fom Many Angles Curating a of angling books takes Justin hanisch to the headwaters of the collecting experience and unleashes a new wave of enthusiasm.

One morning, shortly after waking, my gifs I received for many years were new, used, partner of many years informed me that she had or sometimes antiquarian, fshing books. a dream about books. In her dream, Brianne As I grew older, I started to think more about was at a thrif store browsing the . why and what I was buying, motivated by a nas- She pulled a large, heavy of the shelf cent understanding that a good collection should and quickly recognized it as a Gutenberg be focused, thoughtful, and carefully assembled. Bible. Proud and excited, Brianne bought the In middle school, my collection included any book for a few dollars and brought it home. fshing book I could fnd, but in high school, I was Tis is one of my favourite anecdotes as a book buying American fshing books published before collector. I take for granted that my own life is 1901. I bought books eagerly but the market for consumed by thoughts of books and collecting, antiquarian fshing books was competitive and in but occasionally something external4such as university I pivoted away from fshing books to when my partner dreams of fnding a Gutenberg focus my collection on books about the natural Bible in a thrif store4atests to the signifcance and social history of fsh printed before 1901. of books in my life. Teir importance was I am an aquatic ecologist whose interest in fshing again apparent when I was invited to curate an has always been motivated by a deep interest exhibition of antiquarian angling books at the in the fsh themselves, so this change in focus University of Alberta’s world-class Bruce Peel felt natural. Indeed, books on fsh have been Special Collections. But frst, a litle context. the core of my collection for the last decade I have collected books for over half of my (with a few satellite collections, of course), 35 years.1 I began collecting seriously in high and I anticipate I will continue to collect fsh school, but I have much earlier memories of books until forces beyond my control stop me. my deep connection with books. I remember eagerly awaiting the Scholastic book fairs held transformative opportunities each year in elementary school and visiting My collection of fsh books was also my entrée the local bookstore to scan the shelves for the into a transformative relationship with Bruce latest instalment in the addictive Goosebumps Peel Special Collections at the University of series. Although I loved spending time among Alberta. Like many young book collectors, the shelves in the school , I checked out I collected in relative isolation for years before books infrequently because I could scarcely meeting another serious collector of any age. part with them when they came due. In 2010, I e-mailed special collections while a Aside from my nearly complete run of graduate student in ecology at the university, Goosebumps, I must have been around 12 or to inquire afer volunteer opportunities and 13 when I began building my frst collection: hopefully make the acquaintance of some books about fshing. At frst, any book about fellow collectors. I quickly received a positive fshing would do, and I would delight in response from Robert Desmarais, head of special visiting local used bookstores, the twice-yearly collections and archives. Coincidently, and Michigan Antiquarian Book Fair (although, I shortly aferwards, I was awarded frst place in also had to sufer slights from dealers who had the second annual National no time for a young collector with a presumed Contest for Young Canadians Under 30.2 meagre budget), and the large warehouses Afer this win, I curated an online exhibition that sold remaindered books. Most of the of my collection for the library to coincide with

3 An 1843 of Blacker’s Catechism of Fly Making, Angling and Dyeing. Comprising most essential Information. some media coverage of the contest. Tis was like Bruce Dancik, I am a scientist and an angler my frst experience curating an exhibition, and and have also collected fshing books for a time I loved it! Over the next few years, I remained (albeit at a much humbler scale). Although I was in contact with Robert and in 2016 he presented a bit apprehensive4and intimidated4to accept me with an opportunity to curate an exhibition this responsibility, I was also confdent that I had of the extensive Bruce P. Dancik Collection of the foundational knowledge needed to identify Angling Books. I knew Bruce as a collector and and describe the collection’s important and was already familiar with some of the thousands interesting items. of books he had donated to the university. I had My frst step as curator was to take a deep dive just completed my thesis defense, and the prospect into the collection. I was fortunate that most of of immediately starting another large project the books donated to date had been catalogued, was daunting. But, with the encouragement and I was able to view an online record of each of my partner and the excitement of another book in the collection. Afer this digital review, rare book adventure, I responded to Robert’s I began to assemble lists of titles to examine in invitation with an enthusiastic “Yes!” My person during research visits to the library. Te second foray into curatorship had begun. collection contains many of the most signifcant Bruce Peel Special Collections is known for items from the Western canon of angling litera- award-winning exhibitions and catalogues, and ture, and I knew I wanted to exhibit many of I felt the weight of responsibility to do justice these items. However, the collection also contains both to the collection and the library. However, scarce uncatalogued ephemera, uncommon titles

