Need feedback on a C.B. Fitzmaurice, New York, very old

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Bethabara
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Need feedback on a C.B. Fitzmaurice, New York, very old

#1

Post by Bethabara »

Is anyone familiar with a rod marked C.B. Fitzmaurice, NY stamped on the seat barrel / NS. reel seat looks very much like a raised rail Geo. Varney.
Any help is greatly appreciated, I've never heard the name before. I have no pictures as yet.
Tight or close, labor-intensive intermediates, massive knurled NS end caps on a high-quality blue velvet keeper with five milled slots.
All NS hardware, complicated signature wraps, right to left hard wire snakes, hand welted ferrules, six-inch cigar grip,
This rod has a 36 1/2" butt, two midsections, and two tips, 4 weight - light trout, one set up makes a 9.0 ft. rod, 2nd set up makes an 8 ft. rod.

Right now I'm more interested in the name / C.B. Fitzmaurice, NY.
Thank you, Mike

jeffkn1
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Re: Need feedback on a C.B. Fitzmaurice, New York, very old

#2

Post by jeffkn1 »

Looking like a probable retailer. Google it

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Re: Need feedback on a C.B. Fitzmaurice, New York, very old

#3

Post by jeffkn1 »

From a 1910 NY directory
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Bethabara
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Re: Need feedback on a C.B. Fitzmaurice, New York, very old

#4

Post by Bethabara »

Thanks, Jeffkn1.
Nope, I googled it every way I could think of and found absolutely nothing.
Tried the rod builders archives too, no luck.
I can guarantee you this rod was not built by any amateur.
Could not find a NY tackle supplier by that name either.
I will try to post pictures as soon as I can, this rod is a pricy work of art at the time.

jeffkn1
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Re: Need feedback on a C.B. Fitzmaurice, New York, very old

#5

Post by jeffkn1 »

You didn't see a letterhead at an auction site,with HE Fitzmaurice (tackle dealer at 6 Reade Street in NY) and CB Fitzmaurice as his manager? I simply Googled CB Fitzmaurice and that letterhead was the first thing at the top of the list.This Charles B. could have eventually assumed ownership of the business named after HE Fitzmaurice, and then sold trade rods with his name on them.
If you have photos but can't post, send them to me and I'll post them for you.

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Re: Need feedback on a C.B. Fitzmaurice, New York, very old

#6

Post by Bethabara »

I'm going to try to post pictures today.

Not when I looked, nothing but unrelated junk, and only some link to D.B. Fitzmaurice, the other trash was modern people.
Mike

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Re: Need feedback on a C.B. Fitzmaurice, New York, very old

#7

Post by Bethabara »

I hope these pictures come out good to view.
There are a lot of things I'm good at, this ain't one of them.
It's pretty obvious that the stripper guide has been replaced.
Mike

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jeffkn1
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Re: Need feedback on a C.B. Fitzmaurice, New York, very old

#8

Post by jeffkn1 »

Mike

By sheer coincidence, I just started to restore a trade rod wrapped in that exact pattern. It's a Montague pattern and they undoubtedly exacted a cost premium for the additional thread work, their best hardware, and best formcase. I have seen those with several different names on them and have worked on more than one, the current project stamped Perfection SD&G New York. Yours has an option I've rarely seen from Montague, the combination lengths of 8 1/2 and 9 feet, making it well worth the cost of admission.
I wrote to Rex just three days ago because half the wraps on my project rod were rotted and fell off. I knew the pattern but didn't recall the color sequence of the signature wraps so I asked him for a photo, seen here. Rex's is stamped for Thomas E. Wilson Company.
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Here's the closeup I sent to Rex.
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Hold onto yours for its uniqueness and for a seldom (never?) seen marking. Nice combination from a company that was full of surprises. Ask Rex.

Bamboocollector#1
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Re: Need feedback on a C.B. Fitzmaurice, New York, very old

#9

Post by Bamboocollector#1 »

Mike,

I have one with the same marking. As Jeff stated they were a retailer in NY.
Previously known as bamboocollector11

Bethabara
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Re: Need feedback on a C.B. Fitzmaurice, New York, very old

#10

Post by Bethabara »

Yes, very high-class rod, I suspected they were Monty's ferrules [all 5 have clear witness marks] but could not be sure if the seat was Varney or Bartlet.
There is only one thing that bothers me on this rod and is that stripper guide which was replaced at some point and does not belong there.
Some of the Chinese Red wraps have been replaced on this rod by a mediocre smith so I will attempt to resolve that problem forthwith.
Mike
PS: This is not my rod, just doing an upgrade for the owner but when finished, I will fish this fine 4 weight.
FYI; I just happen to know where a few black bass live.

