Need ID help

[Brian F.]

From Patricia, a new sign up:
Message Body:
I have inherited a fly fishing reel, No 320, with a manufacturer's label that I cannot read. The name starts with a B and sits in a red heart. The name may be Barkley or Bereley but I cannot make it out. I wonder if you can help me ID it.

[spadej1]

I believe thats a Berkeley fly reel there. I don't know much about that one specifically, except that it might be part of the sweetheart series. I'm not certain if they used that logo for other reels as well, but have seen it on the sweetheart spinning reels.

[Ron Mc]

The reel was made by Olympic/Seiko in Japan. These basic reels are called Hardy clones - they copied the reels after Hardy Lightweights.
The company was making brass conventional pillar and crank-handle fly reels before WWII (also after the war), even nickel-silver, and some of the reels are Very Nice.
The Hardy clones were sold under many brands and sizes, and many of the parts will interchange with the Hardys.
http://fiberglassflyrodders.com/forum/v ... 69#p123469
The brands include Berkley, Heddon, Wright-McGill (Eagle Claw), Roddy, and later off-brands such as Alford (though overall improving in quality).
Berkley are considered the highest-quality of the older versions of these reels.
I believe you have one of the earliest versions from the 60s.
They eventually became Daiwa, and culminated in the Daiwa Lochmor.

People still want these, and their function is improved swapping the pawl for a Hardy pawl. Value is $35-$50+ depending on condition.

[Don Champion]

The sticker with the heart and name is the Berkley trademark.