C. Altenkirch Big Game Rods found....

[hookman73]

Ran across 3 C. Altenkirch & Sons, Hampton Bays, L.I. rods at a Church yardsale this weekend...They are custom built with bent butts...5- Tycoon/Finor roller guides and tip...first guide is double rollers...Used, but appear in very good condition...Seem to be original wrapping...two of the rods are intact, but one is missing two rollers...marked "w-80"...Would appreciate any help as to value, usable, etc? Thanks - herbp, hookman73...

[m3040c]

Here is a photo of the Mr. Altenkirch and his big game rod with his reel.

The reel looks like a Kovalovsky but I believe he also built the reel using the Kovalovsky as his guide. I am not 100% sure about the reel but the rod is one from his shop similar to what you are explaining.

The photo is taken in Hampton Bays, Long Island about 35 or 40 years ago.



As to value, that is not a easy thing to pin down. The tackle shop is famous on Long Island, New York for its big game custom tackle but I do know how far that fame travels. The quality of the tackle is high. The best way to find out the value would be to put one up for sale on EBay and see what happens.

I believe the shop went out of business over 30 years ago.

[m3040c]

I have done a bit of research today. The reel is definitely built by Mr. Altenkirch. I will post some info about it later today.

[m3040c]

I just had to add this about the old Altenkirch makers. He is well know on Long Island and I am curious how far that goes.





The comparison, in these two old shots from a Long Island Fishing magazine of the late 1960's or early 1970's, is of Finor on the left and Altenkirch on the right. The Altenkirch rods pop up everynow and then in sales but the reels are very rare.

[Nick in NY]

Ran across 3 C. Altenkirch & Sons, Hampton Bays, L.I. rods at a Church yardsale this weekend...They are custom built with bent butts...5- Tycoon/Finor roller guides and tip...first guide is double rollers...Used, but appear in very good condition...Seem to be original wrapping...two of the rods are intact, but one is missing two rollers...marked "w-80"...Would appreciate any help as to value, usable, etc? Thanks - herbp, hookman73...

[Nick in NY]

About 18 years ago I came across Altenkirchs tackle shop in the middle of February. Well we stopped to take a look inside and as I approached the front door I noticed a nice size off shore boat between that building and the restaurant next to it but didn't think anything of it. We both had our foreheads to the glass and hands to our faces when we heard Bang Bang Your Dead! We stepped back for a moment looked around and then took a second look. Again, " Bang Bang Your Dead...No One Gets A Second Chance when your dead"! Wow! We stepped off the steps and began looking around for the source. Well a face appeared through a port hole on the side of the boat and a voice said "Hey what are you doing here?" Well we had just met the owner! I stated that I collected old fishing tackle and was just curious about the shop and passing by. He came out and sized us up before letting us into the shop. I'd told my cousin to stay outside in the event...He'd told us the shop was burglarized several times in the past and was unsure of our business. Well he brought us to the stores rear machine shop and put a couple over head lights on. WOW! I think we both dropped our jaws! Maybe bigger than Kovalovsky's? It had every thing you can imagine and then some! About 3 lathes with the biggest chucks I'd seen. Well long story short he took us to a room on the side about 8 X 6' and turned on the over head light. Wow times 10! No different than Zane Grey's tackle room with the exception of reels being literaly stacked/piled atop each other in 2 x 3' card board boxes! Rods all big game lined up from the top guides on the left hand side of the room about 100 to boot! Again all big game! That's it! I Will Specialize In Big Game! As a kid I grew up and spent most of my summers in the Carolinas off shore fishing on my uncles 43' Hatteras. Now I had to focus and get out of the one of everything collecting. It just didn't work. Especially after 750 reels! As time passed I finally got the funds together for the rod/reel combo that was hanging in the shop for the last 5o years. Yes It's the same outfit that's pictured in the book titled Big Game Fishing. As the Holidays wind down I'll make an honest effort to add photos with descriptions of both the rod and reel. Although it states in the book that it's his creation the reel's a Kovalovsky. The rod is his with his curved wooden butt section. I was told the idea was his as well and was made in the mid 30's! Don't mind the typos...Tight Lines,
Nick in NY

[john elder]

Thanks for the story, Nick...and glad he didn't shoot first before asking who the hell you were! Look forward to your pics!

[Reel Geezer]

Hey Nick, great story. I'm glad you're still hanging around out there adding to our knowledge.

[m3040c]

Great to hear from you Nick, you probably don't remember me, I came to your house about two years ago and bought a couple of Atalntic reels from you. Anyways, I am glad you joined in on this post because I remember the story you told me then about your meeting with Mr. Altenkirch and the place and reading your post brought it all back.

I missed you at Allentown last year, Mike Popowich told me you left before I got there. So, please continue about the old shop at the Shinnecock Canal, that place needs to be remembered.

Mike C.

