Shakespeare reel oil

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Jeff Johnson
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Shakespeare reel oil

Post by Jeff Johnson »

I was fortunate enough to pick up a cool bottle of reel oil the other day - Shakespeare "One Drop" reel oil No.1232. It's got to be quite scarce with the box and pamphlet. My question is what years it was available? I've seen newer one drop oil bottles but this is obviously earlier.
Now I'm probably making this harder than it is. On the side of the box are numbers that end in 23 - so my thought is 1923. But I don't have any Shakespeare catalogs. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
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RonG
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Re: Shakespeare reel oil

Post by RonG »

The ORCA Library has lots of Shakespeare catalogs. You might be able to find it in one of them.
wrong99
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Re: Shakespeare reel oil

Post by wrong99 »

Because of the style of the label on the bottle, my guess would be early to mid 1930's. Maybe even late 20's.
Last edited by wrong99 on Sat Dec 18, 2021 12:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Mike N
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Re: Shakespeare reel oil

Post by Mike N »

Jeff Johnson wrote: Sat Dec 18, 2021 4:25 am I was fortunate enough to pick up a cool bottle of reel oil the other day - Shakespeare "One Drop" reel oil No.1232. It's got to be quite scarce with the box and pamphlet. My question is what years it was available? I've seen newer one drop oil bottles but this is obviously earlier.
Now I'm probably making this harder than it is. On the side of the box are numbers that end in 23 - so my thought is 1923. But I don't have any Shakespeare catalogs. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Jeff, I’ve not seen a more complete package of that oiler. Great find!

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klonder
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Re: Shakespeare reel oil

Post by klonder »

wrong99 wrote: Sat Dec 18, 2021 9:52 am Because of the style of the label on the bottle, my guess would be early to mid 1930's. Maybe even late 20's.
Resembles their rod decal, yes? Looks that way to me with the exception of the script.
Just an impression.
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Jeff Johnson
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Re: Shakespeare reel oil

Post by Jeff Johnson »

Thank you for the feedback. If anyone else has more information, please contact me. Thanks again, Jeff

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Re: Shakespeare reel oil

Post by Kevin McJunkin »

Cool bottle and box! Never seen the paper before. I have a poor photocopy of an undated Shakespeare catalog that has the "new" Russell fly reel, which I understand came out in 1928. There is a Shakespeare Reel oil No. 1232 in it.

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Re: Shakespeare reel oil

Post by wrong99 »

I found the No.1232 Reel Oil going back to 1923, but it came in a rectangular bottle then.
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Bill Sonnett
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Re: Shakespeare reel oil

Post by Bill Sonnett »

Eris Jeska told me he found an article in a Kalamazoo paper from 1922 that stated that the Shakespeare Co planned to change their box colors from gray to "tangerine" (orange) for the season of 1923.
I love to get old reels, work on them until they run as smooth as silk and the take them fishing using pre-1960 plugs, mostly surface fishing for Largemouths after dark.
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Re: Shakespeare reel oil

Post by wrong99 »

They must have waited about 6 years to do it, though.
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Bill Sonnett
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Re: Shakespeare reel oil

Post by Bill Sonnett »

1923 Shakespeare lures come in "tangerine boxes. The reels, I am not so sure of.
I love to get old reels, work on them until they run as smooth as silk and the take them fishing using pre-1960 plugs, mostly surface fishing for Largemouths after dark.
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Re: Shakespeare reel oil

Post by wrong99 »

Right, Bill. I was thinking reel boxes.
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Jeff Johnson
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Re: Shakespeare reel oil

Post by Jeff Johnson »

Great information guys - thanks so much. Here's the paper unfolded, it may give more clues. Thanks again for all who answered! 1923 is still a possibility it sounds.

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Re: Shakespeare reel oil

Post by wrong99 »

Jeff,
Thanks to your latest post, I think your reel oil package is from 1926-1928. The "Huffman Attachment" sold for $1.00 in 1923. In 1925, it sold for 75 cents. Starting in 1926, the price went down to 65 cents, where it would stay until 1928. Below is a photo of the listing from Shakespeare's 1926 catalog, where they even used the same images that are seen in your reel oil paper insert. These images were also used through 1928, the last year the Huffman was offered in catalogs.
Mark
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