Shakespeare Marhoff Face Plate Colors

[Ed S]

Hi all, I am fairly new to collecting reel and enjoy it greatly. I recently purchased several reels at a garage sale, one in particular prompts this question-- Is there someplace, website or reference book, that shows the various face plates that belong with the Marhoff models?

I own several of the reels, some with black, hard rubber? or bakelite covers, some with marbeled covers, and some with green covers. Which colors belong with which models? For example I have seen online Marhoff model GE with black or green aluminum covers. I also have a model HB (1939) with green aluminum cover, and a HD (1937) and a GL (1940) with marbeled head plate that suggest that it was NOT a straight forward shift to aluminum. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance, Ed.

[Ron Mc]

I saw one that sold in the UK that had octagonal marbled end plates. Slick-looking reel (I was outbid).

[Harvey]

Ed,
The marbeled covers started somewhere around the early thirties. You could order either from the dealer. As for the Green ones, the first catalogue it is in is the 1947 catalogue but more that likely avaiable in 1946 . I have never seen one before the war. All were burlite. I looked thru a parts list that spans from 1942 back to 1927 and it list either marbeled or black avaiable from Model "HJ" on but no green. I would like to see the one that Ron is talking about. never seen that one either.
Maybe Len, MR MARHOFF, will chime in. He has almost all the models in a collection.
"H"

[Ed S]

Thanks Harvey for the info. It gets to the heart of my question. I was suspect of the model HB because it did not have the original handles, so I wasn't sure if the rest of the reel was original also. FYI, I also have a model GK with the green head plate that I am pretty sure is original because it came with the box, paper work, wrench, and pouch but I could be wrong. Thanks again for the info.

Ed