Orvis and Wes Jordan

0 Kudo

Author	Comment
Canewrap	Orvis and Wes Jordan		Lead	[-]
Posts: 107 06/29/2009 22:48	Tags : None Recently, I purchased a rod off the evilbay place and while its a pretty nice rod, something has been bothering me. It is reputed to have been a set of blanks found in Wes Jordan's attic after he died and sold to somebody that finished them out as a kit rod. What bothers me is that is 1) it is what I would term a blond rod, with the characteristic ambering from varnish. 2) Its heavily varnished, but marked as impregnated. Does anyone know if Orvis was making blonde rods while Wes Jordan was still alive? I thought they only started that in the 1980's. I plan to strip the varnish off and find out if it is indeed impregnated, but I thought maybe somebody has some ideas about this one. TIA, Bill
Interact My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Invite Blocking Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Reply Quote
Cane Head		#1	[url]	[-]
Posts: 2239 06/30/2009 02:10	In the past I've owned two rods from the 70's that were the hallmark light colored impregs of the later Orvis cane - a Battenkill 8' 4 1/8oz 6wt and a 7/3. I've learned that just when you pen down absolutes regarding Orvis canes, something pops up to refute them. I've also learned that on Ebay - almost the impossible pops up and/or is manufactured to make a sell. I think only Gloria would know if they came from her attic. But you gotta think that even though Wes retired from the Orvis rod shop, he was probably a constant fixture there and probably a "help yourself attitude" was given him. A varnished impreg Orvis isn't out of the question, they pop up from time to time and are the handiwork of their owners. Cane
Interact My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Invite Blocking Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Reply Quote
Budrichard		#2	[url]	[-]
Posts: 81 07/01/2009 09:01	It seems these days like everyone these days is trying to sell some sort of bamboo rod with Wes Jordans name somehow attached to it. Battenkill rods attributed as 'Wes Jordan' rods pop up every other day it seems. If it was made during Wes's tenure as Rod Shop Manager, it's a 'Wes Jordan'! Your rod unless accompanied by a Provenance from Gloria Jordan is just a rod and whether an Orvis blank is questionable. Since I believe Gloria finished rods, its difficult to believe why she would have sold such a blank anyway. As advised, she can be contacted. -Dick
Interact My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Invite Blocking Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Reply Quote
wb4tjh		#3	[url]	[-]
Posts: 520 07/01/2009 09:37	Some of the cane rod claims I have seen on that website you mention are so absurd that laughter is not enough. I love it when the seller describes a rod as "near mint", but it has a couple of missing snake guides or a section that is obviously short from breakage. I recently saw an old Mercedes that was "mint" from the windshield to the rear bumper.....of course the front of the car was demolished in a wreck, but other than that, it was "mint". Bill Anderson, Sarsota, Fl. "Bamboo is the Benchmark in flyrods".
Interact My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Invite Blocking Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Reply Quote
Canewrap	Re: Orvis and Wes Jordan	#4	[url]	[-]
Posts: 113 07/04/2009 18:08	Well, Gloria got back to me and unfortunately she cannot remember if she sold a blank with the string on it a few years ago. So, I'm going to do my best to fix it up to make it more fishable for me, since there is no verifiable provenance on this blank.
Interact My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Invite Blocking Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Reply Quote
PaducahMichael		#5	[url]	[-]
Posts: 733 07/04/2009 20:45	Canewrap wrote: Well, Gloria got back to me and unfortunately she cannot remember if she sold a blank with the string on it a few years ago. So, I'm going to do my best to fix it up to make it more fishable for me, since there is no verifiable provenance on this blank. If provenance is important to you or makes a large difference in the price asked for the item, I would suggest obtaining it prior to committing to a purchase. I have found it nearly impossible for most sellers to produce the provenance they claim. Many of them, when the subject arises, simply say, "Well, that's what I was told." Just because the seller was gullible doesn't mean you have to follow his lead. eBay is a great place to buy and a terrible place to buy - it all depends on the seller. An ignorant seller can be both your best and worst friend. You just have to be careful whenever you buy from someone you don't know and trust. I'm sure all of the above is obvious, but I've often noted that the obvious goes unstated in these discussions. The New Divine Rods
Interact My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Invite Blocking Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Reply Quote
Canewrap	Re: Orvis and Wes Jordan	#6	[url]	[-]
Posts: 114 07/05/2009 01:24	I appreciate what you're saying Michael. No, provenance wasn't that important to me. I took the opportunity to try and get it, is all. I was more interested in getting another light line Orvis and frankly was amazed that I got it for the price I did. I'm happy with my purchase. It is a good rod. I just mentioned how it turned out to close the thread and let everyone know that I tried their suggestion and how it worked out.
Interact My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Invite Blocking Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Reply Quote
Budrichard		#7	[url]	[-]
Posts: 83 07/09/2009 07:06	Thanks for the finish, its really appreciated. Its sometimes very discouraging when you supply information and original Posters never lets you know if the information helped or thank you. For what its worth, if its an Orvis impregnated blank, it will make a very nice rod whether Wes personally made the blank or not! For myself, the only Orvis Rods i would pay a premium for is one marked 'Orvis Impregnated by Wes Jordan' (made during Wes's tenure as Rod Shop Manager) or rods just marked Wes Jordan, made after Wes retired and are still very nice rods. Frankly, I can discern no difference (other than cosmetic thumb & palm rests) between a Battenkill or Wes Jordan model, double impregnation or not! Of course there exist Wes Jordan's without these cosmetic differences also.-Dick
Interact My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Invite Blocking Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Reply Quote
kimk		#8	[url]	[-]
Posts: 680 07/09/2009 19:06	I have reason to believe that many rods and blanks left the rod shop with out seeing the sales counter. I am not suggesting that there was anything improper going on. Mr Jordan WAS the rod shop. He probably brought home many rods. A lot of experimental rods were made and if they had served their purpose as test rods, they might well have been given away. They would not have been sold with the Orvis name on them. There also seems to have been an informal group of folks who would be asked for an opinion of an experimental rod. I can imagine that many times the rod stayed with the tester. Here in SW Vt., I hear stories of mythical "Orvis Bamboo" rods in so and so's closet. Always a great story, great grand uncle did a favor for Mr. Jordan and Mr. Jordan gave him this rod. "and it has never been fished" . I have tracked down a few of these, sometimes not easy, the rod has changed hands a few times. Never once have I seen an Orvis bamboo rod. Montys, H-I, and a few trade rods. All fished hard and put away wet. I keep looking --- I know there is one out there. AgMD
Interact My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Invite Blocking Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Reply Quote

<< Previous Topic Next Topic >>

Yuku free message boards

Orvis and Wes Jordan

Orvis and Wes Jordan

Quick Reply