North American Decoys at Auction - April 23 & 24, 2015

North American Decoys At AuctionApril 23 & 24, 2015

Guyette & Deeter

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Guyette & Deeter, Inc. North American Decoys At Auction

Wednesday, April 22, 2015Preview 6:00 PM - 8:00 PMJoin us for complimentary cocktails and hors d’oeuvres

Thursday, April 23, 2015Preview 8:00 AM - 10:45 AMAuction 11:00 AM

Friday, April 24, 2015Preview 8:00 AM - 9:45 AMAuction 10:00 AM

Pheasant Run Resort4051 East Main StreetSt. Charles, Illinois

630-584-6300

Catalog $45. Out of Country $54Absentee, Phone & Online Bidding acceptedcall 410-745-0485 for arrangements

For Free Decoy Appraisal Contact:Gary Guyette | [email protected] | 410-745-0485Jon Deeter | [email protected] | 440-543-1416

Held in conjunction with the Midwest Decoy Collectors Association Show

For questions during the auction call 410-745-0485

Guyette & Deeter, Inc.

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Unofficial prices realized information will be available five business days after the auction. Official prices realized list will be available online approximately two weeks after the auction.

If you would like to consign decoys to our next auction, please contact; Gary Guyette 410.745.0485 [email protected] or Jon Deeter 440.543.1416 [email protected]. Free appraisals are available with no obligation to consign and all correspondences are strictly confidential.

For delicate carvings, a written statement from the purchaser assuming responsibility for pursuing any claims in the event of any damage incurred during shipping is required, these items are marked *. Under no circumstances will we be responsible for damage to glass, frames, or fragile decoratives, regardless of the cause.

Auctioneer James D. Julia, Fairfield, Maine.

Stands are not included with the decoys or weather vanes unless specified in catalog. Plexiglass cases are not included with shotgun shell boxes.

Sales Tax - There is an 8% sales tax on purchases over $200 unless you have a Sales and Use Tax License* (from any state) or have your purchases shipped outside of Illinois. If you are exempt, please have a copy of your certificate with you. You will be required to sign an Illinois sales and Use affidavit for us to keep on file.

Reserve a room at a discounted rate of $119 by calling the Pheasant Run Resort at 800-474-3272 and mention the Guyette & Deeter room block.

All duck calls have condition reports, but are sold “As Is”.

Trade Up Program - A limited numer of decoy purchases may be paid for by consigning decoys to the next Guyette & Deeter. auction. Ask Gary or Jon for Details.

July 28 & 29, 2015Sheraton Harborside HotelPortsmouth, New HampshireConsignments accepted until June 8, or until full 50 Dealer buy, Sell, swap. *NO SALES TAX

November 11 & 12, 2015Talbot County Community CenterEaston, MarylandIn Conjunction with the Easton Waterfowl FestivalFeaturing the collection of Sam Dyke50 Dealer buy, Sell, swap.

To consign, Contact:Gary Guyette | [email protected] | 410-745-0485Jon Deeter | [email protected] | 440-543-1416

UPCOMING GUYETTE & DEETER, INC. DECOY AUCTIONS

Important Notices:

Guyette & Deeter, Inc.

Dale & Gary Guyette

PO Box 1170 St. Michaels, MD 21663Tel: 410-745-0485Fax: [email protected]

Zac Cote

Online auction manager & PhotographyFreeport, Maine

Tel: 410.253.8616 Tel: [email protected]

Jon & Leigh Ann Deeter

7980 Darbys RunChagrin Falls, OH 44023Tel: 440-543-1416Cell: 440-610-1768Fax: [email protected]

Mike Stevenson

Graphic Designer & Website DeveloperSt. Michaels, Maryland

Tel: [email protected]

Ed Kenney

Merchandise Manager & ShippingSt. Michaels, Maryland


Lynda Brooks

Office ManagerSt. Michaels, Maryland


Jane O’Malley MonettiBookkeeper

St. Michaels, MarylandTel: 410.745.0485

[email protected]

Featuring Decoys From The Collections Of:

Jack MilneTom O’KeyHamilton ShippeePeter BartlettHarry SeitzArizona State University

Steve Powellhubert NerwinDon ClarkSam DykeDoug & Ellen MillerVermont Folklife Museum

Harry Seitz

Harry Seitz, Jr. and Barney Crandell, both from Michigan, were enthusiastic waterfowl hunters, decoy collectors and historians who began collecting decoys in the 1960s.

In the early 1970s, Harry and Barney acquired several hundred decoys by various makers from the St. Clair Flats Shooting Company (Canada Club). Of great importance was the introduction of “The Flats Decoys,” including Warin, Ward, Wells, Chambers and Reeves, over the next few years to collectors across North America.

Harry designated some of these decoys as collection decoys that would form the core of his great “Flats collection.”

Seitz and Crandell held several exhibits in 1975 including Chicago, Michigan and finally in Easton, Maryland in November where Harry Seitz displayed these same important Flats decoys that are being offered in this sale.

Sam Dyke

Sam Dyke was the chairman of the board of directors of the Ward Foundation when he passed, as well as chair of the Curatorial Committee at the Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art. Dyke served the Foundation and Museum for over 40 years, and he was instrumental in helping the Museum to grow from humble beginnings to one of the premier wildfowl art institutions in the world. He played an important role in nearly all the exhibits featured at the Ward Museum and was active in the Museum’s daily curatorial operations – from exhibit conception and conservation, to hanging objects in the galleries. Most of Sam’s decoy collection will be sold in the Guyette & Deeter, Inc. November 2015 auction.

Harry J. Seitz, Jr.

Marjorie “Midge” Seitz

Sam Dyke

Tom O’Key

Always an avid duck hunter, Tom’s first collectible decoy was a $6.00 Animal Trap mallard drake that his wife, Gayle, bought him from an antiques store “just for fun.” But the real fun didn’t start until almost 20 years later when they attended the MDCA show at the Drake Hotel in Oak Brook, Illinois, and Tom fell under the spell of carved wooden birds. They left that day with a Joe Anderlik blue wing teal and a strong desire to know more about this unique American folk art. Twenty years after that, the entire lower level of their home was devoted to their collection.

Tom spent as much of his free time as possible learning about decoys and their makers, reading books, talking to collectors, attending shows and auctions around the country. He brought the same energy and enthusiasm to his hobby as he had to learning about computers and “data processing,” the other area of his life in which he was largely self-taught. Just as he rose to be Vice President of Computer Operations for United Air Lines, so he eventually became extremely proficient at identifying birds and determining their authenticity and condition. A treasure hunter at heart, Tom never tired of searching for the next great bird, and had great fun doing it.

He served on the MDCA Board of Directors as Treasurer for many years, and always regarded the annual show at Pheasant Run as one of the highlights of his year. He’ll be remembered for his dedication to the organization, as well as for the sheer joy he felt and shared when he was with his fellow collectors and their birds. If Tom had had the chance to say goodbye, he would have added his sincere thanks to MDCA and all the collectors for the gifts of good times and wonderful people that decoy collecting brought into his life.

Andy Nyboer

Andy Nyboer loved hunting pigeons and crows around his neighborhood in Rockford, IL. Being surrounded by large farms, his neighbors often called him to “thin out” those “pesky grain eating” pigeons and crows, which gave Andy a good excuse to use his homemade silhouette pigeon and crow decoys.In the early 1960s, while Andy was hunting at a nearby farm, the owner came out of his barn with several old gunny sacks which were full of unwanted decoys. Needing to clean out his barn of clutter, Andy’s farmer friend said, “Just toss these away if you have no use for them and don’t want them.” Andy thought these looked a lot better than his shot-up, cut-out silhouette crow decoys, so the sacks found their way to Andy’s barn. As the weeks and years went by, these old sacks just got lost in a corner of his barn.Some time later, after dust and cobwebs covered the gunny sacks, Andy was de-cluttering and cleaning his own barn when he rediscovered the old sacks. He examined them, and the crow decoys were still there. Checking them over, he became intrigued. Having been a long time collector of antiques, Andy began to hunt for information regarding these decoys. His wife, Marion, had a cousin living in Princeton, IL who actually collected decoys. They soon got together and Andy was thrilled to learn that these crows were carved by Charles Perdew.Andy’s children have fond memories of these historically significant Perdew decoys and the amazing story of how they came into their family’s possession. To think, these priceless Perdew crows were almost thrown away!

Tom O’Key

Weekly Onl ine Auct ions EndingEver y Thursday Night

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For questions, contact: 410-253-8616 | [email protected] | PO Box 159, Freeport, Maine 04032 | www.decoysforsale.com

Pintail drake by Madison MitchellSold for $500

Bluebill drake by Ira HudsonSold for $356

Redbreasted merganser by Bob White Sold for $891

Cattaraugas Cutlery advertising cover Sold for $67

Guyette & Deeter

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Session OneThursday, April 23, 201511:00 AMLots 1 - 413

Please read conditions of sale in the back of catalog

Session TwoFriday, April 24, 201510:00 AMLots 414 - 662

Ontario 1-16Miniatures 17-26Illinois River 27-46Contemporary 47-62New England 63-69Mason Decoy Factory 70-84Fish 84A-97Ontario 98-112Ben Schmidt 113-133Shorebirds 134-141Delaware River 142-149Paintings 150-154Elmer Crowell 155-159Virginia & N. Carolina 160-171Pacific Coast 172-178Illinois River 179-192Items of Interest 193-209New York 210-233Factory 234-247Fish 248-264Canada 265-273Calls 274-308Michigan & Wisconsin 309-338Louisiana 339-349Contemporary 350-370Illinois River 371-385Ontario 386-413

Decoratives 414-439Jim Schmiedlin 440-445Illinois River 446-461Maryland 462-473Ontario 474-488Pigeons 489-500Mason Decoy Factory 501-522Shorebirds 523-538Midwest 539-544Pigeons 545-560Illinois River 561-576NJ & Delaware River 577-595Ontario 596-620New England 621-629Decoratives & Miniatures 630-648Miscellaneous 649-662

Weekly Onl ine Auct ions EndingEver y Thursday Night

Guaranteed descr ipt ions , mul t ip le photos ,qu ick sh ipping , g rea t dea l s

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1. Rigmate pair of redheads, Tom Chambers, Toronto, Ontario. Early hollow style with bottom boards. “J.T.N.” brand in underside, for John T. Nichols. Thin original paint; drake has some paint loss at bottom board on one side; small crack near neck seat; hen has paint loss on back where it has been rubbed away; a few small areas of paint loss at neck seat and head.

Provenance: Seitz collection. (3,000 - 5,000)

2. Widgeon drake, Charles Reeves, Long Point, Ontario, 1st quarter 20th centu-ry. “C.D.” is carved in the underside. Very thin original paint; a few shot marks including two scars on top of body and one side of bill; paint is worn evenly on body; green patch on head behind eyes has some paint loss, small rough area on one side of bill.

Literature: “St. Clair to St. Lawrence,” Barney Crandall, p. 184, exact decoy. (3,000 - 4,000)

3. Redhead drake, John Avis, Toronto, Ontario, 1st quarter 20th century. Branded “HD” for Harry Dynes of Ashbirdge Bay. Oversize, hollow body with bottom board. Raised neck seat and paint combing on body. Strong original paint; some paint loss at bill; seam separation at bottom board; a few rubs and dents, otherwise very good and original.

(1,500 - 2,000)

4. Early hooded merganser hen by Samuel Rufus Hutchings (1894-1995), Elgin, Ontario Canada, 1st quarter 20th century. Original weight. A small bodied, pocket sized decoy modeled with the same tail and wing carving as Hutchings’ famous checkered examples. A similar example is in the Canadian National Museum in Ottawa. Hutchings only made a small limited number of decoys for his own use. Thick working repaint; bill has been broken off, reset, and restored; a few areas of inpainting on speculums.

Literature: “Great Lakes Decoy Interpretations,” Gene and Linda Kangas, p. 45, exact decoy. (2,000 - 3,000)

SESSION ONEThursday, April 23, 2015 - 11:00 am

Ontario

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5. Very rare bluebill hen, Tom Chambers, Toronto, Ontario, 1st quarter 20th century. Branded “F.T.M.” on underside for Fred T Murphy. A member of St. Clair Flats Shooting Company 1922 - 1949. Strong original paint with feathering on sides and tail; two small shot marks in head; hairline crack at neck seat; inch long dent near wing patch; small areas of flaking and wear on both head and body where bare wood is exposed.

(5,000 - 8,000)

6. Extremely rare bluebill drake, from the Markham Rig, Markham, Ontario. Very hollow with thin bottom board. Turned head and slightly exaggerated bill. Original paint protected by an old coat of varnish, as most of the Markham decoys were; bill has two coats of paint; believed to have been done at the time the decoy was made; a few small chips to the body.

(5,000 - 7,000)

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At the turn of the century, Toronto’s proximity to Lake Ontario and other important water-

ways insured it had a wealth of talented craftsman, especially boat builders. Many subsi-

dized their income by building duck and goose decoys when the opportunity arose. While it

is not yet known who the creator of this incredible, soft water teal and its rigmate, lot 106,

was, we know one thing for sure. It is one of the most finely constructed, carved and painted

teal we have seen from the Toronto area. Both are incredibly light, at only 5.6 ounces each.

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7. Exceptional hollow carved greenwing teal hen from Ontario. Relief wing carv-ing, notched tail, and very slightly turned head. Fine feather paint detail. Rigmate to lot 106 in this auction. Original paint that has darkened with age; a few small rubs; professional bill chip repair by Russ Allen. (8,000 - 12,000)

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8. Lowhead black duck, David Ward, Toronto, Ontario, last quarter 19th century. Hollow with bottom board and branded “F.T.M.” in underside, for Fred T. Murphy. Very old working repaint, with paint worn off bill and other areas on body and head; structurally good.

Provenance: Seitz collection. (500 - 800)

9. Lowhead black duck, Tom Chambers, Toronto, Ontario, 1st quarter 20th century. Hollow with bot-tom board. Branded “Steep” and “J.A. McDougall”. Both members at St. Clair Flats Shooting Company. Worn old paint which appears to be mostly original; areas on bill and back of head have been worn to exposed bare wood; slight roughness to edge of bill. (800 - 1,200)

10. Hollow carved bluebill hen, Morris Boat Works, Toronto, Ontario. Appealing in use repaint; structur-ally good. (650 - 950)

11. Lowhead black duck, George Warin, Toronto, Ontario, last quarter 19th century. “HTM” painted on under-

side. Original paint with minor to moderate wear; hit by shot; reglued crack in bill; slight roughness to tip of tail; small hole drilled in the underside. (1,200 - 1,500)

12. Redhead hen, John R. Wells, Toronto, Ontario, last quarter 19th century. Hollow with bottom board. Branded “CKR” in underside. Slightly high head. Traces of feather painting around breast and tail is original but worn; neck crack repair; numerous dents; and several shot marks; rough areas around bottom edge of tail, bill, and top of head.

