Kovalovsky Guarantee Tags - What's Your Reel's Serial Number??

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reeltackle
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Kovalovsky Guarantee Tags - What's Your Reel's Serial Number??

Post by reeltackle »

I have a collection of vintage Kovalovsky guarantee tags that came with the purchase of a new Arthur Kovalovsky reel. The tags were reinforced red cardboard with a brass grommet eye, swing style tags that came attached to a new Kovalovsky reel. These tags were to be filled out by the new owner and returned to Arthur Kovalovsky to validate ownership and activate the reel's lifetime guarantee against normal defects. The cards stated:

THIS FOR TO BE RETURNED TO
ARTHUR KOVALOVSKY
HOLLYWOOD CALIFORNIA
TO INSURE GUARANTEE
IF THIS FORM IS NOT SENT WITHIN A
REASONABLE TIME AFTER PURCHASE
GUARANTEE IS VOID


The tags include the following information:

1.) The reel's serial number
2.) The purchaser's (original owner) name. Some owners included their city or address.
3.) The person or dealer who sold him the reel.
4.) The date the reel was purchased
5.) The type and size of the reel

Most of the tags are completely filled out but some of the tags are missing some information. If you are interested, check the foot of your reel and let me know if you have a Kovalovsky that matches up to one of the tags listed below. Here is the list of serial numbers.

Serial # - 31
Serial # - 38
Serial # - 43
Serial # - 52N
Serial # - 54
Serial # - 60
Serial # - 61
Serial # - 127
Serial # - 203


I have already matched up a card to a reel for one collector. Let's see if we can match up some others.
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m3040c
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Re: Kovalovsky Guarantee Tags - What's Your Reel's Serial Number??

Post by m3040c »

Hello Ed,

Do have any idea how high the serial numbers go and if they represent the number of reels Arthur actually produced?

The serial number on my 9/0 is 506.
mike cass,,, if you can't collect it, it must be food
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Re: Kovalovsky Guarantee Tags - What's Your Reel's Serial Number??

Post by reeltackle »

m3040c wrote:Do have any idea how high the serial numbers go and if they represent the number of reels Arthur actually produced?
In Edmisten and Beguhl's book "Handmade in Hollywood" they quote a figure that Oscar Kovalovsky (Arthur's son) gave them for the total number of reels produced, "About 750".

I know that not all of his reels were stamped with serial numbers as I have a few that do not have them. I also do not know what year the serial numbers started and if all subsequent reels after the first serial numbered reel had serial numbers. I have one card with serial # 52N, I do not know if there were other reels that were stamped 52 and had different letters.

I imagine Oscar or Lewis may have known the answer to this question but I never thought to ask them, shame on me! I'm not sure if anyone who knew the sons asked the question - "How exactly did the serial numbers work". One would imagine that they went in sequential order but I believe that they may have deviate by, or within a model with letters such as with the guarantee tag 52N. Perhaps there was a 52M and a 52Q.

Perhaps we should start a thread were everyone posts their Kovalovsky reel's serial numbers and the model and size of the reel. If the reel does not have a serial number, post that as well. I wonder how many reels we could come up with ..... who wants to start?
Ed Pritchard
http://www.AntiqueFishingReels.com
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Honorary Life Member

"Reels As Big As Your Head" Always looking for BIG game reels and anything else that might go along.
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Re: Kovalovsky Guarantee Tags - What's Your Reel's Serial Number??

Post by m3040c »

In Edmisten and Beguhl's book "Handmade in Hollywood" they quote a figure that Oscar Kovalovsky (Arthur's son) gave them for the total number of reels produced, "About 750".

I know that not all of his reels were stamped with serial numbers as I have a few that do not have them. I also do not know what year the serial numbers started and if all subsequent reels after the first serial numbered reel had serial numbers. I have one card with serial # 52N, I do not know if there were other reels that were stamped 52 and had different letters.

I imagine Oscar or Lewis may have known the answer to this question but I never thought to ask them, shame on me! I'm not sure if anyone who knew the sons asked the question - "How exactly did the serial numbers work". One would imagine that they went in sequential order but I believe that they may have deviate by, or within a model with letters such as with the guarantee tag 52N. Perhaps there was a 52M and a 52Q.

