Reels etc. sold by Abercrombie & Fitch

[Mike N]

According to the company’s website, Abercrombie Co. was founded in 1894 as an “outdoor speciality retailer.” Fitch was added in 1904.

By 1939 A&F was calling itself the "Greatest Sporting Goods Store in the World." It boasted the world's largest and most valuable collection of firearms and the widest assortment of fishing flies obtainable anywhere (15,000 in all) to accompany its array of rods, reels, and other fishing tackle.

The company bought the famous Chicago outdoor retailer VL&A and in 1978 was in turn purchased by Oshman’s Sporting Goods of Texas.

Reels stamped with the A&F logo are very collectible, including the famous Meek 44 fly reel.

When and why did A&F get out of the sporting goods business? I’m having trouble putting a date on the last reels sold that were stamped with the A&F logo.

Thanks.

Mike N

[Ron Mc]

Mike, they were selling marked Phillipson fly rods and Martin fly reels well into the 70s.
Best guess would be they changed their focus when Oshman's bought them out.

[RonG]

That's a timly question Mike. I just added a new article about the history of A&F to the ORCA library. You can down load the article at this link after you login.

Also, I think A&F stamped their name on Talbot reels, but not the Meek reels.

https://www.orcaonline.org/orca-store/o ... 1-article/

[Bill Muth]

Horton Meek 55 fly reel made for and marked A&F.

[RonG]

That's a nice reeI and box. I guess I was thinking B.F. Meek & Sons rather than Horton Mfg. That's a working man's Meek 44.

[Mike N]

Horton Meek 55 fly reel made for and marked A&F.

I stand corrected. It was the 55. Wow, what a box! Thanks, Bill.

Mike N.

[Bill Muth]

That's a working man's Meek 44

Probably the closest I'll ever get! One of my favorite pieces, the A&F Horton fly reel is super tough, but this is the only box I have ever seen.

[john elder]

Like Bill’s reel, only shiny finish and no box... love this reel!

[Teal]

Wrote a fairly detailed history of Abercrombie & Fitch trade reels in the November 2008 Reel News. Up until 1977 when the firm went under they were still selling reels under their name (I've seen a 1976 catalog with A&F marked fly reels).

A&F was purchased out of receivership by Oshman's in 1978 and they eventually opened 26 A&F stores, but I don't think they sold any branded reels during this reboot.

The Limited (The Gap, Victoria's Secret, etc.) bought Oshman's A&F in 1988 and immediately rebranded it as a clothing store for teens. The rest is, sadly, history.

-- Dr. Todd

[RonG]

Hey Dr. Todd,

If you send me a copy of your article, I'll add it to the ORCA Catalog Library as a reference.

[john elder]

This style of Bogdan reel is considered the “A&F version”, regardless of whether it was badged to them or not. Whether the gold finish with black foot was really exclusive to A&F, I don’t know, but perhaps others can add info:

[reeltackle]

Here is a nice Hardy Bougle' with the A&F tag on the inside. This reel belonged to A.J. McClane.

[reeltackle]

A very nice Hardy Perfect 3 1/8 inch reel with the A&F logo inside. This reel belonged to Zane Grey and came from his estate.

[reeltackle]

This reel, made by Montague, is a lot like their IMPERIAL model reel only it has a small round washer that functions like the IMPERIAL's star drag would.

[Teal]

[quote=Teal post_id=110476 time=1610340054 user_id=526]
Wrote a fairly detailed history of Abercrombie & Fitch trade reels in the November 2008 Reel News. Up until 1977 when the firm went under they were still selling reels under their name (I've seen a 1976 catalog with A&F marked fly reels).

A&F was purchased out of receivership by Oshman's in 1978 and they eventually opened 26 A&F stores, but I don't think they sold any branded reels during this reboot.

The Limited (The Gap, Victoria's Secret, etc.) bought Oshman's A&F in 1988 and immediately rebranded it as a clothing store for teens. The rest is, sadly, history.

-- Dr. Todd
[/quote]

Will do!

[Mike N]

Those two Hardy reels are the bomb, Ed. Thanks for sharing those photos. I love the interior A&F nameplate. It’s so humble chic.

Mike N

[Nick in NY]

Mike I’ve owned the same piece as Ed’s but had it in a size 9-0...unfished with the original purple box! The label was incredible with a capital A & F followed by the full name spelling...I know I’ve photos but unfortunately are on discs...hopefully I’ll figure it out and send pics to post...I believe Rufus purchased it in 96. Tight lines Nick in New York

[Mike N]

Mike I’ve owned the same piece as Ed’s but had it in a size 9-0...unfished with the original purple box! The label was incredible with a capital A & F followed by the full name spelling...I know I’ve photos but unfortunately are on discs...hopefully I’ll figure it out and send pics to post...I believe Rufus purchased it in 96. Tight lines Nick in New York

That would be greatly appreciated, Nick. Thanks.

Mike

[RonG]

https://www.orcaonline.org/orca-store/o ... dd-larson/

I just added to the ORCA Catalog Library the 2008 article by Dr. Todd Larson. It's an excellent reference and contains a plethora of reels marked A&F. Sign in to the ORCA Store and click on the link above to see the article.

[Mike N]

VL&A in Chicago was sold to Abercrombie & Fitch in 1928. VL&A continued to operate under its own name until 1959 when it too became an A&F store. I dug a little ephemera out of my collection to put a cherry on top of this thread....

[RonG]

Hey Mike, that's a nice set of photos. It looks like your getting quite an accumulation of historical tied fly maker information.

[reeltackle]

I have been picking up these A&F big game and salt water fishing catalogs for the past 35 years. These catalogs only promote big game and salt water fishing tackle and have included such reels as the Hardy "Zane Grey" reels, the Coxe reels made in Los Angeles, Kovalovsky reels, the earliest Fin-Nor reels, Stevens reels, and the big vom Hofe reels just to name a few. They are a wonderful source of information and a great glimpse into big game fishing's past. Over the years I have found catalogs representing these years -

1930 - 1934 - 1935 - 1936 - 1937 - 1938 - 1939 - 1940

I do not know if they made catalogs in 1931, 1932, and 1933 as I have never seen copies those catalogs. I would love to know if they produced catalogs for those years and if anyone has copies of them. Does anyone have catalogs from 1931, 1932 or 1933?

I have also had some A&F catalogs from later years but I have parted ways with them and only kept the ones I consider important, the catalogs issued between the years 1930 - 1940.

[reelsmith.]

Etcetera ...









Dean.

[Mike N]

Great photos, Dean and Ed. Thanks for posting.

PS that A&F match safe is incredible.

Mike N

[Alan Baracco]

ORCANS & A&F Fans,

Langley Corp. produced all of their open-faced spinning reels for A&F beginning in 1959 and ZEBCO continued the relationship with A&F through at least 1968.

Photo by Nello Armstrong.