Provenance: Seitz collection. (800 - 1,000)

13. Black duck, Tom Chambers, Toronto, Ontario, 1st quarter 20th century. Hollow carved with bottom board. Scratch painting on earlier style head. Several shot marks on one side of body and face; much of paint appears to be original; an old coat of black wash appears to have been cleaned off body and head.

Provenance: Seitz collection. (800 - 1,200)

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14. Important redhead drake, George Warin, Toronto, Ontario, last quarter 19th century. Numerous brands on underside, including, “G&J Warin Builders Toronto,” “F.H. Walker:, “A H Buhl” and fourth that is painted on. Hollow construction with square nails securing the bot-tom board. Delicate wingtips and primary painting on back. Original paint that is worn to a very thin coat; seems to be protected by a wax or finish feed; body has been hit by shot. (5,000 - 8,000)

15. Canvasback hen and drake, John R. Wells, Toronto, Ontario. Hollow carved. Hen is branded “HNT” for Harry Torry, and “Meredith”. Drake is branded “Geo. M. Hendrie”. Original paint with minor wear; small chip missing from one side of hen’s bill; small crack in drake’s breast; touchup on part of black areas of drake.


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St. Clair Flats Shooting Club Members“Ontario Decoys,” Bernie Gates

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16. Important Canada goose from the St. Clair Flats Shooting Company, circa 1870. Hollow carved with tack eyes and distinct bill carving. Branded “Mills” for Francis H. Mills, and “FH Walker”. Mills was a club member beginning in 1879, Walker 1890. Hiram Walker Distillery Winsor, Ontario. One of only two or three known to exist. Original paint with good patina and minor wear; slight roughness to end of bill; several tail chips missing.

Provenance: Purchased by the consignor from Barney Crandall around 30 years ago.

Literature: “Decoying St. Clair to St. Lawrence,” Barney Crandall, p. 47, exact decoy. “Decoys of Michigan and the Lake St. Clair Region,” Clune Walsh and Lowell Jackson, plate 142, exact decoy. (20,000 - 24,000)

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17. Pair of miniature mallards, Charles Perdew, Henry, Illinois. Approximately 5 3/4” long. Both have metal Perdew tags on underside. Original paint by Edna Perdew with very slight wear; chip missing form underside of drake’s bill.

Provenance: O’Key collection.(2,500 - 3,500)

18. Pair of miniature mallards, Charles Perdew, Henry, Illinois. Hen is in rare sleeping pose. Approximately 5 1/2” long. Original paint by Edna Perdew with good patina and almost no wear; crack through drake’s neck.


19. Pair of 1/4 size mallards, John McKendry. Signed. Carved crossed wingtips and fluted tails. Metal tail sprigs on drake. Original paint with very minor discoloration and wear. (1,500 - 2,000)

20. Pair of miniature mallards, Charles Perdew, Henry, Illinois. Approximately 4 1/2” long, with raised wing-tips. Original paint by Charles Perdew; very slight wear, mostly on hen’s bill; tiny chip missing from top of drake’s tail.


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Miniatures

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22. Miniature Canada goose, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Crowell’s rectangular stamp is in the underside. Very good and original. (1,750 - 2,250)

23. Miniature bluewing teal drake, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Crowell’s rectangular stamp is in the underside. Very good and original. (1,000 - 1,400)

24. Miniature American merganser, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts, 2nd quarter 20th centu-ry. Bears Crowell’s rectangular stamp on underside. Very good and original. (1,200 - 1,500)

25. 1/4 size mallard hen and drake, Otto Garren, Pekin, Illinois. Marked on underside that they were a gift from Otto to Thelma 1943. Very good and original.

Provenance: O’Key collection. (1,000 - 1,500)

26. Two miniatures, Cameron McIntyre, New Church, Virginia. A curlew and a pintail. Original and good.

(350 - 450)

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21. Three miniature emperor pen-guins, Charles Hart, Glocester, Massachusetts, circa 1930s. Carved wood, approximately 3 1/2” tall with lead bases. Paper weights. Original paint with minor wear, mostly on two of the bases; structurally good.

(3,500 - 4,500)

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27. Rare bluebill drake, Charles Perdew, Henry, Illinois. Good comb paint detail on back. Near mint original paint; retains Perdew weight; structurally very good.

Provenance: O’Key collection.

Literature: “Decoys of the Mississippi Flyway,” Alan Haid, p. 59. (4,000 - 6,000)

28. Pair of mallards, Charles Perdew, Henry, Illinois. Made with-out weights, with felt on the flat area of the underside. Very good and original.

Provenance: Clark collection. These were the first two Perdew mallards that the Clarks received as part of an order of one dozen. This pair was never rigged with weights. (5,000 - 8,000)

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Illinois River

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29. Rare canvasback drake, Charles Perdew, Henry, Illinois. Very slightly turned head and groove in back inside of each wing. Good feather paint detail with combing on back. Original paint with very minor dis-coloration and wear; protected by its original coat of varnish; retains Perdew weight.

Provenance: David Galliher collection O’Key collec-tion.

Literature: “Charles Perdew,” Ann Tandy Lacey, p. 158.(9,000 - 12,000)

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30. Rare rigmate pair of mallards, Edgar Vale, Pekin, Illinois. Original paint with minor flaking and wear, mostly on the drake; a few tiny dents.

Literature: “Decoys and Decoy Carvers of Illinois,” Paul Parmalee, and Forest Loomis, plate 333, exact decoys.

(800 - 1,200)

31. Mallard drake, Jack Swartz, Peoria, Illinois. Original paint by Edna Perdew, with minor wear on most of decoy; old repaint on head and bill; crack at neck base; small chip in underside.

Provenance: Clark collection. (750 - 1,000)

32. Mallard drake, Henry Holmes, Bureau, Illinois, last quarter 19th century. Thick comb painting on back and sides. Original paint with minor shrinkage and wear; hairline crack through neck. (800 - 1,200)

33. Pair of mallards, Cline McAlpin, Chicago, Illinois. Hen has slightly turned head. Near mint original paint; two cracks in drake’s neck. (1,200 - 1,600)

34. Pair of mallards, Harry Canfield, Dallas City, Illinois. Joe French’s number 246F on under-sides. Original paint with minor to moderate wear; a crack in each neck; separation at knot at side of drake.

Literature: “Decoy and Decoy Carvers of Illinois,” Paul Parmalee and Forest Loomis, plate 146. (950 - 1,250)

35. Silhouette mallard drake, Charles Walker, Princeton, Illinois. Original paint with minor discoloration and wear; small dent in head. (1,000 - 1,400)

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36. Canvasback drake with puddle duck tail, Bert Graves, Peoria, Illin-ois. Original paint with minor discolor-ation and wear; a few tiny dents; retains Graves weight.


Literature: “Decoys of the Mississippi Flyway,” Alan Haid, p. 88.

(2,500 - 3,500)

37. Mallard hen, Charles Perdew, Henry, Illinois. Charlie’s paint. Retains Perdew weight. Small paint rubs on underside, otherwise very good and original.

(3,000 - 4,000)

38. Bluebill drake from the Carriage House rig, Lake Villa, Illinois. Hollow carved with relief wing carving. Original paint with minor discoloration and wear; lightly hit by shot. (3,000 - 4,000)

39. Pintail drake, Bert Graves, Peoria, Illinois. “WC” painted near the weight. Original paint with good detail; minor discoloration and wear; a few tiny dents.


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43. Mallard drake, Michael Vallero, Spring Valley, Illinois. Good paint detail. Original paint by Edna Perdew, with minor to moderate shrinkage and wear; thin crack through neck. (1,200 - 1,500)

44. Mallard hen and drake, Leonard Doren, Pekin, Illinois. Original paint with minor to moderate wear; a few tiny dents.

Literature: “Decoys and Decoy Cavers of Illinois,” Paul Parmalee and Forest Loomis. (1,200 - 1,600)

45. Mallard drake, Charles Walker, Princeton, Illinois. An early Charles Walker, but repainted by Edna Perdew. From the Dunbar rig. “FHD” painted on underside for Fred H. Dubbar, an early Princeton member. (1,250 - 1,750)

40. Mallard drake, Robert Weeks, Henry, Illinois. “RW” painted on underside. Weeks stamp in weight. Original paint with minor shrinkage and wear; a few tiny dents.

(900 - 1,200)

41. Mallard drake, Charles Perdew, Henry, Illinois. Original paint with moderate wear; small dents; retains Perdew weight. (900 - 1,200)

42. Rare rigmate pair of mallards, H.D. Traver, Decatur, Illinois. Signed. Tack eyes. Old Bourne auction label on underside of drake. Original paint with detailed feather painting on backs; minor wear.

Literature: “Decoys and Decoy Carvers of Illinois,” Paul Parmalee and Forest Loomis. (900 - 1,200)

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46. Rare mallard drake, Charles Walker, Princeton, Illinois, circa 1940. “#8” painted on underside, indicating the decoy was in the Jolley rig at the Princeton Fish and Game Club. Extra fine paint detail and good patina. Near mint original paint; hairline crack partway through neck; several tiny dents.


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Cliff Jolley, was a resident of Princeton, Illinois and also owned the local lumberyard. Charles Walker was the decoy carver at The Princeton Game & Fish Club, established in 1884. Just after WWII, Mr. Jolley ordered one dozen flat bottom carved wing mallards from Walker. He later ordered a dozen round bottom with no tail carving. The number “8” on the underside represents Jolley’s share number at the club.

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47. Rare black duck, Jim Schmiedlin Bradfordwoods, Pennsylvania. Signed and dated 1994. Slightly turned and lifted head. Several small paint rubs, otherwise very good.

(5,000 - 7,000)

48. Rare gadwall hen, Jim Schmiedlin, Bradfordwoods, Pennsylvania. Branded and signed 1988. Slightly turned head. Original paint with very minor wear; a few small dents. (5,000 - 7,000)

Jim SchmiedlinBradfordwoods, Pennsylvania

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49. Rare preening ruddy duck, Jim Schmiedlin, Bradfordwoods, Pennsylvania. Branded signed and dated 2002. One wing is carved in slightly lifted posi-tion. Original paint with very minor wear; small crack in lower side. (4,000 - 6,000)

50. Widgeon drake, Jim Schmiedlin, Bradfordwoods, Pennsylvania. Branded and signed. Slightly turned head. Original paint with a few small rubs; minor rough-ness to keel. (5,000 - 7,000)

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51. Running curlew, Mark McNair, Craddockville, Virginia. Relief wing carving. Head is turned slightly to one side. Included is original base that is signed and dated 2008. Original paint that has been aged; structurally good; a few small dents. (1,500 - 2,500)

52. Copy of a Lee Dudley ruddy duck, Cameron McIntyre, New Church, Virginia. “CTM” carved in underside. Also “LD”. Original paint that has been aged; a few tiny dents.

(1,500 - 2,000)

53. Large merganser drake carved in the Maine tradi-tion, Mark McNair, Craddockville, Virginia. Inlet head. Original paint that has been aged; structurally good. (2,000 - 3,000)

54. Preening black duck, George Strunk, Glendora, New Jersey. “G. Strunk” stamped in weight. Carved, crossed wingtips and fluted tail. Very good and original.

(650 - 950)

55. Pair of pintails, Bob White, Tullytown, Pennsylvania. Carved in the Delaware River tradition with Bob White weights on the underside. Original paint that has darkened a little with age; structurally good.

(1,000 - 1,400)

56. Preening mallard drake, Ian McNair. Original paint that has been aged; numerous small dents in one side of body as part of the aging process. (1,000 - 1,500)

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5453

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Contemporary Carvings

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57. Very rare pair of ringbills, Cigar Daisey, Chincoteague, Virginia. Branded and signed. Detailed feather carving and fluted tails. Small paint rub on tip of drake’s bill, oth-erwise very good and original. (1,000 - 1,500)

58. Pair of mergansers, Cigar Daisey, Chincoteague, Virginia. Branded and signed. Both have detailed feather carving. Drake has fluted tail. Both have slightly turned heads. Very good and original. (800 - 1,200)

59. Pair of ruddy ducks, Cigar Daisey, Chincoteague, Virginia. Branded and signed. Drake has very slightly turned head. Wingtip and tail carving. Very good and original. (650 - 950)

60. Pair of buffleheads, Cigar Daisey, Chincoteague, Virginia. Branded and signed. Wingtip carving. Very good and original. (650 - 950)

61. Canada goose, Cigar Daisey, Chincoteague, Virginia. Branded “Cigar” in underside and keel. Carved, crossed wingtips. Small short crack in back, otherwise very good and original. (650 - 950)

62. Large sickle billed curlew, Cigar Daisey, Chincoteague, Virginia. Branded and signed. Dated 1983. Relief wing carving. Approximately 20” long. Wooden base is includ-ed. Very good and original. (600 - 900)

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Delbert “Cigar” DaiseyChincoteague, Virginia

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63. Hollow carved bluebill hen, Shang Wheeler, Stratford, Connecticut, circa 1930s. Slightly turned head. Original paint with minor wear; several small dents and shot marks.

Literature: “Shang,” Dixon Merkt. (4,500 - 6,500)

64. Very rare canvasback hen, Lou Rathmell, Stratford, Connecticut. Slightly turned head and in feeding pose. Carved wingtips and good comb paint detail. Very good and original. (4,000 - 6,000)

64 Detail

63

64

New England

29

65. Self bailing scoter, Joseph Lincoln, Accord, Massachusetts, 1st quar-ter 20th century. Slightly turned head. Original paint with minor wear; professional repair to a chip in top of bill; small cracks in body; lightly hit by shot. (1,200 - 1,600)

66. Rare goldeneye hen, Joseph Lincoln, Accord, Massachusetts, 1st quarter 20th century. Exceptionally fine feath-er paint detail on breast, lower sides and center of back. Near mint original paint; slight wear on edges of tail; decoy has been waxed.


Literature: “Joseph Lincoln,” Cap Vinal, p. 54. (3,000 - 4,000)

67. Monhegan island style scoter, Gus Wilson, South Portland, Maine. Inlet head and relief wing carving. Old in use repaint; at one time a bottom part of the bill was added to the original bill so the decoy now has an open bill with mussel in it. (1,500 - 2,000)

68. Early Monhegan island style sco-ter, Gus Wilson, South Portland, Maine. Inlet head, relief wing carving and carved eyes. Old in use repaint; small cracks; small chips in tail; small cracks and defects in underside.