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Re: Need feedback on a C.B. Fitzmaurice, New York, very old

#11

Post by Bamboocollector#1 »

I have a copy of a May 2, 1908 letter to Henry Hall, so that gives us a time frame.
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bamrod77
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Re: Need feedback on a C.B. Fitzmaurice, New York, very old

#12

Post by bamrod77 »

Have similar. Montague (Chubb).

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Re: Need feedback on a C.B. Fitzmaurice, New York, very old

#13

Post by jeffkn1 »

Thinking back a ways I recalled that I had a Montague built Sagamore (Iver Johnson) that had the sections to configure both 8 and 8 1/2'. It wasn't wrapped like the Fitzmaurice but was still handsome in classic red with black tipping. I sent it to a rod maker I knew who said he'd watch for parts I needed for it (maybe a tip section) and I never saw it again. I was somewhat enamored of it and wish I had it back now. Thirteen years ago I spoke of it: viewtopic.php?p=196679#p196679

Bethabara
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Re: Need feedback on a C.B. Fitzmaurice, New York, very old

#14

Post by Bethabara »

Well, I sure hope you didn't send it to John Picard in Michigan.
He sold privately every rod in his shop that belonged to customers, plus, all of Dickerson's original machines, tooling, and equipment.
I personally know two guys that got really screwed by Jon, one guy gave him two original 3/2 Dickerson's that I refinished for Jon to evaluate.
Never saw the rods again and Picard just vanished, many good men tried to take him to court but could not find him.
And that's all I have to say about that. Mike

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Re: Need feedback on a C.B. Fitzmaurice, New York, very old

#15

Post by TheMontyMan »

Nice, rare, high-end Monty! Per your inquiry, "could not be sure if the seat was Varney or Bartlet.", by 1895, George Varney was working for the Bartlett brothers as their head rod maker, which translated to him overseeing the design and quality of their rods. I doubt that he ever made another rod himself after 1895. He directed the creative part of operations of a large organization that was producing tens of thousands of rods per month. His influence was strong and quickly noticable in Montague's high end rods. This rod is Montague made with heavy Varney influence.

A lot of people label rods like this as "a Varney rod." In my opinion, after 1895, there were no more "Varney rods" produced, only Montague rods with Varney influence - some of them very heavily influenced. The rods marked "Geo. I Varney - Maker - Montague City, MA" were built by Montague. The early specimens of this model were probably 100% his design, without any Montague or Bartlett influence.

The English twist guides and the railed reel seat lead me to believe your rod was built sometime between 1905 and about 1910. Earlier on, this rod sported a reel seat with the sculpted rail and hanging ring guides. Later, they stopped using the rails on the reel seats altogether.

This is a very rare configuration for a Montague rod, though I've seen a few of them.

Nice, extremely rare find!!

. . . Rex
The Monty Man

Bethabara
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Re: Need feedback on a C.B. Fitzmaurice, New York, very old

#16

Post by Bethabara »

What puzzles me Rex is the condition, it's so darn clean as if it were in a closet for 90 years.
And yes, without a doubt, the R to L snakes are original, that was the second thing I checked to see if hang rings were replaced, NOT.
I discovered the Varney lived in Kalamazoo for a year or so working for Shakespeare.
And even Heddon tried to hire him at one time or so I read.
Personally, I have seen some stunning rails on seats in the past and believe they added artistic beauty.
I'm pretty sure the Bartlet's did their fair share of designing.
I am not a historian by any means, I just find them and make them useful again if I can.
I can admire them and admit that I have an insatiable curiosity about all creators, high or low end.
I have always wondered about the difference between the Pelham and Sagamore factories.
Thanks for the valued feedback Rex.
Mike
PS: I just came across two more rods, [1] An original Cross #0506 / and a 10 ft. six-segmented bamboo drum sanded round stamped SENATE.
Besides Chubb who else had drum sanders? It will be a while before I take pictures, I'm working on 9 rods and it's summertime, my lake beckons me.

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