Hi, I have just purchased this reel thinking it was a Barry Grantham early BB model. I emailed Barry and he has stated that it is not one of his. Further investigation lead me to a thread on the TFF via Len Arbery regarding the reel that Richard Walker made for BB. On the page BB's reel it shows R.W's rod , net and a reel that was made by R.W. This is the reel I have just bought. I have also just found a picture of R.W. at his work bench showing the reel in the back ground. It is superbly engineered and spins forever despite having a telephone spool latch.
I bought from a woman from Yorkshire who has no idea about fishing . She told me she got from a dealer she has been using for years who is a house clearance/boot sale type person.
I have added a picture of the reel alongside a J. W. Youngs 5 ½" Trudex to compare the size. The R.W. is just a tad bigger but it weighs in at 298g compared to the Trudex which weighs in at 420g.
I have just discovered that the box the reel came in is embossed "J.A.P. Villiers" who supplied engines to the lawn mower industry including Lloyds. These are the latest pictures including a silhouette of Wallace holding the rod and reel.
Richard Walkers own homemade reel.
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Richard Walkers own homemade reel.
Last edited by Fredline on Sun Aug 16, 2015 11:32 am, edited 14 times in total.
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Re: Richard Walkers own homemade reel.
Blimey!
Does that mean the seller didn't know about the Walker provenance?
Well done.
Does that mean the seller didn't know about the Walker provenance?
Well done.
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Re: Richard Walkers own homemade reel.
Will you take a tenner,cash mind !
Roger
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Re: Richard Walkers own homemade reel.
I trust you are going to use it otherwise why keep it?
Aquaerial
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Re: Richard Walkers own homemade reel.
This is all very, very interesting; all the more so as it would appear that the seller had no idea of the reels provenance. You will indeed have to tell us more.
The coiled line travels from the reel, it brings up at last, the hook goes home, and then begins the test of skill. "BB"
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Re: Richard Walkers own homemade reel.
Any chance of a look inside? Well done, to think someone owned it and never knew, given walkers high regard is astonishing.
Marc. (Prince of Durham)
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Re: Richard Walkers own homemade reel.
What a find, just amazing. It's worth an absolute fortune. A holy grail type moment I think. It would be interesting to compare this to the BB reel, who owns that? Doing so could confirm the provenance beyond any doubt. What I don't understand is why a woman in Yorkshire with no knowledge of or interest in fishing would acquire this in the first place. Either way it doesn't matter. It's your's now. Possibly the most significant fishing find of the year!
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Re: Richard Walkers own homemade reel.
What a great find!!!
Clean it up and go catch some carp on it right away!
Clean it up and go catch some carp on it right away!
"piscator non solum piscatur"
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Re: Richard Walkers own homemade reel.
Wonderful find.
Mark (Administrator)
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The most precious places in the English landscape are those secretive corners,
where you find only elder trees, nettles and dreams. (BB - Denys Watkins-Pitchford).