DAM Gerat Question

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David Lehmann
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DAM Gerat Question

Post by David Lehmann »

Thanks to the kindness of John Elder, I added a DAM Gerat "Qualitat" casting reel to my collection. It's a high quality reel that has the looks of a pre-WWII product. I like to know the history of reels in my collection, but this one I got because it's just pretty. Can anybody fill me in about when DAM Gerat reels were made and where in Germany the factory was? If we draw a blank on this, can anybody point me to a European collector who may be able to help with my education? I'll post pictures at a later date. Thank you!
Last edited by David Lehmann on Sun Sep 10, 2017 7:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
colby sorrells
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Re: DAM Gerat Question

Post by colby sorrells »

David,
I can help but please show a photo so i will know which reel you are talking about. Colby
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David Lehmann
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Re: DAM Gerat Question

Post by David Lehmann »

Colby,
Added the pictures. Thanks!
colby sorrells
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Re: DAM Gerat Question

Post by colby sorrells »

Will respond after the dust settles a little bit. I've got catalog pages and more information. Just need to catch up a little first. Colby
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Jonathan P. Kring
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Re: DAM Gerat Question

Post by Jonathan P. Kring »

I can't answer your Dam question, but here are a couple of Dam Reels I got from Jacob V. from Denmark a couple of years ago.
Cast your cares upon the Lord. Psalm 55:22
Then He said to them, "follow Me and I will Make you fishers of men". Matthew 4:19
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Ron Mc
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Re: DAM Gerat Question

Post by Ron Mc »

pretty neat that it includes their copy of SB ABL - I think it is indeed a prewar reel - oops, maybe not.
Deutsche Angelgeräte Manufaktur has an official website, history page, and forum, but malwarebites blocks my access to their home page - red flag.

Jon, your Effzett (FZ, initials of company founder), are particularly neat brass single-action fly reels - I've had a couple of those myself, and sold one to a friend who uses it on his cane fly rod and loves it.
Last edited by Ron Mc on Wed Sep 13, 2017 8:03 am, edited 1 time in total.
colby sorrells
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Re: DAM Gerat Question

Post by colby sorrells »

David,
Here's some information on D.A.M. Some of the history can be found on wikipedia. Also antiquetackleobserver.com has some of the history.

Deutsche Angelgerate Manufaktur is a German manufacturer of fishing tackle. They started in 1875 with Oskar and Fritz Ziegenspeck. The company is still in business today. They were in business during part of World War II. DAM catalogs from 1936-1938 have been found. There is a company website dam.de that includes some of the history. Their spinning reels like the Quick Finessa are well known.

The company used the same Model number for different reels throughout time. They made baitcasting reels with features similar to American companies.

I've included the 1937 catalog cover and the page showing the 4048 model in 1937. As you can see it is a different reel from the one you show. Several of their post WWII reels look just like their pre-War reels so be careful dating their products. Their pre-War designs were used for up to 25 years after the War was over.

It is very interesting to me that this company was able to make fishing reels while the German War machine was busy taking over other countries!

You can use a German language translater found online to translate the catalog information if you want to.

Click on photo image to enlarge.

Hope this helps.

Colby

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Ron Mc
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Re: DAM Gerat Question

Post by Ron Mc »

very good job Colby.
Right after WWII, European countries were manufacturing and exporting anything they could.
Several prewar JW Young designs picked up production right where they left off before the new designs came out by '47.
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David Lehmann
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Re: DAM Gerat Question

Post by David Lehmann »

Colby,
I just saw this. Thanks!

Is the agate-lined level-wind guide an indication of a particular age? Also, do we have any Dam specialists amongst us? If not, is there a German collecting club I can contact. (Now that I know where to find a translator ... :-)
colby sorrells
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Re: DAM Gerat Question

Post by colby sorrells »

David,
Certainly the agate guide is an indication of a particular age. The problem with all D.A.M. products is Germany was pre-occupied with other things, namely War upon their neighbors, during at least 10 years before the United States entered the battle. Almost no information during these years. I know of a couple of the 1936/1937 catalogs and that is all. No doubt there may be more but they are very rare. Then for at least 5 years after the conclusion of World War II Germany was rebuilding and fishing reels were again a low priority. Also when they did start making reels again they used pre-War technology for years before actually making improvements to their products sometime in the 1950s. Hard to be interested in fishing reels when you can't get food for the table.

The company's website is about as close as you can get to an "expert". It has some good general information but lacks date certainty for most products. Company's like Herter's starting selling D.A.M. reels in the 1950s.

I have tried to find other collectors with D.A.M. information but so far no takers. I've got an article about some of the reels in the Que but it is behind several others so it will take me a while longer to get to it. But I will eventually get to it and it will appear in the Reel News when done.

As far as German collecting club or organization, I have no clue.

Hope this helps.

Click on image to enlarge

Herter's in the middle. Unmarked red reel but no doubt a D.A.M. product
Colby
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David Lehmann
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Re: DAM Gerat Question

Post by David Lehmann »

Nice reels! I like the tournament ones.
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Jonathan P. Kring
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Re: DAM Gerat Question

Post by Jonathan P. Kring »

Dave: Possibility Jacob V in Denmark might be able to help you? I know he participates in other clubs.
Cast your cares upon the Lord. Psalm 55:22
Then He said to them, "follow Me and I will Make you fishers of men". Matthew 4:19
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David Lehmann
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Re: DAM Gerat Question

Post by David Lehmann »

Thank you!
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