Bernard of Piccadilly fly rod .

[Kev D]

Today l was given an old rod by a customer . A quick peek had me thinking it was hollow fibre glass but pulling the rod from its bag at home rather surprised me.

It is in four parts . The butt is black painted wood and has similar contours to a billiard cue . The next two sections are also black and very thin walled. They have delicate brass ferrules.
The tip section is of lighter coloured wood .
There is a spare number three section which is warped and a spare tip section which has lost an inch due to a spliced repair.
Rings are little hinged loops .
It is 12 feet long when assembled and surprisingly light.
The butt cap is marked with a 3 and the words,
BERNARD
4 CHURCH PLACE
PICCADILLY

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Any information would be gratefully appreciated.
Many thanks .

[Mole-Patrol]

That will be J. Bernard & Son Kev. A well respected dealer who used to have rods and reels made by famous makers and branded with the J. Bernard name. There will be loads of information about them online.

That is a great find and all you need now is a matching reel made by Dingley to go with it.

[Kev D]

That will be J. Bernard & Son Kev. A well respected dealer who used to have rods and reels made by famous makers and branded with the J. Bernard name. There will be loads of information about them online.

That is a great find and all you need now is a matching reel made by Dingley to go with it.

Thank you Clive
The lower sections feel so much like hollow glass l had to convince myself otherwise by shining a torch down the ends.
I'll have a search on the interweb

[Mole-Patrol]

You should be able to date it Kev as they moved several times. J Bernard had premises at Jermyn Street and then as J Bernard & Son went to 4 & latterly 5 Church Place Picadilly. In 'the day' they were up there with the top names of London retailers so it isn't a Winfield tank aerial rod you've been gifted.

[Tonkin Wand]

Note the engraved name and address: BERNARD...4 CHURCH PLACE, PICCADILLY. So it predates "and son" 1839 Pigot's Directory lists JOHN BERNARD,4 CHURCH PASSAGE, PICCADILLY......There could have have been a later street name change.He and his son seemed to moved several times after 1870/80....or had several premises? A rod with drop rings would be late Vict./Early Edwardian ..... let's say the guarantee has expired!!!!

[StefanDuma]

4 Church Place and later 5 Church Place was closed in August 1898. Its possible that 4 & 5 were the same premises with a renumbering that took place similar to the Farlow address change.

[Mole-Patrol]

Have a look at this Kev: https://www.thomasturner.com/category/r ... ds/page/6/

Yours might be of the same style and materials.