The American Fly Fisher Journal of the American Museum of Fly Fishing Extraordinary Flies Fly tier Ryan Whitney brought flies to Hooked on the Holidays that kids could drop into their hand-decorated ornaments. He and Bill Sylvester were on hand to tie flies, and Yoshi Foster Bam Robert A. Oden Jr. Akiyama helped the youngest Dave Beveridge Erik R. Oken participants tie clown flies. Other Peter Bowden Annie Hollis Perkins holiday activities included a trout- Mark Comora Leigh H. Perkins Kelsey McBride Kelsey cookie decorating station. Deborah Pratt Dawson Frederick S. Polhemus Ronald Gard Roger Riccardi , D D of Branford, of his passing, immediately began com- Alan Gnann Robert G. Scott Connecticut, donated a collection of forting one another with stories. Former Gardner Grant Jr. Nicholas F. Selch Iflies to the museum. When museum Hexagraph owner Harry Briscoe and I John Hadden Ronald B. Stuckey staff were gathering artifacts for an exhibit exchanged several e-mails. In one, he men- James Heckman, MD Tyler S. Thompson in , they rediscovered the flies, which tioned the hand-created Christmas greet- Karen Kaplan Richard G. Tisch turned out to be, as far as anyone knows, ings that John used to send. “Each was an Woods King III David H. Walsh the oldest in existence. The Harris collec- original in its own right, signed and some- William P. Leary III Andrew Ward tion—so named for author John Richard times numbered . the opposing side con- Anthony J. Magardino Patricia Watson Harris, an Irish entomologist who owned tained a handwritten note—always in pen- the collection at a key point in its long his- cil. Not unlike the Remarques book.” Christopher P. Mahan Thomas Weber tory—came with excellent provenance, the Ah, Remarques—a perfect little book of Walter T. Matia Frankie Wolfson majority of flies including either a bill of drawings. When John was working with David Nichols James C. Woods sale or a letter identifying the year tied. publisher Michael Hackney on Reels & Nancy W. Zakon Former museum Registrar Ken Cameron Making Them, Michael wanted the limit- was the first to study the flies. Then, about ed-edition portion of the run signed, but a decade ago, he, Andrew Herd, and Paul the physical distance between author and Schullery began corresponding about the publisher made it impractical. He asked James Hardman collection. The three embarked on further John to instead create -inch-by--inch David B. Ledlie study, with the goal of publishing some- bookplates with a remarque, date, signa- Paul Schullery thing. Eventually Cameron dropped out of ture, and serial number that could be the project; now, after several more years pasted into the books. The remarques of work, Herd and Schullery are ready to were so impressive that Michael, to sur- Karen Kaplan share their findings. prise John, published them in an edition President There is so much to say about the of . As soon as I learned of its exis- astounding Harris collection that we are tence, I had to score a copy. It’s one of my Robert A. Oden Jr. presenting “The Oldest Flies” in two parts. favorite things. Vice President You can find the first installment, in which To edit John Betts is to love John Betts, Andrew Ward the extraordinary Harris fly collection’s at least as far as I can tell. I asked two of Vice President origins are finally discovered, on page . his other editors, Michael Hackney and James C. Woods It’s the first issue of the year again, and Art Scheck, who knew John best during Secretary that means it’s time to feature a painting different decades, to share their memo- from our collection. Trustee Fred Polhemus, ries with us. Our memorial to this great Gardner Grant Jr. who was instrumental in helping us museum friend begins on page . Treasurer acquire Harley Bartlett’s Brookie Pursuit, We’ve been busy, as usual. In August, offers us a profile of the artist in “Harley we proudly opened our Selch-Bakwin fly Bartlett: Pursuit of Fish, Game, and Light” room (page ). In November, fly-fishing Sarah Foster (page ). guide Rachel Finn was presented with the Executive Director Collector Jerry Girard has come into museum’s Izaak Walton Award in Yoshi Akiyama Samantha Pitcher possession of a salesman’s hook wallet by Boston (page ). December brought our Deputy Director Assistant Director Milward & Sons. It’s a stunning col- annual Hooked on the Holidays gathering of Development lectible, which he shares here, both so that (see photo above). For more about what Alex Ford Digital Marketing Shane Quintana we have a chance to see it and on the we’ve been up to lately and what we plan Coordinator Gallery Assistant chance that a reader might be able to pro- to be up to soon, be sure to check out vide him with more information. Turn to Museum News (page ). Kelsey McBride Patricia Russell page and have a look. Administrative Assistant Business Manager Those of us who knew the innova- K A Sara Wilcox tor/author/artist John Betts, on learning E Director of Visual Communication ’ Foster Bam and Sallie Baldwin Kenneth Kosakoff and