Tan Fish Decoy

Ross Allen, Sr., Tan Fish Decoy, ca. 1970, varnished wood, metal, and beads, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Chuck and Jan Rosenak and museum purchase made possible by Mrs. E. C. Hobson, 1997.124.196
Copied Ross Allen, Sr., Tan Fish Decoy, ca. 1970, varnished wood, metal, and beads, 2 x 6 1⁄2 x 2 in. (5.1 x 16.5 x 5.1 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Chuck and Jan Rosenak and museum purchase made possible by Mrs. E. C. Hobson, 1997.124.196

Artwork Details

Title
Tan Fish Decoy
Artist
Attributed to Ross Allen, Sr.
Date
ca. 1970
Location
Dimensions
2 x 6 1⁄2 x 2 in. (5.1 x 16.5 x 5.1 cm.)
Credit Line
Gift of Chuck and Jan Rosenak and museum purchase made possible by Mrs. E. C. Hobson
Mediums
Mediums Description
varnished wood, metal, and beads
Classifications
Keywords
  • Animal — fish
Object Number
1997.124.196
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1997.124.196

Artwork Description

Carved fish decoys are one of the earliest forms of American folk art. Hunters around the Bering Sea first used small bone or ivory decoys for ice fishing around 1000 AD. They believed that the decoys embodied the innua, or inner spirit of the fish. The practice spread to upstate New York and the Great Lakes, where it became a tourist industry with many communities growing around prime fishing areas. Ice fishing was banned in 1905, however, because the popularity of the sport had brought about a serious decline in large game fish. During the Depression, many hunters and fishermen turned again to fish spearing for survival. The decoys from this period are simpler, focusing on realistic shapes, colors, and movement rather than fanciful decoration (Steven Michaan, American Fish Decoys, 2003).