FS: Olympic Spinning Reel #83

FSREPAIR · Post by **FSREPAIR** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 12:02 am

My boo-boo I typed Mitchell 83 by mistake instead of Olympic 83. Should we use the term imitation then instead of copy or something else? They were many high quality Japanese reels made in the 60s and 70s that many people are unaware of. I don't buy a lot of the Japanese made reels but I have collected enough of them to know there are some really nice ones. If anyone ever gets out to this part of Iowa stop by and I'll show you what I mean. Randy

orourke · Post by **orourke** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 7:31 am

Iowa? Thought the oly thing out your way was corn fields and ghost baseball players.

fishbugman · Post by **fishbugman** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 11:27 am

Looks like the reel is headed back to where it was made, the buyer lives in Japan.

By my calculations, that buys a couple Corona's and a one way ticket to Mexico.

FSREPAIR · Post by **FSREPAIR** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 2:29 pm

Who's to say that I am not just a ghost playing baseball in a cornfield? Ha! In which case bring along a glove and a stalk of corn so you can blend in if you decide to drop in sometime. Randy

ReelMan1988 · Post by **ReelMan1988** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 2:51 pm

I guess that does.

fishbugman · Post by **fishbugman** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 2:58 pm

FSREPAIR wrote:They were many high quality Japanese reels made in the 60s and 70s that many people are unaware of.

Very true that many are high quality. They were so good at it and could provide them at such a cost savings that many of the US reel makers couldn't resist tapping into the resource. During that time period, just to name a few...Penn, Zebco, South Bend, Shakespeare, Pflueger all sold some reels that were made in Japan.

Bronson was the only USA reel maker that could produce a cheaper reel than anyone else...just a joke!

Even the Japanese refused to make reels for Bronson...another joke!

Hey...quit picking on Bronson! They had a game plan and stuck to it and were highly successful at selling reels and being the brunt of jokes in their afterlife.

orourke · Post by **orourke** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 4:00 pm

Governor G. Mennen Williams honored the Bronson Reel Company in 1960 for its success in meeting Japanese competition.

I had a conversation with one of the engineers at Bronson Reel, He told me in the 60's they figured they had to introduce an entirely new model reel every two years because the Japanese would buy a reel in year one go into production in year two and undercut Bronson's price in year three with a copy cat reel. Patent or no patent.

I was dumb founded to find my first Bronson Reel made in Japan. Even before Bronson was sold to True Temper (a fly reel model 99) . You can still find some open face spinning reels marked made by Diawa on the foot but on the side plate it says Bronson.

It is what it is. Bronson's may be fodder of many jokes but I sure enjoy collecting them. Must admit I haven't put anything dnew in the collection lately that I didn't already have one of.

Won't someone get me a Four Aces Fly Reel for Christmas? PLEASE!

Dave "O"

Teal · Post by **Teal** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 4:11 pm

Dave,

I know you have the Wilson Powell, but do you have a Bronson Modern 500 marked Wilson Crest?

-- Dr. Todd

orourke · Post by **orourke** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 8:31 pm

No. I have a few model 500's but none marked Wilson Crest. Ok something else to look for. Thanks ... Have you got my four Aces reel?

Dave "O"

Teal · Post by **Teal** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 6:32 am

No, but I bet Garrett & Brooks do! I'll keep an eye out for you...

-- Dr. Todd

fishbugman · Post by **fishbugman** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 9:56 am

orourke wrote: It is what it is. Bronson's may be fodder of many jokes but I sure enjoy collecting them.
Dave "O"

Dave, I also really enjoy collecting Bronson reels. I thank Arne Soland for showing and sharing with me his Bronson collection. They are not my main reel collecting focus, but the perfect outlet to continually add another reel at a reasonable price. I personally feel it would be impossible to collect one of everything that Bronson ever made...there are just too many obscure trade reels. There are also some variations on named Bronson catalog reels. There are many that are cheap to purchase, a few that cost a lot and some that are very difficult to find, but could turn up in a 5 reel auction lot tomorrow that ends up selling cheap because no one else noticed that one sleeper in the group. The Four Aces reel is a perfect example...

orourke · Post by **orourke** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 3:43 pm

Arne Soland, there is a name from the past I got the first of only two "Reel-O-Mines" in a 6 or 8 for one reel trade with Arne years ago. I was happy with the trade and I think he was too.

I haven't heard much about or from him lately. Thanks for the nostalgia. Arne is a great guy.

Dave "O"

aplicator · Post by **aplicator** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 8:03 pm

just curious but how long has olympic been making reels? and what year is that model 85, thanks charlie