In each official yearly ABU catalog,
items which were from the previous year were highlighted with these images ,
basically meaning new
in Swedish.
I will attempt to show here as many as I can locate. I believe attitudes
changed when the original family dynasty management ceased to be in control.
Publicly listed companies have different priorities and in many cases
attitudes and goals change from one of excellence at all costs to one of
obtaining best financial results for the investors.
Many I have hyperlinked to larger images but there are some I have not been
able to manage. Good luck with clicking!
1950
1951
Very few reference exist concerning ABU's outsourcing to Norway for split
cane rods.
I do not own one of these and would love to get one of any model.
ABU outsourced some lures from Norway; Norska Drag but first advertized them
in their napp och Nytt catalog of 1951.
I am unsure where the plastic Lavae imitations came from.
1952
The Record 600 does not have a complete flick over bail.
More details needed if anyone is aware.
The weedless (vassdrag) models of many ABU lure became popular for fishing
in and around weedy freshwater lakes.
The Spirellen was the ultra tiny version of a similarly named spinning lure.
It was made in 3 colours, silver , gold and Z
Safir was first produce with NO Markings being being labelled on the normal
concave surface.
1953
This was the milestone creation for ABU. The wonderful, world beating Record
Ambassadeur 5000.
Made in a few test colours of red, black, green (maybe more), eventually red
was settled upon as being most marketable.
If anyone has a black or green on they want me to care for, I should be
honoured to perform the task!
The ABU -Variant was a brilliant spinner which enabled the fisherman to
change his lure according to the conditions at hand.
It was marketed in a small cylinder and later in a rectangular box.
1954
The little (Lil) versions of many lures were very popular small baits
weighing 7g or 1/4 oz imperial.
1955
The Hilo was originally a co-operative creative with Heddon (USA) but ABU
designed their variable lip system instead of the fixed one position found
on the USA made Heddon Vamp Spook etc. made with 5 position lip
compared to the following more versatile 6 position lip model.
Foe a short time they were dual branded ABU Heddon Hilo and I would love to
add just one of these in any colour to my collection.
Heddon also supplied these lures, Punkin seed , tads etc under their own
name in the Napp och Nytt catalogs for several years in the 50's.
1956
Our fabled Toby was invented so long ago, in fact at the same time ABU
agreed to sell Pfleuger reels in the N&N catalog in direct competition with
the Record Casting reels. Does anyone know why?
1957
Catalogs were first produced in English
The Abumatic 60 was created and first sold in 1956 but was first advertized
in the 1957 N&N as well as Tight Lines catalog.
It was available in a cardboard box as well as a full leather cow hide case.
It may seem strange but I do not own a tidy complete model 60, so if
anyone has one available please contact me.
So many classic lures like Hazard, Facette, Joker, Flamingo, island
(in 7, 12 and 18g size), wee added to ABU's prooduct range this year.
I am very fortunate enough to have 2 of Gote Borgstoms personal Island lures
(below) which were especially pressed for him at 12 g weight material bu in
the 7g mould. ie creating a denser, heavier but not bulkier salmon lure to
cast further and swim deeper. Authenticity of this fact can be attested by
my good friend Uffe Edefuhr who obtained the lures from factory
contacts more than 30 years ago.
1958
The afore mentioned ABU Heddon Hilo is now produced with a 6 position lip
and the Record 999 spinning reel was released in the same year.
This is a significant reel as it was the first to have a three speed gear
mechanism activated on the winding handle. It was a big heavy reel, weighing
380g, and having a capacity of 260m of .30mm monofilament and
was very expensive for the day, being 160 sek when its predecessor Record
1000 cost only 110 sek.
1959
The well known and popular Abulon first cam onto the market selling for 3.25
to 7.25sek per 100m for 3 to 10.2 kg monofilament with diameter from .25mm
to .50mm.
The main claim to fame for these Abumatic 70/80 reels were that they were
able to be lubricated from the outside of the reel case without disassembly.
They had a synchro drag, cross winding of the line and the line pick up was
made of tungsten carbine while the winding cup was hard chromed stainless
steel. Capacities were 170 m of 4 kg and 160m of 5.5kg monofilament.
Plastic were first used for baits, admitedly a long way from today's soft
plastics. The collet system used in the Speedlock grip system was advertized
along with the new line runner design utilizing a single foot to avoid
digging into the sidewall of light blanks. this would not appear on Fuji
runners for another 40 years! How advanced ABU were!
The Record Fisken pins in Bronze, Silver (I need one) Gold an dGold with
Laurels were also displayed.
The famous ABU Killer was introduced in this fibreglass covered balsa form
first before the cross-hatched plastic models in late 60's.
The weedless Spinnaren (Vas) and Koster popular baits.
ABU packaged groups of lures known as Assortments and Cocktail packs
I do hope you enjoyed these highlights of ABU from the 50's.
1940's
1960's
1970's
1980's
If
you are a person that has significantly had an effect on
design/development/testing of ABU equipment over the years please contact me
wayne@realsreels.com
if you wish your contribution documented for posterity and the immediate
interest of the ABU fans worldwide!