My R.Sealey 'Festival' now fully restored - photo heavy

The Precision Rods forum.
User avatar
Chubman
Crucian Carp
Posts: 962
Joined: Sun Feb 19, 2012 7:14 pm
12
Location: Eastleigh, Hampshire

Re: My R.Sealey 'Festival' now fully restored - photo heavy

Post by Chubman »

its looking nice paul,made in 1952 to celebrate the festival of great britain i understand.

User avatar
Rutland Rod
Arctic Char
Posts: 1914
Joined: Thu Dec 27, 2012 7:50 am
11
Location: Rutland

Re: My R.Sealey 'Festival' now fully restored - photo heavy

Post by Rutland Rod »

Lovely job, my own restoration by Andrew Davis still has to be fully flexed !
Tight lines
Dave

User avatar
Mick
Chub
Posts: 1013
Joined: Wed Apr 22, 2015 9:10 am
8
Location: Buckinghamshire

Re: My R.Sealey 'Festival' now fully restored - photo heavy

Post by Mick »

Beautiful job, well done!

User avatar
Chubman
Crucian Carp
Posts: 962
Joined: Sun Feb 19, 2012 7:14 pm
12
Location: Eastleigh, Hampshire

Re: My R.Sealey 'Festival' now fully restored - photo heavy

Post by Chubman »

produced in 1952 to celibrate the festival of great britain,compound tapers to mid and tip sections,powerfull rods

User avatar
AshbyCut
Honorary President
Posts: 10142
Joined: Sun May 06, 2012 1:27 am
11
Location: North Warwickshire

Re: My R.Sealey 'Festival' now fully restored - photo heavy

Post by AshbyCut »

Hopefully I can clarify a couple of points.

The Festival of Britain was held during the summer of 1951 (not 1952), and I believe that Robert Sealey of Precision Rods (the trading name of Bernard Sealey & Co.) designed 2 rods to celebrate the event ... the 'Festival,' and the 'Festival Avon.' These were very different rods.

The 'Festival' is the less powerful of the two. An 11ft. rod, it has a whole cane butt section, and two split cane upper sections. I have seen reference to variants which were produced with a) centre and tip sections with straight tapers, b) a centre section with a compound taper and a straight tip taper (I have one of these), c) a straight taper centre section and a compound taper tip, and finally d) one with compound tapers in both the centre and tip sections. Whether these were produced as 'developments' of the original rod over time, or built to customer commission we'll never know ... especially as it appears that Precision Rods never produced a catalogue. The 'Festival' is a sublime tench rod.

The 'Festival Avon' is a much more powerful rod, and is a rare as hen's teeth. It is also 11ft. in length, and also comprises a whole cane butt with split cane centre and tip sections. However, it has a large diameter whole cane butt section, and steep step-down compound tapers in both the centre and tip split cane sections. This was Precision Rods barbel rod, and has the power to handle powerful fish in flowing water.

These rods are often confused, and in the past I have been offered two 'Festivals' by owners believing they had a 'Festival Avon.'

The rod shown in this thread, and that shown in my own thread ( viewtopic.php?f=309&t=18241 ), are 'Festivals.'

I hope this helps to clear up any confusion.
"Beside the water I discovered (or maybe rediscovered) the quiet. The sort of quiet that allows one to be woven into the tapestry of nature instead of merely standing next to it." Estaban.

User avatar
Chris Bettis
Crucian Carp
Posts: 950
Joined: Thu Nov 28, 2013 6:13 am
10

Re: My R.Sealey 'Festival' now fully restored - photo heavy

Post by Chris Bettis »

Nice rod Paul, shows the difference that a good refurbishment can make.

User avatar
Whopper
Minnow
Posts: 31
Joined: Tue Nov 29, 2016 10:31 am
7
Location: near Cologne / Germany

Re: My R.Sealey 'Festival' now fully restored - photo heavy

Post by Whopper »

Very nice restauration!
Catch your dreams...

User avatar
JW1
Grayling
Posts: 732
Joined: Mon Dec 19, 2016 11:05 pm
7
Location: London

Re: My R.Sealey 'Festival' now fully restored - photo heavy

Post by JW1 »

Looks fantastic, I have to ask, how did you remove the varnish over the writing?

JW

Jeremy Croxall
Zander
Posts: 3741
Joined: Tue Oct 27, 2015 8:05 am
8
Location: Matlock Derbyshire

Re: My R.Sealey 'Festival' now fully restored - photo heavy

Post by Jeremy Croxall »

A little bit gorgeous!
"Oh for want of rod and line I'd fish this stream serene, sublime".

Jeremy Croxall
Zander
Posts: 3741
Joined: Tue Oct 27, 2015 8:05 am
8
Location: Matlock Derbyshire

Re: My R.Sealey 'Festival' now fully restored - photo heavy

Post by Jeremy Croxall »

A little bit gorgeous!
"Oh for want of rod and line I'd fish this stream serene, sublime".

Post Reply

Return to “Precision Cane Rods”