Bought my first Horton Mfg reel.

[tree]

Well before anyone gets too excited for me its not one of the Meek baitcasting reels.
Actually it is a Bristol Model 66 fly reel. Red in color.

I fear this is a start into the endless dark spiral of tackle collecting.

My budget (minimal as it is) seems to be better aligned to acquire the Bristol reels. With luck perhaps the budget will increase and with it opportunities to obtain some of the finer Horton/ Meek baitcasting reels.

Could Reel Geezer or Bill Muth perhaps advise me when the Bristol # 66 fly reels were offered? I suspect it was late 40's or early 1950 at the end of the company's run.

In fact if you have the information available would you be willing to also cover the all of the following models?
Bristol 63
Bristol 65
Bristol 66
Bristol 67

Thanks in advance,
Best regards.
Tree.

[Reelman]

Thought I would let you know. That at lest some of those reels you have mention came in a couple different colors. So the collection might be a bit larger then you thought. It is what makes collecting fun. All the little sup collections that spring of the main collection. And they have a great looking box. There is a problem with tackle collecting. Once you start you are hooked there is no going back no cure. No groups like AA. No gum to to chew no patch to put on your arm. You are hooked for life. So enjoy it. It is alot of fun and a lot of great people to talk to and see and visit. yay-banana


Merv
www.reelman.net USA Canadian

[reels4me,member]

To a great bunch of people, you`ll find ways to enlarge your collection, I did, `cause I was raising 6 kids, etc., etc., always managed to find a few
extra bucks to feed my habit, started about 30 years ago and still at it.
Good luck and enjoy.

[hurdpete]

Tree:

Don't know if you're interested, but there's a nice Bristol rod'n'reel set on that other place - #7213802681. Good Luck!

[tree]

Thanks HurdPete. I have been watching it, but it is moving up as i type this. I don't know much about them but I think perhaps the "liberty bell" reel is the more valuable

Reel4me, thanks.

Reelman, I am aware of some different colors but not sure of what different colors for each model. Your right that cause expansion to collections unforseen. Thanks

I think maybe I will private email Bill Muth & ReelGeezer for the specific info I was looking for.

Of course if anyone else knows I would welcome that assistance just as much.

Best regards,
tree

[Bill Muth]

The Bristol No. 66 was advertised as "new" in the 1940 catalog, but it was only offered in non-flash gun metal finish that year. The Bristol No. 65 had been offered for a few years prior to that, but the other Bristol fly reel models that Tree mentions above, as well as the Bristol No. 64 fly reel were all introduced after 1940. My catalog collection is very incomplete in the early and mid-1940s (some of you out there could probably help me out with that), but the red anodized finish probably became available in that time frame. I have one in the red and gold vertical box that was in use around that time.

[tree]

Thank you for the info Bill.
I have created a spreadsheet for my imaginary Bristol collection that I will send you.
In it I am listing each reel model # as well as when it was produced for each color, and a space to note when I acquire a sample reel in that model.

My challenge is to identify each bristol reel model produced.

If you like, you could fill in any model numbers I do not have listed.

Do you or anyone else know if such a consise list already exists for all of the Bristol reels?
I will expand my list to include fly reels, baitcast & spinning reels.

I would like to know what I am up against before I embark fully on this quest.

Thanks again
tree

[Bill Muth]

Go ahead and send me the spreadsheet, I should be able to identify most (and maybe all) of the Bristol models. A couple of the bait casters are REALLY tough to find, so you should have some fun.