A special exhibit – “Duck, Duck, Goose: Celebrating Talbot County Decoys and Carvers” will open at the Oxford Museum on August 19.  The show will provide an overview of the business and sport that has been central to Chesapeake Bay culture over 150 years.

Wooden decoys were originally utilitarian objects produced by the thousands to attract migrating waterfowl to hunters’ awaiting guns. Today, they are recognized as genuine works of folk art, actively collected and highly valued.

Well-known decoy makers worked all along the Bay during the first half of the 20^th century, but this exhibit will be the first devoted solely to the carvers of Talbot County. The Oxford Museum will bring together rare examples of waterfowl decoys and decorative carvings from important private and museum collections around the area, as well as fowling guns, gear, historic photographs and documents, videos and even an outdoor hunting blind with rig of decoys.

Stuart Parnes, past museum president and volunteer curator said “We hope that the show will offer a fascinating introduction to the world of decoy carving for anyone visiting the museum, while providing history buffs and carving connoisseurs with a new perspective on Talbot County’s contributions to this traditional artform.”

“Duck, Duck, Goose” will run through November 12 at the Oxford Museum, 101 S. Morris Street, Oxford.  Admission to the Museum is free of charge and special programs are free to Museum Members. Museum hours are Friday through Monday, 10 am to 4 pm.  Programs, classes, and demonstrations will be scheduled during the run of the show. https://www.oxfordmuseummd.org/ for more information.