Chapman The Stort

[Vole]

Result! - as they seem to say nowadays.
And it couldn't happen to a more appropriate forum member, nor in a more appropriate place, could it?

[St.John]

Oh well done! Never heard of one before.... Enjoy! I keep looking ay car boots, but never find anything, just end up getting ripped off on ebay !

[St.John]

Right. That does it. You are now on the foes list!!!! Bloody lucky Bugger! All I seem to find are cane sea rods that are de-laminating for 50 quid.... 'it's collectable that it mate!'.

[St.John]

That'd be monster drive! You'll have to dangle a worm..like fishing on some nice little pond!!! Thank you-if I can find a way to do it I will!

[BarbelBonce]

Well done indeed, hermes. A really great find at the right money!
This is one of many models that Chapmans made bearing the names of rivers close-by to Ware: Amwell, Shelford, Stort etc. and I have heard of a "Lea"" but never seen an image of them.
I know that the tapers of the Amwell and Shelford are identical but the fittings and finish (wraps, cork etc.) differ considerably. Amwell was also offered at 12' as well.
My Shelford handle is but 19", no inters, fewer and cheaper rings etc. A budget rod. This may have had something to do with the arrival of glass.
The Amwell, a more expensive rod. (One is listed at the mo. but at an unrealistic start-price.). Your Stort looks much classier - more in the Amwell mould. Butt-cap and button look like good replacements. The Shelford later in its life came with an un-threaded, parallel-sided cap.
Might be interesting to e-mail Chapmans to see if the Stort blank is similar to the Sh & Am.
It is worth noting that the tech. descriptions, tapers etc. that they have on their web-site are by no means definitive. They are a snap-shot of but one example of a few (very few) of the many models of rods that they have made over the last seventy or so years. Specs changed a lot over the life of pretty-well all of their output, I should think.
This all sounds a little like the Record Breaker and Lucky Strike debate............or not?

[Beresford]

Brilliant find. I've never had that much luck at car boot sales, though I don't doubt they turn up gems every now again as your experience proves.

I've come across the Stort before, I'm fairly sure one was sold on ebay not that long ago. I'd quite like to get a Shelford since I used to fish there.