Mystery Mitchell 440 Special

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Retropeche
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Mystery Mitchell 440 Special

Post by Retropeche »

I bought this nice 440 Special in France and have just done a lube and service. The reel has me totally stumped as it does not correspond to anything the Mitchell Museum records. Firstly, it has the later A/R switch, but a simple type bail guide, not a roller. The ratio is 5:1 and the oscillation is 2 turns of the handle for a full cycle. It has an auto bail. The serial number on the foot is 401 58 with a space between the 1 & 5 but it also has a heavy stamped 5 well in front of the serial number. There is a small red pennant with 'Special' on it resembling the Garcia pennant. The reel is also endorsed 440. Not 440A or Match. I have two 440 Match reels and this feels different.

The reel was immaculate inside. Totally unlike any other old Mitchell that I have opened up. It operates beautifully too. As for dating the reel, it is a total mystery.

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Last edited by Retropeche on Thu Feb 23, 2023 3:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Regards, Clive

"I tread the paths where no one goes
and cast to fish nobody knows
"
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kyreels
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Re: Mystery Mitchell 440 Special

Post by kyreels »

Cool reel. The mix of companies working with Mitchell during this time is confusing. I guess the obvious is that it is a Special commissioned by Garcia, but for what purpose? Doesn't look like anything related to tournaments, especially considering the auto bail. The 440 S is listed on https://mitchellreelmuseum.com/list-of- ... 1939-1989/.
Matt Wickham
Collector of Casting Weights, KY Reels and KY Tackle
Retropeche
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Re: Mystery Mitchell 440 Special

Post by Retropeche »

I think that it pre-dates Garcia. Unfortunately there are just a couple of question marks next to the Mitchell 440 S in the museum listings. No details.
Regards, Clive

"I tread the paths where no one goes
and cast to fish nobody knows
"
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Midway Tommy D
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Re: Mystery Mitchell 440 Special

Post by Midway Tommy D »

I doubt that the reel pre dates Garcia considering the fact that Garcia started distributing Mitchell reels in 1947 and the (higher speed) 440 didn't come out until approximately 1966. That's practically a twenty year span. Ben states in his last (2011) book that, at that time, the 440S was (possibly) a "1977?" vintage proto type, and that only one was known to exist.

I'd like to see all the writing on the handle side. The handle blocks most of it. There is a strong possibility, at least in my mind, that this reel is probably completely separate from the 440S.
Love those Open Face Spinning Reels! (Especially ABU & ABU/Zebco)

Tom DeLong, NE
ORCA Member - 2027
Retropeche
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Re: Mystery Mitchell 440 Special

Post by Retropeche »

Hi Tommy, yes, Garcia were involved in distribution in your part of the world in the early years, but their name didn't appear on reels for the European market until later. I think around the time of the A suffixes. Here is a better view of the handle side.

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Regards, Clive

"I tread the paths where no one goes
and cast to fish nobody knows
"
Retropeche
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Re: Mystery Mitchell 440 Special

Post by Retropeche »

I took a photo of the s/n. It isn't clear as there appears to be a space between the 3rd and 4th numbers. Through a magnifyjng glass that could be a 1 or a 4, very faint. There appears to be only 6 numbers. Plus that odd '5 '.

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On an identical reel that is listed for sale there are 7 numbers that date it to 1964, 2 years before this model was introduced according to the Mitchell Museum and Bernard Caminades's book.

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Regards, Clive

"I tread the paths where no one goes
and cast to fish nobody knows
"
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