Inside Decoys from Shelburne MuseumMain MenuDecoy MakingMakers represented in this projectDecoys included in this projectThe rationale behind which decoys were included in the project.About the RadiographsThe nitty gritty about how the radiography was done.BibliographyCited works and works that informed this project.About the AuthorsAbout Nancie Ravenel and Lesley Day MirlingNancie Ravenelbc84e2b969fab7c5f039797f42318c7fcfc8159bLesley Day Mirling3670b61b9eba655d6cf36db8e509081714fc05b1Shelburne Museum
Dowitcher shorebirds with heads on sliding dovetails
12015-01-26T16:42:10-08:00Nancie Ravenelbc84e2b969fab7c5f039797f42318c7fcfc8159b41367Unidentified maker, Dowitcher Shorebird decoys, before 1900. Collection of Shelburne Museum, museum purchase, acquired from Richard H. Moellwer, 1956, 1956-707.85.1-4.plain2017-09-10T12:19:34-07:00Shelburne Museum1956-707.1 to .4Shelburne MuseumNancie Ravenelbc84e2b969fab7c5f039797f42318c7fcfc8159b
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12017-09-10T11:52:41-07:00Gadgets and Gizmos4Innovation in wildfowl decoy designplain2017-09-10T12:28:18-07:00Decoy carvers not only strive to make realistic representations of birds, they also worked to make them as light-weight and easy to transport as possible. These goals lead some makers to innovate, either using light-weight materials like painted canvas, printed cardboard, or aluminum or by altering the form of the decoy to reduce the chance that the decoy would be damaged when carried into the field.
One of the most fragile parts of a wood decoy is the bill or beak, and commonly makers would design the decoy so that the heads could be detached or tucked into the body. One such example of this kind of innovation are the dowitcher shorebirds with dovetailed heads, by an unknown maker c. 1900. Another is the black duck with a movable head by Roland Clark.
