About Me

Why Are Jamie Reason Decoys Different

From Other Decoys?

Why should the discerning collector of contemporary decoys choose a carving by folk artist Jamie Reason over other well known contemporary carver‘s ?

In one word Authenticity. Many carvers today claim to produce “Hand Carved Decoy’s”. But in point of fact most of these so called hand carved decoys are made using power carving tools not traditional hand tools.

Not only does Jamie use traditional hand tools hand knife’s, rasp’s, draw knife’s, and chisel’s he rough cuts each piece by hand using both cross cut and bow saws. Each bird carved is an original no patterns are used each bird is drawn freehand directly on to the wood.

The wood that is used for his birds is Red or White Cedar the traditional wood of the old time decoy makers along the Atlantic Flyway. Not Basswood or Tupelo favored by power carvers. The shorebird bills are of oak splined with an oak wedge just as it was done over one hundred years ago.

Traditional oil paints are used never the acrylic paint used by many contemporary makers.

Most carving are finished in a way as to give the effect of the mellowed aged patina found on many old original paint gunning decoy’s from the “Golden Age” of wildfowling.

So what is the difference? The difference is if you want a true hand carved decoy by a well known uncompromising traditional American folk artist and not a carving made with a power tool then Jamie’s work is, or should be in your collection.