Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
A.K. Best Collection, 1983-2015
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Best, A.K., 1933-
- Title
- A.K. Best Collection
- Dates
- 1983-201519832015
- Quantity
- 10.5 linear feet
- Collection Number
- Collection 2603, MtBC, us (collection)
- Summary
- The A.K. Best collection consists of letters, printed emails, drafts of various books, published articles, flies, and awards. Materials include business correspondence, manuscript material, published magazine articles and periodicals, photographs, and memorabilia ranging from 1983-2015.
- Repository
-
Montana State University Library, Merrill G. Burlingame Special Collections
Montana State University-Bozeman Library
Merrill G Burlingame Special Collections
P.O. Box 173320
Bozeman, MT
59717-3320
Telephone: 4069944242
Fax: 4069942851
- Access Restrictions
-
Donor retains copyright to all printed materials.
- Languages
- English
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
A.K. Best was born in 1933 in Iowa and currently resides in Colorado. Along with previously owning Front Range Anglers, Best is a prominent fly tier, angler, and angling author. Best published articles in magazines and journals such as Fly Rod and Reel, and Mid Atlantic Fly Fishing Guide, as well as writing several books including: A.K.’s Fly Box, Production Fly Tying, Fly Tying with A.K., Advanced Fly Tying, and Fly Fishing with A.K.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The A.K. Best collection consists of letters, printed emails, drafts of various books, published articles, flies, and awards. Materials include business correspondence, manuscript material, published magazine articles and periodicals, photographs, and memorabilia ranging from 1983-2015. Included is a copy of Production Fly Tying with handwritten notes from Best. An interview by Best detailing his life as an angler and a fly tier can be found in the Montana State University Angling Oral History Project.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
Series 1 Correspondence
Series 2 Manuscript Material
Series 3 Published Material
Series 4 Photographs
Series 5 Memorabilia
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Series 1: CorrespondenceReturn to Top
This series includes business correspondence with Orvis. The documents include a project timeline, correspondence, invoices from Best, drawings of specialty tools A.K. curated, and a letter to McKenzie Fly Tackle Company addressing the unauthorized use of Best’s name on a product.
| Container(s) | Description |
|---|---|
| Box/Folder | |
| 1/1 | Orvis Business Correspondence |
Series 2: Manuscript MaterialReturn to Top
This series contains A.K. Best’s manuscript material for his books Advanced Fly Tying, A.K.’s Fly Box, Dying and Beaching Natural Fly Tying Materials 1st edition, Dyeing and Bleaching Natural Fly Tying Materials 2nd edition, Fly Fishing with A.K., Fly Tying with A.K., Production Fly Tying 1st edition, Production Fly Tying 2nd edition, and Solitary Trouting. Additional materials include an untitled poem, as well as early drafts for magazine articles for Mid Atlantic Fly Fishing Guide, Fly Rod and Reel, The Bamboo Fly Rod, Fly Tyer