# Fish carving

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**Fish sculpture**, **fish decoys**, **fish carvings** and **fish trophies** are the names given to a style of painted [wood carving](/source/Wood_carving) practiced by various [artisans](/source/Artisan). The works are kept as decorations and [collectible](/source/Collectible) as [folk art](/source/Folk_art).

[British](/source/United_Kingdom) fish carvers include [John B. Russell](/source/John_B._Russell) (Scottish), [John and Dhuie Tully](/source/John_and_Dhuie_Tully), [P.B. Malloch](/source/P.B._Malloch) and the Hardy Brothers. Artists [Ellen McCaleb](/source/Ellen_McCaleb) & [Eric L Knowlton](/source/Eric_L_Knowlton) work in the United States. Styles of carving can range from simple folk art, miniature decoys, 'European' style carvings (side profile of fish usually displayed on a wood panel) and highly detailed lifesized and ultra realism. For realism, some paint on scale patterns, others carve in the scale details but most of the World Championship realistic carvings feature scales burned in with a wood-burning pen, one at a time, often with scale designs created just for that specific fish. Example from artist Eric L Knowlton of Reel Trout Studio, Alaska, shown here:

[\[1\]](https://archive.today/20130201224942/http://www.reeltrout.com/images/rainbow%20trout%2015%20inch%20wood%20fish%20carving%20c.jpg)

[The Gathering (show)](/source/The_Gathering_(show)) bills itself as the world's largest wooden-carved fish decoy show and is held annually in [Perham, Minnesota](/source/Perham,_Minnesota). It will be in its 13th year in 2010.[1][2][3]

## See also

- [Trophy hunting](/source/Trophy_hunting)
- [Taxidermy](/source/Taxidermy)
- [Duck decoy (model)](/source/Duck_decoy_(model))
- [Big Mouth Billy Bass](/source/Big_Mouth_Billy_Bass)

## References

1. Matt Bewley [Phillips's love of carving goes back to 1950s when he was a Scout](http://www.fergusfallsjournal.com/news/2007/mar/29/phillips-love-carving-goes-back-1950s-when-he-was-/#) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20090325152251/http://www.fergusfallsjournal.com/news/2007/mar/29/phillips-love-carving-goes-back-1950s-when-he-was-/) 2009-03-25 at the Wayback Machine The Daily Journal March 29, 2007 Fergus Falls Journal

1. Scott Tedrick [Time to Meander](http://www.granitefallsnews.com/news/x576532482/TIme-to-Meander) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20110711122532/http://www.granitefallsnews.com/news/x576532482/TIme-to-Meander) 2011-07-11 at the Wayback Machine Advocate Tribune (Granite Falls News.com)

1. ["Events calendar"](https://web.archive.org/web/20091012032026/http://www.nfda.tv/EventsCalendar.htm). Archived from [the original](http://www.nfda.tv/EventsCalendar.htm) on 2009-10-12. Retrieved 2009-10-24.

## Further reading

- Swanson, Ronald S. Fish Models, Plaques & Effigies. Far Hills, New Jersey: Meadow Run Press, Inc., 2009
- Bob Berry Fish Carving: An Introduction
- James Fliger Freshwater Fish Carving (Schiffer Book for Carvers) by 1989
- Rick Beyer Decorative Fish Carving 1990)
- Anthony Hillman Carving Traditional Fish Decoys: With Patterns and Instructions for 17 Projects 1993

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Fish carving](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fish_carving) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fish_carving?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.