For the auction crowd, Lang’s April 17th auction contains the estate of Martin J. Keane, author of “Classic Rods and Rod Makers.”
Lots of classic bamboo rods available with hoary and rarified names; Young, Leonard, Pre-Fire Leonard, Halstead, Thomas & Thomas. Payne, Winston, F.E. Thomas, Goodwin Granger, Orvis, and Edwards. Reels to match with numerous Hardy, Fin Nor, Vom Hofe, Sage, and Orvis.
Flies by Carrie Stevens, Preston Jennings, Edward Ringwood Hewitt, Syd Glasso, Harry Darbee, Lee Wulff, Charles Defoe, and Poul Jorgensen, as well as many other published masters.
Buttressed by scads of first edition books, ancient catalogs, and (my favorite) hand carved fish decoys.
Add wooden duck decoys by the Ward Brothers, Harry Shourds, a leavening of Mason’s in most grades, and a couple hundred hand carved duck calls, and you’ve got an hour of unfettered desire ahead.
That collection is simply staggering. I scrolled through with a mixture of awe, jealousy, and nostalgia.
The amassing of such an estate has the residue of a particular time and place in our history, an era when the sportsman was a more revered figure and leisure was, in something like an ironic twist, taken a bit more seriously. I couldn’t shake the feeling that it’s an era that’s well and truly passed us by.
I’m like you, while I may not have the money to take part – being able to look at all the flies and memorabilia is always a lot of fun.
Don’t be so sure you lack the dollars to participate; last time a big collection went to Lang’s, supply neatly exceeded demand, and it took many months for the prices to recover.
It’s so much different looking at a man’s things in an estate setting Vs pouring over gear as friends often do. I’ll miss those special times with Marty. My Good Friend Marty was proud of his accomplishments and amazed at how much equipment he had acquired over the years. We even talked about consigning some things with me as well as a couple other top notch brokers. Well we will all miss Marty, I will for sure. Hours of pure fly fishing talk, a learning session everyone. Those fortunate to land one of marty’s T&T Limited Edition Rods as well as a nice Leonard Fly / Spin and a Killer Orvis Rocky Mountain in Presentation case with storage for Orvis 50A and 75A Weatley Boxes and you name it, Fantastic. Thanks Marty… I’ll catch a few for you…
i have several original sporting paintings by John Swan and am interested in selling these items.