Vintage Bamboo Fly Rods, Reels, and Tackle

The following are ‘Vintage’ rods and other classic tackle that I have for sale. If you have an interest in any of them, be sure to contact me for availability and any questions you may have, or if you need photographs.. This inventory is subject to change as additional rods & reels are acquired and others are sold. Reasonable offers will be respectfully considered.

New Vintage Rods & Reels -Sept. 2019

The following rods belong to a long-time friend who is a retired heart surgeon here in Maine. He loved flyfishing, especially for Atlantic salmon, and treated all his tackle with respect. These rods are ready to fish and are priced fairly. If you would like photos of them, please let me know.

1. 9' Payne Model 208. 3/2 rod in excellent original condition and shows almost no signs of use. Has brown wraps tipped red, screw up-locking reel seat with Spanish cedar insert, ferrule plugs, stamped: "Made For Abercrombie & Fitch", weighs 5.4 oz, ferrules are 10 1/2 and 17/64, and has the original khaki bag and brass-capped tube with red A & F label. Payne catalog describes this as a "Light DF " action. All sections are full length and straight. Feels like a #6- wt. rod. $1850---SOLD

2. Mint 8 1/2' W & M Granger 'Aristocrat' Model GA8642. With the plastic wrap still on the handle, this is a collectors rod. It is 3/2 and has the light 'orange' wraps tipped brown, bronze snake guides, chrome stripper and tip tops, all nickel silve screw up-locking seat, and original khaki bag and tube with silver label. It is a 4 1/2 oz rod. The plastic wrap on the cork has some scotch tape to secure it, but otherwise this rod looks as good as the day it left the Denver shop. A rare find for any Granger collector. $700

3. 9' W & M Granger 'Victory'. This 3/2 rod is in excellent condition and has orange & black jasper silk wraps with double black tipping, bronze snake guides and tip tops, and a screw up-locking nickel silve reel seat. The rubber stamping on the but is faint but legible: "Granger Victory". All sections are full length. This rod might have been given an overcoat of varnish or possibly been professionally restored but it looks terrific. It comes with an early Goodwin Granger style canvas sack with a wood tip protector. $400

4. 9' Payne Model 400 Salmon Rod. Cataloged as the smallest 3-piece Dry Fly Salmon model, this one has been restored with new brown wraps tipped red, bronze snake guides, a black stripper, re-blued ferrules, and new varnish. It has the original Western style handle, 6" detachable handle, and screw up-locking reel seat with Spanish cedar barrel. The lower 5" of the mid section has been given a clear over-wrap- no damage is visible and the wrap is almost undetectable. All sections are straight and full length with tight-fitting ferrules. There is a 2" invisible over-wrap on one tip near the tip top. Completing this rod is the original khaki bag with tag, brass-capped tube with silver label, and canvas sack. The bag is rubber-stamped: "William Rosgen, Riverton Road, Winsted, Conn.". The rod is ready for more salmon fishing. $1300

5. 10' Payne Model 415 Dry Fly Salmon Rod. Made in the 3/2 format, this all original rod has brown wraps tipped green, bronze snake guides, orange agate stripper, blued ferrules, excellent varnish, and a 6" detachable handle. The upper handle is 7" and has light/moderate soiling but no damage. The screw down-locking reel seat is all metal (nickel silver and aluminum) and has a removable disk on the base to keep it clean when the detachable handle is not being used. Completing this rod is the original canvas sack, brass-capped tube, and 3-section olive bag for the mid and tips. The sections are full length, straight, and have tight-fitting ferrules. It feels like an 8-wt. rod. $1400

6. 11' Payne Model 222 Two-Handed Double-Built Salmon Rod. Made for large fish, this 3/2 rod has a fixed lower handle and features brown wraps with light olive tipping, blued ferrules, a large agate stripper, bronze English twist snake guides, and a screw down-locking reel seat with Spanish cedar insert. One tip has apparently been re-wrapped with a slightly darker brown silk and the rod has a light over-coat of newer varnish. All sections are full length with tight ferrules. The cone holding the rubber butt button is stamped: "Sold By Abercrombie & Fitch". It comes with a gray bag and a replacement tube. $1100--SALE PENDING

