It’s been a busy week buying tackle in the West Country for Thomas Turner, with one large collection consisting of 17 Hardy Reels and eight Hardy rods, plus a Hardy Pall Mall Centenary Set consisting of an 8’ Gold Medal split cane rod and a 2 5/8” Hardy All Brass Perfect ‘Houghton’ Reel mounted within […]
28
Oct
Oct
Edited by Denise Ashton and Theo Pike, Published by The Wild Trout Trust Looking for a Christmas present for a fishing pal of taste and discretion? Or yourself, come to that? Well, I’ve just put down Not Really Fishing, a hundred pages of magic compiled by the WTT from the musings and memories of their […]
28
Oct
Oct
It’s always an event when TT’s John Stephenson comes to town, for his stories, his enthusiasm, his knowledge, and the great gear he brings with him. Last week was no exception, and my eye was drawn to a Greys Bewick ‘pin that John had laid out for inspection. I worked for Hardy Greys for twelve […]
23
Oct
Oct
In the recent massive collection of 500 rods, I have come across another interesting maker. This 15’ three-piece greenheart salmon fly rod is engraved to the butt cap “J.Jackson, Maker Dumfries”. Who was he? A little research shows John Jackson listed in the 1911-1912 Post Office directory as a Fishing Tackle Maker at No. 4 […]
20
Oct
Oct
It’s not a sentence I’ve heard before, but it signalled the start of an eventful day. Heading down to Hereford’s famous Red Lion hotel for a Thomas Turner annual team meeting I decided to take in a call on the way. Our client had “a lot of tackle” and whilst excited at the buying opportunity, […]
08
Oct
Oct
Yesterday was a balmy day for early October, and by 11.00am the air was alive with insects, the reed beds thrumming with dragonflies, and yet, not a carp was caught, hardly a fish was seen. Perhaps this was the legacy of the mammoth low pressure that had deluged the country the day before, shedding so […]
08
Oct
Oct
A client in Wales had decided Thomas Turner were just the people to buy his Hardy collection. Phone call made, appointment booked, car fuelled and off we go. I think we often forget how beautiful our country is. Less than an hour from base camp and I’m in the stunning hills of Wales. Driving at […]
29
Sep
Sep
It’s less than a week since we bought and sold a lovely antique leather creel, and like buses and policemen along comes another. This one however has a fine assortment of antique tackle including many other rarities with it. Looking through the images, only a fraction of what we bought, you will see brass winches […]
29
Sep
Sep
Hardy had much to crow about in 1966. The new Willowburn factory was completed and opened by His Grace the Duke of Northumberland. The new symbol of a fly set inside a castle wall was developed, signifying that Hardy tackle is made to last. They continued the building of Palakona bamboo rods, handmade reels and […]
One of the most common misunderstandings relating to rod ferrules is the spigot pattern. See image 1. There are three main ferrule joint patterns: Over Fit where the top section slides over the lower. Push in where the top section inserts and slides into the lower. The spigot ferrule is the one we are asked the most questions about. The […]