Barn Find - Coxe Reels

[Deepfins791]

I purchased this pair of 9/0 Coxe reels from a contractor who acquired them from the owner of a house he was remodeling. The owner of the house was a descendant of a gentleman by the name of Samuel B. Mosher. Mr. Mosher was a fruit grower on the coast of California, who risked it all on a wildcat oil well soon after oil was discovered off the beaches of Goleta, CA. He struck black gold, and in 1922 he founded the Signal Oil and Gas Company, which he turned into a large corporation. His life was chronicled in the book, Little Giant of Signal Hill: An Adventure in American Enterprise. Mr. Mosher was a member of the famed Catalina Tuna Club.

These reels were purchased by Mr. Mosher, and were never used. They were stored in a garage for nearly a century, where they acquired a layer of "barn detritus" and a patina from the coastal salt air. The original price tags still hang from the reels.

The price of $400 on the “no-screw” reel matches the list price for a 9/0 Featherstone Special Broadbill reel in the early 1925 Coxe catalog. The price of $300 for the 9/0 “screwed” Swordfish-Tuna reel is more than the $150 listed in the catalog. This reel has a 3.75” spool width, which I believe might be a special-order wide version of the 9/0. That might explain the extra cost.

In today’s dollars, this pair of reels would cost over $11,000. Ouch!!

Cheers,
John

[john elder]

What an incredible find, John! Glad you were standing in the right spot! Congrats on the rescue!

john

[RonG]

Those are beautiful reels with a great patina showing their age.

[Mike N]

Oh my, that’s an incredible find even without the incredible history. Those 1925 prices are steep, indicating the hours of skilled labor required. The Great Depression was about to begin 4 years later.

Congrats and thanks for sharing.

Mike N

[Bill Muth]

Awesome find and story, thanks for sharing and congratulations!

[40fordflathead]

Just amazing. Thank you for posting the pictures.

[Jay White]

Nice find John!!!!!!!

[Deepfins791]

I wish I could take complete credit for this purchase, but it was Randy Pauly who put the seller in touch with me. I owe Randy a steak dinner.

[KIWI]

Pretty Work John ! Glad you got them.

[Nick in NY]

Beautiful reels John! That’s only the 3rd example of the wide spool I’m aware of! I’ve owned 1 and the other was in Wayne J. collection! Tight lines Nick in NY

[reeltackle]

Great reels John, and with their price tags too! My appreciation of Coxe reels made in L.A. grows stronger every year, he made the best big game reels in the late teens throughout and twenties.

That’s only the 3rd example of the wide spool I’m aware of! I’ve owned 1 and the other was in Wayne J. collection!

Here is one from my collection that you can add to your list Nick, only this extra-wide model measures 4 inches across the inside spool.

[Deepfins791]

Wow, Ed, that's a beast!!

I couldn't resist wiping the dust off my pair. Here they are looking like they just came out of Joe's shop.

[Paul Roberts]

Oh! My!

[reeltackle]

Beautiful job of cleaning them up John. A pair of unused Coxe reels that are either just under, or just over, 100 years old, now that’s really something! Don’t forget to put the price tags back on.

[Reelman2]

Can you tell me what book is showing here that show the Coxe reels

[Deepfins791]

I got your private message, Reelman2, and sent a response to your private email address. Attached is a photo of the sales booklet those pages were copied from. This particular booklet was Zane Grey's copy, and has his library stamp on the inside cover.

[kyreels]

Wow, love the provenance.