Could this be a Priory?
Posted: Sat Jul 23, 2016 10:03 am
Picked this one up on online. 11ft and appears to be a powerful avon-barbel-type rod. What do you think?
No makers logo or model, but someone has played around with it in the past and may have stripped it. It has been badly re-whipped in a wine thread, but there's one original red whipping remaining. The ferrules are quality, with the males metal-capped at the ends. Varnish is very thin.
Something rang a bell, so I compared with my 10ft Priory float rod, (top). Identical length handles. No whipping above the winding check, but maybe whoever rewhipped it may not have bothered to replace it.
Stepped butt-caps.
Reel fittings. The top band is wedged quite tight and cannot be moved down without force.
Same thread, (allowing for a very slight difference in tone due to varnish type or age).
OK, it may all just be coincidence, as the types of fittings were available to manufacturers at the time. Whatever it is or was, it's a quality rod and I'm looking forward to using it once I've restored it.
As for my 10ft Priory float rod. It's whole cane butt and middle, with split cane top. I've come across lots of this type of rod by various makers. I suppose they were cheaper in their day and therefore, more common. Some can feel a bit top-heavy, but this one is different - very light in weight and beautifully balanced. Needs a little work to take out the set and rewhip one inter ring and the tip ring in the right colour.
No makers logo or model, but someone has played around with it in the past and may have stripped it. It has been badly re-whipped in a wine thread, but there's one original red whipping remaining. The ferrules are quality, with the males metal-capped at the ends. Varnish is very thin.
Something rang a bell, so I compared with my 10ft Priory float rod, (top). Identical length handles. No whipping above the winding check, but maybe whoever rewhipped it may not have bothered to replace it.
Stepped butt-caps.
Reel fittings. The top band is wedged quite tight and cannot be moved down without force.
Same thread, (allowing for a very slight difference in tone due to varnish type or age).
OK, it may all just be coincidence, as the types of fittings were available to manufacturers at the time. Whatever it is or was, it's a quality rod and I'm looking forward to using it once I've restored it.
As for my 10ft Priory float rod. It's whole cane butt and middle, with split cane top. I've come across lots of this type of rod by various makers. I suppose they were cheaper in their day and therefore, more common. Some can feel a bit top-heavy, but this one is different - very light in weight and beautifully balanced. Needs a little work to take out the set and rewhip one inter ring and the tip ring in the right colour.