Vintage Tom Taber Duck Decoy

Tom Taber was born and raised in Michigan into a family of sportsmen along the great Michigan flyways. At an early age he was introduced to the sport of duck hunting by his Great Uncle Doc and they always hunted over Docs finely carved decoys. Tom would often help his uncle repair and repaint the decoys over the summer months in anticipation of the Fall season. After hundreds of dedicated hours helping his uncle, Tom became quite adept and very talented at the art of carving and painting decoys. He hand-finished his carvings in semi-transparent stains and paint which allow the natural warmth of the wood to show through. Many of his pieces are carved from well seasoned wood, often decades old, that show worm holes and other natural characteristics that can only be found in very old wood. Using distressed wood is a familiar aspect for some of his most beautiful carvings. No other artist has had such an impact on the world of wildlife carvings. During the 1980s, Tom Taber designed many medallion and special editions for Ducks Unlimited and formed Woodendare with master carvers Hersey Kyle, Jr. These carvings are normally distinguished by special medallions, branded signatures and continue to honor Tom Taber with Ducks Unlimited special issues.