Rarity is in the eye of the beholder.

[john elder]

Steve, re your Wilcox, there are at least two out there. This one is in for repair from Henry Caldwell, soon to be heading for the Kingdom of Slote in Florida:

[Steve]

your Wilcox, there are at least two out there

Back to one, John. That's probably the one I sold recently (for a mere pittance).

[john elder]

Was it missing a big hunk out of the back plate??

[Mike N]

Was it missing a big hunk out of the back plate??

Well, that would explain the “mere pittance” price point…

[Steve]

Was it missing a big hunk out of the back plate??

Well, that would explain the “mere pittance” price point…

A truly astute observation! Now, suppose it was, say, a Fowler with a broken foot. Would that go for a pittance, too? The point is that the reel may be the only living example of Wilcox's patent, and it was made by Slote.

[reelsmith.]

Any guesses as to maker ?

Dean.

[Mike N]

“A truly astute observation! Now, suppose it was, say, a Fowler with a broken foot. Would that go for a pittance, too? The point is that the reel may be the only living example of Wilcox's patent, and it was made by Slote.”

Good question. But there are several craftsmen who can repair a metal foot almost perfectly. A more “apples-to-apples” comparison might be a Fowler “Gem” with a hunk of hard rubber missing from its delicate side plate. I would like to own a Fowler, but not one in that condition, even at a greatly reduced price. Who could repair it to pass muster under the eye of an experienced collector?

Can the Wilcox/Slote broken rubber rear plate be repaired adequately at a reasonable cost? I honestly have no idea. The point is your greatly reduced price seems quite defensible given its condition, despite its rarity.

[Steve]

Can the Wilcox/Slote broken rubber rear plate be repaired adequately at a reasonable cost? I honestly have no idea.

As shown in Dr. E's initial post, the plate already has been repaired. You can ask Henry C. or the KIngdom of Slote if the repair is adequate. And "pittance" means worse than "reduced price." The reel was paired with a "good" JVH reel, and the final bid for the two was probably twice the shipping/handling cost. That's what "pittance" means.

Anyway, as asked previously, are other examples out there?

[Steve]

Another Slote-made reel, this one called "Mohegan." Like the Wilcox, it has a pop-out clutch, but you turn that doodad on the crank collar to lift the crank out. Any others out there?

[Jason]

That's probably the one I sold recently (for a mere pittance).

I didn't see it or I would have given you 1 1/2 pittance in 4 equal installments.

Have you looked up Unger to see if there's any info on him?

I did find a Herman Unger mentioned several times in the American Angler fishing reports of Greenwood Lake NY. Maybe I should look closer to see if he reported a fish getting away with his rod in tow.

Dean,
I'd venture to say your reel is a one of a kind. Over the past 20 years I've kept a photo collage on my computer of unique reels in hope I can add them to my collection when and if they ever return to the market. Usually they do and its a good way to stay focused. Your reel has been on the list for a couple years since I first saw it but I didn't bid on it this time. Maybe someday I'll get another chance.

This has been a really great topic. Hopefully these pictures will be on the board for years to come and folks will eventually find more. I would (almost) rather have any of these reels in my collection than a common orange marbleized trout reel that can be found at any semiannual auction. Well, maybe not anymore .

[Jeff Johnson]

I've got 2 I would consider rare because I haven't seen any others. Like you guys, I probaly spend hours upon hours a week searching for something new for my collection and you would think you would run across another one if there was one out there. But I guess that logic doesn't really work as I often see reels I've never seen before. So here goes the first one. I picked it up 10 years or so ago. If it looks familiar it's posted on the Ocean City web site. It's called the Electric Impulse reel.


Any others out there?

The 2nd reel I've had 20 years and isn't a reel you would first go wow I've never seen anything like it. It's got all the typical traits of a Pflueger reel like we're used to seeing but it's unmarked except the rear plate is marked with a trademark and pat app for. The reel works like the Autopla. I've never come across another one. Anyone else have one?

[Retropeche]

The reel maker William H Dingley left Hardy Bros towards the end of 1911. He began to make reels for several retailers and also for his friend the rod maker JJS Walker who's company JJS Walker & Co was founded 4 years earlier and by 1913 had become JJS Walker, Bampton & Co with the addition of Dingley and Charles Bampton as directors. So, the reels branded JJS Walker & Co, not Walker, Bampton & Co could only have been made from early 1912 (allowing time for Dingley to tool up) and before the 1913 Walker, Bampton catalogue was ready to be published, say the end of 1912.

This reel is probably one of the earliest made by Dingley as a freelance reel maker. It has features found in his Silex type reels made for top retailers and seems to have not been finished. There is no slot for the trigger brake or trigger mechanism even though the preparation for this control has been made. At some time it was converted into a fly reel with the addition of a crude check and line guide.

I bought it from an auction at Alnwick, the town where it was made. The next lot was a Slater reel. Dingley had worked for Slater before joining Hardy towards the end of the 19th century. I was outbid on that reel.

So, while the reel lacks the 'D' mark of many Dingley reels it has his workmanship and a tantalisingly imperfect history. And, there is only one of them.

[Steve]

A Donaldson reel with an interesting clutch, maker unknown. Others?