SOLD - 0391: Montague Amateur, 8', 2/1. Nickel-plated slide ring reel seat, nickel plated WELTLESS ferrules. Hardened steel guides and tiptop. Very good straight-cork-grip with approximately 50% of the factory paper label still readable. The Montague factory decal is about 90% complete and readable. No bag or tube. Both joints equal length and remarkably straight for a true vintage split-bamboo fly rod.
What is exciting about this mundane factory issue is that it is in unmolested condition and I see no bamboo damage. The original plain red wraps have faded over time. Factory built with just three snake guides, you'll never find a more austere example in a production fly rod. I can imagine seeing this rod advertised for about one dollar-fifty in a Montgomery-Wards(R) catalog. That in itself makes finding such an inexpensive rod having been kept so well - amazing.
As I see it there are several opportunities for this fine rod. First of all - as is - it would certainly help complete a Montague collection due to its unmolested condition. Secondly, the opportunity to disassemble it and use just the bamboo to create a fine two piece, eight foot, split-bamboo fly rod using modern day accoutrements is there. And one other option is to simply add the correct number of snake guides so that the rod will cast and fish more efficiently. I believe that the present hardware would still function as intended, including the reel seat.
This is one of the cleanest examples of a very early Montague Amateur that I have seen in many years of collecting. From the complete lack of marks, rubs or scrapes on the reel seat and the fact that the non-welted female ferrule has not been flaired out by insertion attempts, my guess is that this rod may never have been fished.
This rod can provide you with an infrequent opportunity to improve your Montague collection. I'll supply a custom
made bag.
A quality RPVC storage case is available. VG-Exc $165