Bonfire of Swans and 100 Other Decoy Related Memories

Edited by Gene & Linda Kangas and Donald M. KirsonThis book contains an oral history of collecting that rarely appears in decoy books, magazines or auction catalogs. Plus, the sharing of personal information is vital to explaining subtle nuances of "why" collections are cherished. These few narratives are windows into special moments in time, a decoy family album. It is one thing to read a factual description of a decoy in an auction catalog, but it is something totally different to have your dad take you to meet a famous carver or to his barber where you are allowed to play with decoys displayed in the shop. By contrast, entirely divergent emotional responses result from unexpectedly coming upon a farmer's roaring bonfire of old swan decoys. Those are life-long, heart-felt, collective reminiscenses illustrated in BONFIRE OF SWANS.