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Post 09 May 2023, 15:43 • #1 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 04/25/16
Posts: 1069
Location: Rocky Mountains - Colorado
A while back I posted pics of a transition 1494 that I had purchased from a forum member. It has as square "Chain-Link" line guard and sculptured pillars. Well while I was killing time on the auction site, I saw another reel like it. It had a "buy now" that was reasonable and I snapped it up.

This one is in even better condition than the first one paint wise, and both reels work like the day they came from the factory. These are like the earlier 1494s and are right hand retrieve only, because the line guard is pinned in rather than screw held like the later versions...that is fine, since most of my reels are set up right hand retrieve and I am comfortable with it. These will get fished. I'll line them and get them out on the Colorado rivers as soon as the water levels drop some from the runoff

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Last edited by Bloodhound on 01 Jun 2023, 13:49, edited 1 time in total.

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Post 09 May 2023, 16:07 • #2 
Guide
Joined: 07/07/19
Posts: 221
Location: US-WI
I share your enthusiasm for the square line guard Medalists, BH.
70ish-years old (made 1947ish-1951ish).
Run like new.
Legendary drag design.
Classic good looks.
Under the radar value IMHO.

And please post those CO stream pics, ideally with fish, as you get them!


Last edited by TytLynz2U2 on 18 May 2023, 07:58, edited 1 time in total.

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Post 10 May 2023, 11:05 • #3 
Guide
Joined: 05/13/20
Posts: 250
Location: Lake Junaluska, NC
Congrats on the great finds. Make sure and post field test reports and pics when you get them out on the water. We love that stuff!


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Post 13 May 2023, 12:32 • #4 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 09/18/09
Posts: 5561
Location: Relocated to the Drought Stricken West.
Very neat. A "chain-link" 1494. I would snap one of those up. It would mate well with a Shakespear 1280T or 1290. 75 years old and going strong.


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Post 13 May 2023, 19:11 • #5 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 02/19/08
Posts: 1218
Location: Branson, Missouri
What a lovely pair. Great find!
My eyes are just drawn to those chain links like wild fire.
Excellent pictures!

Is there a 1496 ?
I've not seen one.


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Post 14 May 2023, 22:30 • #6 
Guide
Joined: 08/07/08
Posts: 107
Location: America's Dairyland
Nice finds. In the wild, I've only ever seen the chain link guide on the 1492.


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Post 18 May 2023, 16:19 • #7 
Guide
Joined: 07/07/19
Posts: 221
Location: US-WI
It could be argued that the square line guard 1494 represents “the end of the line” for the iconic early 1494’s.
The square line guard 1494 was the final 1494 to have all of the following features:
- sculpted pillars (‘28)
- a square-cornered foot (‘28)
- a riveted frame (‘28)
- a pinned-to-frame line guard (‘28)
- a metal drag plate (‘37)
- a half-BB latch tab (‘28)
- a “patent” reference stamped on the frame (‘28)


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Post 18 May 2023, 16:39 • #8 
Guide
Joined: 08/21/18
Posts: 168
Location: West Yellowstone and Atlanta
Hmm. Thanks. Interesting observation. Do you know mfg. dates on your chain links? Also, just to be sure, i am assuming the dates listed after each of your entries are the dates you believe the listed feature first appeared?

I have a 1494 chain link, and my notes say it was manufactured 1947-50-- without some digging, it looks like I got that info from one of the pdf articles floating around on Medalist history. I sorta think that timeframe may be the entire timeframe in which chain link 1494's were manufactured -- but i have not gone looking for that info. I also have a box labelled 5/49 and a manual that came with the box labelled 68B13 which i think was a 1950 manual and it shows a rectangular line guard, as opposed to a chain link. (Box and manual did not come with this particular reel; i bought them separately for reasons now eluding me.) I have come to understand that some mixing and matching of reels, boxes, papers, etc. at the factory was not unusual, in the same way that vintage rods sometimes turn up in original but "wrong" tubes and socks.



I mainly fish LH reels but I enjoy fishing the chain link and a Ringer (late '30's?) occasionally when fishing spots where serious reeling is not likely to be needed.


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Post 18 May 2023, 18:34 • #9 
Guide
Joined: 07/07/19
Posts: 221
Location: US-WI
wthorpe, to answer your two questions:
- 1947ish to 1951ish is the closest I’ve been able to pinpoint the square line guard 1494’s.
- yes, those are the dates those features first appeared (in production and in the respective ‘28 and ‘37 patent applications and schematics)


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