Sawyer tied flies

[Serpentine]

A friend of mine came across these flies on cards in the bottom of his grandfather’s “fishing box” . I was asked if they were worth anything ? I am sure they are worth something but have no idea what so I was hoping some of you chaps who are knowledgeable on such things would be kind enough to give a realistic valuation .

[ted patlen]

They look original thus collectible however I don't know the market price. I believe the "autograph" was produced by a rubber stamp, which doesn't effect the cards/flies. What I don know about the market is that collectibles, frames, artwork in general is very poor.

[creakycane]

I know many of the later flies I have from Sawyer came from his wife, who IIRC, tied them. They were stamped with Frank Sawyers signature on the reverse; I also have numerous earlier sets with no signature that were reportedly tied by FS, with no stamping or hand signature on the card (they were with an envelope and signed book, and obtained from the original owner in Southampton). Maybe someone knows if flies from Mr. vs. Mrs Sawyer can be differentiated somehow?

[henkverhaar]

They look somewhat sloppy - which isn't particularly surprising for commercially tied fishing flies... What's more interesting is that they are tied (look especially at the grey goose - in which the construction is most obvious due to the contrast between wire and fiber) as I was taught Sawyer nymphs should be tied, but NOT the way Frank Sawyer actually describes the patterns in 'Nymphs and the Trout'. The grey goose shown here have the final wraps (i.e. the whip finish) of copper wire behind the thorax. In Nymphs and the Trout, Sawyer describes folding the thorax cover first back, then to the front, and finishing at the hook eye. He also comments that the grey goose is tied with 'golden coloured wire', not the copper colour shown here...

[Booman2]

A member of this board lived in England in the 1980's and met with Mrs. Sawyer and daughter. He is bending bamboo in Montana for a few weeks but will respond when he gets back to internet access.

[GMflyf1sh]

I met Mrs Sawyer in the UK in 1988, I bought a lot of flies from her tied by her daugher. She had stopped tying flies by that time, They were 50 pence each or about a dollar per fly. Share a few pub meals with her and Frank’s Sister Anne whoi lived to the ripeold age of 102. Anne lived in the familyk home on the Avon. I still have a couple of cards with the cellophane evelopes.