It’s often thought Bakelite reels are very much at the bottom of the pile in collecting terms.
Not so, they targeted a mass audience, with lower spending power by choice or circumstances, and fulfilled a need.
Allcock’s were volume sellers of these Bakelite reels. The Aerialite Swimming reel model 8926 was the best seller, with other models including the Surf 89230, a boy’s reel 8919 and the rarity, the Aerialite Fly Reel 8929 which is shown here.
Available in a take it or leave it 3” size, and weighing only 4oz it’s an ideal budget vintage reel to fish on cane or modern glass/carbon rods.
The extract shown here is from the Allcock’s 1937/8 catalogue.
If I say an Aerialite Swimming reel sells, £30-40 on a good day, I have seen the little fly reel go for 3 or 4 times that price.
Realistically, I think they are in the £50-80 bracket, this one being a factory left-hand wind model with a left-hand drum screw.
Great quality, like MacDonald’s, every one the same and good value for any collector or traditional user to fish. This one is in stock at the time of writing, click here to view.
