Very interesting patina on that one
Help With Age of Perfect Reel
Hello,
I am trying to find the age of this reel. It has been difficult to find a reel online that looks exactly like this one. I am told that this is the 1906 check and that it was discontinued that year. Is this true? Also, is the handle real ivory or ivorine? (I understand Hardy used both). It is a 4 1/4" diameter reel. The foot is 4 inches long and 11/16" wide. Someone narrowed one end of the foot with a bit of filing on the sides. It also has a crack in the rim that will be repaired. The check is very strong. It has an amazing sound that is very loud and makes me smile every time I hear it. It is a really amazing reel!
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Thanks,
Nathan
I am trying to find the age of this reel. It has been difficult to find a reel online that looks exactly like this one. I am told that this is the 1906 check and that it was discontinued that year. Is this true? Also, is the handle real ivory or ivorine? (I understand Hardy used both). It is a 4 1/4" diameter reel. The foot is 4 inches long and 11/16" wide. Someone narrowed one end of the foot with a bit of filing on the sides. It also has a crack in the rim that will be repaired. The check is very strong. It has an amazing sound that is very loud and makes me smile every time I hear it. It is a really amazing reel!
Thanks,
Nathan
1 - 18 of 18 Posts
Congrats on acquiring this rarity...
She’s a Brass Faced Salmon Perfect with Hardys first adjustable drag referred to as the 1896 Check. The check dial has the double locking Turks Head and the handle is ivory. The face plate has the Rod in Hand and the Hardy Patent Perfect Reel stamping . The dished spool has four cusps or indentations on it’s outside edge for freeing or threading the end of your leader when not in use. The spool features the early brass interior frame that revolves on the brass spindle and bearings.
If you examine the interior side of the brass face plate or the reel frame, there may be the reel makers stamped initials which can be identified.
The reel appears to be in excellent condition and well into its second century of service as is this similar 1896 Check 3 3/4 BF Perfect from my collection.
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Here is the 1905 check on a special order 4 inch “Rings Up” LHW Reverse Salmon Perfect featuring additional porting on the spool for ventilation and on the interior frame for lighter weight.
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Regards form the Restigouche....Jim
She’s a Brass Faced Salmon Perfect with Hardys first adjustable drag referred to as the 1896 Check. The check dial has the double locking Turks Head and the handle is ivory. The face plate has the Rod in Hand and the Hardy Patent Perfect Reel stamping . The dished spool has four cusps or indentations on it’s outside edge for freeing or threading the end of your leader when not in use. The spool features the early brass interior frame that revolves on the brass spindle and bearings.
If you examine the interior side of the brass face plate or the reel frame, there may be the reel makers stamped initials which can be identified.
The reel appears to be in excellent condition and well into its second century of service as is this similar 1896 Check 3 3/4 BF Perfect from my collection.
Here is the 1905 check on a special order 4 inch “Rings Up” LHW Reverse Salmon Perfect featuring additional porting on the spool for ventilation and on the interior frame for lighter weight.
Regards form the Restigouche....Jim
Perusing my references (Drewett, Miller & J. Hardy) the 4 screw check was introduced in 1904 and continued to be incorporated until the 1912 check came along.
Both brass and aluminium winding plates were available until 1910 as Hardy' slowly 'educated' salmon anglers away from brass reels, which were thought to be more robust and would balance longer rods better.
Therefore, a good date range for the reel in question would be between 1904 and 1910.
Although tricky to tell from the photo's, either ivorine and ivory could have been used for the handle at the time. Generally ivorine handles have feint 'grain' lines along their length, ivory (or horn) tend not to.
As far as other points mentioned, the four cusps permitted the drum to be removed when the the reel was in use, without pinching the silk line.
Hardy's had adjustable checks on their Perfects- Patent number 612- 13 Jan. 1891.
I have yet to see documented evidence of so- called 'Rings Up' Perfects- nor see logic in the concept.
Malcolm
Both brass and aluminium winding plates were available until 1910 as Hardy' slowly 'educated' salmon anglers away from brass reels, which were thought to be more robust and would balance longer rods better.
Therefore, a good date range for the reel in question would be between 1904 and 1910.
Although tricky to tell from the photo's, either ivorine and ivory could have been used for the handle at the time. Generally ivorine handles have feint 'grain' lines along their length, ivory (or horn) tend not to.
As far as other points mentioned, the four cusps permitted the drum to be removed when the the reel was in use, without pinching the silk line.
Hardy's had adjustable checks on their Perfects- Patent number 612- 13 Jan. 1891.
I have yet to see documented evidence of so- called 'Rings Up' Perfects- nor see logic in the concept.
Malcolm
Attachments
I think that is the earlier 1896 check as indicated by the shape of the spring. It was made until 1904.
Note in the below picture how the spring has rotated 90 deg and is not flat.....this is the 1904 - 1906 spring. Yours is the earlier version.
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I have the same reel as you show that I had restored. It had a missing section from the frame. Doesn't get any better than this. Great find Nate.