7. 12 1/2' Payne Model 225 Two-Handed Double-Built Salmon Rod. Made for the big ones, this 3/2 rod has been nicely refinished and now has new varnish, American twist bronze snake guides, and cinnamon wraps tipped yellow. The original red agate stripper was retained. All sections are straight with tight ferrules. Both tips are short by 1 1/2" and 4" respectively at the top end. The moisture cap is missing on the mid section male ferrule and there is a clear over-wrap between the upper two snake guides on one tip (no damage is seen). Hand engraved on the reel seat is: "W.A.J. , 12 1/2', 15 oz.". Completing this rod is the original canvas sack, aluminum tip tube with brass caps, and olive tip bag. $950

8. 8' Walt Carpenter "L.A.T." Fly Rod. This 3-piece, 2-tip rod is Carpenter's rendition of a F. E. Thomas Browntone Fly rod. Hence the model name L.A.T ("Like A Thomas). Very few of these rods were made and this one has serial number WC 7 inked on the tag. It was made in 2016 and has Thomas brown wraps over English twist bronze guides, blued ferrules, and a walnut reel seat with blued cap & ring hardware. The sliding ring is a near perfect copy of the thin early era Thomas style bands. There is only a hint of soiling on the cork. Perfect varnish. There is slight fading of some bluing on both female ferrules. The butt cap is stamped "W. E. Carpenter, Maker". It weighs 4 1/8 oz. and is rated for DT-5 lines. It comes with the original khaki bag, tag, and brass-capped tube with a black & yellow Thomas Rod decal and Walt's card . All sections are straight, full length, and have tight-fitting ferrules. Made by one of the more respected rod makers, this one is priced to sell at $3500.

9. 8 1/2' South Creek Limited Fly Rod. Made by Mike Clark in Colorado, this 3-piece, 2-tip rod is in near excellent condition and has medium flamed bamboo, spiral node spacing, brown wraps tipped gold over black snake guides, blued Z-style ferrules, an agate stripper, aluminum ferrule plugs, 6 1/2" cigar shaped handle, and a screw down-locking reel seat with walnut spacer. There is light soiling of the cork handle but no damage or ridging. The inscription on the butt includes Clarks name and "#201615". It is rated for #6 lines and comes with the original blue suede bag and black tube with label and brass caps. $3000 or will consider reasonable offers.

More rods to come, including Orvis, Leonard, and Arthur Taylor.

REELS:
If interested, let us know and we'll be glad to send photos. Buyer to pay shipping costs.

1. Small 2 7/16" unmarked reel. Could be Julius Vom Hofe or Cozzone. Black side plate, n/s foot with center hole, n/s handle w/ counter balance, straight cross bars. High quality reel in excellent original condition. Strong clicker. Perfect for #1,2,3-wt. lines. $375
2. Bogdan "Trout Reel". Standard size (3 1/4" x 1 11/16") with black plates, bright aluminum frame, serpentine handle, perforated front plate. Excellent condition with only faint scuffing on rims- hard to see without a lens. This is the quintessetial trout reel from the master's shop. RHW but we can convert to LHW. $2100
3. Ultra rare Fin Nor No. 1 Wedding Cake reel & Spare Spool. It has the gold anodized finish, black drag adjustment knob, chromed foot and line guard... In excellent condition with faint scuffing on rims but hardly noticeable. RHW. Has original light orange leather pouch. This is the smallest size wedding cake model made. Included are two 6-wt. lines. $1600
4. 3" Hardy Perfect Reel. Made before WWII, this has the nice patina of worn leaded finish, and has the dark smokey agate line guard (not cracked), black handle, crecent stamping, Duplicated Mark II, and smooth brass foot. The bottom of the foot has been filed but is not visible when mounted on a rod. There is no size stamped on the side plate and no initials inside the spool. RHW with tension adjustor. One of the classics and mechanically in top shape. One of the most desirable of all Hardy reels. $650-Sale Pending
5. Hardy 3 3/8" St. George Reel. This reel still retains much of the old dark leaded finish and has a smokey agate line guard, crecent stamping, and ribbed brass foot (not modified). Mechanically tight and smooth. Has some wear in finish on the rims which gives this reel a nice looking appearance. Comes with a WF-7F peach colored line. $400- Sale Pending
6. Archie Walker TR3 Trout Reel. It is also known as "The Catskill Model". This is the rare version without a drag system. It has black side plates (solid- not perforated), serpentine handle, aluminum frame and foot. It is tight and sound mechanically. Set up for RHW. Has only a hint of surface scuffing. Comes with a #6 line. Oil cap is stamped: "Maker, A. L. Walker, N. Y.". It is 3" diameter and weighs only 6.7oz with the line. $1700
7. Vintage 3 1/2" Leonard/Mills Raised Pillar Grilse Salmon Fly Reel. This one has very faint stamping: "Leonard Mills" on the front plate. Solid black side plates. Aluminum frame, nickel silver cross bars, handle, and foot. Straight n/s handle with counter balance. Back plate has sliding oil plate and is stamped "Light" & "Heavy". RHW. Excellent condition with only light scuffing on rims. The foot has not been modified. It comes with a green #8 wt. line. Very fishable and collectible reel. $750.
8. Bogdan No. 00 "Grilse/Sea Trout/Salmon" Fly Reel. This is a 2:1 multiplier and is in excellent condition. It has black side plates, adjustable drag, line tensioner knob, and serpentine handle with counter balance. Only the slightest hint of surface scuffing on rims. Phenomenal smooth drag system. 3 1/3" diameter reel and is rated for #7 lines but comes with a WF-8 line and backing. Weight is 10 oz. without line. $2600
9. Bogdan Model #1 Large Salmon Reel. This is a 2:1 multiplier and is in near excellent condition. Has black side plates, bright frame and rims, serpentine handle, adjustable drag, RHW, and clicker tension adjusting knob. It is listed as being 3 3/4" diameter and weighing 12 oz. It is made to hold a WF-10 line with 190 yds. of 20# backing. This one comes with a WF-9 Wonderline. The only blemish is one nick on the outer edge of a rim. This is one of the great salmon reels much sought after around the world. $2200.
10. EVH Model 423, 2/0 Size Salmon Reel... SOLD
11. Zwarg Model 400, 2/0 Salmon Reel. Made in the Edward Vom Hofe tradition, this reel is in excellent original condition. It has black side plates, nickel silver frame, cross bars, and rims, and the seven point drag system. Very tight mechanically and only slight scuff marks on the rims. It is stamped with serial number "M18" and the oil cap bears the stamping: "O.Zwarg Co. Inc. Maker, St. Petersburg, Fla.". This classic reel has a WF-8 F/S line and backing. The weight with the line and backing is 13.5 oz. $1800

