Record Switzerland, ABU Record, Thommen Record It's all so Confusing!!!

[Terry Battisti]

Hi Folks,

I ran across some early 1950s Thommen Record ads and have been trying to do some research on Record Switzerland and their association with ABU. I understand that Thommen was just the US distributor for Record Switzerland, so unless there's more to that, I don't think I need anymore info on that.

I have read a few of the posts on here that have been written about the companies and history but they are missing what I am looking for. I have also looks at Wayne Reals' site for answers as well as Simon's site.

My specific questions and comments are:

• ABU started out making timers, clocks, and taxi meters, etc. From what I understand, those products were sold under the Record name or brand. In the early 1940s, they started making reels, again with the brand Record stamped on the reel.

• ABU started selling Record Switzerland's spinning reels in the late 1940s. Was Record Switzerland and ABU related in any way?

• ABU quit branding their reels Record in the early 1950s. Was this because of trademark issues now that they were producing reels or is this just a change ABU made for whatever reason?

• How long was Record Switzerland in business?

• When did Record Switzerland start making reels? I have read they started in 1940 but the 1953 ad I have says they had "20 years of dependable service."

• When did ABU break away from selling Record Switzerland spinning reels and come out with their own design?

Okay, that's all I can think of right now. I appreciate all of you for your knowledge and helping me with this. If I've left anything out that's important, please fill it in.

Thank you again,

Terry

[colby sorrells]

Terry,
You might want to get a copy of the excellent book Vintage Fishing Reels of Sweden by Daniel Skupien. However I will mention a warning: You are going to really like the reels in this book. The Swedes were making some very interesting reels before ABU and their 5000 took over the fishing world.

Keepin' It Fun!

Colby

[Midway Tommy D]

I haven't read Skupien's Reels of Sweden book so I'm wondering how much info it actually has on the Swiss Record reel history.

Carl Borgstom started the A.B. Urfabriken in 1921 and introduced the RECORD Taximeter in 1926, twenty years before there was a Record Reel.

According to Ben Wright Karl Seigrist filed for patents for his open face spinning reel with a rear drag setup and anti-reverse in 1945 and the Record Reel Co of Zurich introduced it in 1946.

My thinking suggests that, without provenence indicating differently, the Record name connection between the two companies, Swiss Record & A.B. Urfabriken was nothing more than a coincidence until the Swiss Record Reel Co contacted ABU around 1949/50 asking them to market their Swiss made Record Reels in Sweden. ABU agreed and purchased parts from Record from '50 - '54 to assemble the ABU Record 500, 600 & 700 in the ABU factory. Later 700s were actually manufactured in the ABU Svangsta facility.

ABU farmed out some of their reel manufacturing to Zangi, too, the 222, 225, 888, 999 & 1000, and to Sportex of Germany/UK, the 400 & 450.

In 1955 ABU designed their own spinning reel, the fulcrum drag 444, and in 1956 also exported that same reel to the US as the ABU Garcia. Variations of the 444 & 333 continued through the '50s & '60s. The Cardinal line was introduced in 1965 with the ABU model 66 and shortly thereafter the Zebco 6.

[Terry Battisti]

Terry,
You might want to get a copy of the excellent book Vintage Fishing Reels of Sweden by Daniel Skupien. However I will mention a warning: You are going to really like the reels in this book. The Swedes were making some very interesting reels before ABU and their 5000 took over the fishing world.

Thanks Colby, I'll have to see if I can find a copy!

Terry