Lately I have been thinking about some of the traditions of our craft. Most of us are at least somewhat familiar with the stories of Phillipe, Murphy,
Leonard, Kosmic, Payne, Edwards and those families of rod makers, as well as the Western and Midwestern traditions. There is a time line that runs through
rodmaking that has been somewhat well documented in works like Hatton, Keane, Campbell and so on. But most of that time line traces developments through major
rod making companies.
Mr. Garrison learned much from Dr. George Parker Holden. Where did Dr. Holden learn the craft? Was it HP Wells and Perry Frazier? Who were the intended audiences for the books by Holden, Wells, and Frazier? Who read the great information in The Wise Fisherman's Encyclopedia. Who was Kreider's intended audience? What made Mr. Carmichael and Mr. George Barnes think there would be receptive audiences for their books? What about Lambuth and Dawn Holbrook? For whom did they write?
My theory is that there is a long, long tradition of garage craftsmen, small time rod makers, who have carried the craft along for over 100 years. But who are they? Where are their rods? For years, Herter's supplied them with bamboo, forms, binders, components and the like. But to whom did Herter's sell?
By the time Jack Howells and the Maurer/Elser book came along, a so-called "renaissance" was already underway. But what made Wayne Cattanach think others would be interested in his book?
What are our primary sources for research into the history of small, independent rod makers? I'll be doing some extensive research in this area in the days to come. If you know sources that I might not, or have suggestions about where I might dig up some good information, please pass it along.
Thanks,
Harry Boyd
Mr. Garrison learned much from Dr. George Parker Holden. Where did Dr. Holden learn the craft? Was it HP Wells and Perry Frazier? Who were the intended audiences for the books by Holden, Wells, and Frazier? Who read the great information in The Wise Fisherman's Encyclopedia. Who was Kreider's intended audience? What made Mr. Carmichael and Mr. George Barnes think there would be receptive audiences for their books? What about Lambuth and Dawn Holbrook? For whom did they write?
My theory is that there is a long, long tradition of garage craftsmen, small time rod makers, who have carried the craft along for over 100 years. But who are they? Where are their rods? For years, Herter's supplied them with bamboo, forms, binders, components and the like. But to whom did Herter's sell?
By the time Jack Howells and the Maurer/Elser book came along, a so-called "renaissance" was already underway. But what made Wayne Cattanach think others would be interested in his book?
What are our primary sources for research into the history of small, independent rod makers? I'll be doing some extensive research in this area in the days to come. If you know sources that I might not, or have suggestions about where I might dig up some good information, please pass it along.
Thanks,
Harry Boyd