Ted Williams' Personal Rod- Paul Young Para-18: Sold

This 9' 2-piece, 3-tip rod was owned and fished by the the Boston Red Sox slugger and Hall of Fame baseball star, Ted Williams. In fact, according to the owner (who was a close friend of Williams), this rod was loved more and fished more than any other rod Ted Williams owned. It was his "go to" rod. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own a one-of-a-kind bamboo rod like no other rod in the world. It has been fished all over the United States and in other countries as well. At one point, Williams had the rod refinished so that he could fish it in salt water- taking first place one year in the Islamorada Tarpon Tournament. This powerful rod was made by Paul Young in May, 1948 as a gift from Williams close friend and fellow Boston Red Sox player Bobbie Doerr. The inscription on the rod is: "Ted Williams 'Parabolic 18', 9'-6.41 oz, Paul H. Young, Detroit, May 1948, Bob Doerr". The insciption is not in Paul's hand and might have been redone during the refinishing of the rod. The black anodized butt cap also bears the "Detroit, Mich." stamping. This rod features mottled flaming, 2 carboloy stripping guides, translucent cinnamon wraps with open spirals on the outside edges, black wraps at the ferrules, black snake guides, blued Super-Z ferrules, an 8" front handle with 2 thumb rests, a cork reel seat with black anodized screw down-locking hardware, and a 1" lower cork 'butt rest'. The current owner bought this rod directly from Williams in 1994, and a copy of his check to Ted will be included with this rod. Plenty of provenance accompanies this rod: it was featured in the Fall 2005 issue of The American Fly Fisher (journal of the American Museum of Fly Fishing- Vol. 31, #4) and was prominently displayed at the Ted Williams' Museum and Hitters Hall of Fame Museum in Hernando, Florida for years.
All sections are full length and straight, with one tip having a 3/4" clear repair wrap below the upper most snake guide. The cork is soiled from use (this is Ted's DNA on the handle!) and there is a small paper label on the reel seat which identified the rod in the Museum. It is accompanied by the original cinnamon felt bag (no tube). There is no other rod with this Heritage in the world, so as such, we are pricing this rod at $10,000 plus shipping and insurance. Inquiries will be respectfully answered.--SOLD

Two Garrison Rods

The following Garrison Rod was one of a pair owned by a dear friend of ours who passed away 3 yrs. ago. It is an original Everett Garrison rod and as such, is rarely encountered for sale on the vintage market. One of the pair was recently sold, and this is the remaining rod.

