Chapman Amwell, £20....

[David Fox]

Hi all - a postscript:
I bought a rod a few weeks ago from an auction in Bury St Edmunds. In fact, I bought a dozen rods in 4 lots (all unexceptional, but my kind of 'value' purchase). Anyway, this one rod, in a lot by itself, was described as 'The Orwell'. No-one else bid for it and, as I already had a few to pick up, I paid £10 for it.

Just got it out of the attic for a closer look and realised that the handwritten name on the rod did not look like 'Orwell', more like 'Omwell', and with 'NL' written after it. Dutch, I thought? I could find nothing on the web. I looked again at the name again and thought it could be a lower case 'a' but written large as a capital.

So here I am, from never having heard of this rod to thinking 'Wow!', what a find. These rods seem to hide in dusty corners . . . It is in a poor state, so I will refurb.

Photos are too big to attach - I'll sort that out and post them later.

[BoltonBullfinch]

The latest on my Amwell is it has gone back to its maker in the hope John Chapman can sort me out a new top section. The butt section is finished (I do hope John doesn't look at it to closely), the middle section is two guides and varnishing from being finished, I just need a top section now, so here's hoping John can work his magic and find me a spare tip somewhere.

Thanks
BB

[BoltonBullfinch]

So here we are again, 17 month on from the last post regarding the 20 quid Amwell and I have some happy news. I phoned John Chapman up about 6 week ago to see if there was any news on the Amwell tip section search and said I would get my brother to pick it up if John couldn't help in the search. John apologised profusely about the lack of movement over the previous 15 month or so and said give him a week or so to try and sort something out. Two weeks later John phones me back telling me he has sorted a new tip section and what do I want doing to the tip. I said I don't want him to do anything as I know he has not been in the best of health, and that I would continue with the refurb after my brothers pre Christmas visit returns the Amwell up north. Now I have no idea if John found the new tip lying around in the workshop or actually made a new tip but he refused any sort of payment as he said he has had the rod for a good length of time. It was then my turn to thank him for his generosity.
My brother delivered the Amwell and its new tip a week ago, and it now has a ferrule fitted and whipped in green thread. I will hopefully get on with the refurb during the Christmas holiday and will try and get a picture up on here in the next couple of days.

Thanks
BB

[Greentura]

A lovely rod, typical 11’ general purpose float rod but everything about it is just right, a better version of the Shelford, also the same length handle and guide spacing as the rare Quinette mk7.

[Liphook]

Excellent result Paul - some things are worth the wait eh? Looking forward to seeing the results. I've never handled an Amwell but it sounds a useful addition to your armoury