Show Off Your Long Beach

[Penn Chronology]

Hey Michael, whats the deal with the yellowish/orange plated Long Beach in your last photo? ...is that sun damage or was it that color from the factory?
Also, do tail plates tell the age of a reel (to a degree?) I know the handles do (to a degree.)

          Hello Dom,

                         Funny you should ask about the tan reel. That is a Long Beach by a different name. It is a 300 yard Model 126 Sea Gate, which is basically a Long Beach made to satisfy the reel rental customers. It started in California, the people that ran Tackle Rental stores at the fishing piers wanted reels from Penn in different colors, so Penn, had color chips that they would make available to customers that wanted to buy reels in quantity. Usually all those special order reels got used and abused and are long gone but every now and then a survivor comes along. That is what this one is. When I got it, it was a disaster. The tail plate is broken in half. I was able to epoxy the tail plate back together and save the reel. It is now in my collection and forever retired, like I wish I was....................

The people renting Fishing tackle had a end of day collection and having the reels in odd colors made it easier to spot their rental reels.

Tail plates can be a tell for age but not too accurate a tell. I started another thread about Penn Picture Plates. I have put about ten different plates there and talk about their age.

Very cool stuff Michael. I bought both of your books at the ORCA convention in San Diego. Hats off to you and Penn reels. I collect old Penn reels and I can really appreciate your work. I was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania so I have a deep seated love for Penn reels for sure. Keep up the good work.

Thank you very much!

[Superhook]

1939 Long Beach DeLuxe with all the good bits . Anti back lash accessory is not Penn factory . Original tail plate bearing cap is in the foreground .

[Superhook]

Mike,  You mentioned the Rented reels and the coloured side plates .



Mid 30's 300 yards Sea Ford with green head plate and plain red tail plate





The back of the handle and free spool lever are stamped with "100" ... a further ID ? ....It would stop any arguments of ownership.

[Superhook]

A 300 yard Bayhead with green head plate and red tail plate with graphics , Late 30's.

[Newell Nut]

Did that box say $24.95?  Wow, that would be like $300 or more in today's prices.  So very interesting.

I saw a 66 listed this week with a box and the price on the box was $13. I have 60 in a box with a price of $9.

[Superhook]

Did that box say $24.95?  Wow, that would be like $300 or more in today's prices.  So very interesting.

I saw a 66 listed this week with a box and the price on the box was $13. I have 60 in a box with a price of $9.

Newell Nut , The prices for the #60 & #66  match what is listed in the #17 catalog , 1952-3 .

[Alto Mare]

Very cool stuff Mike, thank you for sharing it with us. Sal

Superhook, I believe you hit the jackpot with that reel, I'm wondering how much it would get you at an auction.
But who needs money, since I'm Italian, send it over and I'll get the frame post and spool in white.
That is such a cool reel. Always something different, no matter how long you've been playing with these Penn reels.

[Superhook]

Thanks Sal,

There are actually two reels in green and red. Perfect Christmas decoration colours.  Mike has Penn letters with information relating to these coloured rental  reels. I have been looking for a bunch of coloured Penn salesman's bakelte discs . I put them away too well . When/if I find them i will photograph and show here.

[Penn Chronology]

The green and red reels that Superhook posted are super rare examples of Reel Rental survivor reels. Interesting thing about them is how they get found. When they get old and dirty and are thrown in a bucket with 25 other old and dirty Penn reels they get passed over. After searching through and following thousands of Penn vintage models, I can count on one hand how many of these survivors are left. By the way Superhook, you can stop looking for the color chips, I will post them for you.

This is what Penn would use to show the different availability of colors for special order:

[Jerseymic]

1939 Long Beach DeLuxe with all the good bits . Anti back lash accessory is not Penn factory . Original tail plate bearing cap is in the foreground .

Hi Superhook,

I have just bought cheaply a 67 with the same anti back lash accessory fitted, didn't know what it was until I saw your post, thank you for enlightening me!

All the chrome has seen better days, I bought it for the nice engraved  tail plate.

Will post some photos in the next couple of days.

Mike.

[Tightlines667]

How exactly does this 'anti-backlash device' work exactly?  Is it an adjustable magnet, strong enough to control the chromed bronze spool?  Can we learn something about 'magging' small penn reels by visiting the past here?

[Penn Chronology]

How exactly does this 'anti-backlash device' work exactly?  Is it an adjustable magnet, strong enough to control the chromed bronze spool?  Can we learn something about 'magging' small penn reels by visiting the past here?

It is not a magnetic type device, it is a Fluid Hub. I have a copy of the instructions that come with one of these devices. I will try to post it, this will be a bit difficult to read because it have been folded into a small size to fit into that little box the device comes in.

                These were sold in the 1950's and were available for Penn and Ocean City reels.

[Penn Chronology]

And since this post is all about the Long Beach, I think it is appropriate to post a picture of the first Penn Long Beach. The 1933 Model 60.

For a Penn collector, this is one of the items you want to try to find. Finding one like this will cost hundreds and could even touch four figures, depending on who is bidding.

[Superhook]

Mike,

1. Glad you found a photo of the Salesman's bakelite samples .

2. That complete '33 Long Beach unit is a Rare find . The reel would be the easiest piece of all the items on display . I've tried several times but i can't get my hands through the screen.

3. You're correct about how bad those red/green plated reels look before a good clean .I'll post some as spotted photos of the red/green combos and another Green/black Sea Ford.



Above :This was the Sea Ford - you can see that the head plates proper colour is where the free spool lever position kept the original colour and some scattered green colour coming through in parts of the head plate and handle knob.



Above : This was the photo of the Bayhead with green head plate and red tail plate.





Above : This was the photo used of a Sea Ford with a green head plate and a black tail plate.



A couple of "AFTER" photos of the green/black Sea Ford. This reel had the "100" stamped into the back of the handle and free spool lever also. ( Same as the green/red Sea Ford)

That's all i have on the rented Pier reels. Should help you guys to spot an off colour plate and think twice at dismissing it as a painted piece of junk.

Ray

[Superhook]

Back to Long Beaches :



The box states :  #60LS . The LS stands for Light Spool and the reel has a Light spool . The spool is also White in colour and they were fitted on some different 250 yds. models in approx 1940-2 .The $6.50 price , the twin pack oil/grease tubes and the tool is also of the same era. Note large serrated counterweight on handle along with sharper points to handle knob. Not many Long Beaches had plastic spools.