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Grandfather's Glass Rod
Post 20 Mar 2021, 10:49 • #1 
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Hi, new member here! I have been fly fishing for about a year.
I hope you guys can help me on identifying my grandfather's rod.
It has signs of wear, just recently had some guides replaced.
It is 8'6" in length.
The only markings on it are by the reel seat. I believe it to be either a Shakspeare or South Bend.
NO - 60 - 6657 MODEL FAH



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Post 20 Mar 2021, 11:13 • #2 
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Those certainly look like Shakespeare date codes which would make it a 1950 rod.
And the reel seat looks like an age appropriate spring loaded model.

However It's not listed on the wiki page.
https://wiki.fiberglassflyrodders.com/wiki/Shakespeare

Maybe our historians "Purist" and "Fishkat" will chime in.


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Post 20 Mar 2021, 14:17 • #3 
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Joined: 08/26/17
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Location: S.F. Bay Area
The rod was made for Montgomery Ward & Co. in the years following the war. The #60-6657 is a MW catalog stock number. Not sure of the maker.


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Post 21 Mar 2021, 10:57 • #4 
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Looks like a Shakespeare to me. Sweet


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Post 21 Mar 2021, 16:09 • #5 
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That's definitely a South Bend "internal" reel seat, which Shakespeare also used on their cane rods and early glass.
The grip looks Shakespeare.
My '51 Wards catalog bounces all around that inventory number without a match, but they used their inventory numbers on rods branded by South Bend, Shakespeare, H-I, and True Temper, as well as house-brand Sport King.
In the '51 Wards Catalog, most Sport King rods are H-I, and there's one Sport King combo rod I can't identify by the seat.
Image


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Post 22 Mar 2021, 10:37 • #6 
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Is the blank Howald glass?


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Post 23 Mar 2021, 09:54 • #7 
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This is an unsettling thread. It dawned on me that my grandson might be posting about my rods. it doesn't long ago to me but many of them were new in the 70s, one in the 60s.


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Post 23 Mar 2021, 18:40 • #8 
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The blank has no markings. As I am 61, it has to be from the 50's, very early 60's.


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Post 23 Mar 2021, 19:49 • #9 
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all of us are thinking its from the very early 50s - you don't see that reel seat on too many glass rods.


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Post 23 Mar 2021, 22:53 • #10 
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It looks much like a Shakespeare A-1380B from 1950-60 per the wiki and eBay (click here for auction link)

Or the 1380T viewtopic.php?f=3&t=46980


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Post 24 Mar 2021, 09:39 • #11 
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If Trev is correct, then I was wrong about the reel seat.
The SB reel seat I called out is internally threaded, similar to the Granger patent seat.
The 1380T that Trev linked, and also a 1280T that I owned, has an internally spring-loaded seat that pulls out and snaps back to seat the reel foot.
But I also think he's right on the ferrules, and those photos would help us.


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Post 24 Mar 2021, 11:10 • #12 
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More Photo's


I suspect this rod may have been white at one time.


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Post 24 Mar 2021, 21:53 • #13 
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Looks like an early wonderod that got painted green at some point in its life


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Post 25 Mar 2021, 09:19 • #14 
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After all of y' all's detective work, I am leaning towards a Shakespeare 1380T.
What would be a good reel to put on it? I do believe it is a 5wt. I used the Common Cents System to arrive at that.
I know I tried my Liquid 8 wt. and it was not heavy enough for good balance.


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Post 25 Mar 2021, 09:34 • #15 
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Pflueger Medalist 1494


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Post 25 Mar 2021, 11:18 • #16 
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I actually am watching that model on Ebay now. :)


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Post 25 Mar 2021, 14:44 • #17 
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TXRazor wrote:
After all of y' all's detective work, I am leaning towards a Shakespeare 1380T.
What would be a good reel to put on it? I do believe it is a 5wt. I used the Common Cents System to arrive at that.
I know I tried my Liquid 8 wt. and it was not heavy enough for good balance.

I agree you have a Shakespeare 1380 from the early fifties. It appears the rod was painted gray and sold by Montgomery Ward (or painted gray by a previous owner). The numbers stamped on the reelseat are unlike anything I've seen from Shakespeare. Sears, LL Bean, Montgomery Ward, Pep Boys and others often sold fishing tackle made by the large companies, but given the store label. In addition, at some point a layer of varnish was added over the gray paint. That varnish imparts a greenish tinge. Certainly the color is unique.

The Common Cents System was badly designed for graphite rods. The system is even worse with fiberglass. While your rod will likely cast a 5 weight line, try a 6 or 7 weight to see how they feel. The correct line is the one that works best for you. That line may well vary depending on the day's fishing conditions. Don't get hung up on the rod working with one particular line.


Tom


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Post 25 Mar 2021, 16:26 • #18 
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Joined: 03/19/21
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Tom,

I can see my grandfathers name on the rod "Dick" short for Richard. It is actually under the gray/varnished paint.
That is how I know, it had to have been painted.
Thanks to all of you for helping. ;)


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