The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

Can anybody tell me who made Black Cat split cane rods or was this the company name? Thanks

It wouldn't be Black Seal would it....the transfer, if damaged, looks a bit like a black cat???


Though there's something at the back of my mind about Far-Eastern rods called Balck Cat.....

Nobby wrote:It wouldn't be Black Seal would it....the transfer, if damaged, looks a bit like a black cat???


Though there's something at the back of my mind about Far-Eastern rods called Balck Cat.....

It was a question I was asked by another angler while fishing on saturday(rod not seen) you may well be right Nobby,he did also add it had of Alnwick on it.Were Black Seal made there?

No, only Hardy are in Alnwick. Black Seal, if it is them, seem to have been just a wholesaler of other people's work.

I'm fairly sure Black Seal rods were made by Mordex.

I thought that was "Royle Seal"? With the "Flectes non Frangas" (to be bent, bot broken) motto.

Here's a Black Seal badge.




http://www.antiques-atlas.com/antique/v ... /as059a801



John Andrews had some info on them on his Andrews of Arcadia blog but Google is faulty today and can't find it. I seem to recall a pair of fellers going around the Southj East selling stuff from the back of a van. Eventually they had tackle made in their name and to their spec.


I still think there might have been a Black cat Japanese fly rod...one of those reversible handle sets in a box, possibly.

Hi Harry,
it could be the rod was a "Black Gnat" rod, these were sold by a chap called E.Kerry of Pickering in Yorkshire. He was also a well known fishing guide in the York's area and a writer for certain angling publications of the time, he used the pen name Black Gnat.

I believe his rods were made by Edminson Brothers. Fishing Tackle Specialists. Hotspur Works. Alnwick. who used a method of producing split cane rods known as the Edminson method.
From what I can make out it is where the cane sections were left with an almost untouched surface so no surface fibres or enamel was removed through planing or scraping, very little filing of nodes took place and were instead heated and flattened to preserve strength giving the rod more powerful action.
There is more to it than this but that's a quick rundown. (if any body wants the full details from their catalogue, let me know and I'll scan it and past it on the forum)

Edminsons of Alnwick disbanded in the late 40s probably because they refused to buy milling machines as their rods were always fully hand built and couldn't compete with other makers who were mass producing rods.

I believe one of the brothers went to work for J.B.Walker of Alnwick and William Edminson then went to work for Hardy Bros then later in the 50s he went to work for Cummins of Bishop Auckland who often made rods for Hardys when they couldn't cope with orders.

Or of course it could simply be a Black Cat rod but as for the Alnwick connection, I dont know.

Hope this helps mate.
Wal.

Thanks everybody,I might get to have a look at it this weekend if he remembers to bring it with him!