Henry Kenward Indiana Style Reel Patent No. 1,019,802 Mar. 12, 1912 Jonesboro, Ark Circa-1912 . Henry Kenward legacy is first and foremost known for his wooden duck calls. However few people realize the impact he made on the Indiana Style reel industry. In the rich tradition of Arkansas duck call makers, few names carry the legacy and lore of Henry Kenward. His story reads like a Southern folk tale: a boy born in 1865 in West Sussex, England, orphaned by age ten, who crossed the Atlantic and carved out a life—and an enduring reputation on the wetlands of northeast Arkansas. Kenward’s duck calls were typically made from walnut and stamped with his name on top of the barrel, frequently accompanied by three stars. They were marketed as “the best duck call made and a call that will stay with you and last a lifetime. The avarage duck call can sell today for more than 1500.00. But Kenward’s talents extended beyond duck calls. In 1912, he patented an Indiana-style fishing reel, further evidence of his inventive nature. This incredible Indiana style reel made in Jonesboro, Ark. is in great condition and very rarely seen as not many were made or sold. It shows some wear but its all original and marked with correct patent date on back rim as shown in photo’s. Reel works perfectly, spins fast, straight and smooth with no wobble and testifies to the brillance in design. Simply a incredible reel that was copied over and over by the independant machine shop reel makers in Ft. Wayne indiana during the 1920s. See last picture for reference but understand that only the single Kenward reel is for sale. His life story, from orphan to inventor, from railroad engineer to master call maker and Indiana style reel maker reminds us that great things can come from unexpected places. Historical must have rare reel never seen for sale.
Henry Kenward Indiana Style Reel Patent No. 1,019,802 Mar. 12, 1912 Jonesboro, Ark Circa-1912 . Henry Kenward legacy is first and foremost known for his wooden duck calls. However few people realize the impact he made on the Indiana Style reel industry. In the rich tradition of Arkansas duck call makers, few names carry the legacy and lore of Henry Kenward. His story reads like a Southern folk tale: a boy born in 1865 in West Sussex, England, orphaned by age ten, who crossed the Atlantic and carved out a life—and an enduring reputation on the wetlands of northeast Arkansas. Kenward’s duck calls were typically made from walnut and stamped with his name on top of the barrel, frequently accompanied by three stars. They were marketed as “the best duck call made and a call that will stay with you and last a lifetime. The avarage duck call can sell today for more than 1500.00. But Kenward’s talents extended beyond duck calls. In 1912, he patented an Indiana-style fishing reel, further evidence of his inventive nature. This incredible Indiana style reel made in Jonesboro, Ark. is in great condition and very rarely seen as not many were made or sold. It shows some wear but its all original and marked with correct patent date on back rim as shown in photo’s. Reel works perfectly, spins fast, straight and smooth with no wobble and testifies to the brillance in design. Simply a incredible reel that was copied over and over by the independant machine shop reel makers in Ft. Wayne indiana during the 1920s. See last picture for reference but understand that only the single Kenward reel is for sale. His life story, from orphan to inventor, from railroad engineer to master call maker and Indiana style reel maker reminds us that great things can come from unexpected places. Historical must have rare reel never seen for sale.
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