Greatest flyreels - ever

[Horton Creek]

The reels I fish the most and as such the greatest for me:
Abel Super 4N in your favorite trout color scheme, I have brook and brown trout. Best drag of any trout reel.

Pflueger 1594. Classic and simple

Winston Hardy Perfect green. Prettiest reel I own

Ross Gunnison - workhorse, looks better dented and scraped than when it was new

Sarcione Mark 2 - engineering rivals Bogdan

[Short Tip]

"Philbrook and Paine Makers pat apld for". Tough to argue with.







Back in the good old days when you could find this stuff fresh to the market.

As many times as I see that reel, I am stunned each time.

[adrien schnee]

Auctioned off along with mixing bowls, old toys, fiestaware, a popcorn machine and buttons. Why do I never find these sales? Sigh.

Any idea what these reels went for Hatch? Just a curiosity.

[hatch]

Auctioned off along with mixing bowls, old toys, fiestaware, a popcorn machine and buttons. Why do I never find these sales? Sigh.

Any idea what these reels went for Hatch? Just a curiosity.

The first Philbrook and Paine reel to come to auction was at Olivers in Kennebunk, Maine in the spring 1988. It sold for a then world record of $20,000. It was perfect. This put the reel on my radar and other peoples radar. The under bidder for the Philbrook and Paine reel featured in this thread and selling in the fall of 1988, was a bicycle collector. News of a vintage reel made in Bangor selling for $20,000 at auction became big news no matter what you collected. The under bidder thought he knew what the reel was, but wasn't sure and dropped out when the bidding reached $390. In 1988 you couldn't look it up on your cell phone. There wasn't any internet to ask people questions. Being a picker and finding nice stuff was a whole different ball game back then. You could actually find some "sleepers". I know this story because the underbidder's son is a regular sport at camp.
The JVH reel in this auction was a standard little trout reel which passed from my collection long ago. I'm sure in 1988 more tackle collectors were familiar with the name Julius Vom Hofe than were familiar with the name Philbrook and Paine. The JVH sold for a healthy $175.




Radcliff Farm Auction Barn as it was in 1988. It has now moved to Randolph Maine and is called Farrin's Auction Gallery. Old Maine auction houses are a dying breed.

[tyghguy]

Oh The good ole days How I miss them

[JohnMD1022]

1. Walker TR-2
2. Perfect, in many variations
3. CFO Screwback
4. Hardy JLH
5. Shakespeare International/President series
6. Hardy St George

In no particular order.

[pgbuilt2]

Pflueger has to be probably the single most recognized and iconic , as such it’s most likely the tops of everyone’s list , I love my Medalists , the Madison Medalists , especially the 1492 pawl version , but on my special “go to” rod , my favorite “go to” reel for it , is my Hardy Sunbeam 6/7 … Close second is the early Hardy built CFOIII , and of course the LRH…