QuestionQUESTION: Rich - I was just given a vintage bamboo flyrod with an oval sticker that says "Angler's Choice, Sewell N. Dunton & Son, Greenfield, Mass." and also labeled "L57" (I think) and "Genuine Tonkin" with a red plastic reel seat. Any info on this? Thanks!
ANSWER: Alan,
I have never seen a Sewell N. Dunton rod ; or if, so it was not remarkable. According to Antique & Collectable Fishing Rods: Identification & Value Guide Homel, Dan. 1997: There was a Model 152 and 158 as well as "Angler's Choice". There were 7' , 8' and 8 1/2 ' respectively. The number rods were 2 sections with 2 tips while the Anglers Choice was 3 sections with 2 tips.
Rod Model Poor-Fair good-vg ex-mint Prices
152 50 165 325
158 40 135 275
Anglers Choice 30 95 195
Odds are very good your rod is not excellent mint.
Your rod was not mentioned in Bamboo Rod Restoration Handbook by Michael Sinclair.
You may send pictures to
[email protected]
Sorry no history on these boys.
Good Luck
Rich Mac
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QUESTION: Rich -
I found info at www.dunton.org that indicates that the rods are of interest to collectors, but just the red plastic reel seat alone would seem a big negative, but the rod and tips look good. Apparently the factory was a precursor to Thomas and Thomas. I also have a beautiful hand-made bamboo rod by Ed Hartzell of Portland , OR and wonder if you have heard of him. Thanks! Alan
AnswerAlan ,
Here's the history :
Sewell N. Dunton & Son, Inc. is not the best known rod maker, but their work commands fairly high dollar amounts among historic fishing gear collectors.
The genealogy of Sewell N. Dunton & Sons Inc. were with L.L. and Eugene Bartlett of Pelham, Massachusetts in 1857. L.L. left his brother's business in 1882 and in 1885 formed the Montague City Rod Company. They bought out several other rod making plants including Chubb and Malleson Rod and Reel and then had 4 plants in operation making rods by the 1930s. This became Montague Rod and Reel owned by Bruce Pirnie who bought out the original owners' heirs.
Montague went through several ownership changes until 1955 when they went out of business and sold all their stock and machinery to Sewell N. Dunton. Dunton continued to use the mills from the original Montague Mills until 1974, when he sold the equipment to Thomas Dorsey and Thomas Maxwell, who formed Thomas and Thomas.
Rod Markings:
Their pieces are marked with one of two oval decals on the butt section that say, "Anglers Choice" on top, "Split Bamboo" on the bottom, with a picture representing the cross section of a hex shaped rod in the center. This decal was used on the earlier rods that they sold.
The later decal is similar except instead of saying "Split Bamboo", it says "Sewell N. Dunton & Son" on one line in the bottom part of the oval and "Greenfield, Mass, USA" on the other part.
Between the grip and the decal the model number was marked in black ink and on the other side of the decal was written "Genuine Tonkin" or "Genuine Tonkin Cane".
I could not find where you got "Apparently the factory was a precursor to Thomas and Thomas", what I got was they were like Montagues, which used red plastic reel seats and the decal was written "Genuine Tonkin" or "Genuine Tonkin Cane". Yes T&T bought and used some Montague machinery , but they did much more high quality work and no mass production type techniques.
Check the metal components for Chub patents?
All bamboo rods are handmade. I make them myself.
No, I have not heard of Ed Hartzell of Portland, but there are several hundred rod makers out there. I have met many and seen some great work here in Denver. I just haven't had the chance to meet others unless they wrote books.
I would fish this rod, maybe some collectors have heard of them but one real quality assessment you can do is weight . Under 3 oz is optimum, without reel. I can estimate the weight if you give me the flat to flat diameter above the cork.
Good Luck
Rich Mac
