I saw this today, and thought some AT member might like it. I'd be happy to help with shipping from Phila if needed.
https://philadelphia.craigslist.org/spo/d/vintage-engraved-fishing-reel/6413180240.html
Nice! Whats the manufacturer and model?
Gfish
Quote from: Gfish on December 06, 2017, 06:58:18 PM
Nice! Whats the manufacturer and model?
Gfish
I have no idea at this point. There is some lettering engraved on the bottom of the stand, but I can't read it.
Looked through around 300 old baitcasters just now --
I am pretty sure that I have that same reel, or very similar --
Most of the engraved reels seem to be old JC Higgins or Wards, or perhaps trade reels.
These Sears & Wards trade reels could have been Pflueger, Southbend, Bronson, Langley, Shakespeare, and maybe a dozen others.
Seems like the major retailers of the day would contract with the manufacturers to issue reels -- and the more bling, the better -- such as engraving. These make nice display pieces.
Best,
Fred
The vast majority of these reels including the one at the beginning of this thread were trade reels made by Bronson. The reel in the photo marked Hiawatha was sold by Gamble's stores. Hiawatha was their trade name for all their sporting goods including the spinning rod I bought there in 1957
Came across something similar meself a while back, though I think this one was a Great Lakes:
https://alantani.com/index.php?topic=28125.msg324368#msg324368 (https://alantani.com/index.php?topic=28125.msg324368#msg324368)
May assist in the ID?
Cheers, Justin
Very "neat" reel.
Frank
Pflueger made some that were really ornate; more like a Moorish design rather than a fishing scene. Do you think those are engraved or stamped? Was there an engraving machine back then?
-steve
Just my opinion but I would say they look stamped not engraved. To much $$$$$$$ to engrave a production reel. John Taylor
definitely stamped. These were relatively inexpensive reels in their day an produced by the thousands.
I have one of these.
(https://alantani.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=23615.0;attach=44739;image)