The Mitchell 440 Match.

A small collection of Mitchell 440 Match reels from 1974 to 1988.

The Match designation was (I think?) reserved for reels destined only for the European market (please correct me if I am wrong).
They are a higher speed version of the older Mitchell 330 otomatic, which was first introduced around 1955.
The three midnight blue reels are from 1974 and 1975, with the non-roller bail (not strictly a roller guide) reels being the earliest here.

Then we have a Garcia Mitchell 440 Match from 1979 (the lighter blue of this version came in around 1978), then a 1980 reel with a black crank arm lock nut in the same design as the 1979.
Then a blue and a black 1984 pair with the red ring on the rotor (the blue one centre back is new old stock with box. Then on to the two reels with the non-engraved silk screen Match script, one in silver (1986 left back) and one next to it in gold script (1988).

These have an auto-bail 'finger dab' mechanisim, whereby you press lightly on the bail wire and release when you cast, then wind, and the bail wire is mechanically returned to the retrieve position.

These were hugely popular with match anglers in the 70's and 80's, along with the ABU 506 and 501 closed face reels, and many anglers still use them today; the only real drawback with this old rotor and spool design, is the possibility of the line getting trapped under the spool (not something I experienced much myself), which is not so much of a problem these days with the skirted spool reels.

The Garcia name disappeared from the reels around 1979

This reel is a much loved classic in the UK, by those of a certain age.

Thanks for watching.