Allcock Aerial

[Roachy]

Well I have managed to acquire a 12 spoke Aerial which I have wanted for a long time.All I need now is for you guys to tell me everything you know about it.

It is a 4 inch version with 1 1/8 inches between the flange.

Cheers guys.

[Fredline]

It is a 7950 T10 1932 - 1946. It came in 3 sizes 3.5"--4"--4.5". They are aluminium with either a polished or black finish. Xylonite handles and a rim mounted lever check. This reel is either 3.5 or 4 " as the 4.5" reel has only 8 holes on the front flange. Cork arbours are available on the 2 larger sizes. Some have a German Silver rim.

[Jeremy Croxall]

It is a 7950 T10 1932 - 1946. It came in 3 sizes 3.5"--4"--4.5". They are aluminium with either a polished or black finish. Xylonite handles and a rim mounted lever check. This reel is either 3.5 or 4 " as the 4.5" reel has only 8 holes on the front flange. Cork arbours are available on the 2 larger sizes. Some have a German Silver rim.

All very interesting I suppose but what was the name of the first owner and what brand of fags did he smoke?

[Fredline]

The first owner was J W Young and he smoked Lucky Strikes.

[Nobby]

Although Allcock always illustrated this lever-check model in the Guides and wrote that it was an 'option', no one quite knows how you were supposed to order the various options that seem to have existed, such as the check lever here and the 'German silver' annular ring that Fred mentioned. I think the metal was actually corrosion resistant nickel-silver and I guess it might be ordered through your local tackle shop, but who knows for sure?

Either way, those lever check models are fairly rare....and far easier to use they are rather sought after too. I know folk who have happily parted with £300 for one in good order.

I wonder if any of these reels were really made up until 1946? We know the 1939 only Aerial Match wasn't..........We know the JW Young factory got bombed, or at least that is the reason given for the Aerial Match not being produced again, ....so were they really made during the war?


One interesting point, which illustrates how badly the Guides were edited really.....when the post war C815 Aerial reel was announced in the Guide...they only went and used the drawing of your reel again.....the 7950!

[Roachy]

You are right about the price Nobby,but i would say a tad more.One went at Mallochs auction yesterday for £320 + commision.

[Harry H]

We know the 1939 only Aerial Match wasn't..........We know the JW Young factory got bombed, or at least that is the reason given for the Aerial Match not being produced again, ....so were they really made during the war?
According to Gary Mills he went to Jim Young with this story and was told that it was an urban myth and things had just moved on after the war and that was the reason for the Aerial Match not being made anymore.

[Nobby]

I did wonder about that rumour, Harry. After all we know now that the JW Young factory was producing the Dunlop designed Spitfire firing button. If the place had been damaged they'd have fixed it quickly or moved production elsewhere...fighter planes that can't fight aren't much use........

Perhaps there wasn't much future in selling a luxury, expensive reel in post-war Britain, after all they came out with the simpler C815 quick enough.

[Jeremy Croxall]

The first owner was J W Young and he smoked Lucky Strikes.

very drole!

[Roachy]

Well I now don,t think this is a T10.I found this pic in Graham Turners book (page 120) and it looks like the Dead Black version of I don,t know which type now.Certainly not the T10 as the handles are positioned in the wrong place.
I have added the pic to the original post.