Steve Sanford
Well-known member
Good morning, All~
Susan and I drove up to Shelburne, VT on Thursday to finally catch the exhibit about Joel Barber - the father of decoy collecting. I first read Wild Fowl Decoys when I was 12, I think. It's one of those classics I re-read and consult with some regularity.
The exhibit had been open since September - and ends tomorrow. As usual, my Fall got away from me - so we took advantage of the sunshine and dry roads to see this show - well worth the trip! I am posting now not to send a wave of regrets/missed opportunity around the site. Rather, I encourage everyone to visit the Museum in the future. The birds in this exhibit will be returned to the Dorset House - which includes all of Barber's collection. The Dorset has just been renovated - after being closed for the past 2 years - and, I am told, will for the first time have all 700+ decoys on public display. Susan and I plan to return sometime this Summer. (Our family camp is right across Lake Champlain from the Shelburne - just a ferry ride away.)
https://shelburnemuseum.org/
Here are some photos from our visit to give you a taste:
View attachment sm 01 Exhibit 01 - Title Poster.JPG
Here is the first decoy Mr. Barber ever collected.
View attachment sm 02 Southard Shelldrake 02 - full exhibit.JPG
The most famous (?) decoy of all - the Dudley Ruddy - was displayed up high - no doubt in light of its astronomic market value.
View attachment sm 03 Dudley Ruddy 04 - on high shelf.JPG
It was joined by it's re-painted rig mate.
View attachment sm 04 Dudley Ruddy 05 - re-paint.JPG
Shang Wheeler's blue-ribbon Mallard from the 1923 decoy competition. We Long Islanders like to think this was THE first decoy contest....
The glass makes photography challenging.
View attachment sm 05 Wheeler Mallard 01 - exhibit.JPG
Some very big characters in the world of decoys and sporting art: Bill Mackey, Joel Barber and Lynn Bogue Hunt.
View attachment sm 06 Exhibit 03 - Mackey, Barber, Hunt.JPG
Lots of helpful narratives in the exhibit.
View attachment sm 07 Exhibit 04 - Macket et al caption.JPG
Many of my favorites were right out where I could see them up close.
View attachment sm 08 Blair Pintail 03 - fwd detail.JPG
Here are Barber's measured drawings/plans of the same bird.
View attachment sm 08b Exhibit 07 - Pintail drawings.JPG
....continued in next post....
SJS
Susan and I drove up to Shelburne, VT on Thursday to finally catch the exhibit about Joel Barber - the father of decoy collecting. I first read Wild Fowl Decoys when I was 12, I think. It's one of those classics I re-read and consult with some regularity.
The exhibit had been open since September - and ends tomorrow. As usual, my Fall got away from me - so we took advantage of the sunshine and dry roads to see this show - well worth the trip! I am posting now not to send a wave of regrets/missed opportunity around the site. Rather, I encourage everyone to visit the Museum in the future. The birds in this exhibit will be returned to the Dorset House - which includes all of Barber's collection. The Dorset has just been renovated - after being closed for the past 2 years - and, I am told, will for the first time have all 700+ decoys on public display. Susan and I plan to return sometime this Summer. (Our family camp is right across Lake Champlain from the Shelburne - just a ferry ride away.)
https://shelburnemuseum.org/
Here are some photos from our visit to give you a taste:
View attachment sm 01 Exhibit 01 - Title Poster.JPG
Here is the first decoy Mr. Barber ever collected.
View attachment sm 02 Southard Shelldrake 02 - full exhibit.JPG
The most famous (?) decoy of all - the Dudley Ruddy - was displayed up high - no doubt in light of its astronomic market value.
View attachment sm 03 Dudley Ruddy 04 - on high shelf.JPG
It was joined by it's re-painted rig mate.
View attachment sm 04 Dudley Ruddy 05 - re-paint.JPG
Shang Wheeler's blue-ribbon Mallard from the 1923 decoy competition. We Long Islanders like to think this was THE first decoy contest....
The glass makes photography challenging.
View attachment sm 05 Wheeler Mallard 01 - exhibit.JPG
Some very big characters in the world of decoys and sporting art: Bill Mackey, Joel Barber and Lynn Bogue Hunt.
View attachment sm 06 Exhibit 03 - Mackey, Barber, Hunt.JPG
Lots of helpful narratives in the exhibit.
View attachment sm 07 Exhibit 04 - Macket et al caption.JPG
Many of my favorites were right out where I could see them up close.
View attachment sm 08 Blair Pintail 03 - fwd detail.JPG
Here are Barber's measured drawings/plans of the same bird.
View attachment sm 08b Exhibit 07 - Pintail drawings.JPG
....continued in next post....
SJS