Victoria Arcadia

Found recently amongst a lot of very interesting salmon tackle a Victorian Gut-Eyed Salmon Fly tied on a 10/0 Iron the largest of the Farlow's single salmon hook scale.  For immediate sale on my website in the oft frequented section 'Just in, Sir!'.

The National Vintage Fishing Tackle Fair - Sunday 11th May 2014

There are three remaining stalls available to rent on a first come, first served basis at The National Vintage Fishing Tackle Fair in a fortnight's time on Sunday 11th May in Redditch.   If you'd like to take one, and new stallholders are always welcome, please call me on the Field Telephone Number 07980 274 383.  Thank-you. 

Pall Mall Echoes

Collected during a day on the road yesterday, purchases from a lot bought at a recent auction and now for immediate sale at the 'Just in, Sir' counter on my website, a pair of Between-the-Wars Devon Minnows, one stamped Bernard and the other Hardy.

'You Need Not Live in Sheffield'

Once upon a time in Arcadia and most notably on a Thursday, ladies and gentlemen in search of 'bottoms as used by all the crack anglers' would call in in person or send a post card to Sugg's of 28 Angel Street in Sheffield (also at Hull, Nottingham and Scunthorpe) where they could obtain the finest drawn gut for match tackle.  

'You Need Not Live in Sheffield' was the motto of Sugg's in its heyday between-the-wars and today in this the Year of Our Lord & Other Sunny Afternoons 2014 the same mantra does apply for from my stall in Spitalfields Antiques Market on Commercial Street in the district of London known as E.1. on Thursdays only between the hours of 8am and 3 I buy and sell Vintage Fishing Tackle For the Soul and drink tea to the good health and legend of Sugg's, Sheffielders and crack anglers everywhere.

The "Chelt" Match Rod

Bought over the weekend during The Feast of the Car Boot Sale an original Thames Pattern Ogden Smith "Chelt" Match Rod for immediate sale at 'Just in, Sir!' on my website and available to view and collect along with a few other coarse rods on the stall tomorrow.

The Annual Feast of the Car Boot Sale

Up early to strictly observe the most holy of long weekends in the dealer's calendar, known in most districts as The Annual Feast of the Car Boot Sale.

Spitalfields Invicta

Bought yesterday from a gentleman collector a small number of enamel angling club badges by various makers.

Ellis's Stores 9, 10, 11 & 13 Shepherds Bush Market

Once upon a time in Arcadia, perhaps even on Maundy Thursday in the year of 1934, ladies and gentlemen in possession of their Maundy Money and eager to spend it wisely on fishing tackle could take themselves off to Shepherds Bush Market where at numbers 9, 10, 11 & 13 they could join the throng by Ellis's Stores who were the proud purveyors of 'Hardware, General Grocery, Corn Chandlery, Fishing Tackle, Livestock, Bird Cages and Toys'.  Indeed a lady or a gentlemen did so later in that year and purchased a winch, some hemp, a dozen hooks, a box of shot, a length of silken line, one line winder, a packet of casts, a float and some paste.   For this they parted with Six Pounds and Five and a Half Shillings.   It is not known what they caught but their tackle was later discovered at a recent flea market by a dealer of fine repute who kindly furnished me with the original invoice for that transaction.

Should you be a lady or gentleman abroad on the streets of London, today, this Maundy Thursday in the Year of Our Lord & Other Bluebells 2014, you are directed along the Central Underground Line from Shepherds Bush to Liverpool Street, where, after a short walk up Brushfield Street you will chance upon Spitalfields Antiques Market on Commercial Street where at my stall which has stood for ten years but is un-numbered you will be able to buy every item bar hemp and paste that was on Ellis's bill.  You will also find amongst the seventy-seven other stalls all manner of fascinations including Bird Cages, Toys and Hardware.

Impromptu Festival of Cardboard

An Impromptu Festival of Cardboard has broken out on my website during a long overdue update and re-stocking of all its sections and neglected corners.   You are most welcome to browse and even purchase should you wish to do so.

'We Are the People"

Once upon a time in Arcadia, ladies and gentlemen abroad on the streets of Subtopia in search of 'The Finest Fishing Rods and Tackle' could call in at Harolds Gun & Fishing Tackle Stores on Botwell Lane in Hayes in the district of Middlesex.  So highly thought of was the Harolds' stock that they boasted the reputation, 'We Are the People'.

Should you be a lady or a gentleman abroad on the streets of London or a day return refugee from Subtopia in search of 'The Finest Fishing Rods and Tackle' you are advised that the door to Harolds has sadly long since closed like so many of London's old fishing tackle shops.  But do not fret for every Thursday between the hours of 8am and 3pm I sell 'Vintage Fishing Tackle for the Soul' from my stall at Spitalfields Antiques Market on Commercial Street in the district of London known as E.1.   Regular callers and passers-by are always welcome.  Thank-you.

Found

Bought over the past fortnight several collections of fly boxes and their contents all of which will be for sale on the stall tomorrow and thereafter.

A Casualty of War

Found amongst a lot of fly tying materials and fly boxes bought at the weekend a letter written on the 10th July 1958 by a lady called Polly Mackenzie to her friend Roden.  It opens,

'Herewith a belated Wedding Present to wish you all happiness - the Mackenzie Fly Box, designed and manufactured by P.H.M (inc) holds, as you can see, both Tube and conventional flies.  The flies, with the exception of the 4 'Waddingtons' are all my own tieing - one, "The Hearth Rug" I tied one Sunday up at Lairg with hairs taken from a moth-eaten bear skin rug in front of sitting room fire.  The "Stoat Tails" are from stoats trapped at Gartincaber with a little Kingfisher from skin of a bird killed by my cousin Daisy Spicer's cat during Hitler's War.'