Celluloid floats
- John Milford
- Grayling
- Posts: 573
- Joined: Mon Apr 03, 2023 11:05 am
- 1
- Location: Derbyshire's Amber Valley
Celluloid floats
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.
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.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
A seeker of "the fell tyrant of the liquid plain".
- Fredline
- Tench
- Posts: 2622
- Joined: Sat May 16, 2015 1:10 pm
- 9
- Location: East End of the City
Re: Celluloid floats
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.
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.
If you have no grease with you, and your rings are full of ice, do not cut out the ice with a pen-knife but get your man to put the rings one by one in his mouth, and so to thaw the ice.
John Bickerdyke.
John Bickerdyke.
- StefanDuma
- Grayling
- Posts: 513
- Joined: Sun Jan 29, 2017 6:11 pm
- 7
Re: Celluloid floats
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.
- John Milford
- Grayling
- Posts: 573
- Joined: Mon Apr 03, 2023 11:05 am
- 1
- Location: Derbyshire's Amber Valley
Re: Celluloid floats
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.
I'll just have to settle for these charming old 'Boy's Outfit' bobbers in the meantime.
Last edited by John Milford on Fri Nov 24, 2023 11:57 am, edited 2 times in total.
A seeker of "the fell tyrant of the liquid plain".
- Fredline
- Tench
- Posts: 2622
- Joined: Sat May 16, 2015 1:10 pm
- 9
- Location: East End of the City
Re: Celluloid floats
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.
If you have no grease with you, and your rings are full of ice, do not cut out the ice with a pen-knife but get your man to put the rings one by one in his mouth, and so to thaw the ice.
John Bickerdyke.
John Bickerdyke.
- John Milford
- Grayling
- Posts: 573
- Joined: Mon Apr 03, 2023 11:05 am
- 1
- Location: Derbyshire's Amber Valley
Re: Celluloid floats
Some of my Frenchies.
By Bouillard brothers (Henri and René) who started their plastic molding business in 1945.
By Bouillard brothers (Henri and René) who started their plastic molding business in 1945.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
A seeker of "the fell tyrant of the liquid plain".
- Catfish.017
- Eel
- Posts: 2221
- Joined: Wed Apr 04, 2012 8:53 am
- 12
- Location: Fradley Junction quite often!
Re: Celluloid floats
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.
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.
- John Milford
- Grayling
- Posts: 573
- Joined: Mon Apr 03, 2023 11:05 am
- 1
- Location: Derbyshire's Amber Valley
Re: Celluloid floats
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).
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).
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Last edited by John Milford on Sat Nov 25, 2023 12:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
A seeker of "the fell tyrant of the liquid plain".
- Dave Burr
- Honorary Vice President
- Posts: 13512
- Joined: Fri Jul 20, 2012 7:03 pm
- 11
- Location: Not far from the Wye
- Contact:
Re: Celluloid floats
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.
- John Milford
- Grayling
- Posts: 573
- Joined: Mon Apr 03, 2023 11:05 am
- 1
- Location: Derbyshire's Amber Valley
Re: Celluloid floats
I agree they do not meet your former criteria Dave, but surely they meet the latter?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.
Seeing some of the shapes and designs, I feel ingenuity figures too.
A seeker of "the fell tyrant of the liquid plain".