old hook sizes

[horses50]

I was given an old book,"Hand Book Of Angling"by Ephemra published in 1848,its a great read.My question is in the book he gives you about 80 fly patterns and the hooks to tie on and they range from 4 12 does anybody know what todays equivalent sizes would be because a size four by todays hook sizes would be a tad to big for a trout fly.thank you
Gary

[roll cast]

H50

Try this link its a hook comparison guide should give you a good Idea what hook sizes it refers to.

Fly Fishing History: Hook Scales

Al

[Ron Clay]

As far as I know, the "Old" Redditch scale of hook sizes is more or less equal to the range of hook sizes we use today.

[shuck raider]

This might help. Bear in mind that the scale we use today is the 'old' scale and the one to which the OP refers is the 'new' scale, which never really caught on