May/June 2001
As a continuation of the busy winter
schedule, the spring show circuit took Decoy Magazine to
a wide variety of shows scheduled throughout the country, beginning
with the New Jersey Decoy Collectors annual show in Mannahawkin
and ending with the annual Decoy Festival in Havre de Grace, Maryland
– with the big National Antique Decoy Show tucked in between.
While there are a number of shows scheduled throughout the summer,
Decoy Magazine takes a vacation until the summer decoy auctions
scheduled for July in New England. Here is a summary of our travels.
New
Jersey Decoy Collectors
Decoy
Show & Sale
MANNAHAWKIN, NEW JERSEY
March 24, 2001
Don’t mess with success. That’s not
the mantra of the New Jersey Decoy Collectors Association, but
it certainly applies to their annual decoy show held at the Manahawkin
Elks Club in Manhawkin, New Jersey. By sticking with a simple
formula, the club has without a doubt built this annual get-together
into "the best old decoy show in New Jersey." And we
love it.
First of all, the association decided
to host a one-day affair, rather than stretch a day’s business
into a weekend. They also decided to restrict the inventory to
items that capture a decoy collector’s attention – decoys. No
tacky knick-knacks or bear traps here. Does it work? Now in its
9th year, the show attendance has grown in excess of
600 and the lack of available tables inside (they’re always sold
out) has caused a huge increase in the number of tailgaters in
the parking lot. In fact, the need for additional space is probably
the only dilemma the show committee needs to address.
There were over 50 tables this year
with most of the inventory of New Jersey origin, although there
were dealers from Pennsylvania, Connecticut, New York, Maryland
and Delaware. Russ Allen, a contemporary carver and restorer from
New Jersey was the featured carver, and one of his mergansers
was raffled with the proceeds benefiting the Tuckerton Seaport.
On the whole, the association raised $1000 to donate to their
success.
An old decoy competition was held
and there were over 50 entries. Dick Gove won first place in the
New Jersey Coastal Black Ducks and Puddle Ducks – All Regions
categories with a Harry M. Shourds black duck and a Blair style
mallard. Alan Haid won the Diving Ducks – All Regions category
with a Shang Wheeler canvasback hen. Bob Seabrook, Vance Strausburg
and Bob White were the judges.
This is a fun show that has additionally
benefited by the approximation of the Frank & Frank Sporting
Collectibles auction held the following day in nearby Belmar,
New Jersey (see Jackson Parker’s report on page 22). And that
makes for a pretty good weekend.
East
Coast Decoy Collectors
Buy,
Sell & Swap Meet
ST. MICHAELS, MARYLAND
April 6-7, 2001
The East Coast Decoy Collectors annual
meet in St. Michaels, Maryland, although advertised as a Friday
and Saturday affair, is now in full gear by Thursday, as collectors
from throughout the Mid-Atlantic region check in earlier and earlier
to assure themselves first crack at any choice inventory that
arrives.
The meeting is held at the Best Western
motel and the show is entirely based upon room to room trading.
By Friday the inn was almost full, with nearly every room occupied
with decoy collectors. In some cases two dealers occupied the
same room. On Friday and Saturday tailgaters sell out of their
trunks in the parking lot, although Friday’s showers and Saturday’s
cold front limited their participation.
Some good birds changed hands throughout
the weekend. One collector picked up a pair of Charles Nelson
Barnard high head canvasbacks. Another was seen crossing the parking
lot with a nice Ward brothers canvasback. One dealer sold a Paul
Gibson swan with a nice patina. The price must have been right,
because he could have sold it three times. And of course, there
were a few deals that took place behind closed doors, igniting
the rumor mills.
Members were urged to bring a few
favorites from their collections to show off in their rooms during
the show. This was a great idea – people generally just bring
their rejects for sale – and we hope more people participate next
year. We photographed a number of collectors with a few of our
favorites.
Near day’s end on Friday, the skies
cleared just in time for a buffet dinner, including oysters, clams,
venison chili and baby back ribs, served compliments of the New
Jersey Decoy Collectors in the parking lot. It was a mellow end
to the day. After a day of trading on Saturday, the weekend’s
festivities ended with a dinner at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime
Museum that was attended by over 70 members.
These sorts of get-togethers are
a throwback to the old days of collecting, mostly social events
that happen to include decoys.
National
Antique Decoy Show
ST. CHARLES, ILLINOIS
April 26-28, 2001
The National Antique Decoy Show,
sponsored by the Midwest Decoy Collectors Association, is the
premier decoy show in the country for serious decoy collectors.
