The twin screw reel was shown in the 1907 catalog as being offered in the Style “A” and Style “B”. The “A” was German silver and the “B” was nickel plated brass. Also listed in this catalog were the Universal, Favorite, Alamo, Service, Marquette, Standard and German silver Professional. Beginning in 1910, the model number on the bottom of the reel foot indicated the year the reel was made. The marking then went to a dual letter date code which signified the year made.
Shakespeare continued to make a wide range of fishing reels, rods, lures and tackle for many years. They were also involved in the World War II effort and made bomb sights. The Autocrat was produced in a 4/0 and 6/0 size and came in a small suitcase style case with instructions and tools.
The reel was extremely well made and considered one of Shakespeare’s finest reels. To best understand the size of a spinning reel or casting shakespeare fishing reel reel, refer to the line capacity rating for the reel. The Autocrat was also the most expensive reel Shakespeare ever produced.
Using the table below as the key, a reel marked Model HE was made in 1936. This key was used up until 1977 when the company was sold. Sign up for the latest news, tips, and updates sent straight to your inbox from the Pure Fishing family of brands. William Shakespeare Jr. got his start in the fishing tackle business in 1896 and went on to become one of the world’s largest tackle manufacturers. During the 1930s Shakespeare produced a reel designed by Ralph W. Miller called the “Shakespeare Miller Autocrat”. Miller had tested the reel on the west coast of the U.S. and also in the waters off Australia and New Zealand.
Shakespeare® Contender® reels with an exciting new look and feel! Featuring a new reel design and eye-catching patriotic cosmetics, this series is sure to get anglers excited to hit the water. Action refers to the amount of bend a rod has when pressure is applied to the tip.
The line test strength in which the rod is rated for. Conventional Reels – Gear ratio describes how many spool rotations completed with one shakespeare fishing rods full rotation of the handle. Spinning Reels – Gear ratio describes how many rotor rotations completed with one full rotation of the handle.