Decoys: A Celebration of Contemporary Wildfowl Carving
There were pictograms of five tethered ducks in the tomb of Tutankhamen. Fourth-century B.C. Greeks pulled painted birds on strings to attract other birds. Early American settlers made crude reed-and-wood fake wildfowl to attract the real birds. Decoys have been around for over 3000 years, but in the late 19th century fine hand-carved decoys were replaced by mass-produced balsa, or plastic birds, making the decoy craftsmen obsolete. In 1968 the Ward Foundation, named for two famed carvers, was founded, and in 1971 the annual Ward World Championship Wildfowl Carving Competition began. This volume looks at the work of 23 of these modern practitioners. Following a brief interview with each artist are lush, full-page color photos of their carvings. Black duck, redhed drake, mallard, or brant goose, the detail is such that the viewer expects the bird's eyes to blink and its head to turn. Highly recommended.Joseph Hewgley, Nashville P.L.Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.