Rochester Reel Co reels were made from 1908 to about 1920. Harvey Carlton had changed his reel company’s name from Carlton Mfg. Co. to Rochester Reel Co. in 1908. In 1910, the company was bought by the H.J. Frost & Co., but the company name was unchanged. H.J. Frost & Co.’s address was 90 Chambers St., New York and can be seen stamped on the bottom of the foot of Rochester Reel Co. reels. Rochester reels came in both 4 to 1 and 9 to 1 multipliers. The major difference is they now incorporated Quick-A-Part design features. The Rochester reels incorporate the patents of Andrew Wollensak of Rochester, NY. The Sept. 6, 1910 patent described a click and drag feature used on the casting reels. The Nov. 28, 1911 patent was incorporated on the “Ocean King” reels and was for a click engaged by rotating the rear cover plate. Frost trade mark names “Kelso” and “Sturdi-Bilt” can be seen on some of these reels.
ROCHESTER REEL CO “Quick-Apart” Reel
ROCHESTER REEL CO 9 Multiple Reel
ROCHESTER REEL CO “Kelso” 4 Multiple Reel
ROCHESTER REEL CO “Kelso” 4 Multiple Reel Variation
ROCHESTER REEL CO “Sturdi-Bilt” 4 Multiple Reel
The ROCHESTER REEL CO. Ad in January, 1908 “Hardware Dealers’ Magazine”
ROCHESTER REEL CO 1911 Catalog Listing