December 2018

My Three Favorite Decoys..

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                             The favorite three speaker for December was Todd Smith.

            The first decoy he showed was carved by Walter Smith of East Moriches New York. It was Black Duck with the cork body and wood head. It was carved in the 1930s. Todd purchased this decoy through a private sale in 2016. This decoy was originally a Canvasback but sometime later it was repainted to a Black Duck.

            The second decoy Todd showed was a Redhead carved by Reg Smith of East Moriches New York.  This decoy has a cork body and wood head. It was carved in the early 1900s. He acquired this decoy from Dick Richardson in 2017. This is a favorite of his because it’s a rare example of a Smith decoy. 

            The third decoy Todd showed was a Widgeon carved by Walter Smith of East Moriches New York. Like the others he brought in, this decoy is also made of cork with a wood head. It was carved circa 1920s to 1930s. Todd got this decoy from his father who acquired it from his grandfather Walt Smith.  This decoy is a favorite of Todd’s because it’s a very early Walt Smith decoy and it has always remained with his family.

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            Todd also brought in a photograph from the early 1930’s which depicts a live Canada Goose decoy that was part of the Reg and/or Walt Smith's hunting rig. The hunt took place on Reeves Island, which was washed away during the 1938 hurricane, when the Moriches Inlet broke through the barrier beach.

            Thank you to Todd for bringing in some classic examples of his family’s decoy carving skills.  

  Gary Terrasi is scheduled for the February meeting with George Rigby scheduled for tMarch meeting.