Leather Bound Special Edition

Special Edition Prestige Leather Bound

Special edition limited to 50 copies, prestige leather bound with
ribbon marker, gilded edges and slip case, and book plate, numbered and signed by the author.

‘One Man One Rod’ is a reference guide to the 175 coarse fishing cane rod collection David Petty has put together over fifty years. Collectors will see probably the finest range of split-cane coarse fishing rods ever assembled.

David Petty, one of the world's leading angling collectors, has had his stunning hoard of bamboo photographed by David Watson, who has compiled the book entitled: ‘One Man One Rod - The Art of Classic Split Cane’.

Rods include examples by Allcocks, Hardy, Ogden Smith, Oliver’s, B. James, Chapman, Milward, Creeke, Gold, Sowerbutts, Antis, Barder and Sealey.

David Petty has an Avocet by Sowerbutts - “I’ve only ever seen one other” - and three cane rods by Rodrill, better known for their glass-fibre and carbon. “Not a lot of people know that Rodrill made cane rods, but they turned out a few based on Bob Southwell’s cane”, Petty says. These rods - the Mallard, the Avon and The Dipper - are at least as good as James Avocets”.

David says: “When people look at the book and see these rods they will start to appreciate what jewels they really are”.

The photographs for ‘One Man One Rod’ are by David Watson, best known for the pictures in John Drewett’s Hardy Brothers, the Masters, the Men, and their Reels. Dave Watson comments: have photographed and portrayed the rods to show a full view of the maker’s logos, name and address panels, as well as the individual sections and features of interest”.

Rods are arranged by type of fishing and the index details rod names under Makers, enabling collectors to quickly find rods they seek or already own.

 

Foreword by master rod maker Edward Barder, All-purpose rods, Avon rods, Baitcasting and Spinning rods, Carp rods, Float rods, Float rods - Heavier tackle, Float rods - Roach, Fly rods, Match rods, Roach Poles, Specialist rods-Barbel, Ledger, Pike and Tench

Appendix i A Guide to cane buying - Edward Barder

Appendix ii B. James leaflet - ‘bird-name’ rods

‘Every so often a mind-blowing study of vintage tackle is published. In 1998 John Drewett’a stunning book ‘Hardy Brothers The Masters The Men and Their Reels’ was published – illustrated by Dave Watson’s photography – and eagerly purchased by the hordes of would-be antique-tackle aficionados like myself. This revealing book became my favourite read. Well – it’s just been eclipsed by this latest lovely publication.

Between 1990 and 2014 I avidly collected vintage fishing tackle. You quickly learn (in my case slowly) that knowledge is power, and a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. The most serious and knowledgeable collectors are often reticent, so building a collection of vintage rods and reels is frequently fraught with danger, and pitfalls.

Dave Petty’s knowledge of collecting is, in my view, genuinely unparalleled, as I’ll explain.The charismatic Roger Still, a celebrated collector of vintage tackle over the last forty years, and a good friend of mine, has an immense collection of split cane. Over the years I recall many conversations. One in particular involved the costly purchase of a Silver reel. Roger had knowledge to burn, but he was not 100% at ease with his ‘find’ and needed a little reassurance. There was only one option: ‘phone a friend’. It speaks volumes when I Edward demonstrating the art of straightening cane.

The stunning David Petty book, photographed and produced by Dave Watson is illustrated in 208 (300 x 220mm) pages of the highest quality photography showing this kind of detail from David Petty’s impressive cane rod collection.

The friend in question with sufficient vintage tackle expertise was Dave Petty!’

Jim Fielding.