rod Id and possible repair

Question
I have a black tubular steel fly rod. The tip is broken. It is engraved KINGFISHER on the plain silver metal reel seat. The silver has worn off in spots with a brass type color revealed. It is downward locking. It also has Pat'd Aug 20, 1907 on the back of the reel seat. The end cap is screwed on and is thicker at the point of attachment. It is 1 1/2" with the thick part being 1/2". The total reel seat including end cap is 5 1/8". I'm not exactly sure of the material for the handle. It may be a very hard cork painted dark brown. Including the top cap it is 5 1/8". It is thick at the top and narrow at the reel seat. The top cap is screwed on. The length is 69" of course without the tip. I suspect a good portion of the tip is missing. It seems there should be another line guide before the tip. There are two small guides (one on each thickness part) but three sizes in diameter tapering from bottom to top. The line guides are held in place by soldered metal. The ferrule seems to be brass but I'm not sure. I want to know who made the rod? Does it have any value as is? If not can or should it be repaired?

Answer
Hi George,

Most of the old steel and brass rods were made by Horton Manufacturing in Bristol, Connecticutt.  Other steel rod makers include American Fork & Hoe and possibly Union Hardware.  These rods were multi-piece casting and fly rods and also telescopic rods.  Typically, ferrules were brass, reel seats white metal with screw lock and handles were cork or wood.  Guides were usually affixed with solder or, in some cases, wire wraps. The rods were made for quite a few different stores and outlets and typically labeled with the seller's brand.

I have seen the "Kingfisher" name on metal telescopic fly rods that match very closely others made by Horton and sold under various brand names.  Given the brass ferrules and the black finish, I would guess this to be a rod made at the Horton factory.

Typically, these old steel and brass rods don't have much collector value.  You can find them frequently in the $15-$25 price range.

Thanks,  Joe