"The Other Delaware River"

jode hillman

Well-known member
"The Other Delaware River"

Many people associate the Delaware River school of carving with notable greats of the past like John English and Jess Heisler. Their sharp cut lines, raised wings and carved tails set the standard for "Floating Sculpture" Many followed their example.

Lesser known , and perhaps even earlier ( mid to late 19th Century) was the work of John Blair, A.B. Vance , and other so called "Philadelphia" school carvers. Smooth bodies, Clean lines and fanciful paint are hallmarks of this Philadelphia school.

However another anomaly ( Clark C. Madara 1883-1953, ) arose in the most unlikely of places. The small inland town of Pitman NJ, located in Gloucester County.
(I worked at my fathers Cabinet shop, that for 12 years was located in the center of Pitman ) As such I learned a lot about the history of the town.
Pitman was founded in the late 1800s as a Methodist Camp meeting retreat. Summer homes located in the "Grove" were Victorian mansions in miniature. Ornately decorated many of these homes still exist today. As the town grew, more people decided to live there year round. This trend continued and expanded over the successive decades.
The Ornate existing homes as well as new construction attracted many tradesmen. Among them Clark Madara. Madara was a skilled painter and no doubt did well working in and around the town. My research shows at least one child with the Surname Madara attend the "Richwood Academy " located just outside of town. Madara married later in Life, but I have not been able to verify any children. Perhaps it was a niece or nephew.

Madera spent time in the fall and winter Gunning Ducks in the Tuckahoe, Ocean city and Beesely's point areas of NJ. A relative Charles Madara lived in Linwood NJ at the Headwaters of this Estuary. Historical records show He was born and Raised in the Cape May (county? ) Area. No doubt this is where his exposure to decoys originated, as well as his expertise in the Victorian architectural elements. He carved sinuous, curvy decoys that were unusual in their exaggerated forms. So striking were the shapes, that is widely accepted early collector Joel Barber used one of Madara's heads for the basis of his Bronze decoy head casting.

At some point after Madara's death, a rig of his decoys made its way south to Crisfield Md. to be repainted by Lem Ward. This collaboration produced a wonderful example of two masters works combining to create a new work of art. Similar in my option to the Famous English/Dawson collaborative decoys.

So impressed I was with that Madara/Ward collaboration, I decided to pay tribute to it with this contemporary Black duck. Not an exact copy, but rather a bird made to honor that rare yet wonderful collision of history.

I hope you enjoyed a little of the inspiration behind my creative process.

View attachment IMG_9077.JPG


The final "Coffee Table" photo after its rigged and floated.

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Beautiful work. I wonder if the head shape you,ve employed could have been a inspiration in the past for Restle Decoy . Blk. & Mallard decoy heads ?
 
Jode,

I love the history that goes with your carving. Thanks for carrying on the tradition with your interpretation.

Tom
 
Jode -

I always appreciated Mr. Madara's decoys. He had a style all his own.

Your tribute follows the shape of his decoys, but the paint is all yours, and that is a good thing.

Two thumbs way up.


It is good to lean upon the works of the old masters to further ones work and understanding.

Thank you for the added info about Mr. Madara.


Best regards
VP
 
roy brewington said:
Beautiful work. I wonder if the head shape you,ve employed could have been a inspiration in the past for Restle Decoy . Blk. & Mallard decoy heads ?

Not sure. I am not familiar with those?
 
Vince Pagliaroli said:
Jode -

I always appreciated Mr. Madara's decoys. He had a style all his own.

Your tribute follows the shape of his decoys, but the paint is all yours, and that is a good thing.

Two thumbs way up.


It is good to lean upon the works of the old masters to further ones work and understanding.

Thank you for the added info about Mr. Madara.


Best regards
VP


Thanks Vince. The more I research, the more seemingly innocuous pieces of information start to fit. Like why his birds have a strong Coastal influence...... and his favorite hunting grounds.
 
Jode -

As always you made me dig into my library. Have not checked Decoy Magazine info yet though.


If you have a copy of Decoys A North American Survey by Gene & Linda Kangas, circa 1983.

Pager 47, has photo of two very similar Black Ducks decoys (body & head shape as yours).


