Cozzone Reel Company.

The origin of the Cozzone family in the United States was similar to most of the families of Eastern U.S. reel makers I have studied. The Meisselbach brothers, Pliny Catucci, the vom Hofe's - all are products of the 1800’s migration of Europeans to the eastern metropolitan area of the United States. John A. Cozzone was born in Italy but came with his family to Newark, NJ as an infant in 1891. John showed a great deal of mechanical ability at an early age. After completing his education, he went to work as a mechanic or machinist in local shops. In 1917 John set up a machine shop in the backroom of his father’s store and saloon, and went into business for himself as a maker of "screw machine products, fine gear cutting, and automatic screw machine products".

Cozzone was a good friend of the Meisselbach’s and Pliny Catucci. After Gus Meisselbach retired in 1918, and the A.F. Meisselbach Manufacturing Company was moved to Elyria Ohio in early 1921, there were a lot of unemployed reelsmiths and machinists in Newark. John A. Cozzone and Pliny Catucci decided to fill the void, and go into the reel manufacturing business. However, they declined to join as partners, and decided instead to each start up their own company.

Pliny Catucci started up his Meisselbach-Catucci reel business in 1922. John Cozzone incorporated as "John A. Cozzone & Co." this same year. Newark City Directories only list the company as doing machine work at this time. However, I would be inclined to believe that reel development and testing was underway by 1922. In 1924, "The Cozzone Corporation, Manufacturers of Fishing Reels" appeared in the City Directory.

The Cozzone Corporation did a great deal of national advertising in 1925, and must have sold quite a few salt water reels, based upon the number seen at shows and auctions. They were only in business for about 8 years, with all ads and City Directory listings ending in 1931. Apparently The Cozzone Corporation was a victim of the great world wide depression. John Cozzone died in Newark, N.J. in 1968.

Cozzone manufactured three basic types of reels, a classic style trout reel of Bakelite and German Silver, Salt water reels of many sizes, styles and variations, and a wooden trolling reel (formerly the Meisselbach Good Luck wooden trolling reel). They advertised a quadruple multiplying freshwater casting reel, but this reel was actually a smaller version of their salt water reels, and in fact is advertised as "splendidly suited to weak-fishing".

I have found three basic types of salt water reels: 1) three pillar models with pillars spaced evenly around the reel, 2) four pillar models with two pillars closely spaced at 3 and 9 o’clock, and an open thumbing area at 12 o’clock, 3) and anti-reverse models. The anti-reverse models all seem to have a raised metal headplate to accommodate the anti-reverse mechanism.

The first two types were available in either star drag or non star drag versions, and with or without a free spool. To date I have noted 100-150-200-250-300 yard sizes. All the anti-reverse models seem to be four pillar models with free spool and with star drags. All reels were available banded (protective German silver bands around the plates) or unbanded. The first two models were available in five sizes, two drag types, free spool and non free spool – making a large number of variations out there. All their salt water reels are nicely constructed with external parts of nickel silver and Bakelite.

The Cozzone Trout Reel was reportedly made in three sizes, but I have only noted 60 and 80 yard reels. Both of these reels have 1" pillars, and are 2¼ and 2-3/8 inches in diameter respectively. A few of these reels were made with orange and brown marbleized plates, but the large majority have black end plates. The marbling is not as distinctive as that of the Leonard reels, and thus they are not as striking. The Trout Reel has a one piece cast foot, and a balanced crank with a white Ivoroid knob. The reel design was obviously influenced by the vom Hofe trout reels.