American Wildfowl Decoys

Decoy making is a subtle art – an art that is rarely appreciated by those who have little or no exposure to the field. In his introduction, author Jeff Waingrow recounts a conversation overheard while visiting a museum that housed a large decoy collection. A woman, who evidently scouted ahead, returned to her companion and advised against entering the exhibit area as inside was “nothing but a bunch of wooden ducks”. It was this statement that spurred Waingrow to write American Wildfowl Decoys in order to instill in others an appreciation of this important category of folk art. Here are more than fifty essays describing the techniques, historical development, and regional traditions of duck and shorebird decoy making between 1870 and 1960. Also provided are intriguing biographical sketches of well known decoy carvers and painters, as well as an interesting and helpful analysis of the particular qualities these decoys possess that make them sought after by the knowledgeable collector.