2007 Fall Edition

2007 Fall Edition

2007 ODCCA 30^{th Anniversary}

Vintage Show Wrap Up
^{Our 30th year and what a fantastic
ODCCA show it was! Our vintage dealers (and buyers) started showing up as early
as Wednesday and displayed their wares through Saturday night (some into Sunday
as well). For many of the dealers we spoke with, sales were strong as the demand
for top quality birds remains on the upswing. Those that did not have great
sales understood that they just did not have the inventory for the buyers that
were in attendance. As always, the “supply and demand” rule comes into play.

Either way, everyone enjoys visiting old friends room to
room, handling thousands of vintage decoys, talking
ducks, watching NCAA basketball and having a few cocktails
(some more than others!).
Thursday is our official kickoff and all but two of the first
floor rooms were occupied by early that evening. That’s 24 hours earlier than
what is expected and certainly earlier than years past. As a note, we also had
approximately 12 second floor rooms occupied with dealers and our goal is to
some day have that floor full as well. We encourage any and all dealers
interested to contact us for information.
Our annual Thursday night seminar was conducted by Russ
Goldberger and Alan Haid, authors of “Mason Decoys, a Complete Pictorial Guide”.
The seminar was well attended as always and the discussion was thorough, well
presented and informative. As usual, the wine flowed freely and everyone had a
great time. The ODCCA wants to thank Russ and Alan for their hard work and
efforts to support our club.

Friday starts with the Decoys Unlimited auction owned and
operated by Ted and Judy Harmon. The auction total sale brought $175,668.00 and
the top lot was a Ward brothers Canada goose that fetched $16,100.00. Our thanks
go out to Ted and Judy for again bringing one of their auctions to our show.
Saturday brings for many, the highlight of our show. The annual ODCCA Vintage
Decoy Contest. Again, there were 14 categories for all members to enter. As
always this is a great time and place to see some of the finest decoys around.
This year both Best of Show and the Peoples Choice Award went to Alan and Elaine
Haid for their pair of Mason mergansers. It’s not often the same bird wins both
these titles and when it does it tells you how special these decoys are. To
celebrate our 30th anniversary we extended our judging from three people to
three couples. Larry and Nancy Carter, Alan and Elaine Haid and Jim and Patti
Aikin and had them work as teams. They did a wonderful job and we thank them for
their time and efforts. We hope it did not create any problems behind closed
doors! Once again we photographed every decoy that was entered for our annual
“Vintage Decoy Catalog”. This was the first year we did not print on the
premises and they are at the printers as we write this. We will have them in the
mail soon for all that pre-purchased them, and for those that did not, there are
still some available. $20.00 each including shipping. When you receive them let
us know what you think about the new format. We think it’s a big improvement and
very professional in appearance. A great reference for any collector or admirer.

Saturday also brings us another seminar. This year
we were happy to have Bill Stout speak about his recently published book
“Saginaw Bay Waterfowl Hunting & Decoy Carvers”. Bill had a wonderful display of
Saginaw Bay decoys and everyone we talked to really enjoyed his presentation.
Our thanks go out to Bill as well for his time and efforts.

Well, that about sums it up, another great show and great fun. We look
forward to seeing everyone again next year. We have some exciting new activities
for all of us to enjoy so stay tuned.
Ken Cole and Jon Deeter

Magee Marsh Migratory Bird Center Decoy Display

By Bob Lund

During 1989 an audit was conducted and inventory was done of
the decoys at the Migratory Bird Center. In October, 2005 a decision was made to
rearrange the decoys by carvers and then by factory decoys. A team in 2006
selected the decoys and arranged them with the most valued given a front and
center view. 49 Decoys by many of the local carvers, such as Jack Ryder, Bill
Enright, John Sharon, Harold Hopfinger, Ronald Rhode, Cliff Kastl and many
others are located on the bottom row that circles the main room of the bird
center. After this was accomplished; the names of all the carvers were displayed
below each decoy.

