Is this a left hand reel . Since the click or bait alarm is on the front of the reel if it was a right hand reel. Or was the click or bait alarm added after market. Ether way it was well made. And does anybody know the maker of the reel. It is also marked 33 on a 3 places on the reel. The 33rd made or is it the size
I would think that given the crank is in the lower "right" quadrant..i.e., distal to the crankee, that it would be a standard right hand reel. If it were left, I'd expect the crank to be in the lower "left" quadrant of the headstock.
Merv, I'm gonna agree with John, I think the reel is set for right hand operation. I think the click is "factory", but it sure is interesting looking!
As for the numbers on the reel, I was always under the impression that they were more or less batch numbers, marked prior to assembly at the factory to keep all like size parts together for the right size reel.
Here's a crossed hook A&I logo reel with the #15 on each part, including the main gear. This one has a #5 on the foot and a removable rear cap too.
Maker? Might be J.C. Conroy, he did make lots of reels for the tackle retailers of that time. It's tough to see in this picture, but the crossed hook logo is hiding in there somewhere!
Jim S
Yes it was sold by A&I. I was hoping somebody would know the maker. . I just never saw a click or bait alarm (I will let you decide on what you want to call it) like this one.
Would it be possible to attach the reel under the rod? If so, then couldn't the reel could be used and considered to be left hand?
Looks like Conroy style. On page 56 of Collectable Fishing Reels by Carl Caiati is a good discussion of reels of that era. He states that Julius V made reels for Conroy. Page 57 shows a photo of a Von Hofe of similar design. He describes a Vom Hofe patent used in the "Silver King" series which contained a rim control lever to actuate a tensioning and click device. Maybe, a copy of this patent would describe the interior workings of your reel. He does not provide a patent no.
The Dame Stoddare & Kendall reel in K White book pg 145-9373 also looks like a possible match. Especially the tailplate. In Great Fishing Tackle of the Golden Age by Melner & Kessler, there is a photo of an Ad for these reels on page 16. Number 625 in both brass and nickel plated in 25,40,60,80,100 sizes. Another reel series is shown as Number 724 Fine Nickel Plated Multiplying with Patent Click. And finally a number 725 series of nickel plated quadruple multiplying, Click and drag.
These reels are similar to the Terry reel shown K White 264-8747 which also show a rim actuator.
If you can verify the click patent, there is a good chance the reel was made by Von Hofe, otherwise probably Conroy.
Merv: Very neat reel, but I can't figure out what's going on. Looks to me, based on one pic, that you press the lever down to activate something, which you could do with your right index finger. But what happens then? I don't see anything that would produce a click. What do those brass pieces near the foot and inside the headcap flange do? Is there a brake pin attached to the bottom piece? Does the bottom piece rub on the main gear? Does the lever spring up when you release it? Or do I have it backwards? Inquiring minds want to know.
Anyway, a clear shot of the A&I logo would help to date the reel. Mary Kelly wrote an article on the evolution of the logo, so we could look it up there. About the time A&I showed up, the Conroy company was changing to Conroy, Bissett & Malleson. Dating the reel by the logo would help. But I don't see any reason to attribute the reel to the Conroy co., whatever it was at the time. My money would be on some other wholesaler, even someone like Kopf, sometime in the mid- to late 1880s.
P.S. Jim, please buy a roll of paper towels or a plastic placemat. Getting grease or oil on that exquisite photo would be a disaster.
(Reply, 2nd edition)
After a closer look at Merv's pic, it looks as if you press the lever up. Is that a brake pin attached at #1 that slides up a slot in the headplate to wedge against the spool flange? Does the curved brass piece (#2) do anything but secure the end of the spring? Does #3 move or is it soldered in place? Inquiring minds are gradually waking up.
If it's a brake or click you have to hold with your index finger, I don't know what would happen to your hand when a fish was running with your bait. Even if you mounted the reel below the rod, there would be problems.
Last edited by Steve on Fri Aug 26, 2005 8:49 am, edited 1 time in total.
does it actually "click" when engaged? or does it create drag on the spool? does it have an anti-reverse action? It must be a very thin piece that lays under gear when the reel is together, rather than making full contact in the middle of the gear...that would impinge on the meshing of the two gears..and I'd think you wouldn't want it to contact the "right-hand" gear that meshes the crank to the spool gear...unless you wanted to create drag on the action. So, if the mission is to create drag for anti-backlash purposes, you might argue that having it out of the way and a bit inconvenient might be a good thing...not going to move it til you really wanted it to move?
All those parts are just for to hold it down for the click or to hold it up so no click. The rim piece does not move.. There are a lest 15 different parts just for a click or bait alarm. It does make a clicking sound. It snaps up and down. When in place it hold does not need to be held there. It does not stop the reel from spinning in ether direction.
OH! that's cute! Given that it doesn't impede turning in either direction, I suppose that there is nothing to stop this from being an ambi reel that could be used either way. If that was the maker's intent, they would have had to pick one side or the other and probably went with the standard right hand set-up for the crank?
Great pics, Merv. According to Mary Kelly (Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Summer, 1992, page eighteen--can't type one-eight without an emoticon popping up), that logo was A&I's first and was used from March, 1878, to the Spring of 1883. So that Rube Goldberg of a click was not someone's attempt to make an alternative to E. Vom Hofe's 1883 click.
Since the user doesn't have to hold the lever in either position, he can turn the click on or off with his index finger while he holds the crank. With the reel below the rod, he could use his pinkie.
By the way, the throbbing logo in my avatar was A&I's second, used from Spring, 1883, till late 1886.
Does anybody have a copy of the article Mary Kelly wrote
Steve wrote:According to Mary Kelly (Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Summer, 1992, page eighteen--can't type one-eight without an emoticon popping up), that logo was A&I's first and was used from March, 1878, to the Spring of 1883. So that Rube Goldberg of a click was not someone's attempt to make an alternative to E. Vom Hofe's 1883 click.
By the way, the throbbing logo in my avatar was A&I's second, used from Spring, 1883, till late 1886.
Merv,
I should have that issue. I'll be happy to copy the article for you, of if I have a duplicate issue, I'll drop it in the mail . Either way, you'll get the info.
Jim S
Is this a left hand reel . Since the click or bait alarm is on the front of the reel if it was a right hand reel. Or was the click or bait alarm added after market. Ether way it was well made. 
And does anybody know the maker of the reel. It is also marked 33 on a 3 places on the reel. 
Thanks for the help. It will help me date my A&I collection.