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From this useful site:

mysite.verizon.net/vze2h7.../id22.html

"Decals are useful for dating Horrocks-Ibbotson rods. The diamond with the UTK logo dates from 1905 until World War I. This logo is usually stamped into the reel seat, but also appears as a decal. The Trout logo decal was then used until 1929. It is rarely seen and is the most beautiful of the H-I decals. Next to appear was an elongated Double Diamond with Utica, NY inside; it was used until 1933. In 1934, a double-diamond logo including the banner reading Best by Test was introduced and was used until 1939. Next came the fanciest of all H-I decals featuring a bright red H-I on a white diamond and accompanied by two banners reading Fish Rod and Genuine Tonkin Cane. The decal of the early 1950's was rectangular with a small gold foil diamond logo. The final decal was a simple red diamond with a large white H-I."

According to the text, that makes yours a vintage 1934-1939.

Being 7 ft., I think it's more likely that your rod is a Tonka Prince. They didn't all have swelled butts like your rod does. I think the reel seat on yours is nicer than average, too- the best of the range of plastic reel seats used by H-I over the years.

From your photo, that looks like the original thread. I can't be sure because of the worn condition, but it looks like either maroon jasper (maroon/black) or straight maroon to me.

Michael Sinclair's book on bamboo rod restoration gives the wraps on the Tonka Prince as being dark blue.I don't think that this iis a fixed rule. I've certainly seen different color wraps on other Tonka Prince models. For that matter, I don't think there is a fixed rule on that for several other H-I models, either- or for many models of Montagues or South Bend bamboo rods, in fact. Reel seats and ferrules aren't particularly uniform on those makes, either.

For instance, I own a Beaverkill dating from the same era as your rod, according to the decal. The Beaverkill was supposedly the bottom of the line for H-I- but the particular model I have is much better furnished than other Beaverkill rods that I've run across. It has a metal down-locking slide band reel seat, maroon and gold wraps with some intermediates as trim, a total of 10 guides plus tip-top, including 4 snakes on the midsection and 5 on each tip, flamed cane- and even the chrome-plated ferrules with double sawtooth incisions on the sleeve that are typically reserved for the higher grade models of H-I rods, which I believe are nickel silver.

Since your rod isn't marked as a Tonka model- some have decals, most models have their names written in white script on the shaft- it may be a Pocono model, which is the only other 7 ft. 2-piece cane fly rod that I know of offered by H-I. I've never handled one, but from what I've heard, and the similar demand and closing prices for them on eBay ($125-200 for a fishable full length Tonka Prince, depending on condition- although I've seen them bring up to around $325, for mint condition with two tips), I think they're basically the same rod as the Tonka Prince- although I've never noticed a swelled butt on any of the Pocono rods that I've looked at in photos. For that matter, I've seldom seen a swelled butt on a Tonka Prince, either. The one I own doesn't have one.

It's been pointed out before on this forum that most Horrocks-Ibbottson rods featured distinctly low-budget trimmings, and that the collectibility of them- at least thus far- tends to be low, even for rods in complete and original mint condition. You aren't likely to be able to return that rod to original condition anyway, unless there's a source for replica H-I decals that I don't know about that can be used to replace the dried and stained one on your rod. Restoring the original decal is going to require hours of tedious effort with rubbing alcohol and a fine brush and q-tip cotton or blotting paper in order to get the old varnish off- a very risky process that the decal may not survive (although just maybe it could be done, it will be a bit smudged.)

The rest of your rod is obviously going to require a complete stripping, re-varnishing, and rewrapping. If you want it for yourself to fish, maybe it's best just to wrap it the way you want it. Make sure the ferrules fit tightly, too- although you may want to upgrade them anyway. The thing about Tonkas is that as a rule, they're surprisingly good casting and fishing rods.