed below:

1. Abbey & Imbrie
   
   
2. Arex
3. Dam Quick
4. Higgins, J.C.
5. Horrocks-Ibbotson
6. Johnson
7. Martin
8. Meisselbach
9. Montague
10. Orvis
11. Pennell
12. Portage
13. Winchester

These are important manufacturers but their production was (considerably) less in shear number.

And then we have of course the delightful myriad of smaller antique fishing reels producers. Here is a list:

1. Alcedo
2. Atlanta
3. Bate, T.H. & Co.
4. B&M
5. Beetzel
6. Benjamin
7. Billinghurst
8. Bluegrass
9. Bogdan
   
   
10. Bradford & Anthony
11. Bronson
12. Cargem
13. Chubb, T.H. Maker
14. Clerk A. & Co.
15. Clinton, C.M.
16. Coates, A.
17. Conroy
18. Coxe, J.A. LA Calif
19. Cozzone
20. Crook, J.B.
21. Dame Stoddard &Kendall
22. Deally, J.
23. Dingley
24. Dreiser, J.
25. Ekimsey, Frank
26. Emery, John
27. Farlow
28. Felton Harrison
29. Fin-Nor
30. Flint Reel Co.
31. Follett
32. Folsom Arms Co.
33. Foss, Al
34. Fowler, A.
35. Frankforth
36. Garey
37. Gayle, G.W. & Sons
38. Guthrie, D.
39. Hardy
40. Hoesel
41. Holzman
42. Horton
43. Horton Meek
44. Hurd
45. Kosmic
46. Kovalovsky
47. Kentucky Bluegrass Reelworks
48. Klein, C.R.
49. Knowles
50. Lee's
51. Leonard
52. Liberty Bell
53. Long, John
54. Maleson
55. Master Kaster
56. Mcintosh & Heather
57. Mcneece
58. Medleys
59. Meek
60. Milam
61. Mills, Wm
62. Mitchell-Henry
63. Mitchell, Hugh
64. Moonlight
65. Mt. Ranier Reelworks
66. Neptune
67. O'Haver & O'Bannion
68. Ohio Tool Co.
69. Peerless
70. Redifor
71. Rinehart
72. River
73. Ross Reels
74. Sage, J.L.
75. Schauffler
76. Seamaster
77. Shipley
78. Spalding AG & Bros.
79. Stead, A.J.
80. Stevens
81. Talbot
82. Thomas & Thomas
83. Thompson
84. Ustonson & Peters
85. Vom Hofe, Edward
86. Vom Hofe, Fritz
87. Vom Hofe, Julius
88. Walker
89. Zwarg

And then the not so old manufacturers, yet still inimitable modern fishing reels which can be a "modern fishing art" collection on its own:

1. Abel
2. Byron
3. Stucki
4. Ross
5. Cortland
6. Galvan
7. Dallari
8. Vivarelli
9. Peerless
10. Ari 't Hart
11. Bellinger
12. Marryat
13. Saracione

And of course this is just a tentative listing....

Now, the next step is perhaps to know what to look at in a collectible fishing reel. Click here to read further

More resources on collecting vintage fishing reels (books and DVDs)

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