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Extremely Rare Deally Silver Kentucky Clamp Reel

Proudly Offered For The First Time At Auction Is This Extraordinary And Only Known "J. Deally, Louisville, Ky - No. 30" Marked Hand Made German Silver Clamp Reel. With a 2" diameter and 1 5/8" wide spool and loaded with special features, this only known clamp model is an amazing find. Intricate knurling adorn the rims of the fully functional front mounted click and drag switches, as well as the collar of the thumb screw that holds the clamp to the rod. The finely sculpted pillars are also tapered, including the foot pillars and the clamp ends, which are supported with additional nickel silver supports. Every detail is exceptional including the beautifully sculpted and tapered grasp at the end of the clamp screw. The screws show little use. Having a 12 o'clock half handle with black horn grasp, this fixed bearing example spins freely and is easily in excellent original condition. Marked with "No. 30" on the face plate, it is unknown if this is a model number or a serial number, though it is the opinion of this appraiser that it is a serial number. First listed as a reel maker in the 1895 Louisville city directory*, James Deally began his short career making two styles of Kentucky reels, one a raised gear box style and the other a traditional casting reel. Built to his customer's specific needs, each reel was hand crafted, as this example certainly was, and is the only known clamp reel to bear the name Deally. Research estimates the number of reels produced to around 200 with perhaps a few others made prior to serial number markings. When factoring in the small amount of reels James Deally produced, it makes this significant custom reel that much more desirable. *Information obtained from "Fishing Reel Makers of Kentucky" by authors Steven K. Vernon and Frank M. Stewart, III.