A very rare little Penn reel!

[broadway]

Now that's a reel for a true Penn collector, send it over, lol.
You never cease to amaze me with what you find.  That's a very special reel in these eyes
Thanks for sharing what's out there... my eyes re now peeled!
Dom

[Penn Chronology]

That's a very special reel in these eyes Shocked
Thanks for sharing what's out there... my eyes re now peeled!
Dom

Keep looking, there are at least two more of these.

Sorry I missed everyone on the Penn trip. I was hit with a health problem and simply could not make it.

[broadway]

We were sorry you couldn't make it as well.  It would've been just that much more special of a day and they may have even opened the display case for YOU.
My eyes are peeled 
Dom

[Alto Mare]

Yup! it would have made it that much fun with Mike there.
Cool little reel Mike, are you sure there are more?, I would think that was a one trime deal.

[Penn Chronology]

Cool little reel Mike, are you sure there are more?, I would think that was a one trime deal. Undecided

I cannot be sure. The info I received was there were three of them; but, I have no proof.

We were sorry you couldn't make it as well.  It would've been just that much more special of a day and they may have even opened the display case for YOU.

I have been in touch with Tony about the display case. He cannot open it. I think someone absconded with the key. I suspect that case has not been opened in a long time, it is like a vault...............<:O(             Some very special reels in that case.

[Bill B]

I have a friend that's a locksmith/safe cracker.....I'm sure he would be available.....

[Penn Chronology]

I have a friend that's a locksmith/safe cracker.....I'm sure he would be available

Somehow I feel that idea would not go over so well at the Penn Plant. 

[coastal_dan]

Tony mentioned that they were all cleaned a few years back...maybe 'The Borrowers' have the key 

[Penn Chronology]

Tony mentioned that they were all cleaned a few years back...maybe 'The Borrowers' have the key

Well if the "Borrowers" have the key, I see a problem. We will never find it in the plant. Too many places to hide....................<:O(

[captquint99]

Wow, just came across this old thread. Very cool reel. I just love the simple penn long beach series. I put alot of fish to sleep with a 60 and 65. I would love to fish with that one.

[Penn Chronology]

OK, real quick. I will come back to this later. I have a bit of info on this reel. It is specially made for Martha Henze as a super light tackle or fly reel. I know who made it, he is Penn's top designer / engineer from the 1960's, 70's & 80's maybe into the 90's. Stand is a Squidder 140 / Jigmaster 500 stand that was cut down, re-bent and plated for these reels only. Production numbers are vague but the most is ""several"", which is really low production (prototype zone). A few were sold at the 2003 Penn auction. Completely done for Martha, never was produced for sale. It is built off a Penn 160 frame.

[1badf350]

Wow this is the first time I've seen this thread! That's a hell of a cool reel Mike!

[Penn Chronology]

Wow this is the first time I've seen this thread! That's a hell of a cool reel Mike!

Yes it is. It was gifted to me by Bruce Davis, one of the authors of the Penn History article in the 2005 catalog. Bruce had an inside line to many secrets back about 15 years ago. Anyway, I doubt if more than a few of these exist (Hearsay History tells me only three were made). The one I have is made from a Model 160. I was told that others were made from the Model 180. "Rare" is the word of the day when referring to this reel. Here are photos of mine. Please excuse the condition, it has been sitting for years in a cabinet uncleaned. Needs a Ted treatment.

The handle knob color is late 1950's, since all I have seen of these are exactly the same, I would say this reel is a 1957 or 58 creation.