Kalmed…A little more history for you to help your search…This information is copied from FishnBanjo’s web site and he gets all the credits for the information in this… Banjo is very well known in the bamboo circles as a collector and aficianado…I think your rod may be a little younger than you think based on this history, but it is still old, and still valuable.
From Fishnbanjo’s website.
Wright & McGill Co. Rods
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Wright & McGill Rod Company
Shortly after World War II, the Wright & McGill Co. of Denver, Colorado, acquired the Goodwin Granger Co. Wright & McGill had been in the tackle business since the 1920’s, but had never produced rods. The Wright & McGill Rod Company was formed in 1946, and rehired many former Granger employees as well as many new employees to meet the post-war demand. The first year, there were no changes in the rods themselves. All Granger rods built by Wright & McGill Rod Co. were clearly marked and were referred to as Wright & McGill Granger Rods, not Wright & McGill Rods. From the very beginning of the rod company, the patented internal uplock reel seat used on all rods was stamped Wright & McGill Rod Co. and the Wright & McGill name was applied to the rod shaft two flats above the Granger model name.
Production of Wright & McGill bamboo rods eventually reached between two and three times the number of rods produced annually by the Granger Co. In 1947 W&M began to make changes. The Champion model was dropped and replaced by the Stream and Lake. Other changes by W&M were simply cosmetic, but can be used to help tell the earlier rods from the later ones. At some point, probably about 1951, the rod shaft markings were changed. The direction of the lettering was reversed so that it read toward the grip, rather than away from the grip. Also, the rubber stamp was changed to a heavier and larger script which made the marking much easier to read.
The only major addition by the Wright & McGill Rod Co. came in 1952 with introduction of the impregnated series of Water Seal rods. The company called the impregnated bamboo for these rods Densified Cane. This was the only bamboo rod model marketed by Wright & McGill that was not called a Granger rod. Water Seal rods were produced in two grades, the F. A. and the less expensive F. B. 1952 was the last year bamboo rod blanks were produced by the Wright & McGill Rod Co. There were still bamboo rods cataloged in 1953 on a limited basis, and bamboo rods were available during 1954 in limited lengths and weights, by special order only. Water Seal rods were available for several more years, in fact, as late as 1960.
The Granger Registered rods were the epitome of the rod makers craft in Colorado, and the one model that represents all three major Colorado companies. The Registered rod was designed by Bill Phillipson, produced first by Goodwin Granger Company and later by Wright & McGill Rod Co. The special features that set the Registered rods apart from all others include a serial number on each rod, white trim wraps at both ends of the black wraps, chrome plated internal up locking reel seat rather than the normal nickel silver type, and a hook keeper. They were the only Granger rods fitted by the factory with a hook keeper. The serial numbers ran consecutively from the first one built until they were discontinued in 1953. The first four digits of each serial number are the year the rod was built and the remaining numbers are the chronological number of the rod; numbering did not start over each year. No company records exist of exactly how many Registered rods were manufactured, but based on serial numbers of rods we have inspected, it appears fewer than 400 were built. Each rod came in a black bag and a black tube with an inscribed medallion attached to the tube. The tubes for Registered rods were aluminum for all years except 1942, when World War II forced a switch to plastic tubes.
Champion
8?’ 4? oz. Model GC8642 $325
9’ 5 oz. Model GC9050 $250
9? 5? oz. Model GC9660 $250
Stream & Lake
8?’ 4? oz. Model SL8642 $325
9’ 5 oz. Model SL9050 $250
9? 5? oz. Model SL9660 $250
Victory
7’ 3 oz. Two-Piece $950
8’ 4 oz. Model GV8040 $675
8?’ 4? oz. Model GV8642 $375
9’ 5 oz. Model GV9050 $275
9? 5? oz. Model GV9660 $275
Special
7?’ 3 oz. Model GS7633 $775
8’ 4 oz. Model GS8040 $700
8?’ 4? oz. Model GS8642 $400
9’ 5 oz. Model GS9050 $300
9? 5? oz. Model GS9653 $275
Aristocrat
7’ 3 oz. Two-Piece $1050
7?’ 3 oz. Model GA7633 $825
8’ 4 oz. Model GA8040 $725
8?’ 4? oz. Model GA8642 $425
9’ 5 oz. Model GA9050 $325
9? 5? oz. Model GA9653 $300
Favorite
7?’ 3 oz. Model GF7633 $825
8’ 4 oz. Model GF8040 $725
8?’ 4? oz. Model GF8642 $425
9’ 5 oz. Model GF9050 $325
9? 5? oz. Model GF9653 $300
DeLuxe
7’ 3 oz. Two-Piece $1100
7?’ 3 oz. Model GD7633 $850
8’ 4 oz. Model GD8040 $750
8?’ 4? oz. Model GD8642 $500
9’ 5 oz. Model GD9050 $375
9? 5? oz. Model GD9653 $325
Premier
7?’ 3 oz. Model GP7633 $900
8’ 4 oz. Model GP8040 $775
8?’ 4? oz. Model GP8642 $500
9’ 5 oz. Model GP9050 $400
9? 5? oz. Model GP9653 $350
Water Seal
8?’ 4? oz. Model FA $425
9’ 5 oz. Model FA $325
8?’ 4? oz. Model FB $425
9’ 5 oz. Model FB $325
Wright & McGill Granger Registered
7’ 3 oz. Two-Piece $3500
7?’ 3 oz. Model RX7633 $3000
8’ 4 oz. Model RX8040 $2500
8?’ 4? oz. Model RX8642 $1500
9’ 5 oz. Model RX9050 $900
9’ 5? oz. Model RX9053 $900
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