question about the Penn Closed Face Spinnin Reels

m3040c · Post by **m3040c** » Tue Sep 20, 2016 1:27 am

Possibly someone remembers about when or even knows exactly when the Penn Models 410, 420 and 430 closed face spinning reels were marketed.

Actually, any kind of information about these models is important to me. I am familiar with their build process. The parts were imported from Japan and assembled here. I was wondering if anyone actually fished them or may have purchased one and remembers about when they bought it. They are a mysterious little set of reels.

Thanks in Advance for any help.

Dick Braun,that-zebco-guy · Wed Sep 21, 2016 10:13 am

The Penn 410,420, & 430 were never marketed by Penn. The story that I've heard and been told is one of the Penn Family was a WWII prisoner of was in Japan and when he found out that the parts were built there he forbid the sale of the reels as long as he lived. When he passed they were sold to a buyer in Florida with a contract/ understanding that the Penn emblem on the side of the reel had to be removed before the reels could be sold. That buyer died suddenly and when they were resold the stipulation on the emblem didn't follow through to the new buyer and that is why you can find them with the emblem still attached. In the Penn headquarters there is a Black one in their show case but it's turned the wrong direction and we have not been able to see the side with the emblem and a number assigned to the reel. A mystery that we are still working on. The original year that they were all built is out there but memory at the moment fails me. Hope the above info helps.

Alan Baracco · Post by **Alan Baracco** » Wed Sep 21, 2016 1:03 pm

Mike,

ZIP code on box paper says post 1963.

Cool story by Dick!

Alan

Tightlines666 · Post by **Tightlines666** » Wed Sep 21, 2016 1:09 pm

Dick Braun,that-zebco-guy wrote:The Penn 410,420, & 430 were never marketed by Penn. The story that I've heard and been told is one of the Penn Family was a WWII prisoner of was in Japan and when he found out that the parts were built there he forbid the sale of the reels as long as he lived. When he passed they were sold to a buyer in Florida with a contract/ understanding that the Penn emblem on the side of the reel had to be removed before the reels could be sold. That buyer died suddenly and when they were resold the stipulation on the emblem didn't follow through to the new buyer and that is why you can find them with the emblem still attached. In the Penn headquarters there is a Black one in their show case but it's turned the wrong direction and we have not been able to see the side with the emblem and a number assigned to the reel. A mystery that we are still working on. The original year that they were all built is out there but memory at the moment fails me. Hope the above info helps.

Interesting.

Seems like this one deserves a little further research?

m3040c · Post by **m3040c** » Thu Sep 22, 2016 1:52 am

The Penn 410,420, & 430 were never marketed by Penn. The story that I've heard and been told is one of the Penn Family was a WWII prisoner of was in Japan and when he found out that the parts were built there he forbid the sale of the reels as long as he lived. When he passed they were sold to a buyer in Florida with a contract/ understanding that the Penn emblem on the side of the reel had to be removed before the reels could be sold. That buyer died suddenly and when they were resold the stipulation on the emblem didn't follow through to the new buyer and that is why you can find them with the emblem still attached. In the Penn headquarters there is a Black one in their show case but it's turned the wrong direction and we have not been able to see the side with the emblem and a number assigned to the reel. A mystery that we are still working on. The original year that they were all built is out there but memory at the moment fails me. Hope the above info helps.

Hello Dick, I never heard this story about the emblem removal. It is interesting and would love to have some specifics. I find it very weird that these reels are so mysterious.

I have spoken to the Penn Reel Specialist at the Penn Factory about that black reel.

He will not open the case. Says he cannot. I would bet the black reel is a 410, simply painted black. What I find more interesting than the fact this reel is painted black, is the push button and the handle knob are made from white plastic. All the models I have seen have a black plastic push button and knob. I suspect this black version is an earlier sample or prototype reel.

I feel these reels are from the early 1960's; but, I have seen them presented as early 1970's also. So I am not sure.
I have spoken to the former CEO of Penn about these reels. His connection with Penn is multi-generational. He told me when he was young, he was given a 420 by his father to fish with; but, he was not familiar with any history of the models.

