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UltravioletPhotography

Determining the maker of a cane fly rod ca. 1898


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I thought you might be interested in seeing the difference between a visible light photo of a rod and a near-Infrared shot. The rod below is a J.M. Kenyon Silkien 10' 2/2 that I bought recently. Kenyon patented the Silkien process -- winding the entire length of the rod in white silk before varnishing - in 1898 and sold it to Chubb in 1900.

 

Below is a visible light photo of the rodmaker's signature written in pencil, I believe, and then covered with the white silk wrap and varnish.

http://www.overmywaders.com/images/ViscropAWB1000894.jpg

 

and the same using an R72 filter on a full-spectrum modded GF1

 

http://www.overmywaders.com/images/NIRcropAWB1000891.jpg

 

and some hard to read writing on the next flat, in visible light

http://www.overmywaders.com/images/ViscropAWB1000893.jpg

 

and then in NIR

 

http://www.overmywaders.com/images/NIRcropAWB1000892.jpg

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Impressive work reed!

 

Is this a rod for fishing with flies? (Excuse me please, I don't know that word and was not able to find it's meaning.)

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Yes, this is a rod for fishing with artificial flies. These rods are made of bamboo split into triangles and then planed or cut and re-assembled in, usually, six-sided sections. Many artisans still create "splitcane" fly rods. I fish regularly with cane rods that are more than a century old. see my fishing website http://www.overmywaders.com
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Thank you for explaining it.

 

I'm still working on my english. Always talking to "non native speakers" doesn't help very much.

 

And if dictionary and web translators don't show me a word or expression then it's time for me to ask.

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Reed, this is a way cool illlustration of forensic (in the broad sense) use of IR photography.

So thanks for this very interesting post.

 

Tell me, do avid fly fishermen (fisherwomen? fisherfolks?) like these antique fishing rods? Are they a collectible item?

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Thanks, all.

Yes, Andrea, certain fly rods made by certain individuals are quite valuable, by my standards. Like all art, the fewer the pieces, the more valuable the work. Of course, the maker must be dead, in order to insure that he doesn't create any more rods. A friend of mine makes truly superb fly rods, both visually and as a fishing implement. He is backordered for only two years, others I know are backordered five years. At >$2K per rod. Once Fred dies, his rods will probably bring $8K. Mark Twain once wrote a delightful short story about this art phenomenon. See http://www.readbookonline.net/readOnLine/1002/

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