Wizard by Name

 

I’m pretty sure, everyone over the age of six can complete that little aphorism … Wizard by name – wizard by nature. In the case of Allcocks’ famous Wallis Wizard rod, these words were never more true.

 

For those poor unfortunates born in the this soulless new Carboniferous period, I should explain that the Allcocks Wallis Wizard was a magical creature of the 1930’s. An eleven foot all-round fishing rod, made in three pieces. The butt was of whole tonkin cane, and the middle and top were made from proper split cane. It was, and is, a supremely capable thing that has an innate fish catching inclination. It was Demus Canning who first pointed that out to me, and he was dead right. Luck, or whatever it is that conjures the fish; it comes as standard free extra with a Wizard.

 

The rod was first made, I believe, around the early 1930’s, and it was named after the famous F.W.K.Wallis. Wallis was the Dick Walker of his Day, and the then holder of the barbel record. There must be a story in there somewhere because early Wizards had an Allcocks gold oval above the handle, and a further small spiral printed transfer saying simply, Wallis Wizard. I not sure whether this actually had the approval of the illustrious Mr. Wallis, because it wasn’t long before the Wallis name was dropped, and the name Wizard was incorporated into the gold oval. At about the same time, Hardys started to make their beautiful Wallis Avon rod: a slightly lighter version of the Allcocks Wizard. If we apply a few totally unproven leaps of faith, then it sounds as though Hardys might have objected to their star angler’s name being used on rivals’ rods.

 

It is my belief that the early Wizards were the best. It helps to know how to recognise these early gems. They can quickly be recognised by either that small spiral Wallis Wizard label, or the slightly later, famous Allcocks gold oval label with the simple Wizard name in the lower one third. Early Super Wizards were also labelled simply Wizard. Early Wizards were often painted with a sort of green stain, and having been well protected under all that paint, they’re often in new condition when stripped. Until the late 1940’s all Wizards were fitted with real agate-in-German-silver butt and tip rings, and high quality spigot ferrules. In the early 1950’s the gold oval remained, but high quality non spigot ferrules were fitted. Later Wizards seem to have slightly smaller section whole cane butts, and the late rectangular Allcocks label is used.

 

Although the Wizard had the same general look about it throughout its long production life, the action varied considerably. Understandably, the natural whole cane butt sections vary in diameter, but more surprisingly, there are also considerable differences between the split cane sections from period to period. You would think that Allcocks would have made all their Wizards to set sizes, but they certainly didn’t. Armed with a digital vernier gauge, I have found huge (by rod-making standards) differences between the blanks. The rods therefore vary considerably in character, from an easy though action, to quite tippy. A small butt with a heavy tip produces quite a floppy feel: a heavy butt (some are thicker than Avocets) with a steep taper middle, and a light tip, produces a stiffer, tippier feel. They’re all lovely, but some are lovelier than others. Continuation of articleA