Heddon & Sons, James®

Retailer: Heddon & Sons, James

Model: #50 Deluxe President Fly Rod.

Length: 9'

Handle: Reverse Half Wells

Configuration: 3/2

Weight: 4 3/4 oz.

Material: Bamboo

Circa: 1929 - 1930

Condition: Excellent

Donated By: Richard Alexander

Markings: Heddon

Remarks: This rod seams to raise a few questions, it is marked Heddon only on the shaft with no Model #. The best I can tell around 1928 - 1929 was about the time frame that Heddon stopped using the Serial #s and started to mark there rods with, first Heddon only, then the Model # followed. Please note the lack of a grip check on this particular rod as well as the Chromium-plated Butt Cap, Sliding band and ferules. Heddon catalogs do not mention a Model #50 with this type of hardware but this rod is clearly a #50. It also has a Walnut spacer that again was not cataloged until 1931 on this model of rod. We know that Chromium plated hardware was mentioned in the catalogs about 1930 on both the models #35, #31 and the #20. By 1931 when the catalog mentions the walnut spacer The ferules had changed to the next evolution found on the #50s of that year although the Model #35 still carried the old style ferules until at least into 1932. By 1932 The #35s, #50s and #65s were cataloged to have the Pyralin Ferule Reinforcements. From what I can see it is all original varnish except for the areas where the finish was to bad and it appears to have been scraped and re varnished in those areas. Special order, most likely. A wonderful extremely rare transitional example that has survived. It is a #2 ferule rod and has a lovely wet fly feel.