Magazine, Tightloop, and The Virtual Fly Fishing Shop. This series also contains various manuscripts from authors such as John Gierach, David Klausmeyer, Derrell Martin and Taylor Streit sent to Best for review. Magazine article drafts start in Box 10, folder 3, and manuscript material from other authors begin in Box 12. This series contains oversized materials that have been separated from the series, the separation is denoted by an asterisk (*) next to the folder from which the material was removed.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1/2 | Advanced Fly Tying: Draft #3 |
|
| 1/3 | Advanced Fly Tying: Draft #4 |
|
| 1/4 | Advanced Fly Tying: Draft #5 |
|
| 1/5 | Advanced Fly Tying: Draft #6 |
|
| 1/6 | Advanced Fly Tying: Draft #7 |
|
| 1/7 | Advanced Fly Tying: Final Copy |
|
| 2/1 | Advanced Fly Tying: Proof #1 |
|
| 2/2 | Advanced Fly Tying: Draft with
Correction |
|
| 2/3-4 | Advanced Fly Tying: Miscellaneous
Drafts |
|
| 2/5 | Advanced Fly Tying: John Gierach
Introduction |
|
| 2/6 | Advanced Fly Tying: Correspondence and
comments to publisher |
|
| 2/7 | A.K.’s Fly Box: Draft #1 |
|
| 3/1 | A.K.’s Fly Box: Draft #1 |
|
| 3/2-3 | A.K.’s Fly Box: Draft #1 with
Corrections |
|
| 3/4-5 | A.K.’s Fly Box: Draft with
Corrections |
|
| 3/6-7 | A.K.’s Fly Box: Final Copy |
|
| 3/8 | A.K.’s Fly Box: Dummy Copy * |
|
| 3/9 | A.K.’s Fly Box: Correspondence with
Publisher |
|
| 3/10 | A.K.’s Fly Box: Floppy Discs |
|
| 3/11 | A.K.’s Fly Box: Advance Copy with
typo |
|
| 4/1 | Dying and Bleaching Natural Fly Tying
Materials: Draft #1 |
|
| 4/2 | Dying and Bleaching Natural Fly Tying
Materials: Final Copy |
|
| 4/3 | Dying and Bleaching Natural Fly Tying
Materials: Photographs |
|
| 4/4 | Dying and Bleaching Natural Fly Tying
Materials: Negatives |
|
| 4/5 | Dying and Bleaching Natural Fly Tying
Materials: Negative Proofs |
|
| 4/6 | Dying and Bleaching Natural Fly Tying
Materials: Slides |
|
| 4/7 | Dyeing and Bleaching Natural Fly Tying
Materials 2nd Edition: Draft #1 Author’s Copy |
|
| 4/8 | Dyeing and Bleaching Natural Fly Tying
Materials 2nd Edition: Draft #1 Editor’s Copy |
|
| 4/9 | Dyeing and Bleaching Natural Fly Tying
Materials 2nd Edition: Draft #4 |
|
| 4/10 | Dyeing and Bleaching Natural Fly Tying
Materials 2nd Edition: Manuscript Proof #1 Author’s Copy |
|
| 5/1 | Dyeing and Bleaching Natural Fly Tying
Materials 2nd Edition: Manuscript Proof #2 Author’s Copy |
|
| 5/2 | Dyeing and Bleaching Natural Fly Tying
Materials 2nd Edition: Manuscript Proof #2 |
|
| 5/3 | Dyeing and Bleaching Natural Fly Tying
Materials 2nd Edition: Manuscript Proof #3 |
|
| 5/4 | Dyeing and Bleaching Natural Fly Tying
Materials 2nd Edition: Dummy Copy * |
|
| 5/5 | Dyeing and Bleaching Natural Fly Tying
Materials 2nd Edition: Correspondence |
|
| 5/6 | Fly Fishing with A.K.: Draft
#5 |
|
| 5/7 | Fly Fishing with A.K.: Draft Marked for
Photographs |
|
| 5/8 | Fly Fishing with A.K.: Partial
Draft |
|
| 5/9 | Fly Fishing with A.K.:
Correspondence |
|
| 5/10 | Fly Fishing with A.K.: Photograph Lists
and Artwork |
|
| 6/1 | Fly Tying with A.K.: Draft #1
(partial)
|
|
| 6/2 | Fly Tying with A.K.: Draft #3 |
|
| 6/3 | Fly Tying with A.K.: Draft with
Corrections |
|
