Parker-Hawes Fly Rods

[Tom Flanigan]

Interesting Dean. Frankly I haven't seen enough of them for sale to say for sure. I have only seen two and, if I remember correctly, the prices were between $250 and $350. Hawes made rods before the Parker link and they do show up more often on the market. I watch the market closely because I collect fine cane rods.

As with Parkers, condition is everything and I don't remember what the condition of the two Parker-Hawes rods were. But I do know that the Hawes rods generally are not held in high esteem as working rods. It is my impression, maybe wrong, that they are considered somewhat below a good Granger or Wright and McGill from a functional perspective. Those rods, and I believe, the Parker-Hawes, did not receive a lot of time consuming hand work. The bamboo strips were milled by machine as opposed to the high end rods that were milled by hand by master builders.

Fine cane rods are every bit as collectable as Parkers. As with Parker, the best of the high end makers rod's appreciate in value over time. Hunting with Parkers and fishing with cane rods are the pleasures of my life.