It’s the really big show. No other show attracts so many collectors
from all points on the compass. No other show offers as many opportunities
to purchase some of the finest decoys available throughout the
country. If you can only attend one show a year, this is one you
shouldn’t miss.
This annual decoy & sporting
collectibles show kicks off on Monday with a number of dealers
checking into their rooms early for a few days of buying and selling.
By Wednesday the resort is full, with decoys filling well over
100 rooms at the hotel. On Wednesday Guyette & Schmidt holds
a preview of their two-day auction, which is held on Thursday
and Friday. On Friday afternoon the two-day show kicks off at
the adjoining Mega-Center, which is open to the public. It’s a
full schedule.
Last year everyone was wondering
if the McCleery auction would effect the market. Like would prices
be rising. This year everyone wondered if the stock market would
effect the price of decoys. Like would there be bargains. Last
year the answer was yes, and I still think the McCleery auction
is causing a high tide in the price of the best decoys. This year
the answer was no, the auction produced over two million in sales,
only the second non-McCleery auction to get those results. Check
out Jackson Parker’s report on page 32 and tell me if you see
any bargains in those prices.
Throughout the day on Tuesday and
Wednesday, traffic in the hallways was visibly lighter than in
years past. And it died earlier in the evening. On Friday the
traffic at the Mega-Center was good, but on Saturday the show
was downright anemic. Yet nearly every dealer I spoke with boasted
of the success of their show. Some claimed it was their best ever.
I guess it doesn’t have to be a big crowd, just the right crowd.
And this show always attracts the heaviest of hitters.
If you’re a regular at the National
Antique Decoy Show, you’re sure to return. If you’ve never been
there, start making your reservations for next year’s event. Because,
as always, it’s the really big show.
Decoy
& Wildlife Art Festival
HAVRE DE GRACE, MARYLAND
May 4-6, 2001
The Havre de Grace Decoy Festival
was started 20 years ago with the intent of raising funds to finance
a local decoy museum. The Havre de Grace Decoy Museum, now located
along the banks of the famed Susquehanna Flats, is a testament
to its success.
The show, which opens on Friday evening,
is held in two of the local schools. Most of the serious collectors
turn up for the opening night to get first pick from the offerings.
The show continues on Saturday and Sunday with many of the town’s
citizens, be they decoy collectors or not, turning out for what
many consider a community event.
Each year the show committee chooses
an Honorary Chairman, alternating between living and deceased
carvers. This year’s choice was Charles Nelson Barnard, who many
collectors insist made the finest decoy ever used on the upper
Chesapeake Bay. The committee organized a wonderful collection
of Barnard decoys, tools and gunning artifacts, most from the
collection of John Sullivan, and displayed then over the weekend
at the museum. How about three pair of Barnard high head canvasbacks
and the only known ruddy duck attributed to him? It was an awesome
display. They also arranged four tables with well over 50 decoys,
all canvasbacks by early upper Bay makers that allowed visitors
to see the subtle differences in each maker’s work. A Friday evening
reception was held to invite exhibitors to view the display.
On Saturday evening the show holds
an annual decoy auction, mostly comprised of decoys by contemporary
Upper Bay makers and lesser examples of old decoys. The highlight
of the sale was a pair of wood ducks by Charlie Joiner that hammered
at $1700.
This year there were decidedly less
vendor tables than in years past. We’re fairly confident that
this is a result of dwindling attendance through the door. This
year, the best I heard by some dealers is that it seemed "constant."
A number of committee members expressed concern over the visible
drop in attendance. Some felt there was inadequate advertising
in the region, partially to hold down show expenses. We don’t
believe this is the solution.
In some ways the show is a victim
of its past success. It grew from a decoy show, to a decoy &
wildlife art show, to a decoy, wildlife art & sportsman’s
festival. It expanded from one location into two separate sites,
with shuttle buses moving the crowd from one exhibit to the next.
Maybe it’s time to reassess.
The most successful shows these days
are "decoy" shows. All of the other stuff allowed in
the building are parasites, peripheral items that have little
or nothing to do with decoys or decoy collecting or gunning history
and traditions or anything else that is culturally celebrated
in this self-proclaimed "decoy capital of the world."
Get rid of it. Try and cut back to one location. If the vendor
situation at the high school was as thin as it was at the middle
school, we can all fit into one location. Lastly, have mercy on
the vendors and trim the show back to two days. Have it Friday
night and Saturday or Saturday and Sunday, but don’t stretch the
crowd out over three days. It simply isn’t warranted.
For the complete story,
please see the May/June 2001 issue of Decoy Magazine.
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