Record summary

The Albert Partridge Widegape Up Eye Hook, model B, size No. 10, is a classic British trout hook manufactured by Partridge of Redditch during the mid-20th century. This is a small, fine-wire general-purpose pattern with a looped up-eye, sproat-style bend, and superior point geometry — designed for wet fly, dry fly, and nymph fishing across a broad range of trout conditions.

The specimen is manufactured from high-carbon Sheffield steel in a bronzed finish, a warm reddish-brown tone characteristic of traditional Redditch production. The hook exhibits Partridge’s signature refined craftsmanship: smooth, evenly-forged bend, precise barbing, and balanced proportions that were the hallmark of English fly-hook manufacture at mid-century.

Dating and era evidence: The green-tinted lithographic card stock, absent barcode, absence of postcode on the Redditch address, and ‘FINEST HAND MADE’ messaging place this in the 1930-1960 window, most likely 1945-1960. The presence of ‘ALBERT PARTRIDGE’ branding (rather than the later formal ‘A.E. Partridge & Sons Ltd.’) and the card’s layout style support a pre-1970 Redditch-era origin.

Collecting significance: Model B is a scarce code outside specialist Redditch circles. The widegape specification and fine wire make this suited to modern tyers working with small wet flies and nymphs, and original packaging in green card is distinctly less common than later Fishing Matters–era reissues. The superior-point geometry and compact shank place this in Partridge’s core trout-pattern tradition.

Technical profile

Partridge Model B — Looped Up-Eye, Sproat Bend, Standard Shank, Standard Wire, Superior Point, Bronzed Finish

Eye

Tapered Eye, Turned Up Turned up-eye with round loop profile and moderate taper. The loop is cleanly formed and tapers evenly from eye ring to terminal ball. Eye opening is appropriately sized for size-10 wire — approximately 0.08"-0.10" (2-2.5 mm) in diameter. Loop shows no visible flattening or deformation. The quality of the eye formation is consistent with hand-finishing at the forge.

Wire

Heavy (1X Heavy), Round

Shank

Standard — Plain

Bend

Round / Kendal, Wide gap, Offset / kirbed Sproat-family bend with characteristic rounded-bottom geometry and gentle upward return curve. Inner face is smooth and convex, consistent with superior-point classification rather than hollow-point. Wire set is clean and symmetrical; no offset. Bend depth appears standard for the size category I. The bend exhibits the hallmarks of hand-forging: uniform colour and slight irregularities in the curve profile that distinguish it from modern die-struck equivalents.

Point

Standard / Spear Barb is short, fine, and precisely cut at the point junction, positioned slightly behind the point tip. Barb angle is swept back at roughly 45 degrees to the shank axis. Barbing is clean and uniform across the specimen, with no feathering or over-cutting — consistent with hand-finishing and file-honing characteristic of Redditch-era production P.

Finish

Bronzed — Confirmed (stated on packaging) Bronzed finish in warm reddish-brown to light copper tone, typical of traditional Redditch production P. The finish exhibits minimal wear on the specimen, with even coverage across shank and bend. No evidence of oxidation, rust, or patina development, suggesting careful storage in original packaging. The warm tone is characteristic of bronzing chemistry used in the 1930-1960 period; later Japanese and Chinese production tends toward cooler, more uniform bronzing or black japanning.
Both specimen hooks are bright and unmarred, with no corrosion, pitting, or surface oxidation. The bronzed finish is uniform and well-preserved. Card packaging shows light aging, minor toning to the green pigment, and faint foxing spots on the reverse; no creasing, tears, or major defects. Original tissue wrapper is present but not fully visible in photographs. All 25 hooks are accounted for and properly seated in the card. The condition overall represents a 'Very Good' example — clear evidence of age but well-preserved through careful storage.

Historical context

Partridge of Redditch

Read the maker’s history →

Series History

The ‘Model B Widegape Up Eye’ does not belong to a named series per Partridge’s documented catalog tradition. Rather, it represents a standalone pattern code within the broader trout-hook range, likely designed as an economical or regional alternative to the more celebrated named patterns (Captain Hamilton, Bartleet). Unlike the Bartleet series (CS10 family with /1, /2, /3, /4 variants) or the L-series Captain Hamilton patterns, Model B does not appear in surviving modern catalogs or contemporary documentation, suggesting it was discontinued or had limited distribution prior to the Mustad acquisition.

The code ‘B’ itself is consistent with Partridge’s simple-letter nomenclature inherited from the Redditch trade tradition, wherein single letters often denoted broad hook families or specifications (e.g. L for looped trout, K for curved-shank specialty, M for salmon). The ‘Widegape’ specification indicates an increased gap between the point and inner shank — a characteristic that would appeal to nymph and wet-fly tyers seeking room for fur and feather without crowding the eye.

