Meisselbach Fly Reel questions

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KKSR
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Joined: Fri Jan 17, 2020 8:57 pm

Meisselbach Fly Reel questions

Post by KKSR »

I recently purchased these two Fly reels and I'm hoping someone can help me answer a couple of questions.
1) The pictured reel says its a #290 Meisselbach Featherlight but the spool design with the small holes in addition to holes normally there are throwing me off. Did Meisselbach make this design or is this spool off another unknown reel.
2) I also bought a Meisselbach Allright fly reel that measures 2 3/4" across the spool and has pillars that are 1 1/4" wide. I checked Phil's book and the largest Allright listed is 2 1/4 spool and 1" wide pillars #130. What model do I have and how rare or common is it?
Any help answering these questions are appreciated.
Roger Schulz
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Re: Meisselbach Fly Reel questions

Post by Roger Schulz »

I need to see a picture to answer your first question. Your second question on Allright 130 reel: The 130 is 150 yards, with a spool size of 2 5/8-inch x 1 1/4 inch. It is 8 1/4 oz. and manufactured between 1895-1919. That is from the 1906 Meisselbach catalog. The reel is a salt water or lake trolling reel according to the Meisselbach catalog.

Roger Schulz
KKSR
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Re: Meisselbach Fly Reel questions

Post by KKSR »

Roger TY, It didn't even dawn on me to check the catalogs, I actually answered the first question myself from the 1906 catalog as well. It looks like the 290 is the only one that has that spool design vs the other Featherlight reels. The 290's have a circular cutout in between the triangular cutouts. Whereas the others all have triangular cut outs.
Do you know if there a 290 in the raised pillar design?
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