Aspindales Rod Help Required.

[Fredline]

I bought 3 very nice rods recently from the same source, the man had taste. A Sealey "The Roach", a Dawsons Challenger 10' Carp and this Aspindales Matchdale 12'. All 3 are in need of a tidy up but are complete and in their dedicated bags.The Aspindales is a mystery to me as I cannot find it mentioned anywhere. It is a 3 piece at 12' with a spliced whole cane middle section and a spliced top with a built cane tip. It weighs in at 12 ozs and is marked "The Matchdale No 1 12' ".
Can someone please put me right on this rod. Thanks Fredline.

[Wallys-Cast]

It looks like it could be No1 of a short run of specials. The specials appear to be marked with a dotted X, see my Minidale below. marked No4 8ft.


Not certain how many were made but your Matchdale could have been made for the England Match team. They won a few internationals using Aspindales rods. Just a thought of course.

Wal.

[Olly]

Your Matchdale is exactly the same as my Avon II! Same whipping colour, same butt, middle & tip at 12ft but earlier I think.

From a auction site via Google:-
A JAMES ASPINDALE & SONS, REDDITCH "DALESMAN MATCHDALE" no.III ultra lightweight high modulus carbon match rod, 13', three piece, in original black cloth bag, together with "DALESMAN THE CROFTDALE" no.II 13' three piece tubular aluminium alloy match
rod, in beige cloth bag (2) I DIDN'T KNOW ASPINDALE MADE CARBON RODS!
And
Aspindale the `Matchdale` three piece course rod & Dawsons of Bromley match course rod

A JAMES ASPINDALE AVON 12, 3 piece split cane rod in brown canvas bag, together with an EDGAR SEALEY & SONs Ltd, Octopus 7 two piece split cane rod in canvas bag (2)
£60

[Catfish.017]

The Sealey Roach is an interesting rod with its sharp, stepped taper in the top section. I have one of these although I didn't know that's what it was until the recent spike in interest in the rod. It came to me in a job lot with no identifying marks and rusty rings. I wonder Fredline does yours have the original one piece wire rings?. I wonder also if you could post a photo of the Female ferrule as I'm unsure if mine is original?

[Wallys-Cast]

Another thought, haha. No1 could be the 12ft version. No2 the 13ft and No3 the 14ft version. Or just earlier versions.

Wal.

[ReelMaker]

Good morning fellow friends,these Aspindale rods are very charming but don’t come up for sale very often,the cane always seems to be well built ,My first rod was a Swiftdale whipped in black,lasted me for years ,the Minidale was a rod that seemed never listed in their catalogue,certainly a lovely rod for small rivers.Reelmaker

[Fredline]

Another thought, haha. No1 could be the 12ft version. No2 the 13ft and No3 the 14ft version. Or just earlier versions.

Wal.

Hi Wal, I am going with it being the first 12' rod they ever made. Designed by Bob Southwell and built by Kenny Kendal, presented to Richard Walker who gave it to Bernard Venables who sold it to Chris Yates.

[Fredline]

The Sealey Roach is an interesting rod with its sharp, stepped taper in the top section. I have one of these although I didn't know that's what it was until the recent spike in interest in the rod. It came to me in a job lot with no identifying marks and rusty rings. I wonder Fredline does yours have the original one piece wire rings?. I wonder also if you could post a photo of the Female ferrule as I'm unsure if mine is original?

Hi Cat, the rings on this rod were the rather weird elongated long legged wire rings that Sealey used on this range.They were rather rusty so they had to go. The ferrules are not the best either. Sealey, very much in keeping with Chapmans and the 500 series of rods, cut back on the quality of the fittings to make them more commercially viable.
I have stripped the rod down and after seeing Wals’ excellent restoration of a Sealey Roach from a few years back I have decided “green is good” with Garnet silk inters. The rings I am using are a very nice set of “Half Bells Life”. You can see from the picture that they are not High Bells and certainly not Low. The stripper and tip rings are the originals.

[Lea Dweller]

Another thought, haha. No1 could be the 12ft version. No2 the 13ft and No3 the 14ft version. Or just earlier versions.

Wal.

Hi Wal, I am going with it being the first 12' rod they ever made. Designed by Bob Southwell and built by Kenny Kendal, presented to Richard Walker who gave it to Bernard Venables who sold it to Chris Yates.

Kenny Kendal didn't build rods, he made mint cake!

[Fredline]

Another thought, haha. No1 could be the 12ft version. No2 the 13ft and No3 the 14ft version. Or just earlier versions.

Wal.

Hi Wal, I am going with it being the first 12' rod they ever made. Designed by Bob Southwell and built by Kenny Kendal, presented to Richard Walker who gave it to Bernard Venables who sold it to Chris Yates.

Kenny Kendal didn't build rods, he made mint cake!

Your are right Ted. He made millions of reels, according to Ebay and only 1 rod. This is that rod.