Meisselbach Amateur Trolling Reel?

[srukke]

I believe this to be an early Meisselbach trolling reel but don't have my Meisselbach book with me. Can anyone give me the model number please? Thanks in advance.

4-3/4" with the single patent of Feb 23, 86

[Kevin McJunkin]

Appears to be a vertical mount Amateur #15. There is a note in Phil White's "More Meisselbach & Meisselbach-Catucci Fishing Reels" on page 93 - "The number 15 reel is listed in the 1890's as having no click or drag. In the teens this reel number was listed as a special order Amateur with a drag."

[srukke]

Thanks for the reply. A #15 is what I was told on another site also. Wondering what the purpose of the knurled knob and set screw on the faceplate is. It is unlike any other amateurs I have. Could it be a drag screw?

[Roger Schulz]

Meisselbach Amateurs had a way of adding confusion to identification. Look at the reels and photos from Phil White's old website, I think it is a Amateur #16. A #16 has the retaining nut in front for tightening, has an upside down "V" in the backside holding the main shaft, and is 250 yards. The width is 1 inch, where as the #15 is less that 1 inch (150 yards). The #16 is considered rare and Phil's old list show it at $150. I purchased the reel from him at that price several years. The #15 is about a $100 reel and is a 150 yard reel and is rounded on the backside rather that an upside down "V." The #15 has a screw in front holding the shaft.

Roger Schulz

[Paul M]

Phil took his site offline some time ago. Some of the info circa 2016 is still archived on the internet. https://web.archive.org/web/20160729191 ... ateurs.htm


BTW it looks like Masa in Japan scooped
up Phil’s oldreels.com domain name before ORCA could. His reel
museum in Tokyo Japan is where the current traffic is going.

[srukke]

That's good info. I'll measure it when I get back home.

[Kevin McJunkin]

I should have read the rest of the article in "More Meisselbach and Meisselbach-Catucci Reels!" On pg. 94 there is a photo of what Phil believes is an Amateur #16 with the same kind of spool retaining nut as yours. The bulbous crank knobs in the example are different than yours, but maybe yours is an older version. He alludes to the Amateur #1 knobs changing to bulb shaped knobs around 1912.

[srukke]

I think it is an older version based on the earlier narrow bullet shaped knobs. It's a tough one to find any info on and I don't have my book with me currently. I appreciate everyones help.

[srukke]

Any chance you have a scan of page 94 you could post or send me? I have been looking for a copy of the addition to Phils book but they're tough to come by.