I did a favor for a friend of a friend. He knows i like fiberglass rods. So the other day he showed me this flyrod. Says he won it "30 or 40 years ago at a sporting club fundraiser dinner." It looks to me like it could be a kit rod or a one off built on the Phillipson "Orvis Golden Eagle" blank.

It's 6'5" assembled. Nickel sliding bands over nice cork. Sort of a superfine style grip with understated nickel check, hook & ring hook keeper. Thread appears to be silk with a fine low build finish. Weighs 2.25oz.

One of the first rods I built was on an Orvis fiberglass kit about 50 years ago. It's on a yellow Phillipson blank. This appears to be the later version, pea green rod blank, with the characteristic enlarged ferrule and metal ferrule ring. The stripping guide and tip top appear to different than a factory rod would have too. There is no inscription, which you would typically have on a factory rod.

I'd say you're right on target with your assessment of a kit or custom built Phillipson. Nice rod!

Hmm???
Looks like a golden eagle to me as well.

But the weight is off by 1/4oz
epoxy wraps,ceramic tiptop and stripper vs the carbide stripper and std chrome tiptop could account for weight difference

The 6.5ft factory Golden eagle rod only weighs
1-7/8oz

And just to make things spicy..
Here’s two 8ft Golden Eagles with different weights


It’s Probably a Golden Eagle Kit rod .
I don’t believe the golden eagle kit blanks had the Orvis script .

The yellow Fullflex blanks were pad printed at Phillipson HQ

Golden Eagles were hand scripted at Orvis when they were built out from blanks.

Golden eagles were so Good ..
Orvis still sold them as the top glass offering above their own in-house built A/amber rods.

FFr wiki says golden eagles went to 71-74 but Golden Eagles actually went to 1976

That rod is a keeper !!
Tight lines in 23
Scotto

That is beautiful,i personally like the ceramic tip a srtipper.State of the art 70s tech for sure.And it is 6.5 makes it even better,I have subconsciously wittled down many rods over 7'.I just don't use them.Phillipsons really jump in price 7' and shorter.They are great little rods.

Tom great pic of the Orvis build supplies
Dug up my old 76 catalog
Found the listing for the Golden Eagle Rod Kits

Cheers
Scotto

Nice rod that would likely be a hoot to fish on some small brooks. If there is a NE gathering - would be a fun one to be able to cast!

Thanks for posting the pics and very cool to see the kit components and the old catalog entries.