Any info on my Ogden-Smith 'Royal Sovereign' Rod?

The Ogden Smith Rods forum.
Post Reply
TobySnowSussex1

Any info on my Ogden-Smith 'Royal Sovereign' Rod?

Post by TobySnowSussex1 »

Hello fellow Piscators
Iv'e just acquired an Ogden - Smith 4 piece 'Royal Sovereign' cane rod to add to my collection. It's due any day so pictures to follow but if anyone can give me any information about the rod, i'd be most grateful to hear from you. It's in seemingly excellent condition with all original fittings and bag. I presume this would be a salmon Rod but still a novice so may be wrong! Enlighten me please
Thanks
Toby :Chuckle:

User avatar
The Old Buffer
Crucian Carp
Posts: 784
Joined: Mon Oct 07, 2013 1:42 pm
10
Location: Southern tip of Lincolnshire Wolds
Contact:

Re: Any info on my Ogden-Smith 'Royal Sovereign' Rod?

Post by The Old Buffer »

Here is a photo and description to be going on with:-

Image

ROD: Ogden Smith of London “The Royal Sovereign Rod” 12’ 3 piece + spare tip split cane, snake guides close whipped green bronze lock fast ferrules wood stoppers 24” slim cork handle with Hardy style reel fittings.
The coiled line travels from the reel, it brings up at last, the hook goes home, and then begins the test of skill. "BB"

TobySnowSussex1

Re: Any info on my Ogden-Smith 'Royal Sovereign' Rod?

Post by TobySnowSussex1 »

Thanks very much for that - yes, that is the rod and similar condition. Would you happen to know it's age and value?
Thanks
Toby :Thumb:

User avatar
Bumble
Rainbow Trout
Posts: 3212
Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2012 7:49 am
12
Location: Berkshire

Re: Any info on my Ogden-Smith 'Royal Sovereign' Rod?

Post by Bumble »


User avatar
Ljm183
Rainbow Trout
Posts: 3186
Joined: Fri Nov 25, 2011 12:34 pm
12
Location: Aveley, Essex

Re: Any info on my Ogden-Smith 'Royal Sovereign' Rod?

Post by Ljm183 »


User avatar
Pentonhook
Dace
Posts: 194
Joined: Mon Sep 05, 2011 9:11 pm
12
Location: Kent

Re: Any info on my Ogden-Smith 'Royal Sovereign' Rod?

Post by Pentonhook »

Hi Toby.

According to Ogden Smith's 1953 to 54 Angler's Guide, the Royal Sovereign
is a medium to stiff action salmon fly rod with agate butt and end ring's,
polished locking reel fitting, wrapped in Cream and Fawn marble silk.

The cost in 1953 for the 12' rod was £16.10 shillings
the 12' 6" £17.00 and the 13' £17. 10 shillings.

I bought one about three years ago, 12' version and have refurbished
it into a general purpose float rod with high bells, there were
quite a number of intermediates to do as well.

I visited Ted Oliver to match up the rings on this and other
rod's I was refurbishing and also to confirm whether a couple of
MKiv's I have were made on Southwell blanks.
He confirmed the MKiv's were Southwell, also to my surprise he said
the Royal Sovereign was a Southwell Blank. Ted should know as he worked
with Southwell.

As to todays value, I go on the assumption, whatever someone
is willing to pay.

Enjoy, as they are superb rods.

TobySnowSussex1

Re: Any info on my Ogden-Smith 'Royal Sovereign' Rod?

Post by TobySnowSussex1 »

Thanks SO much for the information. Would have taken me a month of Sunday's to collate all that. As soon as it arrives, i'll post some photo's. Very interesting that one has been 'converted' to a float rod. Not much info on Google about Ogden-Smith. If I find the serial number, it would be interesting to see exactly when it was made, although i'm sure you are right with mid fifties. :Wink:
Toby

User avatar
Nobby
Wild Carp
Posts: 10975
Joined: Sun Oct 02, 2011 2:40 pm
12
Location: S.W.Surrey
Contact:

Re: Any info on my Ogden-Smith 'Royal Sovereign' Rod?

Post by Nobby »

Actually, I've just learned that we've all been barking up the wrong tree...Ted didn't work with Southwell it turns out. There's a possibility he worked in the same place as him for a short while as a lad, but this was in Harrow at Youngs, not Croydon.

I'm in a casual exchange of mails with Ted who is slowly putting it all together for me.

Ted did once talk to me about two of the staff at Croydon 'when he was there', but I think he must have been visiting and I assumed wrongly that he meant working there...mea culpa :oops:

User avatar
Pentonhook
Dace
Posts: 194
Joined: Mon Sep 05, 2011 9:11 pm
12
Location: Kent

Re: Any info on my Ogden-Smith 'Royal Sovereign' Rod?

Post by Pentonhook »

Nobby.

I wonder if the mists of time are clouding Ted's memory.

He told me, his wife also confirmed this, that he actually
paid one of the two staff that worked for Southwell, to teach
him the art of split and whole cane rod building. He did tell me
his name but I have forgotten.

Anyway the fellow that taught Ted was a welder by trade,
Ted would go over to Croyden, (Bob Southwell's premises) pay his
money and would then be tutored in the building and finishing of
cane rod's.

Ted approached several tackle shops who were having
difficulty in selling their stock of cane rod's and offered to
make them more appealing to prospective customers.
This he did in his room, which he rented above a pub
initially, then onto a workshop he referred to as the "Stable".

He was then asked by Chubb's of Edgware to work exclusively
for them, to which he declined.

Ted never fished, his real passion is gardening and wanted to
start a landscaping business originally. However he went on to
setup a tackle business in Knebworth, (Oliver's of Knebworth)

When his tackle shop suffered a burglary, which left him devastated,
he gave it all up. He then started his landscaping business, which
became very successful. Anyone who has visited Ted's house will
attest to how magnificent the gardens are.

He also told me emphatically that Southwell's DID NOT have a hot
press for addressing the nodes.

User avatar
Nobby
Wild Carp
Posts: 10975
Joined: Sun Oct 02, 2011 2:40 pm
12
Location: S.W.Surrey
Contact:

Re: Any info on my Ogden-Smith 'Royal Sovereign' Rod?

Post by Nobby »

We must start another thread I feel.

The chap who taught Ted was Southwell's worker and delivery van driver, Mr. Howson apparently, but I think the tutelage happened in Stevenage, not Croydon, as I can't see Ted travelling from Stevenage, where he moved with his parents, thus having to leave Young's of Harrow, ....all the way to Croydon each day.

I'm not certain of this at all, I must stress....only that Ted seems clear that Howson was now self-employed running his own workshop, but that it had failed as a business. Howson was contacted by Ted, after an advert in Angling Times and duly turned up with some built cane and started teaching Ted how to do it.

Ted only logs on occasionally, and he does visit this forum too, so hopefully it will all be cleared up one day.



And the hot node press?........turns out it did exist and I shall have to print a retraction as soon as I have all the details. However I have no idea if it was actually used.......certainly Mr. Howson and Ted did nodes by heating and pressing in a vice, just as you can see being done in all the Olivers of Knebworth catalogues.

Post Reply

Return to “Ogden Smith Cane Rods”