Newell levelwind prototype?

[Mbg75]

Saw this on eBay, and tried to look up any history on it. Came across an old post with Lep talking about a level wind prototype. Maybe this was it.
Newell levelwind

 

[Double Trouble]

Had a couple of old newells never liked them always felt awkward on the rod .I sold them after one season.

 

[Leprechaun]

Hi Mbg75, thanks for bringing notice of that sale to this board! Here's what I think - without any documentation from Carl or some other authority that was "in" on its build establishing true provenance, its probably not worth all that much. More than a decade of watching Big Rick on Pawn Stars explain this simple fact over and over and over again, makes me question the authenticity of such items.

Additionally that hacky-looking grafting of what appears to be part of a Penn chrome on brass reel foot to the Newell aluminum reel stand is suspiciously WAY below Carl's standards. I honestly doubt he would be showing off that kind of work in his business's office.

But I wouldn't be surprised if it does sell. There's A LOT of people out there that . . . well, anyway, to me it does resemble someone's backyard project. I suppose it COULD have been Carl, though that gear plate looks bogus and more Penn than Newell. Having owned (and still own) nine Newells of various generations and sizes including a "Blackie 220F" and a few P's, in addition to working on many, many more - well, this one just doesn't look "right."

If the seller can get someone involved with Carl's factory from "the old days" to authenticate it - in writing, all well and good. Otherwise, while its an "interesting" item, to my mind, that's about it.

 

[Mbg75]

The blank side plates do look “prototype” but I agree, not worth much without provenance from Carl or family.

I still have a few 220s and 229’s, sold off the rest, but still holding onto these. Can’t seem to let them go due to their simplicity.

I don’t use them much anymore with all the newer style reels that are out.

 

[Leprechaun]

Mbg75 - If my memory is correct, Carl did produce and sell some of those plain-looking side plates as replacements for Penn 140 or 500 reels - prior to introducing his own reels, the "Blackie" series. I think they were called "Newell 300" plates, or something similar to that name. It was so long ago . . .