Who made this English fly reel??

michael anderson · Post by **michael anderson** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 2:08 pm

Stamped "Made in England", full time click, measures 3 1/2 inches across the plates. May be for sale as soon as I know more. Thanks for the help folks!

Dustnstuff · Post by **Dustnstuff** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 8:50 am

The best information I can offer is Milward of Redditch. Most all the reels that have "Made in England" stamp in a simi-circle were made by this company. The example I have also has an additional logo stamp of THE IRON ARM, and is located on the back between the screws holding the reel foot. You might also check the knob, as they often marked the Patent there. Good Luck.
Dustnstuff

Ron Mc · Post by **Ron Mc** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 11:09 am

no doubt a Redditch reel (even though its called a Birmingham-style reel).

Might be some debate as to who actually made it.
Allcocks pretty much ran the show on Redditch tackle, and are hard to separate from Milward.
Plenty of Allcocks and Heaton reels with the same stamp.
It may have even been made in the shop of JW Young & Sons, or maybe Smith & Wall under contract.

Alan Baracco · Post by **Alan Baracco** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 11:47 am

My copy of this reel, exact in every detail from what I can see of the pictures posted, except the handle is ivory colored, the foot is rounded on both ends and it is a slight bit under 3 inches (75 mm actually). I have taken my reel to several shows, including the ORCA meeting in Dowagiac a few years back, where I used it to place high in the rankings in the fishing contest! Nearly all knowledgable folks have indicated it is by Allcocks, a pretty common reel from what I can tell. After taking off the faceplate nut, my reel's faceplate screws off the center shaft counter clockwise. Inside is crudely etched "IX" (or XI) on both the faceplate and the body, which I have been told might have been done to match parts when the reel was being assembled. Cheers, Alan

Ron Mc · Post by **Ron Mc** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 2:05 pm

I know Alan, and I can show you the reel in the Milward's catalog, which is why I believe it's better just to call it Redditch tackle.

of course, any reel in the Milward's catalog, you can also find in the Allcock's catalog.

They made this basic style of winding plate reel for many years, from about 1880 until WWII.

Lillawill · Post by **Lillawill** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 5:38 pm

Hi Guys

When I first seen this reel my first thought that it was made by Heaton for Allcock and sold to Millward. I have had a few of these types of reels but sold all but one and it is unmarked. However now I am curious. Are these reels all the same even thought they may have different marks. Do they have the same pin diameter for the specific sizes.
Are the feet different. Is the pin assembley the same. Where they all made at the same place and the suttle differences in the foot put in to order for various customers. I will post pictures of mine tomorrow as I am getting ready for work but it would be interesting to see a bunch posted with all the parts showing and dimensions screw or rivet assemblies and pin suports. The one I have is three inches in diameter.

Bill T.

Lillawill · Post by **Lillawill** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 10:42 pm

Hi Guys

Here is another plate wind reel. It is un marked and is a brass frame with gun metal aloy spool. It is three inches in diameter and one and one eigth inches wide. The foot is gunned brass and is a solid piece and is held in with four screws. The outer plate comes off but the spool is fixed in the frame an is not removeable. It is a very heavy little reel.

If there is any interest I have more pictures. I do feel it is important to try to solve some of the mysteries on these unnamed plate wind reels.

Bill T.

michael anderson · Post by **michael anderson** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 8:14 am

Wow, thanks for all the responses! I've held onto this reel for 3 years hoping to appreciate it, but I just can't get into english reels. It's ready to leave my coffee table but I have no idea how to price it - the condition is obviously not the greatest. Can anybody give me a range of value, and then I'll pick a number and give this board first dibbs on it?

Lillawill · Post by **Lillawill** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 2:45 pm

Hi Micheal

You are correct. These reels are common. No doubt they were sold by Allcock but could have been made by most any of the reel makers of the time under contract to Allcock to make them for distribution from their whole sale catalogue. They were a very good seller for Allcock as they were made so that the common man could afford them. This helped open up a vast market which was mostly centered on the upper class in the early days. The older ones were put together with rivets and by the turn of the century the frames were being screwed together which by now they were being mass produced. Personally I feel Julius Heaton was making a large number of them and as Ron stated JW Young or Smith & Wall. They are however nice little reels and they were made to balance well with the cane rods of the day. The fact that there are so many still around is a ture testiment to their quality and they are an important part of fishing history. Today on the correct out fit they are very pleasent to fish with and they were made well enough to last. These reels could be used for years with no real problems unless you drop it. As for price it can vary I have sold three of them and the best I did was $90.00. The older ones with the rivets and brass frames with the gunned alloy end plates will go for more in good condition. As for yours I would estimate around $50.00.

I am still curious to see other examples of these reels. Heaton and J W Young had certain charicteristics on the foot with screws or rivits. Other reels have a solid one piece foot with the block screwed to the frame plates. With a few examples it would not be too difficult to idintify makers and even creat time lines for the changes. This would help bring some clarity to these reels.

Bill T.

michael anderson · Post by **michael anderson** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 8:59 pm

Thank you everybody for your help! It is for sale, and I will post it on the for sale board. If interested, check there.