Abbey & Imbrie was a retailer and throughout the years that they were in business sold reels produced by several different makers.  Although A&I did not make any of their own reels many reels are marked solely with their brand and not that of the actual maker.  Some Abbey & Imbrie reels can be quite…

Arjon of Malung Sweden was founded in 1942 by Arvid Jonsson and produced reels until the mid-1970s. Over the years Arjon produced several different models of high-quality reels and in 1963 they were named a purveyor to the King of Sweden. CLICK HERE to CONTACT US – for more information about or to sell your…

Very little is known about this unusual little casting reel or its maker, Willard H. Bradley.  The Bradley reel is stamped with a patent date of September 22, 1868, and in the patent, it talks about the reel being used with a sinker which would indicate that the reel was designed to be a casting…

Virtually nothing is known about this reel marked Josias Rogers Catterson, however, the reel appears to have been made in England around the turn of the twentieth century. CLICK HERE to CONTACT US – for more information about or to sell your CATTERSON reel. CLICK HERE – to return to our – CASTING REEL GALLERY Catterson -…

The Chamberlin Cartridge and Target Company was founded in 1883 in Cleveland Ohio, however, they did not start producing reels until around 1904 when the first of their three reel patents were issued. CLICK HERE to CONTACT US – for more information about or to sell your CHAMBERLIN CARTRIDGE reel. CLICK HERE – to return to our…

In 1869 Thomas Chubb established the Chubb Fish Rod Factory on the banks of the Ompomppanoosuc River in the small town of Post Mills Vermont.  Chubb graduated from Baylor University and served in the Confederate navy during the Civil War.  After the war, Chubb moved to Vermont and along with a partner purchased a factory and produced…

Not much is known about James Deally and his reel making business other than he was building reels around the turn of the twentieth century and that he was located in Louisville Kentucky. Deally did produce a fine line of high-quality casting reels in a few different sizes as well as a larger reel for…

William De Forest was a jeweler living in Kentucky who may have built only one reel as only one example marked with his name has been found to date. CLICK HERE to CONTACT US – for more information about or to sell your DE FOREST reel. CLICK HERE – to return to our – CASTING REEL GALLERY…

George Gayle started making high quality casting reels in the mid-1880s in Frankfort Kentucky with his son Clarence. Gayle’s reels were made of brass or German silver, however, a few examples have been found made of hard rubber.  Gayle reels are considered very collectible today.  George Gayle died in 1896 but his son Clarence continued…

Hardy Bros. of Alnwick England started producing reels in 1873 and would go on to become England’s most prolific and highest quality tackle manufacturer. Hardy made a full line of fishing tackle though fly reels were their mainstay. Besides fly reels Hardy also made a full line of spinning reels, casting reels, tournament casting reels,…

Heddon was one of the world’s largest tackle manufactures having its start in Dowagiac, Michigan sometime in the late 1890s.  James Heddon was initially a lure maker but decided to add reels to his fishing tackle line in 1917.  Heddon’s early reels were extremely well made so as to compete with the best reels being…

Not much is known about this quirky, English, belt driven, level-wind reel designed and patented by J.G.A. Kitchen, however, it must be said that it is loaded with character.  The reel was a belt driven multiplier complete with a level-wind mechanism for distributing the line evenly across its narrow spool  The Kitchen’s Reel received its patent on…

Brothers Jonathan and Benjamin Meek were watchmakers in Frankfort Kentucky.  Around 1830, the Meek brothers started building high quality casting reels in several small sizes for fishing freshwater lakes and streams.  During the course of their run in business, the Meeks made reels in larger sizes as well to include models for striped bass and…

Around 1852, reel maker Jonathan Meek formed a new business in Frankfort Kentucky with one of his apprentices, Benjamin Milam, and the reels they produced were stamped “MEEK & MILAM”.  Meek & Milam reels were produced until 1881 at which time the reels were subsequently marked with just Milam’s name – “B.C. MILAM”. CLICK HERE…

August Frederick Meisselbach was born in 1865 and was granted his first patent for a fishing reel in 1886.  Along with his brother William, the Meisselbach brothers produced a full line of fly, casting, and small salt water reels in Eluria Ohio.  In 1917 the company was sold to the Otto Heineman Phonographic Supply Co.…

B.C. Milam cut his teeth in the reel making business as an apprentice in the Meek reel making company. In 1852 Milam partnered with Jonathan Meek and his name was added to the reel – “MEEK” & MILAM”. Around 1881 the reels were simply stamped “B.C. MILAM” and later, when Milam’s son, John entered the…

Montague began manufacturing an affordable line of split bamboo and wood fishing rods fishing in 1881.  In the mid-1920s Montague purchased an existing reel making company and started producing reels. Montague made casting reels and fly reels as well as light salt water and trolling reels. Montague reels are seldom found marked Montague as they…

Originally named the Carlton Manufacturing Company, this reel company was founded in 1903 by Harvey Carlton in Rochester New York.  Both the Carlton Manufacturing Company and the Rochester Reel Company produced high-quality, affordable casting and fly fishing reels until about 1910. CLICK HERE to CONTACT US – for more information about or to sell your ROCHESTER reel.…

The unique Spiral Wind reel held five patents and was made by the Spiral Wind Fish Co. of Buffalo, New York.  The Spiral Wind reel featured an unusual spiraling level-wind mechanism that distributed the line evenly across the reel’s spool.  Many of the early Spiral Wind reels had great graphics stamped on their side-plates CLICK…

William H. Talbot built reels from about 1895 to 1920. Talbot set up shop in Nevada Missouri in 1913 but later moved the business to Kansas City changing the name to Talbot Reel & Manufacturing Co. Talbot specialized in high quality casting reels however he also made a fly reel that he named the “Ben…

Onesimus Ustonson entered the fishing tackle business in the 1760s after purchasing the FISH & CROWN, a tackle maker and retailer located in the Temple Bar section of London.  Perhaps Ustonson’s biggest claim to fame is that he is credited with designing and building the first multiplying fishing reel.  The reels produced by Ustonson were…

Edward vom Hofe grew up in Brooklyn New York and was the son of acclaimed reel maker Friedrich vom Hofe and brother of reel maker Julius vom Hofe.  Edward started building reels as an apprentice to his father in the mid-1860s and established his own reel making company in 1867. Edward went on to produce…

Friedrich vom Hofe was the patriarch of the vom Hofe reel making family.  Friedrich’s sons, Julius and Edward, both apprenticed with their father and went on to be two of the nation’s top reel makers in their day.  Friedrich began making reel around 1857 with his eldest son Julius and the reels they produced were…

Julius vom Hofe was the eldest son of famous reel maker Friedrich vom Hofe of Brooklyn New York. Julius vom Hofe’s younger brother, Edward, also established a large reel making company in New York in 1967. Friedrich started his reel making business in 1857 and it is believed that Julius started as his apprentice at…

The Waltonian Casting Reel was produced by the Square Stamping Co. of Barneveld New York in the mid-1920’s.  Waltonian reels are made of German silver and are considered side mount casting reels as they sit sideways on a rod and not on top of the rod as do the majority casting reels.  To date, no…