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Found a JC Penney 220 hiding at a junk shop. It proudly states ball bearing equipped. It had the hand set up for a lefty. Can't say I have ever gotten a reel with the handle put on tbe right side. Made by Olympic of Japan in the 60's to bfor JC Penney. It is a smooth reel after all this time. I will have to put some line on it ad take it back to the water. Attachment 406569Attachment 406570Attachment 406571
Nice find! :ThumbsUp
Looks very similar to the old Mitchell 300/308 reels.
Maybe Mitchell built them for JCP.
What a terrific find. I have never seen one before and today is probably a rare one. Someone even put the handle on the correct side, at least for me!:Rofl
Bob
Garcia Mitchell was built in France. They look very similarQuote:
Originally Posted by deathb4disco
This reel is built by Olympic in Japan.
It has a quick release spool mechanism. Push a button at the center of the drag nut and the drag, spool and all disengages from the shaft and lifts off the reel. Make it really quick to remove a line wrap under the spool
I don't find many configured lefthand.Quote:
Originally Posted by BobC
It will have to be fished to know for sure, but it may in fact be a better reel than the Mitchell.
Bob
PS It looks like it is built like a tank. I wonder what the internals look like.
B
Brass helical gear and brass main gear. Smooth machining on them
Nice. Should have a lot of years of service left. You can see about line twist and test the drag once you get out on the water.
Bob
Great find Jack, hope you have a lot of fun with it. Lefty huh? The only lefty I can use is a BC reel.
I am not a lefty either. It is a convertible reel so I will change it back to right handed
Olympic built branded reels for many major stores in the states at the time….Western Auto….Sears….JC Penny….the list was huge.
Regards
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The certainly built a lot. I am old enough to Remember Montgomery Ward having a fishing department. I do not remember JC Penney having anything outdoors
The major question here is did Gibsons have them as well ? inquiring minds thing :Rofl
all kidding around it looks pretty nice for sure :highfive
I am not familiar with Gibson'sQuote:
Originally Posted by Ketchn
Gibsons was a pretty big name in some of the southern states back when , i have a gibsons john boat .Quote:
Originally Posted by DockShootinJack
if someone was making john boats for them , it is likely they had reels too ....just saying :highfive
Very true. At that time the Japanese were certainly making many things to sell here. The Japanese company I work for got there start here in the States making recoil assemblies for McCullough chain saws
JC Penney did many things, and one of them was to care for his long term employees. He bought land near Green Cove Springs, FL and built a retirement community for his people. Golf course, fishing, tennis, shuttle boards, etc. The complex is still thriving today although I don’t think it is just for his people anymore. Could be. Anyways he was a nice man and that is a nice reel you have there.
BTW- Moose Lodge members have their complex just down the road from Penney Farms. MooseHaven. There members who have no money can exchange their social security checks for housing, food, healthcare, etc. Beer is a nickel at the bar and big fish right off the dock.
Sadly companies like that are getting harder and harder to find.Quote:
Originally Posted by Micanopy
Some good comments here. I never knew about the Penney village, and that is a decent thing the company did. Those days of decency and caring are LOOOONG gone. I’m one that never remember a Penney’s sporting goods department. Sears was always my go to. The Olympic reel looked to be a nice product for its time.
Bob
I remember the light switch display at Sears. Had a little motor that turned it on and off and a counter that counted the number of cycles. Had a sign above it that said good for 1 million cycles.Quote:
Originally Posted by BobC
And probably American made as well. Ah, those are days long gone. We let it happen.Quote:
Originally Posted by DockShootinJack
Bob
Nice vintage find there, Jack. Lot of fish left in that one.
I am sure it was. That flashing bulb on top really grabbed a kids attention. We have seen a vreat many iconic places disappear in our time. Somehow it is called progressQuote:
Originally Posted by BobC