A gentleman has contacted me about two reels he has discovered, indicating that they come through his family. He doesn't have any expertise in this field, and contacted me for some help on identification and possible value. Any help you folks could give on either subject would be greatly appreciated; anyone interested in one or both reels can email me and I'll put you in touch with the owner. Thanks!
The owner indicates that there are no chips, scratches, pitting or other cosmetic issues on either reel. The Waterwitch (the one with solid side plates, as he tells me) is missing a screw, and the other reel has a "60" marked on the foot and has red jewelled endcaps (no other markings). No boxes or other paperwork.
Pete,
Both reels were probably mfg by Montague in the 1910-1930 era. Value of similar reels being sold on eBay range from $35 - $60 in Good codition and no cracks in hard rubber sideplates.
Thanks, guys! The owner indicated that there were no marks other than ""Waterwitch" on one reel and "60" on the foot of the other, but I'll ask him to take another look.
Thanks, Ron- I think you've got the ID on that reel, even without being able to verify the "Expert". It does appear to be a dead ringer for the one in your photo, and I suspect the owner just may not have been able to see it.
Re-check time! The crank on the "Expert" is dictinctly different from Pete's reel. Everthing about his is like the early Pflueger Four Brothers Capitol-crank, screw placement, pin placement, click and drag button placement, style of bearing caps. Is it a Pflueger "trade reel" or an exact copy Montague? There may well be a connection here. Todd and I (especially Todd) have been working on the question of how Pflueger got into the reel game so fast. Was a company like Montague involved? The pfacts will eventually surface-but when? Bad Bob (alias "Often Wrong Bob")
I can never tell but just from comparing these, a couple of other things that seem to indicate Enterprise are the 2 pins for the click spring on the 4 Bros (Enterprise) Capitol and Hurdpete's unmarked vs. 3 for the Montague Expert. Also, I can't quite tell for sure but the handle retaining screws on the Capitol and unmarked look very similar whereas the the Expert has the typical concave Montague-shape screw.
actually, Brian, there are 3 click-spring pins on the reel in question - some more photos of the reel were forwarded to me.
Everything about it looks Montague Except the handle - but even that - the "S bend" on the handle is in the OPPOSITE direction from the bend on the Enterprise reel above.
Yo Ron-You are most likely correct. My point was just to get some feedback as to the question of why several (more than several) Montague reels and Pfluegers share many common features. Was there ever a company connection in the early years? Enterprise had zero reels in 1898 and an amazing variety of sophisticated reels in 1900. Talk about an accomplishment! I doubt it was possible without some sort of purchase of pre-existing machinery etc. , a contract with another firm , or some such. Research will eventually tell us. None of these Pfluegers of this vintage had a design patent. Doubt if Montague did either, so no problem there. If a reel is in question, Montague usually is the answer. But Pflueger made a bozillion trade reels and many (most) had no name at all. Not always easy to identify all of them either without that handy dandy foot! As I said my alias is "Often Wrong Bob" or words to that effect. Whoever made it it is a neat reel and valuewise I doubt there is any difference which company did. Bad Bob
Aha! Just as I've always thought all along...there was a jobber shipping out all types of reel parts to different companys! Just kidding - so that this doesn't end up on some ebay description
Hey, if we're going to write copy for sales on the other place, mebbee it's one of the little known (very little known - like nonexistent) EVH reels made for BOTH Enterprise AND Montague, as well as other trade distributors to be named later!
Seriously, thanks, to all who participated in this exercise. I don't know if the owner will become an ORCA member or not, but he can't help but be impressed with both the knowledge and the willingness to share that all of you have demonstrated. WOW!
