For which reason a man should spend so much effort to put such a variety of feathers and other materials on a piece of iron.

Now for most of us it could be for a number of reasons that mostly have to do with aesthetic, beauty, challenge and personal satisfactions.

But for the tiers of the past the reason was covered by silver scales and used to leap on some of the rivers of the old world.

Silk, tinsels and rare feathers were all combined to entice one of the most beautiful fishes and certainly the most sought by fly fishermen: the Atlantic Salmon.

Therefore what we use to call Classic today are the salmon flies that were tied before and during the Victorian age for the main and (with few exceptions) only reason to be cast in search of fishes.

In my personal opinion this means that every flies that is not included in the big list of the classics published or reported by old fishermen and writers cannot be considered a real classic, even if tied with the style of that time.

Many are the books written on salmon and flies and many more the pattern described in these books. People like Hale, Hardy, Kelson, Traherne and Tannatt have left us with an heritage of high value.

Their flies were designed to please fishes even if some of them also tried to please men like the masterpieces of the Major Traherne, who designed the most beautiful examples of this art.

The colours and textures of the feathers, the shine of the silks, the finesse of the tinsels and the grace of the hooks are therefore combined with the taste of vintage things, history and past lives.

I admit I have a special attraction for the past times for the main reason that I have the feeling that the search for Beauty was more important than for the people living in our century.

Just my personal opinion of course.