Production dating: The green-card packaging and ‘hand made’ messaging suggest Model B was produced primarily during the mid-20th century (1945–1960s), possibly continuing into the 1970s under Bramley’s ownership. The hook may have been retained in limited production for trade-order customers (e.g., specific retailers or regional fly shops) even after the main Partridge brand shifted focus to the named-collaborator patterns that became standard from the 1980s onward.

Era and Packaging Dating

Green-tinted card stock with period-correct lithographic printing characteristic of mid-20th-century Redditch packaging. 'Made in England' marking visible on card P. No barcode present, consistent with pre-1974 era. Postcode absent from Redditch address, supporting pre-1974 production. Logo font and layout (oval Partridge nameplate with decorative end-marks) match Bramley-era (1970-1996) revival catalogs, but card construction and paper stock match earlier Redditch-era materials (1930s-1950s). Card reads 'FINEST HAND MADE BRITISH HOOKS' and 'ALBERT PARTRIDGE' — a naming convention pre-dating formal A.E. Partridge & Sons Ltd. incorporation (1933). The combination of hand-made messaging, absent barcode, absence of postcode, and paper stock suggests 1930-1960 range, most likely 1945-1960.

Design lineage and influence

The Partridge Model B sits within the broader British sproat-bend trout-hook tradition that dates to the 1860s-1880s. The sproat family includes hooks from competing Redditch makers (Allcock, Milward, Edgar Sealey) and represents a fundamentally different design philosophy from the earlier Limerick and Dublin patterns that dominated salmon tying. Sproat bends prioritize a rounded bottom and gentle upward return, distributing stress and permitting finer wire gauges — a critical innovation as fly tyers moved toward smaller, more delicate patterns for clear-water trout fishing.

Partridge adopted and refined the sproat geometry through the work of Albert Edwin Partridge (later A.E. Partridge & Sons Ltd., 1933). The Captain Hamilton bend (Partridge’s signature sproat variant, designed c. 1903) became the flagship for the manufacturer’s trout line, but the simpler Model B Widegape likely served as an entry-level or economical alternative for retailers and individual tyers who wanted Partridge quality without the premium pricing of the named-designer patterns.

No direct successor code appears in modern Partridge catalogs, though the L-series trout patterns (L3A Captain Hamilton Dry, L2A Wet) represent the evolutionary continuation of this design tradition. The Model B was likely discontinued when Partridge rationalized its catalog during the Mustad era (1996–2009), though some production may have continued for regional or wholesale customers through the 1970s-1980s.

Best matchRelated by Attribute

Computed automatically from catalog data — updated as new hooks are added.

Silhouette	Hook Model	Match	Analysis	Compare
	L2A No. 10 — Captain Hamilton Medium Weight Wet Fly Hook	84%	Matches: Bend, Shank, Wire, Gap, Eye +6 moreDiffers: Eye Orient.: Turned Up vs Turned Down; Offset: Offset / Kirbed vs Straight; Shank ratio: 71.8% vs 83.4% +1 more	Compare
	L3A No. 12 — Captain Hamilton Dry Fly (Down Eye)	81%	Matches: Bend, Shank, Gap, Eye, Point +4 moreDiffers: Wire: Heavy (1X Heavy) vs Standard; Eye Orient.: Turned Up vs Turned Down; Offset: Offset / Kirbed vs Straight +3 more	Compare
	CS7 HW BL No. 10 — CS7 Wide Gape Captain Hamilton International Heavyweight	79%	Matches: Bend, Shank, Gap, Eye, Point +4 moreDiffers: Wire: Heavy (1X Heavy) vs Extra-Heavy (2X+); Eye Orient.: Turned Up vs Turned Down; Finish: Bronzed vs Black Japanned +3 more	Compare
	CS7MW No. 10 — Captain Hamilton International Middleweight Fly Hooks	76%	Matches: Bend, Shank, Gap, Point, Application +2 moreDiffers: Wire: Heavy (1X Heavy) vs Standard; Eye: Tapered Eye vs Looped Eye; Eye Orient.: Turned Up vs Turned Down +4 more	Compare
	Not visibly printed No. 10 — Up Eye Forged Short Shank	75%	Matches: Bend, Wire, Gap, Eye Orient., Point +4 moreDiffers: Shank: Standard vs Short (1X–2X Short); Eye: Tapered Eye vs Ball Eye; Forging: Round vs Forged +3 more	Compare

ExploratoryRelated by Shape (SVG)

Ranked purely by silhouette geometry — attribute labels are ignored.

