Thomas Turner
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A recent collection of vintage fishing tackle catalogues yielded the Pezon et Michel Centennial Edition 1860-1960. Their positive contribution to the fishing tackle business cannot be understated.
By 1960 they would proudly claim 100 years of tackle making, pre-dating the eminent Hardy Bros of Alnwick.
When talking about Pezon, we think of rods and probably think post war. I know from the Pezon rods we stock, most, even after 60 years, are as good as the day they were made.
As with any classic car, you may need the odd tender loving care tweak, like revarnish a silk whipping, clean the cork etc, structurally they are a problem free product if cared for.
By 1960 the company had agents in 42 countries in Europe, North & South America, Africa, Asia and Oceanic continents. They claim all their rods to be made in their own factories led by the technical centre in Amboise, France.
Charles Ritz was taken onboard as technical counsello. He was tasked to study, test and develop new tackle. Frank Sawyer provided the English river and stream expertise.
Pierre Creusevant, all-round professional casting champion, field tested and worked on development. No other firm in the world could rival the “glorious prize-list” of awards and achievements in salmon, trout and Skish disciplines.
Pezon used only the finest Pingona Tonkin cane to make the split cane rods. Stored for 5 years to dry out prior to use. The split cane rod comprises of 6 triangular strips. They are cemented together on Pezon’s automatic machine to prevent deformation and guarantee accuracy. The 6 strip blank is then stocked for at least a year after cementing.
The Pezon cane planning machine ensure the sides are perfectly flat and consistent to a tolerance of one hundredth of a millimetre. This accuracy cannot be achieved by hand building. The cane colour can be selected from a handsome golden brown to a less dark by careful tempering.
The factory rod inspectors examine all strip joints to ensure their invisibility. The bamboo nodes are accurately placed to ensure the Parabolic curve and to eliminate flat spots. Pezon proudly claim a “good bamboo rod needs no decoration”. Imperfections often hidden by whippings are common on other makers rods.
Pezon rods are an iconic part of our angling history. Parabolic rods were introduced in 1938 after extensive trials and constantly bettered over 20 years. Most fly rods of the period suffered with stiff butt sections, weak tips resulting in a saggy or excessively stiff rod. The Parabola action ensures the power is perfectly distributed whatever the applied force. The tip bends first, then the butt then the middle. Therein lies the secret of the Parabolic rods. No need to apply additional force to cast, slow and timely will result in full power being delivered right from the start of the action. The cast will achieve its ultimate result every time. As always, we continue to buy, trade and sell not only Pezon et Michel, but all fine quality pre-owned vintage and antique tackle. A change is as good as a rest. Get in touch if you’re looking to sell, downsize, upgrade or just have a tackle chat.
The post Anatomy of a Pezon et Michel rod appeared first on Thomas Turner Fishing Antiques.
Continue reading...
By 1960 they would proudly claim 100 years of tackle making, pre-dating the eminent Hardy Bros of Alnwick.
When talking about Pezon, we think of rods and probably think post war. I know from the Pezon rods we stock, most, even after 60 years, are as good as the day they were made.
As with any classic car, you may need the odd tender loving care tweak, like revarnish a silk whipping, clean the cork etc, structurally they are a problem free product if cared for.
By 1960 the company had agents in 42 countries in Europe, North & South America, Africa, Asia and Oceanic continents. They claim all their rods to be made in their own factories led by the technical centre in Amboise, France.
Charles Ritz was taken onboard as technical counsello. He was tasked to study, test and develop new tackle. Frank Sawyer provided the English river and stream expertise.
Pierre Creusevant, all-round professional casting champion, field tested and worked on development. No other firm in the world could rival the “glorious prize-list” of awards and achievements in salmon, trout and Skish disciplines.
Pezon used only the finest Pingona Tonkin cane to make the split cane rods. Stored for 5 years to dry out prior to use. The split cane rod comprises of 6 triangular strips. They are cemented together on Pezon’s automatic machine to prevent deformation and guarantee accuracy. The 6 strip blank is then stocked for at least a year after cementing.
The Pezon cane planning machine ensure the sides are perfectly flat and consistent to a tolerance of one hundredth of a millimetre. This accuracy cannot be achieved by hand building. The cane colour can be selected from a handsome golden brown to a less dark by careful tempering.
The factory rod inspectors examine all strip joints to ensure their invisibility. The bamboo nodes are accurately placed to ensure the Parabolic curve and to eliminate flat spots. Pezon proudly claim a “good bamboo rod needs no decoration”. Imperfections often hidden by whippings are common on other makers rods.
Pezon rods are an iconic part of our angling history. Parabolic rods were introduced in 1938 after extensive trials and constantly bettered over 20 years. Most fly rods of the period suffered with stiff butt sections, weak tips resulting in a saggy or excessively stiff rod. The Parabola action ensures the power is perfectly distributed whatever the applied force. The tip bends first, then the butt then the middle. Therein lies the secret of the Parabolic rods. No need to apply additional force to cast, slow and timely will result in full power being delivered right from the start of the action. The cast will achieve its ultimate result every time. As always, we continue to buy, trade and sell not only Pezon et Michel, but all fine quality pre-owned vintage and antique tackle. A change is as good as a rest. Get in touch if you’re looking to sell, downsize, upgrade or just have a tackle chat.
The post Anatomy of a Pezon et Michel rod appeared first on Thomas Turner Fishing Antiques.
Continue reading...