I have a "thing" for old Uniquas...

[flyuvo]

here's a nice 1910/11 salmon Uniqua. One of the last Dingley made?

[jhuskey]

Deleted

[sovereign]

here's a nice 1910/11 salmon Uniqua. One of the last Dingley made? A nice rare Hardy-reel in a fantastic condition ! Congratulations ! // Steen

[flyuvo]

Thx Steen, I was lucky that it made its way to Switzerland together with an old Dingley made 4 1/2" reel with caliper check. Here's another one I'm not sure what year it was made, I guess in the late 10's or the early 20s. Would anyone know? 4 1/2" with stamp "C 18".











... and here with its little friends:



... aren't we fortunate o have such a hobby
Urs

[sovereign]

C was probably not the reel-makers initial. Your wonderful reel seems to be made between 1917 and 1921 Mark I. C = Clarke ? a Hardy-reelmaker, one of three employed with the Hardy Silex production, went of to war-service in the WW 1 and probably died 1915 in France ( source the James Hardy book of Hardy Brothers Build ) // Steen Pictured : A Hardy Silex no. 1 33/4" from around 1908 made by C and a Hardy Silex no. 2 from 1912 made by C. Ps: please excuse me for bringing Hardy Silex pictures into this tread of Hardy Uniquas.

[Stalefish]

Aluminum foot tells me WW1 era. I'd make a guess at 1916-1919 because the 1912 check transitioned to the Mark I in 1917 and supply shortages may have resulted in Aluminum foot use for a while after WW1 ended. A lot of the brass was being requisitioned by the government for shell casings (as the story goes). C 18 is going to be a batch marker. Hence why it is stamped on both the frame and the spool.

Very nice reel!

[flyuvo]

Thx guys for ideas and informations. Here at last a reel that has a lot of a Uniqua, e.g. the telephone latch, but is a so called Trade Reel. The only reels Hardy made without putting their name on it. This one was retailed by Gow of Dundee, 4", made and sold during WW II.
Urs

[sovereign]

Thx guys for ideas and informations. Here at last a reel that has a lot of a Uniqua, e.g. the telephone latch, but is a so called Trade Reel. The only reels Hardy made without putting their name on it. This one was retailed by Gow of Dundee, 4", made and sold during WW II.
Urs.

A very nice reel, but I think we shall place this reel to after ww 2, a little later. At that time Hardy tryed to get more volume in the production by offering dealers to buy a fly-reel with their own branding. Hardy also made the "flyreel" and around 1950 the Monogram for Australia and New Zeeland, three sizes 3" ,31/4" and 31/2".

[flyuvo]

Steen, I'm far from knowing but according to Drewitt these "Trade" reels were made during the war. In his book he shows the 1940 advertising letter to the retailers with the description of the various reels and sizes available. Drewitt reckons that the it is unlikely that production went on after the war. There's a whole chapter about these reels and apparently there are not many seen, especially with the retailer's name on them. A picture of a 4" one exactly like mine is on page 224. I might not have to tell you that I'm pretty pleased having stumbled over that one and it might be the only one hanging out in Switzerland

[sovereign]

Steen, I'm far from knowing but according to Drewitt these "Trade" reels were made during the war. In his book he shows the 1940 advertising letter to the retailers with the description of the various reels and sizes available. Drewitt reckons that the it is unlikely that production went on after the war. There's a whole chapter about these reels and apparently there are not many seen, especially with the retailer's name on them. A picture of a 4" one exactly like mine is on page 224. I might not have to tell you that I'm pretty pleased having stumbled over that one and it might be the only one hanging out in Switzerland

Thank you for mention this, yes five pages in Drewitts book describes the "private label reels " I just read, and extremely rare they seem to be to ! Congratulation ! // Steen

[MFRS]

Here's another one I'm not sure what year it was made, I guess in the late 10's or the early 20s. Would anyone know? 4 1/2" with stamp "C 18".











Urs

The range this reel must be is 1919-1921 inclusive. The mushroom stanchion that holds the pawl was patented in 1919.

[Brian K. Shaffer]

Urs - I love that "Trade" reel. Everything about that reel oozes coolness. Quite unique indeed.

[flyuvo]

What was before the mushroom stanchion?

[Brian K. Shaffer]

Was it the cauliflower stanchion ? .. ... .... Sorry...

[MFRS]

What was before the mushroom stanchion?

1912 check

[flyuvo]

There were Uniquas with 1912 checks? According to Drewitt MK I check was introduced in 1917. when you talk about a mushroom stanchion being used in 1919 first, I thought there was some other kind of stanchion in use before .... or screws ..

[sovereign]

4" Uniqua Salmon with a 1912 ish check, maker Jimmy Smith.

[MFRS]

There were Uniquas with 1912 checks? According to Drewitt MK I check was introduced in 1917. when you talk about a mushroom stanchion being used in 1919 first, I thought there was some other kind of stanchion in use before .... or screws ..

Mushroom stancions, rivet type stancions, were first used in 1919 patent. Prior to that there was a version which was a mix of the 1912 and the modified tension block.
viewtopic.php?f=72&t=78886&p=618051&hil ... ck#p618051
Though I found a version that shows Hardy used early parts with the mushroom stanchion in the 1919 patent.
viewtopic.php?f=72&t=63543&p=544526&hil ... ck#p544526

[sovereign]

There were Uniquas with 1912 checks? According to Drewitt MK I check was introduced in 1917. when you talk about a mushroom stanchion being used in 1919 first, I thought there was some other kind of stanchion in use before .... or screws ..

But what you guide us to are Hardy the Perfects, interesting but its not the Hardy Uniqua ! Do you have useable links so please share with us, please // Steen

Mushroom stancions, rivet type stancions, were first used in 1919 patent. Prior to that there was a version which was a mix of the 1912 and the modified tension block.
viewtopic.php?f=72&t=78886&p=618051&hil ... ck#p618051
Though I found a version that shows Hardy used early parts with the mushroom stanchion in the 1919 patent.
viewtopic.php?f=72&t=63543&p=544526&hil ... ck#p544526

[MFRS]

sovereign, the various checks were not specific to any particular reel type. You can go through the search function to find pictures of checks used on the Uniqua that members have posted.