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Show Wtdtday, November 18, 19S7 VerBfll Expfiit 3 ; - v.-- .- .l; -1 ' ; - A , J-- r . s V ' 7T (fe"K 'n rc-vi .. ; I . . y s?-i. - --- -V-. -X r ; . . 1 i i , ; -, . 1 i s i Jr- - j " J p -..,'".--- ; i - tM : l ,. " ' 1 fofiirim fn" ii ' - i "V "nrim jj"M i! imhi n 'ni ,n i - ' - in i mn - vfw v ,j iHwiiitiftMftwrtAttatiiiiif.fe i' '--V.- ? . g i i t j : 1 . v A GROUP OF DECOYS carved by Bob Thompson make an im pressive sight on his living room table. He recently sold three of his best ducks to a collector in Altamont. gets BOB THOMPSON displays one of his favorite creations, a long billed curlew he has dubbed, "Sicklebill." By Mori Young Expwt Fwtur Editor Those who raise ducks are warmed right up by a "box of quackers," but little did Bob Thompson realize that his duck fever would arrive as a flock of decoys. About two years ago, Bob and his wife Randolyn (Randy) spent some time in Silver Dollar City, site of the National Craft Festival. According to Bob, the festival featured all sorts of old time crafts like tin punching, leather work and wood carving. Among the artists was a man carving carv-ing ducks. "I was intrigued by the duck carving so I came home to try it," Bob explained. "No matter what I did, it seemed there was something lacking. I found out about a carving school in Virginia and enrolled. I spent three days with a master, carving all day. It helped improve my technique and I discovered some short cuts." Duck decoys are an interesting part of history. The word decoy is of Dutch origin. It is a derivitive of the word "endi kooi," meaning to drive ducks into a cage, according to Bob. 'in 1324 decoys fashioned from cane were found on the banks of old Lake Bonneville In Nevada," he noted. "The Indians had arranged real feathers Into the grass to make the decoys appear as duck. You could definitely tell they were canvas backs." Collectors have pone a Itltle quneky over decoys with collections including antiques, wood, cork, ppirr-machc, canvas and even fitjercbss ducks. In the cast where watrr fowl hunting is a popular port, many peoj.le Mill ure end make wooden i!'ct)ys, Tb market for parts, laMructinns ami maima! for making decoys is roinfi rapidly, AlthoiiKh lb t.i$!Er-,t ln!rfr.l in decoys US lill in the fa-lrrn Hatr. dm k can fee found aenns ht twn try In noncnlirrtors hmr.rs end t4-ficeiaadrtirtfa'io'ji, t4-ficeiaadrtirtfa'io'ji, "Al a rrtcni auction, en ar.ii j decoy sold for $318,000. It was carved by A.C. Crowl, a master in the decoy art," said Bob. "Last year a Salt Lake City carver sold one of his pieces; a swan, for $17,000." Bob has developed a remarkable collection of his own over the past two years. Having recently retired from Utah Power and Light, he will now be delving deeper into collecting and carving birds. He experiments with various types of wood for his subjects. The wood comes from all over the world and is purchased through a wholesaler. "I carve with some wood as hard as iron and others as soft as putty," Bob said. He prefers bass wood from the Great Lakes and Mississippi Valley area; tapclo from southern swamps and white cedar. "When you want the grain to show you use hard wood and if you plan to paint, the softer woods are fine," explains the carver. "The main tool of carving is a sharp knife," Bob demonstrates as he chips away on a duck head in his small home workshop. "The rest Is done by grinding and sanding. Power tools help but you need the knife or a scraper to produce the final touches." He says can ing Is the easy part for him, it Is the painting and finishing of the wood which is mojt difficult. "I have been trying to Handy to be my partner and do the painting She does tolc painting and Is good at it. But io far, fche ttasn't been too anxious anx-ious to paint the birds," He has made tome of his own patterns pat-terns with ideas he has gleaned from bonks, magazines and picture. Mounted tirdi he studies ere called "tkins." ThnM hrlp the srtiit ce how the fea'.he n lay, So far, painting tr Carvirg lh feaUier on a canvai hack duck have proved l W uU'i hit?t;n.t it.alWt:? f.J.oairg A picture of a colorful worn) dutk he My. "I haven't had the courage (4 tackle this one yet, I krw the orej y nj he real tooth tJd " is hu-y tmif-g Say, In.! l.fg i ci"rctinn t4 dTf) s and shore tu hkh i:i he mafkr!rd at trail shrnis and e'het fn!lr?s. I! fwet.-ly sold three of his birds to Howard Brinkerhoff, a collector from Altamont. Bob's wife, Randy, has a number of craft items she makes to sell, so the pair are in the process of expanding their business. "Decks N-Tiques," as they call their enterprise, will be one of the featured booths at an antique anti-que and collectablcs fair this weekend at Ashton Square Mall in Vernal. The fair is sponsored by the Olde Ashley Towne Antiques and Collectablcs Collec-tablcs Society. Furniture, primitives, pottery, glassware, dolls, depression glass, toys. Indian collectablcs, kitchen wares and decoys will all be shown and sold. The fair will be open from 10 a m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Nov. 20 and 21. Among those who will have displays in the mall space leased for the fair from Shirley Freestone are: Anah Turker. Irvin Haws, Shris Anderson, Rita Hancock, Ann Stewart, Shirley Hewitt, Dixie Datton and (Catherine Coonts as well as the Thompsons. During the past years Vkhilc traveling. travel-ing. Hob and Handy have galhered antiques, Some of these are kept for use in their home, hut others are sold and traded by the Thompsons This is where the "Dreks N-Tiques." name for their business originated Besides conducting business. Itob has promised to be an emissary for the Grow t'intah Hoard as a public relation man for the Vernal area He will spread the word to h-lks where fcf he travel or sells hi drtoys shout the wnfi'lrnj t4 the tV.tah Banin, i'h t!er.Ti, cf aft ar.d antij in to IHane, ra'-y U - the c ' retirement veaf will le hHrd i"h pimjy td work, Bui hr the Tlmnp list's "juMdifsk) " kftque$ OF t BOS' m oy r LOGO business. Thompson's 1 j STAGES of carving a duck's head. THE HEAD OF a decoy takes shape under the artist's hands. X E AOUCKCCCOYMi.Knrg$ - I I . : ; ; ' - " ' i " " ' ' ' 5 I ' f t ' :1 " s ' . ' 4 "feat .. V - ,-"-.- "S - - .- ... ;., -iJH V HcfVP hU ssarrti, hefltly Mrw on fl chill y !a, ttavafian auf? 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