65

67

66

68

30

69 Detail

Augustus Wilson1864 - 1950

South Portland, Maine

The Project Gutenberg of Birds, Published 1879Gus Wilson

69. Important Monhegan Island style breast preening scoter, Gus Wilson, South Portland, Maine, last quarter 19th century. Carved eyes, relief wing carving, and inlet head. Original paint with minor wear; old overpaint has been taken off of the white areas; small cracks; old filler in small knot hole in back of neck; a few small dents.

Provenance: First place winner for a Maine sea duck in the vintage decoy contest Ohio Decoy Collectors Show, 2006.

Literature: “New England Decoys,” John and Shirley Delph, p. 24. “Decoys: A North American Survey,” Gene and Linda Kangas, p. 208. (55,000 - 75,000)

69

69 Detail 69 Detail

31

32

70. Outstanding bluewing teal, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan, 1st quarter 20th century. Round body style with head slightly positioned upward. Unrigged. Near mint, very small amount of wear at edge of tail and top of head.

(2,000 - 3,000)

71. Very rare rigmate pair of mergan-sers, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan. Standard grade with tack eyes, circa 1910. Original paint with minor discoloration and wear; both have professional neck filler restoration; each has a small crack in the underside; hen has been very lightly hit by shot.

(3,000 - 4,000)

72. Rare goldeneye hen, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan. Challenge grade. Thick original paint with very minor wear; some paint has flaked out of the neck seam; small defect in wood at end of tail; short crack in underside.

(3,000 - 4,000)

73. Bluebill drake, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan. Premier grade. Original paint with very minor wear; dent in one side of head.

(2,000 - 3,000)

Mason Decoy Factory1896 - 1924

Detroit, Michigan

70

72

71

73

74 Detail

33

74. Outstanding and very rare goldeneye drake, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan. Premier grade. Near mint original paint with slight discoloration; extra fine paint detail at speculums; Mason paint swirls visible on most of the white area.

Literature: “Mason Decoys,” Russ Goldberger and Alan Haid, p. 63, exact decoy. (17,500 - 22,500)

74

Exact decoy pictured in “Mason Decoys,” Russ Goldberger and Alan Haid

34

75. Gray coot, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan, 1st quarter 20th century. Challenge grade with challenge stamp on underside. Paint appears to have been cleaned down; a coat of varnish was added; some paint loss at neck seam and an area at one knot; shot scar on back; a few small nicks. (1,500 - 2,000)

76. Mallard drake, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan. Premier grade. Original paint with minor dis-coloration and wear; crack at neck base; small rough area on underside. (1,000 - 1,500)

77. Pintail hen, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan, 1st quarter 20th century. Challenge grade with early snakey head. Original paint with minor wear; several small dents in back; much of the neck filler is missing; tight body crack runs length of one side. (1,800 - 2,200)

78. Canada goose, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan, 1st quarter 20th century. Premier grade. Body is in mostly worn original paint with rubs to bare wood; a few small dents; crack runs from front of breast to back of tail; restoration to one area on lower neck, one side of bill;

white patches on cheeks appear to have been repainted.(1,500 - 2,000)

79. Rare lowhead rigmate pair of bluebills, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan, 1st quarter 20th centu-ry. Premier grade. Both are in mostly original paint with some touchup around the neck seat area; appears as if both have had paint removed from the bills; dowels at top of head are slightly raised; several shot marks in bodies; minor seam separation.

Provenance: Seitz collection. Both previously in the col-lection of John Hillman, Sea Girt, New Jersey. Both have Hillman stamp on underside. (2,000 - 3,000)

80. Canvasback drake, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan. Premier grade. Branded “HHB” twice in underside for Harvey Brown. Original paint; numerous shot scars to body; small crack at top of back; area around neck where paint has worn off.


8079

7877

7675

35

81. Rare salesman sample mallard drake, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan, 1st quarter 20th cen-tury. Hollow premier grade. Probably painted on a teal body. Strong feather swirling on back. Highly detailed painting near wingtips and tail. Original paint with slight seam separation; thumbnail size portion of a tail chip has been reattached; slight roughness to end of bill; a few small nicks and rubs. (4,000 - 6,000)

82. Classic brant, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan. Challenge grade. “Barron rig” branded twice on body. For information about Barron brand see Decoy Magazine, Nov/ Dec 2015. Original paint with minor discoloration and wear; old touchup to some small worn areas on edges of tail; small surface cracks.

Provenance: Dyke collection. (4,000 - 6,000)

81

82

82 Detail

The Mason Decoy Factory was the first to effec-tively use salesman samples as a tool for selling

decoys. They made them in a number of different species, grades and styles. See plate 177 of Mason

Decoys, Goldberger and Haid.

83 Detail

83

36

83. Exceptional mallard hen, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan. Early premier grade with outstanding paint and form. Near mint original paint; structurally very good.

Literature: “Mason Decoys,” Russ Goldberger and Alan Haid, p. 21. (7,500 - 10,000)

84 Detail

84

37

84. Outstanding black duck, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan. Premier grade. Bold loop feather painting. Hairline crack at one side of neck seat, otherwise very good and original. (6,000 - 9,000)

38

84A. Large carved walleye fish decoy, Oscar Peterson, Cadillac, Michigan. 10” long. Double weight in underside. Very strong original paint protected by an old coat of varnish; a few small areas of paint loss at fins; professional repair to top of tail fin; a few faintly visible marks near back on one side.

(3,500 - 4,500)

85. Perch fish decoy, Oscar Peterson, Cadillac, Michigan, 1st half 20th cen-tury. Similar to works made in period 2. Approximately 7 1/2” long. Double belly weight and tack eyes. Original paint protected by an old coat of var-nish small paint loss on belly weight and fins. (2,000 - 3,000)

86. Large pike, Oscar Peterson, Cadillac, Michigan. Approximately 8” long. Original paint with very minor flaking on fins; paint loss on weights.

(2,000 - 3,000)

87. Red shiner fish decoy, Oscar Peterson, Cadillac, Michigan. Approximately 7 1/4” long. Original paint with minor wear; thin crack in underside.

(2,000 - 2,500)

88. Trout fish decoy, Oscar Peterson, Cadillac, Michigan. Approximately 6 3/4” long. Small amount of wear on metal line holder, otherwise very good and original. (1,500 - 2,500)

Fish

84A

85

86

87

88

89

90

39

89. Two fishing items, 1st half 20th century. A bait store sign and a wooden bait box. Sign is approxi-mately 15” x 22”. Bait box is approximately 24” x 11” x 11”. Vents are carved fish outlines cov-ered with screen. Metal liner in bottom; initials “GT” are in the front; two dry flies are painted on the top. Original and good.

Provenance: Shippee collection.(2,500 - 3,500)

90. Muskie Weathervane, Presque Isle, Pennsylvania, circa, 1910. Two dimensional wooden body in very good condition with inlet-ted metal fins. Detail carving on tail and head with metal button eyes. Original weathered paint in green, black and white. 49.5”l x 9.5”h. For many years this vane was atop a fishing supply store at Presque Isle and has been in the same private folk art collection for the past 40 years. Original paint that has worn from varying degrees from top down; a few small dents; very tip of back fin has broken off.

Literature: Akron Art Institute, Akron OH. “American Folk Art in Ohio Collections” 1976. “Ohio Folk Art Exhibition.” Ohio Antique Review, 12/1976.“Underwater Decoys: Fish.” Ohio Antique Review, 6/1977 and North American DecoysWinter 1977-78.Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio. “The Images of Folk Art” 1978. Art Academy of Cincinnati, Ohio. “Folk Art from the Mid-West” 1979. (2,000 - 3,000)

8989 Detail

40

91. Spectacular set of spearing decoys from Michigan. Includes three perch and one trout. Large one measures 7” long. Then 5 1/2” and 3”. All are thick bod-ied, have carved gills and mouths. Well painted. Tail chip repair on smallest by Russ Allen. (5,000 - 6,000)

92. Large bass, Theodore Vanderbosche, Mt. Clemens, Michigan, circa 1930. A bold thick carving with exagger-ated gill and mouth. Heavy lead weight in underside. Tack eyes. Traces of original paint; appears as if an old coat of

silver has been removed, perhaps this was done to create a reflective image. (2,000 - 3,000)

92A. Yellow perch, Andy Trombley, Mt. Clemens, Michigan, circa 1940s. 12” in length. Realistic scale pattern on sides. Glass eyes and metal side fins. Small amount of paint loss on metal fins.

Literature: “Underwater Decoys,” Gene Kangas, North American Decoy Magazine, Spring 1978, p. 16, exact decoy.

(3,000 - 4,000)

91

92

92A

95

96

97

93

94

93. Fine trout fish decoy with jigging stick from Lake Chautauqua, New York, last quarter 19th cen-tury. Approximately 7” long with leather tail, metal fins, and tack eyes. Detailed gill carving. Slight curve to leather tail. Original paint with good detail and patina; minor wear; structurally very good. (7,000 - 9,000)

94. Fish decoy from Lake Chautauqua, New York, last quarter 19th century. Classic leather tail. Metal fins. Line tie through upper part of body, tack eyes, carved gill and mouth. Similar to work of Charles Irwin. Two shades of brown covered by silver fleck paint pat-tern. One side of tail appears to have been touched up where it is attached to body; good and original.

(4,000 - 6,000)

95. Fish decoy from Lake Chautauqua, New York, last quarter 19th century. Metal fins and leather tail. Approximately 6 3/4” long. Minor flaking on metal fins, otherwise very good and original. (2,000 - 3,000)

96. Fish decoy from Lake Chautauqua, New York, last quarter 19th century. Metal fins and turned leather tail. Pronounced gill carving and metal eyes. Approximately 7 1/2” long. Small amount of flaking, mostly on underside. (2,000 - 3,000)

97. Fish decoy with jigging stick, Lake Chautauqua, New York, last quarter 19th century. Metal fins and curved leather tail. Tack eyes. Approximately 6 1/2” long. Small amount of flaking on underside, otherwise very good and original. (2,000 - 3,000)

41

David Ward1839 - 1912

Toronto, Ontario

42

98. Rare Canada goose, David Ward, Toronto, Ontario, last quarter 19th cen-tury. Hollow carved. Branded “HNT”, “Meredith”, and “Thos. Chambers” on underside. Subtle feather painting on breast. Glass eyes. Thin original paint with minor wear; moderate flaking at wood imperfections on back and tail; chip is miss-ing at end of tail; and crack in bill was secured with a nail through underside; slight crazing to body paint on lower sides. (15,000 - 20,000)

98

98 Detail 98 Detail

George Warin1830 - 1905

Toronto, Ontario

43

99. Important Canada goose, George Warin, Toronto, Ontario, last quarter 19th century. Branded “G&J Warin. Maker Toronto”, also has an “H” carved in the underside. Hollow with bottom board, glass eyes with fine subtle feather paint-ing. Fine original paint; crack through neck shows remnants of old glue that was used to resecure it; two tail chips expose oxidized wood; small area where wood putty has broken away from body seam under tail and thin paint has worn to bare wood on some areas.

Literature: “Decoying St. Clair to the St. Lawrence”, Barney Crandall, p. 138, exact decoy. (12,000 - 15,000)

99

99 Detail 99 Detail

44

100. Bluebill hen, Bud Tully, Peterborough, Ontario. Detailed wing carving with crossed wingtips and turned head. Very good and original. (3,000 - 4,000)

101. Rigmate pair of canvasbacks, Frank Dolsen, Lake St. Clair, Ontario. Both have Frank’s brand carved in underside. Some imperfec-tions to wood on side of drake; both are very dry and have darkened with age; original paint with some small areas of paint loss. (1,800 - 2,200)

102. Excellent hollow bluebill hen, James Harper, Hamilton, Ont-ario. Original paint with some old working touchup to the bill, and to the small white areas of the specu-lums; very good structurally.

(2,500 - 3,500)

103. Canvasback drake, Tom Chambers, Toronto, Ontario, 1st quarter 20th century. Hollow carved “Short body” style. Branded “JTN” and “DWH”. Good comb paint detail. Original paint with minor wear; a few small dents; pro-fessional bill chip repair.

(3,000 - 5,000)

100

101

102

103

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104. Exceptional black duck, Bud Tully, Peterborough, Ontario. Graceful and slightly turned head. Highly detailed relief wing carving with crossed wingtips. Near mint original paint; structural excellent.


105. Rare rigmate pair of wood ducks, Ken Anger, Dunnville, Ontario. Original paint with very slight wear; structur-ally very good. (6,000 - 9,000)

104

105

104 Detail 105 Detail

46

106. Greenwing teal hen from Ontario, last quarter 19th century. Slightly turned head and relief wing carving and notched tail. Rigmate to lot 7 in this auction. Original paint with moderate wear; chip missing from end of bill.

(1,000 - 2,000)

107. Mallard hen, Ken Anger, Dunnville, Ontario. Original paint with minor wear; hairline crack partway through bill. (900 - 1,200)

108. Pair of bluebills, D.W. Nichol, Smith Falls, Ontario. Both are stamped “Hesford” in underside. Relief wingtip carv-ing. Very good and original. (800 - 1,200)

109. Redhead drake, Charles Reeves, Long Point, Ontario, 1st quarter 20th century. Branded “J.S.M.” twice in underside for Junius S. Morgan, a member at the Long Point Club. 1929 - 1960. Solid body covered in can-vas. Paint on bill appears to be original; some original paint on head; body is a mix of original and old working repaint. (800 - 1,000)

110. Redhead drake, Ken Anger, Dunnville, Ontario. Head is turned approximately 10 degree to one side. Very good and original. (2,000 - 3,000)

111. Mallard drake, Ken Anger, Dunnville, Ontario. Exc-ellent and original. (2,000 - 3,000)

107

109

111

106

108

110

112

47

112 Detail

112. Hollow carved redhead hen from the Markham rig. Very slightly turned head. Thick original paint with a few small rubs; structurally very good.

(8,000 - 12,000)

In the 1970s there was a farm sale outside of Markham, Ontario. At the sale, a number of decoys

were sold, which are now known as the “Markham Rig.” Some of the decoys were thought to have

been made by Walker Moorley and some by a talented unknown maker. Lot 6, in this sale, is one of

the only bluebill drakes known, most of the bluebills were hens. The most interesting decoys in the

group had heavily carved mandibles and nostrils as the redhead hen being sold here exhibits.

48

113. Greenwing teal hen, Ben Schmidt, Detroit, Michigan, 2nd quarter 20th century. Slightly turned head. Feather stamping over entire body, including area between wings and tail. Signed “Ben J Schmidt” on underside. Never rigged. (3,000 - 4,000)

114. Possibly one of a kind pair of ringnecks, Ben Schmidt, Detroit, Michigan, circa 1940s. On underside of drake written by Dick Lancaster, “Bought from Ben J. Schmidt in early 40’s by Dick Lancaster. Has hung in our hall since that time.” Hen has green felt glued to underside. Mint.