| 6/4 | Fly Tying with A.K.: Photograph
List |
|
| 6/5 | Fly Tying with A.K.:
Correspondence |
|
| 6/6 | Fly Tying with A.K.: DVDs with
Photographs |
|
| 6/7 | Fly Tying with A.K.: DVD Photograph Proof
Sheet |
|
| 6/8 | Production Fly Tying: Draft with
Forward |
|
| 7/1-2 | Production Fly Tying: Draft #1 |
|
| 7/3 | Production Fly Tying: Early
Draft |
|
| 7/4 | Production Fly Tying: Index |
|
| 7/5-6 | Production Fly Tying: Notes |
|
| 7/7 | Production Fly Tying:
Photographs |
|
| 8/1-2 | Production Fly Tying:
Photographs |
|
| 8/3 | Production Fly Tying:
Negatives |
|
| 8/4 | Production Fly Tying: Negative Proof
Sheet |
|
| 8/5 | Production Fly Tying: Slides |
|
| 8/6 | Production Fly Tying: Book with
Notes |
|
| 8/7 | Production Fly Tying 2nd Edition: Draft
#1 |
|
| 8/8-9 | Production Fly Tying 2nd Edition: Draft
#3 |
|
| 9/1 | Production Fly Tying 2nd Edition: Draft
#4 |
|
| 9/2 | Production Fly Tying 2nd Edition: Draft
#5 |
|
| 9/3 | Production Fly Tying 2nd Edition: Draft
#6 |
|
| 9/4 | Production Fly Tying 2nd Edition: Draft
#7 |
|
| 9/5 | Production Fly Tying 2nd Edition:
Miscellaneous Draft Chapters |
|
| 9/6 | Production Fly Tying 2nd Edition: Chapter
#1 Proof |
|
| 9/7 | Production Fly Tying 2nd Edition:
Correspondence |
|
| 9/8 | Production Fly Tying 2nd Edition: Floppy
Discs |
|
| 9/9 | Production Fly Tying 2nd Edition:
Flies |
|
| 10/1 | Solitary Trouting: Draft with
Corrections |
|
| 10/2 | Untiled Poem |
2001 |
| 10/3 | The Bamboo Fly Rod: Drafts |
|
| 10/4 | F.B.N.: Drafts, Correspondence, and
Article Lists |
|
| 10/5-7 | Fly Rod and Reel: Drafts |
|
| 10/8 | Fly Rod and Reel Website: Article
List |
2000 |
| 10/9 | Fly Rod and Reel: Slides |
|
| 10/10 | Fly Tyer Magazine: Drafts |
|
| 11/1-6 | Mid Atlantic Fly Fishing Guide:
Drafts |
|
| 11/7 | Mid Atlantic Fly Fishing Guide: Article
Lists |
1999-2000 |
| 11/8 | TightLoop: Correspondence, Drafts, and
Slides |
|
| 11/9 | Virtual Fly Fishing Shop: Correspondence
and Drafts |
|
| 11/1 | David Klausmeyer: Tying Classic Fresh
Water Streamers |
|
| 12/2 | Derrell Martin: The Fly Fisher’s Craft
* |
|
| 12/3 | John Gierach: Dances with Trout
Miscellaneous Drafts |
|
| 12/4 | John Gierach: Sex, Death, and Fly Fishing
Miscellaneous Drafts |
|
| 12/5 | Taylor Streit: Instinctive Fly Fishing
Proof |
Series 3: Published MaterialReturn to Top
This series contains published magazine articles and periodicals written by A.K. Best ranging from 1983-2015.This series also contains interviews of and published articles written about Best that include feature articles from John Gierach.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 13/1 | American Angler |
1991-2005 |
| 13/2 | American Angler and Fly Tyer |
1988 |
| 13/3 | American Fly Tyer |
1986 |
| 13/4 | Angler Adventure News |
1995 |
| 13/5 | An Auction to Benefit the North Atlantic
Salmon Fund |
2003 |
| 13/6 | The Bamboo Fly Rod |
1998 |
| 13/7 | The Boulder Daily Camera |
1984-2010 |
| 13/8 | Colorado Country Life |
2009 |
| 13/9 | The Daily Times Call |
1987-1996 |
| 13/10 | Field and Stream |
1990 |
| 13/11 | Fishing Guide |
1995 |
| 13/12 | Fishing World |
1985-1987 |
| 13/13 | Flugfishe i Norden |
2006 |
| 13/14 | The Fly Fisher |
1983 |
| 13/15 | Fly Fisherman |
1988-1994 |
