A possible date for an early Speedia

[Nobby]

I was proper chuffed to win an early Speedia on eBay recently as it had some paperwork with it that I had never seen before, maybe there'd be a date on the back of it?



Sadly....there wasn't!

The reel in question is an early one, the type having a 'pill' in the centre of the spool to receive the end-float grub-screw. I always thought these might be a Mark 2, but the box doesn't say that....I don't know what it does say....but it's definitely not Mark 2...perhaps a TFFer can work this out?



The reel is very clean indeed and although it did have line on it, I doubt it's been used much....it's not even run-in yet, let alone developed any play in the bushing.

Then I spotted something....stamped lightly inside the lid of the box:



So, there's a good possibility that these early 'pill' bossed Speedias with their small feet and reversible check pawl for left or right hand use are from around 1951. Older than I thought....so how old does that make the hand-built early ones?...Just post-War....or maybe even pre-War??

Here it is then, very clean early reel, little used, box and rare, rare paperwork, line guard .... and a possible date of 1951 too:





a

[QuinetteCane]

Good Find Nobby. Has to be as good as information gets for the Speedia.
After staring at the handwriting for a while and ignoring the lettering
The word shape seems to read something like 'Universal Purpose'
Hardly a fitting type definition tho' !

[Match Aerial]

I seen the reel on ebay Nobby

It looked a good,un mate
In the letter says renewable bronze bearings which suggests they must have undertaken services and repairs on the reels they produced.

I thought the line guard was a later addition do you think it was a factory fit by any chance ?
Really like those early speedias, the narrow reel is slightly less in depth than the later models.

Cracking reel will it see the river bank ?


MA

[Wallys-Cast]

Great looking reel Nobby, I doubt it's ever seen water by the looks of it.
The writing says General Purpose, I had a similar box with the same writing on it and I think the date is probably right for that version.

I had an earlier version still in its box which was dated 1946, it was the version with removable brass foot and removable handles.

Wal.

[Paul D]

That's horrible Nobby, please send it to me for safe disposal
Seriously though, cracking find Sir

[SeanM]

Never mind the date look at the casting distances for the average angler. 100 yards with a 3oz weight! How many loops of line would you have to use to get that distance?

[SeanM]

I've just worked it out. Assuming the average loop contains about 10ft of line you'd need to use 30 loops to bet the distance. That's a rod with a lot of rings!

Alternatively you'd need to be an extremely proficient Wallis caster. Men were men in those days.

[Nobby]

I must confess I've sort of become a collector..though never intending to do so.

I must have bought and sold on half a dozen Speedias before but I now have three I can't see me ever selling...nor shall I ever use them all I confess.......

I have this one, a mint later one that spins for over three minutes ( yes, I didn't believe that possible either....)and 'old faithful' that has been with me for so long now it goes on every fishing trip even if it doesn't get used......

I've seen other line guards like this that were attributed to be original Speedia fitments..who knows...did these folk never produce a catalogue....?

[NiceRoach]

Good to find anything on Speedia's, a 'reel' mystery there is so little known about or relating to WR Products.

Noticeably from that documentation you had to apply for a service etc through at tackle dealer, and not directly to them.

[Nobby]

I was interested to read the 'renewable' bit about the bushing. I wonder if that strange 'pill' is something to do with it?

I thought this would be a 'General Purpose' reel too, Wal...later boxes I've seen have 'GP' on them....but I'm really unsure just what that writing does say.

I thought I could maybe make out the word 'universal' too.

Nice collection of Speedia stuff on Gary Hazell's blog:

https://talesbytheriverbank.wordpress.c ... &search=Go


An early wide drum there with brass foot! Not seen one of those before. I must get out to Plough Lane soon!!


I wonder how you embed a search engine into a blog??? Great blog too!