Maker of Abbey & Imbrie ball-handle?

[Steve]

Bill Hoerter sent photos of this pretty ball-handle reel, but I can't ID the maker. Can anyone help?

[Paul M]

That is a pretty reel. The internal construction bears some resemblance to a NPB BH reel of mine, that is marked with the JVH name and cloverleaf logo. I notice the similar brake button, brake spring, watch-maker bolts, general style of rear bearing cap and that one of the internal screws holding the foot plays double duty to hold down the brake spring.



Paul M

[Steve]

The internal construction bears some resemblance to a NPB BH reel of mine, that is marked with the JVH name and cloverleaf logo. I notice the similar brake button, brake spring, watch-maker bolts, general style of rear bearing cap and that one of the internal screws holding the foot plays double duty to hold down the brake spring.

True, but...Based on the primitive main gear bearing, that's a pretty old JVH. Feature by feature, though, other makers may also qualify for consideration.
Crook:
Conroy & Bissett (probably Malleson):
Malleson:
JVH:
Those fillister head screws were used by a number of folks, including Kopf. And the gears in Bill's reel seem crudely cut, compared with JVH gears.

[oc1]

The Hoerter reel has a hand-scribed number inside the head plate. These numbers are probably for keeping track of component that have already been tested or fitted to work well together. Paul M's JVH reel also has a hand-scribed number. Steve's JVH has stamped numbers to match components. There was some discussion of these numbers on JVH cross reels
http://reeltalk.orcaonline.org/viewtopi ... eel#p88392
I do not know if other reel makers used a similar system.
-steve

[Steve]

I do not know if other reel makers used a similar system.

When talking about pre-1890ish reels, I think it's less common not to find those numbers.