The next step will be to improve the lighting to display the
decoy collection and the valued Federal Duck Stamp collection that features all
of the prints and stamps donated by William Dodd to Northwest Ohio. We welcome
all of the members and their friends to view the collection. The collection of
Ryder decoys include miniatures that were retailed in Park Anderson and Company,
Port Clinton and sold for $4.50 each. The John Sharon display of creating a
decoy from a block of wood to a finished decoy is also in its own display case.
A special display that will be featured until March 2008 with
the winners of the 2006 and 2007 ODCCA Singles and Rig birds are also displayed.
The 2006 rig bird winner was Rick McAtee, Oak Harbor, OH and the single winner
was Ramsey Schrader, Milford, DE. The 2007 single contest winner David Costilow,
Amherst, OH and Rig champion Duane Ong, Southgate, MI.

Special thanks go to Mary Warren, Steve and Garrett Secord,
Larry DeVries, Jim Moore, Jill and John Bowers for their help in making the
changes to bird center possible.

We Have Some Good News and Some Bad News.

This old saying is always followed by the next old saying; do
you want the good news or the bad news first. I always want the bad news, so
here you go. The Ted Harmon vintage auction which has been held at the ODCCA
show each spring on Friday has been cancelled. Ted has informed us the timing of
our show no longer fits into his schedule. We thank Ted for all his efforts to
bring such an event to our show.

Oh yea, the good news! Jon Deeter contacted the Guyette &
Schmidt auction house to inquire if they may be interested in holding an auction
at our show. They are interested and have agreed to hold an auction at our show.
Not only agreed but have committed to begin at the 2008 show. WOW! Jon great
job!

Guyette & Schmidt is the country’s largest Decoy auction
house with annual sales over ten million dollars. They plan on having 150 lots
which will be available for preview starting at noon on Friday. You must be
present to bid, no shipping , no phone bids, unreserved sale. Pay and pick up
after a successful bid has been placed.

This is certainly an exciting announcement and will attract
new visitors to our show. Plan to attend to have an opportunity to bid on that
treasure you have been searching for.

Presidents letter

Greetings,
After a rather long summer, the weather is slowly turning to fall like
conditions. Hunting seasons are now upon us and hopefully this season will be
good for the hunters, let’s hope those decoys will do the job.
The show chair people have begun their work on the 31st annual show. This
years show will feature some exciting new events that will make the show a must
stop for all decoy and wildfowl art lovers.
In this mailing are the rules, your reservation card, thanks to hard work of
Carole Kmetz and Duane Ganser who work year long to kick off the show. We thank
them for their hard work getting the rules brochure and hotel ready. We also
appreciate the many other areas that they both work on during the year. Please
be sure to send your reservation card in promptly as this is the only mailing
you will receive. If you miss place your card, you must mention the ODCCA when
calling the hotel to receive our reduced rate.
Ted Harmon announced that his early spring auction will no longer be held in
conjunction with our show, but we are pleased to announce that Guyette &
Schmidt, the country’s largest Decoy auction house with over $10M in sales will
be partnering with the Ohio Decoy Collectors and Carvers Association this year
and will hold an auction of approximately 150 lots in an unreserved sale at 1PM
on Friday afternoon in the ballroom of the Westlake Holiday Inn, viewing of
auction items will be held previous to the auction. Bidders must be present
as telephone or internet sales will not be accepted. Further details of this
new exciting auction will be passed along as we receive them. Thank you, Jon
Deeter for your help in making this event happen.
For several years we have talked about having fishing lures as part of our
show and Scott Morrison, who has worked with the Ward’s World show, has
volunteered to chair this competition. The fishing lure contest will be held in
the audio visual room beginning with a seminar on the fish lure prior to the
competition. We are pleased to have his experience in conducting this contest.
Check the rules and get busy carving! Thanks Scott, for stepping up to the plate
as this will be another great addition to show.
The next new event is called the Swim and Sell Pool Party and Cocktail hour
on Friday afternoon chaired by Jon Deeter and Ken Cole. It is a great
opportunity for anyone to obtain a hunting decoy to hunt over or to display.
Those who carve working decoys are urged to bring their singles or rigs to pool
side where it will give anyone who wishes an opportunity to purchase a decoy and
a chance to see the decoy in the water. This event has been in the planning for
several years and we are pleased that Jon and Ken took the lead to accomplish
this event. Please review the rules booklet for details.
It is our pleasure to announce that the first IWCA Gunning Shorebird
Championship will be held at our show this year. The championship will not
be a purchase award. Please review the rules for details. Thank you, IWCA for
selecting our show as the first and thanks to Gary Joe Bryan for his hard work
in bringing this event to Ohio. Let’s get busy on those shorebirds!
The War of Chips will again be held. Teams may start on Thursday with their
choice of bird, using power or working by hand to complete a decoy by Sunday.
Last years contestants provided those watching a demonstration of skills
required to produce decoys to hunt over and even to compete with. Our surprise
team last year was the Bombardier, Kastl and Williams’s group who completed a
rig of decoys that competed in the pool contest on Sunday. You never know what
will happen this year!! Hopefully this team will be back to display their
talents again this year.
The Saturday night informal get together at the pool will be a formal event
this year. All the carvers will gather at pool side Saturday night and throw Ky……
no that’s not it, it’s their favorite decoy from their hunting rig into the
pool. Prizes will be awarded to winners. We pleased to announce that Tom Matus
will be the chair of this event. The Forum will donate the prizes for event.
The Senior Championship will now be called the Senior Champion, North America
and is for those carvers 65 years or older. Check the rules for details.
On Friday afternoon Pat Godin will conduct a seminar on painting a hen
Mallard. This seminar will require pre-registration, and ODCCA members have
first choice, so contact Bruce DiVaccaro as soon as possible as seats to this
event will be filled fast. Pat has just completed his next pattern book and I‘m
sure that he will have copies of the book on hand. I recently got mine and it is
great!
We have some great prizes for the raffle and early bird return prizes, so
please support the club by purchasing raffle tickets; you just might win a fine
work of art made by the one of the following artists: Carolyn Wodrich, Ted
Mysinger and Rob Leslie. Send in your raffle ticket and the early bird drawing
for an additional chance to win.
We hope you can be with us for the show this year beginning on Thursday
evening for a Vintage Seminar presented by Jon Deeter and Ken Cole and
continuing until Sunday at 3PM...
We wish a holiday season filled joy and happiness!
Bob Lund

