Celluloid floats

[John Milford]

The wire coil is certainly an old and well-used device for the quick attachment and removal of end tackle items. The Jardine lead is a classic example.

(The Heddon-Winona floats I posted earlier in this thread employ them too).

What I've not seen before is a plastic coil on the otherwise commonplace old white celluloid 'flat tops'.

I'm intrigued who the maker might be, but finding out is likely to be a though one!

[Rod Fisher]

A 'quick change' device - copied for swing tips, quiver tips, even swivels - ever since - - or before??

I think the Jardine leads were using that technology long before.

Would that be the grandfather of the current Alex Jardine - - - Charles Jardine's father?

If I have traced the family tree correctly: the current Alex Jardine (fly-fisherman) is the son of Charles Jardine (fly-fisher, writer and artist). Charles Jardine is the son of wildlife artist Alex Jardine (William Alexander Jardine; 1913 - 1987). W. A. Jardine is the son of William Joseph Jardine (1871 - 1946) of Great Yarmouth, who in turn is the son of another William Alexander Jardine (1840 - 1880) from Oxfordshire. His father was another William Jardine (c.1814 - 1881), this one a Scot from Dumfries. They aren't, as far as I can tell, descended from Alfred 'the Great Pike Killer' Jardine.

Jardine also applied the same technology to floats. His 'Jardine Duplex' pike bungs used a spiral quick-change mount, with the line - as in the 'Archer-Jardine' leads - wrapped several times around the body of the float to prevent slippage. They also featured interchangeable red and white tops for different conditions.