Hardy Uniqua 3 1/8" Fly Reel - circa 1912 Dingley-made!

For sale here is a very scarce 3 1/8" Hardy Uniqua fly reel. Ivorine handle. Fixed 1912 era compensating check mechanism. German silver horseshoe drum release latch. The 2 7/8" smooth brass foot is full length and unmolested. The reel weighs 4.6 oz. Mechanically the reel is still in excellent condition. No cracks, chips, corrosion, or line burns. Much of the original finish has worn off.

What makes this reel even more fascinating and historically important is the D stamp (with tails on the D) on the inner frame. This suggests that none other than Walter Dingley made this reel (check out the spindle)! The Dingley book suggests his employment with Hardy's ended in 1911, so this would suggest this reel could have been one of the last ones produced by Dingley prior to him opening his own shop.

I've seen some of the larger wide drum Uniqua models with the D stamp, but this is the first trout sized one I've come across.

Don't miss out on this one!