Thomas Turner
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When our good friend Peter Cockwill contacted us with the details of a tackle collection opportunity, it turned out to be a halcyon day.
One of his close friends had passed, leaving his widow with a lifetime of tackle, old and new. Peter kindly stepped in to help organise the viewing, giving support and advice. This resulted in Thomas Turner purchasing the collection in its entirety.
My trip south was filled with excitement as I was going to view a fine collection and meet Françoise ‘Frankie’ Brooker. Wife of the late musician Gary Brooker who passed in February this year, aged 76. He was appointed MBE in June 2003 in The Queens Birthday Honours in recognition of his charitable services. Procol Harum and his number one hit, ‘Whiter Shade of Pale’ have been part of my life for 50 years and to this day it’s track 7 in my car playlist.
Peter and I met at Frankie’s home, and we spent a few hours swapping fishing stories, chatting about music, and laughing. It was surreal.
Peter Cockwill with Frankie Booker and Gary’s fly tying cabinet.
Peter recalls: “Gary simply loved to fish and would always take the opportunity to try new water when on tour throughout his long career. All species, whether in salt or freshwater, held a fascination for him, and he even constructed ponds at his Surrey home just to have something close. Although his interest in tackle led to a collection covering all aspects of the sport, it was fly fishing that mostly took up his spare time, and that inevitably led to him becoming a keen fly dresser”.
Gary Brooker perfecting the art of fly tying
Gary’s favourite was the Martinez nymph, and he once fished it to great effect when, along with Pete Cockwill and Steve Windsor, he won the European Open in France back in the 80’s.
A selection of flies and badges that Gary collected from his part in the Trout Masters in 1987.
When touring with Eric Clapton in the States he became great friends with the legendary Jim Teeny from Oregon and it was Jim’s “Teeny Nymph” which Gary loved to tie, using feathers from pheasants he had himself shot. He always sought perfection and spent many hours developing his tying skills.
It was Jim who first took him to fish in Alaska and it was Gary who then took Pete Cockwill out to Oregon for his first real adventure which led to a lifelong link between the three of them.
Part of the Collection available to buy from Monday 4th July.
Gary, along with Pete, co-ordinated one of the first fly fishing videos in ’86 and wrote the music for it.
Together they also opened a fly shop in Surrey, and their many friends have shared Gary’s passion for a world far removed from his hugely successful records and concerts where his “haunting voice and mesmeric keyboard would capture audiences throughout the world”.
From my brief encounter, I came to understand the man just a little.
His collection of fishing tackle was simply based on what he liked and loved.
Some of Gary’s collection – for sale from Monday 4th July
He was not a “linear collector”. By that, I mean, when he bought a Hardy Perfect reel, he didn’t need to collect all the size variants, he simply wanted that one.
I discovered a broad variety of wood, brass, and alloy reels with some outstanding examples. Hardy brass face salmon Perfect, Hardy St George Multiplier, Hardy Silex Major with an auxiliary rim brake.
A clutch of wooden Nottingham reels was given the same importance as the Hardy examples. Line winders, fly boxes, and accessories are very much in evidence.
An antique Arthur Allan Spinet reel sat alongside a beautiful Forrest of Kelso black japanned fly box. The three original Forrest cards with cork rings filled with a stunning array of gut eye salmon flies will be a good buy for any collector.
His taste in rods was varied and interesting. I discovered a beautiful little Farlow of Lon don The Midge 6’ split cane brook fly rod alongside a monstrous Hardy Saltwater big game Palakona for tuna.
The Palakona cane fly rods were very much his favourite. A 12’6” Wye and a curios Westley Richards of Birmingham 6-piece travel or bicycle rod nestled together with a large bundle of antique greenheart examples from a variety of makers and locations.
In the centre of all this is his wooden fly-tying cabinet of materials.
Gary’s fly-tying cabinet
I feel more than any other item in the collection this is Gary. I am told that when he would go to Switzerland to see his wife’s family if they were staying for longer than 2-3 days, he would take the cabinet with him so he could continue his fly tying, that’s dedication!
The main collection will be launched on our website in its own category, on Monday 4th July at 7 am. We will hold a separate auction for the fly-tying cabinet and the proceeds of which will be given to The Royal Marsden (Sutton) as requested by Gary’s widow Frankie.
This is your chance to secure a piece of musical history and fishing memorabilia all in one, so please take a look and watch this space for further information on the special auction for the fly-tying cabinet!
