Bernard Sealey & Co Trade Price List 1974
Posted: Thu Feb 25, 2021 4:51 pm
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.
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.
