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The Hardy Perfect has remained in production across the reigns of seven Kings and Queens. |
The Hardy Perfect has remained in production across the reigns of seven kings and queens. Hardy Bros offer this limited edition as a memorial to mark the passing of Britain’s longest-serving monarch and the succession of her son, Charles III.
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Queen Elizabeth II, the daughter of the Duke and Duchess of York, was born in 1926. Her father became King George VI a decade later, after the abdication of his brother, Edward VIII. In that moment of constitutional crisis, Elizabeth’s destiny was rewritten, for as George’s eldest daughter, she became heir to the monarchy, succeeding her father in 1952.
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| Beautifully crafted internals - a work of art! |
The princess grew up within a family of keen anglers, her grandfather, George V, having been a patron of the company from 1901 – so close were the associations that a letter addressed to ‘Hardy’s, c/o The King, England,’ made it safely to the company 300 miles away in Alnwick. Elizabeth’s grandmother Queen Mary was an avid fisherwoman and patron of the Hardy Bros who designed and built a line of salmon rods for her. Both Elizabeth’s parents were fly fishers, her mother devoting much time to the sport.
Elizabeth met the man she would marry in the late 1930s, but war intervened, and she and Philip had to wait for their wedding until 1947, when she was 21. He was a serving officer in the Royal Navy at the time and a prince of both Greece and Denmark, titles Philip renounced on their marriage. The ceremony was worth the wait, for they remained a devoted couple until his death in 2021.
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| The exquisite red Agate line guard of the Queens reel |
In many ways, the Queen came to symbolise all that was good about modern times – often described as a rock in the bruising currents of history, she was loved by millions, who lined the streets for her golden, diamond and platinum jubilees. Her state funeral was watched around the world and her legacy lives on in the nation’s hearts.
Hardy’s relationship with the monarchy thus stretches back to 1898. Since then, it has held warrants from five members of the royal family, including King Charles in his capacity as the Prince of Wales, and it has had patrons in every generation.
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| The reels that put the House of Hardy on the map |
If a single product put the company on the map, it was the Perfect, the brainchild of Forster Hardy, who had joined the family firm in 1885. The Perfect took Forster three years to develop and test, launching in the year that Hardy moved to their purpose-built Bondgate factory in Alnwick, during the reign of Queen Victoria. Financing the production of a new reel at the same time was a massive financial risk, but history has judged both decisions to be wise, with the Perfect becoming so successful that it has been made ever since.
At Alnwick, tradition is more about looking forward than looking back, but the Perfect is such an icon in the world of fly fishing that both limited edition models retain the famous 1912 check system. This was introduced during the reign of King George V – but why? When the reel was first launched, it wasn’t quite perfect, because as originally designed, the check could lock up. After much thought and experiment, the mechanism was changed to allow the pawl to disengage should excessive pressure be applied. The check arrangement proved reliable through the most challenging tests and although the mechanism was modified yet again in 1916/17, it is the 1912 version that is the most valued today.
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| Queen Reel with 1912 Check |
The 4 inch King reel relies on the salmon check system with which collectors will be familiar from the 2002 limited edition salmon sets. The 3 inch Queen reel shares the same arrangement as the recent St George limited edition and the Bouglé of 2013. The Queen reel is further distinguished by an attractive and desirable circular line guard lined with red agate, such a feature of early Perfects, while the King reel doesn't have a line guard as it is based on the reel gifted to Prince Charles at the time of his wedding.
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| Supplied in a Leather Display Case with Commemorative Coins |
These exciting reels are machined from bar stock and
have been hand polished before being anodised, with
naval brass being used for selected components. Please
be aware that they are built in both left or right-hand wind versions and that this cannot be changed, because the
design precludes it. These are not replicas; they are
built using state-of-the-art technology and they are
meant to be fished. We are proud to announce that
the launch of these reels will be accompanied by a
donation to The Prince’s Trust.
- Limited Edition:
- Sold only as a set of two reels, built in LHW or RHW
- Hardy have manufactured 250 Numbered Sets
- Donation to be made to the Prince’s Trust from proceeds
- Supplied in a leather display case with commemorative coins
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| The King's Reel |
FEATURES:
- 4” Inch Perfect based on the Kings Royal Wedding Gift
- Salmon Check System with Naval Brass Components
- Hand Polished then Anodised Silver Finish
- Gold Anodized Reel Foot
- Turk’s Head Lock Screw
- Ivorine Handle
- Commemorative Engraving
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| The Queen's Reel |
The Queen’s reel commemorates the Reign of Queen Elizabeth II and pays homage to her Diamond Jubilee Perfect.
FEATURES:
- 3” Inch Perfect Reel based on her Diamond Jubilee Reel
- 1912 Check with Naval Brass components
- Line Guard with Red Agate
- Hand Polished then Anodised Silver Finish
- Gold Anodized Reel Foot
- Ivorine Handle
- Commemorative Engraving
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