Tropical Fish and Sports Fishing

A selection of high quality, vintage fishing association pins, club anniversary badges and fisherman awards. 

Advertising pins from aquarist clubs and aquarium fish stores that were part of a hugely popular hobby craze in the past.

The majority of items are from the Czech Angling Association (CRS) which is still very active today. They mostly date back to when the country was known as Czechoslovakia.

Fishing in Central Europe

The entire region of Czechoslovakia was heavily invested into aquaculture. Monasteries adopted carp ponds back in the 12th century. These were a ready source of food during religious festivals that banned the consuption of meat.

Carp became the traditional Christmas feast. Czech Familes brought their live fish home. Kept it in the bath to keep it fresh. Then killed and gutted it on the 24th of December. 

GUIDE TO THE MANUFACTURING PROCESSES

The older badges are usually metal only, with plastic making a brief appearance after world war 2 when metal was scarce. Then in the 1950's baked enamel manufacturing techniques were developed. These were very popular and opened up designs to a world of colours that lasted well over time.

The late 1970's and 1980's saw the introduction of a more accurate method of a coloured plastic shield glued onto the metal badge face. Effective but not as pretty as the older methods.