When I spotted this rod on the usual well known auction site, I couldn't help myself...Described as a 'Wallis Wizard', It looked to be in a sorry state, with half the tip section missing. However, what really intrigued me, was the scar where a transfer had been scratched off...it looked very similar to the spiral transfer on my green stained Wizard.
When it finally arrived, having taken almost 3 weeks (Parcel force 48 hr!) The first thing I looked at was the scar where the missing transfer would have been. There is a clear shadow where the transfer once was, Identical in size and style to that on my green stained Wizard...but hang on a minute, if this was originally a green stained wizard, surely the transfer would have been applied over the stain, and wouldn't have left a shadow...A previous owner had written 'The Wallis Wizard' in ink, in a spiralled fashion, just above the shoulder collar.
When compared to the green stained Wizard, it is identical. All sections are interchangeable between the two, the ferrules fitting each other perfectly. The handles are the same length, being longer than the later gold label version. The agate butt rings are the same, as is the handle furniture. On checking the taper, it too is identical, and considerably lighter than the gold label version.
Interestingly, for me at least, is that the counter ferrules are not spigotted, but plain. I would have expected the spiggoted ferrules to be on the earlier rods.
Having had a good look around the leaf nodes on the whole cane butt joint, and in between the ferrule splints, there is no evidence of it having been green stained.
So where exactly does this rod fit in? It is pretty much identical to a green stained version, but was not green stained...although the intermediate rings and whippings have obviously been replaced, the intermediate whippings could be original, they certainly look it. So...could this rod be one of the first red whipped Wizard's? same taper, same handle and ferrules etc., same spiral transfer...but unstained and whipped in red.
The photo's show the rod between my green stained and later gold label versions for comparison.
Your thoughts would be appreciated.
