Transcription by Anna Hepworth
(being a transcription of p10, the eleventh page of the SwanCon 7 Program Book)
Tin Duck Awards
[image – stylized water bird, probably a duck but looks more like a swan, looking as if it is made out of pieces of metal]
The Tin Duck Awards are annual presentations to members of SF fandom for works of praise that have appeared to WA fandom over the previous year. Nominations are received over the year for set categories, and voted on by members of Swancon. The definition of “works” is best explained by having a look at the categories to be voted on this year – BEST AMATEUR DRAMATIC PRESENTATION, BEST ARTIST – CARTOONIST, BEST ARTIST – NON-CARTOON-IST, BEST FAN WRITER, BEST FANZINE – SINGLE ISSUE, and BEST FANZINE SERIES. There had been a BEST FAN POETRY (including Filksongs) but only two nominations had been received, so the award was invalidated for this year.
The origin of the Tin Duck design resides with Rob McGough. From what little early WASFA history I know, the Tin Duck came into “being” due to the then-president of WASFA, Bob Ogden, urging for artwork. Thus the TIN DUCK embellished the cover of the programme booklet for SWANCON 3 held at Murdoch Uni in 1978. The Duck popped up in the progress reports for SWANCON 4 ( a la Waycon ’79) – during which Leigh Edmonds (GoH) and Valma Brown paid us a visit (followed by an invasion of ornithopters). The Tin Duck Awards themselves made their premiere appearance at WA’s first Natcon – SWANCON 5, 1980.
This year I hope members of the con will please vote as there are pieces of SF work that deserve to be heralded. Hopefully copies of all fanzines and examples of artwork will be available for perusal. A LARGE collection box will be available at the registration desk. ALL VOTES MUST BE IN BY NOON, SUNDAY, to allow time for the counting of votes, so presentation of the awards can occur that evening at the masquerade.
YES – we do have solid thicker than paper awards to give out this year.Thanks to Swancon funds and anonymous donors!
So the design becomes associated with Swancons, and there arose a move of consent to use the Tin Duck as the emblem and namesake for the WA SF awards.
Caroline Strong