Thompson No. 500 Fly Reel - San Francisco

VFT7764


For sale here is a Thompson No. 500 fly reel - made in California in the late 1940's. Original box in very good condition also included. Diameter of is 3 3/8". Similar in style and performance to the classic Hardy Perfect. The reel is in excellent condition with the majority of its wonderful black finish remaining. Just some minor rim rash, but no cracks. Circular line guard and full-length smooth brass reel foot. The No. 500 was built to handle 6/7/8 weight lines. This drag system was unmatched in the American market back in the 50's. This is ultimate steelhead and light salmon reel for single handed rods.

From Dan Homel's book, Antique Fly Reels, A History and Value Guide, "The drag incorporates a separate brake shoe for tension and pawl for click, both mounted upon lever arms fitted to opposite sides of a brake drum. The brake drum is provided with a smooth surface to accommodate the shoe and a toothed area or ratchet for the click pawl. Overall tension can be adjusted in various combinations between the pawl and brake shoe by means of two individual knobs which each drive a spring loaded stem against their respective lever arm. A recessed roller cage houses loosely fitted ball bearings to ease the entire rotation process."

Shipping Information
We ship at cost to the buyer and in the majority of cases do so via UPS with full insurance and signature. There are cheaper options but our experience has been that you get what you pay for and that it's not worth taking risks when shipping what are often one-of-a-kind items. Your shipping estimate will be calculated at checkout and if you have any questions please contact us. Please note the buyers are responsible for any applicable import duties or fees that may levied. Due to the importance of packing items carefully please allow up to two weeks for arrival (depending on how busy we are) though we certainly do our best to get items to you as expeditiously as possible.
Other Terms
Unless otherwise noted, all items come with a 3-day inspection period during which they can be returned to us for a full refund (provided that they are in the same condition in which they left our shop). Return shipping is the responsibility of the buyer. If an item is returned, we will issue a refund within 10 days upon receipt. Refunds will be either administered by providing a check or, when possible, by canceling a credit card purchase.