New guy with a question

[tholmes]

Greetings all! I recently joined the site after lurking for some time. I'm amazed at the wealth and depth of the knowledge here. I don't have an extensive collection, just a few reels that bring back fond memories or that pique my interest. I recently acquired a Japanese spinning reel and wondered if anyone could give me a little information about it. It's an Olympic Surfrider, left-handed and I've never seen one like it.





I know it's probably not worth anything, I'm just curious.

Thanks!

Tom

[Mike N]

My research indicates Olympic Company, Ltd. is a major Japanese manufacturer of fishing tackle. Here is a business directory's listing of Olympic's company website in Japan, which I could not access.

http://www.olympic-fishing.co.jp

[Midway Tommy D]

It's one of the many models made by Olympic in the '60s & '70s. It is similar to their Hurricane Saturns 42 & 49. The non-skirted spool dates it to the later 60's to very early '70s. Olympic copied many of the higher quality spinning, and also other style, reels. They went out of business in 1978, and most models have minimal value, maybe $15 - $25.

[tholmes]

Thanks, Mike N and Tommy D! I appreciate the info.
From what I've learned, Olympic, at least early on, made copies of several popular reels. This one bears at least a passing resemblance to the French-made Centaure spinning reels. It's built like a tank, very heavy for its size, solid but somewhat crudely made. I'll spool it up and see if it will still catch a fish.

Tom

[m3040c]

The Olympic named is actually the fishing division of the Japanese company, Seiko. That is the same company that makes the watches. In the late 1940's they made a copy of the Mitchell, Series 3 (the half bail Mitchell 300), that was such a close copy that some people actually call it a counterfeit, rather than a copy. There were even improvement made by Seiko aka Olympic that Mitchell should have incorporated into their reel.

[Midway Tommy D]

This one bears at least a passing resemblance to the French-made Centaure spinning reels.

Vaguely, mainly just in the shape of the body. Centaure reels had skirted spools.
Centaure Pacific, half bail:

Centaure River, full bail:

The Olympic 83, with its half bail, more closely resembled the Centaure look:

As did the Compac Cadillac (also made by Olympic). It sported a full bail but had a non-skirted spool:

Olympic used the 5 circle insignia logo as a trade mark, which, if you notice, is also visible on the Compac Cadillac name plate.

The Olympic named is actually the fishing division of the Japanese company, Seiko.

Was. The reorganized Olympic Co. LTD was ultimately purchased by the Mamiya Camera Co and known as Mamiya-Op Co., LTD. They manufactured rods & reels until about 2000 and in 2006 transferred their camera and optical business to Mamiya Digital Imaging Co., Ltd. Mamiya-OP no longer manufactures fishing equipment. They make various industrial and electronic products and golf equipment, i.e. clubs, shafts, grips, balls, etc.

[m3040c]

Was. The reorganized Olympic Co. LTD was ultimately purchased by the Mamiya Camera Co and known as Mamiya-Op Co., LTD. They manufactured rods & reels until about 2000 and in 2006 transferred their camera and optical business to Mamiya Digital Imaging Co., Ltd. Mamiya-OP no longer manufactures fishing equipment. They make various industrial and electronic products and golf equipment, i.e. clubs, shafts, grips, balls, etc.

That is interesting, when did the Mamiya Camera Co. buy Olympic?

[Midway Tommy D]

That is interesting, when did the Mamiya Camera Co. buy Olympic?

"February 1948 Established Ueno Seiko Co., Ltd. in Tokyo, Toshima-ku, for the purpose of manufacturing and sales of fishing tackle."
"January 1958 Founded Orimupikku fishing tackle sale Co., Ltd. to strengthen sales force."
"November 1961 Company name and Orimupikku fishing tackle Co., Ltd."
"April 1983 Its name due to the diversification of the business and (stock) Orimupikku."
"July 1987 Established Ltd. Orimupikku Wakayama for fishing tackle production enhancement."
"1989 (Heisei original) November Orimupikku for the competition strengthening of sporting goods - established the MI (Bangladesh) Ltd. (the current Mamiya-OP (Bangladesh) Ltd.)."
"April 1990 The acquisition of the United States of Tycoon fin Knoll, Inc., entered the sport fishing."
"October 1992 (Ltd.) Orimupikku is merged Mamiya light machine (strain), headquartered in Saitama Prefecture Iruma, the company name and the (stock) Orimupikku."
"April 1993 Renamed its name to Mamiya-OP Co., it moved its headquarters to Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku."
"December 2000 Withdrawal from the fishing tackle business."
"September 2006 Withdrawal from the optical business. It moved its headquarters (Saitama Minami-ku). It opened a Iwatsuki office (Saitama Minuma Ku) Toda office (Toda City)."
http://www.mamiya-op.co.jp/company/history ( this page will need a translator ) Scroll to the bottom for the dates prior to 1992.

Orimupikku translates to Olympic, as you can see if you enlarge the first 2 photos here: http://www.yuren-fishing.com.tw/product ... p?id=42089

Notice the link to "Mamiya-OP Home" in the top RH corner: http://www.mamiya.co.jp/home/camera/eng/

[m3040c]

AMAZING!!

[Jonathan P. Kring]

I'm convinced. All you have to do is pose your question here and somebody will be able to answer it!! And most of the time, they are the correct answers. That's why I don't try to answer questions. Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies.

[m3040c]

That's why I don't try to answer questions. Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies.

John, I work with many people that pride themselves in never making a mistake. They accomplish that by not doing anything. Living by the logic of, "you cannot screw something up if you do not touch it".... Works for them, when it comes to me, I am continuously making mistakes and saying the wrong thing; but, from time to time I get something right.