Related Records

1. Book - Bographical coffee table book that encompasses Les Kouba’s life, his friends and his career as an artist. Introduction by Ron Schara followed by a biography section filled with stories from Les about the inspiration for his artwork and tales from people who knew Les and were present at the scenes depicted in Les Kouba's work. Next is a scrapbook section of newspaper clippings and photographs followed by 64 color plates of Kouba paintings with commentaries.

   The Legacy of Les C. Kouba

   Record Type: Library

   
2. Box, Ammunition - Box for 12 gauge Holiday brand shotgun shells

   Box for 12 gauge Holiday brand shotgun shells, featuring the wildlife art of Les Kouba. The box depicts two flying grouse, one male and one female on one side. The other side has a picture of a rabbit running across the snow. It describes the shells as being: 25 in quantity, 2 3/4" long, 3 drams equivalent, 1 oz shot and shot size of 8. The bottom of the box discusses features of Holiday's shells. The sides show a diagram of the shells and enco...

   Record Type: Object

   
3. Box, Ammunition - Shotgun shell box

   Box for 12 gauge Holiday brand shotgun shells, featuring the wildlife art of Les Kouba. The box depicts two flying grouse, one male and one female on one side. The other side has a picture of a rabbit running across the snow. It describes the shells as being: 25 in quantity, 2 3/4" long, 3 drams equivalent, 1 oz shot and shot size of 8. The bottom of the box discusses features of Holiday's shells. The sides show a diagram of the shells and enco...

   Record Type: Object

   
4. Can, Food Storage - Schmidt Beer can

   Schmidt Beer can featuring the art of Les Kouba. The foreground features a farmer and two horses plowing a field. Farm buildings dot the background. Across the bottom reads "The Brew that Grew with the Great Northwest!" Also reads "G. Heilman Brewing Co., Lacrosse, Sheboygan, Newport, St. Paul, Evansville. 12 fluid ozs."

   Record Type: Object

   
5. Can, Food Storage - Schmidt Beer can

   Schmidt Beer can featuring the art of Les Kouba. Features a horse and a foal, with fencing and ranch buildings in the background. Across the bottom reads "The Brew that Grew with the Great Northwest!" A House of Heileman crest sits under the Schmidt logo. Also reads "G. Heilman Brewing Co. St. Paul, MN; Lacrosse, WI; Newport, KY; Evansville, IN; Seattle, WA. 12 fluid ozs."

   Record Type: Object

   
6. Certificate - Bull Ring Society certificate

   Framed Certificate for the International Order of the Bull Ring Society, who "has bestowed the trust and confidence of John Doe Smith- in witness whereof. the said Bull Ring Society has caused the same to be executed by its president and caused its seal to be affixed thereon at Mount Vernon, Iowa U.S.A. 17 day of Feb., 1973" and signed by K. M. "Dutch" Thompson. It has an illustration of a bull, and of a belt with ring closures. It also has "B...

   Record Type: Object

   
7. Churn - Four gallon crock

   Red Wing Union Stoneware 4 gallon crock. Marked "4" with two birch leaves over maker's mark "Red Wing Union Stoneware Co., Red Wing, Minn". Signed by Les C. Kouba on reverse side "McLeod County Jar, June 14, 1993". Circumstances unknown. Appears to be a butter churn without the lid. The dasher is 1988-0759-002.

   Record Type: Object

   
8. Figurine - Small carved stone figure

   Small carved stone head and torso, grey-brown in color. Brought back from Mexico by Les Kouba. Approximately 4" high, 2" wide and .5" deep.

   Record Type: Object

   
9. Figurine - Small carved stone figure

   Small carved stone figure, dark green in color. Brought back from Mexico by Les Kouba. Approximately 3.25" high, 1.5" wide and 1" deep.

   Record Type: Object

   
10. Figurine - Small carved stone figure

    Small carved stone figure, dark green in color. Brought back from Mexico by Les Kouba. Approximately 4.5" high, 2.5" wide and 1.5" deep.

