Hardy Bros. "The Princess" and C. Farlow and Co. Custom Built 9.5 #7/8

[socalangler]

Hello--
Being the FF newbie that I am, I asking for some advice on both this reel and rod. I found these advertised in CL about 2 hours from my home. Spoke with owner. He claims he purchased new, in London, several years ago. I believe he mentioned more than 20 years ago.
$450 for both rod and reel.

Reel: Hardy Bros. "The Princess" - Reel is new in box with extra spool
Rod: C. Farlow and Co. - Custom Built Carbon 9.5' #7/8 - Rod is two piece - Rod is new in rod tube

How has this technology changed (reel and rod)?
Are they still practical to use?
Are they more of collector's pieces... just to have and perhaps collect?
Is the price fair?

Thanks!

NOTE: My current, and only set up, is a Sage Launch 590-4 9' 4/5#

 

[socalangler]

Rod:

 

[dennyk]

Hi socalangler and welcome to the forum!

BUY THEM!!

Denny

 

[tcorfey]

If you decide you don't want them send me the add, that is a sweet deal.

 

[flytie09]

They are very much both fishable. Are they state of the art? No.... that’s part of the fun of their use is nostalgia, the noise of a clicker, and simplicity.

Now for appraisal. I would say let the rod and reel go at that price. The reel is in mint condition.... $200-$225. The rod I can’t speak to. But he’s wanting $250 for it. I wouldn’t.

Give him a reasonable offer for the reel. That’s what I would do.

 

[Ard]

I may be seeing things but the extra spool is not for a Hardy Princess. I took another look, that is not a Princess spool.

For a reel bought in London 20 years ago it appears to be one of the new South Korean made machined bar stock aluminum reels not the Alnwick model. @0 years ago all Hardys were made in Alnwick and still had the baked enamel finish on the cast / machined frames.

Rod cork appears to have either 2 different shade of cork or it is soiled...……. Cork also appears to be about 7" which is on the short end of the grip game. Rod looks to be fiber glass and dressings not the best quality.


Final observation is that the reel case is not correct for this model reel. The reel came with a burgundy neoprene case not the vinyl shown. The reel case would be in keeping with a 1980's Princess not a 1998 Princess.


I personally would pass based on inconsistencies in description. Reel if all English and mint = $325 to $350 rod I would want for 50 bucks or less. That reel price I base on a 1980 vintage in mint unused condition. For what I see I agree with Mike and maybe less than 200 if I could find one at 175 I'd be pleased.

 

[socalangler]

Thanks for the sharp eye, Ard.

Considering its about 3 hours one way, may not have the correct spare spool, and be made in Korea.....

I'm going to pass. I'll use those funds for something new.... as I learn what I like/dislike about various reels/rod.

Thanks everyone for your feedback!

 

[socalangler]

If you decide you don't want them send me the add, that is a sweet deal.

PM sent....

 

[tcorfey]

Had to look again after what Ard said and yes that spare spool looks like it is for a different series reel not the Hardy Princess, perhaps it is just the wrong picture.

After thinking about it some more there are a ton of used rods out there used for $450.00 but it is not a bad deal depending on what you see when you get it in your hands on it and try for yourself. Note that some people are put off by the loud clicker on the Princess but personally I love it. As for the rod most people want 4-piece rods nowadays, so you can take that in to consideration.

Regards,

Tim C.

 

[Ard]

Thanks for the sharp eye, Ard.

Considering its about 3 hours one way, may not have the correct spare spool, and be made in Korea.....

I'm going to pass. I'll use those funds for something new.... as I learn what I like/dislike about various reels/rod.

Thanks everyone for your feedback!

You're welcome bud,

My concern tilts toward what sounds like a misrepresentation by the seller. That and their not being on the ball enough to understand the items they are looking to sell. I have sold a few things on CL and was only happy with a buyer on one occasion. Every time I ever offered something those items were a screaming deal and I am not kidding! I sold things to "get rid of them" and in retrospect have donated things to charity for the past few years rather than use CL.

I could offer to sell an ounce of .999 pure gold for $50.00 on CL and some low life will show up and try to talk me down to $30. I don't even want those type on our property.

 

[Lewis Chessman]

Rod looks to be fiber glass and dressings not the best quality.