Provenance: From the estate of Dick and Louise Lancaster. Dick Lancaster visited Ben Schmidt’s shop in the 1940’s and 1950’s. This lot was ordered directly from Ben Schmidt by Lancaster based on Lancaster’s desire to have Ben make one of all of the species in North America. (4,000 - 5,000)

115. Possibly unique spectacled eider, Ben Schmidt, Detroit, Michigan, circa 1940s or 1950s. Special ordered by Dick Lancaster from Ben Schmidt with accurate eider bill carving and unique bill patches. Leather attached to bottom with Lancaster’s “L” stamped in under-side. Slight mellowing to white. Near mint.

Provenance: From the estate of Dick and Louise Lancaster. Dick Lancaster visited Ben Schmidt’s shop in the 1940’s and 1950’s. This lot was ordered directly from Ben Schmidt by Lancaster based on Lancaster’s desire to have Ben make one of all of the species in North America. (3,000 - 4,000)

116. Greenwing teal drake, Ben Schmidt, Detroit, Michigan. Slightly turned head. Signed on the underside. Very good and original. (2,500 - 3,500)

115

116

114

113

Ben Schmidt1884 - 1968

Detroit, Michigan

49

117. Very rare rigmate pair of bluewing teal, Ben Schmidt, Detroit, Michigan, circa 1940s. Fine carving detail and very slightly turned heads. Near mint original paint; structurally excellent.

Literature: “Michigan Decoys,” Lowell Jackson and Clune Walsh. (10,000 - 14,000)

117

117 Detail

50

118. Hollow Canada goose, Ben Schmidt, Detroit, Michigan, circa 1930. From the famous Rodgers Rig, Port Boston, which is inscribed in bottom board on underside. Slightly turned head. Both have feather stamping and wing carv-ing. Strong original paint; slight separation on one side of neck; a few tight checks that run the length of the body.

(4,000 - 6,000)

119. Snow goose, Ben Schmidt, Detroit, Michigan, circa 1930. Well blended coloration between bill and face. Painted tail and feather carving. Original paint; structur-ally good.

Literature: “Decoys,” Gene and Linda Kangas p. 150, exact decoy. (4,500 - 6,500)

118

119

51

120. Hollow carved calling goose field decoy, Ben Schmidt, Detroit, Michigan. Worn original paint; cracks in body; tail chip missing; professional bill repair. (3,000 - 5,000)

121. Canada goose field decoy, Ben Schmidt, Detroit, Michigan. Hollow carved. Original paint with moder-ate wear on most of body; black paint on head has been touched up; small cracks; minor roughness to edges of tail.

(3,000 - 5,000)

122. Reaching Canada goose field decoy, Ben Schmidt, Detroit, Michigan. Mix of original paint and old in use repaint; with moderate wear; separation at body seam.

(2,000 - 3,000)

120 121

122

Andrew Kruzman, noted Michigan wildlife artist, found these three field goose decoys, which are the only known Schmidt field geese, in London,

Ontario in the 1960s while on a hunting trip. They stayed in his collection for over 30 years.

He traded the three geese, one at a time for automobiles at a northern Michigan dealership,

where they have resided until now.

Photo taken inside Ben Schmidt’s workshop, Centerline, Michigan,

circa 1930s.

52

123. Redhead hen and drake, Ben Schmidt, Detroit, Michigan. Original paint with minor wear; small amount of touchup at lower sides of hen; crack in hen’s underside; tiny shot marks. (950 - 1,250)

124. Preening canvasback drake, Ben Schmidt, Detroit, Michigan. Hollowed out from the underside. Original paint with minor wear; small dents; crack in underside.

(800 - 1,200)

125. Black duck, Ben Schmidt, Detroit, Michigan, circa 1940s. Original paint with very minor wear; structurally good.

Literature: “Decoys: A North American Survey,” Gene and Linda Kangas, p. 192. (800 - 1,200)

126. Mallard hen and drake, Ben Schmidt, Detroit, Michigan. Earlier style. Drake has a mix of original paint and working touchup as well as a small crack in the

body; hen appears to be a black duck completely repainted by Schmidt; traces of dark brown paint showing through.

(650 - 950)

127. Mallard hen, Ben Schmidt, Detroit, Michigan, 2nd quarter 20th century. Slightly oversized. Stamped “FB” numerous times in underside. Good and original.


128. Canvasback hen, Ben Schmidt, Detroit, Michigan. Slightly turned head. Original paint with minor to moderate wear; lightly hit by shot; touchup on part of bill; crack in underside. (400 - 600)

129. Hollow carved mallard drake, Ben Schmidt, Detroit, Michigan. Slightly turned head. Original paint on most of the decoy; painted neck base appears to be working touch up; small dents and cracks. (400 - 600)

124

126

123

125

127 128 129

53

130. Exceptional and rare pair of ruddy ducks, Ben Schmidt, Detroit, Michigan, circa 1940. Both have leather glued to underside. Written on underside of drake, “1944, ruddy duck by Ben J. Schmidt, for Louise and Dick Lancaster Farmington, Michigan.” Drake has carved fan tail. Hen has exceptional feather stamp-ing. Near mint.

Provenance: From the estate of Dick and Louise Lancaster. Dick Lancaster visited Ben Schmidt’s shop in the 1940’s and 1950’s. This lot was ordered directly from Ben Schmidt by Lancaster based on Lancaster’s desire to have Ben make one of all of the species in North America.

(4,000 - 6,000)

131. Rigmate pair of canvasbacks, Ben Schmidt, Detroit, Michigan. Both have a “G” carved in underside. Both have feather stamping and carved wing patch-es and wingtips. Original paint with moderate wear. (1,200 - 1,500)

132. Pair of mallards, Ben Schmidt, Detroit, Michigan. Original paint with minor wear; moderate flaking and wear on drake’s bill; a few tiny dents.

Provenance: Nerwin collection.(1,200 - 1,600)

133. Rare blue goose, Ben Schmidt, Detroit, Michigan. Original paint with minor to moderate wear; small cracks in body; two chips missing from one side.

(3,000 - 4,000)

130

131

132

133

54

134. Golden plover from Massachusetts, last quarter 19th century. Tack eyes and wide “beetle” head style. Original paint with very slight wear; hairline crack in one side of head.

Provenance: From a hunting rig discovered in 2002 that contained shorebirds by Elmer Crowell and Lothrop Holmes. (3,000 - 4,000)

135. Greater yellowlegs, Charles Thomas, Assinippi, Massachusetts. Approximately 14” long with tack eyes

and relief wing carving. Original paint with minor discol-oration and wear; some old touchup at eyes and on bill; very lightly hit by shot. (1,500 - 2,000)

136. Golden plover from Nantucket Massachusetts, last quarter 19th century. Very sharply chinned bottom edges of body. Original paint with minor wear; baleen bill appears to be an old replacement. (2,500 - 3,500)

134 135 136

Shorebirds

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137. Yellowlegs, George Boyd, Seabrook, New Hampshire, 1st quarter 20th century. Fine feather paint detail and shoe button eyes. Small paint flakes missing at nail in top of head; original paint with very minor discoloration and wear; structurally very good.

Literature: “New England Decoys,” John and Shirley Delph, p. 50. (4,000 - 6,000)

138. Black bellied plover in spring plumage, George Boyd, Seabrook, New Hampshire, 1st quarter 20th cen-tury. Fine feather paint detail. Original paint with minor discoloration and wear; good patina; touchup to several tiny paint rubs. (4,000 - 6,000)

137 138

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139 140

139. Rigmate pair of willets, Charles Thomas, Assinippi, Massachusetts. Relief wing carving and shoe button eyes. Original paint with minor discoloration and wear; age split in underside of each; one has been hit by shot, the other lightly hit by shot.

Provenance: Formerly in the collection of Robert Gerard.(2,000 - 3,000)

140. Lesser yellowlegs from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, last quarter 19th century. Subtle feather paint detail and baleen bill. Original paint with minor wear, mostly on one side and edges of tail; approximately half of baleen bill is missing. (1,200 - 1,800)


141

57

141. Fine black bellied plover, Obediah Verity, Seaford, Long Island, New York, 3rd quar-ter 19th century. A large decoy with relief wing carving and carved eyes. Wide “beetle” head style. Black on breast appears to be sec-ond coat, the rest is original with good patina and minor wear; professional bill repair; seven tiny shot marks on one side.

Literature: “Shorebird Decoys,” Henry Fleckenstein, Jr., p. 42. (25,000 - 35,000)

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Pintails by John James Audubon

142 Detail

Delaware RiverJohn English

1852 - 1915Florence, New Jersey

John English was one of the earliest major decoy makers from the Delaware River region. He is credited with having introduced the “Delaware River” school of carving which most all of the subsequent

Delaware River makers followed. Characteristics of this school of carving included carved and raised “V” shaped wingtips, incised carving at the tail, and often low contented heads.

John English was a masterful painter as well as carver. His carving was exceptional and always found in nearly perfect proportions. His plumage patterns were applied in greater detail than most other makers

from the region.

A rigmate to this pintail sold at a Guyette & Schmidt auction in July 2007 for a world record $215,000.

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142

142 Detail

142. Very rare pintail hen, John English, Bordentown, New Jersey, last quarter 19th century. Very fine form with raised “V” wingtip carving and fluted tail. Fine feather paint detail. Original paint with minor wear, mostly on underside and one edge of tail; several tiny dents.

Literature: “Floating Sculpture,” Harrison Huster and Doug Knight, p. 54. (30,000 - 40,000)

143

144

144 Detail

Hand painted sig-nature “darl” and WMD stencil on bottom

60

143. Solid body mallard hen, most recently attributed to Arthur B. Vance, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, third quarter 19th century. Tack eyes and subtle feather paint detail. Small square peg in underside. Plug in knot in one side of breast. With minor cracking and chipping there. Original paint with wear on bottom edges; minor wear on the rest of the decoy; repair to a small chip in one side of the bill; a few small dents.

Provenance: Found in Philadelphia with the classic John Blair, Sr. mallard drake in our April 2013 auction.

(4,000 - 6,000)

144. Historically important “Ohio/Philadelphia School” Mallard hen with hand painted nickname “Darl” and stenciled initials WMD, circa 1850s. The decoy’s owner was William McCullough Darlington (1815-1889), an affluent Pittsburg lawyer and founding member of the Winous Point Shooting Club in 1856. Sweeping long swimming body with excellent detailed original paint for a century and a half old decoy. The decoy was used in northwestern Ohio, circa 1850s. An imperfection appears to have an in the making or early hunter’s repair to a wood separation on one side; small amount of inpainting has been done at head, neck seat, and lower portion of bill.

Literature: “WMD the Missing Link,” Decoy Magazine July/August 2012 pp. 24-31. Featured both on the maga-zine cover and in the article. (2,500 - 3,500)

145

146

147

148

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145. Black duck, William Quinn, Yardley, Pennsylvania. Good form with raised “V” wing carving and fluted tail. Original paint with minor wear; structurally very good.

Provenance: O’Key collection. Formerly in collection of David Campbell. “DSC” stamp in underside.

Literature: “Floating Sculpture,” Harrison Huster and Doug Knight, p. 99.

(3,500 - 4,500)

146. Rare mallard hen in sleeping pose, Jess Heisler, Burlington, New Jersey. Hollow three piece construction. With pad weight on underside. Detailed feather painting with raised primaries. Carved tail. Strong original paint; with a few rubs exposing bare wood; one shot scar across the top of tail; seam separation around body; at some point a long time ago a gray wash or sealer was applied to the body seam, but is not highly visible; crack at breast at lower bottom board. (3,500 - 5,500)

147. English/Dawson bluebill drake, last quarter 19th century. Second coat of paint by John Dawson, Trenton, New Jersey, circa 1920s; structurally good.

Provenance: Bartlett collection.(3,000 - 4,000)

148. Mallard drake, John Blair, Sr., Philladelphia, Pennsylvania, last quar-ter 19th century. Hollow carved with body halves joined by two small dowels. Branded “JG Hearon”. Paint has been restored in the Blair style; thin cracks in underside; several small shot marks.

(1,500 - 2,500)

Birdseye view of Philadelphia around 1840

149 Detail

62

Arthur B. Vance1818 - 1889

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

For generations decoys collectors accepted, but struggled, with the concept that John Blair made so many different grades of decoys. This, compounded with the differences in construction between the

styles, only worked to raise more questions about the authenticity of the attribution.

Only recently, has part of the mystery been solved. Russ Allen, a fan of Philadelphia decoys and a history buff, was working on a lower grade - or “Blair style” - decoy for a client. In doing so, he

opened up the two halves of the body and discovered the signature of A. B. Vance. The pursuit of re-searching this signature has shed light on the maker of many, but not all of the decoys once known as “Blair style.” Arthur B. Vance can now be credited as a founding member of the Philadelphia school of decoys, having signed the inside of a number of them as early as 1874. This exact decoy is pic-

tured in Russ Allen’s article on A.B. Vance in the May/ June 2014 issue of Decoy Magazine.

149149 Detail

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149. Very rare bufflehead drake, Arthur B. Vance, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, last quarter 19th century. Hollow carved with raised neck seat and tack eyes. Subtle feather paint detail branded “EH Steever” for Edgar H. Steever, who was listed as owning a carpentry business in the 1875 Philadelphia census. Original paint with minor discoloration and wear; a few tiny dents. (15,000 - 20,000)

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150. Important painting by Henry Machen, Toledo, Ohio, circa 1879. Only known example of his work with two hang-ing prairie chicken. Signed “Machen, Toledo” at the bottom. Image is 22” x 26 1/2”. Four small areas of inpainting, but not in important areas; canvas has been relined professionally. (3,500 - 4,500)

151. Large and important pheas-ant painting, Jim Foote, Detroit, Michigan. Dated 9/1990 and copyright-ed. Oil on canvas board. Framed. Image size approximately 35” x 24”. A few cock pheasants and one hen. This was a image from which Jim Foote duplicated and sold many prints. (2,000 - 2,500)

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Paintings

In 1848, William Machen’s family immigrated from Germany and settled in Toledo, OH.He was a naturalist by inclination and studied extensively in that area. In his lifetime, William Machen completed more than 2700 oil paintings, watercolors, drawings, and sketches. He main-tained a single register of his works which is now preserved in the Archives of American Art at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington. He exhibited his work at the Pennsylvania Academy, the 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, and the Detroit Museum of Art.

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152. ”Morning Flight/Woodcock,” water-color of woodcocks in forest, David Hagerbaumer. Signed and dated 1983. Professionally matted and framed. Image size approximately 12 1/2” x 15”. Very good and original.

