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 roycestearns |
F.E. Thomas Special |
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Posts: 61 11/27/2008 01:24 |
I picked up an F.E. Thomas Special 3/2 through the recent Lang's auction. I've read the posts on the forum (2006 and 2007) regarding the dating of
these rods. Is the recommendation still the same - contact Marty Keane or did Fishnbanjo put a list together? I know this sounds wrong but here's a
picture of my butt, marked "diamond symbol?" #373
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 fishnbanjo |
#1 | |||
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Posts: 5755 11/27/2008 08:28 the Canefather |
Hi Royce,
Sorry I don't have any kind of list only a few copies of sheets of the ledger that have found way to me over the years. From what I have heard Mr. Keane is ill and the business he ran for so many years is no longer in operation at this time. Martin was always generous with sharing information from the Thomas Ledger and the diamond symbol with the numbers would be found in the ledger and help you identify the information on your rod such as length, pieces when and who the rod was made for, hopefully the ledger information will be available again in the future. Enjoy the rod............... banjo
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roycestearns |
#2 | |||
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Posts: 62 11/27/2008 12:22 |
Banjo - thanks.
I'm sorry to hear about Mr. Keane, and I hope your on the way to full recovery as well. So the diamond puts the rod in the 1937-1950's (Leon) time slot, correct? I'm looking forward to throwing a line with this rod in early spring 2009. |
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fishnbanjo |
#3 | |||
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Posts: 5756 11/27/2008 13:32 the Canefather |
Most definitely and if the tube is brass capped it would be pre WW II as well as the tubes post war were simpler and not brass capped.
banjo
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moregrayling |
f.e. thomas | #4 | ||
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Posts: 836 11/28/2008 01:09 |
what's the verdict on this one then? the tube has chromed or nickled fittings, b.t.w..
best from krautland, christian 
them 'at knows nowt, fears nowt
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fishnbanjo |
#5 | |||
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Posts: 5757 11/28/2008 07:40 the Canefather |
That's an early (pre 1935) rod, the fittings are actually brass that were nickel plated and the nickel plating was dropped later as that cost both time and
money.
banjo
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moregrayling |
f.e. thomas | #6 | ||
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Posts: 837 11/28/2008 10:25 |
thank you
them 'at knows nowt, fears nowt
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roycestearns |
#7 | |||
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Posts: 63 11/28/2008 14:42 |
Do you read Moregrayling 's butt as square 6, and mine as diamond 373?
This Special has the detail on the reel slides, check, ferule, and plugs which doesn't show up in all the years? And was it standard to make the wrap sequence the same as the butt number 373? 
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fishnbanjo |
#8 | |||
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Posts: 5759 11/28/2008 15:09 the Canefather |
I did, I have seen no evidence of a symbol and single digit being in the ledger as yet, Fred Thomas generally used a single digit, which I believe (not
completely convinced however) to be the designation of the band used on the reel seat, a symbol has shown up on occasion as well, multiple Aplha, Numeric and
Alpha-Numeric nomenclature with symbols were utilized in the ledger though.
AFAIK wrap schemes were what the wrapper felt like doing unless a customer requested something...................... banjo
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cwfly |
#9 | |||
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Posts: 783 11/28/2008 21:53 |
Royce,
Nice rod. If I do this correctly the link will bring you to an old thread about numbers. Old FET numbers thread Charlie |
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roycestearns |
#10 | |||
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Posts: 64 11/29/2008 11:47 |
Thanks Charlie, I did go through the old FE posts and found it very helpful. I hadn't seen anything about the "diamond" symbol.
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fishnbanjo |
#11 | |||
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Posts: 5760 11/29/2008 12:40 the Canefather |
Royce,
The following symbols were used by Fred Thomas that I have had on rods I've owned or seen, triangle, circle, dot, square, clover leaf, rectangle, diamond and I'm sure there are others, it would make for an interesting thread on its own.......... banjo
Last Edited By: fishnbanjo 11/29/2008 13:57.
Edited 1 time.
