Question# 1. Orvis "Flea", 1 3/8 oz.(4) #0885, graphite, cork seat with Orvis bag, matte aluminum tube with maroon (faded red??) on silver foil label. Condition - tube and label show wear; sock and rod looks never to have been used. Went to Orvis site but could not find. # 2. Leonard 2 pc. graphite, Handpainted just above cork grip reads "The H L Leonard Rod Co. 8' #6/7, Diamondback" rosewood and aluminum reel seat, age darkened cork but seat appears to never had a reel mounted. Light olive drab wraps. Original sock and solid, well made aluminum tube with no marking. # 3. Powell 2 pc. glass or ??; marked above cork grip "Powell in block letters and DF66 Lines 4-5" in handwriting. Rosewood and gold anodized aluminum reel seat, cork grip age darkened but again seems to never had a reel mounted. The blank is a dark maroon with dark red wraps. Original brown aluminum tube with original brown on gold foil Chico, California label. As stated, the rods appear to have never been used. I purchased them at an estate sale about +/- 10 years ago. Can you give me a range of values and when they were made? Thank you very much for your valuable time.
AnswerRon,
I made this public so others can read it and learn.
I am a bamboo fly rod guy because I love fly fishing and build my own but I have kept with it , restoring and selling because that is what the collectors want, It isn't just cash but also the history is kept on them and not others such as fiberglass and casting.
So how can you evaluate fiberglass - there a few in the books but not many.
You might try fiberglass information sites:
http://fiberglass-fly-rods.pbwiki.com/
http://www.fiberglassflyrodders.info/
or
ebay
#1 Graphite used or pre-owned are difficult to sell. First sold in the 1970s until today. New they re $500 or so . I don;t think you will get that but it's worth tring.
2 Something wrong here - I am pretty sure a 19th century rod maker used bamboo and not graphite. Is it round or flat sided ? I am pretty sure Ron Kusse owns the Leonard name and puts it on modern bamboo . I am pretty sure he builds graphites but he puts Kusse logos not Leonard. I haven't heard of a change but that was the case in 2006.
3 fiberglass was made from 1940 to 1970s when it was replaced slowly by graphite. I don't think EC Powell made anything but bamboo but the line weight and other markings are modern like 50s on.
Conclusion - If you want to try again - e-mail me - pictures of logos and labels to
[email protected] I am always willing to help
Luck,
Mac
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