To me, the box is a 1960's style. Although those Blue and White flip top boxes did transition into the early 1970's also.

Mike,

ZIP code on box paper says post 1963.

Cool story by Dick!

Alan

The zip code on the box is 19132, which is the zip code of where the factory is. It is the same code today. Not exactly sure what you mean by "post 1963". I hope you are correct. I want these reels to be from the early 1960's. I believe they fit in that era more logically than the 1970's.

Kevin McJunkin · Post by **Kevin McJunkin** » Thu Sep 22, 2016 9:00 am

I bought the Penn 420 and 430 reels NIB many years ago at the Allentown show. There is a note in one of the boxes with no attribution that gives some history of these reels, and mentions that they were made in the early 60's. Sorry, can't remember who I got the reels from. Also, it is interesting that the faded sticker on the boxes mentions that the reels were assembled by Penn from parts made in Japan. These reels are also stamped as such on top of the foot.

Post by **john elder** » Thu Sep 22, 2016 10:25 am

Mike:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZIP_Code

Midway Tommy D · Post by **Midway Tommy D** » Thu Sep 22, 2016 10:58 am

Man, aren't those vague accompanying explanation letters annoying? Seems like they create more questions than they ever answer

....like how did the "collector" get access to the warehoused goodies and who the heck was he/she?

Dick Braun,that-zebco-guy · Thu Sep 22, 2016 11:10 am

Tom
I told how that all happened above. It's only the who he was on the orig purchase and the follow-up he who ended up with them down around the Miami area that didn't have to remove the ID label. I do know they ended up at a flea market in that area though.

Dick

m3040c · Post by **m3040c** » Thu Sep 22, 2016 6:11 pm

Post subject: Re: question about the Penn Closed Face Spinnin Reels Reply with quote
Mike:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZIP_Code

Thank you very much John. I get it now. So, according to the print work, we are 1963 or later. I had placed the origins of this reel at 1961, so I am not that far off.

Man, aren't those vague accompanying explanation letters annoying? Seems like they create more questions than they ever answer ....like how did the "collector" get access to the warehoused goodies and who the heck was he/she?

Yes Tom they are; but, sometimes that's all you got. Combine that letter with Dick Braun's great little story and some """Hearsay History""" can be put together. Models like this, that have mandates from influential executives, fall between the historical cracks sometimes.

Kevin, Thank you very much for sharing that letter. It would be a great favor if you email me a high resolution scan of it. I could use it.

mrdwrohde · Post by **mrdwrohde** » Mon Dec 18, 2017 9:55 am

Not sure when these were made, but I have 4 of them with the Penn emblem on them. I will see if my Dad has any info on them.

m3040c · Post by **m3040c** » Mon Dec 18, 2017 10:16 am

Not sure when these were made, but I have 4 of them with the Penn emblem on them. I will see if my Dad has any info on them.

Can you share some photos of the reels? There are three standard Penn versions, in an established set of colors. Variants do pop up and are usually more interest and higher values. There is one very elusive piece of the Penn identified reels and that is the box for a Model 410. It seems the Models 420 & 430 have turned up New in the Box, many times; but, no one has ever found a Model 410 in the Penn box. That would be a great find.

mrdwrohde · Post by **mrdwrohde** » Mon Dec 18, 2017 10:45 am

Sorry, new to this forum. I thought I did. Hopefully I did it right this time. The ones i have are new. Still have the instructions, wraping paper, grease and wrench.

Midway Tommy D · Post by **Midway Tommy D** » Mon Dec 18, 2017 11:01 am

Wow! What a nice find!

sdlehr · Post by **sdlehr** » Mon Dec 18, 2017 11:28 am

Midway Tommy D wrote:Wow! What a nice find!

Talk about rare! Wow!

m3040c · Post by **m3040c** » Mon Dec 18, 2017 12:06 pm

Sorry, new to this forum. I thought I did. Hopefully I did it right this time. The ones i have are new. Still have the instructions, wraping paper, grease and wrench.

Oh yes, that is the hot one........ Thank you very much for sharing this photo. First 410 I have ever seen with the box. Message me if you are interested in selling it. Thank you.