ORCA is pleased to announce the availability of a highly anticipated new book:

ANTIQUE FISHING REELS, Second Edition

by Steven K. Vernon

Do you have any reels made by William Rodgers? Edwin Judge? Paul Berner? Do you have any Alt reels (not something concocted by politicians in Washington, D.C.) Any reels made by the Anchor Fishing Reel Company? Yankee Fishing Reel Company? Spring Reel Company? All of the above were making reels in the U.S. before 1920, some for decades, and odds are that you’ve never heard of most of them. Antique Fishing Reels introduces these and other makers, some of whom probably made some of those “mystery” reels in your collection. Over a hundred early northeastern makers are included in the book. But the book is more than a list of reelmakers.

As the revised edition of an important collectors’ reference book published in 1985, it includes more than twice as many U.S. reel patents as the first edition as it traces the development of various reel features. It provides biographical information on almost all of the inventors, who came from all walks of life. The inventors responsible for most of the major advances in reel design during the 19h century were “amateurs” they didn’t earn their livelihoods designing fishing tackle. Over 1000 illustrations will help you identify and date some of your acquisitions and will help to explain how these old gadgets worked. This encyclopedic, hard- cover, 8.5″ x 11″ book is the most comprehensive reference available on old American reels.

For sale at this link in the ORCA Online Store

Store account set-up required for new customers.

ORCA membership recommended but not required.