Copy of About


I grew up in a small ranch style house filled with victorian antiques at a time shag carpet and avocado green were in vogue. Our high tank pull chain toilets and porcelain water fixtures were a conversation topic with first time visitors. The noise alone would get your attention.

With no wall space or floor space to add more antiques, five, maybe six years ago my father's attention went to a candy apple red 34 Ford, complete with chrome engine. No fiberglass on this bad boy. At this point he discussed selling some of his collections - railroad watches, cork screws, children toys, children guns, adult guns, hand cuffs, swinger clocks, carriage clocks, and more.

We discussed auctions or a website. I made plans for using AntiquesPurveyor and just incase that time came for me, ClassicTacklePurveyor. My father couldn't part with his collections. Url's lapsed and then I repurchased them when the following event took place.


While utilizing a local fly shops pond to match lines to a few bamboo rods, I was approached by someone helping a family sell a collection. I agreed to contact a few consignors on their behalf. One offered to drive to Texas to pick up the collection. The family was reluctant.

I learned the owner of the collection had died unexpectedly. The family donated everything to the Goodwill. Trucks arrived and began removing boxes of books and additional items - we'll never know what left on those trucks. After a neighbor shared the items were of value, nothing else was donated. A family member went to a local fly shop where someone offered to help them. Having no knowledge of bamboo, a couple of years passed researching the items in the collection - 67 rods, 34 reels, 5 vises, leather reel cases/bags, leather rod tubes, and a commissioned Dave Whitlock painting.

In the documentation with the collection there were a few hard copies of posts on the Classic Fly Rod forum. I went on the forum and looked through archives of Chris Lloyd's - Salmonid - posts. I felt compelled to see his collection in the hands of proper care takers. Not Goodwill. I contacted those who communicated with Chris in posts or PMs to see if they were still interested in the items discussed. A few are now the care taker of those. I was going to stop there but it lead to photographing the entire collection and inspecting each item - all 117.

It became apparent selling 117 items a few at a time would stretch out for an extended period. Having spent 24-years creating identities for businesses big and small, creating a website for the collection was a natural progression.

I never met Chris - Salmonid - or communicated with him on the forum. After reading his notes, handling each item in his collection, and communicating on the phone with his friends about a few custom rods, I felt like I had known Chris. Funny thing how we feel connected to those who share the same passion.

I made a new friend in this process. And feel a great loss from his passing.