| 14/1 | Fly Fisherman |
1995-2004 |
| 14/2 | Fly Fisherman’s How to Catch
Trout |
1988 |
| 14/3 | Fly Fishing |
1984-1988 |
| 14/4 | Fly Fishing News |
1990 |
| 14/5 | Fly Fishing and Tying Journal |
2000-2002 |
| 14/6 | Fly Fishing and Tying Journal |
2000-2006 |
| 14/7 | Fly Rodders |
2005 |
| 14/8 | Fly Rod and Reel |
July 1989 - February 2001 |
| 14/9 | Fly Rod and Reel |
March 2001- March 2002 |
| 15/1 | Fly Rod and Reel |
April 2003-February 2004 |
| 15/2 | Fly Rod and Reel |
April 2003-February 2004 |
| 15/3 | Fly Rod and Reel |
March-December 2004 |
| 15/4 | Fly Rod and Reel |
January-June 2005 |
| 15/5 | Fly Rod and Reel |
July 2005-February 2009 |
| 15/6 | Fly Rod and Reel |
March-November 2009 |
| 15/7 | Fly Rod and Reel |
December 2009-Autumn 2010 |
| 16/1 | Fly Rod and Reel |
Spring 2011-Spring 2012 |
| 16/2 | Fly Tackle Dealer |
Spring 1988-April 1996 |
| 16/3 | Fly Tyer |
Summer 1995-Spring 1996 |
| 16/4 | Fly Tyer |
Summer 2004-Spring 2015 |
| 16/5 | Gray’s Sporting Journal |
February 1993-March 2005 |
| 16/6 | Guide to Hunting and Fishing
Outfitters |
January 2005 |
| 16/7 | High Country Sportsmen |
September 1997 |
| 16/8 | Hunter’s Angling Supplies |
1989 |
| 16/9 | Hunting and Fishing Guide |
January 2003 |
| 17/1 | Mid Atlantic Fly Fishing Guide |
April-December 1995 |
| 17/2 | Mid Atlantic Fly Fishing Guide |
February-December 1996 |
| 17/3 | Mid Atlantic Fly Fishing Guide |
February-October 1997 |
| 17/4 | Mid Atlantic Fly Fishing Guide |
February-July 1998 |
| 17/5 | Mid Atlantic Fly Fishing Guide |
August 1998-March 1999 |
| 18/1 | Mid Atlantic Fly Fishing Guide |
April-October 1999 |
| 18/2 | Mid Atlantic Fly Fishing Guide |
December 1999-July 2000 |
| 18/3 | Mid Atlantic Fly Fishing Guide |
August 2000-February 2001 |
| 18/4 | Mid Atlantic Fly Fishing Guide |
March-July 2001 |
| 18/5 | Mid Atlantic Fly Fishing Guide |
February-June 2002 |
| 19/1 | Mid Atlantic Fly Fishing Guide |
July-December 2002 |
| 19/2 | Mid Atlantic Fly Fishing Guide |
February-June 2003 |
| 19/3 | Mid Atlantic Fly Fishing Guide |
July-December 2003 |
| 19/4 | Mid Atlantic Fly Fishing Guide |
February-June 2004 |
| 19/5 | Mid Atlantic Fly Fishing Guide |
July-December 2004 |
| 19/6 | Mid Atlantic Fly Fishing Guide |
February-June 2005 |
| 20/1 | Mid Atlantic Fly Fishing Guide |
July 2005-February 2006 |
| 20/2 | Mid Atlantic Fly Fishing Guide |
March-August 2006 |
| 20/3 | Mid Atlantic Fly Fishing Guide |
September 2006-March 2007 |
| 20/4 | Mid Atlantic Fly Fishing Guide |
April-August 2007 |
| 20/5 | Mid Atlantic Fly Fishing Guide |
September 2007-April 2008 |
| 20/6 | Mid Atlantic Fly Fishing Guide |
May-October 2008 |
| 20/7 | Mid Atlantic Fly Fishing Guide |
December 2008-June 2009 |
| 21/1 | Mid Atlantic Fly Fishing Guide |
July 2009-February 2010 |
| 21/2 | Mid Atlantic Fly Fishing Guide |
March-August 2010 |
| 21/3 | Mid Atlantic Fly Fishing Guide |
September 2010-April 2011 |
| 21/4 | Mid Atlantic Fly Fishing Guide |
May-October 2011 |
| 21/5 | Mid Atlantic Fly Fishing Guide |
December 2011-July 2012 |
| 21/6 | Mid Atlantic Fly Fishing Guide |
August-December 2012 |
| 21/7 | Mid Atlantic Fly Fishing Guide |
February-September 2013 |
| 22/1 | Mid Atlantic Fly Fishing Guide |
