Mark Knapp 0 Report post Posted January 9, 2019 It's like Christmas around here, today my copy of "The Feather Thief" finally came in. Plus that, I got my new vise, my new dubbing spinners. I got a Guinea fowl skin. To top it all off, I went to an estate sale and got a complete fly tying room. There's so much stuff, I'm going to be sorting for quite some time. Just the stack of fly tying books was 3 1/2 feet tall. I didn't know the old fella but he must have been an interesting guy. He had some classic salmon fly stuff and lots of shadow boxed sets of flies. There was one box of hackle capes, buck tail, schlappen, Chickabou, calf tails and hair patches full to the top of a 2 X 2 X 2 foot box, all in original packaging. It seems as if he had owned a fly shop 'cause there was lots of stuff for display. Also, drawers and drawers and drawers of hook, tools and 3 vises. I paid the family what they were asking but, they were so nice, and the widow is strapped for cash till the affairs are cleared. There's so much more than I thought there was so I'm going to give them some more money. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vicente 0 Report post Posted January 9, 2019 Nice score, that one box must be at least a grand in alone. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mark Knapp 0 Report post Posted January 10, 2019 Yes I think so, at least. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DFoster 0 Report post Posted January 10, 2019 Mark that's awesome and good for you! Would you mind posting a few pics of the estate sale display stuff? I'm a complete sucker for classic and historical fly fishing/tying stuff. I have the largest flea market in the country half a hour drive from my home. I try to stay away because the grocery money might somehow turn into an antique fly reel (which according to my wife are apparently inedible). The last time I went I grabbed a old 3wt no name bamboo rod from the 60's for $20. It's in decent condition and I am currently restoring it. I restored a 1945 5wt South Bend bamboo rod last summer and after replacing everything except the bamboo blank I was into the rod for $140 (not edible either). One of my local fly shops used to have a 5' tall apothecary cabinet filled with estate materials for sale. I got a lot of common use feathers, hackles and furs for a buck or two per pack. They looked to be from the 80's and most were unopened. I'm still tying from them today. Unfortunately the shop has since stopped selling estate materials. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CasualAngler 0 Report post Posted January 10, 2019 Christmas goodies that just arrived... Thompson Model A w/ Pedestal & vintage Thompson bobbin holder Hareline Dubbin pheasant skin Alan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DFoster 0 Report post Posted January 11, 2019 Christmas goodies that just arrived... Thompson Model A w/ Pedestal & vintage Thompson bobbin holder Hareline Dubbin pheasant skin Alan IMG_20190110_130100.jpg IMG_20190110_130136.jpg That vise and bobbin are sweet! Do you intend to tie with them or are they for display? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CasualAngler 0 Report post Posted January 11, 2019 Christmas goodies that just arrived... Thompson Model A w/ Pedestal & vintage Thompson bobbin holder Hareline Dubbin pheasant skin Alan IMG_20190110_130100.jpg IMG_20190110_130136.jpg That vise and bobbin are sweet! Do you intend to tie with them or are they for display? Oh yeah! The Model A will be my primary vise. It came with a set of Midge jaws & the original box. I bought the Pedestal for it, and also have the C clamp. The bobbin holder is in awesome shape, and I'm definitely using it, too! It also came with the original box. Alan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mark Knapp 0 Report post Posted January 11, 2019 Nice stuff. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mark Knapp 0 Report post Posted January 11, 2019 Dfoster, there isn't any antique stuff at all, mostly framed flies and flies on pedestals, as well as several hundred ( maybe thousands of) flies for sale in labeled partitioned boxed like you see at fly shops. These all appear to be hand tied, (by him?) The most exciting thing is the box of capes. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DFoster 0 Report post Posted January 11, 2019 Dfoster, there isn't any antique stuff at all, mostly framed flies and flies on pedestals, as well as several hundred ( maybe thousands of) flies for sale in labeled partitioned boxed like you see at fly shops. These all appear to be hand tied, (by him?) The most exciting thing is the box of capes. My bad. I assumed the deceast was old Oh well- Still it sounds like a nice score for you and I'm sure his widow appreciates his stuff finding its way to a fellow enthusiast. Those boxes probably represent a lot of years of collecting. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mark Knapp 0 Report post Posted January 11, 2019 Df, I'm pretty sure he must have tied them all. Something else that's pretty interesting, I was at an auction several years ago and I was bidding on fly rods and fly tying stuff. There was also a box classic salmon fly materials and some books. I was able to get most of the fly tying stuff without too much trouble but when it came to the classic stuff he was going to get it. Every time the bid was back to him, his hand shot up with such determination that I knew he was going to get it no matter what. I saw no point in running him way up so I quit bidding. I don't remember the man himself but I do remember the materials and the books. I'm pretty sure I have them now. It's funny how things go around. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
