Perth auctioneer Iain Smith has landed his biggest ever catch of angling paraphernalia.
Hundreds of fishing rods, reels, lures, nets, bags and books are expected to reel in bids from around the world when they go under the hammer on Tuesday February 27.
Tables and shelves at Iain’s Perth Airport auction house are groaning under the weight of fishing gear.
The items date from the Victorian era to the present day.
They include antique rods and reels from famous Scottish names, such as P.D. Malloch of Perth, John Gow of Dundee and Sharpe’s of Aberdeen.
Iain says he’s never seen their like before.
“This is certainly by far the biggest private collection of angling equipment I have ever handled,” he said.
“And with more than 500 lots being sold, it ranks among the biggest catches of this type in Scotland.
“There are more than 200 rods, including 70 Hardy’s, which are regarded as the Rolls-Royce of rods,” he added.
“There’s sure to be internet interest far beyond the UK.”
Obsessive about collecting
The treasure trove was built up over 40 years.
And Iain says he could not believe his eyes when he was asked to view the collection in its late owner’s modest double bedroom.
“His widow said it was a hobby that had given her husband many years of pleasure, and she had been happy for him to keep collecting,” he said.
“Like so many collectors, he was probably a bit obsessive because most of the equipment has never seen the water, never mind caught a fish.”
Some items from the 1970s are still cellophane wrapped, while many of the lures and Rapala spinners are boxed with their original price tags.
Remarkably, their owner also found space for collecting vinyl.
The records will also be going under the hammer at Iain Smith Auctions’ four-day sale this month.
The angling collection will be sold from noon on Tuesday .
It can be viewed at Iain M Smith Auctioneers on Monday.
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