The long awaited catalogue with over 1200 lots eventually went out the week before the auction – A couple of good days ensued with a wonderful collection of rare and early fishing items attraction attention from all over the world. We had several deceased estates to dispose of ranging from private collectors to serious fisherman.
Besides the very early and rare items on offer – the demand for good quality modern fishing rods and reels to incl Hardy, Sage, Orvis, Youngs, Shimano, Bruce and Walker, Abu, Ari’t Hart et al was quite exceptional – top of the range rods whether game or coarse saw rods selling from £200-300, reels again fell in the same range with Hardy Angel selling from £260, Ari’t Hart all sold in excess of £300, Abu Ambassadeurs lot 551 & 552 sell for £260 & 220 – accessories saw Brady Conway Fishing Creel make £220. At the other end of the market there were plenty of bargains to be had across the entire range.
We had 3 deceased estates from old established clients – dare I say - going back 40years and there were some exceptional rare items from Books, Reels, Lures, Cased Fish, Flies, Carved Fish and Paintings.
4x rare reels stood out spanning nearly 200 years – an early Ustonson (lot 188) stamped with letter U to the bridge sell for £1700, a very early Brass Bound Nottingham reel with pillared drum core ( lot 929) realised £1200, another rare Nottingham reel but much later and made by S Atherton (lot 515) made £460 and moving forward in time a rare Hardy Barton from the late 1930’s went for £1500.
Nevertheless the top price in the reel section went to lot 503 comprising 3x Alloy Friction reels to incl rare (Allcocks) Patent No. 276861, with 2xothers incl Bercol Threadline and Palace Superb – bids came from all over the world eventually seeing the Gavel come down at £2200.
Besides Hardy Reels which always sell to a premium it was good see reels by makers like Dreadnought Co sell for £700, Milwards African Princess Nottingham Brass Frog back realise £440, good to see Allcock Aerials sell up to £920, there were also good examples of Early London Brass Salmon Reels, Scottish Perth Reels selling in the £300-400 bracket but must stress though they were of the highest quality.
As always there is strong market for flies especially gut eyed and lot 500 sold for £1250, lot 860 a collection of Richard Walker letters, Flies et al sold or £750. Accessories saw lot 791 Hardy New Zealand brass, steel and wooden gaff going for £500.
Going back to the start of day one we had a wonderful collection lures which saw demand outstrip supply, on day two individual examples saw a top price of £550 for a stunning Leather swallow tail over 6”long; lot 667 early Patent stamped hinged bait just over 6” (missing hooks and gimps) go for £470; lot 671 in similar condition an Allcocks Flexible Jointed Bait ( copy of a Cleopatra) sell 420; Lot 669 Allcocks Turbine Loach realised £340 and nice collection of spiral lures (lot 679) go for £500.
Before finishing with the books it was pleasing to see 2x early wooden carved Trout one by Malloch ( both needing a good clean) both selling for £750, there was great collection of cased fish by Cooper, Spicer, Homer and more modern examples selling £300-360. Still staying with the decorative items an oil on canvas of Leaping Salmon by Roland Knight go for £750.
But the top price over the two days of £3000 went to lot 380 a stunning book by Wm Blacker and titled “Blacker’s Art of Angling and Complete System of Fly Making and Dying of Colours” dated 1842