Home of the Antique Rod and Reel Library

CROSS Rod Co / SOUTH BEND 1938 Split Bamboo 8" 1/2" Fly Rod UNFISHED
Manufacturer: CROSS Rod Co/South Bend, Massachusetts & Indiana USA®
SOLD
Product Sold
I've been selling and collecting vintage fishing stuff for over 15 years. I've been selling on the internet for over 20 years mostly through paypal since 1999. I'm honest so have no worries in buying if you want an item I have for sell. Just so you know. I accept all forms of payments.						

They say, there's nothing like fishing these old USA & English bamboo fly rods. A lot of the newer fiberglass, graphite and carbon rods are to stiff and just don't have the same feel as bamboo which is a living fiber.					

$375  INSURED SHIPPING to USA. Will ship WORLD WIDE for actual USPS cost. email is danmassie1@yahoo.com

 VINTAGE HIGH QUALITY SPLIT BAMBOO FLY ROD MADE IN THE USA READY TO GO OUT AND FISH OR COLLECT OR BOTH.

Late 1930s SOUTH BEND/CROSS Premier fly rod #6668 made for or Montgomery Wards.

This rod is around 80 years old and in Unfished MINT Condition with original rod sock and tube. Tube still has full label. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this rod. I cant find anything wrong with it. even has the original label and model # all in tact. This was stored properly and everything is like new on the rod. Looks better then the pictures even.

This rod was made for Montgomery Wards going by the model # 6668. Its around 80 years old and looks like it was made yesterday. Nice vintage fly rod to go out and fish with. Rod cant be any straighter and all pieces are same length and everything is all original to each other.

 This is the more desirable shorter 8' 1/2" ft TROUT model with 5 or 6 weight fly line. Goes together and comes apart as good as it gets with that nice pop sound.

This rod has the original varnish coat. Ferrules are nickel silver. Super lite weight at 5 oz. Black and Gold SILK wraps are all original. Really nice vintage USA rod and ready to fish or collect.

READY TO COLLECT OR FISH. GUARANTEED NO CRACKS IN THE FERRULES OR ANY WERE ELSE ON THE ROD. NOTHING LOOSE AND NO DEFECTS. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS ROD GUARANTEED. YOU WONT HAVE NO PROBLEMS WITH THIS. THIS THINGS SOLID AND GOES TOGETHER AND COMES APART AS PERFECT AS YOU CAN GET.

(1)The length of the rod when assembled is 8'1/2 foot.
(2)the number of pieces that make up the rod: 3
(3) YES with extra tip
(4) all the rod sections are the same length YES.
(5) general condition is overall UNFISHED NEW.
(6) SOUTH BEND, Indiana 1930s.
(7) original sock and aluminum tube.
(8) Pictures are attached

HERES SOME HISTORY OF THE CROSS/SOUTHBEND FLY ROD CO.
Wesley D. Jordan deserves an honored place in history as one of the truly innovative bamboo rodmakers who had a major impact on the bamboo fly rod as we know
it today. Jordan was involved with producing bamboo rods for more than 50 years, first with the Cross Rod Co. of Lynn, Massachusetts, then with South Bend in
Indiana and finally with Orvis in Manchester, Vermont. His innovative genius and natural talent for craftsmanship turned all three companies into recognized
leaders in the bamboo rod business.

Jordan began his rod making career quite by accident shortly after serving two years in World War I. While on a fishing trip to Maine with William Forsyth, Mr.
Forsyth broke his fly rod and talked Wes into making him a new one. Jordan was an accomplished fisherman and was familiar with good bamboo rods, so he spent
nearly a year studying the construction of bamboo rods and reading all the literature he could find. Through trial and error he finally produced several
acceptable hand-planed rods of Calcutta cane. Mr. Forsyth was so enthusiastic about the results of Jordan's efforts that he proposed a rod making venture.
In 1920 they formed the Cross Rod Co., named for Bill Cross, a friend of Forsyth's who bought stock in the new company and also joined in learning the rod
making trade.

Within a year Jordan had designed a milling machine and built it with the help of his brother Bill, so rods could be produced faster and more economically to
compete with companies such as F. E. Thomas and H. L. Leonard. The Cross Rod Co. built fly rods, tournament rods and saltwater rods for trolling and surf
casting. Most of the larger rods were double-built models for power and strength. The company established a reputation for producing quality rods at reasonable
prices. Cross also produced rods under other brand names, such as Abbey & Imbrie in New York.

Mr. Forsyth died suddenly in 1925 and his heirs sold the Cross Rod Co. to the South Bend Tackle Co. in South Bend, Indiana. As part of the agreement, Jordan
moved to South Bend to set up the machinery, organize a rod production facility and train the employees. This temporary arrangement lasted almost 15 years.
During this period Wes designed methods and equipment to facilitate making rods with very low production costs, to compete with Montague, Union Hardware,
Horrocks-Ibbotson and Wright & McGill. One such device was a power-driven ram for splitting bamboo culms destined for mass-market rods. South Bend also
made rods for other companies, such as Sears Roebuck for as little as 83 cents wholesale. Cane for the higher quality rods built by South Bend and all the
South Bend-Cross rods were split by hand or sawed. Rods and blanks of this higher quality were also marketed to other companies, most notably to the Paul Young
Co., for several years prior to 1930.

In 1939 Wes Jordan went to work for Charles F. Orvis Co. in Manchester, Vermont, shortly after the nearly defunct company was rescued from receivership by Bart
Arkell and D. C. Corcoran. He worked for Orvis until his retirement in 1970, during which time he helped resurrect the company and take it to the forefront in
rod production. During his tenure at Orvis he developed the process for making impregnated rods, and designed and patented the famous Orvis screw lock reel
seat.