[Nick in NY]

Hi Guys/Fellow Reel Collectors! The wife was out and I finally had the time to investigate the ORCA site a little further. Well Guess What, I've a user name and password! Tadaaaa! I'm sorry I missed you Mike at the Allentown show. As time goes on field finds are few and far between but don't ignore the other items outside of what you collect or specialize in as it may one day be a great trading piece. I noted in my previous post that my focus now lies in seriously rare salt water reels. If anyone should have any questions in regards to salt water reels either big game or surf, don't hesitate to ask. I'm always happy to help. Hopefully I'll figure out how to add photos. Until then,
Tight Lines,
Nick in NY

[Nick in NY]

Sorry about the extra post but lets see where I left off...Oh before I decided to specialize in big game I was collecting pretty much one of everything or anything that appeared much older than myself without any reel (had to toss that in) focus. The shop changed things dramatically! When I entered that shop it brought me back further than I could every imagine. Fish mounts of all sizes, bills of BIG swordfish, jaws of big makos, tuna tails on plaques not to mention the outfit noted in the book! There were tons of old black and white photos of celebraties dressed in there best at the counter with Charley or Mick on the other side. One photo that stayed with me was of David Nivens and Peter Sellers both dressed to a tee. David Nivens had to be about 30 at the time. His hair was combed perfect with his moustache trimmed and sharp as a knife. He donned an over sized short sleeve shirt that came to his elbow with his baggy trowsers ironed neatly and pleated. His belt and shoes both looked to be alligator skin. He had a cigarette in one hand and the other on the counter. I know it sounds like alot to detail but the photos stayed etched in my mind. Here is a real deal tackle shop! Getting back to the tackle room, the card board boxes were filled with Vom Hofes of all sizes and models. Believe it or not not one reel larger than a 9-0. Most were 621's and B-Oceans with a few Endicott Wilsons and Shakespeare Millers thrown in but what a find. Yeah there were 800's, 550's, 521's and a couple 501's in them but a complete set in one box, it doesn't get any better! Actually there were probably 3 sets but at the time what did I know. Well after 6 trips out there in a years span the boxes quickly got empty. After that I was brought into the basement. Wow times 10! This was the Fin-Nor area! I do remember seeing multi colored 2 speed 15-0 reels but my focus was on the PARTS reels. They were mostly Hofes with one problem or another. I walked away from the Fin-Nors not knowing anything about them. They looked just like the new style reels. Had I known. I soon bought a book in I believe 1986 that listed Vom Hofes at $100 so if paying $50 ment I could double my money it was a smart investment. Enough typing for one night...

[m3040c]

Most definitely a find of a lifetime.

Nick, when you said The Altenkirch reel was a Kovalovsky. Did you mean his reel was a copy of the Kovalovsky, or it was a Kovalovsky?

[Nick in NY]

Most definitely a find of a lifetime.

Nick, when you said The Altenkirch reel was a Kovalovsky. Did you mean his reel was a copy of the Kovalovsky, or it was a Kovalovsky?

Hi Mike, The reels a Kovalovsky and the rod was made by Charles. They made quite a few fishing related items which included fighting chairs, reel side plates, gaffs as well as rod parts such as reel seats and ferrules. Listen if your not to far from me your always welcome to come over and see the outfit. I'm sure Mike Popowich told you about the collection. It doesn't mean to much if you can't share!
Tight Lines,
Nick

[gadabout]

I believe the shop went out of business over 30 years ago.

Mike,

Not so. They were open until a couple of years ago. Last time I drove by there, the building was still there but unoccuppied.

[m3040c]

Hello Gadabout,

Yes, I have found that out. I am getting old and think everything happened 30 years ago.

It is now closed because of a divorce. I believe the property has been sold to settle things. Too bad, it should have been made into a landmark.

Happy New Year,

[126andy]

Here is a photo of the Mr. Altenkirch and his big game rod with his reel.

The reel looks like a Kovalovsky but I believe he also built the reel using the Kovalovsky as his guide. I am not 100% sure about the reel but the rod is one from his shop similar to what you are explaining.

The photo is taken in Hampton Bays, Long Island about 35 or 40 years ago.



As to value, that is not a easy thing to pin down. The tackle shop is famous on Long Island, New York for its big game custom tackle but I do know how far that fame travels. The quality of the tackle is high. The best way to find out the value would be to put one up for sale on EBay and see what happens.
I believe the shop went out of business over 30 years ago.

The shop is still there but Hank sold it a few years back when Mickey passed
That's Mickey Altenkirch all right. I grew up with and was best friends with his son Hank (who is still building Altenkirch rods out of his home now. His brother Chuck shipped big game reels around the world and was responsible for promoting the business worldwide. It was truly a family business with Hank, Mickey his aunt and later Hanks own kids building rods in the shop.
I had some great memories growing up in Hampton Bays and being down at the shop. Hank used to have a garage downstairs where we would work on our cars. He had a 55 t bird and I had a 56 tbird that we would terrorize the town with. I still have an eglass rod built by them that is my all time favorite catching rod. It should really be redone but I've been putting it off00maybe I'll dig it out again.

Thanks for posting this.I only live 1 town away from Hank but I haven't seen him in a couple of years now. Maybe nows a good time to make a visit.