Waterfowl Heritage: North Carolina Decoys and Gunning Lore by William Neal Conoley, Jr., with photographs by Ken Taylor, published by Webfoot, Inc., Wendell, North Carolina, 1982 — First Edition (ISBN 0-9610358-1-1).

This is the landmark first book documenting the rich tradition of wildfowl hunting and decoy making along the North Carolina coast, covering the late 1800s and early 1900s in compelling detail. Conoley traces the history of legendary Outer Banks and Pamlico Sound hunting clubs — including the Currituck Gunning and Fishing Club and operations at Lake Mattamuskeet — drawing on period photographs, first-hand accounts, and deep regional knowledge. The book profiles notable decoy makers and their carvings, and also surveys over thirty contemporary North Carolina carvers with examples of their work. With more than 430 photographs (including 65 in color), this is as visually rich as it is historically thorough — an essential document of a distinctive American folk art and sporting tradition.

The red cloth boards are clean and present well, with only light, expected surface wear — no significant soiling, staining, or damage visible on the covers or spine. The interior pages are bright and clean, with no markings, inscriptions, or foxing noted. The binding is tight. No dust jacket is present.

This is a sought-after title among collectors of decoy art, Americana, regional sporting history, and North Carolina heritage. Dealers in folk art and waterfowl antiques, hunters with deep roots in the Pamlico and Currituck tradition, and anyone passionate about the carved decoy as an American art form will find this a prized addition to their library. Copies with intact dust jackets have become genuinely scarce, and even copies without jackets are increasingly hard to find in solid condition.

AI assisted in this description, and sometimes makes mistakes. Be sure to also look at pictures.

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