....just looking at Walbran's spider again, after Peter's, another epiphany ! Because Walbran et al were having to whip the gut to the hook shank, his 'spider' is much thicker bodied than what we use today ( because we have hooks eyes !). Must admit I really like my spiders, and dries, to be quite slim bodied. That may not have been a luxury afforded these old masters ?
The 'period' Spiders in B.Smiths FF&FT photo are also chunky monkeys by todays standards, presumably due to the whipping of the gut, but also quite thick thread used. So basically (some) 18/19th Century spiders were fatter and hairier - Meatloaf Spiders ? !
Lindsay