Who made this reel?

[Richard Lodge]

Picked up this neat little single action fly reel mostly because of the great labeled box. The reel reminds me of a model that Winchester made but I can't find a photo of that reel to compare it to this one. It's 2 3/4" wide and the spool is 1" wide. the number 35 is under the foot and the Abbey & Imbrie name is on the back. I'm sure one (or many) of you ORCAns can ID the maker of this Abbey & Imbrie marked reel. What say ye?











And don't ya love this label?

[reelsmith.]

Sorry about the picture. Best I could find.

In addition to Winchester, I've seen them marked "VELANAY" (VL&A).

Dean.

[wrong99]

I think it is very similar to the No.6627 "Sturdy" model produced by Horrocks-Ibbotson Co., after their purchase of Abbey & Imbrie (and Winchester) around 1930 or so. It was considered a 35 or 40-yard model. Below is from the 1940 catalog.
Mark

[Richard Lodge]

Interesting. Thanks Dean and Mark. It does beg the question then about the model No. 278 on the box, since none of the models in the H-I cat show that number. I also think that Winchester is very similar, Dean. Does anyone have the Winchester reel that looks like what I have (besides the photo Dean posted)?

[wrong99]

The No.278 (maybe for the size 2-7/8) would have been in Abbey & Imbrie's catalog, not the regular H-I catalog. It would have been the Trade version of of H-I's No.6627.

[reelsmith.]

Richard,

Here you go ...one "Velanay" (VL&A) and one Winchester. Found them in a file my son marked "Dad's First Computer: Reel Pictures". BTW, I'm on my fifth computer.






Sorry the Winchester pictures are so small. Lazy seller's fault.

Dean.

[wrong99]

Both were produced under Horrocks-Ibbotson ownership.
Mark

[Richard Lodge]

Thanks, Dean. Those are very helpful and whet my appetite for collecting some of these little reels with various names.
First computer? I can't even remember, but I do have my wife's Radio Shack TRS 80 laptop, circa 1986, with manual, displayed on my desk at work to show young reporters what a laptop once looked like. These neat little computers didn't have much memory and displayed only 3-4 lines of type, but they were great for reporters on the go. In the business these were affectionately known as "Trash 80s." Ah, but this isn't the Old Laptop Collectors Association (which would be "OLCA") so I'll end with that. And this:

[Richard Lodge]

Hey Dean, what's the Winchester model number on the back of that reel?

[reelsmith.]

Impressive !

I got my first PC in '94. Late bloomer.

The smaller model is the 1630 and the larger is the 1730.

Dean.