Antique Fly Rod

[smezperth]

Hi all, I inherited an old fly rod a while back.

It’s a 2 piece split cane rod made by William Southam of Sydney. It’s marked with ‘The Abercrombie’ and also what looks like a model or serial number : ‘75795’.

Just wondered if anybody knew how I could find out how old it was? Any help greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Paul.

[John_Coles]

Hi, Bill Southam built split cane rods in Lane Cove, Sydney. One of his most famous clients was the American writer Zane Grey who fished with Southams Rods in NZ.
I used to work with his son about 20 years ago he had a framed letter to his father frome Zane thanking him for his great rods. There's a great facsimile book of Zanes Diaries when he fished the Tongariro with his son Roman. Theres lots of pictures you may spot your rod. So you have a rod built by one of Australias great split cane builders, I'm very jealous
Cheers,
John