The Sterling Nottingham Reel is a bit of an odd ball but what a great looking vintage fishing reel.
It was manufactured by Reuben Heaton of Birmingham and retailed by many others.
This reel was often referred to as ‘The Wilkes Osprey reel‘ because it appeared more with their mark than any other makers.
Initially it appears to be a fly reel but it’s not.
Marketed by the Army & Navy London stores as ‘The Sterling Nottingham Reel’, this catalogue extract from 1935 states it as being;
“An all-metal Spinning or Trolling Reel suitable for Pike, Salmon Mahseer and Tiger Fish.”
Sizes ranges from 3” to 4-1/2”, this being a 3-1/2” model costing 20 shillings in 1935, which equates to around £50 in today’s terms (according the UK Gov. National Archives calculator).
There are fairly scarce especially with all the correct parts and line guide intact.
I cannot image the carnage a tiger fish would do to one of these reels. The central drum tensioner in particular is timid at best, with a standard copper calliper check and steel pawl.
This is a recipe for complete burn-out if I ever saw one!
[table id=5 /]
(Tags: fm fff nafff)
