The Special

F.E.Thomas. The Special" model, 12-foot, three-section salmon fly rod with two tips. German silver" suction ferrules, silver-nickel alloy, red agate tip and tip rings, serpentine intermediate rings, patented self-locking reel seat, Thomas in German Silver. F.E. Thomas split bamboo rods, manufactured in Maine, USA, are considered among the best and most sought-after in the world for both trout and salmon. The Thomas company, founded in 1902, started out with greenheart rods, but from 1910 onwards, it moved on to split bamboo and quickly became an expert in this type of fly rod. The best rods were produced between 1924 and 1958. The rod presented here is in perfect condition, and has seen very little fishing. The two tips are protected in a grey silk case, contained in a metal tube with screw cap. The metal tube serves as a stake, and the first two strands are in their original canvas case. This 12-footer, like most Thomas (not to be confused with Thomas & Thomas), is very pleasant both for casting (with 8/9 line) and for fighting salmon. From the Yves Rameaux collection, this rod was certainly purchased in England, where F.E. Thomas exported certain models after the war.