Hardy Conquest - Variations

[Pallenpool]

Would any Venerable TFF ‘ers know of the variations to the Conquest - and in some sort of order - including any special order differences.

Many thanks

Peter


I appreciate this may have been covered in the many threads regarding this reel but there’s a lot to get through so thought about this short cut.

[MGs]

There are loads of posts about this on the forum. I don't think there has ever been total agreement. The main two, are wheel front and dial back. However, there are numerous variants with different foot designs which seem to support some sort of overlap in date.

[Pallenpool]

There are loads of posts about this on the forum. I don't think there has ever been total agreement. The main two, are wheel front and dial back. However, there are numerous variants with different foot designs which seem to support some sort of overlap in date.

Thankyou MG’s I know there are loads of posts regarding this reel I just found it needed more time to research all the threads and rather than piece it all together thought it a good idea to ask. I was wondering and apart from the foot and dial differences if any conquests ever had a different drum and with ventilation holes put in as I have seen a few now, are they special order or did Hardy actually produce Conquests like this at some point? I have also seen them with at least 3 variations to the handles.

Many thanks

Peter

[BoltonBullfinch]

I'm currently waiting on delivery of a conquest from good old fleabay. It's the wheel front version which I believe is the more common version. Wasn't too sure if I actually wanted it but it was a decent price, I think lol.

Thanks
BB

[MGs]

I don't think there will ever be resolution to this, unless you can find someone who was working for Hardy across all of the production dates. I've already tried, without any success.

[Olly]

Remember that some reels - not particularly Hardy - have had additional holes drilled in them by the owners!

[Nobby]

Watermole has probably given us the answer with his extensive collection of Hardy catalogues.

Surprisingly to me, the Young's type wheel in the hole appears to be the early version and is also the rarer reel

The slightly 'old fashioned' looking shoe brake version, with the ivorine indicator plate on the reel back is the later version. This is all the more peculiar when one considers that it can drag sometimes and that it doesn't work as well as the 'wheel in the hole' either......

From memory the Hardy text didn't talk of the changes, but the photographs seem to indicate the order of manufacture.

I'm uncertain about the foot changes, but imagine the little pressed one to be later that the stylish cast one.


Incidentally, always keeping the patent lawyers busy, Hardy took one out on the spool release lever's little 'tail' that keeps muck out of the latch area.

[Wagtail]

[quote=Nobby post_id=408485 time=1573991043 user_id=314


Incidentally, always keeping the patent lawyers busy, Hardy took one out on the spool release lever's little 'tail' that keeps muck out of the latch area.
[/quote]

Ah I wondered what that tail was for on my Conquest... actually thought it was a badly positioned lever

[Pallenpool]

Thanks all for the input - as MG’s has said - unless we can find an ex Hardy staff member around during the production dates we shall probably never get the whole picture.

Peter