The post The Gary Brooker MBE Collection appeared first on Thomas Turner Fishing Antiques.
Continue reading...
One of his close friends had passed, leaving his widow with a lifetime of tackle, old and new. Peter kindly stepped in to help organise the viewing, giving support and advice. This resulted in Thomas Turner purchasing the collection in its entirety.
My trip south was filled with excitement as I was going to view a fine collection and meet Françoise ‘Frankie’ Brooker. Wife of the late musician Gary Brooker who passed in February this year, aged 76. He was appointed MBE in June 2003 in The Queens Birthday Honours in recognition of his charitable services. Procol Harum and his number one hit, ‘Whiter Shade of Pale’ have been part of my life for 50 years and to this day it’s track 7 in my car playlist.
Peter and I met at Frankie’s home, and we spent a few hours swapping fishing stories, chatting about music, and laughing. It was surreal.
Peter Cockwill with Frankie Booker and Gary’s fly tying cabinet.
Peter recalls: “Gary simply loved to fish and would always take the opportunity to try new water when on tour throughout his long career. All species, whether in salt or freshwater, held a fascination for him, and he even constructed ponds at his Surrey home just to have something close. Although his interest in tackle led to a collection covering all aspects of the sport, it was fly fishing that mostly took up his spare time, and that inevitably led to him becoming a keen fly dresser”.
Gary Brooker perfecting the art of fly tying
Gary’s favourite was the Martinez nymph, and he once fished it to great effect when, along with Pete Cockwill and Steve Windsor, he won the European Open in France back in the 80’s.
A selection of flies and badges that Gary collected from his part in the Trout Masters in 1987.
When touring with Eric Clapton in the States he became great friends with the legendary Jim Teeny from Oregon and it was Jim’s “Teeny Nymph” which Gary loved to tie, using feathers from pheasants he had himself shot. He always sought perfection and spent many hours developing his tying skills.
It was Jim who first took him to fish in Alaska and it was Gary who then took Pete Cockwill out to Oregon for his first real adventure which led to a lifelong link between the three of them.
Part of the Collection available to buy from Monday 4th July.
Gary, along with Pete, co-ordinated one of the first fly fishing videos in ’86 and wrote the music for it.
Together they also opened a fly shop in Surrey, and their many friends have shared Gary’s passion for a world far removed from his hugely successful records and concerts where his “haunting voice and mesmeric keyboard would capture audiences throughout the world”.
From my brief encounter, I came to understand the man just a little.
His collection of fishing tackle was simply based on what he liked and loved.
Some of Gary’s collection – for sale from Monday 4th July
He was not a “linear collector”. By that, I mean, when he bought a Hardy Perfect reel, he didn’t need to collect all the size variants, he simply wanted that one.
I discovered a broad variety of wood, brass, and alloy reels with some outstanding examples. Hardy brass face salmon Perfect, Hardy St George Multiplier, Hardy Silex Major with an auxiliary rim brake.
A clutch of wooden Nottingham reels was given the same importance as the Hardy examples. Line winders, fly boxes, and accessories are very much in evidence.
An antique Arthur Allan Spinet reel sat alongside a beautiful Forrest of Kelso black japanned fly box. The three original Forrest cards with cork rings filled with a stunning array of gut eye salmon flies will be a good buy for any collector.
His taste in rods was varied and interesting. I discovered a beautiful little Farlow of Lon don The Midge 6’ split cane brook fly rod alongside a monstrous Hardy Saltwater big game Palakona for tuna.
The Palakona cane fly rods were very much his favourite. A 12’6” Wye and a curios Westley Richards of Birmingham 6-piece travel or bicycle rod nestled together with a large bundle of antique greenheart examples from a variety of makers and locations.
In the centre of all this is his wooden fly-tying cabinet of materials.
Gary’s fly-tying cabinet
I feel more than any other item in the collection this is Gary. I am told that when he would go to Switzerland to see his wife’s family if they were staying for longer than 2-3 days, he would take the cabinet with him so he could continue his fly tying, that’s dedication!
The main collection will be launched on our website in its own category, on Monday 4th July at 7 am. We will hold a separate auction for the fly-tying cabinet and the proceeds of which will be given to The Royal Marsden (Sutton) as requested by Gary’s widow Frankie.
This is your chance to secure a piece of musical history and fishing memorabilia all in one, so please take a look and watch this space for further information on the special auction for the fly-tying cabinet!
The post The Gary Brooker MBE Collection appeared first on Thomas Turner Fishing Antiques.
Continue reading...