Rod Identification and Value

Question
Mr. Douglas,

I have a bamboo rod that I am trying to determine the age and value.  It is a 3 pc. rod with an extra tip, 9'.  Written on the rod in white letters is "Lincoln, #X1HB, Jay Harvey.  There are 10 line guides and the wraps are maroon and gold.  It has an aluminum tube.  Thank you for any information you can provide.

Answer
Hi Elizabeth,

According to the Bamboo Rod Restoration Handbook by Michael Sinclair, the "Jay Harvey" rods were a brand name sold exclusively by the Edward K. Tryon Company of Philadelphia, PA. Beginning in the early 1930a these rods were sold as the high grade rods offered by Tryon.  The Jay Harvey rods came in five grades and seventeen models.  The five grades were all named after former US Presidents...Washington, Jefferson, Jackson, Cleveland and Lincoln. The earliest Jay Harvey rods (one model only) were made by Montague and the name Jay Harvey is stippled into the metal reel seat. Beginning in about 1934, all Jay Harvey rods were made by Heddon and the line expanded to five models.  Your rod is a Heddon made rod based on your description, and it is probably post WW II as far as date of manufacture.  Pre WW II Jay Harvey rods did not have tipping wraps.

Value of the rod depends entirely on actual condition of the rod, as always is the case.  I assume you have the rod bag as well as the rod tube.  In Good-very Good condition the rod value is in the $180-$250 range; in Excellent-Mint condition in the $275-$350 range.  These show up from time to time so they are not rare rods; but, they are fairly scarce and pretty good examples of Heddon trade rods.  The Lincoln is equivalent to the Heddon #10 Blue Waters model; one of the lower end Heddon rods, but still quite a nice rod.

Thanks,  Joe