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oldfishbrain |
#12 | |||
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Posts: 1233 11/29/2008 13:30 |
I guess this is the right thread to ask if someone can help with the date of the following two FET rods:
I forgot where I bought this one. It has a hang tag that states its weight (4 1/8 oz) and the fact that it is an 8ft special. It is a 3/2 and the tube is
brass capped. Reportedly restored by Steve Blake.
Maker of light line nodeless bamboo fly rods
avardanis@sympatico.ca |
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fishnbanjo |
#13 | |||
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Posts: 5761 11/29/2008 14:01 the Canefather |
I'd put the first one in the 1935-37 time period and the bottom one pre 35 probably pre 30 with the intermediates.... nice rods..... First time I've
seen a large 1 of that style Alex.......
banjo
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roycestearns |
#14 | |||
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Posts: 65 11/29/2008 14:01 |
Banjo, And my diamond could certainly be a square with a twist. We'll just have to wait for Martin's Thomas ledger to become available.
Oldfishbrain I'd love to see more pictures of your dot 77. |
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oldfishbrain |
#15 | |||
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Posts: 1234 11/29/2008 17:37 |
Here are a few more pictures of the dot 77:
Maker of light line nodeless bamboo fly rods
avardanis@sympatico.ca |
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reelill |
#16 | |||
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Posts: 199 11/29/2008 18:07 |
This Little 6' 2/2 Special is stamped with a single 4, in the photo it is laying next to a 9' special.
Richard 
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roycestearns |
#17 | |||
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Posts: 69 11/29/2008 22:24 |
OFB - thanks beautiful rod ... it looks like I have the original bag as well.
Reelill - nice pair |
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Short Tip |
#18 | |||
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Posts: 939 12/01/2008 10:45 Moderator |
Howdy boys, long time no see. Royce, I'm pretty sure that any rod with a symbol and a number is going to be pre-37, and undateable by the ledger. Your rod
appears to fall in that category.
I'm intrigued by the fact your number matches the signature wraps. I ran back and checked all my old FE's - None of them match. A Mahogany with number 8 has a 2-2-4-2-2 sig wrap, an earlier Dirigo grade 7 1/2 footer has a number 8 and 9 close spaced sig wraps, etc...... AFAIK, most of the post 37 rods have a letter for the year and the number is the production sequence. Someday we'll crack the earlier code, I don't think it denotes reel seat hardware but it must mean something! PK |
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bobk |
#19 | |||
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Posts: 4 12/01/2008 12:08 |
On the top of a letter from Marty Keane from 1999 when I wrote him regarding another matter, and then we had a phone conversation, I have written:
"Numbers were used prior to 1937, numbers and symbols were used beginning in 1937, the symbols used for 3 years were a dot, a square, and a triangle, and
then letters were used.
I have two 7'6" Specials, both 2/2. One has a down locking seat and is stamped "A" and underneath that "325" and a copy of the Thomas production record from Marty Keane indicating that this rod was started on 5/14/40 and completed on 5/31/40, is a dry fly model weighing 3 7/8 oz. So, from above, it appears that the letter "A" might correctly correspond to 1940. And if this is correct then the three symbols would be correct for 1937, 1938, 1939 (the order of them not being known). And if a new letter was used starting each new year then the letters "A" thru "S" would cover the years 1940 thru 1958. But, how do we explain my other 7'6" Special which has a full cork seat and is stamped "EG" and underneath that "33" ? What production year would 2 letters possibly indicate ?
Last Edited By: bobk 12/01/2008 12:11.
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bulldog1935 |
#20 | |||
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Posts: 6433 12/01/2008 12:46 Bulldog1935 |
here's the 8-1/2' special I bought from Matt - it's stamped "8" on the butt cap (photo credits to Matt)
  
this rod also has the long-tang tip tops - maybe I'll get some photos later. no swelled butt - it makes for a very delicate-feeling rod.
the rods are never obsolete - the marketing is.
Last Edited By: bulldog1935 12/01/2008 14:00.
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