Bethel Machine Co reel

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Dustnstuff
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Bethel Machine Co reel

Post by Dustnstuff »

There's a "new to me" fly reel on the Bay marked Bethel Machine Co., Danbury Ct.
Does anyone have any info to share on this maker?
Thanks
Dustnstuff :?:
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Steve
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Re: Bethel Machine Co reel

Post by Steve »

Now, that's progress! :bash:

My hypothesis: Leslie W. Holmes died in 1951, and his wife died a year later. Perhaps Mrs. Holmes sold the reel rights and/or leftover reel parts to Bethel Machine Co., which could have been nothing more than someone's basement shop.

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Teal
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Re: Bethel Machine Co reel

Post by Teal »

Somewhere I have some information on this company, and think it WAS related to Holmes. I can't recall off hand, but I'll dig around.

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Re: Bethel Machine Co reel

Post by cwfly-2 »

Both the Bethel Machine Co. of Main Street in Danbury and L. W. Holmes of Stratford were members in 1944 of the fourteen corporation G & S Manufacturing Association of Bridgeport that was approved by the Chairman of the Smaller War Plants Corporation and who further recommended that the association be approved as a War Production Association. The recommendation was forwarded to the Attorney General. That doesn’t tell one anything about fishing reels, but it does indicate that both businesses were up and running in 1944 and able to machine parts.
In 1945, the Office of Price Administration, by Letter Order (L-1671, 8/23/1945, rev. 12/11/1945) approved Bethel Machine Co. as authorized to sell its one piece steel and aluminum fishing rods at certain set prices to jobbers, retailers and consumers. Again, that tells us nothing about fishing reels but it does inform us that Bethel manufactured some fishing tackle.
Last edited by cwfly-2 on Wed Sep 29, 2021 12:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
wrong99
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Re: Bethel Machine Co reel

Post by wrong99 »

Thanks, Charlie.
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Re: Bethel Machine Co reel

Post by cwfly-2 »

A small bit, Mark, but a bit.
Just another Connecticut tackle manufacturer. It must have been tough to compete with Horton and the folks in Torrington.
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Re: Bethel Machine Co reel

Post by Steve »

Just another Connecticut tackle manufacturer.
And a small, short-lived one, at that. Bethel Machine Co. first showed up in city directories in 1944, managed by Euan P. McFarlane at the rear of 313 Main, Danbury. His wife, Betty H. McFarlane, and Claude E. Marble also worked there. Marble was also employed at a local feed store. In 1945, Bethel Machine Co. was listed among Danbury machinists, but it disappeared by 1946.

By 1946, Marble was a machinist at Marble & Risser, a feed company. By 1947, McFarlane was working as a mason.

Steve Vernon
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Book: ANTIQUE FISHING REELS, 2nd Ed.
Websites:
Antique Fishing Reels
Kopf reels
Hendrick reels

"Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose."
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Re: Bethel Machine Co reel

Post by Dustnstuff »

Thanks all for your information.
There's always something new to discover.
Dustnstuff
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reelsmith.
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Re: Bethel Machine Co reel

Post by reelsmith. »

The current FleaBay BIN prices on these is nuts. There are several at the moment at $90 - $130.

I live one town over from where these reels were made and have found my share at tag sales. I pay $10 or less if they are nice because its really tough to get $15 - $20 for one at a show.

Hands on, they are unimpressive. The foot is really flimsy and is not held with screws, it just sits between the plates held in place by pis. As a result the frames often end up out of alignment, keeping the spool from spinning freely.

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