55/461/1-6

Hardy Bros. Ltd. (Maker)

This is a cardboard box containing fine casts of drawn fishing guts. The lid of the box is printed with 'Hardy Bros Ltd, Alnwick' referring to the makers. Each of the guts are three yards long, but of varying strength. Gut can be either natural or drawn, though natural is normally stronger. It is measured in thousandths of an inch.

fishing gut

MERL 'Catalogue index' card - 'A box containing fine casts of drawn gut each three yards long but of varying strength. // Fishing guts may be of natural or drawn gut the latter being natural gut passed through a jewelled plate to produce the finer casts. This process weakens it due to the difficulties of drawing it straight and natural gut is normally 10% stronger. Before use gut has to be soaked in water to give it sublety [sic] for casting and tying knots. Gut is measured in thousandths of an inch and the finer categories are:- // Diameter 1000ths of an inch // Natural Gut // Drawn Gut // .012 8/5 1/4x // 0.11 Fina 9/5 1/4x // .010 Final 9/5 3/4x // .009 Refina 1z 1x // .008 Refina 1x 2x // .007 Reincha 3x 3x // .006 Refina 3x 4x', MERL ‘Associated information’ form – 'Container a cardboard box with "Hardy Bros Ltd, Alnwick" on lid. // Property of late Colonel E. G. Cheke R. F. A. // [pencil sketch]'

Alnwick

Fishing gut, Box