Historic Tackle Find!!

Use this forum to share your stuff so round up your favorite reels! Questions can still go to the Reel Talk - General Forum
Post Reply
User avatar
Deepfins791
Advanced Board Poster
Posts: 311
Joined: Tue Jun 05, 2012 4:37 pm
Contact:

Historic Tackle Find!!

Post by Deepfins791 »

I recently acquired the remainder of Arlene Kovalovsky’s estate, the wife of Oscar Kovalovsky, from the person who was the executor of Arlene's estate. The collection includes all the records and photos Oscar saved, dating back to his father’s auto repair business. It is an absolute treasure trove of historical information, including hundreds of family photos, old negatives (some 8X10 size!) from the 30’s of their reels, advertising and stationery, correspondence from clients, letters from Zane Grey to Arthur and original copies of letters from Arthur to ZG, many photos of big game anglers using Kov’ reels, including Dr. R.L. Sutton and Bob Kleiser, Arthur’s spectacles, a pair of Oscar’s high school drafting projects, all the original certified copies of their patents, along with the patent applications, a couple patent applications for inventions that were never awarded, partnership agreements between Arthur, Oscar, and Lewis, information on their gunsmithing business, etc., etc.

I contacted the executor shortly after Rick Gailing and I finished the Reel News magazine article on Oscar’s fly reels last winter. She was a close family friend of Oscar and Arlene's, and I thought she might like a copy of the magazine. We kept in touch over the summer. The executor told me Arlene’s family had no interest in the records, and were going to throw them all out. She intervened, and put it all in storage. There were boxes and suitcases full of stuff. UNBELIEVABLE, it was all headed to the dump! About three weeks ago, she decided it was time to find a new home for the collection. We agreed on a price, and I purchased the lot.

For the last two weeks, I have been trying to wrap my arms around the collection. I have scanned over 800 photos and documents, and saved the digital files on an external hard drive kept in my fire-proof safe. The originals get filed away in archival plastic sleeves in binders, and also get stored in my safe. I am probably only 2/3rd’s done. No way I could possibly share it all on this forum. The collection really needs to be published in a book. Here are a few items, though. The ink blotter cards with Arthur's auto repair shop ad are really cool.

Enjoy!
John





Dr. Rob
Super Board Poster
Posts: 519
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2003 5:29 am

Re: Historic Tackle Find!!

Post by Dr. Rob »

Wow, that is fantastic news! Bravo. Thank goodness there are people like you.

It gives me nightmares to think of things naive inheritors have taken to the dump.

.
Robert Janssen
Sweden
User avatar
54bullseye
Super Board Poster
Posts: 528
Joined: Sun Dec 14, 2014 11:47 am

Re: Historic Tackle Find!!

Post by 54bullseye »

Really neat pictures John !! Whoever it is in 2nd picture there holding a Remington model 121 slide action 22. And they have quite a lovely lady standing next to them Lol !!!! I hope you post more pics and make note of who it is in pictures please. Thanks for showing them ! John Taylor
User avatar
john elder
Star Board Poster
Posts: 8541
Joined: Mon Sep 22, 2003 2:44 pm

Re: Historic Tackle Find!!

Post by john elder »

Just incredible, John...like JT, would love to see more and I hope you can pursue that book deal!

JT, i’m Pretty sure that pic is of Arlene and Oscar!
ORCA member since 1999
Honorary Life Member

Specializing in saltwater reels...and fly reels...and oh, yeah, kentucky style reels.....and those tiny little RP reels.....oh, heck...i collect fishing reels!...and fly rods....and lures
Reeltyme

Re: Historic Tackle Find!!

Post by Reeltyme »

John, With your reputation of a quality tackle collector, this addition is not surprising. Thankfully you were at the right spot at the right time or this historic information may have become fodder for the worms! Thanks for saving and sharing.
Respectfully,
Randy McConnell
Reeltyme
Jay White
Advanced Board Poster
Posts: 215
Joined: Wed Sep 17, 2008 1:32 pm

Re: Historic Tackle Find!!

Post by Jay White »

Way to go John!What a fantastic save. I know you are having fun sorting through a treasure trove. Hope to see some more photos. Congrats!! :fished
Nick in NY
Advanced Board Poster
Posts: 351
Joined: Wed Dec 05, 2007 6:59 pm

Re: Historic Tackle Find!!

Post by Nick in NY »

Wow! Very cool find! Tight lines Nick in NY
Wanted Ultra rare salt water reels including big game as well as unknown rare surf reels!
User avatar
Mike N
Star Board Poster
Posts: 3763
Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 1:50 pm
Location: WV

Re: Historic Tackle Find!!

Post by Mike N »

John- thanks for your foresight and efforts in preserving this historic information for future generations. You are to be commended by the entire reel collecting community.

Mike N
Mike N.
ORCA Founder, 1990
User avatar
Midway Tommy D
Star Board Poster
Posts: 3135
Joined: Sun Jan 20, 2013 11:23 pm
Location: Eastern NE

Re: Historic Tackle Find!!

