Owner Names on Rods

History of the LL Dickerson Rod Co. Feel free to discuss Dickerson Rods here.

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RPL
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Owner Names on Rods

#1

Post by RPL »

Have you tracked down any stories or background of original Dickerson rod owners? I recall that "Mainiac" had succeeded in finding quite a bit about a women in Michigan who was the original owner of an 8013, including her long association with a fishing club, which he had posted on Clark's Forum. I've tried to find more about several Dickerson owners with names like S.F. Lewis, Nancy Graham, H.R. Staughton, M.H. Wehncke, and Harold Mahalek. References to some of these people exist in the Dickerson ledgers, and Mainiac, who has a copy of the pre-1940 ledger, was able to locate references to Mahalek and Wehncke. However, other than these ledger entries, which provide no addresses or background, I have drawn a blank. I suppose that these original owners may have interesting stories behind them but they are indeed hard to get at. Dealers and other sellers have scant info about the history of most rods. I haven't turned to an Internet genealogical sight, but perhaps that would be the scientific way.

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fishnbanjo
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Owner Names on Rods

#2

Post by fishnbanjo »

My 7613 was made for H W Fletcher a wealthy MI sport who owned a large tract of land called Fletcher's Bloody Woods which is a preserve now. My first 9016 had no name on it, the second was Tim Bedford's who purchased Dickerson's Rod Shop. My 8014 Guide was built for MI Guide Wm. Brown, an 8014 had no name, my 901812 was made for D. Stone but I've never found out anything about him. I have a baitcaster made for the American Casting Club, my 962013 has no name on it and the 8615 was made for a fishing companion of Dickerson's, Phillip Day.

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Owner Names on Rods

#3

Post by spruce grouse »

I was able to track down a little info about the original owner of my 7612 even though his name is not on the rod.. The rod's original owner was a building contractor who did pretty well for himself, as he endowed an Economics chair at a university in Ohio. His son inherited the rod and not being a fisherman, sold it to the person I bought it from. All I had to go on was the owner's name and where he had lived. The Internet did the rest.
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quashnet
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Owner Names on Rods

#4

Post by quashnet »

Catskill fly tier Art Flick, author of the Streamside Guide, had a Dickerson 7013 built for him in 1951. Flick's name appears on both the rod and the rod case. This rod was offered by T&T in a late 1980's "Classic Tackle List" for $850. My understanding is that Flick gave it up because the new graphite rods were so much lighter...Image Wonder where that rod is now.
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RPL
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Owner Names on Rods

#5

Post by RPL »

Interesting background on owners. My impression is that some of the owners were indeed prominent but that many were not. I think that Schaaf and Stein note that auto execs and professionals in the Detroit area were among his customers along with others who saved up for a rod. Bergman, of course, generated customers for Dickerson in the 1930s, and there seem to be a good many rods sold in the East as well as Midwest, among all strata of society. That's just my impression. Quashnet -- A couple of months ago, I saw a 7 ft. Dickerson inscribed with Art Flick's name on it in the Catskill Fly Fishing Museum in Livingston Manor, NY. (I didn't see the rod case.) Unless Dickerson made a number of rods for Flick, it's probably the rod you mentioned. It seemed to be in good shape but was not getting much use these days locked up behind glass. I think I took a snapshot of it.

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quashnet
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Owner Names on Rods

#6

Post by quashnet »

A special presentation Dickerson rod from 1951 sold for $4125 at Lang's (January 2004) auction. It is marked:
Dickerson 8014 Guide 51 To Jack Ferenze - From the Hotel and Restaurant Employees and Bartenders Union Detroit Local Joint Executive Board A.F. of L.
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fishnbanjo
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Owner Names on Rods

#7

Post by fishnbanjo »

quashnet wrote:A special presentation Dickerson rod from 1951 sold for $4125 at Lang's (January 2004) auction. It is marked:
Dickerson 8014 Guide 51 To Jack Ferenze - From the Hotel and Restaurant Employees and Bartenders Union Detroit Local Joint Executive Board A.F. of L.
As an added note the rod was unfished at the time of the sale. A couple of years ago a member of the Classic Fly Rod Forum contacted me about the rod and a book I have in my collection had a complete listing ot the rod with photos and the hammer price, I encouraged the gent to purchase it with an inspection period, if possible, and to contact me with any questions he may have.

