While reading T. Donald Overfield's book, G.E.M. Skues: The Way of a Man with Trout I encountered the following in a letter from Skues to the Flyfisher's Club Journal, Summer 1915. "The novice [the Novice is a continuing character in Skues's letters] has broken out in a new place. He has taken to salmon fly dressing. He borrowed my copy of Pryce Tannatt's [sic] book on the subject, laid in immense stocks of material, and was not long in getting together a number of books illustrating salmon flies from Jones on Norway to Hale, Fraser Sandeman and Kelson."

Now Pryce-Tannatt, Jones, Hale, and Kelson are some pretty tall company. Who is Fraser Sandeman? He wasn't listed in any of Bates's books, or anywhere else, that I could find. Letters went out to fellow salmon fly tiers, inquiring about this Sandeman guy. Friends with years of experience and loads of salmon fly books hadn't a clue. So I dropped the search for lack of progress. Time passed and I obtained a copy of Bibliotheca Piscatoria by Westwood and Satchell, the fishing book hunter's bible.

There, in the supplement was this entry: "Sandeman (F.) - By Hook and by Crook. Illus. By author. 4to. 18s. Net ... (London) H. Sotheran, 92-4." OK, now I know what he wrote and when he wrote it (1892). Progress but no cigar.

Better than a year later Judith Bowman's latest catalog arrived. There it was! SANDEMAN, FRASER - By Hook & by Crook. 4to - Southeran, London - 1892 large paper edition limited to 100 numbered & SIGNED copies (#11) - 255 p - 11 beautiful color plates of salmon flies & insects + b/w text drawings by the author - printed on hand made paper - teg, others uncut - bound in full off-white linen with gilt titles -spine sunned, as usual, else VG+.

Drop everything, dial her up, MasterCard poised.

"Hello"

"Hello Judith, this is Marvin Nolte."

"Marvin, what can I do for you?"

"Just got your latest catalog. Is number 649 still available ...?

(Hold breath) "(After interminable pause) ...

"Yes."

YES! (Exhale) "Thanks Judith, you made my year."

Limited to 100 copies, no wonder I never heard of it. And folks, a gem it is. Mr. Sandeman's quaint 19th century style includes referring to himself in the plural, as in "Then the fun began; for the fish, in answer to the increased pressure applied, took a run of about 60 yards straight down stream, then came to the surface, lashing out with head and tail on the rough waves, making us tremble for the fate of our single gut." Among the angler's enemies given in Chapter III are cows, otters, and pigs.

The book includes sound advice, "Waders should always be tried on at time of purchase, as the different sizes are made of the same proportions, whereas with men it is not so." There are trout pattern recipes, including one for a Drake (large mayfly dry) guaranteed to float, "Body - A piece of india-rubber tubing, of the size used to make the stems of artificial flowers for ladies' hats. It can be obtained in several shades, the pale yellowy green being perhaps the best for this purpose.

To dress the body: Cut off about 2 inches of the tubing, thread it on the gut down to the hook, whip it securely to the hook over the joint of the tail-feathers, and varnish, leaving the long end of silk for future use. Next insert the nozzle of a pair of small bellows into the open end of the india-rubber tubing, stretch the tube slightly, and inject sufficient air to swell it; then whip securely at the shoulder. . ."

What was most interesting to me was, of course, the salmon flies. Chapter XIII, How to Dress a Salmon-Fly, covers all the steps (some of which are illustrated in color) but is not exhaustive. Also in that chapter is a glorious two page plate of hooks. The real gold is in Chapter XIV, Original Patterns of Salmon-Flies. Fourteen patterns are listed. Nine of those are illustrated in color. The plates are exquisite, detailed, and hand colored; still bright after more than a century.

Tag: Gold wire or thread, purple silk.
Tail: Golden Pheasant topping. Butt:Black ostrich harl [sic].
Body: Jointed in three divisions of equal length of yellow, orange, and red floss silk(in order from tail). Gold tinsel from butt to tail.
Hackle: In three joints, yellow, orange, and red. Shoulder-hackle: Black hackle red at points.
Wings: Mottled brown Turkey, grey Turkey, Golden Pheasant tail, dark Mallard, 4 narrow slips of blue-dyed Swan, 2 broad slips of dun Turkey, 4 fibres Peacock harl.
Cheeks: Two bold slips of barred feather of Summer Duck extending well up the fly.

Tag: Gold tinsel thread and yellow silk.
Tail: Golden pheasant topping.
Butt: Black Ostrich harl.
Body: 1/3rd orange floss silk, 2/3rds dark blue silk and gold tinsel.
Hackle: Blue Cock's (dyed).
Shoulder-hackle: Blue Cock's (dyed).
Wings (mixed): Of light Mallard, brown mottled Turkey, Golden Pheasant tail, Gallina, yellow dyed Swan.
Topping: Golden Pheasant.

Tag: Silver tinsel
Tail: Yellow floss silk.
Body: Pale blue silk; silver tinsel Shoulder hackle: Reddy brown
Wings (mixed): Light Mallard, Golden Pheasant tail, a few fibres of yellow died Swan, a couple of sprigs of Golden Pheasant rump.

