A bit of history...

Very nice

Thanks for showing us

And looks like they earned a living for a while, I consider that a plus as additional history
 
Congratulations, Pat!

I think I was 12 when I checked Barber's book out of our local library. It's surely one of those volumes that made an impact on the course of my life.

Have you floated those birds?

All the best,

SJS

 
I have not Steve. I just picked them up last weekend. Given the right hunt and right circumstances, they will hunt... BTW, Tim Sieger had nice things to say about the good work you and Craig do...
 
Randal Scholl said:
Could you please post the dimensions of those bodies. I like to make a couple foamers like that.


Thanks!
Click to expand...

i'd have to dig the book out to be sure- but i think there are templates in there for his decoys
 
Pat & Randal~

I could not find measured plans in Barber (Wild Fowl Decoys) - but I'm thinking this bird (from rig of John C. Phillips, Wenham, Mass, - Plate 79 on page 96) might be the inspiration?

View attachment sm John C. Phillips Blue-Bill Sleeper - J. Barber p 96.jpg

Barber's birds in your (Pat) photos look like true bob-tails. Both are certainly a gorgeous decoys in any event.

BTW: Phillips was a pre-eminent ornithologist/ waterfowl expert in his day: http://people.wku.edu/...chronob/PHIL1876.htm

All the best,

SJS

 
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They are different. In the book, Barber devotes an entire chapter to the Modern Decoy. Below is the pattern he provides in the book. The pair of bluebills I own are true bobtails. They are not in the book. The was an article in Decoy Magazine awhile back about Barber and a Michigan friend that showed a pair of Barber canvasbacks in the same bobtail style. The was conjecture in the article that maybe Barber was trying to emulate the style of the Detroit River bobtail decoys. Fascinating history...

View attachment 20180505_070457.jpg
 
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Steve - The decoy in the plate from the John Phillips Rig looks to be a Nate Quillen helmet head redhead. Quillen was a very early decoy maker from Michigan. I do think Barber copied the head of this decoy to make his scaup decoy head. Great catch!
 
Can you post a picture of the back ends - both diagrams show tails and I was not envisioning that on these decoys. I thought they were more like cutting a football in half lengthwise, if that makes sense.
 
Hi Randal,
The pattern to the the Barber decoy is in Anthony Hillmans book, Carving Famous Antique Bird Decoys. Sixteen Masterpieces from the Shelburne Museum.
Jim & Barbra Marsh who are good friend's of mine wrote a book on the Pte. Mouillee Shooting Club that was located here in Michigan. In the book it as a excerpt
on Joel Barber attending that show in 1951. Unfortunately he caught pneumonia while at the show and later succumbed to it.
I have the pattern if you would like it. I have a six bird rig out of balsa that I made and they float very nice.

Tom
 
Great history Tom! I just read in Jim’s book that when Barber came to the Pointe, Ed Lezotte gave Barber a Quillen decoy and that Barber had a fancy for Nate's decoys. Also, it was Lee Smits that was Barber's Michigan friend.

I appreciate you sharing Tom!
 
Good morning, Randal~

I've really enjoyed this thread!

Your birds look wonderful - I'd love to see them in Full Battle Dress and afloat.

Are the heads foam - as well as the bodies?

All the best,

SJS

 
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