These are a rarity, English made alloy spinning reel with curious full circle bail arm. It’s operated by back winding the handle and the bail arm rotates outward releasing the line, a forward wind re-engages. Various makers over the years have been playing with this principle including the French made Crack reels. Fitted with large […]
Few of these come up these days: the Howban Reel, made by The Howban Fishing Tackle Company of 108c Alcester Road, Moseley Birmingham, England. It’s a 1950s creation looking rather odd and out-dated if you compare it to the established Mitchell 300 which had been about for nearly 20 years. It shows the effort to […]
Recently we published a blog relating to the Heaton’s Fishing Scene brass reels and made mention of some replicas which hit the market approx. 30 years ago. So in good public information style here’s the replica in detail. Note the stamp on the foot blade, J.B Moscrop of Manchester which is both wrong in terms of […]
This is a super modified brass fly reel with two very special features. The standard crank handle has been removed and replaced with pair of sun and planet external gears fitted with drive handle plate. What is really neat is that the small steel flat lever to the underside of the large gear gives a […]
The importance of this Hardy Patent cannot be emphasised enough. This development was for what we now refer to as the full bail arm. It automatically picked up the line when the handle was turned. The Patent lasted until 1948 where an extension was granted covering the war years for a further 6 years. The […]
This is an old friend returning after some 18 years, I’ve aged and it hasn’t! Made from wood and alloy, I have called it scratch built as it’s made from scratch and I’m scratching my head trying to think who made it! It’s 6” diameter and stuffed with odd features. Fold and slide handle, unusual […]
The Hardy Sea Silex reel has always been on the wanted list for both Silex and big game collectors. This set is unusual and rare in that the Hardy block leather case is rarer than the reel itself. The reel is a genuine find, not cleaned, played with or altered and features the extended brass […]
I’ve been waiting for one of these to land on my desk for years. A scarce alloy fly reel made by Rueben Heaton of Birmingham to the specification of Fredrick G Shaw, author, angler and casting champion. Shaw was a lover of Hardy tackle and a devotee of the Hardy Special Perfect, which bears more […]
Many of the tackle shops at the turn of the century used the term “Maker” loosely. It’s common knowledge that the big tackle makers including Heatons and Smith and Wall, Mallochs etc. manufactured trade reels. Initially blank, the shops or retailers could have their names stamped onto the reels, (or any tackle) so they appeared […]
This is one of my favourite wacky collector reels. The rare Auger Tackle of England “The Augermatic” Patent App. vintage spinning reel. Measuring approx. 6-1/2” long, it’s a left hand wind reel with an unusual lever pull system, which pushes the drum into the front cone housing to release the line. A screw disc adjuster is […]