Thomas Turner
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Another interesting few weeks in the world of vintage tackle with the highlight for us involving an unusual and very rare item from the prestigious and highly collectible Farlow brand. An early solid nickel silver reel built for the Great Exhibition? An early Billiken casting reel? Or maybe an early brass multiplying winch script engraved 221 The Strand their first trading address from 1840? All of those would be desirable but the item that caught my attention was surprisingly a piece of ‘brown’ furniture!
So why would this be special? This was no ordinary piece but a bespoke made mahogany fishing tackle display cabinet made for Farlow bearing the ivorine plaque with the 191 The Strand address. (the same premises as 221 The Strand the local authorities having changed the address). The date of the cabinet can be pinpointed more accurately by the title Charles Farlow and Co Ltd. the business name adopted in 1895 the year Charles Farlow died and his two sons took over the business.
So where has it been? There is a back story here as I first spotted the cabinet in an office furniture auction during my tenure as Chairman of Farlows (new branding) back in 2015. At my bequest Farlows succesfully bid for it and it was on display in the Pall Mall premises for many years until following a refit of the store it was destined to the basement where it has remained ever since. Personally I feel a missed opportunity but I am advised modern retail is all to do with sales per square foot (or square metre) now so perhaps from a purely commercial perspective I am wrong to think that.
Gathering dust in the basement the next plan as part of a major refit was for Farlows to put the cabinet to auction but I am delighted we were able to pre-empt that and the cabinet is now proudly displayed in our Weston Super Mare premises.
On the subject of the ivorine plaques these do have a major impact on values (providing they are genuine). In my collection I have a superb Farlow commissioned Pike with the C Farlow and Co Ltd. plaque but this time at Panton Street where they traded between 1926 and 1957. I paid a premium for this fish not only because of the label but it was caught 800 yards from my house in a lake I have fished for nearly 70 years! Some coincidence.
Another cherished item I have is a salmon sized Oak Fly box with a similar ivorine label but this time when they traded as C Farlow and Co dating the box to 1885 to 1894. The box is brass bound I suspect a later addition.
Richard Hewitt
(This is published courtesy of Classic Angling magazine)
The post Focus on Farlows appeared first on Thomas Turner Fishing Antiques.
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So why would this be special? This was no ordinary piece but a bespoke made mahogany fishing tackle display cabinet made for Farlow bearing the ivorine plaque with the 191 The Strand address. (the same premises as 221 The Strand the local authorities having changed the address). The date of the cabinet can be pinpointed more accurately by the title Charles Farlow and Co Ltd. the business name adopted in 1895 the year Charles Farlow died and his two sons took over the business.
So where has it been? There is a back story here as I first spotted the cabinet in an office furniture auction during my tenure as Chairman of Farlows (new branding) back in 2015. At my bequest Farlows succesfully bid for it and it was on display in the Pall Mall premises for many years until following a refit of the store it was destined to the basement where it has remained ever since. Personally I feel a missed opportunity but I am advised modern retail is all to do with sales per square foot (or square metre) now so perhaps from a purely commercial perspective I am wrong to think that.
Gathering dust in the basement the next plan as part of a major refit was for Farlows to put the cabinet to auction but I am delighted we were able to pre-empt that and the cabinet is now proudly displayed in our Weston Super Mare premises.
On the subject of the ivorine plaques these do have a major impact on values (providing they are genuine). In my collection I have a superb Farlow commissioned Pike with the C Farlow and Co Ltd. plaque but this time at Panton Street where they traded between 1926 and 1957. I paid a premium for this fish not only because of the label but it was caught 800 yards from my house in a lake I have fished for nearly 70 years! Some coincidence.
Another cherished item I have is a salmon sized Oak Fly box with a similar ivorine label but this time when they traded as C Farlow and Co dating the box to 1885 to 1894. The box is brass bound I suspect a later addition.
Richard Hewitt
(This is published courtesy of Classic Angling magazine)
The post Focus on Farlows appeared first on Thomas Turner Fishing Antiques.
Continue reading...