Fly Rods and Inlays

The wood work is second to none. Is that a vintage Allcocks Aerial?

The craftsmanship is second to none. Is that a vintage Allcocks Aerial in the picture?

Randy,
Thanks for the comment.
Yes, that is an early Allcocks Aerial centre-pin reel.
Still works well and makes an excellent fly reel!
You sound quite knowledgeable about antique reels, so if you have any further info on this reel (age, value etc), it would be greatly appreciated.
Regards
Eden

Eden, I probably fish with a centrepin 99% of the time I'm actually on the water. It's one of my favorite ways to fish. I have a picture of a Coxon Aerial in the Misc. pictures. It looks like the reel (yours) has an ebonite drum. If so it's pretty old I would have to guess maybe 1910 to 1920. Keep in mind this is just a guess.


The reel I have pictured has a wood backplate along with an ebonite drum and it was going for approx. 1,200 pounds. In US currency that's almost $3,000.00. The reel pictured is circa 1890's to early 1900's. I also have a picture of a mint condition Coxox Aerial that went for 6,000 pound sterling. which is around $12,000.00 US. Keep in mind there are less than a handfull of these reels out there.


I would have to say you have a very collectable reel on your hands. It is an important peice of float fishing history and I would consider myself lucky if I owned one. If value is important then I would suggest putting the reel in some kind of display case along with the box. Like I said these reels are very valuable in the antique fishing market.


If you're interested check out some of the auction houses and do a search for vintage centrepin reels. I will try to look up some of these site and then I'll get back to you on them.


It's nice to see a great piece of British angling history.


Randy

Randy,
Many thanks for the very useful information. Yes, the reel in the photo does have an ebonite drum (with a brass "caliper" winding check). I have had a look at the photo of the Coxon Aerial that you posted (a beautiful reel, incidently) and the two reels are very similar except that the Allcocks has what appears to be a pewter or gun metal back plate inscribed "The Allcock Aerial". Also, the handles on the Allcocks appear to be some kind of bone or antler. I have no intention of selling it as it has sentimental value and has been handed down in the family . I believe it was originally purchased by my grandfather and must date at least to the early 1900's. I did a search of Aerials in antique tackle auction houses a couple of years ago, but was unable to come up with anything quite like it.
I still use this reel on occasions and like you, it is one of my favourites, even as a fly reel.
Again thank you for the helpful information.
Regards
Eden

Eden,


Here are a couple of websites where vintage aerials are often auctioned.
www.mullockmadeley.co.uk and www.vintagetackle.net
Hope this helps


Randy

Thanks Randy. I have sent you an email with results of my search.
Regards, Eden

Eden, When did you send the Email? I never got one. Anyways what did you find? I'm interested because I hope to find a nice vintage aerial sometime in the future. Maybe after I find a Angling Specialties pin. I see you're from Ontario. Do you float fish at all? I learned the technique from a guy from St. Catherines many years ago. Also check out www.questoutdoors.net. There are a few guys that post on the board who are centrepin junkies, one of them is from the UK. Thanks for posting that picture. Like I said before I think you have one of the finast peices of float fishing history. I wonder if Henry Coxon made your reel? It might be worth researching. Randy

Randy,
I sent the email on 20 Sept to your hotmail address.
I have just sent it again so please let me know (by email to avoid taking up space on this forum)if you recieve it.
The only float float fishing that I have done was many years ago and that was trotting a quill float for trout using a centrepin reel.
Fly fishing is my speciality, but the centrepins do make excellent fly reels!
Regards, Eden

Many thanks, Terry!
Greatly appreciated!
Eden

Bumping this back up, hopefully will inspire Eden to post more pics. We miss Eden's work.

Billy, I would have to agree. I hope Eden will post more pictures and with 14,500 veiws I think that we are not alone. Thanks Eden.