Duck Dynasty, 1926

Colorized by Jordan J. Lloyd
based on an original 4x5 inch glass negative by Leslie Jones
License this Image

• Collectible giclée fine art print;
• Hand-printed in England, with individual embossing;
• Ships with a Certificate of Authenticity;
• Guaranteed archival quality for over a century;
• Each sale directly supports the artisan;
• Global shipping available;
• Listed dimensions include a white border for easy framing

ABOUT THIS IMAGE

Taken c.1926, Hingham, Massachusetts, United States
(Boston Public Library / Leslie Jones Collection)

"A decoy is an artificial bird used to lure waterfowl within shooting range, and are wonderful artefacts in their own right, crafted for longevity in a wet environment. Pictured is Joe Whiting Lincoln, a decoy maker from Accord near Hingham on the south shores of Boston. The son of a shoe-maker, Lincoln's many professions ranging from clock repair to upholstery took him to bird carving in 1870 in the corner of his father's shop.

It became apparent that Lincoln wasn’t just a decoy maker, he was the decoy maker: exquisitely carving the bird's body usually from white cedar. Additional elements like the heads are pine, connected to the body using a dowel. Legs are crafted from cedar; the wood hewn into rough shapes using a hatchet before shaped into convincing forms with a spokeshave and drawknife before finishing. Now considered an art form in its own right, Lincoln’s work has achieved cult status and a bonafide original can sell up to USD$200,000, though they are typically in-between the USD$80,000–120,000 bracket.

Whilst I like many elements of the image, such as the subdued winter background and Lincoln’s timeless wardrobe; the real stars are of course, the wooden decoys which are: (Clockwise) Common Merganser, Common Goldeneye, Canadian Goose, Wood Duck and another Canadian Goose."

– Jordan J. Lloyd

This historical photograph has been meticulously researched and rendered into colour from a black and white original by a skilled artisan, continuing a craft tradition that has existed since photography began.