Westley Richards of Conduit Street, London 10’ 5-piece split cane travel/bicycle fly rod, Gary Brooker

Westley Richards of Conduit Street, London 10’ 5-piece split cane travel/bicycle fly rod, with spare short tip making a 9’6” rod. Full bridge guides whipped gold, tipped black with gold intermediates, bronze push ferrules, 11.5” cork handle with brass reel rings. Butt cap stamped with maker’s details, the rod is marked 7ozs, some light crazing to varnish & surface rusting to some rings, which may clean off. Interesting little rod comes in maker’s original bag.
This item is part of the late Gary Brooker MBE collection. Famed for his lead in the pop group Procol Harum shooting to fame with the iconic single Whiter Shade of Pale launched in 1967. He was appointed an MBE in 2003. A Whiter Shade of Pale was honoured by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018 sadly with Gary passing in February 2022 at the age of 76. All the items in this collection were bought by Thomas Turner from his widow Francoise (Frankie) assisted by Peter Cockwill in June 2022. A unique piece of musical history for any fishing tackle collector.