Post by Midway Tommy D »

Great save, John! :bow: Being the curator of such invaluable documentation and artifacts has to be personally rewarding!
Love those Open Face Spinning Reels! (Especially ABU & ABU/Zebco)

Tom DeLong, NE
ORCA Member - 2027
User avatar
kyreels
Super Board Poster
Posts: 1147
Joined: Mon Feb 06, 2006 6:12 pm
Location: Louisville, Kentucky

Re: Historic Tackle Find!!

Post by kyreels »

John,

I really appreciate your efforts and contributions. Please ensure that History is preserved. We all have that responsibility, but you have a real opportunity here.

Would love to see some if this at a National show, east or west.
Matt Wickham
Collector of Casting Weights, KY Reels and KY Tackle
User avatar
john elder
Star Board Poster
Posts: 8541
Joined: Mon Sep 22, 2003 2:44 pm

Re: Historic Tackle Find!!

Post by john elder »

Stay tuned! ORCA Nationals at the Kona Kai in San Diego, Fall, 2021! I have an in with the Organizers and John will have all the room he needs for a Kovalovsky display!
ORCA member since 1999
Honorary Life Member

Specializing in saltwater reels...and fly reels...and oh, yeah, kentucky style reels.....and those tiny little RP reels.....oh, heck...i collect fishing reels!...and fly rods....and lures
User avatar
Deepfins791
Advanced Board Poster
Posts: 311
Joined: Tue Jun 05, 2012 4:37 pm
Contact:

Re: Historic Tackle Find!!

Post by Deepfins791 »

Thanks everyone for the kind words. Admittedly, it is a bit overwhelming being responsible for a collection of this size and significance. I made a commitment to the seller that I would properly curate the collection and share it with as many people as possible. To that end, I am leaning towards writing a book. Some of the historic photography of the Kovalovsky reels is simply spectacular. Imagine the size of a camera that takes an 8X10 negative, and imagine the quality of the resulting prints! And the collection spans the time from the development of the first Kovalovsky reels, through when Oscar developed the 2-speed and 3-speed gear boxes for Fin Nor, the prototypes for the API fly reels, and the ultimate 12/0 2-speed "Albatross" big game reel. If all goes well, maybe I can have the book finished by the time the 2021 convention rolls around. Here are a few more scans from the collection.

Cheers,
John




User avatar
Deepfins791
Advanced Board Poster
Posts: 311
Joined: Tue Jun 05, 2012 4:37 pm
Contact:

Re: Historic Tackle Find!!

Post by Deepfins791 »

Gotta share this one. One of Oscar's drafting projects from high school shop class! Note date. Unfortunately, my scanner was too small to scan the entire document. The kid showed promise!

John
User avatar
xjchad
Frequent Board Poster
Posts: 33
Joined: Thu Aug 01, 2019 1:43 pm

Re: Historic Tackle Find!!

Post by xjchad »

This is so incredible John!
I can't imagine how awesome it must be going through all those artifacts and the knowledge that you'll gain about the Kovalovsky family.
The Pfluger Interocean given to me by Chris that was part of Oscar's estate is still the most prized in my small collection.
I'm glad that this treasure trove ended up in the right hands, and thank you so much for sharing with us!
Chad
User avatar
Deepfins791
Advanced Board Poster
Posts: 311
Joined: Tue Jun 05, 2012 4:37 pm
Contact:

Re: Historic Tackle Find!!

Post by Deepfins791 »

Chad,

I believe I see your reel in this picture Oscar took of his collection! There appears to be two Interocean reels in the group.

Yes, I am having a blast!

JB
User avatar
xjchad
Frequent Board Poster
Posts: 33
Joined: Thu Aug 01, 2019 1:43 pm

Re: Historic Tackle Find!!

Post by xjchad »

Wow, very cool John!!!
User avatar
Dan Z
Advanced Board Poster
Posts: 191
Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2012 8:13 pm
Location: DEL MAR, CA & THAILAND
Contact:

Re: Historic Tackle Find!!

Post by Dan Z »

awesome!! happy for you and the history
daniel z
Nick in NY
Advanced Board Poster
Posts: 351
Joined: Wed Dec 05, 2007 6:59 pm

Re: Historic Tackle Find!!

Post by Nick in NY »

Nice! Now comes the sorting...early on tried the 1 of everything just not enough space! Good Stuff!
Wanted Ultra rare salt water reels including big game as well as unknown rare surf reels!
Shellbelly
Advanced Board Poster
Posts: 246
Joined: Thu May 20, 2021 2:21 pm

Re: Historic Tackle Find!!

Post by Shellbelly »

The determination and effort of a family member to guard their history is called duty to family. To obtain this history and become the steward of an iconic archive is a profoundly humbling honor. Dismissal of it as garbage is unspeakable.
Post Reply