Who made this unique salmon reel???

[bamboocollector11]

I recently acquired this beautiful nickle silver plates brass salmon reel from the New England area. No markings except a "5" on one side of the reel foot with a corresponding 5 on the side it mounts to. I've never seen a plated version of this type of reel. The reel is 3 3/4" do a and weighs over a pound and a half.

If you have any ideas who made the reel or the age of it I would appreciate it. Guessing 1880's for age.

Thanks,
Ed

[Greatsouthbayman]

My guess would be Conroy...

[bamboocollector11]

Thanks for your input Greatsouthbayman! When you remove the housing cover there are some similarities.

[reelsmith.]

Can you please show the click ?

Thanks.

Dean.

[bamboocollector11]

Here's the click mechanism Dean

[reelsmith.]

Thanks Ed.

Unusual that the click spring is held with just a single screw on your reel, but it looks like the lower two screws for the click cover add support. I don't recall ever seeing it done that way before. I'm accustomed to seeing them like this ...



Dean.

[bamboocollector11]

Dean,

Any idea who made it? I love the roller line guides on your reel. This reel weighs over 1 1/2 lbs between 27 and 28 ozs. Conroy, or Conroy and Malleson is still.the no.1 guess. Any idea on the age???

[Steve]

I vote for Fowle, probably 1880s.

[john elder]

Typically, when there is a single screw holding the spring, there will also be a brass or steel pin an eighth or quarter inch on either side of the screw...almost invisible unless you clean the surface and look closely. Pic is a bit blurred, but I think I cam make at least one out in the pic.

[Midway Tommy D]

Typically, when there is a single screw holding the spring, there will also be a brass or steel pin an eighth or quarter inch on either side of the screw...almost invisible unless you clean the surface and look closely. Pic is a bit blurred, but I think I cam make at least one out in the pic.

Me, too. It looks like they are positioned right where the spring inner circumference changes from horizontal to arc.

[bamboocollector11]

Steve,
Did you mean Fowler?

John,
There is a pin located on the right side, just where you said it would be.

[bamboocollector11]

I also was thinking 1880's for the time frame based on similar English reels. The handle retaining screw is missing, so you might think the handle would easily be removed, but that was not the case. The machining tolerances are so tight that I had to take the reel apart and using the face plate like a wedge to pull the spool out so the handle would come off without scratching the reel. Very little wear on the reel excluding some brassing and the filing of the reel foot.
Thank you all for your comments, insights, and the education you are kind enough to provide me regarding this reel.

[Steve]

Did you mean Fowler?

Andrew S. Fowle, 1821-1899, Boston and Newark

[bamboocollector11]

Thanks Steve!

Fowle is a new reel maker to me.

[reelsmith.]

Ed,

The picture I posted is an unmarked reel thought to be a Conroy or Malleson. Seems they get are attributed to most reels with bullet knobs.

Here is a Fowle ...





Note the bullet knob.

Dean.

[Mike N]

Andrew S. Fowle is a maker unknown to me, also. Thanks, Steve.

Here is what I found in a quick search:

[Mike N]

The Reel News

Fowle, A.S., salmon reel Bodner, M. RN 10 1 2000 15 The Fowle Salmon Reel
Fowle, A.S., salmon reel Bodner, M. ON 4 3 1994 1 The Fowle Salmon Reel

[Steve]

Fowle is a new reel maker to me.

Reelmaking info and brief bio on page 253 of my book.

[bamboocollector11]

Steve and Mike,

Thank you for all this information.

Steve,
Thanks for identifying the maker and I gave the title of your new book to my kids for my Christmas list.

[Steve]

Thanks for identifying the maker

Ed, please understand that the ID is not definitive, just an educated guess. Besides, it's always fun to have a chance to attribute a reel to someone other than the three or four usual suspects.

[bamboocollector11]

Steve,

Fully understood!

At one time a certain rod type was attributed to Thomas and Edward, and now we believe with a much higher certainty the rod was made by Landman. So I have 9 of them and that is how I started collecting Edwards rods.

As new information becomes available it changes, our perspectives. I look forward to reading your book and having my perspectives widened even further.

Thanks,
Ed

[Steve]

Loquat I found (1881):

[bamboocollector11]

Beautiful!
Thanks,
Steve