Farlow Sharpe fishing tackle catalogue of 1978

Apart from the obvious reference material value of this catalogue, can you spot what is a bit odd?

Both Farlow and Sharpe were leading lights in the fishing tackle trade for over a century and dare I say it, a bit posh too with the Pall Mall address and tweed galore.

 This catalogue hails from the No 3-11 Skeen Square, Aberdeen store. 

Take a close look at the reel page. 

I see one Aquarex reel with a tenuous link to Sharpes but NO homegrown Farlow reels. We have Intrepid, really? We have Sealey, really? A smattering of Garcia Mitchell, ok I’ll give you that one but no flagship.

If you compare this to the Hardy Anglers guide stuffed with own-brand product, it’s difficult to understand the logic behind this one.

Was the market changing to budget value brands? Had Farlow Sharpe spotted a new buying trend in the late 1970’s? Could it be this northern store was so far removed from the Pall Mall address it wasn’t considered appropriate to mirror the London store but to compete with other local brands/ makers, who knows?

Happily they do make a fuss over the Farlow and Sharpes rods, providing a good reference list. Save/print this page as a handy guide to lengths, weights, line ratings and a description of the making process.