The caption sez that the decoy were Mistakenly Attributed to C. Maderi.

Carved by Mel Grauch, circa 1920, repainted by Lem Ward, 1951.


Fleckenstein 's Decoys of the mid-Atlantic region show the same pair, attributed to Clark Madieri, page 40.


New Jersey Decoys, by Fleckenstein, page 201, show the same pair attributed to Clark Madara. Another of his Black Duck decoys is shown on page 198. No hump back and not as stylish head shape. Same hand, different style and progression in work, could very well be.


What info and attribution are correct?

You have done lots of digging and hopefully you have better info.


Either way the Black Duck decoys are very unique.
 
Vince Pagliaroli said:
Jode -

As always you made me dig into my library. Have not checked Decoy Magazine info yet though.


If you have a copy of Decoys A North American Survey by Gene & Linda Kangas, circa 1983.

Pager 47, has photo of two very similar Black Ducks decoys (body & head shape as yours).


The caption sez that the decoy were Mistakenly Attributed to C. Maderi.

Carved by Mel Grauch, circa 1920, repainted by Lem Ward, 1951.


Fleckenstein 's Decoys of the mid-Atlantic region show the same pair, attributed to Clark Madieri, page 40.


New Jersey Decoys, by Fleckenstein, page 201, show the same pair attributed to Clark Madara. Another of his Black Duck decoys is shown on page 198. No hump back and not as stylish head shape. Same hand, different style and progression in work, could very well be.


What info and attribution are correct?

You have done lots of digging and hopefully you have better info.


Either way the Black Duck decoys are very unique.


In my opinion,The Madara's information is correct. Grauch was also from Pitman, and perhaps knew Madara or possibly hunted together. I' am still looking into the connection. It is often mispelled Madera or Maderi. The square, thick, applied lead weights on the rigs were later confirmed to be Madara's. Here's a pic of the original bird repainted by Lem, as well as mine for comparison. And also an original paint Madara bluebill .

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View attachment IMG_2201.JPG
 
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Thanks for posting the pic of the original Madera bird, Jode.

I'd say yours looks a bit sturdier through the neck. Might be fun to make yourself a small rig and vary the poses while sticking to the Madera characteristics.
 

Jode -

Lot 420, Julia & Guyette, April 23 & 24, 1987 Decoy Auction Catalog.

Canada Goose, by Clark Madara, repainted by the Ward Bros. 1951, from the same rig as the Black Duck.

Very similar to the Canada goose you posted..

With the dowelled on head, they were very good decoys and worked well at Ragged Point, MD.


If I do not stop now I will be up all night...

I need a Life, other than waterfowling and decoy history. [;)]
 
MLBob Furia said:
Thanks for posting the pic of the original Madera bird, Jode.

I'd say yours looks a bit sturdier through the neck. Might be fun to make yourself a small rig and vary the poses while sticking to the Madera characteristics.

Good catch Bob, most of the originals needed repair at the thin point of the neck. I wanted to try and avoid that if possible. I am considering that. I think I could make a rig of these and would enjoy the challenge.
 
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Vince Pagliaroli said:
Jode -

Lot 420, Julia & Guyette, April 23 & 24, 1987 Decoy Auction Catalog.

Canada Goose, by Clark Madara, repainted by the Ward Bros. 1951, from the same rig as the Black Duck.

Very similar to the Canada goose you posted..

With the dowelled on head, they were very good decoys and worked well at Ragged Point, MD.


If I do not stop now I will be up all night...

I need a Life, other than waterfowling and decoy history. [;)]


Haha!!! Nothing wrong with that. I had to purposely make myself go trout fishing to give my brain a break!!!!

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Vince, Mel Grouch did not carve decoys . His brother Charles and his father Chaz carved the decoys . They were neighbors of Madara . Madara never had any children but was married twice . There a Quite a few Madara / Wards decoys out there. I do have most of the factual information on Madara as well the story behind the Madara/ Ward painted decoys ,but will save it for a future article.

Here is a pic of a Madara / Ward I purchased last spring .
View attachment 4AB3C847-BCD3-4D6A-B4FC-F3DAC9D5E966.jpeg
 
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