Can anyone shed any light on this fishing rod? Sorry I don't have a picture (the rod's not mine), but it is a 2-piece rod made of greenish glass. The reel seat looks a little like that on the posted pictures of the "Dr. Howald Purist", in that there is a plastic sleeve that slides down to hold the reel, but the labels on the rod are different. On this rod there is a small decal that says "Honor Built Honor Sold". Under the decal, machine printed in ink (on four lines), are the words "HOWALD GLASTIK WONDEROD BY SHAKESPEARE EXP #19-1" (or maybe it says "EXP #15-1").

From one of Glastik's posts on the "Rod Pictures" thread, I learned that the word "Glastik" wasn't used after 1947. Does the pressence of that word on this rod date it to 1947 or earlier? It doesn't look like either of the two 1947 rods in Glastik's photo. Was a rod like this ever sold commercially, or is it possibly a pre-production rod?

And thanks to everyone on this forum. What little I know about these old fishing rods, I learned here.

Thanks,
Art

Hey there-

It sounds like a Shakespeare experimental rod. I'd sure like to see detailed pix, and maybe a chance to own it. Any chance?

Glastik

I agree with Glastik. It's probably a prototype. Would like to see the pics too.

Wow! This is undoubtedly a prototype Wonderod from 1946. I have examined an early pre-Shakespeare Howald fiberglass prototype (see my photo in the Rod Pictures area) and I'm convinced from the decal, glastik monicker, and provenance, that this is a rod that was made up either by or for Dr. Howald as a test rod. Truly a historic piece of angling history there.
Henry Shakespeare once told me that he and Dr. Howald made up several flyrod prototypes and gave them to Paul Young, Ted Williams, and Charles Ritz to test. I'm sure they made up a few for themselves. This has to be one of them.
Thank you for posting the pictures! Very exciting find.

Glastik