Stressful Acquisitions: Shakespeare Miller Gaff

ORCA Online Forum - Feel free to talk or ask about ALL kinds of old tackle here, with an emphasis on old reels!
Post Reply
joe klaus
Super Board Poster
Posts: 566
Joined: Tue Sep 16, 2003 6:02 pm
Location: Houston

Stressful Acquisitions: Shakespeare Miller Gaff

Post by joe klaus »

I knew I had a Miller Gaff but had forgotten that it was a Wm Shakespeare Jr. item. Pretty neat box. It's been sitting in a closet for a good while. Thought some Shakespeare collectors might like to see it.

Acquisition of this item was part of perhaps the most exciting (and stressful) "reel collecting" event that I ever experienced. This item, plus a true first model Pflueger Akron (at that time, the only one known to exist), plus a rare "hand-made" Shakespeare reel, plus a nice early Redifor in clam shell box all came from the same place. I got them from a lure collector who had acquired all of these items from the same estate. And the lure collector would not sell them. Trade for lures only. Luckily I had some pretty nice lures at the time and we eventually worked a trade. But I didn't sleep well for the 10 days it took to work out details.

Does anyone else have a story about a "stressful" acquisition?

Chad S
Advanced Board Poster
Posts: 146
Joined: Sun Mar 05, 2006 12:05 pm

Re: Stressful Acquisitions: Shakespeare Miller Gaff

Post by Chad S »

Very nice go with item Joe I have only seen a few examples of these or the same one a few times. I have no idea the relationship between Miller and Shakespeare I assume it is the same Miller as the Saltwater reel? He must have not wanted to give up the name on his products when He and Mr. Shakespeare drew out the final terms of the sale.
User avatar
sdlehr
Advanced Board Poster
Posts: 351
Joined: Fri Sep 11, 2015 12:03 am
Location: Boca Raton, FL

Re: Stressful Acquisitions: Shakespeare Miller Gaff

Post by sdlehr »

IF anyone is interested, there are notes in the ORCA library from a talk given at the 2001 ORCA National Convention by Mike Goff, titled, "Shakespeare Miller Autocrat Reel". 6 pages of information.

Sid Lehr
ORCA Librarian
Sid Lehr
Post Reply