Introduction of the counterbalanced, ball-handle reel

[Steve]

Some reel historians have credited John Conroy with the invention and introduction of the counterbalanced ball-handle that came to be used on innumerable 19th-century reels. He was in business as a machinist from the mid-1820s and probably made his first reels during the early to mid-1830s.

I've had the good fortune to acquire a couple of his first reels that clearly show the stages of development of the ball-handle.

The earliest was very unpopular with anglers of the period, who complained that their gillies were losing fish.

The next model proved to be more useful, but the gillies complained of difficulties in grasping the cranks.

At last, Conroy was inspired by a discovery in his own shop...

...and the ball-handle was born!

[Midway Tommy D]

That's a neat grouping, Steve! Nice acquisition!

[Jason]

I wonder if that first reel kept good time? You could be in the giant fish post card business.