ALVEY BIG GAME VINTAGE FISHING REELS, INFORMATION, HISTORY, REFERENCE and Specifications by Bernie Ladd.1/3/2014.
The ALVEY factory was founded by Charles Alvey in 1920 at St Lucia, Brisbane, Australia. In particular reels produced during the 1920s and 1930s are highly sought after and treasured by enthusiasts the world over.
ALVEY still remains in operation today, producing superior fishing reels for the Australian, and world wide export markets.
A1
ALVEY 6 inch, brass bearing game reel. Australian silky oak brass backed drum width 2 3/4''; Silky oak back diameter 5 13/16 ''; Cast brass T saddle cross back nickle plated; anti reverse-check, free spool option; claw crank drag; nickle plated brass crank-handle (all game reel models. Wood handle-knobs.-c. 1930. Extremely Rare
A 2
Ex Rare
ALVEY 7 inch brass bearing, Big game reel. Camphor laurel wood, 316 s/s backed drum width 2 1/2''; rolled stainless steel (316) back plate diameter 7''; grease cup; on -off drag dial; on off ratchet; claw crank drag; Heavy duty ribbed cast brass T saddle Y back (brass components originally nickle plated); wood handle knobs -c1940.
A3
A3
ALVEY K1 7inch Big game reel. Rose Mahogany wood, brass backed drum width 2 1/2''; cast aluminium alloy back plate diameter 7''; variable check, anti-reverse; claw crank drag; bulbous wood handle -knobs; brass bikerdyke line guard -c.1936. Extremely Rare
A4
A4
ALVEY J2 7 inch Big game reel. Shallow aluminium alloy drum width 2 1/2''; cast aluminium alloy back plate diameter 7''; (cast aluminium alloy not originally anodised or plated) anti-reverse, free spool dial optional check lever; claw crank drag; cast alloy back & saddle; grease cup; bulbous wood handle-knobs; plated bikerdyke line guard; brass components nickle plated -c.1936. Extremely Rare.
Deepdrum
A5
ALVEY J1 7 inch Big game reel. alloy deep drum width 2 1/2''; cast aluminium alloy back plate diameter 7''; anti-reverse free spool dial; optional check lever; claw crank drag; Cast aluminium alloy silver anodised; bikerdyke line guard; brass components nickel plated; bulbous wood handle knobs -c.1936. Extremely Rare.
A7
ALVEY H1 8 1/2 inch deep sea Big game reel. Drum width 3 3/8''; silver anodised cast aluminium alloy side plates and Drum; cast brass saddle; non reversing star crank drag; anti-reverse free spool dial; front optional check; grease cup; brass components nickel plated; wood handle knobs; harness lugs. Extremely rare, estimate of 12 made. -c.1930s.
A8
Alvey 7 inch single handle game reel. Ball bearing; aluminium alloy side plates; drum width 3 3/8"; non reversing claw crank drag; front optional check -c.1939. Extremely Rare. Information and picture courtesy Bruce Alvey.
A6
ALVEY BIG GAME fishing reel model H1 8 1/2 inch, deep sea big game reel blue anodised version (blue anodising not Alvey original colour). Extremely Rare.
Alvey game fishing reel history, information and H1 game reel picture, courtesy Bruce Alvey, 28/2/2014.
Alvey advertising poster -c.1940. Rare.
Alvey advertising poster -c. 1950. Rare.
Bruce Alvey at the Alvey museum holding The Ron Dempster Award, for exceptional contribution to the future of recreational
fishing in Queensland. Courtesy Bruce Alvey, 2014.
ALVEY 650 Two Speed Star Drag Sidecast reel.
Mechanical operation description:
In this reel, the direct winding action of 1 : 1, can be changed to a gear-drive multiplying speed of 3 : 1 ratio. This function is achieved by sliding the slotted stainless steel slide-plate, fixed to the back plate, that is tensioned by a large hexagonal nut (see image 3). This simple gear engagement system, was problematic in so far that the mechanism was not ergonomically designed (meaning not designed for human manual precision handling). In simple language, the hexagonal nut is difficult to operate efficently. This difficulty in correctly applying tension on the slide-plate would cause elicitation of various gear engagements, or gear meshing problems. Of course, when the plate was correctly tensioned, another difficulty would emerge: - it was then difficult to manually slide the plate, unless the tensioning hexagonal nut was loosened! It is also pertinent to mention, that when the reel is in 3 : 1 gear drive, the star-drag clutch is inactive, and the spool-drum can be cranked either clockwise or anti-clockwise. The difficulty of correctly tensioning the slide-plate, to engage and dis-engage the gear-drive 3 : 1 action, was not popular with fishermen, hence Alvey’s newly designed 2-Speed fishing reel gained very little market interest and the production was promptly discontinued. Only a very small number of Alvey 2-Speed Star Drag Reels were produced. Thus today, this particular model Alvey 2-Speed Reel is rare and a highly prized collectable, eagerly sought after, by Alvey Reel enthusiasts world wide.
Specifications:
Rolled 316 grade stainless steel backplate diameter 6 1/2 inches; Fiberglass drum (spool width 2 1/2 inches; 316 grade stainless steel turntable back strap support; ferguson style turntable (pivot); Alvey decal on back; gearing cogs of stainless steel; single bulbous handle knob; counterbalanced crank handle; star drag clutch configuration; rear grease cup. -c. 1970. Rare.
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