MK4 Ebay fever

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steve2

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Just seen on Ebay that an old MK4 carp rod with Richard Walkers signature as sold for over £3000. Is it just me or am I missing something why did this bit of old cane reach this price. It not as if Richard Walker is famous outside of the over 60’s fishing circle.
Most people if asked to name a famous angler would say Robson Green or John West
I assume there was a bit of Ebay bidding fever involved.
 
Peter Jacobs

Peter Jacobs

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Virtually anything connected directly or even indirectly with Richard Walker will always sell for good money because there are many collectors (of all ages) who would love to own anything connected with Walker.

I have a nice old "stalking" rod of split cane made by Walker as well as a couple of his keepnets, and all with authentication or provenance.

The same goes for just about anything with a direct Yates connection or indeed many other famous anglers.
 
flightliner

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Crow- whatever are you insinuating , lol.
Steve, many anglers, young and old would regard some of the enthusiasm for owning anything of Walkers as being in touch with the time when he was creating new trains of thought in many anglers minds on how to fish, particularly for bigger ones of many species.
He left a legacy that is much in evidence even today, one enjoyed by all of us in varying degrees, you, me , all of us.
 
tigger

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That's serious money but serious collectors will pay serious money to own something they want!
I suppose it's a case of whatever floats your boat and to a cane rod collector that will be a mouth watering rod to own.
I've never been a fan of cane rods, having had one for a day or two, got shut of it and picked up plenty others I just don't get excited over them....deffo not for me, now if it were a Normark I might be tempted lol.
 
barbelboi

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That's a lot more than the going rate for one of the mass produced BJ rods. I doubt that one of the early rods made by Walker himself (eight I believe that, apart from his own, went to friends and are now highly valued and accounted for) would end up on fleabay but possibly one of the first 40, or so,that DW signed himself (pre transfer days) in Indian ink?
 
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Bob Hornegold

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It's collectors that pay the money, I believe there were patches of maybe 15 rods or blanks made by Southall that R. Walker signed, that is why they are commanding such high prices.

It's supply and demand !!

And why not, if your into collecting fishing tackle, it's history.

Bob
 
barbelboi

barbelboi

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Bob Southwell (aka the Captain) was know for very high quality workmanship and was probably the best rod builder of the period. A few of the early BJ MK1Vs were sold using ready made blanks from Southwell - these are probably now quite sought after by collectors.....................
 
sam vimes

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I doubt that I'd pay the direct decimal equivalent (with or without inflationary adjustment) of the original retail price. However, if someone wants to spend lots of their money on one, good luck to them. I hope it makes them happy.
 
Peter Jacobs

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barbelboi said:
I remember in 1957 they were selling new at £8.11s.................................
Click to expand...

At the age of 15 I bought my first Mk IV rod having worked almost for a full year on Saturdays at the local greengrocers to pay for it . . . . I cannot remember the price back then but I know it was still less than a tenner (which was a king's ransom back then)

The last one I bought was about 10 years ago for £150 in auction¹ (not flea-bay but a proper auction) and then spent another £350 on having it fully refurbished, as it was truly straight and deserved a better "fate"

It matched the Mk IV Carp¹ that I bought a few years before and also had refurbished. Both of them are whipped in Grass Green silk and look great and are a pleasure to use, and they handle fish rather more "gently" than rods of the carboniferous age . . . . .

¹ Sadly, neither were previously owned, or signed, by **** Walker or they would have probably had at least one "zero" added to the price.
 
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barbelboi

barbelboi

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I believe that there is some misconception ‘out there’ as to the way value is accredited to DW’s MK1V rod connection and the ones that fetch the ‘big’ money by collectors Peter. Obviously the few early ones where Walker obtained the blanks to his design from Southwell, then finished them himself with the cork and rings, and gave to friends will fetch ‘top dollar’.

Then the other early ones at the beginning of his association with Jim Bruce (B James & Son) that he signed personally with Indian ink (some 40, or so, rods). After that the MK1Vs were finished by hand (with transfers) at BJs until the mid 50’s when demand was so great that machines were then used. Although most had the traditional crimson whippings, black was used for rods taken for sale at the Earls Court boat show, and green was sometimes used simply for the fact that the crimson had run out. Again, these rods being much fewer in number, are possibly valued more highly by collectors.
 
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