Farlow Desideratum & Bull Dogs

My pick of the week has to be a set of 3 Farlow pocket catalogues from 1889-1899 that have just come into stock via Richard.

These little gems have provided great reading with some fascinating information. They can give the correct title or name to a particular item and or its production dates.

Take the Farlow Desideratum wicker creel, the name meaning something desired or needed.  It was loosely based on the Hardy Perfect creel with internal food and drink storage compartments.

Costing £1-1 shilling in 1890, the equivalent of 3 days’ wages of an average skilled tradesman, it was not cheap.

Farlow were famous for the fly and game equipment but also carried a comprehensive pike fishing range of rods, reels, terminal tackle and lures.

Alfred Jardine’s ferocious adjustable Pike gag and scissors are illustrated and hard to find these days.

The Marryat Bull Dog hackle pliers are a good find as is the Farlow Kelson Patent Lever reel. The drag adjuster on the faceplate seemed like a good idea but as it whizzed round when a fish took line you could not adjust the drag. Shortly after launch it was discontinued, selling very few and making it very desirable. 

In short, cash may be king but knowledge is all.