This small reel, aesthetically different from any other ALCEDO model, appears in the 1967 CORTLAND price list and it is the only spinning model present among the many fly fishing reels.
An oval label with the writing CORTLAND is applied on the side cover, no ALCEDO reference is present on the body except the writing in relief at the base of the foot: "Made in Italy".
According to what was reported by the great Ben Wright, about 500 pieces have been made of this reel, for this reason it is considered quite rare to find.
The reel has the same technical characteristics and the same internal mechanics as the better known Alcedo Micron, of which it also retains the same size. Unlike the Micron, the Cortland was available in both 1.5-inch and 2-inch “rotating cases”.
The reel is made of aluminum through a pressed casting and then has been subjected to a light brown anodizing process with various shades.
These further three pictures of the 1.5 and 2 inch version were kindly sent to me by my collector friend Renzo Di Paolo.
I must add that more recently some almost complete models have been found (without side casing), stock residue, but anodized in green!
At the moment, we have no certainty that this further version was actually put on the market!
Only recently, as told to me in person by my friend Giovanni Coppola (83 years old), owner of COPTES and who in 1975 bought the ALCEDO brand, the MARINER ALCEDO was born directly from his idea: it is a particular reel that is the direct descendant of the model that was produced for Cortland.
Compared to the previous reel, the new MARINER had in addition a particular "satellite gear" that allows a better slow and differentiated winding of the nylon in the recovery phase, for the same reason it promised smoother and longer casts.
Like most of the COPTES production, the MARINER was also painted in green and cream ... perhaps to compete with the famous ABU Cardinal produced in Sweden?
To my question about the choice of the colors of his reels, my friend Giovanni has never answered directly and has always preferred to deviate on other details!
In a future post I will tell a curious story, already partly reported by his friend Silvano Baraldi in his book, of when the manager of a very important American industry, found himself in Italy for work reasons, wanted to meet Giovanni in the factory that produced his favorite spinning reel, the ORVIS 100S ....
regards
Sergio Di Marco