9' Garrison Model 230. Apparently made in 1966, this is a 2-piece, 2-tip rod that features a 2" lower handle, bronze snake guides, a chrome stripper, Super-Z stamped ferrules, brown wraps over the ferrules and clear wraps over the guides (with aged varnish they have a nice pumpkin orange hue), and a screw down-locking reel seat with a brass collar (same as the above rod) with a Spanish cedar insert. When assembled, this rod is actually 9' 2 1/4" long. All sections are full length, straight, and have perfectly smooth ferrules that seat fully. Very narrow glue lines are present on this rod. Of note on this rod: the inscriptions on all sections reads: "230- 9'-0", 1966". However, Garrison did not ink his name on the rod. When we showed photos of both rods to Hoagy Carmichael, he assured us this is Garrison's own handwriting and that he has seen a few other rods also not inscribed with his name. Possibly, this was one of Garrison's personal fishing rods that he never intended to sell - hence no need to place his name on it. There is no question that this is an original- condition Garrison rod and as such is quite rare. The original wood/cork ferrule plug, bag, and tube with brass collar and aluminum cap complete this great rod. $3200 plus shipping.

F. E. Thomas Fly Rod

8 1/2' Thomas Browntone "Streamer" Rod. This appears to be a "Browntone" model since it has a darkly flamed butt section, blued ferrules, and the elongated butt cap found on streamer rods only. It is stamped "F-411" on the cap, dating it to 1945. The mid and tips are not as darkly flamed as the butt, yet all the ferrules fit perfectly. Everything about this rod says it is original (except one guide on the mid that has been replaced with a chrome snake guide). I believe that given the fact it was made toward the end of the war, the Thomas shop was using spare sections to assemble rods from. I gave this rod a light polishing since the varnish had a few light bag marks on one flat. The cork is sound with light ridging. I have not cast it yet, but it feels like a 6-7-wt. rod. It weighs 5.6 oz. and comes complete with the original green bag and labeled Thomas tube with green felt pad. This is a perfect streamer rod for larger fish. This model will also make a nice bass rod. Price is reduced to $575.

Dr. Paul Hermann Rod Collection

We are priviledged to have been asked by Paul to sell his significant bamboo rod collection. He was a dear friend and fly fisher. As many of you know, he passed away in November, 2016, and we miss him dearly. Here is a list of the rods he asked me to sell. Please contact me for more details on any of them or if you need photos.

8' F. E. Thomas "Special". 2/2 with cork handle and reel seat. Agate stripper (has new wraps). Great casting 6-wt. and also does nicely with #5's. c. 1939. Thomas rods, especially these 8-footers, are incredibly comfortable to cast. See why Thomas rods are so cherrished by their owners (and fished)...! The price is a very reasonable $650.- SOLD

SOLD:
7' Kretchman Dry Fly Rod. SOLD
9 1/2' Payne Model #435 Dry Fly Salmon rod. SOLD
8 1/2' Thomas & Thomas Salmon Fly rod. SOLD
Walt Carpenter, 7 1/2' "Browntone". SOLD
7 1/2' Winston, 2/2. SOLD
8' Winston, 3/2. SOLD
7 1/2' Daryl Whitehead Custom Engraved Rod. SOLD
7' Thomas/Campbell 'Browntone' Fly rod. SOLD
8' Thomas/Campbell 'Browntone' fly rod. SOLD
7' Edwards "Quadrate". SOLD
7 1/2' Edwards Model 50 "Quadrate". SOLD
8' Leonard Model #50. SOLD
9' Paul Young "Para-18". SOLD
8' Summers Model 856. SOLD
8' Summers Model 856. SOLD
7' 3" Summers Model 735. SOLD
9' Gillum Salmon Fly rod.SOLD
12' Olaf Kundrus Spey Rod. SOLD

Above: 7' Kretchman 4/5 wt.

"Fit For A King?"-2 Salmon Rods Made for Prince Charles & Princess Dianna by T&T for President Reagan to present as Wedding gifts.

