Herters Rolls reels

[Evert van der Plas]

After a long search finally found the Herters Rolls reel, the best part is that I have find a other one a week later and I can't tell how happy I am with the two off them




there was one hidden in this lot :-)

[Aitch]

Looks very like an Ambidex without the hump on the rear casing

[Duckett]

“Made by England’s Most Precision Engineer”, eh? Got to be an Ambidex from just after they removed the hump. That splendid badge gives it a wonderful lift though. Nice find!

Phil

[MGs]

Looks like my Sealey Flocast, no hump

[Stingray]

Well done getting hold of these and sharing; love the badge. Do you have a photo showing the other side of the reel so we can further investigate the Sealey Flocast or other comparison ?

Ah - now I see them - different anti-reverse lever to the Flocast. Also the bale fixing opposite to the pickup has a screw where the Flocast just uses a tension fitting. Looks like a rather upmarket Flocast to me. Flocast is a Sealey badged Youngs Ambidex variant of course.

[Nobby]

Good find....they are pretty rare!

In fact you have two different models there...the FP ...flexible pick-up...with its two-part bail arm, so that will date to after September 1954 because Hardy objected that it breached their full bail patent.

I'm not sure when the single bail arm came out....1965 or '66???

Rupe will know, I'm sure.

[Ambidexman]

Cracking find and to find both models too - well done!

These are the two known models; the Mark 311 and the Mark 312.

Both models were sold by Herters Inc of Minnesota, USA and are known as the 'Rolls Ambidex'.

The Rolls Ambidex reels date from circa 1959 to 1965. Both models have the streamline design body (part number JWY 591), folding handle (JWY 548) and the Number Three Ambidex line drum (JWY 400). The pick up on both models are not fitted with a line roller.

The 311 is the version with the solid one piece pick up. In 1965 it cost $16.82 (approx £8.50)

The 312 version has the two-piece flexible pick up - which is advertised as a strong selling point:
"An ultra advanced line pick up, developed and patented by Rolls, infallible in use. Special flexible wire easily removable for placing line on the correct side of the pick up when necessary."

The 1965 suggested retail selling price for the 312 is a whopping $49 (approx £25) - although it could be found for $23.63 (ap[prox £12.00)
Both versions appear to be merely a mixture of the Number Three and Mark Four Ambidex reels - but in the polychromatic bronze colour and of course that super looking enamelled Rolls badge.

Both of these reels feature in my updated JW Young book that is currently being prepared for publication by the Medlar Press. I am hopeful it will be ready for purchase in time for the next Redditch Tackle Fair in May 2020.

[Fredline]

I sold one of these to Garry Mills at Redditch a few years ago. It was almost mint and with its box. He almost snapped my arm off to get it.

[Nobby]

I wonder if 'Rolls' actually ever patented that two piece bail arm, as stated?

I'm pretty sure the inventor Ted Young didn't!

Good to hear the updated book is almost ready Rupe!

[Ambidexman]

Ted Young was convinced back in the late 40's/early 50's that his two piece 'pivoted loop' was sufficiently different to the full bale arm that Hardy Bros had so cleverly protected by Patent and that he could use it on his Ambidex reels. Hardy Bros opposed the invention so Ted had to wait until the Patent expired (circa 1954) before he could fit it to his Ambidex reels (the Number Three being the first).

During 1950, Hardy Bros placed an advertisement in the angling papers of the time reminding potential reel makers (I suspect JW Young in particular) of the patent designs they had control of. These Patents were:

• the worm drive (no. 373,786)
  the automatic pick up (bale arm) (no. 380,939)
  the break down handle (no. 402.597)
  the pick up roller (no. 498,460)

As far as I can recall, Ted did not protect his 'pivoted loop' design by Patent.