Need Help---Possibly the Penn (Loch Ness Monster) 20/0

Started by Penn Chronology, May 14, 2017, 06:18:42 AM

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Bill B

Ohhh wow, I think the standard just got bumped up a staircase to two, never mind a notch :o

Welcome John...hoping to learn a thing or THREE....an old mentor in my business used to tell me....just sit  and watch...the information will come to you.....

So I will sit and watch....hoping to glean a few tidbits of information.

Bill
It may not be very productive,
but it's sure going to be interesting!

Penn Chronology

#46
QuoteHoly Crap, Fred!  Where is this guy??!  I want to meet him! Smiley Thanks much for the kind words...I'll have to tell them to get you to do my obit!

I was going to do a intro for you John; but, I see Fred beat me to it. Good, he did a great job. I do not know if all these members know it or not; but, if not for John Elder, there would be no Penn books or articles. John Elder was the heart of making it all happen.

Very glad to see you here. This is a very interesting group. Warmest welcomes to you.

Penn Chronology

#47
QuoteJohn is also a Master Woodworker -- we might get him to post a pic or two of a Penn reel he constructed from wood!  All parts, gears, etc..

I will not post the pictures of the wood Penn reel as I do not have them. It is a 14/0 reproduced out of woods. I do have the article written about it and I will send it to anyone interested through my personal email address. But I cannot miss an opportunity to show at least one of John Elder's Masterpieces. John wood reels are functioning. Wood is chosen for its particular properties and color to be made into a particular part. Here is a Kovalovsky. It is probably the only one on Earth.




Alto Mare

#48
Amazing stuff coming out of this thread, I'm glad I pinned it  :)


Sal
Forget about all the reasons why something may not work. You only need to find one good reason why it will.

Penn Chronology

QuoteInsert Quote

Amazing stuff coming out of this thread, I'm glad I pinned it  Smiley

Thank You Sal!

JRD

"True Penn" or no Prototype or back yard machinist wizard that reel is AWSOME!  

Now it's time to hot rod it - double dogs, 20 stack drag set, Keta crank, handle, stainless star and a custom set of Tank tops.  Maybe Tom can make a set of plates - just think where you can go with molding that reel......

Interesting to ponder how many treasures are sitting in hidden corners of tackle shops around the country.

Penn Chronology

QuoteInteresting to ponder how many treasures are sitting in hidden corners of tackle shops around the country.

Does the word ""endless"" fit here? Field finds are continuous and intriguing. That is what makes the hobby fun.

Drbaits

Thanks much for the great welcome, Folks!  Hope we can continue to have fun with this one!

So, in trying to define what defines this reel, I'm not clear on what that drag stack and gear can tell us about how much is taken from known Penn reel parts relative to what is in John B's reel.  Mike's book shows the "double drag stack" is typical of the 16/0 reel.  Earlier comments imply (or did I just read into it?) that the drag diameters for the early reels were a bit different than later?  So, what does the data re drag size that John B gave us tell about the size and chronology of the 20/0?

redsetta

Fantastic thread - thanks all.
And welcome John, good to have you aboard.
Cheers, Justin
Fortitudine vincimus - By endurance we conquer

Shark Hunter

Welcome John!
Glad to have your expertise and knowledge to this already great site. ;)
Daron
Life is Good!

Deepfins

Not sure I can add anything to what has already been said about John.  When I was barely an acquaintance, John invited me into his shop and helped me restore a 14/0 EVH cradle.  As a total greenhorn to all things mechanical, I learned the most basic of skills, including how to wrestle a stubborn screw without buggering up the head, and knowing when to let up with a mallet.  Since then, he has helped me with many other reels, including this one.  John has one major fault, to our advantage.  He can't say no to helping fellow collectors in need, even if they are complete strangers.

Getting back to the Loch Ness 20/0, I am enjoying this thread, immensely, and thanks everyone for your contributions.  I like the idea it might be a prototype.  As such, all the parts might not match up exactly with parts from other reels (Senator's?).  Manufacturers built prototypes for any of a number of reasons.  Many times they were incomplete, poorly finished, not fully functional, total failures, and ended up in the parts bin or dumpster.  A few might have found there way home in a lunch box.  Of those, few survived the cleaning out of grandpa or grandma's garage.  Heck, maybe the Loch Ness holds a clue as to why Penn never made a 20/0 Senator.

The value of this reel to me (all $21 dollars worth!), is in the fact that it hung from the ceiling of Tom's shop for so many years.  One of these days, Tom will retire.  His tackle shop might go the way of so many other's.  Gone will be a place fishermen gathered to drink coffee, pick up bait and tackle, and bullsh*t with other fishermen.  We are transitioning from an era where business was done in a neighborhood store, face to face and with a handshake, to being transacted anonymously on a computer.  I have spent many hours hanging out in Tom's shop, playing with his vintage rods and reels, and listening to his stories.  It will be nice to have a fixture from his shop in my collection.

Cheers,
John   

     
"As for me, I am tormented with an everlasting itch for things remote. I love to sail forbidden seas, and land on barbarous coasts."

--Herman Melville, Moby-Dick

Penn Chronology

#56
QuoteThe value of this reel to me (all $21 dollars worth!), is in the fact that it hung from the ceiling of Tom's shop for so many years.  One of these days, Tom will retire.  His tackle shop might go the way of so many other's.  Gone will be a place fishermen gathered to drink coffee, pick up bait and tackle, and bullsh*t with other fishermen.  We are transitioning from an era where business was done in a neighborhood store, face to face and with a handshake, to being transacted anonymously on a computer.  I have spent many hours hanging out in Tom's shop, playing with his vintage rods and reels, and listening to his stories.  It will be nice to have a fixture from his shop in my collection.

No price can be placed on this item until you decide the time has come for it to change hands again. Each collector knows that he does not really own his collectibles, he is only caring for them until the next, younger collector comes along to be the next caretaker of the tackle currently in your care. I really appreciate you sharing this very special reel with us.

Is this last picture where it hung in Tom Greene's shop or is this where it hangs now?

I had no idea you also had the rod butt. That makes the rig complete.

Deepfins

The photo is of the rod hanging from the ceiling in Tom's shop.
"As for me, I am tormented with an everlasting itch for things remote. I love to sail forbidden seas, and land on barbarous coasts."

--Herman Melville, Moby-Dick

Penn Chronology

QuoteInsert Quote

The photo is of the rod hanging from the ceiling in Tom's shop.

Thank you clearing that up John.

This rig has an interesting continuity of ownership. It seems to have moved from the builder (possibly) to hanging from the ceiling of a tackle shop in Pennsylvania in the 1930's [?] to a time after the war. Then some how this rig wound up in Florida, it was then sold by the widow of the Florida owner to Tom Greene. Hung in Tom Greene's Tackle Shop for approximately 25 years and now it has a new home with John B. after being cleaned / restored by John Elder. Many well known names are being attached to this rig adding to it provenance, while its true history is still a mystery.

It is now part of the World Class collection of John B. A very appropriate safe house for this special reel and rod.

The Great Maudu

I don't know if you boys remember this thread I started a while back but maybe it's not so far fetched after all. Here's the link: http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=20291.0