Numbers on a Hardy Ferrule

[Lanny]

I have a Hardy Fairy and all the ferrules are stamped with a 1. Is this the same as Sharpes? Was it just a way the maker matched ferrules or is there a different meaning?

[Palakona123]

All british made hardy rods, also those made in Alnwick today, has a number on the ferrule, usually a one or two - digit number. Why, I don’t know, but I assume that it is / was done to identify a rod in some way, maybe the maker or finisher. The numbers also work as alignment dots.

[Godfroy]

As stated by Palakona 123, the numbers work as alignment dots. Normally all the ferrules in a Hardy rod are stamped with the same number. My 1960s 7ft 6in Hollolight has all five ferrule parts stamped 2 and my 1960s 8ft Hollolight has 1 stamped on all five ferrule parts. My 1932 JJH Triumph, 3-piece with 2 tips, has 5 stamped on each part of each ferrule. My 1937 CC de France 7ft, two piece one tip, has both ferrule parts stamped 3. I do not know if there is any significance in the choice of number from 1 to 9. Interestingly my 1930 Hardy "Keith Rollo" rod just has alignment dots and no numbers.

I have owned a couple of Hardy rods with one joint stamped a different number from the others and, in both cases, there was other evidence to suggest that the joint with the differently numbered ferrule part was not original to the rod in question.