The Art of the South Jersey Duck Decoy

J. P. Hand has been carving ducks from Jersey white cedar for about 40 years. His family has lived in Cape May County since the 1700s. His step-grandfather, Ephraim Hildreth, was also a decoy carver - today, his rare shorebird decoys go for thousands of dollars on the antiques market.
Hand learned his craft from two masters - Hurley Conklin, and Harry Shourds, a third-generation decoy carver and NEA National Heritage Fellow. In that tradition, he's taken on an apprentice - Dave Billig.
Billig won a Folk Arts Apprenticeship grant from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts to study under Hand. Both are lifelong hunters with a passion for using their own hand-hewn decoys.
We visited J. P.'s restored, colonial-era farm during one of their sessions to get a firsthand look at a centuries-old craft that originated in the United States, and, some might say, was perfected in New Jersey.
Produced by Christopher Benincasa for State of the Arts, 2013.
The New Jersey State Council on the Arts, encouraging excellence and public engagement in the arts since 1966, is proud to co-produce State of the Arts with The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, New Jersey's distinctive public college, in cooperation with PCK Media.

[@battalion565]

WOW !! It is so great to see a long time tradition being picked up by another generation, akin to the the American Indian culture. Thanks to J.P and Dave for keeping this skill alive right here in the USofA and Jersey. Great story done by the whole company of people. We need more like this. Thank you.

[@cosimoagostino3227]

Beautiful thanks for sharing and keeping it traditional. Cheers.

[@johnmock1008]

I love it that you use a Carver's Hatchet to Dimension your bird instead of using a bandsaw

[@bigwaterhunter]

JP, I ave a new found respect for your decoys guy. Greta story! Nash

[@shawn5141]

Thoroughly enjoyed this. I've made bodies but the heads have consistently been a problem for me

[@marokriste363]

thanks guys best trailer i wotch and you got simple tools

[@fritzmon44]

Awesome video

[@MrNick-]

That is so cool!!! If I wanted to try to make just one for myself where would someone go to get this kind of wood??THANKS!

[@brodyjoe50]

true poetry

[@SouthShoreDecoys]

I've watched this video way too many times

[@richardhand7443]

Alot of legends about Hand name will be posting some . What does the name hand mean? It has at least two possible origins. The first is derived from the Olde English pre 7th Century word "hand", and used to denote a person with very large hands, or possibly one whose specific job required the continual use of "hands", as with a sailor. ============================================= One thing that happened this was my 2nd great-grandfather. HERSCHEL HAND,79 DIES IN ACCIDENT __________________ Burlington Resident Crushed By Falling Tree Near Rock Island _____________ Herschel Hand, aged 79, a Civil War veteran, and for many years a resident of Burlington,Iowa, was killed Wednesday, while chopping wood, near Rock Island, Ill. Details of the accident have not reached the city, but it is understood that a tree fell on him and he was almost instantly killed. Mr. Hand was an old hand at the logging and wood chopping game and had been engaged in this line of work for many years. At the time of the accident he was working in some timber belonging to the Burlington Basket Company, on the Mississippi river, near Rock Island. ============================================= Day I was born. www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/2015/10/10/gasoline-station-baby/73660958/ ============================================= My brother John Hand www.thehawkeye.com/21fdeed9-8bb5-5388-a7df-a73ed28aa1b4.html ============================================= A distant cousin Phebe Hand Phebe Hand laid the foundation for Vanderbilt success.All sources of information on Phebe describe her as strong and independent with plenty of business savvy. She saved silver in an old grandfather clock and used it more than once to keep the Vanderbilt family out of debt.The book, “The Vanderbilts and the Story of Their Fortune,” describes Phebe’s keen business sense. “More than once Mrs. Vanderbilt saved the little family from want, and it is known that on one occasion, when her husband was in a dire strait, she drew from an old clock $3,000, the careful hoarding of years, and rescued the place from his creditors.” ============================================= A distant cousin colonel Elijah Hand One of the forgotten heroes. Colonel Mawhood a British soldier asked colonial Elijah Hand to lay down there arms against the British, but my cousin refused to,saying he would not surrender. Hope you take time to listen to video. kzbin.info/www/bejne/oqO5h36voN6Ybpo ============================================= A distant cousin J.P Hand J. P. Hand has been carving ducks from Jersey white cedar for about 40 years. His family has lived in Cape May County since the 1700s. His step-grandfather, Ephraim Hildreth, was also a decoy carver - today, his rare shorebird decoys go for thousands of dollars on the antiques market. Hand learned his craft from two masters - Hurley Conklin, and Harry Shourds, a third-generation decoy carver and NEA National Heritage Fellow. In that tradition, he's taken on an apprentice - Dave Billig. Billig won a Folk Arts Apprenticeship grant from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts to study under Hand. Both are lifelong hunters with a passion for using their own hand-hewn decoys. We visited J. P.'s restored, colonial-era farm during one of their sessions to get a firsthand look at a centuries-old craft that originated in the United States, and, some might say, was perfected in New Jersey. He also co-authered a book The Cape May Navy: Delaware Bay Privateers in the American Revolution kzbin.info/www/bejne/pIjMoHmFp9Gfnqs ===============================================

[@donaldbeveridge8969]

really enjoyed the video, where do you get your white cedar?

[@ScileSc]

Man, as a kid you want to be a fireman, police, doctor. Next thing you know you give your life to wooden ducks.

[@miguelbinha]

I can't like this one zillin times...