John Shaw of Wyle Cop, Salop 4.25″ brass ebonite salmon fly reel c 1880, rare maker

Maker: John Shaw

Model: Brass and ebonite salmon fly reel

Approximate year of manufacture: 1880

Condition: Fine collector

Material: Brass ebonite

Length/ diameter: 4.25″

Country of manufacture: Shropshire England

Ideal use: Fish or display

Item stock location: Stoke

TT opinion: This is a fabulous reel from a rarely seen maker. John Shaw traded from 6 Wyle Cop in Salop,( the old name for Shropshire) in the late 1880’s. The wide drum reel has a couple of ususual features, The two lower brass cross pillars are turned with rolling grooves to prevent the line from running onto the edge of the spool cutting into the ebonite front and rear plates. See the yellow arrows on one image. Second, the brass drum winding barrel is large so the reel takes less line than you would expect. The reel winds silky smooth giving a nice purring check click sound. It can still be fished today, a creadit to the build quality. Its ideal to match up with a greenhreart or split cane salmon fly rod of 12′ plus in length.