Provenance: This painting was used for a limited edition lithograph with a run of 450.

(2,000 - 2,500)

153. Watercolor of flying teal with decoys in marsh, David Hagerbaumer. Signed and dated 1983. Professionally triple matted and framed. Image size approximately 14” x 21”. Very good and original. (1,750 - 2,250)

154. Watercolor of pintails flying over decoys, David Hagerbaumer. Signed. Professionally matted and framed. Image size approximately 11” x 16”. Very good and original.

(1,750 - 2,250)

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155 Detail

Elmer Crowell1864 - 1954

East Harwich, Massachusetts

Elmer Crowell outside his shop

155. Rigmate pair of goldeneye, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Both have Crowell’s oval brand in the underside. Both have fine feather paint detail and fluted tails. Drake’s head is slightly turned. Original paint with good patina and very minor wear; moderate wear under drake’s tail; a few small dents.

Provenance: Milne collection. (13,000 - 16,000)

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155 Detail

155 Detail

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156. Mallard drake, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Slightly turned head. Crowell’s rectangular stamp is in the underside. “Quandy collection” brand in underside. A few very small dents otherwise, very good and original. (5,000 - 8,000)

157. Black duck, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich. “B. Hasselton” brand in underside. Also “Quandy collection” brand in underside. Slightly turned head. Original paint with very minor wear; small crack and rough spot on one side. (3,500 - 5,500)

158. Cork body mallard hen, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Cork body with wooden head and bottom board. Crowell’s oval brand is in the under-side. “Winthrop brand in under-side. Original paint with very minor wear; slight wear to cork at tail; small crack in top of head.

Provenance: Milne collection.(2,500 - 3,500)

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159. Very rare pair of cork body widgeon, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Cork bodies with wooden heads and bottom boards. Both have Crowell’s oval brand in the underside. “Winthrop” brand in underside of drake. Original paint with minor wear; a few tiny rough spots to cork.

Provenance: Milne collection. From the Winthrop rig, Long Island, New York, and so branded. (7,500 - 9,500)

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159 Detail

159 Detail

Ira Hudson, July 1941Photo taken by Charles Humphrey

Virginia and North Carolina

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At the first quarter of the twentieth century, mallard ducks were nearly nonexistent on the eastern shore of Virginia, including Ira Hudson’s home of Chincoteague, Virginia. For a waterman who made decoys for a living,

it makes sense that he spent most of his efforts creating geese, brant, black ducks, bluebills, cansvasbacks and pintails. It is likely that he even made more mergansers and buffleheads than mallards.The mallard species must

have intrigued him however, since he made a fair amount of wall flyers in that species. To the best of our knowledge, this is the only Ira Hudson Mallard we have ever sold. It is an opportunity to acquire an incredibly

rare species by an important maker.

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160 Detail160 Detail

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160. Important mallard drake, Ira Hudson, Chincoteague, Virginia. Large round body and fluted tail. Good paint detail. Original paint with no wear; never rigged; paint shrinkage on breast; small paint flakes missing from top of tail; small crack at knot in lower side.

Literature: “Ira Hudson and Family,” Henry Stansbury, p. 110. (17,500 - 22,500)

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161. Round body style brant, Ira Hudson, Chincoteague, Virginia, circa 1920s. Good form and fine paint detail. Original paint with minor dis-coloration and wear; crack in both sides and underside; small rough spot in wood on one side from when the decoy was made.

Provenance: Dyke collection.(3,500 - 4,500)

162. Canvasback drake, Ira Hudson, Chincoteague, Virginia. Very round body style. Original paint with minor flaking and wear; thin cracks in neck; very small filled area with touchup by tie strap.


163. Hollow carved Canada goose, Charles Birch, Willis Wharf, Virginia. Original paint with moderate wear; bill is a professional replacement; crack through neck; cracks in body; small chip missing from tail.

(3,000 - 4,000)

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164. Fine black duck, Ira Hudson, Chincoteague, Virginia, circa 1920s. Very full round body style with deep feather carving in tail and scratch loop feather paint. Original paint with minor wear; some neck filler missing from neck seat; small knot in back has risen slightly.

Provenance: Dyke collection.

Literature: “Southern Decoys,” Henry Fleckenstein, Jr., p. 34.(5,000 - 8,000)

165. Rigmate pair of bluebills, Ira Hudson, Chincoteague, Virginia, circa 1920s. Flat bottom style with deep ice groove behind neck. Good scratch paint detail. Original paint with minor to moderate wear on drake; moderate wear on hen; several cracks in hen’s body.

Provenance: Dyke collection.

Literature: “Southern Decoys,” Henry Fleckenstein, Jr., p. 64. (4,500 - 6,500)

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164 Detail

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splits; bill appears to be replaced.

Provenance: Nerwin collection. (500 - 750)

169. Pintail drake, Ira Hudson, Chincoteague, Vir-ginia. Worn old paint with some original showing; small dents. (450 - 650)

170. Large canvasback drake, William Wright, Jarvisberg, North Carolina, 1st quarter 20th century. Worn old paint; numerous cracks; rough area at one side of neck.

(1,750 - 2,250)

171. Widgeon drake, Ivey Stevens, Cedar Island, North Carolina. Old in use repaint; crack through neck; small crack in underside. (800 - 1,200)

166. Canvasback hen, Dave “Umbrella’ Watson, Chincoteague, Virginia. Balsa body and cedar head. Original paint with very minor wear; a few small dents.

Provenance: Milne collection. Formerly in the collection of Bill Purnell, Purnell brand in underside.

Literature: “Southern Decoys,” Henry Fleckenstein, Jr. p. 80. (1,500 - 2,500)

167. Coot with cast aluminum head, J.L. Rowe, Virginia Beach, Virginia. “Rowe” brand in underside. Original paint with minor wear; crack in underside. (650 - 950)

168. Canada goose, Ira Hudson, Chincoteague, Virginia. Old in use repaint; numerous cracks and age

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172 Detail

172 Detail

Pacific CoastCharles Bergman

1856 - 1946Astoria, Oregon

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172. Very rare hollow carved greenwing teal hen, Charles Bergman, Astoria, Oregon. Near mint original paint; protected by its original coat of clear varnish; never rigged.

Provenance: O’Key collection. Formerly in the William Carter collection.

Literature: Decoys of the Pacific Coast,” Michael Miller and Fred Hanson, p. 75. (8,000 - 12,000)

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Suisun Marsh. Original paint with minor to moderate discoloration and wear; a few small dents; minor crack through neck.

Literature: “Decoys of the Pacific Coast,” Michael Miller and Fred Hanson, p. 197. (600 - 900)

175. Pintail drake, Amiel Garibaldi, Sacramento, California. Slightly turned head. Worn original paint; small dents.


Literature: “Decoys of the Pacific Coast,” Michael Miller and Fred Hanson, p. 239. (500 - 800)

176. Canvasback drake, Richard Jansen, Napa, California. Paint has been restored; a few small dents.

Provenance: O’Key collection. (400 - 700)

173. Greenwing teal hen, Amiel Garibaldi, Sacramento, California. Slight relief wing carving and glass eyes. Head is turned approximately 10 degrees to one side. Original paint with minor to moderate wear; structurally very good; reglued crack in neck.

Provenance: Formerly in the collection of James McCleery. Lot 12 in the Guyette & Schmidt, Inc./Sotheby’s January 2000 auction. McCleery stamp and Sotheby’s sticker on underside. Acquired by Dr. McCleery from Lew Clingon in 1972.

Literature: “Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast,” Michael Miller and Frederick Hanson, p. 239.

(3,000 - 5,000)

174. Pintail drake from the Walter Straub rig, San Francisco, California, circa 1930. Redwood construction. Relief wing carving. Used at the Roaring River Duck Club in

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177. Exceptional pair of pintails, Horace “Hie” Crandall, San Francisco, California. Champhered bottom edge and relief wing carving with feather detail. Rigged but never used; exceptional near mint original paint; hairline crack partway through hen’s neck.


Literature: “Wildlife Decoys of the Pacific Coast,” Michael Miller and Fred Hanson, p. 362. (6,500 - 9,500)

178. Hollow Pintail drake carved by Charles Bergman with intricate original paint by Oscar Karl Hendrickson (1883-1953), Astoria, Oregon, circa 1920s. Hendrickson’s subtle detail via extensive feather elaboration elevated Bergman’s graceful decoys. Overall Bergman’s form and Hendrickson’s paint were combined to make this an outstanding West Coast decoy.

Provenance: Formerly in the collection of Markel Eskra

Literature: “Helsinki of the West,” Decoy Magazine September/October 2012, pp. 24-28. Featured on the magazine cover as well as in multiple detailed photographs in the article.

(4,000 - 6,000)

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178


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179. Exceptional canvasback drake, Hiram Hotze, Peoria, Illinois. Near mint origi-nal paint; structural very good; barely used.

Provenance: O’Key collection. Formerly in the Peter Van Trigt collection.


Illinois River

Historians agree that Hiram Hotze of Peoria, Illinois, was a talented and meticulous decoy maker. It is said he only used the finest

pieces of pine and the highest quality artist oil paints available. His production has been reported as being around one hundred

canvasback and mallard decoys. A devoted outdoorsman who stamped H.H. on most of the weights attached to his decoys, he even

went as far as to sign and date the inside of the hollow bodies.More recent information has surfaced proving that Hotze decoys

were often sold through the well known Portman’s Sporting Goods Store in Peoria, Illinois.

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181

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180. Rigmate pair of pintails, Roy Patterson, Chillicothe, Illinois. Signed. Drake is dated 1946. Both have slightly turned heads and good paint detail. Original paint with very light wear; tight crack most of the way through hen’s neck; drake has minor paint shrinkage on head.

Provenance: From the Patterson family.

Literature: Decoy Magazine, March/April 2004, Article on Roy Patterson, Donna Tonelli, exact decoys. (6,000 - 9,000)

181. Mallard hen and drake, Roy Patterson, Chillicothe, Illinois. Both are signed. Drake is dated 1946, hen 1945. Drake has slightly turned head. Original paint with very minor wear; minor shrinkage on drake’s head.

Provenance: From the Patterson family

Literature: Decoy Magazine, March/April 2004, Article on Roy Patterson, Donna Tonelli, exact decoys. (4,500 - 6,500)

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ing from one eye. (1,400 - 1,800)

185. Pair of mammoth mallards, Walter “Tube” Dawson, Putnam, Illinois. Original paint with minor wear on hen, moderate wear on drake; thin crack in drake’s neck.

(1,500 - 2,500)

186. Mallard hen, Bert Graves, Peoria, Illinois. Retains Graves weight. Original paint that has darkened with age; old touchup on white areas of speculums; slight roughness to edge of bill; small chip missing from center of tail. (1,500 - 2,500)

187. Mallard hen and drake, Otto Garren, Canton, Illinois. Original paint with very minor wear on drake; thin crack in drake’s neck; hen has original paint with moderate wear and minor roughness to edges of bill.

(1,250 - 1,750)

182. Mallard hen and drake, Charles Sheldon, Tiskilwa, Illinois. Sheldon’s stamp in weights. Thick original paint with minor flaking and wear; drake has a small chip miss-ing from one side of tail; a thin crack in the neck and bill; small chips missing from top of drake’s bill. (1,500 - 2,000)

183. Very rare Canada goose, George Barto, Putnam, Illinois. Original paint on lower half, the rest has appealing old in use repaint; crack through neck; lightly hit by shot.

Provenance: From a home in Charleston, South Carolina.(1,500 - 2,500)

184. Earlier style mallard hen, Robert Elliston, Bureau, Illinois. Original paint with minor wear; small rough area above one speculum; crack through neck; chip miss-ing from one side of bill; weight is missing; tiny chip miss-

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188. Fine pintail drake, Charles Perdew, Henry, Illinois, circa 1930s. Very good feather paint detail. Original paint by Edna Perdew, with minor wear protected by an old coat of varnish; hairline crack through neck.

Provenance: Formerly in the collection of Harold Haertel, Dundee, Illinois.


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189

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189. Superb mallard drake, Charles Perdew, Henry, Illinois, circa 1920s. Retains the early “pencil” weight. Small “x” carved under the bill. One of Perdew’s most desirable mod-els. Fine original paint by Edna Perdew with intricate detail; paint is protected by an early and mellowed coat of varnish; structurally excellent.

Provenance: Formerly in the David Gallagher collection, Joe Tonelli collection, and Richard Wren collection.

Literature: “Decoys of Mississippi Flyway,” Alan Haid, p. 81. (20,000 - 25,000)

Charlie Perdew in his shop

This exact decoy, along with three drakes and one hen, were owned by John Lin-

quist of Spring Valley, Illinois. In the early 70s, Joe Tonelli approached the owner

and asked if he could take them to a decoy show to try to sell them for Mr. Lin-

quist. He agreed. So, when Joe picked up the decoys to take to the show, he discov-

ered that Linquist had carved an “X” under the bill of all four. “Why?” Joe asked.

“Simple,” Linquist responded. “If you don’t sell them at the show, I will know that

you brought back my decoys and not someone else’s.”

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190 Detail

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190. Mallard drake, Fred Allen, Monmouth, Illinois last quarter 19th century. Original paint with good detail and minor wear; lightly hit by shot.

Literature: “Decoys and Decoy Carvers of Illinois,” Paul Parmalee and Forest Loomis, p. 154, plate 112.

(4,500 - 5,500)

191. Very rare greenwing teal drake, Robert Elliston, Bureau, Illinois. Retains Elliston weight. Original paint with minor wear; traces of black overpaint; minor roughness to edges of bill with touchup in that area. (4,000 - 6,000)

192 Detail

192 Detail

192

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192. Very rare greenwing teal drake, Charles Perdew, Henry, Illinois. From the Weeks Rig, Bureau, Illinois. A letter accompanying this lot, from Bob Week’s son, details the his-tory of how his father acquired the famous Weeks rig Perdew teal. Original paint with minor wear; moderate wear on one side; structurally good.


Literature: “Decoys of the Mississippi Flyway” Alan Haid, p. 82. (14,000 - 18,000)

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light edge wear; seam split on side panel and one tear on opposite side panel with piece missing.

Provenance: Powell collection. (500 - 800)

197. Shotgun shell box, Robin Hood Powder Company, Swanton, Vermont. 12 gauge. A few rubs at edges; small crease on right side of front label and on side label where shell description is.

Provenance: Powell collection. (500 - 800)

198. Full wrap label. With slight discoloration and light edge wear; seam split on side panel and one tear on oppo-site side panel with piece missing. 12 gauge number 5 shot. Full wrap label with piece missing from left side on top label; seam split top left.

