H-I "Hunt's" Trade Rod - Retailer?

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uppercreek
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H-I "Hunt's" Trade Rod - Retailer?

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Post by uppercreek »

I picked up a rod, only marked "Hunt's" in white script written towards the grip. I'm sure it is a Horrocks-Ibbotson made rod from the 1930's - note also the cheap cork and chrome plated hardware. There are no H-I markings or remnants and the varnish is original, and I can't find it in any of the H-I catalogs which Mark Williams so graciously posted on the Information about Makers forum, so I'm pretty sure it is a trade rod. I asked Mark if he knew the name and location of the retailer and he told me about a Heddon trade rod marked "Hunt's Special" in an old ledger from the Cane Clinic, although there was no information about the retailer.

It's possible this rod was named after Richard Hunt, a well known salmon angler during the same era. He commissioned Leonard to produce their Hunt line of rods with dark cane and blued hardware so as not to scare the fish. This rod has dark stained cane as do many H-I rods, although the hardware is very bright, and it is a 8' trout rod, not a salmon rod. Or "Hunt's" could just be the name of the retailer. Does anyone know the name and location of the retailer for this rod?

Thanks,
Kevin

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