Andrew Clerk & Co.

Andrew Clerk & Co. of New York City advertised that they had been established in 1820. In the 1870s they said they were "Importers, Manufacturers and Dealers in Fishing Tackle".  They also advertised themselves as having "on hand the largest and best assortment (of fishing tackle) ever exhibited in the United State." There is no doubt they were one of the major tackle shops in the US during the 1800s.

Andrew Clerk & Co. stocked the fabled rods of Charles Murphy, and possibly even those of  Samuel Phillippe. They specialized in catering to the needs of New York sportsmen who were interested in fly fishing, and carried a complete stock of domestic and foreign flies, lines, rods and reels. Most of the reels stamped with the Clerk name seem to be those of the famous New York makers of the day - J. B. Crook and the Conroys.

According to his advertising, Clerk also specialized in outfitting fishing parties heading  for the Rocky Mountains, Canada, Maine, and the Adirondacks. This must have been a very lucrative part of the business.

In 1875 Andrew Clerk & Co. was purchased by Charles Imbrie and his partner, L. H. Abbey. This partnership produced the famous tackle shop of Abbie & Imbrey, which would continue the Clerk tradition of fine tackle for another 75 years.