GEORGE H. LESSER, TAXIDERMIST
A Glimpse At A Master And His Art
by Bob Chauvin

This photo is of George Lesser on a 1963 safari in Tanganyika. George was a superb marksman. He had amazing visual acuity and always used weapons with open sights. He could bring down standing or running game at extraordinary distances for that style of shooting. During the whitetail season in the Adirondacks, George would often set up camp in the forest and rough it for most of the season, living under canvas, no matter how much snow or bitter cold there was. He was the kind of rugged outdoorsman written about in novels. He loved the forests and woodlands, and did much in his lifetime to help preserve a way of life that generations would come to enjoy.

WEST STATE STREET IS A PLEASANT, tree-shaded street, lined with old New England style houses. It was the Johnstown, New York home and workplace of taxidermist George H. Lesser and his wife Maude. He was born in Johnstown, January 26, 1897, and died there on May 23, 1974. George has now been gone twenty-six years, but his life and work are well worth a closer look. Old timers like George are easily dismissed as antiquated curiosities and not often given credence as we go about our daily taxidermy chores, yet they were the ones who got us where we are today.

George inherited his love of taxidermy from his dad, Henry J. Lesser. How Henry became interested in taxidermy is not known. What I can state is that he worked in a local tannery as soon as he was old and large enough enough for the job. He was employed as a "piss slinger." Urine from horses was used in those days to set the dye colors. While employed at the tannery, Henry began his taxidermy business in the basement of the family home located on Pearl Street. He married Lena Isle on November fourth, 1895, and George was born 15months later...

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