The earliest information about the presence of artificial flies in the trade in Poland

THE EARLIEST RECORD OF ARTIFICIAL FLIES BEING SOLD IN POLAND

The following advertisement appeared three times in the pages of *Kurier Warszawski* in 1847 (in issues No. 155 of June 13, No. 157 of June 15, and No. 170 of June 28), the following advertisement appeared, containing, among other things, the phrase „complete fishing rods with artificial flies.” This is also the earliest record of artificial flies being available on the domestic market.

During that period, I found no other advertisements placed by Józef Raszke. Only in the Kurjer Warszawski from 1854 (315:1594, November 29) was it reported that Józef Raszke, a merchant, had arrived in Warsaw from St. Petersburg. This indicates that he was a well-known figure.

There are, however, a number of references to Samuel Raszke, who in 1832 became one of the commercial advisors „to assist the bank in its industrial and commercial activities,” and who served as a judge on the Commercial Court in Warsaw in the 1830s. In 1831, Raszke appeared as an iron merchant (Kurjer Warszawski, No. 49, February 19). He was also the owner of a brickyard. In 1845, an announcement was published regarding its lease (Kurjer Warszawski, No. 62, March 5), which stated that further information could be obtained at the ironmongery at 460 Senatorska Street—the same address as Józef Raszke’s. This suggests that Samuel and Józef were related and also wealthy.

In the 1840s and 1850s, the address 460 Senatorska Street served as a collective address for several entities. It housed the Olbromski Palace, the Fr. Spiess & Co. bookstore, a button factory, and Gotlib Łaski’s children’s toy factory. It can therefore be concluded that the entire property was owned by wealthy individuals.

All of this information therefore strongly suggests that fishing equipment—especially fly-fishing gear—was intended for wealthy individuals as a fashionable item, likely imported from abroad. It cannot be ruled out that the equipment did not reach Warsaw directly from England (or possibly Germany), but via St. Petersburg. At that time, fly-fishing gear was available in St. Petersburg, and the Polish intelligentsia took an interest in it (see P&L No. 24, as well as my book *Travels in Finland*, p. 208).

Source: Dr. Stanisław Cios, P&L, No. 65