Peter M. Pringle, Master Decoy Maker

Through almost 180 colour and 65 historical black and white photographs, William Reeve chronicles Peter Pringle’s life and achievements, showing why his decoys are celebrated, tracing their fate after his death in 1953, and establishing Pringle firmly as one of the greatest practitioners of his craft. An avid outdoorsman, Pringle began carving decoys in 1898 and in 1928 set himself the goal of producing the best rig of decoys in the world. Between 1929 and 1946, employing his skills as a commercial artist and going to great lengths to ensure the utmost accuracy, he fashioned approximately 120 of what many now consider to be among the finest examples of decoy art. But because he carved exclusively for his own use and made only a few for close friends, Pringle’s birds remained largely unknown until recently.