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Heddon Little Rivers
Post 15 Feb 2009, 13:32 • #1 
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A reel I've been trying to acquire for a long time, it's the twin-spring Shakespeare Russell with line guard.
A jewel of a reel - took it fishing this morning on my Heddon Black Beauty
Image
I'll get some more photos of the reel up here later.


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Heddon Little Rivers
Post 15 Feb 2009, 15:01 • #2 
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Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
Image Image
It has a hard chrome line guard in a nickel silver bezel
Image Image
each of the springs is set independently - they rotate on the front screw and slide on the second, so pay tension and wind tension are set separately.
It won't let you reverse the reel, though because the wind spring is much softer than the pay spring.
Since the pawl is two-sided, when it wears, you can flip to get a new pawl.


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Heddon Little Rivers
Post 15 Feb 2009, 16:06 • #3 
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Very nice, indeed a beauty. Super details with that unique drag, spool design and of course, the line guard. Man, I didn't even know a Little Rivers reel existed! Always enjoy seeing a new reel for the first time. Twice as much pawl for the money.
The only thing that beats that is the Symploreel with three times as much.

Thanks for sharing the photos -Ron, what's the time frame for its production?
Oh yeah, not a bad fish either.


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Heddon Little Rivers
Post 15 Feb 2009, 16:12 • #4 
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It was made in the early 30s. turtledoc may be able to do better, since he has a matching Shakespeare, which will have a model date coded on the reel.

Here we go - I believe it's '30-'32 - narrow window and makes it a fairly rare reel:
http://clarksclassicflyro ... atest-2-reels--Help-.html

oh, and this one will show you the later pawl design - Model HE designates that one as '36
https://fiberglassflyrodders.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=5790


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Heddon Little Rivers
Post 15 Feb 2009, 16:34 • #5 
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I have one of those- a Shakespeare 1896, just sold on the board here- that's identical in every way to the Heddon #26, except for the color. But unless it's stamped on the inside of the frame, mine has no date code.

This one has a riveted reel foot.

I have several Russell 1895s, or their trade equivalent- two 1895s, one Wards Precision 6832, one Sport King 60-6445 Model 53- that also have the riveted reel foot. The SK and the Precision are undated; the 1895s are marked GE. The 1895 Russells have the simpler, non-screw adjustable single spring and offset removable pawl tooth. More of what's considered a standard click-pawl design.

The two 1895s and the Sport King have no line guard of any type.

The Wards Precision has a chromed one that's integral with the bottom and forward pillar, and held by screws. The back pillar is riveted like the reel foot, which makes this guard non-reversible.

I also have an 1895 with a "take-apart" quick release spool and a reel foot held by screws. That one has an HE date code.

All of the pillars are also held in place by screws. And instead of a one-piece line guard, there are chromed brass shields on either side of the lower front quarter of the reel- so it's possible to reverse the line guard, such as it is, once the reel is dismantled.

I've done a little spring bending on one of them, and managed to change it around from RHW to LHW. But it's still not quite as smooth as I want it to be, yet.

They're fun reels to play with, and to practice pawl spring bending and adjustment. Although the design will never be nearly as smooth-running as the Ster-line reel that I've been looking over lately.


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Heddon Little Rivers
Post 15 Feb 2009, 16:55 • #6 
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I don't know, I fished this reel today (after rebuilding it last night), and the click-pawl on my HLR is as smooth as any reel I own, including my Hardy LRH.

And no bending required: you just rotate the spring and tighten the screws.


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Heddon Little Rivers
Post 15 Feb 2009, 17:09 • #7 
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When I was talking about the Russells that run a little rough, I meant the 1895 version. The 1896, with the adjustable double springs, is an order of magnitude smoother. I have one right here- real nice sound on it, and the balance between retrieve and payout is very sweet. I just sold it to Bud.

I got my 1895 models out to try and figure a ballpark for the date of manufacture for the 1896 I have here, since I can't find a date code on it anywhere.


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Heddon Little Rivers
Post 15 Feb 2009, 17:18 • #8 
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Yes, I think it's not going to be a size difference as much as the model year difference, e.g. Model HJ vs. HE, that is, the two-spring diamond pawl check vs. the bent-spring triangle pawl check.
Good for Bud.


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Heddon Little Rivers
Post 15 Feb 2009, 17:25 • #9 
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I think he'll like it.

