Just for reference to this thread, this is what Phil Holding replied with on flyforums (I'm sure he won't mind me citing it):
Hello Lindsay,
Sorry I'm late! ... my two pence worth ...
I think you have the colours marked correctly on your first post - the spool on the left is the "modern" 6A from Pearsalls - as the years have gone by, the original dyes were watered down and no one at Pearsall's bothered to keep an acurate note of the dye mix so the colour became paler and paler.
The "antique 6A" was reproduced by John & Carol at langley Threads following both myself and Louie Noble providing samples of 6A that were at least 35 years old.
The Antique 6A initially looks even brighter than No 19 but Hot Orange changes a lot more when wet - it goes "hot" compared with 6A which takes on a mahogany look, expecially if you have waxed the thread before tying.
As you rightly say, Edmonds & Lee indicated tying an Orange Partridge using the shade 6A - so the antique 6A is the closest thread to use if you wish to keep to the traditional recipe.
Why not tie some with antique and some with modern 6A, fish with both and see which the fish prefer on the day?
Kind regards
__________________
Phil Holding
www.flytyingboutique.comAiredale, North Yorkshire
