For sale here is a very rarely seen trout reel. Made from German silver and hard rubber, the reel dates from either right before or right after the turn of the 20th century. The maker was either US Net & Twine or the Montague City Rod Company after the merger of the two companies. The diameter of the reel is 2 1/8" and the pillar length is 1 1/16". The reel will hold a five-weight line plus backing. The clicker drag mechanism works flawlessly, as does the sliding click switch. When disengaged, the spool will spin forever when given a tap! All screw heads are in fine condition with a few showing slight marks. No cracks or chips exist in the ebonite sideplates. The rims are in very fine condition as well. The reel foot is full length and includes the "60 yd" capacity designation.

Don't miss this chance to acquire a very important piece of American reel making history! These reels are extremely hard to find in such well-preserved condition.

The following excerpt can be found in A.J. Campbell's wonderful book on the history of fishing tackle, titled "Classic and Antique Fly Fishing Tackle". Everyone should own this book!

"After three or four years in rod manufacturing, Spalding decided to get out of the tackle making business and sold its Kosmic label and inventory to U.S. Net & Twine. The most famous U.S. Net & Twine reels were the Kosmic-marked models sold between approximately 1894 and '98. In 1899, U.S. Net & Twine went out of business and sold its Brooklyn reel factory to the Montague City Rod Company. Montague City continued to make and wholesale the reels, adding a multitude of newer models."