R.H. Macy trade reels article

[Mike N]

Does anyone have a copy of Dr.Todd’s article on Macy's trade reels (The Reel News, Sep. 2007) they could possibly scan to me? Thanks.

I just picked up this “R.H. Macy” rod and after Dr. Elder works his rehab magic, I would like to add a matching period reel to it.





Mike N

[Mike N]

Thank you, Paul Manuel, for emailing me a pdf copy of the article.

Mike N.

[wrong99]

Probably the earliest rod I've ever seen built for R.H. Macy. Appears to be built by Montague City Rod Co.

[Steve]

That's a Shipley Bethabara-looking butt.

[Mike N]

Mark & Steve,

Those are two great makers. I looked through each page of Jeff Hatton’s 306-page seminal book “Rod Crafting” this afternoon (it was raining here.)

These are the only celluloid grasps I found:

[Steve]

These are the only celluloid grasps I found:

Keep looking. Celluloid became faddish. Landman and Kosmic also used celluloid. And as mentioned:

But there's always:

which makes me question whether Shipley in fact manufactured anything.

[wrong99]

Clark-Horrocks Co. also used the black & white celluloid grips.

[wrong99]

The butt cap and ferrules are Thomas Chubb, who supplied many makers with their hardware around the turn of the century.

[Mike N]

That's a Shipley Bethabara-looking butt.

https://cite.case.law/f/256/539/

“ When the plaintiff [Shipley] obtained his trade-mark, therefore, he was not entitled to the exclusive use of the word “Bethabara,” invented by him 27 years before.“

Here’s the same grip on a rod marked Trowbridge.

http://classicflyrodforum.com/forum/vie ... ip#p565396

[wrong99]

Supply a photo of the reel seat when you can, Mike. I'm guessing it's likely a Chubb reel seat, too. Doesn't mean that Chubb/Montague made it, but they could have.
Mark

[Mike N]

Supply a photo of the reel seat when you can, Mike. I'm guessing it's likely a Chubb reel seat, too. Doesn't mean that Chubb/Montague made it, but they could have.
Mark

Mark- since it hasn’t arrived yet, this photo
is from the sellers listing:



Thanks

[wrong99]

The reel seat is from Thomas Chubb.

[Steve]

https://cite.case.law/f/256/539/
“ When the plaintiff [Shipley] obtained his trade-mark, therefore, he was not entitled to the exclusive use of the word “Bethabara,” invented by him 27 years before.“

Objection! Relevance!? The Shipleys were using what they called Bethabara by 1883. Other makers used it, too.

Divine, 1888:

Yes, Shipley bragged more than anyone else about the wood and used a trademark, but so what?

We're referring here to the apparently-celluloid wrap on the butt. The Shipleys used it a lot, but they also butt-wrapped with cane. Chubb also cane-wrapped, but also wrapped with "patent whipping," which probably was celluloid, which was being manufactured in Newark by the mid-1870s.


As Mark suggested, why not wait to see some useful photos?
On another note, here's a Chubb rod with a hollow butt, which recently became famous in another thread.

[Alan Baracco]

Eye Candy.
AB

[Mike N]

I think Steve is likely correct regarding the rod construction above the reel seat being Shipley-style. In the 1889 supplement to the Book of the Black Bass, Dr. Henshall gives a side-by-side comparison of an early Shipley v. Chubb rod. Note the “spiked” dowel ferrules on the Shipley rod which match the subject rod. Chubb generally used the more traditional male ferrules.




Mark is undoubtably correct that the reel seat is the “fluted” Chubb style.



Thanks.

[wrong99]

Chubb used spiked ferrules throughout the 1890's, maybe longer.

[Mike N]

Chubb used spiked ferrules throughout the 1890's, maybe longer.

Well, back to square one, I guess. I need to stay in my reel lane.

Thanks, Mark.

[Steve]

It's no surprise that so many rods are IDed as Chubbs, based on the hardware. Chubb sold all the necessary rod trimmings, not to mention rod blanks. Of course, the patented reel seat was featured, along with different types of ferrules, butt caps, line guides, etc. Why would rodmakers bother with making their own trimmings if inexpensive alternatives were available? And let's not forget that the 1880 seat patent would have expired by the turn of the century, so anyone eventually could have copied the seat. (What!? Tackle makers copying each other? Unheard of!) Chubb also sold reel parts, and who knows how many of our reels, marked or not, were assembled from Chubb parts?
1886:

[Mike N]

The rod arrived a few minutes ago and without opening the box, I took it back to the post office and shipped to Dr. Elder in California. I expect we will get a proper post-mortem report soon. Thanks for all the research.

Mike

[wrong99]

What are you going to have done to it?

[Mike N]

What are you going to have done to it?

One area obviously in need of some restoration:

[wrong99]

I have the bell guide if you need it.
Mark

[Mike N]

That’s kind of you, Mark. I’ll let John know.

Thanks

Mike N

PS now I need to find a period R.H. Macy freshwater casting reel for it.