Category Archives: Ephemera & Misc.

Collecting, Ephemera & Misc., Rods, The Thomas Turner Collector's guide, Thomas Turner blog

Rare Rods – Something a Little Special at TT

Posted on by Matt Daymond
19
Aug

We love modern fishing rods at Thomas Turner. Modern materials and technology have given us rods that are lighter, stronger, faster in recovery and incredibly efficient to cast and fish with. There’s no denying the benefits of modern carbon. But every now and again, something comes through our doors that makes us sit back and appreciate […]

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Collecting, Ephemera & Misc., News & Events, Rods, The Thomas Turner Collector's guide, Thomas Turner blog

The London Roach Pole – A Forgotten Piece of Angling History

Posted on by Matt Daymond
22
Jul

Long before carbon fibre poles became a familiar sight on match waters, anglers relied on beautifully crafted London roach poles to fish with remarkable precision. Designed for gently lowering a float into position rather than casting, these elegant poles were the tackle of choice for roach anglers on rivers such as the Thames and the […]

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Collecting, Ephemera & Misc., General articles, Rods, The Thomas Turner Collector's guide, Thomas Turner blog

William Blacker

Posted on by Richard Hewitt
18
Feb

  We have something special to share with you today. Just in from Germany a scarce and highly desirable early multi-section split cane valise rod by William Blacker of 54 Dean Street, Soho, London, dating to the early Victorian period, circa 1840–1845. William Blacker (1814 to 1888) was a notable London-based fishing tackle dealer and fly dresser in the 19th […]

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Collecting, Ephemera & Misc., The Thomas Turner Collector's guide, Thomas Turner blog

The Carp Catchers’ Club – When a 10lb Carp was a rarity

Posted on by Richard Hewitt
11
Feb

This week has been very ‘carpy’. I finally persuaded my wife to allow the Brian Mills carving of a 31.5ln carp into the house. Hidden in a corner but a breakthrough nonetheless.   Having said that carp have never really been my thing especially when it comes down to modern methods with bolt rigs and […]

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Collecting, Ephemera & Misc., General articles, Hardy, The Thomas Turner Collector's guide, Thomas Turner blog

ULF NORDSTROM – A MAN SERIOUS ABOUT SALMON

Posted on by Richard Hewitt
28
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 […]

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Collecting, Ephemera & Misc., News & Events, The Thomas Turner Collector's guide, Thomas Turner blog

Major Albert Smalley – inventor of the elder pith float?

Posted on by Matt Daymond
19
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 […]

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Ephemera & Misc., General articles, Thomas Turner blog

Richard Hewitt pays tribute to the fish-carving skills of the late Russian guide Nick Podolsky

Posted on by Richard Hewitt
06
Mar

In the summer of 2013, I heard the shocking news that my regular Russian guide Nick Podolsky had been murdered in a private dispute while running his summer camp for young people. Nick, who had become a friend rather than just a guide, was just 53. The purpose of his summer camps was to teach […]

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Ephemera & Misc., Thomas Turner blog

BJ hand-painted float mystery solved

Posted on by Dave Townsend
15
Dec

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 […]

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Ephemera & Misc., Thomas Turner blog

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

Posted on by Dave Townsend
22
Sep

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 […]

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Ephemera & Misc., Thomas Turner blog

Trout Fishing in Kulu, The Valley of the Gods

Posted on by Dave Townsend
09
Sep

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 […]

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