Q. When is Orange not Orange ?
A. When it is Pearsalls 6A 'Gold'.
Even after Iains 'reality check' vid and two weeks of intensive electric shock therapy on 'orange shade afflicition' (OSA) more 'help' is clearly needed.
In "The Art of Tying the Wet Fly", Jim Leisenring writes (in 1941) on p.38:
"The ideal thread which meets all the requirements, to my way of thinking is Pearsall's Gossamer "Fly Dressing" silk.....I Would recommend purchasing the following colours and quantities": Primrose (color #3) - 2 spools; Claret (color #13) - 1 Spool ; Gray (colour #9a) - 1 spool; Hot Orange (color #19) - 2 spools etc.....The numbers are from Pearsall's chart or sample card".
For those who might not know Leisenring and his follower V. Hidy were exponents of soft hackled wets, spiders if you like, in the USA. Partridge hackled versions seem to feature. Okay, they were based in USA along with S. Nemes who also favoured Partridge spiders, but still interesting as many of the insects match our own. Hidy coined the term "flymph".
So Hot Orange is preferred by these mid 20th Century US guys and also Ollie Edwards. Where does this leave 6A Gold ? Has the colour changed over time to a lighter shade, as has been suggested, but references in E + L to 6A 'Orange' meant it indavertedly slipped erroneously into public pysche due to this error ?
Gotta dash, appointment with shrink.
Lindsay
