Help wanted please. Half bail serial numbers

[Bailarm]

I am in contact with a gentleman who hopes to soon publish a book on the Mitchell reel, which I think will be quite something!

It would help if anyone with a half bail reel bearing a serial number, with an A or B prefix to the number, could just let me what know that serial number is please.


This will hopefully establish at just what number A and B started and finished.

For example; did A start at A00001 or did it start at A10000 ?

Did A finish at A99999 ? Somebody might have it.........


Thanks in advance for any input you can give.

[GreatLaker]

Nobby,
My lowest 3rd version w/letter "A" prefix A04173 and my highest is A72553. My only 3rd version "B" prefix is B13133.

Please ask the author of the new book if he could reserve a copy for me.
Kind Regards,
Bill

[bass4me]

[bass4me]

300 B93556 .jpg (16 KiB) Viewed 16797 times

[bass4me]

300 C93823 full bail.jpg (40.42 KiB) Viewed 16797 times

[Bailarm]

Thank-you gentlemen you've pretty much wrapped it up now.

We now know for certain that they didn't start at A10000 and that all A,B and C reels used the full 99999 numbers that were available to them.

Incidentally, I only recently learned that some half bail reels were made with the later six-number serial numbers ( with no prefix ), probably all for the UK market due to Hardy's patent extension on the Altex full bail mechanism.


Once again, thank-you for your time and replies.

[Mitchell 330]

Thank-you gentlemen you've pretty much wrapped it up now.


Once again, thank-you for your time and replies.

As always, am late to the party.

B22848

I have been using this one with 6 lb mono.

Will cast a mile (well, not really a mile) and picks up the line nicely.
Old school half-bail just feels better, and gets more attention.

The 330 is easier to use and again, gets a lot of attention.
The 300 (full bail) is rock solid and takes a lot of abuse.

[Bailarm]

Thank-you Mitchell 330, you can never have too much information.



The book in question is now with the printers and should be available next month or soon after.

I've had the honour of a little peek and I think everyone will be very pleased with it. There's a few people on here who have contributed and I'd like to add my thanks to those of the author. Consequently, it really is most comprehensive and there is a gold mine of facts that were new to me as well as a mountain of interesting images.

[GreatLaker]

Mitchell 330 Welcome to the Mitchell Reel Museum Forum!

Nobby,
Looking forward to the new book.

Kind Regards,
Bill

[Mitchell 330]

keep us posted. Price and availability. I might get the local library to order a copy.

[don309]

I posted this 300 I had restored, on show and tell. Can anyone tell me the year of it? Serial number looks to be A69315. When it was bought the tag said 1953. I see from this thread it's a 3rd version.

[Ted Lanham]

don309,
I'm sure Wallace would say around 49/50, but others feel different. It's around 70 years old give or take 3 or 4 years.

Regards,
Ted Lanham

[Bonaventure]

$12.00

Really?

Glen

[don309]

Yep a friend of mine travels a lot out of town for work. I guess he stops at a lot of flea markets / yard sales to pass down time. He's always getting something. I had mentioned to him to look out for a 300 half bail, at a good price. I wanted one just because I didn't have one. Then I figured I'd never fish it. So I decided to have Christian restore it for the new grandson