Frank G. Strey

Frank Strey worked for the Chicago Northwestern Railroad and became the best known of the Oshkosh carvers. Because of his proximity to Lake Winnebago, Strey carved divers for the most part. His early decoys are stylized with long necks and pronounced chests and cheeks. Later models are rasped on the entire surface to eliminate glare and paint patterns are more simplistic and bolder. Over the years, Strey consistently carved his lures with graceful necks supporting rounded heads with detailed bill carving and recessed eyes. All of his blocks are oversized and solid, designed to last for years. Strey carved scaup, Canada goose, canvasback, coot, redhead and a few black duck and mallard decoys. His production numbers in the thousands, but collectors believe Frank Strey’s coot decoys exemplify his finest work.