Mr Crabtree’s memorabilia up for sale
Bonhams May 23 sale sees memorabilia under the hammer
ANGLING TIMES readers are being given the chance to own a piece of angling history when treasured vintage items from one of the sport’s most iconic anglers go up for auction.
Signed books, paintings and photographs from legendary angler Bernard Venables MBE, writer of the book ‘Mr Crabtree Goes Fishing’, are going up for sale next week through Bonhams auctioneers.
The collection, which also includes a rare oil canvas of Bernard fishing on the Sussex Ouse at Barcombe Mills and signed copies of his books such as ‘Mr Crabtree’s Guide to good Fishing Tackle’ and ‘A Fisherman’s Testament’, will be available for bidding when the auction goes live on May 23.
Bernard’s rare haul has only just come to light after a private collector, a friend of Bernard himself, decided to sell his cherished stock of angling memorabilia.
Bernard’s oil-on-canvas painting has been given a guide price of £5,000-£7,000, with the other items set at £500-£700.
The haul is set to go on-sale at Bonhams sporting sale in Edinburgh, but collectors interested in the items will be able to watch and bid on the items online at the same time.
With historic angling items much sought after in modern times, Bernard’s archive is likely to attract lots of bidders.
Bonhams Sporting Sale Specialist, Henry Baggott, told Angling Times that the collection has already generated plenty of interest: “We are delighted to offer both the painting by Bernard Venables and the unique archive of material from his own collection,” he said.
“There has been great interest in both items since the sale was published online, and I suggest they should exceed expectations.”
A Passion for Angling TV star Chris Yates, who worked with Bernard during one of the episodes for the renowned series, believes the items hold extreme value for more than financial
reasons: He told Angling Times: “Bernard was a fantastic icon for the sport. He inspired thousands of anglers in his day and helped introduce thousands more into the sport through his work. He is one of very few anglers that will never be forgotten.”
A talented artist and writer, Bernard first became famous during the 1940s when his Mr Crabtree fishing cartoon strip first appeared in the Daily Mirror, the newspaper he worked for as an angling correspondent.
His book based on the same strip went on to sell more than two million copies.
Following the success of Mr Crabtree, Venables began to devote himself to writing about fishing full-time and in 1953, he co-founded Angling Times, working as editor until 1956.
He went on to write no fewer than 18 angling books and He was awarded an MBE by the Queen for his services to angling.
Bernard fished with all the great names of that generation including Richard Walker, and made a film of the carp recordholder fishing at Woldale Lake in the 1950s.
“Bernard is one of very few anglers that will never be forgotten” – Chris Yates