Documentation on different side plates, colors etc on Penn reels

[Mandelstam]

Even as a Penn noob I have already noticed that a lot of Penn models has gone through a lot of "visual" changes through the years. The design on the side plates change, the color, handles, etc, etc.

Is there any documentation available on these different design changes? I'd love to have a large coffee table book full of beautiful photographs but I'd settle for a small collectors guide as well. I did a quick Amazon search and didn't find anything.

/Karl

[dogdad1]

I just stumbled across this question while researching another question, but it has been puzzling me for quite awhile so I thought I'd blow the dust off it and hang it out there again.  (thanks Mandelstam, for asking the first time).

Yeah, why did Penn go thru the different 'visual' changes over the years?  Was it a foresighted joke on someone's part that we'd be stumbling around decades in the future, trying to rationalize a roll-of-the-dice handle color decision?  Did they hold a lottery to see who got to re-design the latest jumping-fish side-plate design?  Or was there a rhyme-for-the reason?

I've seen a lot of folks speak with conviction that a reels' age can't be judged by its color, and that box-design was somewhat random after all, but like Mandelstam asks: Do we really know what happened why, and is there actual documentation of any of the changes?


Maybe we can create a database here to see the trends (or facts)?

[harryk3616]

hi  guy's        don't know if it's true or not, some where along the line i heard that the colored reels were made for party boats in california because people were walking off the boats with rented rods, being green or gray in color , a mate could spot some one walking off the boat with a boats rod.  i don't know , but i would like to know for a fact also. 

[Robert Janssen]

A very knowledgeable fellow called Mike Cass is writing a book about Penn. I'm not sure when it will become available, but he should be working on the final draft soon. I'm sure it will be very enlightening.

.

[dogdad1]

Now THAT's one book I'd love to have!!  Can't wait to hear/see more about it.

Any idea if maybe he works/worked for Penn?  A few years ago, I was fortunate to attend a discussion-session in the UK by a guy that had worked for the old Standard-Triumph Motor Company.  Wish I'd recorded it, a lot of history floating around that evening.

[Robert Janssen]

No, he does not. He is a very dedicated Penn disciple and collector, although i did recently introduce him to a former Penn employee who shares his interest and enthusiasm for Penn history.

I don't know what stage the book is at. Good things take time.

.

[Mandelstam]

That is very nice to hear! Will be looking forward to the book!