This is a 9'0", 2/1 Conolon Live Fiber Trojan 416, pat. pend. by NARMCO, Inc. of Costa Mesa, CA, built on a brown blank that shows a rather coarse fiberglass mesh pattern, with gold metal cap and single ring over blue metal, blue metal winding check, quality metal ferrule, and decorative blue spiral wraps with twin red accent wraps.
This web page -
http://www.geocities.com/ ... y_narmco_conolon_rods.htm- reproduces a circa 1950's NARMCO catalog in which this claim is made:
Soon after World War II Narmco was fortunately able to introduce the first tubular fiberglass fishing rod invented by Dr. Glenn G. Havens, noted physicist and head of Narmco Research.
I have no idea whether NARMCO's claim can be substantiated or not, but this fiberglass rod would seem to be an early one, built well before Garcia's involvement with the Conolon line of rods. More information or ideas about this rod would be very welcome. This is not my area of expertise so I'm prepared for comments ranging from
"What a rare and unique rod!" to
"Dude there's a million of these old beaters out there."