January has been a remarkably encouraging month for us here at Thomas Turner. Despite the ongoing challenges of exporting to the USA—particularly tariffs affecting aluminium and steel—we’ve seen a sharp rise in trade. Our January Sale certainly helped, but there were also several exceptional individual sales. The standout highlight was the sale of a 2½” […]
Collecting, Ephemera & Misc., General articles, Hardy, The Thomas Turner Collector's guide, Thomas Turner blog
ULF NORDSTROM – A MAN SERIOUS ABOUT SALMON
28
Jan
Jan
Given the scale of the collection of rods, reels and, in particular, fully dressed salmon flies assembled by Ulf, we felt it would be interesting to look more closely at the man behind it all. The following notes come from Freddy Johannsen, a great friend of Ulf’s, who was bequeathed the collection. “Ulf Nordström was […]
21
Jan
Jan
One of the great pleasures of being involved with Thomas Turner is the opportunity to handle and enjoy the many beautiful items that pass through our doors. One such treasure is sitting on my coffee table as I write this: a superb 31.5lb carp carved by the late Brian Mills, a much-loved artist whose lifelike […]
Collecting, Ephemera & Misc., News & Events, The Thomas Turner Collector's guide, Thomas Turner blog
Major Albert Smalley – inventor of the elder pith float?
19
Dec
Dec
Within the remarkable Peter Wheat collection—much of which has yet to be catalogued—are a number of fascinating elder pith floats made by Major Albert Smalley. Peter Wheat has written extensively about both these floats and Smalley himself, in Angling magazine and in The Pelham Manual of River Coarse Fishing. The assertion that Major Smalley was the inventor of […]
Uncategorized
BB Is Back: What the Peter Wheat Collection and Gildings’ Latest Auction Tell Us About a Booming Market
10
Dec
Dec
This year marked a major highlight for us at Thomas Turner as we acquired the Peter Wheat BB Collection — a superb archive of books, illustrations, personal items, and angling pieces connected to the great countryside writer and illustrator Denys Watkins-Pitchford (‘BB’). Wheat, himself an angling writer of great renown, had accumulated a number of […]
03
Dec
Dec
As we approach Christmas — a season of goodwill and reflection — I wanted to highlight one of our most precious yet often overlooked natural resources: our freshwater fish. In an age of increasing pollution, excessive water extraction, and growing predation pressures, many UK fish populations face enormous challenges. That’s why I was proud to help […]
26
Nov
Nov
For the man (or woman) who has everything! This fish was caught by angling writer and Golden Scale Club member Peter Wheat from the River Frome in Dorset on the 28th October 1983. What great provenance and the taxidermist was the fishing and tackle legend Peter Stone. (digressing a little my parents bought me […]
Collecting, General articles, Hardy, News & Events, The Thomas Turner Collector's guide, Thomas Turner blog
When Gothenburg Called: The Story of an Extraordinary Collection
19
Nov
Nov
Every day I scan through the various collections offered to us via our online “Sell to Us” forms. Much of it is fairly routine, but one recent submission from Gothenburg immediately caught my imagination: “Would you be interested in purchasing 40 Hardy and Bruce & Walker rods, 40 Hardy reels including Perfects and Gold Sovereigns, […]
Collecting, General articles, Hardy, News & Events, Reels, The Thomas Turner Collector's guide, Uncategorized, Wanted
Hardy Gold Sovereign Reels – Still Reigning Supreme
12
Nov
Nov
Few modern Hardy reels have achieved the same cult following as the Gold Sovereign series. First introduced in the late 1980s and running through the 1990s, these reels represented Hardy’s dedication to precision engineering and luxury finish at a time when traditional craftsmanship was meeting modern technology. Available in both trout and salmon sizes, the […]
Hardy, News & Events, Rods, The Thomas Turner Collector's guide
Hardy Demon Rods – Power, Precision, and Performance
05
Nov
Nov
If you’re looking for a fly rod that blends Hardy’s famous craftsmanship with cutting-edge technology, the Hardy Demon range is well worth a look. These rods sit in the sweet spot between performance and value — perfect for anglers who want quality gear without stepping all the way into flagship prices. The Modern Hardy Demon […]