Capt. Henry Grant

Henry Grant was a bayman, boat builder, gunsmith, guide and decoy maker in the Barnegat Bay area. In terms of craftsmanship and style, Grant produced excellent decoys and is still considered one of the premier carvers in the area. Grant’s hollow decoys are distinguished by high narrow breasts and backs that rise quickly to a discernable peak and then dip into a subtle curve to the tail. The external ballasts were rectangular or square and were almost always attached by one copper tack in each corner and a brass screw in the center. In his lifetime, Grant produced thousands of black duck, Canada goose and scaup decoys. Some of Grant’s decoys and boats as well are still in service.