Jack Welch hand-made tournament reels

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Re: Jack Welch hand-made tournament reels

Post by 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.
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Re: Jack Welch hand-made tournament reels

Post by 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

Last edited by Mike N on Sun May 14, 2023 9:23 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Jack Welch hand-made tournament reels

Post by colby sorrells »

Mike,
You can add number 192 Levelwind reel to the list. Keepin' It Fun! Colby
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Re: Jack Welch hand-made tournament reels

Post by 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
Last edited by Mike N on Sun Mar 12, 2023 8:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Jack Welch hand-made tournament reels

Post by Mike N »

colby sorrells wrote: Sun Mar 12, 2023 3:25 pm 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.
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Re: Jack Welch hand-made tournament reels

Post by colby sorrells »

No Mike. It is stamped 192. No leading "0". Colby
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Re: Jack Welch hand-made tournament reels

Post by Mike N »

colby sorrells wrote: Sun Mar 12, 2023 7:57 pm No Mike. It is stamped 192. No leading "0". Colby
Thanks. Very interesting. I edited the above.

Mike
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Re: Jack Welch hand-made tournament reels

Post by 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
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Re: Jack Welch hand-made tournament reels

Post by Mike N »

UPDATED 4/8/23:

Adding serial no. 13 listed in a recent auction.

KNOWN Jack Welch handmade reels (27 now reported) serial numbers summary (ca.1931 to ?)

I. Narrow spool tournament (no level wind mechanism) (8): #13, 22, 25, 29, 33, 60, 67, 77

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

III. Level-wind reels (17) # 0103, 0121, 0129, 0133, 0153, 0171, 192, 238, 243, 250, 252,
266, 267, 275, 298, 316, 346
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Re: Jack Welch hand-made tournament reels

Post by colby sorrells »

Stay after them Mike. The list just keeps getting better.

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Re: Jack Welch hand-made tournament reels

Post by David Lehmann »

Mike,
Nice research and info! You write it up for The Reel News.

Cheers,
David
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Re: Jack Welch hand-made tournament reels

Post by Mike N »

UPDATED 4/22/23

Adding serial no. 237, a level wind currently for sale on eBay. Thx for the head’s up, Colby.

KNOWN Jack Welch handmade reels (28 now reported) serial numbers summary (ca.1931 to ?)

I. Narrow spool tournament (no level wind mechanism) (8): #13, 22, 25, 29, 33, 60, 67, 77

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

III. Level-wind reels (18) # 0103, 0121, 0129, 0133, 0153, 0171, 192, 237, 238, 243, 250, 252,
266, 267, 275, 298, 316, 346
Last edited by Mike N on Sun May 14, 2023 9:26 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Jack Welch hand-made tournament reels

Post by Mike N »

UPDATED 4/24/23

Adding serial no. 188 a level wind sold at a 2012 Crossroads Angling Auction. See photo.



KNOWN Jack Welch handmade reels (29 now reported) serial numbers summary (ca.1931 to ?)

I. Narrow spool tournament (no level wind mechanism) (8): #13, 22, 25, 29, 33, 60, 67, 77

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

III. Level-wind reels (19) # 0103, 0121, 0129, 0133, 0153, 0171, 188, 192, 237, 238, 243, 250, 252,
266, 267, 275, 298, 316, 346
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Re: Jack Welch hand-made tournament reels

Post by Mike N »

Here are 4 of the 8 known Jack Welch narrow spool tournament reels reunited. Note that one has a counterbalanced handle, and one has green marbleized grasps.
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Re: Jack Welch hand-made tournament reels

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That's what I call a nice set of reels. You have to find out who has the other four to complete the set. Good luck.
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Re: Jack Welch hand-made tournament reels

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Very nice set. I need a JW NS for my NS collection. Those are some historic reels.
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Re: Jack Welch hand-made tournament reels

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Re: Jack Welch hand-made tournament reels

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Updated 5/13/23

KNOWN Jack Welch handmade reels (30 now reported) serial numbers summary (ca.1931 to ?) adding #264 above.

I. Narrow spool tournament (no level wind mechanism) (8): #13, 22, 25, 29, 33, 60, 67, 77

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

III. Level-wind reels (20) # 0103, 0121, 0129, 0133, 0153, 0171, 188, 192, 237, 238, 243, 250, 252,264,
266, 267, 275, 298, 316, 346
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Re: Jack Welch hand-made tournament reels

Post by RonG »

All the posts about Jack Welch got me curious about his history. We know Jack Welch left Heddon in 1931 according to Cliff Netherton's book. According to the 1940 Census, in which you had to list where you resided as of April1, 1935, Jack was living in Los Angles, CA and was listed a cigar store proprietor. Then Jack's 1942 WWII draft registration card shows his residence in Dowagiac, but was employed by Studebaker Corp , Aviation Div. in South Bend, IN. The 1950 Census lists his occupation under employment as "U", meaning unable to work. I couldn't find anything in Ancestry.com or Newspapers.com about him being in the reel making business. I was hoping to find a reel advertisement in the newspapers. I was able to find one of his work places, I think, and his obituary.

I'm not sure this is our "Jack Welch" in the1956 Battle Creek Enquirer

Obituary in the 1969 Tampa Tribune
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Re: Jack Welch hand-made tournament reels

Post by colby sorrells »

I have a pretty clear time line on John Thomas "Jack" Welch. It will be in the tournament tackle book Matt and I are working on. Lots of fun stuff.

Ron, there were several "Jack" Welch in the old newspapers. I don't believe the first clipping you show is the reel maker. To further confuse the issue the reel maker Jack Welch also had a uncle by the same name.

It has taken a lot of work to build the time line. There are still a couple of items to tie down but it's basically finished.

Many reel collectors have helped in the project with their time and research.

Looking forward to get the final product done.

Keepin' It Fun!

Colby
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Re: Jack Welch hand-made tournament reels

Post by colby sorrells »

If anyone has an ad for Welch reels in either V, L & A or Marshall Fields, or any other ad for Welch reels I would like to see it. So far none have been found other than the ad in The Creel Matt Wickham has previously published.

If anyone has any documentation that shows Jack Welch actually working for B.F. Meek & Sons please share. Two sources most frequently cited for this information appear to be incorrect.

And just for what it's worth, I always find at least two different sources for any research item. These sources sometimes come from unusual places. Sometimes it takes a lot of work to make the proper connection.

Keepin' It Fun!

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Re: Jack Welch hand-made tournament reels

Post by john elder »

Fresh from the field! Add in # 0127!




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Specializing in saltwater reels...and fly reels...and oh, yeah, kentucky style reels.....and those tiny little RP reels.....oh, heck...i collect fishing reels!...and fly rods....and lures
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Re: Jack Welch hand-made tournament reels

Post by Mike N »

Wow, John. I had never noticed the additional serial marking stamped inside the faceplate. Thx for posting those photos. I will update our list of Jack Welch reels.
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Re: Jack Welch hand-made tournament reels

Post by Mike N »

Updated 6/12/23

KNOWN Jack Welch handmade reels (31 now reported) serial numbers summary (ca.1931 to ?):

I. Narrow spool tournament (no level wind mechanism) (8): #13, 22, 25, 29, 33, 60, 67, 77

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

III. Level-wind reels (21) # 0103, 0121,0127, 0129,0133, 0153, 0171, 188, 192, 237, 238, 243, 250, 252,264,
266, 267, 275, 298, 316, 346
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Re: Jack Welch hand-made tournament reels

Post by kyreels »

Nice flea market find, I have a dry spell on that experience. Have to look a little harder I guess.
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