A rare model of the biggest salmon ever caught in Britain is to go up for auction next month.
The fibreglass cast of the 64lb monster hooked by petite Georgina Ballantine in 1922 is one of just 12 in existence.
The original fish, measuring 54 inches, was cast in plaster by PD Malloch’s and remains on the Glendelvine estate where it was caught and is owned by Sir Gavin Lyle, a descendent of the golden syrup magnate Abram Lyle.
The salmon remains the largest ever caught by rod and line in British waters.
The cast is being sold as part of Bonhams’ Sporting sale, to be held in Edinburgh on May 23. The replicas – of which this is number nine – were cast in fibreglass by George Jamieson by taking a mould from the original plaster cast. They were commissioned for sale by Farlows.
The model comes with a reproduction photograph of Miss Ballantine with her prize catch and rod; a certificate that this reproduction of ‘The British Record Salmon’ is number 4 of a series of 12 signed by Sir Gavin Lyle of Glendelvine and a record of the landing of the salmon, all framed and glazed
Experts expect it to fetch up to £5,000.
Bonhams’ head of sporting sales, Henry Baggott said: “As usual, the Sporting Sale offers a wide variety of lots celebrating country pursuits. In particular, we have a fine choice of fishing artefacts and memorabilia including a rare cast of Georgina Ballantine’s wonderful record salmon- a record which has stood for more than ninety years and is very unlikely ever to be broken.”
Georgina Ballantine’s record has stood unbeaten since 1922.
The 32-year-old had been fishing with her ghillie father and had already caught three fish weighing 25, 17 and 11lbs when she hooked the record-breaking salmon.
The monster was caught using a Malloch rod in the Boat Pool of the Glendelvine beat at 6.15pm on October 7.
Miss Ballantine played the fish from more than two hours before landing it above the island on the next-door Burnbane beat – half a mile downstream – at 8.20pm.
Her catch was the talk of gentlemen’s clubs throughout Britain and made headlines around the world. It was also said to have inspired thousands of women to take up the sport.
