Newest Addition

[Jim Schottenham]

Happy to have added to the New York reel collection - even though it isn't a side-mount!
Willard Bradley (1868 patent) trout sized reel with nickel plated finish - I haven't touched it yet, but I suspect it will clean up nicely.


Speaking of side-mounts, I was also happy to add a rod from Alonzo H. Fowler - an only known (so far) 6-strip salmon sized rod - 16 1/2', 3 section rod with 2 mids, three tips and a wood form. These are before pictures, and I am planning on sending the rod out for a professional restoration to save it from further deterioration.

[john elder]

Great adds, Jim!!

John

[RonG]

I wasn't aware Fowler made a rod. That's pretty cool. The Bradley will look nice mounted on it.

[Bill Muth]

Congratulations Jim, awesome reel!

[Ron Mc]

extremely nice and rare combo

[Jim Schottenham]

I wasn't aware Fowler made a rod. That's pretty cool. The Bradley will look nice mounted on it.

Fowler rods were very important in the earliest days of tournament casting, very often used by the winning fly casters. Dr. Todd wrote a lengthy piece about the rivalry between McHarg and Fowler as it pertained to each makers rods.
I'm very fortunate to now have two Folwer rods, a standard 6-strip fly rod and now this big salmon rod. By many accounts, the rods are much harder to find than the famed Gem fly reels.
As for mounting that Bradley on that particular rod, it would be like putting a Nick Hadden miniature casting reel on a standard Granger casting rod. Maybe the giant Billinghurst would work though...or better yet, help me find a giant Fowler reel!

[RonG]

Interesting insight Jim. Did Fowler make a fly rod to go with his reel?

[Steve]

Bradley's fish-line reels are both unique and enigmatic. Who made them? Bradley himself was a brass molder in New York City for decades, but I've never found evidence that he ran his own shop. Could he or his employer have made the reels? Bradley's older brother was a superintendent in an unidentified brass foundry in Connecticut, so it's conceivable that the reels were made there.

[reelsmith.]

Great rod and a super sweet reel.

Thanks for showing us !

Dean.

[Dave Erickson]

Wow! Great find, thanks for sharing.

Dave

[Mike N]

That “ A.H. Fowler” butt cap stamp is about as cool as it gets.

Mike N.

[David Lehmann]

The reel is great, but that's a really, really cool rod!