Jersey Decoys

C

Colin Fitzpatrick

Active member
I've always been interested in old Jersey decoys, but as a college kid I could never afford to buy any for my own collection. I often visit my uncle who has a pretty big collection (mostly barnegat bay birds) and just look at and handle the birds for hours. The history in them are amazing and I find it pretty cool that these birds were hunted a long time ago in the same waters that I hunt today. Within the last week I finally acquired my first two jersey decoys: an old working brant (unknown carver) and a Rube Corliss brant, I couldn't be any happier! Does anyone collect old jersey decoys and have pictures of them? Id love to see them
 
Colin - Old New Jersey decoys are some of my favorites, but like you I never had lots of $$$$ to get the ones I really like. I do have a very old Bill Brown, Parkertown, NJ Black Duck that I got a Bourne auction back in the 1980's. I have photo's but don't know how to post them. It's one of my favorite old decoys, pure form & function.

I only hunted NJ once, with the grandson of Bob Morse (NC carver). Brant limit was 4 a day back then and we did very well, then hunted greater Snows on the Delaware Bay side and also did very well. No doubt the best gunning I ever had on the East Coast.
 
Colin- I have a few that aren't collectible but I guess one day they could be. There are still carvers working in the old style and several of them are here on the site. So, while they won't have the "feel" and history of an old decoy, they will have every bit of history that you can put into them with your friends.

My son and I switched to an all handcarved puddler rig this year. Most are birds from NJ with a few from other areas. All are done in an older style traditional to the areas they are from. It has been a lot of fun hunting over the carved birds and making our own memories with them. My son and I have had a couple of conversations in the marsh about how the birds don't get thrown around and treated roughly like the plastics did.

Take a look at this book. It is a good coffee table book and reference for you. I have one. It has been a great reference for me on styles as I am trying to learn to carve NJ style decoys as well.

http://www.amazon.com/New-Jersey-Decoys-Henry-Fleckenstein/dp/0916838757

Chad A
 
Join the New Jersey Decoy Collectors Association. You'll see all the old Jersey birds you heart desirers . Plus you will learn a lot.
 
I have talked to Rube Corliss's grandson a few times since he owns a local business in my area.
I asked him about his grandfather, and he remembers him building cedar sneakboxes, and decoys, just a real bayman, but what he conveyed the most to me was that Rube was a real mean SOB,,just cranky man..haha
anyhow he made nice decoys, I hope to own one someday.
I do have a Sean Sutton drake widgeon however,, he can be a bit touchy at times.. Just kidding,,great guy!!
 
[font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]I do have a Sean Sutton drake widgeon however,, he can be a bit touchy at times.. Just kidding,


[/font][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]You are not kidding. I never let him touch me. He has cooties.
[/font]
 
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