Stick-Ups

The Story of the "Stick-Ups!"
In the early days of America there were no domestic fowl. Shorebirds, like wild fish, wild animals and wild fruits were among our basic foods.
To lure this food, the decoy was a necessity. The birds were attracted to what they believed safe territory by seeing clusters of their own kind along the shore. 
These decoys were cut crudely from what ever materials were handy. Usually a flat shape, simply painted and mounted on a stick, then stuck in the shore line. Thus the name "Stick-up"
As a form of sculpture it is now acknowledged as the First Folk Art of America.
This is a small part of our shorebird collection. We have been collecting these decoys for 40 years.