I need help starting my decoy collection

Chris Finch

Chris Finch

Well-known member
so as some of you guys know i will be graduating in may with a bachelors in bio and have just recently begun to carve with Pete.
my girlfriend just asked me what i want for graduation so after some thought i told her i wanted to start my own decoy collection.

since there are a lot of great carvers on here and westlake is coming up, i thought that it would be a good time to post it up.

i was thinking about having you guys post a picture or two of the decoy, with its price and location. then have my girlfriend pick one out for me
style or species doesn't matter.

Chuck if this is in the wrong forum ill move it
thanks guys, Chris
 
Chris, if I may offer a suggestion try sitting down with her and looking through the "What's on your workbench" postings for each month. Once you see something you like just contact that carver offline to inquire about the particulars.
 
Chris, Works of art unfortunately are always worth more once the artist is no longer around. Contemporary carvers decoys are much improved and advanced compared to the high priced collector grade selling at auction [imo]. You are a young man and have time to watch your collection increase in value. I would venture to say any selection you make from the talented contemporary carvers will increase in value over time. I would suggest buying from an established older carver[especially from this site] and buy what you like,buy what pleases you to look at. Again just my opinion.
Bill.
 
i am usually looking at the workbench and show her, she went with me to tuckerton, the cabelas show in ct, and is also carving with me at pete's. im not really worried about getting a ribbon winner or a historical decoy, just something from someone else. it would be cool to say this came from xxxx in luoisiana
 
One good way to get decoys are in trades that sites put on. Or pick a certain bird and collect it from multiple carvers over time. Woodson Roddy in Clinton Mo has a great collection of bwt he has built up over time trading bird for bird
 
Chris, I think the advice the chaps have given you is the best way to get started on your decoy collection. I have just started collecting myself and I can tell you there is no shortage of amazing carvers. Have a good think what you like and by from a carver you can afford. I personally want the best I can afford. A pair of good birds is worth 4 pairs of birds i get from ebay and not so bothered about. I want something I can learn from, as I carve, I want something that I will continually be happy to see on my self for years to come.

Have a read, personally I gave read a lot about Delaware river decoys, and with Pats help have started to learn about illinoi river decoys. It gives an extra dynamic to your collection.

It's not a cheap hobby and rightly so these are pieces of art and only a few can make anything near a good living from carving. I always think it's unfair on how long a decoy takes to make compaired with painting a flat piece of art and how most people would expect to pay thousands for a painting and not so for a decoy, well in the uk anyway.

Just my 2pence worth mate.

Good luck with the graduation and make sure you get your girlfriend to get you something, don't leave it, cos when marriage, mortgage and children come along your be lucky to afford a plastic pair.....
 
so as some of you guys know i will be graduating in may with a bachelors in bio and have just recently begun to carve with Pete.
my girlfriend just asked me what i want for graduation so after some thought i told her i wanted to start my own decoy collection.

since there are a lot of great carvers on here and westlake is coming up, i thought that it would be a good time to post it up.

i was thinking about having you guys post a picture or two of the decoy, with its price and location. then have my girlfriend pick one out for me
style or species doesn't matter.

Chuck if this is in the wrong forum ill move it
thanks guys, Chris
Click to expand...


I'd say if you are buying for living carvers, order a specific bird from them. Much nicer for me to have a bird and pose carved for me, you know he made the decoy for you. Tough to do if the carver is dead, though.
 
Be careful Chris, you are beginning to amass a bunch of stuff, then you get that DEEP summer job, which becomes a full time job, you marry your girlfriend, have a kid which becomes two or three, next thing you know you will be on the slide down to 50 years old like me and still living in CT..... Move out west while all you need is suitcases....
 
Buy what you like and appeals to your eye. What I salivate over may not perk any interest in you.

Be careful though, it gets addicting.......

Best,
Steve
 
Chris:
Lots of good advice. Definitely buy what you like! Consider WHY you are collecting, that will guide you in many ways. Personally I collect decoys from friends and acquaintances. I will rarely purchase a decoy from someone I have not met. I have several from friends that have now passed away, that makes them even more dear to me. When I trade or have someone carve a bird for me, I will usually let them decide on the species. Getting to know another carver always opens doors to new ideas.

Good luck!
 
What do you have in mind when you plan on "collecting?" Are these oldies, specific species, decorative, gunning stool? Pick what you like, use it, or not.
 
shh jode, stop reading my mind.

i talked to pete last night at during carving and he gave me some perspective on the whole idea, i gues right now im looking for a nice gunning deke that if it is was a special hunt i wouldn't mind throwing it in the spread. thanks for the advice guys.

and jim G, dont worry im still moving, i am going to get a big ocean duck boat that will serve as my trailer
 
Chris,

Check out Charles Jobes. I had the pleasure of meeting him at DU headquarters last month. Had a really great time talking with him and watching him carve a few heads, stand-up guy and a great DU supporter. I think he had two kinds of decoys one could be used for gunning and the other was an antique style. I really liked an old squaw he had there and purchaed one for display with a few other old sea duck decoys I have.

http://charlesjobesdecoys.com/index.html
 
Collect what you like, everyone has their own nuiances when it comes to collecting. For me there are two tiers, 1) has to be used in my rig on a regular basis(modern or antique), 2) has be old,(preference of pre-1920) shows its wear from years of hunting, therfore can be place on a shelf.
 
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