For the past 40 years I have been in collecting, I have heard of the intent of collectors to open up a true museum-quality collection of Kentucky hand made fishing reels, but it took the hard and persistent work of ORCA VIP members and officers of Betty Barr and Don Kleier to make it a reality. Not only a reality, but one of the best museum displays that you might imagine. The photos I took cannot do the professionalism and lighting and display technology justice. This is truly a work of art and museum display science. The displays are informative and educational and very accessible and viewable. The exhibit was notable for the innovative use of light and digital display technology. In short, they are entertainment for collectors and the public interested in history and fishing.
You can see in this exhibit the various small but important contribution of ORCA members, including Ron Gast, Bill Hinkebein, Tom Greene, Doug Carpenter, Howard Fortune and even myself saw some items in the collection that were masterfully blended into the historical exhibit. I am sure that Don and Betty will want to acknowledge others. It does take a village to make such a wonderful display.
The connection to Kentucky industry including printing and silversmithing and jewelry and watchmaking and bourbon is not obvious, but comes out in the exhibit. I can only hope that you will attend the ORCA National in 2022 and view this impressive and entertaining display. At the same time, you can tour the Kentucky Reel Maker Trail, as well as the Bourbon Trail. You will no doubt sample both the reel and the bourbons that made Kentucky famous.
To Betty and Don I can only say, congratulations and Bravo, Bravo. You have made ORCA proud and truly honored our ealiest reel makers. Thanks for this enormous contribution to the art.
