San Antonio, TX – TexasBid.com (www.texasbid.com) announces the upcoming online estate auction of Alaskan pioneer Harry Rufus Geron beginning August 14, featuring a lifetime of sportsmen’s collectibles, according to Auctioneer Forres L. Meadows.
Meadows noted, “The spirit with which Mr. Geron lived his life emanates from his mixed and interesting personal belongings which string together to create an exceptionally romantic image of a life full of culture, education, art, appreciation and love. Previewing the fly fishing rods, reels, creels and fly tying tools one can’t help but conjure up scenes from “A River Runs Through It.” Obviously a man of immense focus with an eye for detail his assortment of hand tied flies strikes one as art in itself.”
Some of the more notable items in the collections are: 15 fly rods by H.L. Leonard, Karstetter, and Orvis, among others; fly reels and spools by Orvis, Pfluegar, and Gladding by Milward; fly creels hand made by Geron and others; fly tying equipment and supplies, including a Renzetti Presentation Vise; approximately 70 assorted hand-tied flies, including Alaska Mary Ann, Joe O’donnell, Supervisor, Grizzly King, Lady Godiva, and Purple Peril; and books on fly patterns and fly fishing.
Additionally, the collections up for auction include: approximately 100 knives by Schrade, Case, Boker, Camillus, Tree, Boker and more; a Parker Shotgun with a custom made leather case by H. Geron; a Smith & Wesson Chief’s Special .38 with original box, paper and brochures; leather working tools and hand-made leather items such as a fly-rod case, gun case and creels; a Contreras guitar and Estruch guitar; an S.S. Stewart Banjo circa 1898; Alaskan made Hobson Violin; drafting and measuring instruments by Alteneder, K&E, Dietzgen, and Post; and cameras, photography equipment and accessories by Leica, Zeiss, Voigtlander, Yashica and more.
Born January 16, 1922, in Paris, Texas, Geron grew up in Kerrville and San Antonio, graduating from Thomas Jefferson High School in 1940. In 1943, he joined the Army Air Corps, flying 23 missions as a navigator in the European Theater before being discharged as a first lieutenant in 1946.
After attending the University of Texas School of Architecture at Austin, Geron worked for the Texas Highway Department and for O’Neill Ford until recalled to the Air Force in 1951, where assignment to Alaska included engineering and construction. After discharge as a captain, he worked as an architect in Tacoma, Wash., then moved to Alaska and spent the next 40 years in architecture and related businesses while reveling in the hunting and fishing of the area.
Geron served as president of the Alaska Institute of Architects, served on the board of the Alaska Flyfishers Club, as business manager of the Alaska Symphony, was an instructor in building construction at Anchorage Community College, and owned a fishing camp at Minto Flats. In 1996, he participated in an online forum of the San Antonio Express-News, and there he met Alice Calkins Evett, owner of Watercress Press in Alamo City. After one meeting, followed by six months of warm emails, they were married on April 8, 1997.
Bidding will open on Thursday, August 14, and concluded on Thursday, August 28. Items may be previewed in Boerne, Texas, on August 23 from 9a.m. to 5p.m. and on August 24 from 1p.m. to 5p.m. For more information and photos, visit www.texasbid.com or call (830) 230-5362.
TexasBid.com is owned and operated by Forres Meadows Auctioneers, Inc., a Texas licensed auctioneer in operation since 1989. Meadows is a member of the National Auctioneers Association as well as the Texas Auctioneers Association.