Mariann Covello Dave Beveridge David and Margaret Nichols Peter Bowden Leigh and Annie Hollis Perkins Mark Comora John Redpath Jon and Deborah Pratt Dawson Robert and Karen Scott Gardner Grant Jr. Nicholas and Jean Selch Summerfield Johnston Marye and Richard G. Tisch Jill Joyce Paul Volcker Karen Kaplan Alan and Nancy Zakon Journal of the American Museum of Fly Fishing Shannon Brightman Robert McGraw Nick Dawes Tom and Laurie McGuane Alex de Latour Teresa and Robert Oden Jr. Tom Evans Erik and Jennifer Oken Harley Bartlett: Pursuit of Fish, Game, and Light ...... Alan and Linda Gnann Franklin Schurz Jr. Fred Polhemus John Hadden Warren Stern Skip and Meg Herman Ronald and Joan Stuckey The Oldest Flies Phyllis Herrick Tyler and Francis Thompson Part I: In Which the Extraordinary Harris Fly Paul Tudor Jones Andrew and El izabeth Ward Collection’s Origins Are Finally Discovered .......... Art and Martha Kaemmer Patricia Watson Andrew Herd and Paul Schullery Wendy and Woods King III Tom Weber Christopher Mahan Robert Wilson Gallery: The Selch-Bakwin Fly Room ............. Janet Mavec and Wayne Nordberg Steve Woit Frankie Wolfson In Memoriam: John F. Betts III ................. ’ Michael Hackney and Art Scheck Louis Bacon Walter and Pam Matia AMFF Honors Rachel Finn Eugene Conroy Bradford and Pamela Mills with the Izaak Walton Award ............... Anthony Davino Jason and Shachar Scott Charles Patrick Durkin Jr. Matthew and Taylor Scott Angling for Answers: Alan Guarino Chris Smith Milwa rd & Sons Salesman’s James and Susan Heckman Nicholas Taro Tim Hixon James Utaski Hook Wallet: Maine Agency ................... Bill and Francesca Leary James Woods Jerry Girard ’ Museum News ........................... Parker Corbin Albert Nichols Contributors ............................ Bailey Hallingby David E. Nichols Jr. Woods King IV Jason M. Scott John Neukom Broderick Smith : Brookie Pursuit, oil on linen ( x inches) by Harley Bartlett. From the collection of the American Museum of Fly Fishing. Kathleen Achor Editor The American Fly Fisher (ISSN -) is published four times a year by the museum at P.O. Box , Sarah May Clarkson Manchester, Vermont . Publication dates are winter, spring, summer, and fall. Membership dues include the Copy Editor cost of the journal () and are tax deductible as provided for by law. Membership rates are listed in the back of each issue. All letters, manuscripts, photographs, and materials intended for publication in the journal should be Sara Wilcox sent to the museum. The museum and journal are not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, drawings, photo- Design & Production graphic material, or memorabilia. The museum cannot accept responsibility for statements and interpretations that are wholly the author’s. Unsolicited manuscripts cannot be returned unless postage is provided. Contributions to The American Fly Fisher are to be considered gratuitous and the property of the museum unless Statement of Ownership, Management, and Circulation otherwise requested by the contributor. Copyright © , The American Museum of Fly Fishing, Manchester, The American Fly Fisher (publication number -) is published four times per Vermont . Original material appearing may not be reprinted without prior permission. Periodical postage year (Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall). Editor is Kathleen Achor. Complete address for paid at Manchester, Vermont ; Manchester, Vermont ; and additional offices (USPS ). The both publisher and editor is The American Museum of Fly Fishing, P.O. Box , American Fly Fisher (ISSN -) : [email protected] : www.amff.org Manchester, VT . The journal is wholly owned by the American Museum of Fly Fishing. Total number of copies: , (average number of copies of each issue run : Send address changes to: during the preceding twelve months; , actual number of copies of single issue The American Fly Fisher published nearest to filing date). Paid/requested circulations (including advertiser’s P.O. Box proof and exchange copies): (average; actual). Paid distribution by other Manchester, Vermont classes of mail: (average; actual). Paid distribution through dealers and carriers, street vendors , and counter sales: (average; actual). Free distribution by mail: (average; actual). Free distribution outside the mail: (average; actual). Total free distribution: (average; actual). Total distribution: , (average; , actual). Copies not distributed: (average; actual). Total: , (average; , actual). Percent paid and/or requested circulation: .% (average; . % actual). Harley Bartlett: Pursuit of Fish, Game, and Light Brookie Pursuit, oil on linen ( x inches). From the collection of the American Museum of Fly Fishing. A , Harley Bartlett finds him- conviction translates directly to the canvas in a way that is rare self waist deep in a Montana creek in the heart of in today’s market. The result is a sporting image that is visual- OParadise Valley. Bartlett has been invited to join one of ly compelling, convincing, and pleasing to the viewer.