Jack Welch hand-made tournament reels

[kyreels]

I am going to leave it to Colby Sorrels and his collaborators to write the definitive history timeline (which is a work-in-progress). But I assert that the handmade marked Jack Welch reels started in 1950 based on my review of all the NAACC Creel publications. Prior to that after his employment ended with Heddon, he was repairing and tuning and rebuilding reels and that revenue stream continued until his passing (I have documented advertising of his services in the Creel late in his life).We have seen many reels in the field that were reportedly tuned by Jack Welch, but we don't have a good way of proving that many times. There are known and documented Jack Welch marks on other reels, most typically the Heddon ones. I own an unrestricted distance reel handmade by Jack Welch but not marked with any maker mark. This came from Warren Platt with some written provenance.

[Mike N]

A Jack Welch wide spool level wind serial # 346 is listed for sale on eBay now so I added it to the list below.

UPDATED 2/27/23:

KNOWN Jack Welch handmade reels (25 reported) serial numbers summary (ca.1931 to ?)

Narrow spool tournament (7): #22,25,29,33,60, 67,77,

Wide spool tournament (2): #54, 279

Level-wind reels (16) # 0103, 0121, 0129, 0133, 0153, 0171, 238, 243, 250, 252,
266,267,275, 298,316, 346

[colby sorrells]

Mike,
You can add number 192 Levelwind reel to the list. Keepin' It Fun! Colby

[Mike N]

UPDATED 3/12/23:

KNOWN Jack Welch handmade reels (26 reported) serial numbers summary (ca.1931 to ?)

Narrow spool tournament (no level wind mechanism) (7): #22,25,29,33,60, 67,77,

Wide spool tournament (no level wind mechanism) (2): #54, 279

Level-wind reels (17) # 0103, 0121, 0129, 0133, 0153, 0171, 192, 238, 243, 250, 252,
266,267,275, 298,316, 346

[Mike N]

Mike,
You can add number 192 Levelwind reel to the list. Keepin' It Fun! Colby

Colby- I assume that was #0192 (with a prefix "0" like the others below #200), so I updated the list above accordingly. We are starting to get a pretty good sample size.

[colby sorrells]

No Mike. It is stamped 192. No leading "0". Colby

[Mike N]

No Mike. It is stamped 192. No leading "0". Colby

Thanks. Very interesting. I edited the above.

Mike

[Mike N]

UPDATED 3/12/23:

KNOWN Jack Welch handmade reels (26 reported) serial numbers summary (ca.1931 to ?)

Narrow spool tournament (no level wind mechanism) (7): #22, 25, 29, 33, 60, 67, 77

Wide spool tournament (no level wind mechanism) (2): #54, 279

Level-wind reels (17) # 0103, 0121, 0129, 0133, 0153, 0171, 192, 238, 243, 250, 252,
266, 267, 275, 298, 316, 346