Kingfisher Reel - Not Abu?

Dale Noll · Post by **Dale Noll** » Tue Nov 16, 2004 10:15 am

Have a small levelwind baitcaster with beautiful engraving and marked Kingfisher No. 2955. Also has the "bird" inscribed beside the number. Jeweled endcaps fit Shakespeare. Foot stamp "patented, made in usa."

Everything nonmagnetic except arbor. Beautiful engraving both sides and handle. Has drag button and old style click nob. Can't find in any of my books. Looking to find mfg. Have had search on eBay for several years, but so far only get Abu hits.

Any info welcome. Hope the guest who was so critical re Pennell reels does not see this. Thanks.

Reel Geezer · Post by **Reel Geezer** » Tue Nov 16, 2004 9:06 pm

At the risk of again bringing forth the wrath of the phoney Mr. Tryon I'll post that the Kingfisher was another reel made for Edward K. Tryon of Philadelphia. Tryon trademarked the Kingfisher logo on March 12, 1907. I don't know your particular reel, but it sounds like it probably was made for Tryon by Shakespeare (or maybe Bronson).

This information will eventually be posted on the new Reel Research web site. Thanks to Jim Schottenham and Harvey Garrison and yours truly there is a fair amount of new information on that site. http://www.fishing-reel-research.org

Harvey · Post by **Harvey** » Tue Nov 16, 2004 9:47 pm

Dale,
A picture of the reel ( headplate, tailplate and foot would be prefered)
and maybe some one can help you out with the identifaction. If you can't post them, send them to me and I will do that task for you.
harvey

And Phil, How dare you question the knowledge of Mr Tryon! I am sure Sean Penn can tell you the relationship between him and Ocean City. (I think he preformed there in one of the casino showrooms!) And what about Charles Bronson?

Ron Mc · Post by **Ron Mc** » Tue Nov 16, 2004 11:03 pm

you guys are in trouble

maybe we should ask Paul to hire an exorcist.

Sorry Dale, we had a poltergeist recently

SWIM JIG · Post by **SWIM JIG** » Wed Nov 17, 2004 1:58 am

Folks if you will go to page 88 in Lawsons 3rd edition it list kingfishers , 6 of them and ONE1 with bird logo and with box in vg for $45.00 a 8/8 in box. bait caster and level wind! gee how easy that is! ( a way we check reels ie bearing caps are ok , however we use a comparison with the level wind worm and the pawl, if its the same as skakespere then most likly its made by or under shakespere! (now ive done it! ) yup some companies made for anyone , yes Phil you can have a company make a reel for you, just order about 5000 min. Nuf on this I have reels to work on. Col. Milton Lorens aka SWIM JIG your OHIO conection that decided the Election aka SWIM JIG

Reel Geezer · Post by **Reel Geezer** » Wed Nov 17, 2004 8:49 am

Milt, I hate to tell you, but Lawson's doesn't list every Tryon Kingfisher reel. Also of those 6 reels listed, only 3 are for Tryon. The others are ABU reels. I also I'll bet you that Montague, Winchester, Bronson, etc. didn't require an order of 5000 reels before they stamped your name on one of their "generic" products.

Harvey · Post by **Harvey** » Wed Nov 17, 2004 9:04 am

Lets not make this "Jump on Milt Day" but I have order forms from South Bend where they ordered 800 #400A reels. Price, $1.55 each. That was in 1938. Of course you could order more and get a bette deal. Like they did in 1940 where they ordered 10,000 #300's and got them for $.93 FOB Kalamazoo. Look at some "Leftys". You could order them and wait 6 to 8 weeks for delivery. That tells me they were made to order I just have a feeling that you could order one with your face engraved on it if you wanted it and would pay out the nose. After all, money drove the industry as it does today.

SWIM JIG · Post by **SWIM JIG** » Wed Nov 17, 2004 10:58 am

OK so i forgot to mention page 191 of Lawsons 3rd edition , tryon , ed.co. THE KINGFISHER ex $25.00) somewhere in this vast(RAT HOLE) I have a tyron catalog, go it from the lure man Mike Wohlever, again what is important to remember!1 there were very few companies that made all their own parts! 2 even companies that were large like Shakespere, pfluger etc found it less costly to JOB OUT these parts to small machine shops or stamping plants! one reason they could eliminate the most costlypart of the reel or anyother product made its called LABOR or a human factor, 2 product liability ins. 3 taxable inventory, blame the D-----d goverment for that, 4 stoped waste! 5 could do away with complex machinery, they did give it to a supplier if the supplier agreed to make their parts as needed. and a lot more reasons too extent to mention on this string. Folks its all about money! Prove me wrong! Col. Milton Lorens aka SWIM JIG your Ohio Conection that decided the ELECTION!

Dale Noll · Post by **Dale Noll** » Wed Nov 17, 2004 9:52 pm

Since posting, I have been searching for photo - so found Kalamazoo Challenger reel in K White book 173-9775 which has same engraving and tailplate layout, except where the engraved word "Challenger", this reel is marked " Kingfisher" with the Bird engraved in that space also. Size of letters is same as on the Challenger. Must have been a Kalamazoo reel. Did Shakespeare make Kalamazoo reels also? Thanks to all who helped me ID this reel.

Reel Geezer · Post by **Reel Geezer** » Wed Nov 17, 2004 10:11 pm

To learn of the Shakespeare-Kalamazoo relationship, just go to the Reel Research Shakespeare page. Harvey explains. He is also putting together a separate information page about Kalamazoo reels.
http://www.fishing-reel-research.org/Shakespeare.htm

Harvey · Post by **Harvey** » Wed Nov 17, 2004 10:12 pm

Yes, They made them and sold them thur KTC. It may gave been a trad reel sod by them. I will dig out my challender ans ssend you pictuers to compare.
harvey