Interesting thumb drag

[Mike N]

Anyone see this add-on thumb drag before?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/311634570837?rm ... noapp=true

[Steve]

I know of similar brakes, including an 1892 Wilcox brake, but without rollers. According to Jim Brown, UH began making reels in 1923. It might pay to ask the seller what that 1918 date on the tag means. Is there a 1918 date on the brake?

[Mike N]

Thanks, Steve.

I don't plan on bidding on it, so I hope an ORCA member wins it and writes about it for the Reel News.

[wrong99]

A nearly identical metal thumb drag (with roller) can be seen on our Bronson website, equipped to an early No.2475 "Fleetwing" model from Ellis' collection. I sold it a couple years ago for virtually nothing (another great move!) Also, according to a conversation I had with Dr. Todd a few years ago, it's now known that Union Hardware produced reels and bamboo rods much earlier than previously thought (long before 1918).
Mark

[Steve]

it's now known that Union Hardware produced reels and bamboo rods much earlier than previously thought (long before 1918)

UH was around for decades before 1918, but it would be nice to hear evidence it was manufacturing reels by then or earlier. Here are a couple of ads from 1893 and 1918, respectively. UH advertised their steel rods in 1918, but there's no mention of reels.

[wrong99]

You'd have to contact Dr. Todd for the evidence which, according to him, was a series of extremely early catalogs which were discovered about four years ago. There was to be a forthcoming book or article on Union Hardware which would explain that new-found evidence. That is the last I heard from him about it.
Mark

[Steve]

And by the way: viewtopic.php?t=4047. Todd, weigh in please.

[Midway Tommy D]

A nearly identical metal thumb drag (with roller) can be seen on our Bronson website

Mike's red eBay listing is missing the free spooling tension spring.

I wondered what that little doohicky clip on the crank side was all about. I thought maybe the mechanism was some sort of homemade contraption or something. I'll bet that SUNNYBROOK doesn't cast too far, or, with a few screech marks when the thumb brake is applied. Wonder if they made a white one, too.

[Mike N]

My all-time favorite thumb drag made and stamped by B.C. Milam on a No.2. We photographed this reel for a 1992 article in the American Museum of Fly Fishing journal. I consider my selling it the worst mistake I made in 30 years of collecting. Oh, well...

[scottorock]

Well, Mike...if it makes you feel any better, atleast you narrowed down your all time worst "selling" mistake. I have a 37 way tie for selling stuff that i will probably never see again. I agree...."oh well"