Provenance: Lucas collection. (500 - 800)

193. Winchester Repeating Shotguns poster with dogs. Professional matted and framed. Retains bands; a few small folds, otherwise very good.

Provenance: Formerly in the Gene Konopasek collection.(1,000 - 1,400)

194. Winchester Self Loading Shotguns poster. Small folds; tiny tear just below top left corner; no bands.

Provenance: Formerly in the Gene Konopasek collection.(1,000 - 1,400)

195. 1925 Remington Arms calendar, showing duck hunter in boat. October 1925 page stapled to bottom edge. Tear and folds near top; no bands are visible. (500 - 800)

196. Rare Robin Hood Eclipse shotgun shell box. 12 gauge number 4. Full wrap label with slight discoloration and

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199. Extremely rare Standard drop and chilled shot display. Bailey, Farrell and Company, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. WJ Morgan and Company litho-graphs, Cleveland Ohio. Scene in center with hunter and dogs. 24 shot samples displayed in an oval around the seam, in what appears to be its original frame. Frame size 15” x 12 1/2”. Shot holes and tiny tears near samples; minor discolor-ation at edges.

Provenance: O’Key collection. Formerly in the collection of John Delph. (8,000 - 12,000)

200. Anheuser Busch advertis-ing sign. Entitled “Custer’s Last Fight”. In original frame, approximately 35” x 45”. Original with minor dis-coloration.

Provenance: Purchased by the consignor in southern Ohio in the 1960s. (1,250 - 1,750)

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199 Detail

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204. 36 pinbacks and one hat pin. Mostly ammunition relat-ed. Including Peters, Winchester, DuPont, Remington, and Iver Johnson, and others. Good. (350 - 450)

205. Approximately 42” long canvas over wood canoe model, 1st quarter 20th century. Good detail. Very good and original. (2,000 - 2,500)

205A. Hand carved pipe, probably a tourist item made by the seminal Indians in the southeast, last quarter 19th century. 10” long. On stem is an alligator that is chasing a black man, hiding on the other side of the bowl. Man has glass eyes and possibly ivory teeth. Both hands and one foot are missing from man; paint rub at one ear.(500 - 700)

201. ”They Are Hitters” Winchester poster. Image of three mallards taking flight. Bands have been trimmed. Professionally framed. A few small wrinkles at top right, otherwise good. (400 - 600)

202. Peters big game ammunition poster. Image of bugling elk with artwork by Richard Goodwin. And is approxi-mately 19 1/2” x 30”. Professionally framed and mounted.Retains both bands. (2,500 - 3,500)

203. US Capital Cartridge Company shot powder hang-ing display. “The Black Shells.” Appears to be original frame and glass. Some imperfections and paint loss behind glass. Original and good. (800 - 1,000)

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205A

201 202 203204

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206. Small vintage replica of a flintlock Kentucky rifle. Approximately 16” long. Very good detail. Very good and original.


Cultural Inspirations 1492-1992. Exhibit and Catalog p. 24. (1,200 - 1,500)

208. Flying mallard whirligig, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, 2nd quarter 20th century. Detailed feather carving. Original paint protected by an old coat of varnish with significant shrinkage; reglued crack in each wing.

Provenance: Arizona State University Museum. Formerly in the collection of Hope and George Wick. (800 - 1,200)

209. Contemporary canoe model made by and signed Little Bear. Two wicker seats and wicker construction. Measures 57” long; contains two paddles and two hangers for a wall mount. Excellent. (800 - 1,200)

207. Fabulous Live Pigeon Release Box. Eastern Pennsylvania circa 1850. Pennsylvania/German designed tool, this wonder-ful carved wooden box was used for the popular sport of trap shooting during the mid-19th century. The pigeon roosts inside, and rod hinges allow the box’s sides to fall open when a metal pin is removed via a long rope, causing the captive bird to take flight. Applied wooden designs nailed on with round-headed, handmade studs reflect recognizable Pennsylvania/German folk imagery. Original paint in brown, red, and green. Size 19” x 9” x5”. Very early original paint that has crazed and worn; surface is grungy and dirty, but very desirable.

Literature: Cleveland State University Art Gallery, Cleveland OH. New World Folk Art: Old World Survivals and Cross-

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New York StateStevens BrothersWeedsport, New York

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From the introduction of “The Stevens Brothers” by Dr. Peter J. Muller & Peggy Lane Muller.

Some states have claimed at least one great 19th-century maker of duck decoys. In Mas-sachusetts there was Elmer Crowell and in New Jersey, Harry V. Shourds. Albert David Lange of Connecticut, Nathan Cobb, Jr. of Virginia and Robert Elliston of Illinois were others. Until now, New York has not laid claim to such a great 19th-century carver, but without question Stevens’ Brothers have earned that title. The Stevens decoys were created over a century ago, all handmade throughout. In the past, Stevens decoys have often been placed or cataloged among the factory decoys, compared with those made by Peterson, Dodge and Mason. Yet Stevens’ decoys were individually handmade, just as where those by the great 19th-century carvers listed above. Perhaps Har-vey’s unique method of making these decoys, advertising in periodicals a “manufacturer” of duck decoys, led to this misclassification. The hunters who bought Stevens’ decoys no doubt felt their rigs had been individually made for them and few other available decoys could compare. In reality this is true, because no two Stevens decoys are exactly alike, since they were handmade “throughout,” made in a, “different style,” and finished with only the “best paint.” They were crafted from original patterns from skilled hands. 210 Detail

210 Detail

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210. Exceptional rigmate pair of bluebills, Stevens Brothers, Weedsport, New York, last quarter 19th century. Both have “GW Stevens Standard Decoys” stencil on under-side. First place winners at the Ohio Decoy contest Westlake, Ohio, 2006. Blue ribbon is included. Very bold feather paint detail with combing on drake’s back. Small amount of touchup at edges of knot at one side of drake’s tail; hen has one eye professionally replaced.

Literature: “Stevens Brothers,” Peggy and Dr. Peter Muller, p. 248. “Stevens Decoys,” Shane Newell, p. 73. (25,000 - 35,000)

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212. Rare redhead drake, Stevens Brothers, Weedsport, New York, last quarter 19th century. Original paint with good comb detail and minor wear; a few small dents; small chip missing from one side of the tail that has been touched up. (5,000 - 8,000)

211. Black duck, Stevens Brothers, Weedsport, New York, last quarter 19th century. Original paint with minor wear; small surface crack on front side of neck; a few tiny dents.

Literature: “Stevens Brothers Decoys,” Peter and Peggy Muller, p. 249. “Stevens Decoys,” Shane Newell, p. 67.

(6,000 - 9,000)

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213. Set of six black ducks from upstate New York, circa 1960s. Good feather paint detail. Hollow carved with glass eyes. In various poses, including tip up and feed-er. Original paint with very slight wear; structurally very good. (3,500 - 4,500)

214. Oversize canvasback drake, Chauncey Wheeler, Alexandria Bay, New York. Balsa body. Good comb paint detail. Original paint with minor wear; dent in one side; numerous tiny dents in balsa; slight separa-tion at body seam; tail has been slightly blunted.

(2,000 - 2,500)

215. Mallard drake, Stevens Brothers, Weedsport, New York, circa 1880s. Tack eye model. Strong original paint; two rubs around edge of body and tail and head; one shot scar in body and one in head; professional repair to shot scar on side of head by Russ Allen.

(2,000 - 3,000)

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216. Root head Canada goose from Long island, New York, last quarter 19th century. Body halves are joined with small dowels. Branded “CR Purdey”. Appealing in use repaint; filled seam separation in one side; chip missing from back of neck base with touchup in that area; touchup on much of the head; structural work on face and filler added to seam sperara-tion on both sides. (2,500 - 3,500)

217. Rare working brant, Roy Conklin, Alexandria Bay, New York. Slightly turned head. Original paint with very minor discoloration and wear; struc-turally good.

Literature: “Decoys: A North American Survey,” Linda and Gene Kangas, p. 162. (1,750 - 2,250)

218. Bluebill hen from Western New York State, 1st quarter 20th cen-tury. Slightly turned head with glass eyes. Subtle feather paint detail. Original paint with minor wear; a few small dents; shot scar on back. (1,000 - 1,500)

219. Two “humpback” style red-head drakes, Stevens brothers, Weedsport, New York, last quar-ter 19th century. Paint has been restored in its original style; filler added to necks; hen has a replaced eye. (1,500 - 2,250)

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220. Very rare pintail drake, William Bowman, Lawrence, Long Island, New York, last quarter 19th century. Believed by some to have been made by Charles Sumner Bunn. Hollow carved, with inlet head. Relief wing carv-ing. Old in use repaint; a few small dents; brand has been carved out of the underside.

Literature: “Decoys: A North American Survey,” Gene and Linda Kangs, p. 203, exact decoy. (2,500 - 3,500)

220A. Goldeneye hen, Chauncey Wheeler, Alexandria Bay, New York. Original piant, minor wear; small dents and shot marks; hairline cracks in bill with old touchup on bill.

(1,500 - 2,500)

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220A

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224. Bluebill drake, Verity Family, Seaford, Long Island, New York, 3rd quarter 19th century. Carved eyes and wide neck seat. “RP” carved in underside. Old in use repaint on part of the black areas; the rest is original with moderate wear; small dents and shot marks; thin crack in underside. (1,000 - 1,500)

225. Bluebill hen from Alexandria Bay, New York. Two piece body construction. Original paint with minor wear; shot scar on back a few small dents.

Literature: “Decoys of the Thousand Islands,” Larry Lunman p. 226, rigmate. (650 - 950)

226. Black duck, Julius Middlesteadt, Rochester, New York. Original paint with minor shrinkage on lower sides and underside; small dent in one edge of tail; with minor paint loss in that area; never rigged.

Literature: “Decoys: A North American Survey,” Gene and Linda Kangas, p. 159. (650 - 950)

221. Swimming black duck from Long Island, New York, 1st quarter 20th century. Very wide, flat body that is hollow. Body is covered with seaweed held in with old fish net. Some of the seaweed is missing, otherwise original and good.

Provenance: Arizona State University Museum. Formerly in the collection of Hope and George Wick. (1,000 - 1,500)

222. Redhead hen, Gus Rogers, Alexandria Bay, New York. “W.B.D.” stamped in underside. Original paint with minor wear; old touchup on bill and underside; small nail holes and neck base; lightly hit by shot. (1,000 - 1,500)

223. Merganser hen, Long Island, New York, last quarter 19th century. Original paint with very minor wear; small crack in head.

Provenance: Formerly in the Robert Gerard collection. His notes on the underside read, that it was from an old cider mill in South Setauket. (800 - 1,200)

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227. Redhead hen in rare swimming pose, Frank Coombs, Alexandria Bay, New York. Original paint with minor wear; a few small dents and shot marks. (800 - 1,200)

228. Canvasback, Seymour Smith, Seneca Lake, New York. “S” brand in underside. Old in use repaint; small dents and cracks. (400 - 600)

229. Merganser hen from upstate New York, 1st quarter 20th century. “LP” carved in the underside. Original paint with minor wear; professional bill repair; small cracks in underside. (450 - 650)

230. Mallard hen and drake, Ken Harris, Woodville, New York. Harris stamp on underside of hen. Tip of hen’s bill

has been slightly blunted, otherwise original and good.


231. Wood duck drake, Ken Harris, Woodville, New York. Harris stamp on underside. Very good and original.

(400 - 600)

232. Bluebill drake from western New York state. Slightly turned head. Original paint with moderate shrinkage on body; small separations at knot in underside; minor wear.

(400 - 600)

233. Black duck, David Kavanaugh, Alexandria Bay, New York. Incised wing carving. Old paint with minor wear; very minor roughness to tail. (350 - 450)

227

229

228

230

231 232 233

98

235. Black bellied plover, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan. Tack eye model. Original paint with minor wear; hit by shot; small chip missing near stick hole.

Provenance: Dyke collection. (800 - 1,200)

236. Dove with glass eyes, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan. Original paint with very minor wear; struc-turally good. (1,500 - 2,000)

236A. Very rare widgeon hen, Peterson Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan, last quarter 19th century. Original paint with minor wear; chip missing from underside of bill; tiny chip missing from top of tail.

Literature: “Detroit Decoy Dynasty,” Ron Sharp and Bill Dodge, p. 22. (2,500 - 3,500)

234. Lesser yellowlegs, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan. Tack eye model, circa 1900. In spring plum-age. McCleery base is included. Original paint with very slight wear; minor discoloration on breast; small dent in one side.

Provenance: Formerly in collection of Dr. James McCleery, lot 138 in Guyette & Shmidt, Inc./Sotheby’s January 2000 auction.

Literature: “Mason Decoys,” Russ Goldberger and Alan Haid, p. 102, exact decoy. (3,000 - 4,000)

236A

234 235 236

Factory Decoys

99

237. Exceptional pair of unrigged redheads, Evans Decoy Factory, Ladysmith, Wisconsin, circa 1930s. Both have the Evans ink stamp and a small “E” on the under-side. Exceptionally strong original paint with a few small rubs; both have paint shrinkage at neck seams.

Literature: “North American Factory Decoys,” Ken Trayer, p. 136. (4,000 - 5,000)

238. Exceptional pair of bluewing teal, Hays Decoy Factory, Jefferson City, Missouri. Drake has Roger Ludwig’s brass name tag on the underside. Near mint original paint; hairline crack in underside of hen and in lower side of drake.


237

238

100

shot marks and rough spots worn to bare wood; neck has been reset; paint has been added at neck and repair to tail.

(600 - 800)

242. Duplicating mold made of rock maple, possibly used at the Dodge Factory, Detroit, Michigan, circa 1900. Brass plate is attached with 11 screws in underside of bill. Metal reinforcement along edge of bill carving around face. Bottom of neck and neck seat at body indicating that it was used on a duplicating mold. Protected by an old coat of varnish. (800 - 1,200)

243. Pair of mallards, Herter’s Factory, Waseca, Minn-esota. Perfect model. Original paint with minor wear; professional repair to a chip missing from the underside of hen’s bill with touchup on the whole bill.


239. Set of eight collapsible wood and tin decoys. 6 mallards and 2 geese. All are numbered and have swing weights. Also included are a few tin patterns. Original and good.


240. Rare Canada goose, Dodge Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan, circa 1880s. Old in use repaint; age split in underside; thin cracks in body and bill. (650 - 950)

241. Very early and rare handmade highneck Pintail hen by Jasper Dodge (1829-1909). A rare and elegant “prefactory” decoy by Dodge circa 1880. The decoy is a combination of original and century old working paint. This decoy was likely used at one of the early gunning clubs in northwestern Ohio. Mostly original paint that has crazed with numerous

239(3 of 8 pictured)

240

242

241

243

101

244. Very rare owl and crow set, Herter’s Decoy Factory, Waseca, Minnesota. Original paint with minor denting and shot marks; several small chips missing from wood above owl’s eyes, with touchup in that area; iron base included.


