Appraising an antique fly-fishing rod?

**sydnie7** · 23rd June 08, 07:43 AM

While preparing my mother's house for sale (she has moved in with us in SD and is in fine health, thank you) I was having a friend assist in clearing the various firearrms on hand. One container turned out to hold my great-grandfather's split bamboo fly rod, circa 1930. My friend's jaw dropped and he assured me that a collector would trade a healthy sum of money for this item.

[edit to correct presumed date and add photos]

OK, here is some add'l info and photos. It is a post-war Granger Aristocrat (Wright & McGill era). First photo shows its two pieces and handle next to a tape measure set at 36 inches. I've done some Googling and know a pinch more now than I did before, but just a pinch. First pass, this seems to be perhaps not the Big Tuna but definitely more than a decorative wall hangar :o) Presumably original tube inside presumably original "sock." I don't know what makes the joints "good," but they fit more tightly than I wanted to deal with so didn't assemble the whole thing. Sorry for lack of extreme close-ups but they came out mostly blurred. And I don't know why all the cropping I did in PhotoBucket didn't work! Excuse the messy backgrounds. . .

**pdcorlis** · 23rd June 08, 07:52 AM

One word of warning - there are plenty of split bamboo fly rods that are no more than decorative wall hangers. I've seen them sell for about $10 to $15 dollars - but some rods can be worth a serious sum of money.

Is there a name on the fly rod?

**Jock Scot** · 23rd June 08, 07:54 AM

Who is it made by?Condition?How many pieces?Are the joints good?Length?Cloth case(bag)? Pictures?Hope this helps.

**sydnie7** · 23rd June 08, 09:11 AM

Thanks for both the cautionary note and the clues to factors that affect value. I'll do some Googling, hoping to find "visit your local chapter of Fly Fishers Anonymous to locate a reputable dealer" or some such easy way out

but I will dig it out and take pictures for this thread later on today (maybe) or tomorrow.

**auld argonian** · 24th June 08, 06:33 AM

PD's suggestion that there are "good" ones and "average" ones is quite astute.

I have a "guy"...I use quotes because he's not just a guy but the fella who searches all of the yard and estate sales around here and has several "clients" like me who he knows are looking for certain specific items and from whom he can make a decent mark-up by finding these items for us and buying them up to re-sell them to us. I'm his "old camera client" but he knows that I fish and one day showed me some bamboo rods that he had put aside for his "old fishing gear client". He explained that these rods were just average production types and not handmade specials so while they looked impressive, he didn't expect to make much money on them.

Thus, it pays to research those rods so that you can get what they're worth. If they're the hand/custom made type, they're worth beaucoup bucks.

Best

AA

**Oldhiker** · 24th June 08, 04:29 PM

What fun to fly fish in a kilt on a little brook. I must try that one day.

**auld argonian** · 24th June 08, 05:49 PM

Darn...looks like you missed the closest stop:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/ontheroad.html

...that's where you really want to be told that you have the "Big Tuna".

...we always refer to the one highest price item on any individual Antiques Roadshow as the Big Tuna.

Best

AA

**sydnie7** · 24th June 08, 07:21 PM

Originally Posted by auld argonian

Darn...looks like you missed the closest stop:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/ontheroad.html

...that's where you really want to be told that you have the "Big Tuna".

...we always refer to the one highest price item on any individual Antiques Roadshow as the Big Tuna.

Best

AA

I did apply for tickets using three different addresses. One got chosen (a sister) but it turned out that we sisters were all in Wyoming at the time, closing out my mother's house. So the fishing rod had not yet been discovered. Two brothers-in-law used the tickets, stood in line for hours to get an appraisal on their respective #1 items, decided not to stand in line again for the #2 items. They did have fun, just wish it had been me!

**sydnie7** · 24th June 08, 09:26 PM

[bump] as my edited first post doesn't show up as a "new post."

**Phil** · 25th June 08, 01:42 AM

I don't want to disappoint you but it isn't a fly fishing rod, it is a bait casting rod to take a multiplier reel and probably not of much interest to collectors. I don't know what the market for older rods is like in the States but it is usually only certain rare rods by top makers that fetch a good price here like Hardy and Sharpes of Aberdeen.