Garcia catalogs/booklets: 1982 - 1952

[John Fishkat]

Hey Mates,

I am posting covers of Garcia catalogs/booklets and some content from 1982 to ~1952 that I own.

I very much would appreciate help on posting Garcia publication covers (and any content if requested by mates); I pretty much have an example from each year but I don't own everything Garcia ever published.

If you have a content question, I'm happy to post a page(s) scan to help answer in one to a few days.

I proceed in reverse chronological order from 1982 - in part to allow time for mates to add any missed examples. In case you are viewing this post at a later date, later (out-of-sequence) posts are very much appreciated, as well.

John

mrm 8200 Garcia Tackle 000 cover.jpg (188.28 KiB) Viewed 12416 times

mrm 8100 Garcia Tackle 000 cover.jpg (313.02 KiB) Viewed 12416 times

mrm 8000 Garcia Tackle 000 cover.jpg (253.37 KiB) Viewed 12416 times

[GreatLaker]

John,
A very interesting and informative post. I am really looking forward to seeing the rest of them.
Regarding the first three, sales brochures from 1980-1982. A very interesting time for the fishing reel world. I am quite curious as to who put out these brochures. Was it Abu-Garcia, the newly renamed company, or was it The Garcia Tackle Company? With Garcia's bankruptcy in around mid 1978, there are many possibilities as to which reels were being advertised between 1980-1982. Were any of them Mitchell reels, or were they the former Garcia, Japan made , reels? Or, and most likely, are they all Abu reels? With the Abu acquisition of Garcia's name, trademarks and so on, I am still unclear how it all played out at first.

Happy to help with the posting if you would like.

Kind Regards,
Bill

[John Fishkat]

Hey Bill,

Thanks for your support and questions.

Yes, this was a transition time. Let me see if I can first answer your question about who published the catalogs I posted above. I only know some of the details of this time - so we may need some further help.


Mates,

I was just in process of posting images, so I'll continue a bit.

John

1979 Garcia Fishing Tackle

mrm 7900 Garcia Tackle 000 cover.jpg (397.11 KiB) Viewed 12368 times

1979 Garcia Fishing Magazine

mrm 7900 Garcia Magazine 001 cover.jpg (301.71 KiB) Viewed 12368 times

1978 Garcia Fishing Magazine

mrm 7800 Garcia Magazine 001 cover.jpg (322.4 KiB) Viewed 12368 times

[John Fishkat]

1977 Garcia Fishing Annual

mrm 7700 Garcia Annual 001 cover.jpg (320.64 KiB) Viewed 12365 times

1976 Garcia Fishing Annual

mrm 7600 Garcia Annual 001 cover.jpg (260.3 KiB) Viewed 12365 times

1975 Garcia Fishing Annual

mrm 7500 Garcia Annual 001 cover.jpg (304.84 KiB) Viewed 12365 times

[John Fishkat]

Hey Bill,

Neither the 1982 or 1981 catalogs have any publication information. They do not even have an introduction or table of contents; they go right into pages about reels. They do include a couple ABU-Garcia US addresses for service on the back cover.

The 1980 catalog (copyrighted 1979 by ABU-Garcia) has the following text on the inside cover:

mrm 8000 Garcia Catalog 001 ABU-Garcia.jpg (261 KiB) Viewed 12321 times

The 1979 catalog has The Garcia Corp. as the source for the “Outdoor Library” shown on the back cover. The 1979 Garcia Fishing Magazine has the following text on the second page:

mrm 7900 Garcia Fishing Magazine 002.jpg (30.73 KiB) Viewed 12321 times

There are Garcia tagged/labeled reels shown in 1982, 1981, and 1980, while 1979 has Garcia Mitchell tagged/labeled reels also. As to where the reels were manufactured, the catalogs do not state – that would require another source.

John

[John Fishkat]

Mates,

Some additional information. In reviewing my notes, I see a statement that ABU-Garcia acquired Conolon in 1981.

Growing up with Mitchell and ABU reels in the US, I had though of Garcia as an importer. Acquisition of Conolon (which may rightly have been called rod maker to the world at that time) by ABU-Garcia made it a major exporter.

Content below is from Wayne Real’s (a friend) ABU collector’s site, Real’s Reels, http://realsreels.com/:

From the 1981 ABU Tight Lines Catalog:

The Garcia Corporation acquisition by ABU this year, brought with it the Conolon Division, located in sunny California.

Here since its inception in the 1940's, the world's very first tubular glass fishing rods were made. CONOLON came from CON meaning WITH and NYLON. The secret nylon modified resin was used to bond the glass fibres together. This name Conolon would in a few short years, become world famous and generic for tubular fibreglass fishing rods. It hallmarks over 25 million rod blanks to this date. Forty years saw Conolon at the top of its game and #1 worldwide…

mrm 8100 ABU TL 032 Conolon.jpg (134.12 KiB) Viewed 12299 times

John

[John Fishkat]

Continuing with covers:

1974 Garcia Fishing Annual

mrm 7400 Garcia Annual 001 cover.jpg (292.66 KiB) Viewed 12264 times

1973 Garcia Fishing Annual

mrm 7300 Garcia Annual 001 cover.jpg (251.01 KiB) Viewed 12264 times

1972 Garcia Fishing Annual

mrm 7200 Garcia Annual 001 cover.jpg (296.08 KiB) Viewed 12264 times

[John Fishkat]

1971 Garcia Fishing Annual

mrm 7100 Garcia Annual 001 cover.jpg (269.66 KiB) Viewed 12260 times

1970 Garcia Fishing Annual

mrm 7000 Garcia Annual 001 cover.jpg (295.76 KiB) Viewed 12260 times

1969 Garcia Fishing Annual

mrm 6900 Garcia Annual 001 cover.jpg (239.19 KiB) Viewed 12260 times