THE BOOK OF DUCK DECOYS, THEIR CONSTRUCTION, MANAGEMENT, AND HISTORY
John Van Voorst. 1886 London, 1st edn, 214pp, illus in b&w and color. Fold out illustration. A fantastic copy in fine condition with a contemporary book plate. Item #007146
The author states that in the English Eastern counties 100 decoys caught 5000 ducks each per season. Please note that the use of the word decoy in British English means a duck trap also called a duck pipe. These were elaborate structures built on a suitable set of small canals which led ducks into a funnel to be caught. Here the author gives a description of the elaborate traps used in England, Ireland, Scotland and Holland to catch ducks, operated by a "decoyer and the tolling dog". A most well produced publication that is probably the best there is on this albeit very limit subject. If you are a duck hunter you will greatly enjoy reading about this ancient art that is now almost completely prohibited but curiously enough the Netherlands and England maintain a few decoys to ring ducks and to study them. The oldest known decoy is in the Netherlands and dates from the 13th century.
Price: $450.00