Lux in Arcadia

Found over the weekend whilst people were leaving their cakes out in the rain or waiting for the eternal sunrise of the soul that will never come at Beaconsfield Services a few items of luxury from a Car Boot Sale in Arcadia.

Fen Gothic

Written originally for the newspaper Old Town Evening Star, a piece of Fen Gothic produced in conjunction with my collaborator the linocutter John Richardson and now residing at the Two Terriers Inn, a place of refuge for souls lost just off the road to nowhere A14 where the local gumbo of Slush Puppy and eels is considered a delicacy.

Wimbledon-by-Sea

No time to neddy in the Snuggeries, a pot of black tea drunk trawlerman style and then it is off in the van in the glorious company of King Tubby, Dylan Thomas and Richard Burton for an early morning spent loitering by tailgates in the Arcadian resort of Wimbledon-by-Sea.

Spitalfields

The day at Spitalfields passed with much tea and conversation before a short back and sides with the barber to royalty and rogues Mr. Natty and his finch Tinker, a pint of Broadside in the snuggery of The Golden Heart with the poet Mr. Will Burns, recently returned from the other side of Hell's Ditch, and then after a pause, a glorious evening in the company of the writer Mr. Chris Yates at the launch of his new book, Nightwalk, in a packed Rough Trade East.  Thank-you to all those who came and listened to spoken words so graciously.  You can read a review of Nightwalk here at Caught by the River and obtain a copy of the book on the stall next Thursday if you so wish.  (The illustration below by 'BB' is taken from 'Vix - The Story of a Fox Cub' (1960) by A. Windsor-Richards)

Andrews of Arcadia meets the Nightwalker Uptown

Once upon a time at night in Arcadia, and especially on a Thursday, ladies and gentlemen going fishing might be tempted to use Luron which was made at the space-age ICI plant in the region known as Teeside.  Many a great catch came to the net courtesy of Luron including a large mirror carp for night fisherman Mr. A.G. Hartley.

Should you wish to discuss the virtues of Luron and Teeside or drink a quart flask of tea you are welcome to do so at my stall in Spitalfields Antiques Market which is open on Thursdays only from a half past seven in the morning until three o'clock in the afternoon.   Today, being 26th April I shall also be celebrating the night and repairing after the market to host a reading and Q & A with that other legendary night fisherman Mr. C. Yates whose new book 'Nightwalk' is being launched at dusk in the shop Rough Trade East.

Woven Labels

Found amongst several collections and items recently purchased privately a woven label roll-call of British Makers of Vintage Fishing Tackle for the Soul.

Narrow Boat

Found yesterday in a damp bookshop whilst on the way back from an auction house Beyond the Fringes of Pandemonium, L.T.C. Rolt's 'Narrow Boat' first published in the year of Arcadia 1944 and illustrated by Denys Watkins-Pitchford a.k.a 'BB'.  Soon to find itself wrapped in brown paper and dispatched to Mr. Andrew Hackett.

Nightwalk - (A Journey to the Heart of Nature)

On Thursday evening of this week from the hour known as 7pm you will find me in the company of Mr. Chris Yates in the shop Rough Trade East at the launch of his new book 'Nightwalk (A Journey to the Heart of Nature)'.  You can find out more about the evening which is being organised by the good people of Caught by the River and Rough Trade by clicking here.

The photograph of Chris Yates below was kindly sent to me by the respected angling historian Mr. Chris Ball and was taken on the banks of Broadwater Lake after Chris Yates had undertaken a walk of a different kind, waist deep in daylight through a bed of lilies to land this carp for his brother, Nick, in the mid-sixties.

The National Vintage Fishing Tackle Fair - Sunday 20th May

Once upon a time not so far away in the future, on the day ringed on the calendar of kitchens across Arcadia as May 20th 2012 I shall be hosting The National Vintage Fishing Tackle Fair in the fair town of Redditch, famous as the fishing tackle manufacturing capital of the known world.  If you have not already booked a stall and wish to take one at this wild gathering of dealers, collectors, enthusiasts and lost anglers I have a small number left and you are advised to telephone me on field telephone 07980 274 383 forthwith.

