Reel ID help yet again

[40fordflathead]

I need a little help with this reel / down rigger. Made by Perrine “Sterling quality” I have spent a considerable amount of time on the interweb and have found no info on this beast. The black body is cast aluminum, the spool is cast aluminum than machined but still rough cast in the back/inside. It has a fiber brake that locks the spool. The brake is automatically released if the reel is cranked clockwise to retrieve the braided stainless cable it is loaded with. The bell shaped aluminum part at the top of the handle can be pulled down approx 1/8” to release the brake. I have never seen a hand held down rigger. What is this? Any help would be appreciated.
Bruce Harlan

[40fordflathead]

Anybody have any input? So common that everyone but me knows what it is? Or so rare that know one knows what it is? I think it is somewhere in the middle. I am not sure it was used for.
Thanks Bruce Harlan

[40fordflathead]

Anybody any wild guess.
Thank you Bruce

[Jim Schottenham]

Sorry to say Bruce, but I'm not up to speed on these big water trolling rigs. Can't say I'm familiar with that configuration either. Seems odd to me that a rod wasn't used. Are there no provisions for a rod ferrule on either end?

[john elder]

Bryce, the setup is similar to this fancy custom made reel that i have that i refer to as a mooching reel, without reel evidence thats the way it was used. It didn’t come with a tip, but i assume there was one:

[Paul M]

The Perrine Sterling Quality mark is seen on aluminum fly boxes which were invented by Perrine in 1935. I don't know when this mark was put into service. I can't find the trademark registration. If it was registered as a symbol that would explain why a word search for Perrine does not get hits for anything relevant other than the Perrine fish logo. The May 2014 Reel News article on Perrine focuses on their automatic fly reels (made over time by Perrine, Alladin and Orbex) and does mention the fly boxes but does not mention this mark.

[40fordflathead]

Jim, John, and Paul thank you for your input. Jim yes it does have a ferrule on the end with bell shaped break release. The fiber brake is a locking brake not a drag, that has me thinking it would be more of a down rigger. No line can go out with the brake on, if you pull down on the bell it is full free spool. Reel in and the brake swings out of the way than locks again when done reeling. Thanks again just trying to learn.