He contacted me and said he was a bit confused as the rod appeared new and untouched but the tips were both 1/4" shorter than the butt section. I explained to him that this was not uncommon with Dickerson rods and was explained in great detail in the Dickerson book by Schaaf and Stein I also encouraged him to give rod maker Jim Schaaf a call. He called Jim and because they lived so close he was invited to his shop, Schaaf owned the Dickerson Shop at that time. Jim told him the rod was original and appeared to still be in unfished condition and then jointed the rod and measured it showing him it was indeed 8' long. The gent still owns the rod today and it remains in unfished condition one of the rarest Dickerson rods made with only 9 having been made.

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RPL
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Owner Names on Rods

#8

Post by RPL »

That Dickerson presentation rod was discussed recently on the Forum by the owner. Impressive and rare. Appears that rod might never be fished with a clear conscience. As more time goes by, it may be harder and harder to fish those pristine and unique rods. In view of the AF of L connection in the inscription, my comment was that it might be considered the ultimate blue collar cane. Not sure that was appreciated.

I guess one of the unique and great Dickersons is the rod that Dickerson himself used. Bob Summers has the one and only 8013 that Dickerson regularly fished. Apparently one tip is about one inch short, which Dickerson reportedly said made no difference in the action. Bob told me that he fishes it about once a year -- with great care. I think Dickerson also liked to fish one of his 9 footers and perhaps others, but his favorite seemed to be his 8013.

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Re: Owner Names on Rods

#9

Post by rdvmd »

FWIW, I was at an estate auction in Circleville, OH about 15 years ago, where a Dickerson rod went for $225. It was inscribed with the name of one of the founders of TU, not sure which one. It was one of a his/hers pair, I believe only "his" was in the auction. Whoever it was , they were featured on the cover of the TU magazine in the 60's. It was purchased by someone in the Mad Men chapter of TU.

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Re: Owner Names on Rods

#10

Post by wefishcane »

I just found this thread and am the owner of the Presentation 8014 Guide. It is still in unfished condition. I have asked dealers if they have an estimated value on this rare rod since I will never fish it and the response is usually "very difficult to say but a lot more than what you have in it".

Jim

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Re: Owner Names on Rods

#11

Post by ARTHURK »

Congrats Jim! And do post pictures of that wonderful and rare rod. Thanks.

My 1936 3/2 8ft Dickerson had the name Doc Moyers on it. He could have been a war hero medic or a GP. I cannot be sure but the rod does have a nice 'healing' action is both powerful yet precise that I need to be relaxed to cast it well.

By the way, do you guys find Dickerson tapers a little heavy? No problem when hooked onto a leviathan though;-)

Arthur

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Re: Owner Names on Rods

#12

Post by fishwoodrods »

A number of years ago I bought a pair of 7612s from a man in my hometown of Bay City Michigan who received his as a gift from his father after getting out of the army in 1947. The other was his fathers rod that he inherited. Both rods were inscribed with the date and the names on the rod. The fathers name was Joseph Hirschfield and the sons name was Bob Hirschfield. The father had owned the Hirschfield Steel company in Bay City and had owned the High Banks Lodge on the North Branch of the Au Sable River in the Lovells area of Michigan. Bob had his own place next to has fathers that was known as the Low Banks Lodge. Combined they owned about a mile of river frontage on both sides of the river immediately upstream from the access at what is known as Dam Four on the North Branch. Bob inherited his fathers lodge when he died and then later sold it when he told me that the "fishing wasn't any good anymore". Bob died a couple of years ago.
Mark McKellip.

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Re: Owner Names on Rods

#13

Post by Brian K. Shaffer »

Above was posted in 2009 - below link to this site has some quality shots...

viewtopic.php?t=43464&start=20
" There's no such thing as a fly fisherman wholly satisfied with his casting performance. " ~ Jim Green (1971)
" Just once I wish a trout would wink at me. " ~ Brian Shaffer

Use the SEARCH for justification and reasoning.

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Re: Owner Names on Rods

#14

Post by arpcpapc »

I recently purchased a Dickerson 8013 made for Myron Crofoot in 1960. It is listed in the Dickerson ledger. Also in the acknowledgments section of the book Dickerson, The man & his rods, Myron Crofoot is listed. Evidently G Stein or J Schaaf had discussed this rod with Myron.
Any information on this would be graetly appreciated.

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