Category Archives: Ephemera & Misc.

BJ hand-painted float mystery solved

With a little help from Keith Elliot’s Classic Angling, onto Jeff Dela Mura and other tackle friends we have managed to solve the riddle. Who is BJ the float maker? Bernard J Mason of Totnes, between Torbay and Dartmoor in South Devon, is the artisan float maker/painter responsible for these stunning handmade creations. Chatting to […]

Collection of 105 large gut eye salmon flies, formerly the property of William Humble Ward, 2nd Earl of Dudley

Thomas Turner is proud to offer for sale this unique collection of 105 large gut eye fully dressed salmon flies. The collection was formerly the property of William Humble Ward, 2nd Earl of Dudley, KP, GCB, GCMG, KSTJ, PC, TD, DL, 25th May 1867 to 29th June 1932. Humble-Ward was an aristocrat who held various roles […]

Trout Fishing in Kulu, The Valley of the Gods

Originally published in 1934, this second edition 1941 softback handbook makes interesting reading. 70 pages plus a pull-out map describes the area, the people, accommodation, and facilities for the visiting angler.  A holiday resort less well known than the Punjab and Kashmir regions, it’s a jewel in the crown.  The populated parts of the Kulu […]

Warner of Redditch Perfect Hook Protector

It’s not unusual for such a little piece of angling ephemera to hide a massive story. The Warner of Redditch little hook paper fold measures a diminutive 2.5” long. It was hiding in the base of a willow creel and is worthy of examination. The famous Warner fish and cross sword logo is displayed over […]

Floats and more floats

There is only one way to buy old floats and that’s in bulk! This amazing float collection is part of a huge vintage tackle collection we have recently bought. To be accurate, it’s only part of the float collection. Displayed on a custom-made three-tier setting, the floats span 100 years and are great fun to […]

Vintage alloy bait safe

Once again rummaging in the bottom of a tackle box unearths these little curios. These are a matching pair of vintage lightweight alloy bait safe appliances in fine condition. Each tube measures 5 1/2” long with a hinged snap shut lid. The front of the tube has a tiny hole to accept the line and […]

National Angling Championship 1952 official programme

This match fishing programme came in last week and I couldn’t help flicking through it. What a glorious era this must have been. Travelling by train, coach or maybe car, this was a marathon of planning by organisers and competitors alike. Match fishing was big business in its day. A 48-page programme was available, priced […]

Watermelon wicker creels are rare and collectable

We see quite a few wicker and willow reed creels coming to Thomas Turner on a regular basis and we were pleasantly surprised to find this one in Holland. I normally associate these creels with the USA, but clearly, they travelled into Europe and were made by the Europeans too. The interesting feature of this […]

Milbro Lesney Bait press 1954/57

A useful and collectable little gadget came in this week. The Milbro Lesney Bread Bait press was in production from 1954 to 1957. It is manufactured by the Matchbox Company from die-cast alloy. Standing a mere 5cm to the top of a winged screw, originally coloured red and green, later appearing in red and silver. […]

Rapala Lures, collect or use?

Finnish born Lauri Rapala watched large fish chasing smaller fish and decided to carve a lure that replicated a wounded fish. In 1936 he carved his first lure from cork, using chocolate bar tin foil wrapper as the outer reflective surface, and it worked. He would have no idea where this single event would take him. […]