Tag: Gold tinsel thread, yellow floss silk.
Tail: Sprig of Golden Pheasant rump.
Butt: Black Ostrich harl.
Body: Yellow floss silk, black hackle, gold tinsel. Shoulder-hackle: Black.
Wings: Golden pheasant tail, broad slip of dun Turkey, two wide slips of barred Summer Duck.
Topping: Golden Pheasant. Cheeks: Kingfisher
Head: Black Ostrich harl.

Tag: Gold tinsel thread, yellow floss silk.
Tail: Golden Pheasant topping.
Body: Dark blue floss silk, brown hackle light in colour towards the points, silver tinsel and silver thread together.
Butt: Black Ostrich harl.
Shoulder-hackle: Same as body.
Wings (mixed): Grey Turkey, Bustard (Indian), Golden Pheasant rump, unbarred Summer Duck, and red dyed Swan.
Horns: Blue and red Macaw.
Topping: Golden Pheasant.
Head: Black worsted.

Tag: Gold tinsel thread.
Tail: Golden Pheasant tippet, and one small slip each of red and blue dyed Swan.
Body: Four turns of yellow floss silk, the remainder in three equal divisions of pale blue, scarlet and black pig's wool. Gold or silver tinsel.
Hackle: Fiery brown.
Shoulder-hackle: Dark grey. Flat oval gold tinsel braid. [This seems a contradiction, my guess is that Mr. Sandeman means gold lace - MN]

Wings (mixed): Golden Pheasant tippet, Mallard, Golden Pheasant tail, 2 slips Dun Turkey or, better still, of Glead Hawk, Gallina, 2 slips grey Turkey, 2 slips each yellow and blue dyed Swan.
Head: Black worsted.

Tag: Gold tinsel.
Tail: Full whisp [sic] of orange pig's wool.
Body: Lower half orange pig's wool, upper half brown pig's wool. Gold tinsel.
Hackle: Brown.
Shoulder-hackle: Brown.
Wings: Under. Dark green Mallard, Upper. Brown or dun Turkey, whitish at tips.

Tag: Gold tinsel thread.
Tail: Unbarred Summer Duck, Golden Pheasant tippet and topping.
Body: Lower half, Orange pig's wool; Upper half, Bright red pig's wool Gold tinsel.
Body-hackle: From middle to shoulder dark red. Broad gold tinsel.
Shoulder-hackle: Fiery brown.

Wings (mixed): Dark brown Turkey, mottled on lower half. [Beats me. Perhaps dark brown turkey and mottled brown turkey, mixed - MN]

Tag: Gold tinsel thread.
Tail: Golden Pheasant topping.
Body: Lowest third, Orange pig's wool; Upper two thirds, Brown pig's wool. Gold tinsel.
Hackle: Light red.
Shoulder-hackle: Light red.
Wings: Glead Hawk.

Tag: Silver tinsel.
Tail: Golden Pheasant tippet.
Body: 2 turns each, yellow and red pig's wool. Remainder green pig's wool.
Hackle: Green.
Tinsel: Broad silver.
Shoulder-hackle: Light brown.
Wings: Under, Teal; Upper, Boldly mottled grey turkey, 2 small slips red dyed Swan.

Tag: Gold tinsel.
Tail: Yellow floss silk.
Body: Three turns orange pig's wool, remainder black pig's wool. Gold tinsel.
Hackle: Light reddy brown. [Ginger? - MN]
Shoulder-hackle: Light reddy brown. [Ginger? - MN]
Wings: (Mixed). Golden Pheasant tail, Bustard, grey Turkey, white and red Swan, 2 wide slips of Glead Hawk.

Tag: Gold tinsel thread, and red floss silk.
Tail: Golden Pheasant topping and one Kingfisher feather.
Butt: Black Ostrich harl.
Body: 2/3rds up from tail medium-sized silver tinsel braid, then a butt of black Ostrich harl, remainder blue floss silk and silver tinsel; two Golden Pheasant toppings introduced behind the 2nd had butt, blue dyed Cock's hackle over the blue silk portion of the body.
Shoulder-hackle: Blue dyed Cock's hackle, and over it a Teal feather wound as a hackle.
Under Wings: Two bold sprigs of Golden Pheasant tippet.
Wings: Four strips of black dyed Swan and yellow dyed Swan put together so as to form stripes, i.e. alternately, next a bold sprig of Mallard on each side.
Cheek: A Jungle-Cock feather, and over it a Kingfisher.
Head: Black Ostrich harl.

Tag: Gold tinsel.
Tail: Teal and Golden Pheasant rump.
Body: Bright red pig's wool and gold tinsel, red hackle.
Wings: Brown mottled Turkey.
Shoulder-hackle: Teal, dressed over the wings.

Tag: Gold tinsel, blue floss silk.
Tail: Golden Pheasant tippet and Summer Duck.
Butt: Peacock harl.
Body: Half of round silver braid, then purple silk and orange silk, gold tinsel.
Hackle: Blue, then brown.
Shoulder-hackle: Gallina.
Wings: 2 broad strips red Macaw, 4 broad strips Glead Hawk, 2 stripes [sic] (3 fibres each) of blue and yellow Macaw, 2 broad strips Argus pheasant.