I received the latest addition to my collection today, a long sought-after B.F. Meek & Sons # 8 Saltwater reel. This reel appears in the 1899 catalog and has a 3 1/4 inch diameter hard rubber endplate and a 2 1/2 spool with around 200 yards capacity and a clicker control. The reel was designed for a leather thumb drag. It is shown next to a # 10 and # 11 reel, along with a Rabbeth drag handle sold in the Meek Saltwater line as an option for the larger reels. The clicker control can turn the clicker on or off, and was also advertised as a click and drag that could be turned on when fighting a fish.
Arthur and Karen Edwards made a custom case for me that I picked up at the Evansville NFLCC Regional Show last weekend, just in time for the arrival of the new reel. I wanted to get some pictures out there quickly, but will be taking some better pictures of the number 8. Need that #9 and #6 to go along with these nice examples. Send postpaid please.
Matt Wickham
Collector of Casting Weights, KY Reels and KY Tackle
Those are beautiful reels and look great in the case Arthur made for you. The case of reels behind it don't look bad either. Your Louisville, KY reel collection is coming along nicely.
Nice! I owned that piece about 14 years ago... only reel I couldn't get was a #9 then was offered a excellent condition example only after I parted with a double #10, the #8 pictured and a decent example of a #11.... funny how reels circulate!
Wanted Ultra rare salt water reels including big game as well as unknown rare surf reels!
Thanks for all the comments. I did edit the post after reviewing all the early catalogs. The earliest catalogs describe the Saltwater Reels as incorporating the click and drag combo switch.
An essential feature in reels of this class is a click that will withstand the sudden strain and high rate of speed, such as is given them by large sea fish. Our click combines the features of both click and drag and is so constructed that it cannot be thrown off no matter how sudden the jerk or rapid the run. We have run it continuously for days without any evidence of wear. It is an entirely new principle, extremely simple, yet the most effective of any produced.
Matt Wickham
Collector of Casting Weights, KY Reels and KY Tackle
