vintage tinsel

[scorman1 0]

I have been reviewing eBay sales in the last two weeks on "Vintage Verdura metal fly tying tinsel" exclusively imported by Herter's from France back in the 60s.

I have a few in my inventory on wooden spools that weigh about 1.2oz (fairly full spools). I cannot understand why they have been bidded up to $35 per spool ....what is so special about this material? they are going as tho they were gold or silver plated, which I don't think is the case ....doesn't anyone sell the equivalent anymore?? I saw one thread here that said one spool is "a lifetime" supply

 

I am clueless here ...any coments would be appreciated

 

Stew Corman

[Mechanical Advantage 0]

Most tinsel nowadays isn't metal anymore, it's mylar. And plenty of people will pay good money strictly for authenticity.

[flytire 0]

There's still metal tinsel out there but put the word "vintage" in front of it and you can command whatever folks will pay for it

[scorman1 0]

Did a little more DD and determined that a few suppliers have metal tinsel, but the "spool" they are selling are marked " 5 YDS " at a cost of $5.95 + shipping ....

these vintage wooden spools probably have hundreds of yards.

 

Also read the label on an eBay offering where Herter's claims " The world's only genuine tarnishproof pure metal fly tying lamettas " ..... that last word has a definition of pure metal as in real silver or gold, but I'd like to see another confirmation before believing it !

 

So, I looked up what "pure metal" can look like gold, and I can't find anything ...check out this link:

http://www.zales.com/jewelry101/index.jsp?page=preciousMetals

 

Remember than in the '60s gold cost $35/oz and this tinsel could be 5% plated??

 

Guess my next trip is to a jewelry store with a few inches of gold and silver tinsel and ask them to check it out.

I'll report back with findings.

 

Stew

 

BTW, is there a built in spell checker on this forum??

[phg 0]

The tinsels we used in the '60's were not gold or sliver plated. They were "pure metal", but I don't know what kind, and the plating tarnished easily. They were very springy, they wouldn't fold, and the sharp edges would cut your thread. I hated using them, and so, rarely did. I thought I still had a spool, laid back in my "historic" materials, but I couldn't find it. The spools were small, though, bobbin sized, and I doubt that they contained more than 10 yards.

 

I have an old Fireside Angler catalog, from the period, buried somewhere. When I turn it up, I'll post the description of tinsel.

[Stevester 0]

If your spool weighs 1.2 oz. as stated it does not contain "hundreds of yards", it has maybe 15 yards depending on the width of the tinsel. As PHG stated, old tinsel tarnished easily and required specific techniques for tying neat flies. A lot of the demand for "vintage" materials is from the salmon fly tiers, many of whom are anal retentive about period exact materials for their classic patterns.

 

Oh, one more thing, don't believe everything that you read in the Herters catalog. They were, shall we say overly enthusiastic in describing many of their products.

 

Steve

[scorman1 0]

Steve,

OK, took out my digital calipers here's some math for you:

the spool tinsel is 1.1 in diam and 0.92in high

the medium tinsel is 1.5 mils thick and 35 mils wide

so just the layer on the ouside is 26wraps X 3.4in each = 2.5yds

I'll guestimate it goes 1/4 deep which is 166 layers, so approx 400yds

 

the fine tinsel is a lot smaller, the embossed is a much bigger spool but similar weight

 

conclusion: you were in the not ballpark

 

"old tinsel tarnished easily" ...this stuff is 50+ years old and looks as shiny as the day it was made

 

Stew

 

my bad ...moved the decimal over 1 digit ...1.5mils thick = .0015in

[JSzymczyk 0]

some of the old tinsel was laquered to prevent tarnishing. Compared to today's mylar tinsel, it was a royal PIA to tie with. The "Good Old Days" maybe weren't so Good...

[McGnat 0]

For some patterns, the Dusty Miller salmon fly first comes to mind, embossed metal tinsel is necessary. Mylar will not work for that.

[scorman1 0]

correction to calculation before ...medium tinsel spool is approx 400yds

there is no laquer coating ...scraped it between tweezers a dozen times

 

measured "thin" tinsel ...only 1/2 mil thick (.0005in) and 17mils wide = >1000yds

 

Stew

[scorman1 0]

I have posted photos of the four spools of Herter's tinsel that we were discussing.

For some reason, I can't attach the photos to this thread, but I did load them into a picasa web album:

https://picasaweb.google.com/113529890332423159392/Flytying?authuser=0&feat=directlink

 

above should open with captions and NOT be in google+ format

let me know if it dosn't open for you

Stew

[jd1983 0]

I also doubt you have 400 yard spools. You are saying that those spools hold 20 times more material than the Mylar spools we have today even though they aren't much larger. That is a big difference.

[Chefben4 0]

Post this is the classic forum and they will chime in.

 

It has nothing to do with not being able to get metal tinsel right now. Lagurtun and Uni make metal tinsel.

 

I believe it is more the classic tyers wanting to tie with the actual classic materials.

[Stevester 0]

Stew, don't want to get into a pissing match about this but really, 400 yards. You are saying that if you unroll the material on that 1.1" spool you will be standing a quarter mile away from where you started? I'll take your word about it not being tarnished but that would mean at least it is not actual silver which tarnishes readily unless alloyed or coated or both. Gold obviously would not tarnish. Hope you can identify it to your satisfaction.

 

Steve

[s fontinalis 0]

If your spool weighs 1.2 oz. as stated it does not contain "hundreds of yards", it has maybe 15 yards depending on the width of the tinsel. As PHG stated, old tinsel tarnished easily and required specific techniques for tying neat flies. A lot of the demand for "vintage" materials is from the salmon fly tiers, many of whom are anal retentive about period exact materials for their classic patterns.

 

Oh, one more thing, don't believe everything that you read in the Herters catalog. They were, shall we say overly enthusiastic in describing many of their products.

 

Steve

 

are mehanics anal retentive about putting period exact parts on their vintage restorations? Or are they merely seeking to recreate as accurately as possible the car of the period??

 

are Gold ribbed Hares Ear fly tyers anal retentive about using hares ear fur? or are they just following the pattern when in fact there is a multitude of other materials the could use for the fly?

 

Salmon fly tyers get a bad rep, predominantly from folks who know little to nothing about the subject.