245. Great horned owl, Herter’s Factory, Waseca, Minnesota, circa 1940. “True to Life” model. Wool stuffed cloth. Perched on a wooden base. 19” tall. Glass eyes and bear claw beak. Area of light staining on breast and rub near one eye, otherwise very good and original.

(800 - 1,200)

246. Reynolds Factory silhouettes. With original box and stenciled Illinois River folding duck decoys. Contains five trifold sets. Each with Reynolds patent stamp. Two sets of mallards, one redhead, and one black duck. Very good.

(800 - 1,200)

247. Rare pair of “Monroe Marsh” model bluebills, Dodge Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan, last quarter 19th century. “Super grade” version. Original paint with good detail and minor wear; neck filler has been professionally replaced; small chips missing from one side of hen’s tail; small dents and shot marks; hole drilled in underside of hen for circular inset weight. (2,000 - 3,000)

246

244

247

245

102

protected by an old coat of varnish; some areas have dark-ened and crazed.

Provenance: One of a complete set of four recently found in a garage in Michigan. (1,500 - 2,000)

252. Pickerel fish decoy, Oscar Peterson, Cadillac, Michigan. Approximately 5 1/4” long. Some paint loss on the underside and fins; structurally good.

(1,500 - 2,500)

253. Perch fish decoy, Oscar Peterson, Cadillac, Michigan. Approximately 6 3/4” long. Original paint with minor flaking on underside; a few paint rubs on top of head. (1,500 - 2,500)

254. Sucker fish decoy, Oscar Peterson, Cadillac, Michigan. Approximately 7 1/4” long. Original paint with minor flaking and wear, mostly on metal fins and underside; small amount of old touchup. (900 - 1,200)

255. Large shiner fish decoy, Oscar Peterson, Cadillac, Michigan. Approximately 7 3/4” long. Minor paint loss on underside and fins; a few small paint rubs on top.

(1,500 - 2,500)

248. Brook Trout fish decoy, Oscar Peterson, Cadillac, Michigan. 8” long with tack eye. Original paint covered with a coat of varnish; small amount of paint missing from fins.


249. Fish decoy, Oscar Peterson, Cadillac, Michigan, circa 1930. Shiner. 8” long. Tack eyes. Original paint covered with a coat of varnish; very small areas of paint flaked off side and top fins; small amount of paint missing from lead weights on belly.


250. Pike, Oscar Peterson, Cadillac, Michigan. 8” long with tack eyes. Original paint covered with a coat of varnish; small amount of paint missing from fins; one small rub near top of back where paint has been worn off.


251. Perch fish decoy, Oscar Peterson, Cadillac, Michigan, circa 1930. Tack eye and 8” long. Paint loss at fins and eyes; small tail chip on underside of tail; original paint

250

248

252

254

251

249

253

255

Fish Decoys

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255A. Rare sunfish plaque, Oscar Peterson, Cadillac, Michigan. Approximately 11 1/2” long. Excellent and original.

Literature: “Oscar Peterson Michigan Master Carver,” Ron Fritz, p. 80, exact decoy. (8,000 - 12,000)

255B. Carved trout plaque, Oscar Peterson, Cadillac, Michigan. Approximately 12” long. Varnish has shrinkage on plaque; small amount of wear on fish.

(4,000 - 6,000)

255A

255A Detail

255B

104

255D

255E

255F

255C. Carved wooden fish plaque, Oscar Peterson, Cadillac, Michigan. Approximately 14” long. Original paint with minor shrinkage and wear; hairline crack in one side of platter. (4,000 - 6,000)

255D. Musky spear fishing spear, owned and used by Hans Janner, Mt. Clemens, Michigan, circa 1930. A telescop-ing mechanizing to extend the length of the spear. Heavy lead in front to secure spear tine, of which there are nine. Length of tines is 11”.

Provenance: Obtained by Roberta Holcomb from Hank Hennings, a friend of Hans Janner. (800 - 1,200)

255E. Wooden carved sperm whale, Wyck Ahrens. Approximately 31” long and signed. Original and good.

(950 - 1,250)

255F. Painted wooden box with lock. Maroon with stenciling and “Lures” on front and “ERO” on top. Reportedly was used for holding Chautauqua Lake fish decoys and was found near Chautauqua Lake. Edge wear; dents and rubs to original paint surface. (700 - 1,000)

255C

105

256. Heddon fishing lure, Dowagiac, Michigan. Black sucker minnow. Glass eyes. Cup rig, Heddon Dowagiac embossed on propeller. Four belly weights. Very light crazing, most-ly on underside; a few small areas where varnish has worn off of underside; hook scratch near top of back; otherwise very good and original. (1,800 - 2,200)

257. Carved small mouth bass, John Hyatt, Pekin, Illinois. On wooden plaque. Approximately 20”. Good carving detail. Very good and original.


258. Brown trout, Mike Borrett. Signed by maker on back and 2009. Excellent and original. (400 - 600)

259. Rainbow trout, Mike Borrett. Signed by maker on back and 2008. Excellent and original. (400 - 600)

260. A matched set of perch wall plaques, Isaac Goulette, Mt. Clemens, Michigan, circa 1950. Both are 12” long, have metal fins and tack eyes. Original paint; one has area of tail fin that has been reglued. (1,200 - 1,500)

261. Muskie by George John Aho (1911-1994), Rapid City, Michigan. 30 inches long. Aho’s label on bottom. Original paint; a few small dents; otherwise very good and original.

Literature: George Aho of Rapid City, Michigan. Fish Decoys. Net. “Geo. Aho Carver of Spear Fishing Decoys,” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Mag, pp. 21-23. Nov./Dec. 2006. Hooked on Wood, the Allure of the Fish Decoy, the Center for Art in Wood, Philadelphia, May-July 2012.Suuri Keräilykirja - Big Book of Collectibles by Ilkka Jukarainen, Finland 2015. (800 - 1,200)

262. A large and folky fish decoy from Michigan. 16” long tack eyes and metal fins. Original white paint.

Provenance: Formerly in the Roberta Holcomb collection.(800 - 1,200)

263. Trout fish decoy, Oscar Peterson, Cadillac, Michigan. Approximately 8” long. Included is a copy of “Oscar Peterson Michigan’s Master Carver,” by Ron Fritz. Old touchup on underside of weights, fins, and bot-tom portion of tail.


264. Carved wooden perch plaque, Albert Mitchell, Maine. Signed. Approximately 18” long. Good carving detail on fins. Original paint with minor to moderate shrinkage; structurally good. (400 - 600)

256

258

260

262 263 264

257

259

261

106

269. Hollow carved bluebill hen, Charles Fornier, St. Flavie, Quebec. Decoy exhibits raised carved wingtips and fluted tail and is carved to simulate bill buried in feath-ers on back. The only sleeper by Fornier that we have seen. Original paint with very minor wear; seam through head has separated slightly; very small amount of touchup to two small cracks at inside of wingtips. (750 - 1,250)

270. Goldeneye hen from a member of the Paquette Family, Valleyfield, Quebec. Highly detailed feather carv-ing. Repaint on underside; the rest is original with minor wear; a few small dents. (300 - 500)

271. Feeding snow goose, André Broussard, St. Andre de la Calle, Quebec. Original paint with moderate wear; numerous small cracks and dents.


265. Canvasback drake, Duncan Ducharme, Manitoba, Canada. Keel has been removed, otherwise very good and original. (1,500 - 2,000)

266. Rare bluebill hen, Duncan Ducharme, Manitoba, Canada. Ducharme ink stamp on underside. Also initials “MHL”. Original paint with minor discoloration and wear; structurally good. (1,500 - 2,500)

267. Canvasback drake, Charles Reeves, Long Point, Ontario. Canvas covered secured by brass nails on under-side. Stenciled “HBJ”. Original paint, much of which is heavily worn on body; three shot marks, including one scar at top of head; a few chips and rubs exposing bare wood. (800 - 1,200)

268. Pair of heavily carved bluebills from Quebec. Hollow. Original paint with minor to moderate wear; some old touchup; a few small dents. (1,200 - 1,500)

265

267

266

268

269 270 271

Canada

107

272. Rare canvasback hen, Orel LeBeouf, St. Anicet, Quebec. “OL” stamped in underside twice. Good feather carving detail on wings and tail. Subtle combing on back and sides. Original paint with minor wear; a few tiny dents; very small bill chip repair.

Literature: “Decoys: A North American Survey,” Gene and Linda Kangas, p. 132. (5,000 - 7,000)

273. Exceptional example of a goldeneye drake, Orel LeBouff, St. Anicet, Quebec. Highly detailed and elabo-rately carved primaries and secondaries. Fluted tail and extra fine feather paint detail in center of back. Near mint original paint with good patina; structurally good.

Provenance: Formerly in the collection of Frank Ash, his brass tack with the number 50 is in the underside.


272

273


108

274. Duck call, James T. Beckhart, Big Lake, Arkansas 1st quarter 20th century. Carved and checkered raised panels. Smooth barrel with copper reed. Stamped “J. T. Beckhart” twice at end of barrel. Very light wear.

Provenance: From the estate of Thomas J. Hinton. Who was a charter member of the Hempstead County Hunting Club at Grassy Lake located in TFormerly in theas. (6,000 - 8,000)

275. Duck call, James T. Beckhart, Big Lake, Arkansas, 1st quarter 20th century. Carved, checkered, and raised panels. Stamped “JT Beckhart” at end of barrel. Stopper has five carved lines which is unusual for Beckhart. Small chip and wear from use near mouthpiece; structurally very good.

(6,000 - 8,000)

276. Very rare checkered panel duck call, James T. Beckhart, Big Lake, Arkansas. Stamped “James T Beckhart” at top of barrel twice. Four panels are finely checkered. Wear around mouthpiece, otherwise very good. (8,000 - 10,000)

274275 276

Calls

The original owner of the two Beckhart calls(lots 274 & 275), on the right, after a successful day of turkey hunting, around 1910. Thomas Hinton, 1872-1952, From both Hope and Texarkana, AK. In Texarkana, Mr. Hinton worked for and eventually owned Kominsky and McFaddin, a large cotton company. Mr. Hinton was a charter member of the Hempstead County Hunting Club at Grassy Lake, Arkansas and was secretary of the club until he resigned in 1950. These two calls have been consigned by the family and were the personal calls of Mr. Hinton.

109

277. Extremely rare duck call, John E. “Sundown” Cochran, Reelfoot Lake, Tennessee, circa 1920. Three raised checkered panels. “Made by J.E. Cochran, Hornbeak, Tenn”, “Reelfoot Lake” and “$5.00” stamped in sides between checkering. Only about 10 examples like this are known, it is made in the style of a Victor Glodo. Original with light wear.

Provenance: Sold at a Guyette & Deeter, Inc. April 2012 auction. (12,000 - 14,000)

277 277

110

H.A. Mansker

277A 277A. A group of items by H.A., Mansker. Includes pair of miniature mal-lards, 1st quarter 20th century East St. Louis, Illinois. Raised and split tails. 7 1/2” long. Original paint, both with heads that have been reglued; chips to both tails; and piece of bill missing from hen; other minor rubs. A book “Just Fishing” volume one, Ray Bergman. With plates painted by Dr. Edgar burke. Signed March 1941 with inscription from Mansker. A two page advertising pamphlet by HA Mansker with information about his duck calls and decoys an original. (800 - 1,000)

Not long ago, a potential consignor from Oklahoma contacted us and described a

group of items that had been sold as made by an unkown maker, and had been in his

family for over four generations. The duck calls and decoys, now known to be made

by H.A. Mansker, have always been sold as unknown maker. However, now with the

consignment of the miniature carvings, working duck decoys, and the calls that Man-

sker promoted in his turn of the century promotional sales pamphlet, another mystery

maker has been identified.

East St. Louis, Illinois was an important destination for waterfowl at the turn of the

19th century. The confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers and the Horse

Shoe Lake area were teaming with both Canada Geese and a variety of ducks. H. A.

Mansker called this area home and listed his accomplishments as “A Market Hunter

and Trapper in the 80s and 90s.”

277

111

280. Duck call, H.A. Mansker, East St. Louis, Illinois, 1st quarter 20th century. Large barrel with octagonal shape. Two copper wires wrapped around barrel for support. Carved octagonal stopper with German silver reed. Protected by an old coat of varnish. (800 - 1,000)

281. Four duck decoys, H.A. Mansker, East St. Louis, Illinois, 1st quarter 20th century. All are hollow. Three mallard hens and one widgeon drake. One with tack eyes, the rest have glass eyes. All have raised tail carving. One hen is in a swimming pose. All are in mostly original paint with touchup to sides and other areas; neck cracks and tail chips. (800 - 1,200)

278. Two duck calls, H.A. Mansker, East St. Louis, Illinois, 1st quarter 20th century. One has octagonal barrel with two wire supports. Octagonal stopper with single wire sup-port, and German silver reed. Second is bakelight or early plastic barrel and inscribed on sides of barrel “Big Lake” and “Silver Reed”. Stopper is octagonal shape. One has barrel cracked the entire length on one side. Imperfections in wood and wear around mouthpiece. (1,200 - 1,500)

279. Duck call, H.A. Mansker, East St. Louis, Illinois, 1st quarter 20th century. Octagonal barrel with slightly shaped stopper. Single copper wire wrapped on top of bar-rel with eye hook for lanyard tie. 6$ is written on barrel. German silver reed. Protected by an old coat of varnish.

(800 - 1,200)

278

281

281

281

281

279 280

112

Provenance: Clark collection. (500 - 800)

287. Duck call, Charles Perdew, Henry, Illinois. VL&A model with tear drop panels. “CEJ” is carved in one panel. Original and good.


288. Tear drop style walnut duck call, Charles Perdew, Henry, Illinois. Carved for VL&A sporting goods store. VL&A carved in one tear drop section. A few small dents, otherwise original and good.

Provenance: O’Key collection. (900 - 1,200)

289. VL&A style duck call, Hadden Perdew, Henry, Illinois. The initials “JH” are carved into one panel. Very good and original.


290. Carved crow call, Hadden Perdew, Henry, Illinois. Relief carved tree with two crows in a nest and owl on other side. Very good and original.


291. Early duck call, Charles Perdew, Henry, Illinois. Stamped “Chas. H. Perdew & Co.” 5” long. Original and good.


292. Duck call, Hadden Perdew, Henry, Illinois. Original and good.


282. Duck call, Charles Perdew, Henry, Illinois. St. Francis VL&A style, carved and checkered. Unused; near mint.

Provenance: Formerly in the Preston collection.

