Just arrived with me today is this invaluable archive from 1974. It is the hand typed Trade Price List for that year ... and is fascinating for the following ways.
As you can see from the photographs, the heading states "Inc. Precision Rods." I had previously thought that the rod badging changed from Precision Rods to Bernard Sealey and Co. around 1965 ... coinciding with the move away from cane to fibre glass. This list proves that there were still Precision rods being sold (and presumably manufactured) into the early 1970's ... only 10 years before the Sealeys sold the company.
Some models, like the 'Marsden' (a 2 piece, 10ft rod) described as a 'carp and barbel rod,' were made in both split cane and fibre glass versions at some point. For example,I have 2 split cane versions bearing the Precision Rods badge (both bearing the Odgen Smith retailer's transfer), and a fibre glass version bearing the Bernard Sealey & Co. badge.
I was fascinated to see that the "Festival" was included in the models to be deleted from the price list (there were only 2 left in stock at the time), because this showed the longevity of that model ... having been first made, I believe, to celebrate the Festival of Britain in 1951. As I have never heard or seen of a fibre glass 'Festival,' this also shows that split cane coarse rods were being bought well into the 1970's.
I also think that the fact that so many items are to be deleted from the price list, and the inclusion of such items as "N0. 604. Plastic Boys Reels" show that the business was being reduced ... probably because of the pressure of cheap foreign import of tackle ... and continued until the family sold the business in, I believe, 1984.
The name and address is written on the back of the list ... so I don't know if it was where the list was sent to. The address is currently a barber shop. If anyone knows if "Roys of Lowestoft" was a tackle shop in the early 1970s, I would love to hear about it.
Bernard Sealey & Co Trade Price List 1974
- AshbyCut
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Bernard Sealey & Co Trade Price List 1974
"Beside the water I discovered (or maybe rediscovered) the quiet. The sort of quiet that allows one to be woven into the tapestry of nature instead of merely standing next to it." Estaban.
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Re: Bernard Sealey & Co Trade Price List 1974
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.
- Harry H
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Re: Bernard Sealey & Co Trade Price List 1974
Apparently Roy's was a general sports shop/store, sold fishing tackle air rifles, windbreaks and postcards and the like.
There are three things that improve with age: wine, friendship and water sense, and there's no short cut.
Anthony Shepherdson
Anthony Shepherdson
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Re: Bernard Sealey & Co Trade Price List 1974
Thank you, Sir.
"Beside the water I discovered (or maybe rediscovered) the quiet. The sort of quiet that allows one to be woven into the tapestry of nature instead of merely standing next to it." Estaban.