Wimbledon Car Boot Sale

Up with the lark and out in the van through early morning mist and past vivid London blossom to a flooded Wimbledon Car Boot Sale.

Spitalfields

Yesterday a cold day at the stall ushered in talk of late cod and headscarves.

Arcadia Broadcasting

Once upon a time in Arcadia and most notably on a Thursday before the analogue television signal was switched off ladies and gentlemen wanting to view the latest in fishing tackle could take the trolleybus to Fields Fishing Tackle who were situated at 20a Highgate Road in the district of London known as Kentish Town.   There, on certain weeks of the year a television set would be rigged up and tuned to a distant channel being broadcast from the town of Redditch.

Should you wish to watch television in the 21st Century you are welcome to do so but you are advised not to take the trolleybus to Kentish Town nor to any other London districts as the analogue signal was turned off at midnight last night.  However, as an alternative special displays of Vintage Fishing Tackle for the Soul, including original items from the Allcocks Factory may be viewed in 3-D at my stall which appears on a Thursday at Spitalfields Antiques Market between the hours of 07:30 and 15:00.

L.A.A. Thames Champion

Found at auction amongst the effects of a former London Anglers Association Thames Champion, his winner's badge and his baliff's shield.

Lost & Found

Snapshots of lots at auction on Friday and Saturday last, some of which were lost and some of which were found.

Showing Here

Finding myself slowly after a week of common bream on the lung and my bi-annual two-day shift as porter in the rod department at Angling Auctions with my good mucker Mr. Nick Fallowfield-Cooper.

Harcork Day-glo: Special Announcement

Once upon a time in Arcadia, namely on the 1st June in the year of Arcadia 1953, which may or may not have been a Thursday,  the float makers Harcork made a Special Announcement in the angling press that from that day onwards their Standard Harcork Floats would be made available in Day-glo colours.  Tackle dealers of the time were invited to sample the new floats at the premises of Harcork's wholesaler "Superfine" who were based at 9 Crouch Hill in the district of London known as N4.

Should you travel to 9 Crouch Hill today you will still be in the district of N4 but will discover that 'Superfine' have moved on and the premises have been turned into a chicken shop.  However, you can buy Harcork-Day-glo Floats via my website, which this morning has had its Shop Window changed and some floats placed Under the Counter for you in lieu of my absence today from Spitalfields Antiques Market due to a nasty strain of Fen Bream Cough.

The Feast of the Car Boot Sale

Across Arcadia the annual Feast of the Car Boot Sale has been interrupted in many areas by warnings of gales and of squally rain turning heavy at times.

Efgeeco Bait Distributor

Found recently and bought from another dealer early one morning an Efgeeco Bait Distributor in its original box dating to the period known as the Fifties when bait rationing was still in force across certain parts of Arcadia.   The Efgeeco Bait Distributor would not only have been an old friend but a loyal one and it is with respect that is currently for sale in the Old Friends wing of my website.

Spitalfields

Found at Spitalfields yesterday on the stall of a believer and Camden Passage Original a button badge for the Angling Times Kingfisher Guild made of tin in the decade known as the 1970's.  The Kingfisher Guild held their irregular meetings on the banks of gravel pits around the newly built motorway road M25.

London Transport (Central Road Services) Sports Association

Once upon a time in Arcadia and even on a Maundy Thursday, some fortunate gentlemen and lady anglers planning their Easter angling would be able to make use of subsidised travel offered by their affiliation to the London Transport (Central Road Services) Sports Association.  The LTSA even provided postcards like the one shown below so that such anglers could send advance notice to their homes of their returning catch.  

If you are a lady or a gentleman angler you are invited to take advantage of the London Transport system which still operates, even on Thursdays, when you may take trolleybuses numerous past the rookeries or the Central Line to Liverpool Street Station and walk in a north easterly direction towards my stall at Spitalfields Antiques Market where on said Thursday I redeem Maundy Money for pieces of Vintage Fishing Tackle for the Soul between the hours of a half past seven and three o'clock.  

Vintage Folk Art for the Soul

Found in a box a small Wheatley Silmalloy Metal Fly Box, 'Made in England' and with the legend J. Taylor chased into the surface by its previous owner.