Montague Manitou?

Ron Mc · Post by **Ron Mc** » Mon Oct 09, 2006 1:12 pm

I've heard of rods with this handle, but the question came up on Clark's today about a bakelite fly reel marked this way. Anyone know anything about it?
thanks

Richard Lodge · Post by **Richard Lodge** » Mon Oct 09, 2006 4:03 pm

Ron: Montague used the Manitou name on rods and reels, as was common with that company. I have a very early Montague Manitou fly rod that does have a black hard rubber reel seat, beautiful nickel silver fittings and a tiny Coke bottle style cork grip, the top of the line rod in the 1920-30 era for Montague. I have a Montague Rapidan "duralum" skeleton fly reel, marked with the name and the jumping fish logo, but I've never heard of or seen a Montague Manitou bakelite fly reel. I'd love to see photos, though.

Ron Mc · Post by **Ron Mc** » Mon Oct 09, 2006 7:01 pm

http://classicflyrodforum.com/forum/

here it is - it's clearly a Meisselbach-Catucci Symploreel with a Montague Manitou shield added.

Reel Geezer · Post by **Reel Geezer** » Mon Oct 09, 2006 8:13 pm

Ron: That's a first to my knowledge. I doubt that the reel was made by Pliny Catucci's Meisselbach-Catucci, however. It is more likely that it was made by Bronson and probably from the late 1930s. It is also possible it is post-WWII, as several catalog companies were dumping these reels at that time. Bronson never resumed production of the reel after WWII and apparently closed out all their inventory.

I have found several unmarked Meisselbach-Catucci Symploreels that were probably trade production by Bronson. I kept one that is in the box and it is the standard Bronson/M-C green box. I'd guess that Montague just bought a bunch of these reels and added that oval logo. I would think that if they removed the Meisselbach-Catucci logo they would have placed the Montague logo in that spot (I'm not sure why they didn't place it in that spot anyway).

It's a very good Meisselbach-Catucci collectible in any event.

Farace · Post by **Farace** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 7:08 pm

Hi, that is my reel that is pictured over on the other board. I'm not a reel collector per se (my wife would kill me if I started another collection, I think), but have ended up with a fair number of reels (too many being baitcasting!) from my grandfather's collection. The Montague is one of them. I use his old Heddon Imperial 125 and Pflueger Medalist 1492 (both with round line guides, agate on the Heddon, which also is pre-drag selector; the Medalist has the sculpted pillars)

So when something is described as fairly collectible, what really does that mean? Is it just interesting without much monetary value? Is it valuable? I'm not one that commonly gets rid of things like this, but I'm not likely to use it, and if selling it would finance building a rod or a day out with a guide, it's something I might think about. I would imagine that someone with a Montague rod might like it.

I really should search this board before I ask the next question, as there are probably several pertinent discussions, but what is the view on cleaning and polishing, does it affect the value? I'm tempted to take the reel apart and give it a good cleaning and buff the metal parts. I'm well aware that in many other collector areas, "original patina" means a lot and cleaning/polishing/repainting/restoration is frowned upon.

Thanks!

Reel Geezer · Post by **Reel Geezer** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 8:03 pm

Bob: Welcome to Reel Talk.

I didn't notice that you mentioned the size of your reel. Wide reels (1-1/8" pillars, as compared to 3/4") are more valuable. The largest (salmon) size reels are the most valuable. They have 3-1/8" spools (wide and narrow). In my Meisselbach-Catucci price guide I list excellent Meisselbach-Catucci labeled Symploreels from $95-400 (for a wide spool salmon reel with agate line guide). As your reel is quite unusual, I'd guess that it could go between $125-175 if it were posted on eBay with good photos. And get a couple of guys who want it and it could be much higher.

I've been collecting Meisselbach & Meisselbach-Catucci reels for over 30 years and that's the first Symploreel so labeled that I have ever seen or heard of.

Farace · Post by **Farace** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 8:51 pm

Sorry for the lack of measurement. The space between plates is just under 3/4"; the total width of the reel exclusive of the handle is 1 1/16". The diameter appears to be 2 15/16". The foot measures 2 1/2".