You should have a look at the entry on this page for the Ster-line, Bulldog. I took a picture of the inside of the reel. It has some unique things going for it.


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Heddon Little Rivers
Post 16 Feb 2009, 06:10 • #10 
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Bud is happy ... I have some little cousins to keep it company ...
Image
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Heddon Little Rivers
Post 16 Feb 2009, 11:58 • #11 
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From my query on ORCA, they identified 1930 as the introduction of the Shakespeare Russell.
The hairpin spring/ triangular pawl check was introduced on the Model HF, 1934.
So this dates the twin-spring Russell and my Little Rivers as 1930-1933.


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Heddon Little Rivers
Post 16 Feb 2009, 15:26 • #12 
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OK ... that's what I get for going off of memory when I emailed with Ron earlier today. I thought my old reel that I had sold was a 1895 ... but turns out it was an "1896 DeLuxe Trout".

It has no designation other than "Russell 1896".

It was mint in a mint box and the newest Patent on the box was from April 1926. The other patents on the box were from Jan. 1911, Dec 1912, Jan 1917, Oct 1918, June 1924, Oct 1924.

Here is a collage of that reel showing it's details:
Image

And a shot showing the patents:
Image

Here is my boxed 1892 HF along with my 1892 Model 32 with agate guide:

NOTE: The earliest patent on the 1892 HF box is Jan 1917 and the latest on the box is Sept 1932. The HF reel has the newer "hairpin" srping and triangle pawl.

Image

And a couple detail shots of the 1892 Model 32 with agate line-guide:

Image

Image

Image

Question? So, if Shakespeare made the Russells, and obviously also made the Heddon Little Rivers, did they also make the Heddon Imperial 125s? And if not, who actually made those?

Oh, and Ron, I checked that Old ORCA article about the Heddon 125s as I recalled it also talking about the Little River reels ... that article indicates that the Heddon 125 line of reels was replaced in it's entirety by the Little Rivers models from 1930 to 1935. Based on the spring in your reel and teh info in the ORCA article, I think that nails it down for sure to 1930-33.

Is the line-guide chromium or agate?

Mark B



Last edited by turtledoc on 16 Feb 2009, 15:33, edited 1 time in total.

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Heddon Little Rivers
Post 16 Feb 2009, 16:03 • #13 
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Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
it's hard chrome with a nickel silver bezel - thanks for the post!

BTW, your HF also shows they must have continued the better checkwork on the "Deluxe" reel while they were introducing the less-elegant version.


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Heddon Little Rivers
Post 16 Feb 2009, 16:10 • #14 
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Sorry for the confusion ...

My HF reel has the newer style Mk I looking check ...

The one I of the check in my photos is of my earlier (presumably 1932) agate line guide 1892 Model 32.


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Heddon Little Rivers
Post 16 Feb 2009, 16:15 • #15 
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I got it - even better - thanks again.


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Heddon Little Rivers
Post 16 Feb 2009, 16:21 • #16 
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I think it is VERY interesting that the Little Rivers also shares the single row of spool holes seen on the pre HF Russell reels.

Sweet reel indeed, makes me wish I had bought that boxed one a few months ago!

Mark B


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Heddon Little Rivers
Post 16 Feb 2009, 17:08 • #17 
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Ron ... very cool Heddon ... and the history lesson this thread has ignited.


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Heddon Little Rivers
Post 17 Feb 2009, 08:09 • #18 
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Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
yes, all good information. There was an excellent series of articles in ORCA The Reel News several years ago about the variants of the Shakespeare 1100 - it started as an OC Wanita before becoming a Shakespeare Russell.
I'd like to see photos of the markings on the Salmo


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Heddon Little Rivers
Post 19 Feb 2009, 07:21 • #19 
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The standard Russell's simplified check system was introduced with the HF (1935) model. No date code appeared on them before then. The codes denote engineering changes. The original Russells with that exquisite check system incorporated no changes and so would have carried no corresponding change codes. The HFs represent an abrupt departure from Shakespeare's "Built like a fine watch" precision. It's my understanding that Mr. Russell contributed several important designs to the company's products. One of the more significant was the "Russell foot." You'll see it on many Shakespeare reels; it's common on mid-century casting reels. If you examine a Pflueger Medalist manufactured during the "CJ" period, or a "DJ" Shakespeare Purist, you'll notice that its foot configuration is identical to those found on the HF and GE Russell fly reel series. Shakespeare got a lot of mileage out of that design.


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