Farlows Spliced Salmon Rod

[Sevilla315]

By the way, I moved over to bamboo (both single handed trout and double handed speys) almost exclusively from 2012, gradually selling off the carbon rods as a new bamboo was delivered. They are all spliced, hollowbuilt rods and are in the range 11'3 #6 to 12' 8/9.
I've fished for salmon and steelhead with them and find that I can fish continuously for about 3 days before tiring completely. I haven't done much fishing due to covid, but I did get out last June to the Wye and managed a nice 11lb fish. I've also caught a 20lber in Iceland which was a real tussle on the bamboo. These days, short shooting heads in the 30'-40' head range are used rather than the double tapers, but they may suit your Sharpes more.

BTW I turn 60 this year and don't intend to stop fishing my bamboo speys! They say Alexander Grant fished his 18'-21' greenhearts into his 80's!

[Britfisher2]

I've had another look and I'm pretty certain they're beech which has been stained and varnished. Likely they were made from beech dowel. Sadly I have neither the skills nor the kit to make one, but I think I know a man who can. Will be talking to him shortly. In the meantime here are a couple of pics

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Hopefully if I can get one made I'll be able to sort out the staining, varnishing and leather loops, as I think they look really good and a big improvement on a piece of string.

Very impressed that you have transitioned completely to bamboo. Unfortunately, given the rivers I fish and my advanced years that wouldn't be possible. Well done for getting a fish off the Wye last year - one of the few and a nice one too.

[Sevilla315]

I have attached some photos of a Farlows Greenheart which had the same bumps on the splices ala Grant/Playfair/Somers rods with splice protectors like yours. They are owned by someone I know from a US spey forum who is greenheart curious, he bought it when he was visiting London many years ago.


I have joined a syndicate on the Wye, hopefully I will repeat the experience, though the Wye is going through the wars at present with pollution from chicken farming in the Wye Valley.

[Sevilla315]

Here's a picture of one of my contemporary bamboo speys with splice protector with waxed cotton cord. I think they're actually quite attractive with this type of cord, but yes not as nice as the leather straps.

[Britfisher2]

That’s an impressive greenheart rod. The bump on the end of the splices and the splice protectors reminded me of something, namely an old greenheart spinning rod I have that’s in my “one day I’ll restore this” section! It’s an old 2-piece, 8’9” greenheart spinning rod with white ceramic rings and an old-style cork handle. The tip section has the bump on its splice and one of the 2 splice protectors has a bump too, but at some stage somebody has cut a bit off it. The splice protector is dated 1936, but even so I think it may be a later addition! Maybe the bump thing was there to stop the leather straps they used to join the rods together from falling off? Anyway, if you decide to join the spinning crowd on the Wye, let me know and I’ll send it over for you to use - might need a bit of restoration first though!

Those James Reid rods, and even more so the splice protectors, look really impressive by the way.

[Sevilla315]

Very interesting!
If I'm not mistaken, that greenheart spinning rod is a Playfair Alexander Grant Vibration.
The spinning rods were 10' and longer and had ceramic guides like yours. The bumps on the splices were the invention of Grant, which stopped the leather thongs binding the splices together slipping off the end of the splice. The numbers on the splice (the serial number) were also characteristic of Playfair/Somers rods who bought the patent from Grant. The number on your splice is a serial number and 1936 whilst appears to be a year, is probably dated between 1925-1934, but most probably in the late 20's. http://www.feathersfliesandphantoms.co. ... air_9.html
The splice protectors did not have the bump however, perhaps someone used the end of a broken tip to make into a splice protector!
Though I didn't think they were as short as 8'9, the price lists showed them as 10', 10'6 and 11'.


The James Reids are indeed my prides and joy, however much I'm obsessed with Grant and his Vibrations at present, I will continue to use and cherish them!

[Sevilla315]

The marks next to the serial number (if it wasn't chopped off!) on that splice "protector" say "Grant's Patent No. XXXX".

[Sevilla315]

These are a couple of the original splice protectors - pine, and curiously they are oval shaped rather than round - also on the sections - so that when assembled the joint is a long oval as opposed to a round tube as per most modern spliced rods like James Reid's or Bob Clay's.
No doubt a design feature by Mr. A G.

[Britfisher2]

You’re absolutely right about the splice protector with the bump! I can just about make out PATENT in the bit before the 1936, and your explanation that it’s a piece of another rod is clearly spot on. As for the spinning rod itself, I did wonder if it may have been made from the upper sections of a fly rod that had a broken butt section, but the look and fit of the tip ring suggests it is purpose made. The cork handle has obviously been messed with as at some point somebody looks to have added a fixed reelfoot (a la Sharpes) and painted the topmost cork red(!) and stained the next one black. Underneath the cork is decent though. In any event, if you think it’s a PAGV, maybe you’d like to add it to your collection of PAGV rods? I have too many other projects on at the moment so it will be a long time before I get around to restoring it, so, if you fancy taking it on, it’s yours for the postage.

Regarding the oval splice protectors, I also have a couple of these. One is pine and looks factory made (the small one) and the other looks hand carved. Interestingly the “factory made” one has no hole for a cord. They don’t fit any of the rods I currently have, so no idea where they originated.

[Sevilla315]

No problems, it's all very interesting all this history!
I am finishing off my 15' Vibration and I may do the 12' if Paul hasn't the time to start on it, so I'm tied up for the next few months; however refurbing the spinning rod seems a nice project. Someone I know almost bought a similar spinning rod on the bay which has been listed for quite a while (but much earlier, serial number in the 400's) but he thought it was a short fly rod. Very kind of you to offer the spinning rod to me for refurb, I'll drop you a PM in a few months when I've completed these projects and it's still sitting idle.
I recently started coarse fishing alongside my fly fishing, so some spinning on the coarse stretches of the Wye sounds a good way to pass some time. My friend from Bath is a coarse fisherman and we met up at Ross-On-Wye when I caught that salmon so some spinning with greenheart with him sounds very appealing.
Many thanks again,
Kind regards,
S