I don't think so Ard. Farlows wouldn't get that wrong, I'm sure, and they've written 'Carbon' on it, too.
Probably a Hardy Fibatube or a Sportex blank, but Farlows (a highly prestigious, long standing London-based purveyor of fine tackle for Gentlemen) bought from many suppliers, so hard to say from the pics.
I do agree, though, it's not the prettiest and is all the worse for a lack of winding check. Perhaps Farlows 'saw the Gentleman coming' and offloaded some no doubt rather pricey goods to the visitor? They still send well-heeled folk to the Hebrides having sold them the finest Spey rods and reel known to humankind - despite the fact we only use single-handed rods here!
These things do happen, but they are still a special shop, based in Pall Mall, and well worth a visit if you're in town, if only to look in awe at the mahogany and glass alters to piscatorial excellence and the wondrous sacred relics therein.


I'm sure the reel would still fish fine but imagine the rod to be stolid and heavy by today's standards. There's much better old gear out there to be had, imo.

 

[tcorfey]

Thanks for the add SoCal, it seems from the add that the rod has sold and the seller just has the reel left.The price asked for the reel is too high.I think the offer you made to the seller for the reel was reasonable. I can also understand the seller's POV because he was looking to get back better return of his purchase price (as declared by what the person spent on the reel new). However, the market value for a used Princess is less than desirable for the seller.

Ard I can agree on the CL results you have had, I have lots of things I want to sell but it seems everyone is looking to spend significantly less than market value when shopping CL. Although I have had good luck buying and selling cars on CL I have found that fishing gear is severely under valued by shoppers on CL and I assume that is because the shoppers are slanted towards resale.

Oh well life goes on.

Tim C.

 

[Ard]

The last time I tried to sell anything it was a set of 'Good' truck tires on the rims to fit Ford F-100. They had been in storage for years and I had bought a new Chevy. When I say good I mean good and the rims were nice also. I ask $100.00 for 4.

The tires currently on my Silverado cost $800.00 when they went on almost 2 years ago and I've bought tires before that too so I know what a good set of truck skins are worth.

I thought that at $100 I'd be a prince and they would go quick. Quick it was and when the guy called I told him in Clear English they were $100 for the set of 4. He shows up says he'll take them and I helped load them into his truck. Then he asks if I can take $70 because that's all he has with!

I ask him why he even came. I ask if he understood what I said on the phone. Then I ask him to leave but I took the tires and rims back from his truck. 70 bucks come on. I gave them away eventually to a person who needed them that I knew.

 

[dennyk]

I may be seeing things but the extra spool is not for a Hardy Princess. I took another look, that is not a Princess spool.

For a reel bought in London 20 years ago it appears to be one of the new South Korean made machined bar stock aluminum reels not the Alnwick model. @0 years ago all Hardys were made in Alnwick and still had the baked enamel finish on the cast / machined frames.

Rod cork appears to have either 2 different shade of cork or it is soiled...……. Cork also appears to be about 7" which is on the short end of the grip game. Rod looks to be fiber glass and dressings not the best quality.


Final observation is that the reel case is not correct for this model reel. The reel came with a burgundy neoprene case not the vinyl shown. The reel case would be in keeping with a 1980's Princess not a 1998 Princess.


I personally would pass based on inconsistencies in description. Reel if all English and mint = $325 to $350 rod I would want for 50 bucks or less. That reel price I base on a 1980 vintage in mint unused condition. For what I see I agree with Mike and maybe less than 200 if I could find one at 175 I'd be pleased.

Sorry Socal, I didn't steer you in the right direction. I need to brush up on Hardy reels. I'm glad Ard had a better eye then I did.

Denny

 

[Ard]

I slipped on the rod by saying that it appeared to be glass...…….. I had copied the photo of the cork grip and enlarged it trying to determine whether it was varied color cork rings or dirty. While looking at the cork the butt of the blank looked too fat and the red trims seemed skewed. After James straightened me out on the rod I began to suspect distortion of the image because of my enlarging it...………

Still I wouldn't be rushing out to pay 450 for the combo, just too many things that didn't seem right. Seller claimed buying them in England 20 years past but had wrong case and spool for reel, that alone turned me off to the whole deal I guess.

The morel of it all from here is; don't show a guy who really has been using a Princess for 30 years a Princess and try to tell him what he sees

 

[photoguy]

Hard to sy exactly as the photo is small and I don't have mine handy (and maybe there are a lot of similar designs) but the spool appears to be from a Prince?

Prince...Princess... What's a few extra 's's' :roll eyes:

 

[flytie09]

There are too many details that don’t make sense. Like Ard says, the spare spool doesn’t match, the case isn’t appropriate for this years model and it’s a made in Korea reissue which is < 10 yrs old... not 20.

Maybe the owner bought the rod/reel at a flea market in the U.K. And his memory isn’t so good on when he was over there.

I give most people the benefit of the doubt.....

Regardless I would still say to pass.