English Reel

[bluesjay]

Hi Guys, I just bought and received this reel:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/VERY-EARLY-BAK ... 2749.l2649

I haven't ever owned a reel like this and I wonder the age, and how the hell/if the spool can be removed. Any help will be appreciated. Thanks, Jay Edwards

[60InchDV8]

Congrats....You have purchased a classic reel at a bargain price. This is an 1890 era reel similar to the 1887 Hardy Brass and Ebonite that preceded the Brass Perfect reels. Malloch and a number of other British, Scottish, and Irish firms made these style reels in trout and salmon sizes. The reel design appears to be similar to a Perth Rosewood reel but with an ebonite faceplate and rear. Rather than screws securing the pillars to the frame, it has pins like the early brass crank reels. A horn handle attached to the brass centre faceplate turns the spool spindle as it rotates. No cracks are visible in the ebonite by the pins and screws from over tightening and there is no obvious wear to the nickel silver rims.

These are lovely reels to fish and the wide spool allows the angler to palm the spool to pressure a running salmon. Here is my Hardy 4 inch Brass and Ebonite on a Sharpes spliced cane rod with a feisty Restigouche salmon that jumped seven times in a row on its upstream run and made the old reel sing.

[bluesjay]

Hi Guys, WOW! Tremendous fish, and tremendous reel! Thank you for your help with this. I'm a fish out of water, so any help is a move forward.

Jay Edwards