I’m selling a part of my 40+ year tackle collection over the coming months. Over 10,000 reels and 15,000 lures and need to thin the herd. Bookmark me because I’ll be listing 30-50 reels every week, so check out my other auctions! So much rare stuff. I am listing reels Monday-Thursday so if you see reels you like that end later in the week, I’ll wait to send an invoice until the Thursday reels have ended to save you shipping costs. First month put nearly 200 reels into new homes! Thanks to everyone. I truly appreciate it.

DESCRIPTION:

Davega was a chain of 27 sporting goods stores located in and around New York City. Founded in 1879, by the 1920s they had stores everywhere from Queens to Newark. They sold a lot of fishing tackle but not much of it was branded with their name. This is an exception. It’s a 1940s or early 1950s model manufactured by Ocean City Mftg. Co. of Philadelphia, Penn. (see below for a brief history of Ocean City reels). Its a 250 yard saltwater model (very similar to the Ocean City #903 and #904) with oversized crank, free spool mechanism, and just three pillars. As you can see in the high res images, this reel needs a thorough cleaning but works fine. Marked on the front plate badge “Dave Fine Tackle.” Davega marked reels are tough to find. A great addition to your New York reel collection!

SHIPPING:

Domestic shipping will be $8 via USPS first class mail in the domestic USA. Combined domesticI lots will be shipped via USPS Priority Mail. International shipping only through eBay’s international shipping program. 

NOTES:

I’ve collected reels and lures for 40 years and I love them and their history, and really just want these to have happy homes. If there’s any issues I’ll fix them for you. 

Inventory Code: D153

BRIEF HISTORY:

The Ocean City Manufacturing Company was a staple of the American saltwater and freshwater fisherman for a half century. Started in Philadelphia in 1922 by two men named Moskowitz and Herbach (M&H) as a purveyor of economically priced and durable reels, the company was also innovative and was the training ground for Otto Henze, the founder of Penn Reels.

Ocean City is best known for two lines of reels. Their saltwater reels (designed in part by Otto Henze) were legendary in the 1920s and 1930s, and are an incredibly reel to collect because there are just so many variations to their models. Many are German Silver and beautiful examples of the mechanical genius of American tackle makers. Their catalog was augmented by the purchase of Fox Gun Company reels works in the late 1920s and the legendary Edward vom Hofe firm in 1939.

The other line was freshwater, which Ocean City got into BIG TIME in the 1920s. Within a decade they offered dozens of models (some inherited from Fox) and when, in 1934, Paul Johnson the CEO of Ocean City oversaw the acquisition of the Montague Rod & Reel Company? Their line exploded. They also offered a full line of fly fishing reels as well as other tackle.

In the post-World War II era, Ocean City (and Bronson) dominated the lower end reel market, having pivoted in this direction due to the incredible demand for fishing tackle after the war. But this proved to be a poor decision and they were never able to recapture the middle class angler’s market, slowly hemorrhaging money and market share until they were bought out by True Temper in 1969.

Ocean City truly offers a reel for everyone: saltwater reels, Big Game reels, baitcasters, fly reels, and open and closed face spinning reels. So if you’re searching for a $1500 big game reel of a $5 bait caster, Ocean City has something for every collector. Esteemed reel historian Michael Cacioppo has penned a definitive history of this firm and its reels in his book Ocean City Fishing Reels: A Collector’s Guide, 1922-1957 which is published by the Whitefish Press. The Old Reel Collector’s Association (ORCA) maintains a quick ID guide to Ocean City reels as well; anyone interested in these reels should use both sources frequently.