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 tedgolden |
F E Thomas Special |
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Posts: 2478 05/24/2008 12:08 Moderator |
Seeking the present value of an 8 1/2 F E Thomas Special, all sections correct, wraps appear original with the possible exceptions of the tip guides.
Straight, tight and full length. I have included a photo of the bag and tube (Peerless) and I don't have a clue if original. Thomas die stamp on butt cap
poorly executed. Ferrules are 17 and 12. A 7 weight, I would think. Any other information is appreciated. Drew
   
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firehole |
#1 | |||
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Posts: 3291 05/24/2008 12:36 Local user |
Drew,
I've owned several 8'6" but all have been 5-6 wts. My best guess since it looks like it's excellent condition except for the replaced tip guide $600-700 range. I also question what might be under that elongated wrap of that guide. If it was 5 wt. in excellent all original condition it would demand $1000-1200. Are sure it's not a browntone? Maybe it's lighting. Dennis |
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tedgolden |
#2 | |||
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Posts: 2481 05/24/2008 13:31 Moderator |
Thanks Dennis, The buttcap is stamped "Special". I wondered about the tip guides. The few Thomas rods I have seen have had a unique guide with an
elongated tang. These appear to be the conventional Perfection type.
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firehole |
#3 | |||
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Posts: 3292 05/24/2008 14:49 Local user |
Drew,
If I remember right Browntone's are marked Specials on the hardware. Browntone would be marked only on the original tag as BT but evidently you don't have the tag. The longer elongated wraps I believe were on the very early Thomas rods. I once owned a 8' F.E. Fairy from the 20's which had the elongated wraps on the tip-top but all my later 30's-50's didn't. Dennis Here's a pic of my 8' 2/2 5wt. BT. The tag also has Thomas Special. The rod is presently not with me. 
Here's pic of the tips with blued tip-top 
Last Edited By: firehole 05/24/2008 17:23.
Edited 5 times.
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fishbates |
browntone rod | #4 | ||
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Posts: 108 05/27/2008 17:20 |
Rod appears to be an orginal browntone rod, tube and bag dont appear to be original. Tip top not a big deal you can fix that, $1,000 or so maybe higher.
These are nice rods curious as to the wt of the rod?
Last Edited By: fishbates 05/29/2008 14:58.
Edited 1 time.
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 Sal Fontinalis |
#5 | |||
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Posts: 469 05/30/2008 08:10 |
Neat rod. Dennis is right, the long tang tip tops are typically seen on the earlier rods up until the late 20s or early 30s. I agree that it could be a Brown
Tone, especially considering the blued hardware, but it's hard to tell in the pics. Plus you could "have it your way" and order just about any
configuration you wanted to. What is stamped on the bottom of the butt cap? Stamped numbers, letters, symbols, or a combination, usually indicate a later
rod. If it's just a number, it's probably an earlier rod. Cwfly and I have swapped many emails about the meaning behind the Thomas stamps and I think
this split is the only thing we have any certainty about. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to the early, number stampings.
An 8'6" 7wt is getting into the Streamer line up and while very desirable from a fishing perspective, they don't command the premiums of the shorter, lighter trout rods. Despite what the dealers are fishing for, I would think around $1,000 is reasonable. The bag may be original for a later rod but I don't think the tube is. Does the cap have any knurling on the sides? |
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Short Tip |
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Posts: 899 05/30/2008 12:21 Moderator |
Peerless tubes and Perfection tiptops are correct for a later (postwar) Thomas. Does it have a serial #? Not all Streamer rods had the distinctive buttcap, but
every one I have handled or owned had double wraps at the ferrules. Neat rod Drew! Bag also looks to be a late original.
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