Col. Joe Bates and Atlantic Salmon
I have been rearranging all of my collection which includes books so I ended up doing a bit of a search specific to the late Col. Joseph Bates Jr.
Quite a few years ago I had been lucky enough to pick up Joe's person limited edition ragg paper cut EF Payne Fly Rod Catalog from 1950 which has the Col's bookplate with his coat of arms and name on it. I have also seen several bamboo rods belonging to Joe in person.
I had the opportunity to purchase Joe's The Art of the Atlantic Salmon Fly and it was described as in Fine Cond. with inscribed note. This is the book:
When I opened the book I found an envelope with this inside:
and this is the second page:
So I think to myself there's the inscription from the description and I turn the page to begin reading only to find this on the next page:
Imagine a hand tied salmon fly by the Col. himself!
Yesterday I went to an estate sale preview and found this:
and it too is inscribed:
I consider myself fortunate indeed to own these 2 classic first editions, the notes and recipe for the Harry Darbee fly and of course a hand tied Atlantic Salmon fly by the Col.
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