Wallis Wizard

[Crucian]

I like 'Wizard's, just thought I'd get that off my chest to begin with...

Over the years I've handled quite a few 'Wizard's, by Allcocks, Constable, Aspindales etc. all nice, but all different, and in some cases, very different.
Sorry, I'm rambling again, so to get to the point, I simply can't resist yet another 'Wizard', and when this one came my way...

It's an early (how early I don't know) green stained rod. I'm certain, after careful inspection, that it has suffered no 'Restoration'. It's even been spared the varnish brush and remains as it left the factory. It has an interesting green and gold oval label beneath the spiral 'Wallis Wizard' label, which may help date it?

I wish to return the rod to a usable condition with as little 'Restoration' as possible, just replacement rings and the ferrules reseated. No cleaning or polishing, just enough varnish over the new ring and ferrule whippings to keep the water out.
This would seem a simple task, however...

The first concern is the whipping silk colour, it's not the bright, almost lime green of the restorations I have seen, but a darker 'Mid green', very similar to that used, pre war, by Hardy's. It's not the result of darkened varnish, but is definitely 'Mid green'.

The main concern is that of the ring style. It seems that the green stained Wizard's had the upright 'safety pin' type rings, and this is supported by the rod description in the Alcock's catalogues, 'Special upright' rings. Well, having carefully removed a ring ('High bells', badly corroded) it clearly shows where the original ring sat over the green stain. The whippings had a space remaining between them, consistent with a ring having a central gap between the legs, just like the removed ring. I probably haven't explained this very well but please bear with me...if the rod had been fitted with the 'safety pin' type rings, the marks left in the stain by the original whipping would remain, and would only have a very small central gap between the legs. Further, the feet on this type of ring sit to the sides of the blank, and there is no sign of this. It is very hard to believe that the rings, as fitted, are not original rings...I am aware that the later, gold label Wizard's were fitted with 'Bell's life' intermediates. Is it possible that this rod was a transitional model, still Green stained, but fitted with the later style of ring ? Please note that the rings fitted are not 'Bell's life', but 'Stand off Bell's life"...Allcock's description,from their 1938/39 catalogue, which proves that they were in use pre war.

Sorry about the poor quality photo's, which were taken in strong sunlight and don't show the correct silk colour.

In conclusion, it's an important rod historically, but more importantly to me, it's far and away the nicest Wizard I have ever held, with the most beautiful action. As I said, I like Wizards

Gentlemen, I would value your opinions please.
I only consider myself the present custodian of this lovely rod and therefore wish to do it justice and not do anything which will cause confusion to future custodians.
Thank you anticipation.

[Paul F]

What a find Paul, a very desirable rod.
I know you well enough to know what you are saying is correct, and sure there must have been a transition period, in my opinion.
Can't wait to see it soon.
Paul

[Chubman]

your wizard is allcocks first wizard produced from 1932, the original safety pin type rings had the ring foot on the sides of the canes section not underneath,so looks like they may have been replaced at some time,the whippings were stained over, i had to remove the stain completely on one of mine as someone had part removed the stain on the butt section and the silk appeared to be a shade of light blue under the stain, is the handle a hickory shaft or a corkwrapped model( delux model) the handle is slightly longer at 20 inches if my memory serves me, later wizards are 18 inches,the butt protecter would have had a wooden one not rubber, hope this helps

[Crucian]

Chubman, thank you, it certainly does help, because when I removed the ferrule whippings, which were completely rotten and falling off, they were indeed a bluish shade of silk. The handle is cork wrapped, but more importantly, is a bit longer than the later gold label version and the button is a wooden one.
Interesting that your whippings had been stained over, was the blank stained first? The reason I ask, is the blank on this rod is stained under the whippings.
Did you replace your rings with the paper clip/safety pin type? and what colour whipping silk did you settle on?
So many questions, I'm sorry...but it's a lovely rod and I do want to get it right, hope you understand.

Edit; Forgot to mention that all the ring and ferrule whipping had been coated with shellac, not varnish. Tested it with meths on a cotton bud, and sure enough it dissolved, as you would expect with shellac. Tried the green stain too, very carefully and under a whipping, but this is not shellac based and won't dissolve in meths, I suspect it's copal varnish based, but I'm only guessing.

[Crucian]

Managed to straighten the butt and tip rings as best I can...
The result isn't perfect, but they were in a bad way, and it's a wonder the agate linings survived.

Still undecided regarding silk colour and ring style.
I don't think it would be difficult to make a set of paper clip/safety pin type rings, but I want to use the rod regularly and am concerned about modern line cutting into unchromed steel, and of course there's the old enemy, rust...
Have considered fitting high bells rings , but it just seems wrong...

[Santiago]

Sounds like the old varnish is actually old varnish and not shellac. Shellac goes permanently white when wet, and also one has to apply heat to meths in order to dissolve shellac ; whereas old varnish will probably dissolve fairly quickly in meths. Then again so might old shellac. But then old shellac exposed to moisture will be white! Not that any of this matters!

[Crucian]

Not that any of this matters!

Thanks, made me smile.

[Santiago]

Your welcome! I nearly started making my own shellac varnish to use on my homemade floats until a fellow member told me about it turning white with exposure to water! To dissolve the shellac the method involved heating a jar of meths inside a pre-boiled pan of hot water. It worked a treat!

[Crucian]

The firm of builders I was apprenticed to, as a joiner, were also undertakers.
Part of my job was to help make up the 'polish' for the coffins. One of the older joiners was a dab hand at french polishing, all the 'best' oak coffins were french polished. The cheaper elm coffins were given a couple of coats of the same shellac, but applied with a brush and not a rubber.
You are of course, right about damp causing the polish to go white. Heat will do the same.

[Wallys-Cast]

That's a lovely early rod Paul. I think it has possibly been re-ringed at some time in the past, photo two looks as if the side mounted ring has left a slight shadow from its original position.
The replacements will probably have been bronzed steel rings which did tend to corrode pretty quickly.

The green whipping between the makers labels look a nice colour, I think I would go for that when rebuilding.

Wal.