Josef Wooster-Buckeye Joe
- Thread starter Tom Wall
- Start date
Lee Harker
Well-known member
Yep, I bet Bob would know all about it. I wish I were close..I'd definately go to the auction..He is a piece of decoy history, that is for sure.
Tom Wall
Well-known member
I went to the auction but did not stay for the auction of the decoys. There were about 30-40 partially completed decoys, lots of mergansers. Several decoys made by other carvers for him. Maybe a dozen old cork decoys. Lots of carver memorabilia....pictures, ribbons, trophies, etc. Several boxes of correspondence from other carvers. All his tools and belongings that were left in the house. A couple piles of wood. The house was being sold last. In one of the upstairs rooms were about a dozen old mounts of birds rarely, if ever, seen in Ohio. Most were in poor condition. There was a swan and a swan head and neck that were neat. The auctioneer said those were headed up to Crane Creek to be put on display. There was also a band certificate from a canada goose he shot in 1969. He shot it in Delaware, OH and it was banded in AL, I don't remember the date of specific location.
There were several carvers there that had known Joe and were sharing stories about him. It was nice to just stand back and listen. They were sharing the little tricks of the trade he had shared with them.
I'm sure the decoys went high. Anything with potetial resale value fetched a good price. There were several albums of postacards that went for $150 each and a box of postacrds that went for $300. Considering the sale was outdoors and temps were in the single digits at the beginning things went well.
I've driven past his house dozens of times in the past 10 years. Too bad I didn't know anything about him or had any interested in decoy carving. A little bit more of history has slipped away.
Tom
There were several carvers there that had known Joe and were sharing stories about him. It was nice to just stand back and listen. They were sharing the little tricks of the trade he had shared with them.
I'm sure the decoys went high. Anything with potetial resale value fetched a good price. There were several albums of postacards that went for $150 each and a box of postacrds that went for $300. Considering the sale was outdoors and temps were in the single digits at the beginning things went well.
I've driven past his house dozens of times in the past 10 years. Too bad I didn't know anything about him or had any interested in decoy carving. A little bit more of history has slipped away.
Tom
JeffCassat
Active member
i hate it...
i know it was probably auctioned off because it had to be, but chances are, we'll be seeing those possessions he cherished on ebay by someone wanting a quick buck. hopefully bob was able to go up there and get the "important" things.
Jeff
i know it was probably auctioned off because it had to be, but chances are, we'll be seeing those possessions he cherished on ebay by someone wanting a quick buck. hopefully bob was able to go up there and get the "important" things.
Jeff
Tom Wall
Well-known member
Jeff,
I'm sure there was plenty of stuff bought by those looking for a quick buck. old glassware and pottery. He had some fishing tackle and older lures still in their boxes. Things like the old cork decoys may have been bought by the moneyseekers. But, I think most of his partially completed blocks were of most interest to the carvers.
Tom
I'm sure there was plenty of stuff bought by those looking for a quick buck. old glassware and pottery. He had some fishing tackle and older lures still in their boxes. Things like the old cork decoys may have been bought by the moneyseekers. But, I think most of his partially completed blocks were of most interest to the carvers.
Tom
MLBob Furia
Well-known member
That's JOSEF Wooster, and the old Prussian is still as fiesty as ever. Was over to see him a few weeks ago, and he looks great ( lost a whole lot of weight he didn't need). Dick Benson called me after the auction (he picked up one of Joe's old knives for me) - I didn't have the stomach for going. Will have to tiptoe around the topic next time I see him, as I don't know if he was aware that it was going to happen. His daughter Patti usually is straight with him about such things, and I know he maintained that anything of value to him (his guns, shop tools) had been stolen from the place long ago. Dick said there were two farm carts of decoys - all stuff from other carvers. Anything of Joe's was stuff that was just as unfinished as it was 20 years ago ( I looked at the pics on the auctioneers site) Dick also told me that a carved, black-duck speculum feather in a shadow box that I had done as a gift for him & his wife Jeannie went to someone for a couple of hundred......
..... ah well, Joe always maintained that the typical collector's dream was finding an old, starving widow with a barn full of priceless decoys that she could be swindled out of.
"Buckeye Joe" is one of the classics. You think you know outlaw gunners?
Take a look at the eyes of this old marsh hawk. ;-)
..... ah well, Joe always maintained that the typical collector's dream was finding an old, starving widow with a barn full of priceless decoys that she could be swindled out of.
"Buckeye Joe" is one of the classics. You think you know outlaw gunners?
Take a look at the eyes of this old marsh hawk. ;-)
MLBob Furia
Well-known member
Here's one of my favorite notes from Joe - this was an annual event at his place 'til the mid-eighties.
MLBob Furia
Well-known member
It's really not the thought that folks are descending on Joe's to buy a piece of his life. If the truth be known, he can use every penny the auction raised, and he isn't ever going back to Ashley. The thing that hits close to home is that the auction was another reminder that a good freind isn't able to do the things he loved any longer. It also is a disturbing reminder that none of us is getting any younger. That's why we all need to resolve to enjoy every moment we get on the water, in the field, and in the shop.
If anyone ever gets the urge to send their old outdoors magazines to Joe, by all means do it. He's a great reader. The folks over at the decoy forum kicked in last year to send him some decoy blanks, paints, brushes, etc. but I haven't git him to make too much of an effort. I told him I expect us to be painting in earnest over the next few months.... but he is a stubborn old Prussian.
Here's his address:
Josef "Buckeye Joe" Wooster
Ohio Veterans Home
2003 Veterans Blvd.
Georgetown, Ohio 45121
If anyone ever gets the urge to send their old outdoors magazines to Joe, by all means do it. He's a great reader. The folks over at the decoy forum kicked in last year to send him some decoy blanks, paints, brushes, etc. but I haven't git him to make too much of an effort. I told him I expect us to be painting in earnest over the next few months.... but he is a stubborn old Prussian.
Here's his address:
Josef "Buckeye Joe" Wooster
Ohio Veterans Home
2003 Veterans Blvd.
Georgetown, Ohio 45121