The Fishing Reels of Julius Vom Hofe 1882-1939 by Donald L. Champion, Todd E. A. Larson

Table of Contents

Julius vom Hofe has always been overshadowed by his younger brother Edward vom Hofe. Yet he produced fine quality fishing reels from 1860, when he went into partnership with his father as Frederick vom Hofe & Son, up to 1882, when he struck out on his own, up to his passing in 1907. Taking over the reins, Julius vom Hofe, Jr. continued the tradition of excellence until his passing in 1939. Over the span of 57 years, the firm produced quality fishing reels from $1.00 to $50.00 and everything in between. All of these reels were sold wholesale by a wide variety of retailers and trade houses.

For the first time, ORCA Librarian (Emeritus) Donald P. Champion brings together catalog references to Julius vom Hofe reels from nearly 100 retailers dating from 1883 to 1937. Spanning over 275 pages, these references chronicle the history of JVH reels, since the firm manufactured exclusively for retailers and never sold directly to the public. Also included in this section are two full JVH catalogs.

In addition, ORCA Honorary Life Member Dr. Todd E.A. Larson has penned a very detailed biography of Julius vom Hofe and his son, as well as put together a stunning gallery featuring over 150 different JVH reels, from presentation reels to the most common, all reproduced in full color. Appendices, including over 50+ JVH advertisements, all JVH patents, and an article on JVH patent reels manufactured by other makers, round out this astonishing book.

This book is ideal for collectors, dealers, and anyone interested in fishing reels and fishing history. Julus vom Hofe reels are among the best bargains out there, and offer collectors a wide variety of options, ranging from common $20 models to the $26,200 Julius vom Hofe fly reel pictured on the back cover of the book that sold at Lang's Auctions in 2006.