It’ll be interesting to see how long it takes for Brave Browser to react. ;-)
This also shows a path to screw with AI should one want to. :-(
more history from two different facebook posts - looks like it was made in the 50’s or 60’s in my soon to be great again state of Michigan. Maybe they didn’t start stamping the metal part until later - 60’s? That could help you date it. Posts start here -
Dennis Rudroff
Another comment from the same Forum: Back in the late 1940’s, George Latos had a grinding company (located in Detroit, Michigan) and did a lot of work for the US Government. As the war came to an end the war work started to evaporate and he needed to find other work to keep his center-less grinding equipment busy. He knew a guy by the name of Mr. Sweetwood who wanted Mr. Latos to starting taper grinding steel fish-rods in 1949. When the Korean war broke out in 1950, Mr Latos was asked by the government to build fiberglass survival seats for the Air Force and fiberglass battery boxes for Army tanks. Once the war was over, Mr. Latos thought he would use the fiberglass technology that he developed for the US Government and started building fish-rods out of fiberglass. This material was much more flexible, had better handling capabilities, was lighter and less costly. This was the creation of the Longfellow Company. With this manufacturing capabilities underway, he created the raw fiberglass shafts and then used his center-less grinding equipment to create different flexes based on different fishing conditions. These tapered fishing rod shafts were sold to a number of companies throughout the country. As the business flourished, he decided to get into the complete assembly of the fishing rods. This step enable Longfellow to create different rods at different price points and for different markets. As the fishing business expanded rapidly in the 1950, 1060’s and 1970’s. However, there was an ominous light starting to shine on the market. The Japanese entered the market and they started to undercut the market. Does this sound familiar. As time went ago, the economics and competition changed so much that it did not make sense to stay in this market. Therefore, Mr. Latos existed this business and started making automotive parts for the Big Three. This was the end of the Longfellow company and the great fishing rods that it had made for over 25 years.
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Pat Wagner
Dennis Rudroff that’s some great history, thank you for sharing!
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Dennis Rudroff
here’s what I found on a Frum....hope it helps: “ I know Longfellow very well. It was a discount company very active in the late 1950’s into early 1960’s. Art Dedini of Ferndale CA used to sell many Longfellows at his shop for light steelhead fishing. We used to buy 8 1/2’ 2 pc. Longfellows for a 6/7 wt. that had great action & made fine cheap [$10 or so] trout rods. They also sold 6-pc. pack rods that were too stiff because of all the metal ferrules. Norm Thompson of Portland OR was selling Longfellow 6’7” 6 pc. for $15 in 1966. I think St. Croix made the blanks for Longfellow.”..