Ivy Stevens

As a carpenter, Ivy Stevens helped to build many of the clubs on Virginia’s Back Bay. He made his living as a club caretaker, guide and decoy carver, the profession for which he is most well-known. Stevens’ well-constructed juniper decoys are hefty and resistant to breakage. When thrown from a hunting boat onto the water, Stevens’ decoys were self-righting. Most of his decoys represent canvasbacks and redheads, though a few goose and ruddy duck decoys have surfaced. The bulk of Ivy Stevens’ carving efforts went into working decoys, but for his family and friends, he made a few miniatures as gifts.