This display of fly fishing accessories from the collection of Dean Smith illustrates the variety and scope of the world of “vest pocket” collectibles. Fly fishing actually has the widest range of equipment and accessories of any sport.
Included in this display are some of the eccentric British fly fishing gadgets and tools including a Hardy Brothers Curate, an all-in-one device that combines tweezers, gut cutters, a pick, a dry fly oil reservoir, and a priest.
In addition to the small oilers, fly vest mounted magnifying glass, and fly tying vise, the large brass ring in the middle is a British clearing ring that could be attached to an angler’s line with a cord to fling into the offending tree or bush to retrieve one’s fly.
The classic Trout Line tobacco tin, lighter, and Hardy Brothers pipe also represent the tobacciana carried by outdoorsmen in yesteryear.
Steve Woit is the author of “Fly Fishing Treasures: The World of Fly Fishers and Collecting”, a book featuring profiles of 30 experts and collectors and over 800 photographs of rare and collectible fly rods, reels, flies, books, and ephemera.