2008 Carvers Seminar

Pat Godin

Demonstration and Presentation on Painting a Hen Mallard

This seminar will be held Friday, March 14, 2008 from 11:00 AM until 5:00 PM
in the Third Floor Audio Visual Room, at the Westlake Holiday Inn. Pat will be
providing a presentation on painting the Hen Mallard. The style of painting will
be similar to a decorative smoothie. This painting technique is also applicable
to full decoratives as well as IWCA style hunting decoys so that carvers with
all levels of experience as well as carving styles will come away with a wealth
of knowledge. The seminar will include an extensive graphic
presentation as well as demonstrations of some of the
painting techniques that have made Pat a multiple time World Champion and a much
sought after instructor. These same techniques can also be used on most other
marsh duck hens. The cost of the seminar will be $75.00.

We are very fortunate to have Pat lead the carvers seminar at
the ODCCA Show for the third time. Pat’s prior seminars at Westlake in 1993 and
2002 were sold out and received great reviews. This one is sure to do the same.
A childhood fascination with the natural world inspired Pat
Godin to carve his first bird in 1967. He continued to carve in those early
years solely for his own pleasure. In the early '70's Pat became aware of
several competitive exhibitions of decorative duck decoys and other wooden bird
sculpture. After meeting other enthusiastic bird carvers and picking up a lot of
ideas and technical tips his work quickly became competitive at the "World
Class" level of competition. Since his bird carving career began Pat Godin has
gained international recognition for his fine, accurate renditions of wildfowl
as well as for the creative vision present in his pieces.

Over the years Pat has become respected as a writer and
lecturer. Through seminars and workshops he communicates new techniques as well
as the philosophy behind his art. Pat Godin also wrote, illustrated, designed
and published three instructional books for bird carvers (Championship Waterfowl
Patterns, Volumes One, Two, and Three). Recently he collaborated with Stackpole
Books by illustrating and providing text for Reference Guide: Waterfowl II. He
is also the author of a brand new book, “Championship Waterfowl Patterns: Volume
Four – Designs From Twelve Years of World Championship Shootin’Rigs”.

For more information or to register for this unique
opportunity, contact Bruce DiVaccaro at 4606 Linda Lane, Sheffield Village, OH
44054, by phone at 440-277-1360 or email him at divotiger@kellnet.com

Members of the ODCCA will have first opportunity to register
for this seminar. Only registrations from ODCCA members will be accepted for
three weeks after the Fall Newsletter is mailed. After that, anyone may
register. Members should register early since we anticipate that this seminar
will fill fast.}