Perhaps we should start a thread were everyone posts their Kovalovsky reel's serial numbers and the model and size of the reel. If the reel does not have a serial number, post that as well. I wonder how many reels we could come up with ..... who wants to start?
And I thought I was asking a simple question.....<:O(

OK. I will start. Serial Number--506, Standard Model, 9/0

mike cass,,, if you can't collect it, it must be food
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Re: Kovalovsky Guarantee Tags - What's Your Reel's Serial Number??

Post by Cuttyhunker »

Ed,
Here's the number of the one you tracked down on my lobster trap website all those years ago, it's the same reel that is in my avatar and still mounted on the royal hickory Tycoon.
I recall reading the number, but can't recall the source, of reels at "about" 800
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Re: Kovalovsky Guarantee Tags - What's Your Reel's Serial Number??

Post by reeltackle »

Sorry, I do not have the tag for your reel.
Good to hear from you again.
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Re: Kovalovsky Guarantee Tags - What's Your Reel's Serial Number??

Post by Cuttyhunker »

Like Gramps said..... good to be seen and not viewed
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Re: Kovalovsky Guarantee Tags - What's Your Reel's Serial Number??

Post by Cuttyhunker »

Here's the rest of Gramps Kovalovsky next to his '37 Penn 12/0 that he switched out the wooden handle for a torpedo grip, I understand that was a common mod when the torpedos became available a few years later. Here is another tuna the 16/0 took but I'm not sure where. The avatar was Wedgeport, you have a Tommy Gifford shot there with the same building in the background.



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Re: Kovalovsky Guarantee Tags - What's Your Reel's Serial Number??

Post by reeltackle »

That sure is an epic photo of your Granddad with his big Kovalovsky reel and giant tuna!
Ed Pritchard
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Re: Kovalovsky Guarantee Tags - What's Your Reel's Serial Number??

Post by m3040c »

Here's the rest of Gramps Kovalovsky next to his '37 Penn 12/0 that he switched out the wooden handle for a torpedo grip, I understand that was a common mod when the torpedos became available a few years later.
That was a very common thing to do. So common in fact that to find one of the original straight knob handles is very difficult. I have been looking for one for years. I had to borrow one to picture it in my first book. I wonder if your grandfather saved the wood handle. There were two wood handle knobs used on the 1937 Penn 12/0. Both are rare.





The one shaped like a Door Knob is crazy rare.

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Re: Kovalovsky Guarantee Tags - What's Your Reel's Serial Number??

Post by Cuttyhunker »

If it was once saved, I'm afraid it's now lost. There were bundles of rods, milk crates of reels, cartons and tackle boxes full of gear and well used plugs that came down to me that I have been through enough to sort the wheat and chaff, but still saving it all. The 12/0 lived in a milk crate for many years with the linen line, just the way he left it until I got interested in collecting last year. Never knew there was a door knob handle, did Otto use it on any of the other 1st gen Senators?
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Re: Kovalovsky Guarantee Tags - What's Your Reel's Serial Number??

Post by m3040c »

. Never knew there was a door knob handle, did Otto use it on any of the other 1st gen Senators?
Most of the door knob handles were found on 9/0's. I have seen two 12/0 handles with that knob. One is on a factory handle rivet press and the other is on the reel pictured which is out of Harlan Major's 1939 book titled Salt Water Fishing Tackle. I am sure there are more but they are very rare.

Check out the handle used for driving the table press.

Last edited by m3040c on Wed Nov 13, 2019 10:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Kovalovsky Guarantee Tags - What's Your Reel's Serial Number??

Post by Mike N »

m3040c wrote:
. Never knew there was a door knob handle, did Otto use it on any of the other 1st gen Senators?
Most of the door knob handles were found on 9/0's. I have seen two 12/0 handles with that knob. One is on a factory handle rivet press and the other is on the reel pictured which is out of Harlan Major's 1939 book titled Salt Water Tackle. I am sure there are more but they are very rare.

Check out the handle used for driving the table press.

That’s an incredible photo. Thanks for posting.

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Re: Kovalovsky Guarantee Tags - What's Your Reel's Serial Number??

Post by m3040c »

That’s an incredible photo. Thanks for posting.

Mike N
Happy to share it!
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Re: Kovalovsky Guarantee Tags - What's Your Reel's Serial Number??

Post by Rook »

Mike N wrote:
m3040c wrote:
If that were me in the photo the next photo would show me hopping around the room holding a towel over my left hand where the screw driver slipped off the screw. :D
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