President Reagan (during his second term of office) ordered a pair of salmon fly rods from the Thomas & Thomas shop as a wedding gift. Len Codella, owner of T&T at that time, had a short time frame to make these rods, so he instructed Tom Dorsey to build a back-up set of blanks just in case something went wrong with the first set. Fortunately, the first set of blanks were perfectly made, so Len ordered the extra blanks be advertised for sale. Our friend, Dr. Marchant, saw the ad and asked Len to complete them for him. That pair of rods is being offered here as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! These stunning rods are pictured below. They have only been cast or fished possibly once or twice. They are in pristine condition. The only difference between these and the ones made for Charles and Diana are that these rods have detachable lower handles, whereas the Royal Couples' rods have fixed handles. Accompanying these rods is the original letter of sale to Dr. Marchant signed by Codella and Dorsey, and the original advertisement that drew Dr. Marchant's attention. Additionally, a letter from Len describing in detail this whole story is included. This pair of rods will be the centerpiece of your collection. The only other rods like this in the world are housed in the Sporting/Trophy room at Balmoral Castle. This package is priced at $7500 plus shipping & insurance to the fortunate buyer. Please inquire if you have more questions or need addtional photos.

9' George Halstead

Priced at $550

Made by the renown George Halstead, this 3/2 rod is probably suited for #7 lines and has a strong dry fly action. It features richly flamed bamboo, random nodes, an agate stripper with early wire frame, a screw down-locking reel seat with Halstead's stamping on the locking ring, a curly African wood spacer, lightly blued ferrules that seat fully and pop when taken apart, and a 7" slightly tapered cigar shaped handle. A few cork rings have ridges but are far from needing to be replaced. The wraps are translucent brown and appear to be re-done since some of them have threads over-lapping. There is also one snake guide missing from the mid section. All sections are full length and straight. Completing this rod is the original dark green bag and brass-capped tube. One 'ventilation' hole has been drilled at each end of the tube. One tip has a pair of 1" pieces of bamboo spliced into it, using resorcinol glue (see photo below). This type of repair was professionally done and I don't detect any weakness there. Under the nearby snake guide is some rust stain from the previous guide. While not perfect, this is an opportunity to own a Halstead that is fishable as is or can be repaired if you prefer. The rod is priced as a single-tip rod even though the second tip is fishable.

REELS

Bogdan- "Wide Spool Baby" Trout Reel- SOLD

Hardy 3 3/8" Perfect

This classic reel has the early satin enamel finish, straight line stamping, ribbed brass foot, and tension adjustor. Although it's been fished and has some finish wear, it remains in excellent mechanical condition. The number '24' is stamped inside the face plate. Included is the spare spring and clicker. It weighs 6.9 oz. This reel is designed for #5 & 6 lines with plenty of backing. $375 plus postage

2 9/16" Hardy St. George Jr.-SOLD

This reel has been used and has light wear on the rims and side plates. It also has a smokey agate line guard (without cracks), straight line stamping, ribbed aluminum foot (un-modified), and line tensioner. It has the 1950's enamel finish and a light brown handle. It is also mechanically sound /tight. This wonderful reel model is ready for more fishing adventures and comes with a brown leather pouch with draw string which fits this reel perfectly. Priced reasonably at $450 plus shipping.

Books

Schmookler & Sils' Rarest Limited Editions

This spectacular book is #5 of only 30 copies ever made! It is: Rare and Unusual Fly Tying Materials: A Natural History. Housed in a blue leather slip case designed to look like a book. It measures 15 1/2" x 13" x 4 3/4". When opened, there is an index inside the front cover of 117 different feathers featured in the book. The book itself is simply breathtaking- gold gilded edges, royal blue leather trim and matching blue cloth covers, and is loaded with exquisite photos & text. Stored under the book are 14 panels of actual feathers- numbered to match the index inside the front cover. This "book" has lived for years on the original owner's bookshelf- away from direct sunlight, and is in excellent condition. Several prominent book dealers have told us they have never seen one of these editions, so this is a very rare opportunity to own one of the most desirable books by Paul Schookler and Ingrid Sils. Priced at $2300 for this very rare book.

The Salmon Flies of Major J.P. Traherne: (1826-1901). This copy is #5 of only 28 copies made. It is in excellent condition and features gorgeous leather binding with gold embossed lettering, cloth covers, gold gilded edges, and matching slip case. The photos inside are Paul Schmookler's spectacular quality. Inside this book (behind the text), is an actual Major Traherne Salmon Fly. It is approximately 3 1/2" x 2 1/2". With only 28 copies in existence, this represents perhaps the rarest of Schmookler's works, and it is in excellent condition. Priced at $1000.