4 Many books in the collection contained atractive plates. related to Canadian angling, and a fantastic run of Fly-making were like new, and the collection extravagant limited editions, many of which were contained the highly limited seminal works issued with hand-tied fies. I wished to exhibit on dry fy fshing by Frederick Halford that these items as well but as I continued to compile also included hand-tied fies. Afer viewing the lists of books to view in person the logical organi- “obvious” highlights, I turned to box afer box sation of such diverse content remained elusive. of uncatalogued ephemera. Bruce collected Two book trucks flled with my requests thousands of pieces of ephemera, understanding greeted me at my frst research visit to special their scarcity and the importance of preserving collections, and I was immediately impressed items that typically were not intended to be by the quality of the books. Te hand-tied fies kept. I encountered several colourful railway in the 1843 edition of Blacker’s Catechism of brochures advertising fshing trips on Canadian

Te Salmon Fly: How to Dress It and How to Use It (1895).

5 Pages fom an 1897 edition of Dry Fly Entomology: A Brief Description of Leading Types of Natural Insects Serving as Food for Trout & Grayling: With the 100 Best Paterns of Floating Flies and the Various Methods of Dressing Tem, that included hand-tied fies.

6 rail lines, uncommon guides to angling in Others had decorative publisher’s bindings (Te Alberta and the Rocky Mountain national parks, Salmon Fly: How to Dress It and How to Use It, and other pamphlets held in the collections 1895) or beguiling formats (A Book of Small of only a few other institutional . Flies, 1983), which would garner immediate ap- Afer my frst few research visits, themes preciation. However, some books were signifcant began to emerge from the larger collection. for reasons less amenable to display, such as I began to imagine the collection as a great river 19th-century admonitions against overfshing with several braided channels. Each channel (Te Salmon Fisheries of the St. Lawrence and Its represented a “sub-theme” in the collection, Tributaries, 1857) or an early description of fshing unique and contained within its own banks for the muskellunge, an enormous freshwater fsh but still united by a continuity of fow. Te native to only a few regions in Canada and the themes began to resolve as I handled more of United States (Te Sportsman in Canada, 1845). the books: Manuals and Handbooks, Limited Te challenges of exhibiting some of these Editions, Angling as Adventure, Scientifc Angling, titles still troubled me, but once the fnal text and Canadian Angling. Tese themes would was delivered to the team in special collections be the fnal organisational framework for my work was largely fnished, and the true both the physical exhibition and catalogue. professionals took charge. Both the physical Once the themes were setled, I began the exhibition and catalogue exceeded anything I difcult task of choosing the fnal 100 or so titles imagined, and each book was allowed to tell its to be featured in the catalogue and exhibition. story, demonstrate its position within each theme, Many of the most important books in the collec- and show its importance within the collection as tion contained hand-tied fies or atractive plates, a whole. Legendary rarities such as Dean Sage’s which lent themselves naturally to exhibition. Te Ristigouche and Its Salmon Fishing (1888) and John Hills’ A Summer on the Test (1924) shared exhibition space with ephemeral publications on fshing in Edmonton (Te Edmonton Trout Fishing Club Fishing Guide, 1974) and Jasper (Fishing in Jasper, 1947). Books with diverse content, age, production, and traditional collectability were exhibited together to illustrate the characteristics of a thoughtful collection. Not every piece must be a rarity, but within a larger context, each title

A diverse range of books on fshing were exhibited together to illustrate the characteristics of a thoughtful collection. A Book of Small Flies (1983).

