or however that dang word is written! : ) Use this forum to discuss those things that are related to, directly, or indirectly, fly fishing, i.e., tackle, catalogs, single malt scotch, cigar preferences, pipes, camera gear, etc. This is sort of an off topic area but one related to bamboo and fly fishing.
I reference my Orvis catalog collection quite a bit. After noticing wear & tear from years of use, I spent the better part of the last two weeks scanning the rod sections of 76 issues and cleaning-up the scans on Photoshop. I'm cross-eyed and twitching after the experience, but it had to be done.
Anyway, I scanned the entire scarce 1948 issue to post on the forum as a reference or for members to download:
I wonder what Mr. Derzee would have thought if he knew his catalog would be available to view 73 years after he received it? BTW, the building his office was in on 90 State Street in Albany is still there.
Last edited by Greg Reynolds on 09/06/21 09:09, edited 1 time in total.
Who would have thought - Hodgman waders... Gladding Whip-Stik fly lines...
Reading the special Invitation paints a real picture in your mind of what those rooms look like...
" 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
There's not much point of having this collection unless I share it. I'll post portions of others as time allows. I'm missing the near-unobtainable 1947 catalog and the scarce 1951 issue, but have at least one example from the remaining years.
BTW, I can find no mention of varnished rods in Orvis catalogs printed after 1948.
Greg just suggested I take a look at this catalog. A great read for sure. At the bottom of page 6 under ‘Specifications’, it says that Orvis rods are made in wet, dry and medium actions. Does this mean that each rod listed could be ordered in one of three actions? So my 8’ 3/2 could be a medium action and my fishing partner could have the same rod but in a wet fly action?
Mike
...At the bottom of page 6 under ‘Specifications’, it says that Orvis rods are made in wet, dry and medium actions. Does this mean that each rod listed could be ordered in one of three actions? So my 8’ 3/2 could be a medium action and my fishing partner could have the same rod but in a wet fly action?
No. It means that Orvis made rods in those actions, not 8-foot 15/64 & 10/64-ferrule rods in each of the 3 actions.
They weren't good about listing a models action until into the 1960s. The database has transcriptions of the rod listings for most-all of the post-1939 catalogs. Scroll through the serialized rods to find them--a bit of a chore I'm afraid...
