Question
sections 
handle
Some 25 years ago, my father was given an old fishing rod by an elderly friend, Ralph - a local farmer had been a keen fisherman - in fact he used to take my father when HE was a boy! Ralph described it as 'a special rod'. My father put it away in his garage and over the years, forgot about it. Now my parents are moving house and sorting everything out - he has come across the rod again, and has asked me to try and find out about it. He and Ralph were great friends, but my father (in his 70抯) is not very IT confident, so has asked me to find out about it. I am hoping the internet (and especially this forum) can help provide some answers for him.
I have spent hours trawling through Google images, auction sites, eBay, fishing sites - but have nothing that resembles this rod. ?It has however given me an overview of rods, their variety, the craftsmanship (and patience) of the makers, as well as leading to even more confusion. I am hoping forum members might be able to identify this rod and put some kind of history to it ?in order to satisfy Dad抯 curiosity (mine also, now ?I have started to get hooked ?is that a good thing?). Having drawn a blank on UK sites, I am wondering if this is a US Rod, as early UK Split cane rods were based on US Manufacturing techniques.
I will apologise in advance for any incorrect terminology ?some I am guessing at, some I think I have got right, some I am prepared to be laughed at for!
The rod is a split cane (I believe) fly rod of 9' 6" or 10' length (choice of ends). It has a pressed cork handle, with Nickel Silver fittings and an unusual short metal shaft on the handle. It is stamped on the metalwork with 'Eric W Bostock July 1903' but there does not appear to be any makers mark. The 憌hipping?on the top sections is a 憀aced?pattern, which seems unusual.
The ferrules are of a 憀ocking?type, with one pin on the male section (like one half of a 慴ayonet?light fitting ?although one male ferrule from a top section does not have a pin ?but still fits perfectly.
The four sections are in a high quality Canvas/Linen sleeve with professional stitching and is a perfect fit ?so obviously made for the rod at, I assume, the time of manufacture. This is all stored in a 'Hardy Bros' Bamboo tube, which has an outer canvas cover for the bamboo tube (with Hardy's label). The serial # (if that is what it is) is B2039, written inside the leather cap of the tube, which would indicate (if my research is right) a 1916 year of manufacture. The rod does not look like any Hardy's rod I have been able to find - and the dates do not appear to match up.
If any further information is required, please ask
Any help/suggestion/information would be gratefully received. This is not about trying to value the rod, or offer it for sale ?it is more about trying to establish a history.
I can provide further photos if this helps - the site seems to be limiting me to 2.
Thanks
Richard
AnswerRichard,
That is a nice rod.
It is just a little older than my knowledge and experience. The intermediate wraps (every 1-3 inch decorative thread wraps)indicate a date around and before 1930s.
I have a friend who knows all the bamboo rods.
Send the question to my rod history friend the Gnomme aka Jeff Hatton (
[email protected]) author of Rod Crafting A Full-Color Pictorial & Written History from 1843-1960
Jeffrey L. Hatton Softbound: 305 pp. Frank Amato Publications, $45
ISBN 1-57188-356-8, tell him Mac from Denver sent you.
Good Luck,
Mac
Please provide feedback, nominations are appreciated.