Reel Geezer · Post by **Reel Geezer** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 7:12 am

That is a #370 Trout size Symploreel. It is one of the more common sizes, but a collector would be purchasing the marking, not the reel size.

Ron Mc · Post by **Ron Mc** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 9:37 am

Your Heddon 125 Imperial with red agate is a $200+ reel, as well as your 1492 (three 1492s sold from $300 to $355 in the past year).

Like it or not, you're a reel collector, Bob.

Farace · Post by **Farace** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 10:46 am

Ron Mc wrote:Your Heddon 125 Imperial with red agate is a $200+ reel, as well as your 1492 (three 1492s sold from $300 to $355 in the past year).

Yikes! I hope there's no concern over actually using them. The Heddon is in nice shape, but not pristine (does the color of the agate matter? It's at home and I'm at work, but I don't think it's red). I have a spare Heddon spool, but it's for the later, painted version. The Medalist is missing a considerable amount of paint. In a way that's nice, because I'm not concerned about scratching it in use. I have a '71 Alfa Romeo Spider that's like that, certainly no trailer queen and it'll never win awards, but that means I can drive it without worry every nice day between April and November. I don't mind using the Medalist, and since it was my grandfather's, it's like I'm bringing a bit of him out with me.

Like it or not, you're a reel collector, Bob.

Please don't tell my wife.

Ron Mc · Post by **Ron Mc** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 11:26 am

I sold this 2 years ago (this is the way it looked when I sold it)
170k with my hair on fire.
used to be my quick trip to the Rockies.

(not as cool as your Duetto, but a whole lot faster...also had been repainted about 10 years earlier by a catalyzed urethane artist)

no, the Heddon agate color won't matter. I sold one of the last models (admittedly in very nice shape, but even with a repainted spool) for $150 this year

personally, I say Fish Them (the only reel I won't fish is pristine c. 1937 and it will always stay that way)

Farace · Post by **Farace** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 12:03 pm

That's a very pretty GTV-6! That's on my list of Alfas to get someday. Then again, most Alfas are on the list somewhere. Here's a so-so picture of my Spider:

http://orcaonline.org/images/pixel.gif ... 1137880268

It's a rolling work in progress. Previous owners were not kind to her.

Maybe I can get photos of some more reels up here. Seems I've got a skadillion baitcasting reels, some very pretty with a sort of spider-web engraved pattern on them, and a Shakespeare that might be used but looks new in the box. I promised my wife I'd sell them, as I never go baitcasting.

Ron Mc · Post by **Ron Mc** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 12:26 pm

here's the kind of alfas I collect now - ha

BTW, can't get through to your photo without a password.

oh, and we have a show-and-tell page for showing off collections
http://reeltalk.orcaonline.org/viewtopic.php?t=3164
http://reeltalk.orcaonline.org/viewtopic.php?t=3301

Farace · Post by **Farace** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 3:52 pm

Looks like I'll have to pull out all those baitcasting reels and post them in the show and tell area. I honestly have no idea if what I have is treasure or junk, for the most part (just like I had no idea the Montague was desireable), and a lot of it is really dirty. Then there's an old Pflueger Progress (can't recall the model number) that got misplaced somewhere in the house when we were moving rooms around. I should get busy!

Ron Mc · Post by **Ron Mc** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 6:59 pm

Bob, I don't know if you've seen this link to Phil's website:
http://www.oldreels.com/meis-cat_reels.htm

Farace · Post by **Farace** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 10:29 pm

Ron, thanks for the link, it's informative. Here I'd been looking at it as just some "cheap plastic reel." I'm giving it a little more attention now.

I've posted photos of some more of my grandfather's gear in the Show and Tell section.

Ron Mc · Post by **Ron Mc** » Thu Oct 12, 2006 7:33 am

If the handle spins freely on your Heddon 125 spare spool, it would sell for $75+ on Clark's board.

Farace · Post by **Farace** » Thu Oct 12, 2006 9:42 am

Ron Mc wrote:If the handle spins freely on your Heddon 125 spare spool, it would sell for $75+ on Clark's board.

Wow. I should probably hold onto it, though, unless I can trade it for the gunmetal finish that would match my reel. The spool looks unused.