October 2013-July 2014 |
| 22/2 | Mid Atlantic Fly Fishing Guide |
August 2014-March 2015 |
| 22/3 | Mid Atlantic Fly Fishing Guide |
April-December 2015 |
| 22/4 | National Geographic |
October 1993 |
| 22/5 | Orvis News |
March/April 2000 |
| 22/6 | Outdoor Life |
June 1996 |
| 22/7 | Rocky Mountain News |
1988 |
| 22/8 | Rocky Mountain Sportsmen |
January-April 1987 |
| 22/9 | Rod and Reel |
January 1987-October 1988 |
| 22/10 | Sports Afield |
January 1987-July 1988 |
| 22/11 | Sunday Times Call |
1987 |
| 23/1 | Tightloop |
Summer-Autumn 2001 |
| 23/2 | Trout |
Autumn 1988 |
| 23/3 | Umpqua Flyer |
Spring 1998 |
| 23/4 | United Fly Tyers’ Roundtable |
|
| 23/5 | Western Fly Tying |
Summer 1996 |
| 23/6 | Western Outdoors |
April 1986 |
| 23/7 | Unidentified Publications |
|
| 23/8 | Ants |
|
| 23/9 | Basic Dying |
|
| 23/10 | Beetles |
|
| 23/11 | Grasshopper |
|
| 23/12 | Hackling Dry Flies |
|
| 23/13 | Hair Wing Dry Flies |
|
| 23/14 | Head Finishes |
|
| 23/15 | Leader to Line Knot |
|
| 23/16 | Soft Hackle Flies |
|
| 23/17 | Tailing Mayflies |
|
| 23/18 | Tying Thread |
|
| 23/19 | Whip Finishing |
Series 4: PhotographsReturn to Top
This series includes photographs of flies A.K. Best tied, as well as meadow streams, fish, portraits of Best, and 35mm slide transparencies meant for publication. This series contains oversized materials that have been separated from the series, the separation is denoted by an asterisk (*) next to the folder from which the material was removed.
| Container(s) | Description |
|---|---|
35mm
Transparencies |
|
| Box/Folder | |
| 23/20 | #1-3 |
#1 Front Cover |
|
#2 Chapter Pages |
|
#3 A.K. Best |
|
Photographs |
|
| Box/Folder | |
| 23/21 | Portraits, #4-7 |
#4 A.K. Best |
|
#5 A.K. Best* |
|
#6-7 A.K. Best with his
class |
|
| 23/22 | Flies, #8-16 |
#8-9 Fly |
|
#10 Flies on river |
|
#11-16 Fly |
|
| 23/23 | Meadow Fishing, #17-26 |
#17 River |
|
#18 Hooked Trout |
|
#19-21 Trout in hand |
|
#22-23 River |
|
#24 Flies |
|
#25-26 River |
|
| 23/24 | Meadow Fishing
[DVD]
|
Series 5: MemorabiliaReturn to Top
This series includes flies tied by A.K. Best as well as memorabilia such as certificates awarded to Best over his lifetime and a hand drawn portrait of Best by Mike Gula. This series contains oversized materials that have been separated from the series, the separation is denoted by an asterisk (*) next to the folder from which the material was removed.
| Container(s) | Description |
|---|---|
| Box/Folder | |
| 23/25 | Memorabilia * |
| 23/26 | Oral History Newspaper
Clipping |
| 24/1 | History of Fly Display Cases |
| 24/2-4 | Flies |
| 25/1 | Blue Wing Olive Cycle |
| 25/2 | Dunes and Spinners |
| 25/3 | Golden Fly |
| 25/4 | Orvis Samples |
| 25/5 | Hunter Samples |
| 25/6-7 | Flies |
| Box | |
| Oversize* |
The following oversized materials has been separated from Series 2, 4,
and 5.
|
A.K.’s Fly Box: Dummy Copy |
|
Dyeing and Bleaching Natural Fly Tying
Materials 2nd Edition: Dummy Copy |
|
Derrell Martin: The Fly Fisher’s
Craft |
|
Portrait of A.K. Best |
|
Drawing of A.K. Best |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Heather Hultman, 2019
December 4, 2019
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
