Unusual Eureka reel

[OhMyGoodness]

I just missed this reel on ebay by a few pounds..... drat!
I wanted it because it is unusual. 4" size Hardy Eureka are rarer than the common 3 1/2" but this is the first time I've seen one with a Conquest type of centre drum release instead of the usual telephone latch. Perhaps it was a special order since it is a post-war reel and falls within the time the Conquest reels first appeared. Maybe the owner returned it to Hardy for alteration later after seeing the Conquest type.

[OhMyGoodness]

Actually the seller said that it ran very well which is not the case with normal telephone latch reels like Eureka or Wallis no.2...
Pity this conversion isn't available for owners to change for better free running of their telephone latch reels.

[Dokterhoo]

Hi,
If you remove the centre you'll probably see the orignal latch holes - if it had any...

Dok

[Paul F]

That is a mystery, Hardy appeared to be very flexible with customer request, unless it was a clever home modification?
Shame it has been polished to death!

[Bumble]

Hi.
I have the same pin
Bumble

[OhMyGoodness]

Hi,
If you remove the centre you'll probably see the orignal latch holes - if it had any...

Dok

Perhaps the holes for the telephone latch are right for this too

[OhMyGoodness]

Hi.
I have the same pin
Bumble

How did you come by yours? Did you notice its difference at the time?

[Bumble]

OhMyGoodness it came from a very well known user of cane living here in the South. I already had the latch version but this variant was so much better.
I know of 4 others identical to mine now there is a 6th very odd but very interesting
Bumble

[Spinner]

Good evening gentlemen, I was the "lucky" bidder who won the Eureka on the dreaded ebay. I am in France so have not received the reel a yet as I had to have it sent to a friend in the UK. This information is most interesting and I am now even more keen to get the reel in Hand.

[OhMyGoodness]

I wonder if there is any enterprising reel maker, or machinist, who'd be able to make these conversion caps available. Can't be a huge job I'm sure. Must be many owners of Hardy telephone latch reels who'd enjoy the extra freerunning and take them to the river bank instead of being left in the display cabinet.