Heres one for the Edwards Gents

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sweetnut
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Heres one for the Edwards Gents

#1

Post by sweetnut »

Guys, looking for a little help regarding this Edwards rod. I picked up this 7 1/2' ft rod last year. Its a 2/2 Deluxe. When purchased, one tip was full length, with one tip short and butt section short. The rod was sent to Dennis Stone, who did a great job scarfing the tip and mid (plastic on cork placed by Dennis). I'm curious as to who made this rod...Gene, Eustis, Bill? As you can see, the reel seat is tenite, script appears original, the original tip is a perfection, and I believe the leather rod tube is also original. Ive thoroughly examined the forums posts, and am leaning towards a Eugene Edwards built, but I'm no expert. What do you think?
Thanks for any and all help,
Ron

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Woodlakejag
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Re: Heres one for the Edwards Gents

#2

Post by Woodlakejag »

I would say Gene for the rod but the reel seat looks like a Bill. Interesting combo.
Either way the length is rare and I would guess it’s a great casting rod.
George
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steeliefool
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Re: Heres one for the Edwards Gents

#3

Post by steeliefool »

+1 for Gene

Eddie Southgate
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Re: Heres one for the Edwards Gents

#4

Post by Eddie Southgate »

+2 for Gene
Wore out old rod junkie , WILL WORK FOR RODS .

Bill Lambot
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Re: Heres one for the Edwards Gents

#5

Post by Bill Lambot »

Sweetnut,
The signature is what I would expect from EWE or his wife. The wives often signed their husbands rods. See Patrice Garners great book, Playing with Fire, for an analysis of rod signatures with good photos.
It looks like a real beauty.

Best regards,
Bill Lambot

Woodlakejag
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Re: Heres one for the Edwards Gents

#6

Post by Woodlakejag »

Bill Lambot wrote:
11/29/21 20:36
Sweetnut,
The signature is what I would expect from EWE or his wife. The wives often signed their husbands rods. See Patrice Garners great book, Playing with Fire, for an analysis of rod signatures with good photos.
It looks like a real beauty.

Best regards,
Bill Lambot
That’s a great book for comparing signatures, but to be clear, what it says is that signatures like this are NOT by EW Edwards. They are Gene’s writing or possibly a spouse, but not EWE.
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sweetnut
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Re: Heres one for the Edwards Gents

#7

Post by sweetnut »

Thanks for the replies. I felt it was a Gene Edwards as well, but the reelseat threw me. Mr Lambot, I do have a copy of Playing with Fire, and I'm not going to lie...after reading I was more confused than before about the signature. Any idea on the history or when or during what era this rod could have been made.
brest,
Ron

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Re: Heres one for the Edwards Gents

#8

Post by Woodlakejag »

It’s Mt. Carmel era
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steeliefool
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Re: Heres one for the Edwards Gents

#9

Post by steeliefool »

Isn't that the future Quad seat?

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cwfly
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Re: Heres one for the Edwards Gents

#10

Post by cwfly »

A few thoughts.
It is most definitely not a rod with the signature of E. William Edwards. There is no "E.W." before the "Edwards" which is sort of a giveaway. Another detail is this: In the words "De Luxe" the "e" after the "D" is a lower case "e". With the EWE signature, the "E" after the "D" is a miniature upper-case "E" not a lower case "E."
It is also remembering that Bill Edwards did not write on his rods. His wife, Helen did all that. I am not aware of Bertha Ford Edwards writing on rods.
My last comment is that I think the reel seat is a later addition to the rod. I feel it is a Bill Edwards' style reel seat and would not have been used by Eugene.
And I concur that the rod was likely made in Mt. Carmel, after Billy's death, when the shop was owned by the Horton Mfg. Company of Bristol, Conn.

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