The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954) Saturday 10 June 193328280

MR. H. GEISLER DEAD

Pioneer Furrier And Tanner
Mr. Herman Geisler, who died at
his home, Drayton street, Bowden, on
Thursday, at the age of 72, was one of
the leading furriers in the Common
wealth, and was largely responsible
for demonstrating the value of the
furs of Australian animals. Mr.
Geisler arrived in South Australia with
2/6 in his pockets 53 years ago, and
at the time of his death had one of
the most valuable stocks in Australia
of furs from all parts of the world.
Born at Neumarkt, Silesia (Ger-
many), Mr. Geisler came to Port Ade-
laide as a youth of 19, and almost
immediately went
to Morgan, on tbe
River Murray, and
set up in business
as a tanner, wool
scourer, and fell-
monger, a trade
which he had
learnt in Ger
many. It was
here that Mr.
Geisler. who was
a keen hunter,
realised that the
skins of the Aus-
tralian kangaroo,
wallaby, and
opossum had a
high market
value. He found
that kangaroo and
wallaby made a
leather unexcelled
for boot uppers, and that opossum
skins for coats and rugs were extremely
hard wearing.
It was not until Mr. Geisler moved
to Bowden in 1890 that he went into
the fur business seriously and soon
had established a big business with
wholesale houses in all States, and
exported Australian leathers and furs,
especially the opossum to all parts of
the world. He introduced the making
of chrome leather to Australia, and
is the last of the original band of tan-
ners who made Australian leathers
famous for their outstanding quality.
He was also the first Australian to
import fur sewing machines from Ger-
many.
Mr. Geisler had a large circle of
friends, and took more interest in hunt-
ing and shooting than in any other
sport. He passed on his secrets for
the tanning and dressing of leather
and furs to his family. He left a
widow, previously Miss Bertha Laura
Thamm, of Morgan; two sons. Messrs.
Herbert Geisler (Prospect) and Albert
Geisler (Bowden). and three daughters,
Mrs. W. Gray (Dulwich) and Misses
Sylvia and Emma Geisler Bowden).