The Richard wheatley Museum
Dating Vintage Wheatley Boxes
In the beginning Richard Wheatley began by making leather fly wallets, which would have made along side other leather goods. These would have been unmarked and produced to be sold to retailers. There appears to be no evidence that the company marked anything until the 1890's.
In 1890 legislation enacted in the USA (to assist with the protection of trade) made the Country of Manufacture a requirement. Thus early Black Japanned and Aluminium boxes can be found with England on them (often in blue ink) and later pressed into the metal
In 1906 Richard Wheatley registered their first logo. The RW in a diamond or lozenge. This is found on the xylonite plates of the black japanned boxes and
on the ends of the Brown japanned boxes but may have only been used on
the outside cardboard boxes of early aluminium boxes. This logo continued in
use until after 1926
In 1921 the United States of America changed the law so that the Term "Made in England" was required on items imported into "the States" The large Made in England logo can be found on boxes with Hardy Security clips which started
life in 1926. These can also be found with the Lozenge logo
showing that a lead in time must have been allowed before Made
in England became a requirement
The Silmalloy Trade Mark or Logo was registered in 1935 and came
into use some time after that and remained until around 1982. It is
found combined with the Large and Small Made in Englands
Small "Made in England" (note that the lozenge is on it's side).
In use from about 1966 until the middle of the 1980's
The Wheatley Kilroy Patent Fly Box logo comes into use around 1935 and dissappears between 1966 and 1977
Rarity value is based on the simple system below
A - this boxes are either still available via Richard Wheatley, other fishing tackle dealers.
C- box is common & turns up regularly at vintage tackle dealers, fairs or auctions incl. ebay
S- this box is scare but turn up on occasions
R- this box is rare
RR- these are very rare
E - this is exceptional, extremely rare and few examples are known.
Remember Richard Wheatley Vintage Angling Equipment is worth what someone will pay and the contents of the box maybe worth more than the box
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