VERY RARE SHIMANO “LIFETIME” LEW CHILDRE SPEED SPOOL BB-1 MULTIPLYING REEL

VERY RARE SHIMANO “LIFETIME” LEW CHILDRE SPEED SPOOL BB-1 MULTIPLYING REEL

£1,950.00

In stock

Description

In very good condition and in full working order.

I am selling this on behalf of a Danish Client and have copied and pasted his explanation of the reel below. 

A Lew Childre Speed Spool BB-1 Manufactured by Shimano. It is an early one from 1976

So how is it so special? – Lew Childre Speed Spool reels are sold every day on Ebay

Well there is quite a story to this reel – but first let me give you a short insight into the person behind this multiplier that completely changed the way multipliers are made today – their style and features. Lew Childre is an important part of american fishing history. He was the technical wizard that managed to merge cutting edge technique and that typical no-nonsense US-design into the world of multipliers….A standard so well conceived that it lives on today through Japanese design. Lew was part of the ..big things.. in the 70s and did the long haul. The reels he had made was initially manufactured through Shimano – who at that time was a  bit of a copycat company (as most other Japanese companies was at that time) – Sure enough…they also copied Lew`s reel and sold it in Japan without his name and only Shimano on the side These copy-reels are in themselves also collectors items…if one collect Lew Childer reels Lew was livid and finished his contract with Shimano – who later produced their own new multipliers; The famous Bantam Series – that also is highly collectible, Lew later had his reels made by Ryobi – and a few American reel companies..but this versions by Shimano is by far the most desirable.

Back to this particular important reel

THE LIFETIME VERSION – a special version of the Speed Spool BB-1 with maybe only 100 made. This is a early version of the Shimano Lew Childre Speed Spool BB-1 and it bares the name Life Time BB-1. Lew’s idea was that he would sell these fifty or so reels with a Lifetime guarantee and free servicing for life. According to Mr. Phil White author of Shimano Bantams: The First 15 Years -the Life Time series might only have been made in 100 ex. Others claim that Lew had a thousand made. Some old employees and friends of Lew should have said that their was a book where Lew kept track of such things, but it has never surfaced. There is a few important things when talking about this version reel

1. They all have a hand made serial number

2. They have a ruby red agate ring as a line guide

3. They have the Life Time emblem on the side

Signed with dedication by Lew (It is the only one I have heard of being signed)

Last but not least the real has a dedication written on the back of the reel: Hans Thorsen from Lew ….Dedication is in handwriting written with some sort of golden ink pen and then covered with a thin layer of lacquer. We know very little – or close to nothing about Lew reels in Denmark – as they were never marketed here – But I have learned that this; Hans Thorsen at some point wanted to start up selling Shimano fishing tackle in Denmark (he was already selling other Shimano things and was apparently a CEO character in Danish import business. Lew probably shipped him the reel to start a business relation – But history ends there as Hans Thorsen never got further with Shimano fishing gear and Lew reels – in fact Lew reels was never sold in shops in Denmark.

Tight lines JF

P.O.A.