Good morning, Anthony~
Thanks for posting these great shots! I notice from your photos and my own that I missed a few opportunities to shop for a few items that should be in the Sanford collection....
As you know, we were victims of our own success. Whereas we had thought 50 entries would define success for our first-ever Contemporary Decoy Exhibition, we wound up with 106 birds. So, lots of on-the-fly adjustments - grabbing more tables and re-arranging birds, etc. Lots of ideas on how to correct and improve for Year 2.....
In no particular order, here are a bunch more photos I found a little time to take:
We had 2 classes of decoys: The true gunners are the Al McCormick Gunning Class and the fancier birds - with the finer carving and painting that usually keep them on mantels and bookshelves is the Shang Wheeler Heritage Class. I will probably miss some attributions but there are a few duckboats.net Shang Wheeler Class birds here:
Glenn Sweet's "Chauncey Wheeler" Hen Broadbill
Ed Gagne's pair of Lessers
George Williams' feeding Brant
Paul Dobrosky's Drake Broadbill
IF I MISSED YOUR BIRD - PLEASE CHIME IN!
Here is a close-up of Paul's Broadbill
Tom Cornichelli'sHen Black Duck - which took a blue ribbon - is eclipsing Jode Hillman's Hen and my preening Drake.
A "flock shot" with mostly McCormick Class in the foreground and Wheelers in the background.
Because of the surfeit on entries, the tables were way too crowded. The birds on the risers are Long Island antique birds - to show our origins and the evolution.
That McCormick Class Drake Black in the lower right corner is by Pete Revicki.
More McCormick Class divers....
That's a Ralph Nocerino Gunner in the lower left corner.
That's a Steve Sanford burnt cork Drinker....
Tom Barb brought some Jersey Style to the Show....
Our Narrative describes the history of decoy shows - especially the old U S National here on Long Island - and brings us up-to-date. It also asks carvers and viewers to share their thoughts about the Contemporary Decoy Exhibition with us.
The "judging" was done by the audience - a Peoples' Choice approach. Attendees filled out their paper ballots with the codes on the yellow tags for their favorite birds.
Plenty of nice artwork around....
There's a couple here that I "need".....
The Show is mostly about antique decoys (pay no attention to those Whales in the background!).
If I recall correctly, this was a Chestnut Prospector.
Next year's winners?
Always lots of Wildfowlers at this Show.
A distinct absence of non-toxic loads......
That pair of flocked birds is from Tom Rowe.
That natural cork Black is by George Rigby.
....not a duck.....
Our inscrutable Board of Elections.
A pair of Jode Hillman Shellpeckers swimming in from the left.....
If you were there with a camera - let's see more!
All the best,
SJS
