Hardy "The Expert" - any info.

[CraigM]

I've just taken delivery of a 3 piece whole cane butt & middle,whole cane spliced to 28" of split cane top light float rod.

No writing on the butt section but seller "believed" it to be "The Expert".

Rod is 12' 8" when put together [4" shorter than an "Expert"?] & needs complete refurb. - which it's going to get.

Serial no.35541 on the button metal with "Hardy" & "By Appointment". + crest.

Bag label usual Hardys but also "By Appointment to the late King George V" & to "The Prince of Wales 1931-1936".

Will try to upload pics. in due course, but has anyone any info. or comments please?

thanks,
Craig.

[Nobby]

I think this is a Spanish reed light roach rod for match fishing. I do recall that the rod sections were not of an equal length when made.

http://www.inthenetuk.com/pages/Vintage ... e_Cane.asp

The serial number might indicate 1936 and as a composite rod it should be preceded by a letter G.

[Champ]

Hi Craig.The Expert was built as a match fishers rod.Mine is 13 feet the three sections are the same length.Butt is spanish reed,mid section spanish reed with a whole cane insert.The top starts as whole cane then steps down to a fine split cane tip.The whippings are scarlet tipped with green.I have used the rod fishing in ponds for rudd and roach.It would be a good crucian rod i suspect but i wouldnt like to have a rogue carp on it when tiddler snatching.

Have a close look at the whole cane butt on yours.Spanish reed usually has dark brown or black staining.If its whole cane it probably isnt an Expert.

[CraigM]

Thanks gents.

Champ - the butt section does have brown staining. It's otherwise as you describe yours, but for 4".

The whole rod is just about fisheable but I wouldn't want to hook anything over a pound in it's current condition. It's desperately in need of full refurbishment [as I had expected]. It has lost a lot of varnish, particularly on the split cane. All the whippings need re-doing.

I part bought it for the "By appointment to...." bag label. Was this rare?

Regards.

[Nobby]

I think every Hardy rod bag ever made had the by royal appointment bit on it.

[Mark]

I think every Hardy rod bag ever made had the by royal appointment bit on it.

And why not. :thumb:

[The VFC]

I think every Hardy rod bag ever made had the by royal appointment bit on it.

True - but the exact nature and wording of the Royal Warrants changed slightly as the royal family did.
Jim

[Nobby]

Not neccasarily so, I believe. Hardy would have been allowed to use the Royal Warrant after the death of a monarch or prince, so rods from the Fifties still carried the wording of Warrants granted in the Thirties before the Abdication crisis.

Nevertheless they have 18 Royal Warrants so there must be some different wordings out there, surely?

[Mark]

Tonight I was flicking through old anglers guide "Angling in the Midlands issued by The Trent Fishery Board" dated 1936 and I came across the following advert.

Here you can see the Royal Warrant of Appointment with the Coat of Arms crest on the left and the Prince of Wales crest on the right.

[CraigM]

I wonder what now stands on the site of the tackle dealers in the ad.?