The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

As you can probably guess, I've got something of a liking for them!

I'm old enough to remember the Allcocks 'Lumia' type (top left) - in fact we nearly all had at least one of them as kids. I still recollect going cross-eyed peering at them as dusk fell - and winding in every few minutes to 'boost' the luminous green tip with a torch!


Being made from a relatively tough material, celluloid floats tend to weather the years better than many others of similar age. I can't resist buying any I come across, preserving the best of them for my vintage float collection and repainting those in poorer condition for use.

That is a very nice collection.
This is one of the best celluloid floats I have ever seen and I have been trying to prise it out of Jeff Della Mura's podgy little fingers for years.
No chance.

Fredline wrote: ↑Wed Jul 26, 2023 12:18 am That is a very nice collection.
This is one of the best celluloid floats I have ever seen and I have been trying to prise it out of Jeff Della Mura's podgy little fingers for years.
No chance.

Yes indeed very rare I have hundreds of Wadham celluloid floats including a tip top in its original box, but I do not have a Bazley. Every tackle show I search but its all in vain. Never mind I live in hope.

A Bazley will be firmly on my 'want list' too from now on. (So many desirable floats in JDM's excellent book!).

I'll just have to settle for these charming old 'Boy's Outfit' bobbers in the meantime.

Two beauties. I love the "Boys Outfit" connection. The crap tackle manufacturers have dished up over the past 60 / 70 years under the same title is amazing.

Some of my Frenchies.

By Bouillard brothers (Henri and René) who started their plastic molding business in 1945.

I'm a big fan of these floats too, ever since I saw one disappear to the uncharacteristic dive of a pound and a half Crucian at the Carrot Pond some time in the late Sixties! It wasn't on my line but that of my lifelong pal Alan.

Here are a few of my "users" including a Percy Wadham telescopic version.

A trio of diary snaps of fish caught using a celluloid float.

Thanks for sharing Catfish. Some great floats (and fish)!

Here are some of my Yankee doodle dandies - Heddon Winona celluloid floats.
(Interesting they are described as 'floats' and not the usual American term 'bobber').


Being quite large and buoyant, I might give the top one a try the next time I give my old glass pike rods an airing.

The excerpt below is from my copy of Heddon's 1951 catalog(ue).

Theoretically, floats can be made of any buoyant materials but one does have one's standards. Even as a youngster, when I found celluloid floats by the water or rescued them from the bushes, I disliked them and would leave them as a last-chance option. I see no problem in collecting them though, us fella's will collect almost anything but using them, no thank you. Floats should be beautiful or extremely practical.

Dave Burr wrote: ↑Thu Jul 27, 2023 3:52 pm Theoretically, floats can be made of any buoyant materials but one does have one's standards. Even as a youngster, when I found celluloid floats by the water or rescued them from the bushes, I disliked them and would leave them as a last-chance option. I see no problem in collecting them though, us fella's will collect almost anything but using them, no thank you. Floats should be beautiful or extremely practical.

I agree they do not meet your former criteria Dave, but surely they meet the latter?

Seeing some of the shapes and designs, I feel ingenuity figures too.