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I’ll admit, I don’t have my reference material from home handy….. so if I’m dead wrong I’ll apologize.
Note in the below picture how the spring has rotated 90 deg and is not flat.....this is the 1904 - 1906 spring. Yours is the earlier version.
I have the same reel as you show that I had restored. It had a missing section from the frame. Doesn't get any better than this. Great find Nate.
I’ll admit, I don’t have my reference material from home handy….. so if I’m dead wrong I’ll apologize.
The blued and hardened 'calliper ' spring was used in several Hardy reels (fly & Silex), from early Perfects of the late 1800's to Silex's of 1910, tension on the spring being regulated by a knurled tension screw in the fly reels- both salmon and trout.
As mentioned, by around 1912 the stronger check came along for various fly reels such as salmon and the trout Bougle.
Generally, Hardy's check mechanisms (and dates thereof) refer to the complete mechanism-spring/ pawl/regulator.
Drewett has 27 lavishly illustrated pages dedicated to the Perfect, and I can't find reference to a '1894' check.
Hardy's were 'big' on patents, only listed is #24245 Oct. 1910 which appertains to the 'floating' check pawl- being the 1912 check plus that of the 1910 Silex (attached).
Also attached- from Drewett's book (to set the scene) is an early photo of the reel shop at the time (1903) salmon Perfects on the bench, with the foreman (or manager) in the background, so to speak.. looking on. Large and small calliper springs can also be seen hung on the central bar - which itself may well have been carrying gas to taps used to 'blue' and harden check parts. Note the Zebra Paste box, this would likely have contained pots of leading finish used.
The frames in the picture were being hand filed following machining, I like to peer closely looking for filing marks on the pillars of my early reels. Hardy's did not have their own foundry until the 1930's so bought in the rough castings for their reels.
All in all it is fascinating to read of the history of how reels were made and we are fortunate to still have many in our hands today.
Malcolm
As mentioned, by around 1912 the stronger check came along for various fly reels such as salmon and the trout Bougle.
Generally, Hardy's check mechanisms (and dates thereof) refer to the complete mechanism-spring/ pawl/regulator.
Drewett has 27 lavishly illustrated pages dedicated to the Perfect, and I can't find reference to a '1894' check.
Hardy's were 'big' on patents, only listed is #24245 Oct. 1910 which appertains to the 'floating' check pawl- being the 1912 check plus that of the 1910 Silex (attached).
Also attached- from Drewett's book (to set the scene) is an early photo of the reel shop at the time (1903) salmon Perfects on the bench, with the foreman (or manager) in the background, so to speak.. looking on. Large and small calliper springs can also be seen hung on the central bar - which itself may well have been carrying gas to taps used to 'blue' and harden check parts. Note the Zebra Paste box, this would likely have contained pots of leading finish used.
The frames in the picture were being hand filed following machining, I like to peer closely looking for filing marks on the pillars of my early reels. Hardy's did not have their own foundry until the 1930's so bought in the rough castings for their reels.
All in all it is fascinating to read of the history of how reels were made and we are fortunate to still have many in our hands today.
Malcolm
Attachments
Early brass or BF Perfects, including some models with the 1905 Check, had brass rather than steel bearings. I also seen some examples with what appeared to be copper bearings.This is another indicator for dating a Perfect as there were earlier and later versions of Hardy’s various checks.
The 2 piece flat calliper spring on your reel is a rarity that I’ve seldom seen.
Here is a photo my earlier BF Salmon Perfect version, as designated with a rare early third stamp on the face plate, the open or unenclosed circular Hardy Bros Alnwick logo.
This 1897 Check variation has a one piece flat calliper spring and the thickness and the width is tapered down to the pawl. The flat sided rectangle housing for the pawl is secured with 4 screws. I’m wondering if Malcolm can provide any documentation concerning this variation.
This reel is stamped B5 on the inside of the brass face plate and on the inside of the frame. Earlier Hardy Perfects from this era were not stamped with the makers initials.
R....Jim
I did some more investigation and indeed found some discrepencies with mine Malcolm and thank you. Although the spring is flat…. I never noticed it was two piece with added brass to the tip of the reverse wind end. The 4 screw pawl bridge dates it as you highlight. Mine also has a makers mark of RL which in the Drewett books simply states pre-WWI. So perhaps a reworked 1905 check. Not 100% original for sure.
From the Evans Tape… mine has the marking on the faceplate with rod in hand, a flat face with 2 concentric circles and straight line lettering. It was noted by Mr. Evans as 1905-1910.
I was going by the spring being flat to date the reel and was mistaken. I was in a hotel room in SC….. without my Drewett and Evans Tapes. Sorry.
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From the Evans Tape… mine has the marking on the faceplate with rod in hand, a flat face with 2 concentric circles and straight line lettering. It was noted by Mr. Evans as 1905-1910.
I was going by the spring being flat to date the reel and was mistaken. I was in a hotel room in SC….. without my Drewett and Evans Tapes. Sorry.
1 - 18 of 18 Posts
