First decoy(s); Bold enough to share?

Same here Ben! Your Brant mini is right next to my Billy Pinches Brant decoys. It's funny you should mention this. I'm itching to carve a few up this summer in hopes we do something like that here. If not, I'd be thrilled to trade with you again bud. BTW you carving and paint have come a long way. Great job!
 


1982, the hen Bufflehead was the first decoy I hand carved at the kitchen table and sure does look like it. I believe I got the ribbon for it out of pity for my work.

The drake was the second decoy I carved and is still in my rig, shot marks and all.

The most recent pair, the hen was carved in 2005, and the last Bufflehead I carved.

All but one with the gunning box have migrated to other homes.

The first canvas decoy I made was a Bufflehead drake, that also migrated. It's in the article in Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine.




View attachment Old Buffles 1.jpgView attachment New Buffles 1.jpgView attachment Buffle group 1.jpgView attachment Buffle heads and gunning box.jpg
 
Good morning, Benjamin et al~

I have finally dug out my first decoy - and also found an earlier head.

I "carved" this Brant head from a piece of Sugar Pine - probably on a spring break from college in the early 70s. I do not recall if I had a knife available. It looks like the band saw and a rasp did most of the work. I surely could not yet "carve to the round".....

View attachment sm 01 Brant head 1975 - closeup.JPG

Here it is alongside a more recent piece - my favorite "swimming into the tide" posture for this species.

View attachment sm 02 Brant Heads - 2016 and 1975 with dates.JPG

Here is my first complete carving. I remember using a chain saw to rough it out of a White Pine log at my father-in-law's sawmill. I used a band saw for the profile and did the rest with a Barlow pocket knife.

View attachment sm 04 First Decoy - Ruddy face.JPG

I carved in many of the feathers on his back.

View attachment sm 05 First Decoy - Ruddy back.JPG

Here he is with a later bird for comparison. At this juncture, I had yet to see a live Ruddy - and had no appreciation for how diminutive they really are. The head is at least 2X too large.

Also, this bird was always intended for the mantel - so no hollowing and no "sea trials". I finished most of it with Minwax oil stain - with just a bit of acrylics on the head.

View attachment sm 03 First Decoy - 1976-77 Ruddy and 1988 Ruddy with dates.JPG

I carved this Ruddy in the 1980s for my wife Susan. The body is hollowed down to about 1/4-inch thickness - and the bird tips the Toledos at about 7 ounces. It remains one of my favorite pieces.

View attachment sm 06 Ruddy 1988 - for SAS b.JPG

All the best,

SJS






 
Steve
Your wives bird is great looking with the simple paint scheme.
Great to see how we all improve with practice and time
 
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