Thoughts on this Wm Mills and Son Field Find Please!

[john elder]

I looked through what Mills literature I had, which was all post 1900 and there is no sign of this fellow. Would love to hear your thoughts on this one!

[john elder]

I pestered Dean Smith about this and he went to his archives and pulled up an identical reel that belongs to Joe Connors. Also showed me a JVH that has a HR clicker independent of these two reels, so money bet Julius Vom Hofe was maker here. Regardless, makes a nice add to my herd!

[reeltackle]

Sweet little reel John, nice find!

[Reel Addictive]

John that is a very nice looking reel.

Congrats on adding it to the herd.

However you did only give the ORCA congregation 134 minutes before you told us the answer.

Patience is a virtue I've been told.

William

[john elder]

Thanks, Guys....william, that is one answer and there are still potentially others...thought it might generate some discussion, but maybe there's nothing much to discuss!

comparison to the Leonard bimetal is interesting...make quite a nice pair. I haven't shined the Leonard, but still, the side plate material looks to be the same between the two reels. The Leonards has the classic JVH hole in the foot..perhaps the latest reel was made earlier if also by JVH:

[Jim Schottenham]

Great little reel John!

Have you been able to determine if the frame is bronze or brass? And, if that screw off end cap has the Vom Hofe Patent compensating pivot, it would be yet another dart in the Vom Hofe bullseye. Those hard rubber click and drag switches were used on several Abbey & Imbrie reels that were made by Vom Hofe too.

No matter the maker, it sure looks good!

[john elder]

Thanks, Jim! What I can say is that the frame appears to be the same material as used on the little Leonard bimetal shown in the pics above and I thought those were made from NS and bronze, but I guess it might be brass. Old brass takes on about the same patina, but I want to pursue this and try to figure out what it is...just didn't act or polish up like brass, MHO.

The inside of that bearing cap has a "teat" for adjusting the spool, shown here:




does this qualify under the VH patent??