    Record Type: Object

    
11. Figurine - Small carved stone head

    Small carved stone head, dark brown in color. Brought back from Mexico by Les Kouba. Approximately 3.5" high, 1.5" wide and 2" deep.

    Record Type: Object

    
12. Fob, Key - Small key chain license fob

    Small key chain/fob in the shape of a Minnesota license plate. The front says "10,000 lakes 3R 7539 Minnesota 1958" The back says "Postage guaranteed/ Finder Deposit Any Mailbox/ Disabled American Veterans/ National Headquarters/ Cincinnati 13, Ohio" Found in box donated by Les Kouba.

    Record Type: Object

    
13. Lamp - Wall beer lamp and copper fixture

    Wall beer lamp containing copper ring fixture with extended prong for lamp shade. Copper ring has a small red label with white letters"Schmidt" and a small blue label with white letters "The Brew that Grew with the Great Northwest." The long narrow lampshade has 4 scenes in color designed and signed by Les Kouba of fish, cowboys, pheasants, and pronghorns, with word "Schmidt" in red letters above each picture and 2 blue stripes with white lette...

    Record Type: Object

    
14. Lamp - Wall beer lamp and copper fixture

    Wall beer lamp containing copper ring fixture with extended prong for lamp shade. Copper ring has a small red label with white letters"Schmidt" and a small blue label with white letters "The Brew that Grew with the Great Northwest." The long narrow lampshade has 4 scenes in color designed and signed by Les Kouba of fish, cowboys, pheasants, and pronghorns, with word "Schmidt" in red letters above each picture and 2 blue stripes with white lette...

    Record Type: Object

    
15. Mount, Taxidermy - Rooster pheasant

    Rooster pheasant taxidermy mount. Signed: "By Les C. Kouba 1933". Round wood base.

    Record Type: Object

    
16. Mural - Kouba "Elk Country" mural, c.1936

    Mural "Elk Country" painted by Les C. Kouba of a large bull elk with a background of trees and Alpine lake in the Rocky Mountains being pursued by a predator mountain lion. Kouba painted it in 1936 when he was going to school in payment for his meals at Al Lake's Cafe, Hutchinson, MN. Kouba remembered that the financial deal with Al Lake was "X" amount in dollars and the balance in hamburgers, etc. The picture came with Rekow's Hamburger Shop ...

    Record Type: Object

    
17. Mural - Kouba "Gold Rush" mural, 1936

    Mural painting done by Les C. Kouba in July, 1936 when he was 19 years old. The scene depicts the Gold Rush Days at sunset. From right to left covered wagons and men on horseback approach a man panning for gold at center. On the left is a man cooking at a campfire near a ring of covered wagons. Wood frame. The mural was described in the July 17, 1936 Hutchinson Leader: "Above is a reproduction of the right half of a splendid mural painted by ...

    Record Type: Object

    
18. Painting - Les Kouba painting c.1936

    Large original oil painting by Les C. Kouba painted c.1936 following his high school years. The scene is of two duck hunters in a boat with birds flying overhead and snow falling. A box of shells is between the hunters who wear camouflage jackets. The painting was commissioned by the Stocking Hardware Store in Hutchinson, MN to encourage hunters to buy shells and guns at Stockings' and locate the sporting goods section of the store. Oil paint...

    Record Type: Object

    
19. Plaque - 1983 Appreciation award

    Appreciation plaque given to Les Kouba for his accomplishments during the 1983 Variety Club Heart Hospital Benefit Shoot. It lists Kouba as the funding chairman. It also depicts an image of Kouba's "Fall Plowing," the Variety Club logo of a man in a top hat singing, and the Regents of the University of Minnesota seal.

    Record Type: Object

    
20. Poster - Poster

    Framed poster that was rendered by Les C. Kouba on January 31, 1987 at the Playmor Ballroom in Glencoe. The occasion was the Down Home Tribute to Kouba at the McLeod County Historical Society Fundraising Dinner. The script for Coca-Cola was written upside down and backwards by Les Kouba as he spoke to the attendees about his life. The impromptu drawng by Kouba was auctioned off for $510 that evening. Donors listed were County Commissioners Larry ...

    Record Type: Object