7 should be chosen to add depth, breadth4and What Bruce and his partner, Brenda Laishley, ultimately4importance to a collection. have accomplished has stoked my passions and Te exhibition’s opening night was a celebra- inspired me to make more personal connections tion of books, collecting, and fshing that will within the book world. Antiquarian book dealers remain with me for many years. Te physical exhi- ofen lament the absence of young collectors, bition followed the layout of the catalogue. Books but how is a young collector to make his or her from each of the fve themes were displayed presence known to dealers? Even as an award- together, and the books were arranged chrono- winning collector and now a curator, I would logically from oldest to newest. Tus, within each probably be known by name to just one dealer, theme, the viewer could trace the progress in, and that’s because I had previously worked at for example, the scientifc treatment of angling, his store! With my current fnances, I am able the increasing quality in the depiction of aquatic to purchase a dozen or so titles a year, three insects and fshing fies, or the complexity in or four of which might make a dealer take production of limited edition titles. Seeing these notice. Te remainder of my purchases are less books that I had handled, read, photographed expensive books most dealers would likely and, yes, befriended exhibited behind glass rein- overlook. However, I am confdent that there forced the responsibility and privilege I was given are many others like me, slowly and quietly to work with the collection. It also highlighted building collections and making connections the vital role that collectors play in gathering and with other collectors, libraries, and dealers preserving books. As I toured the exhibition and when we can. Indeed, young dealers and chated with atendees at the opening, I felt con- collectors are fnding new communities in tent and proud. I was proud of the books4both social media on sites like Twiter, Instagram, of them and for them. I felt pride for Bruce for as- and Facebook. We are buying and selling books sembling an important collection and for working and ephemera in ways that would be incredible with the University of Alberta to preserve it. I was to A. Edward Newton, John Carter, or Belle also proud that I had played a part in sharing what da Costa Greene, but I suspect we would win makes the books and the collection signifcant. them over with our enthusiasm and drive. With the exhibition catalogue beside me at fresh enthusiasm my desk, I type these closing remarks during Working with the university on this project the last two weeks of the exhibition, which redoubled my commitment to my own collection. proved popular and was extended by nearly two months. Te catalogue, A Contemplative Angler: Selections fom the Bruce P. Dancik Collection of

Lef to right: Te Ristigouche and Its Salmon Fishing: With a Chapter on Angling Literature (1888); Fishing in Jasper (1947); and Te Edmonton Trout Fishing Club Fishing Guide. 2nd ed. (1974).

8 this article goes to print, the exhibition will be closed, and the books will resume their slumber in the stacks. Te acute excitement of their display will be replaced by the slow simmer of their future potential. Te books will not be idle on their shelves, however. Tey will be waiting, calling out quietly for researchers to discover new signifcance in their pages, to reinterpret their content through lenses of changing times and paradigms not yet imagined.

1. Amphora editor Peter Mitham interviewed Justin Hanisch about his collecting experiences for the article “Schools of Tought,” Amphora 178 (July 2011), 3-6. 2. An edited version of Justin Hanisch’s prize-winning essay for the contest, “A History of Fish,” appeared in Amphora 178 (July 2011), 6-8. Te full text is available Te exhibition catalogue, A Contemplative at htp://bit.do/Hanisch-Fish-2011. Angler: Selections from the Bruce P. Dancik Collection of Angling Books. E Justin Hanisch is a biologist with Alberta Environment and Parks based in Calgary. His essay placed frst in the National Book Collecting Angling Books, has sold well, and Dancik, Bruce Contest for Young Canadians Under 30 in 2011, Peel Special Collections and I have carved our a competition sponsored by the Alcuin Society, place in a venerable tradition of writing about the Bibliographical Society of Canada, and the books on angling. Nevertheless, by the time W.A. Deacon Literary Foundation.

A view of the exhibition cases at Bruce Peel Special Collections.

9