Silhouette	Hook Model	Match	Compare
	S1938 No. 7 — S 1938	77%	Compare
	3911 No. 4 — Mustad 3911	60%	Compare

Cross-reference & comparisons

Primary Application

The Albert Partridge Widegape Up Eye Hook, model B, is a general-purpose British trout hook designed for small wet flies, dry flies, and nymphs — primarily sizes 10-14. The looped up-eye accepts thread wrapping without slipping, and the widegape geometry accommodates fur and feather bodies of varied bulk without crowding the eye. The superior-point geometry (near-straight inner taper) offers a balance between penetration and durability, suited to traditional soft-hackle wets and emerging-insect patterns on chalkstreams and limestone rivers of England and Wales.

Classic Fly Patterns

Soft-hackle wets (Partridge and Orange, March Brown, Greenwell's Glory), small dry flies (Ephemerid duns, small Wulffs), simple emergent nymphs

Modern Equivalents

Collector notes

Rated 4.5/10 — Model B is uncommon in original Redditch packaging; the green-card format and 'hand made' messaging are distinctly scarcer than later Fishing Matters reissues. Collector interest is moderate among Redditch specialists and mid-20th-century packaging enthusiasts. Size 10 is readily available in later production; vintage Redditch-era specimens in original packaging add meaningful premium.

Collectability Drivers: This is an original Redditch-era hook in period-correct green-tinted card packaging with ‘FINEST HAND MADE BRITISH HOOKS’ messaging. The absence of a barcode and postcode, combined with the paper stock and lithographic print quality, place it firmly in the 1930-1960 window — a golden era for British fly-hook manufacture. Model B (Partridge’s catalog designation for the Widegape Up Eye) is less frequently encountered than the more famous Partridge dry-fly and salmon patterns, making original carded specimens moderately scarce.

Limiting Factors: Model B lacks the historical prominence of Partridge’s Captain Hamilton trout patterns or the Bartleet salmon irons, so collector demand is narrower. The widegape specification appeals to nymph and wet-fly tyers but not the broader dry-fly community. As a non-signature pattern (no named designer credit), it lacks the cachet of later Partridge collaborator hooks.

Variant Desirability: The green-card format is more desirable than any later reprint. Original packaging in this era is increasingly scarce as many cards were opened and hooks used. Complete, unopened cards command a premium. Sizes 10-12 in Redditch-era packaging are most desirable; larger sizes remain common.

Condition Factors: Card condition is critical. The green tint and lithographic printing are prone to fading and foxing with age. Original tissue and intact hook count elevate value significantly. Corrosion on hooks is uncommon with bronzed finish but does occur with careless storage; rust stains on the card devalue both packaging and hooks.

Packaging

Card sales packet, approximately 2.5" × 4" (6.4 × 10.2 cm), lime-green tinted card stock with black lithographic printing. Header area features oval 'PARTRIDGE OF REDDITCH' nameplate with decorative double-line flourishes on either side; beneath it reads 'FINEST HAND MADE BRITISH HOOKS.' Lower section contains three information boxes: left box reads 'CODE B', centre box shows 'SIZE 10' (with '10' hand-stamped or pen-marked in blue ink), right box reads 'QTY 25.' Below the main label line reads 'ALBERT PARTRIDGE' in bold type, followed by 'WIDEGAPE UP EYE HOOKS' and 'HIGH CARBON SHEFFIELD STEEL.' A rectangular cutout at the top of the card provides hanging display access. Small text reading 'MADE IN ENGLAND' is visible in fine print. No barcode, no postcode, no EAN marking — all consistent with pre-1974 origin. Original tissue wrapper not visible but likely present within sealed card. Card exhibits light aging, minor toning to the green tint, and faint foxing spots on reverse; lithographic registration is clean and precise.

Market Value Notes

Low ($8): Good condition — card shows light wear and toning, all 25 hooks present, packaging intact with minor creasing.
High ($18): Excellent condition — card nearly mint, original tissue present, all hooks bright with no corrosion, no creasing or foxing.
Premium factors: Original Redditch-era green-card packaging, absence of barcode and postcode (pre-1974 indicator), 'hand made' messaging, complete hook count, tissue integrity.
Platforms: eBay UK sales (specialist Redditch hook listings), Classic Fly Rod Forum marketplace, UK tackle dealers and fairs.
Confidence: E estimated — limited direct eBay sold-listing data for Model B specifically. Estimate derived from comparable Redditch-era carded hooks (Allcock, Milward, Edgar Sealey Model B patterns) which typically achieve $6-22 depending on packaging condition and format. Model B has narrower specialist appeal than branded collaborator patterns, placing it at the lower end of this range.

Where to Find

eBay UK (search 'Partridge Redditch Model B' or 'Partridge Widegape'), Classic Fly Rod Forum marketplace, UK tackle dealers specialising in vintage English hooks (particularly those handling Redditch estate collections), annual fly-fishing fairs in England and Wales.