Literature: “Duck Calls”, Howard Harlan and Crew Anderson, p. 87. (1,000 - 1,500)

283. Rare early crow call, Charles Perdew, Henry, Illinois. Original and good.

Provenance: Clark collection.

Literature: “Charles Perdew,” Ann Tandy Lacey, p. 60. (750 - 1,000)

283A. Rare Herter’s Factory duck call with metal band, Waseca, Minnesota. Metal band is lightly tarnished; barrel has a few light scuff marks and scratches from use; structurally good. (500 - 700)

284. Duck call with carved mallards and initials “MW” relief carved in barrel, Hadden Perdew, Henry, Illinois. Notched stopper. Very good and original.


285. Early walnut duck call, Charles Perdew, Henry, Illinois. Original and good.


286. Two red cedar duck calls, Charles Perdew, Henry, Illinois. Several small dents in one mouthpiece; other-wise good.

282

287

283A

289

285

291

283

288

284

290

286

292

113

293. Duck call, John “Sandy” Morrow, Flint, Michigan, circa 1940s. Carved and raised panels with square stop-per. And exaggerated silver dollar at top of barrel. Gun sight stopper with brass reed. Very good and original with very light wear. (1,800 - 2,200)

294. Duck call, John “Sandy” Morrow, Flint, Michigan, circa 1940s. Four checkered panels with a mahogany barrel. And multi tone cedar stopper. With German silver reed. Very slight crack at stopper to one side, otherwise very good and original. (2,250 - 2,750)

295. Very early duck call, James T. Beckhart, Big Lake, Arkansas, circa 1900. Four raised and checkered pan-els. Early model with no stamp at end of barrel and well executed silver dollar ring. Wedge block appears to be replaced, as stopper does not fit properly; small break to one side of collar; two dents on one checkered panel; light wear on most of barrel. (4,000 - 5,000)

296. Carved duck call, Charles Perdew, Henry, Illinois. One landing mallard and two flying mallards with glass eyes. Carved initials “BFI”. Amber mouthpiece. Slight wear to painted ducks; one eye is missing from landing duck, otherwise excellent condition.

Provenance: Formerly in the-Don Clark Collection.(3,000 - 5,000)

297. Call with carved mallards, Charles Perdew, Henry, Illinois. The initials “HGP” are also carved in the barrel. Red mouthpiece. Several small thin chips missing from stopper, otherwise very good and original.


298. Duck call, John “Sandy” Morrow, Flint Michigan, circa 1940. Carved cedar call with four raised panels that are not checkered. German silver reed. Pictured in Brian McGrath’s book on calls. Very good and original.

Provenance: This call was made for Mr. Orvel Day, a grocery store owner in Flint, Michigan. His store was only a few blocks from Mr. Morrow’s home. Morrow and Day were said to be friends and hunted together.

(2,000 - 2,500)

299. Fancy carved tear drop carved walnut duck call, Charles Perdew, Henry, Illinois. Carved for VL & A sporting good store and VL & A is carved in plaque form on one side. Original and good.


300. Crow call, Hadden Perdew, Henry, Illinois. Carved tree with three crows, a nest with eggs, and a owl carved on barrel. Mint; missing reed. (2,500 - 3,500)

293

297

294

298

295

299

296

300

114

304. Rare duck call, George “Skippy” Barto, Fairmont, Illinois. Cedar call with cedar stopper. Two hairline cracks or wood imperfections in barrel; wedge block, stop-per and reed may be a replacement. (800 - 1,200)

305. Extremely rare Herter’s factory crow call, Waseca, Minnesota. With metal band on barrel. Minor scratches to both barrel and metal tag and mouthpiece; from light wear. (1,200 - 1,500)

306. Early A.M. Boles duck call, Little Rock, Arkansas, circa 1940. Raised high shoulders that are individually checkered. Stamped “A.M. Boles, Little Rock, Arkansas” at top of barrel. Arkansas style stopper. Black plastic reed. Appears to be original; structurally very good.

(1,200 - 1,500)

301. Two duck calls, Hadden Perdew, Henry, Illin-ois. Original and good.


302. Two crow calls, Charles Perdew, Henry, Illin-ois. Original and good.


303. Two crow calls, one by Hadden Perdew and one by Charles Perdew. Very good and original.


303A. Special order duck and goose call, Olt Factory, Illinois. Model 66 duck call and model 77 goose call. Initials “MP”. Very good.


304

301 302 303 303A

305 306

115

307. Duck call, Kinney & Harlow, Newark, Ohio, 1900. The barrel of the call is made to imitate a hen mallard’s head with the insert being shaped like a shot shell. With the exception of the brass portion, the call is covered with leather stained to the correct colors of a hen mallard. On the top of the brass is cold stamped, “MFD. BY KINNEY & HARLOW, NEWARK, OHIO”. Some of the leather on the head was loose and has been professionally secured; areas on the top and bottom of the head where there were thin splits and the leather was missing have been filled in and touched up; the area on the bottom is about 1/2” wide or less, and runs the length of the head; the area on the top is very thin running from the bill notch to the crown; the reed and wedge block are later replacements.

Provenance: Guyette & Schmidt, Inc., April 1993, exact call before restoration; and April 2010 exact call.

Literature: “Duck Calls An Enduring American Folk Art”, Howard L. Harlan and W. Crew Anderson, pp. 51-52.

(6,000 - 8,000)

308. Duck call, Hadden Perdew, Henry, Illinois. “MBT” initials carved in bar-rel, along with three flying ducks. Clear mouthpiece C.H. Perdew, Henry Illinois and 88 stamped at end of barrel. Near mint. (1,800 - 2,200)

307

308

307 Detail

309 Detail

309

310

116

309. Very rare widgeon drake, Nate Quillen, Rockwood, Michigan, last quarter 19th century. Inlet head and carved eyes. Branded “JCM” for JC Morse, a Pointe Mouillee club member. Original paint with moderate shrinkage and wear; thin crack through neck; lightly hit by shot.

Literature: “Decoys: A North American Survey,” Gene and Linda Kangas, p. 278, exact decoy. (6,500 - 9,500)

310. Hollow carved greenwing teal hen, William Finkle, Lake St. Clair, Michigan. “AJR” is branded in the under-side. Good scratch paint detail. Very good and original.

(4,500 - 6,500)

Michigan

311 Detail

311

117

311. Very rare rigmate pair of goldeneye, John Schweikart, Strawberry Island, Michigan. Both are slightly oversized and hollow carved with bottom board. Hen’s head is slightly rested pose, drake is more upright. Strong feather blending on breast of hen. Both in original paint; drake has small rubs on body and head, and line tie marks across back and sides; hen has a few small rubs on head. (12,000 - 15,000)

At the turn of the twentieth century, the Sch-weikarts were running a number of successful businesses, which included an ice company, a commercial fishing venture, and a tavern. Dur-ing this period of prosperity, Walter, Sr. began to search for a remote retreat where he and his sons could escape the city for some fine hunt-ing. He claimed a tiny island in the Flats and called it Strawberry. Thirteen years after his father’s death in 1904, John took ownership of this hunters’ paradise for himself.As a young man John Schweikart worked his way up in all of the family businesses. He is listed in the 1904 Detroit city directory as president of the Schweikart Boat Works. Work-ing with his brother Carl, a master boat builder, John had learned how to work with his hands and continued the family tradition of respect for craftsmanship and pride of workmanship.

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316. Miniature pair of swans, Isaac Goulette, Mt. Clemens, Michigan, circa 1940. Made as a gift to the consignor’s mother. Both have raised wingtips with carved separations between the wings. Tack eyes and curved necks. Both are 9” in length and 5 1/2” tall. Original paint that has mel-lowed; both have neck cracks, one has been reglued and small area of paint missing at that area; a few small stains.

(1,250 - 1,750)

317. Lowhead redhead drake, Nate Quillen, Rockwood, Michigan. Helmet style with “GAS” and “TER” branded in underside. Old overpaint has been removed to show traces of original paint; hollow carved with several bb’s inside; moderate wear over entire decoy much of which has bare wood exposed where paint has worn off.

(800 - 1,200)

317A. Hollow carved mallard hen, Nate Quillen, Rockwood, Michigan. Inlet head and glass eyes. Branded “JCM” for JC Morse, a Pointe Mouillee club member. Old in use repaint; thin crack through neck; professional bill repair.

(800 - 1,200)

312. Canvasback drake, George Sibley, Whitehall, Michigan. Slightly turned head. Original paint with mod-erate wear; one eye is a professional replacement; small cracks. (1,500 - 2,000)

313. Mallard hen, George Sibley, Whitehall, Michigan, circa 1900. Slightly turned head with inserted hardwood bill. Original paint with minor wear; cracks through neck base. (1,500 - 2,000)

314. Hollow carved canvasback, Nick Purdo, Detroit, Michigan. Second place winner at the International Decoy Contest, Davenport, Iowa, 1968. Contest label on underside. Detailed wingtip and tail carving. Slightly turned head. Very good and original. (950 - 1,250)

315. Rare ruddy duck, Frank Schmidt, Detroit, Michigan. Slightly turned head. Original paint with minor wear; small nails added to area on one side that was beginning to split; small amount of touchup near nails.

(1,500 - 2,500)

312

314

316

313

315

317 317A

119

318. Canvasback drake, Ferdinand Bach, Detroit, Michigan. Detailed feather carving at wing tips. “F. Bach” carved in underside. Strong original paint with a few small nicks near top of head; touchup to several small paint flakes on bill; area of wood imperfection on underside. (12,000 - 15,000)

318

318 Detail

318 Detail

For years, auction houses and collectors have understood that this rig of Bach canvasbacks was slightly different than some of the others, which are also identified as his “classic period.” The paint seems more dense or thicker. The obvious question was, had Bach repainted them? To solve the mystery, we sent this decoy to the lab at Winterthur for a paint core sample test. The results conclude that it is in fact all original and all painted at the same time, there are a few layers of primer but they are all done “in the making,” not at some later date, say after a hunting season.

319

320

120

Literature: “Fish and Fowl of the Great Lakes”, Donna Tonelli, p. 215, exact decoy pictured; Decoy Magazine, Nov/Dec, 1989, article by Donna Tonelli on Reindahl, pp. 10-15; “Canvas Decoys of North America”, Johnson p. 106-07, exact decoy pictured. (4,000 - 6,000)

320. Blackduck, Enoch Reindahl, Stoughton, Wisconsin. Slightly turned head, carved crossed wingtips and subtle feather paint detail. Reindahl’s name is painted on the underside. Original paint; good patina and minor wear; a few tiny dents. (5,000 - 8,000)

319. Extremely rare, one of only four made, Canada goose, Enoch Reindahl, Stoughton, Wisconsin, circa 1940s. Made as a field decoy, the construction is very unusual, featuring tightly sewn denim fabric from the Oshkosh Company of Wisconsin stretched over a wood frame and tacked into place and then stuffed with straw; the head is of finely carved pine and designed with a hinge allowing it to fold down when trans-porting. Excellent original paint shows little wear and a superb patinaed surface; some slight deterioration to the fabric at the extreme lower breast on one side; a circular patch roughly the size of a silver dollar on the back; overall very good structur-ally.

Wisconsin and MichiganEnoch Reindahl

Stoughton, Wisconsin

321 Detail

321

121

321. Hollow carved canvasback drake, Joseph Sieger, Tustin, Wisconsin. Well carved with long neck and arched back. Original paint with minor shrinkage and wear; small dent in one side; pro-fessional repair to a chip in one side of bill by Russ Allen.

(8,000 - 12,000)

Joseph Sieger1871 - 1959

Tustin, Wisconsin

122

322. Excellent and early hollow blue-bill hen, George Sibley, Whitehall, Michigan, last quarter 19th centu-ry. Retains original patent date stamp 1899 and a “L” initial stamped inside a diamond shaped box on the under-side. Excellent original paint shows minor wear and a nice patina; small oval shaped area on the underside has a thin second coat of white with the patent date still highly visible; struc-turally excellent.

Literature: “Fish and Fowl Decoys of the Great Lakes,” Donna Tonelli, p. 63. (4,000 - 6,000)

323. Rigmate pair of canvasbacks, George Sibley, Whitehall, Michigan. Both have slightly turned heads with inserted hardwood bills. Hen has “1899 patent applied for” stamp on side. Original piant with moderate wear; small cracks.

Literature: “Fish and Fowl of the Great Lakes,” Donna Tonelli, p. 62.

(3,500 - 4,500)

324. Rare widgeon hen, Warren Dettman, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Slightly turned head and raised carved prima-ries and secondaries. Very good and original.



t. Bluebill drake, Gus Moak, Tustin, Wisconsin. Slightly turned head. Original paint with minor dis-coloration and wear; a few small dents and shot marks. (2,500 - 3,500)

322

323

324

325

123

325A

325A Detail 325A Detail

325A. Very rare hollow carved mallard hen, Warren Dettman, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In content post with raised wingtips. Original paint with minor wear; slight separation at neck seam; a few tiny dents.

Literature: “Decoys: A North American Survey,” Gene and Linda Kangas.

(9,000 - 12,000)

This mallard, with two other Dettman decoys when originally purchased.

124

325B. Redhead drake, Homme Brothers, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, circa 1950. Carved crossed wingtips fluted tail and slightly turned head. Comb painting on back and sides. Original paint with minior shrinkage and wear; several tiny dents.

Provenance: Formerly in the collection of Dr. James McCleery. McCleery stamp on underside as well as catalog

sticker number 116. Obtained by Dr McCleery from David Spengler, Stoughton Wisconsin, 1983. (2,500 - 3,500)

325C. Rare rigmate pair of bluebills, Gus Moak, Tustin, Wisconsin, circa 1930s. Both have slightly turned heads. Original paint with minor wear; mostly on drake; drake has been lightly hit by shot. (6,000 - 9,000)

325B

325B Detail 325C Detail

325C

326 Detail

326 Detail

326

125

326. Very rare widgeon drake, Walter Pelzer, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Relief wing carving with extended wing-tips and slightly turned head. Original paint with minor wear; moderate wear on lower sides; small crack in neck; crack in underside; very lightly hit by shot. (6,500 - 9,500)

After graduating from high school in 1930, Pelzer set his sights on becoming a taxidermist. By 1935 he was fully employed by the Milwaukee Public Museum with a salary paid by the Work Progress Administration. At the museum, he was responsible for creating lifelike dioramas of wildlife. Pelzer had begun making decoys under the guidance of Owen Gromme and Warren Dettmann. His favorite ducks to hunt and eat were mallards and he later explained that this was the reason he never carved a rig of divers. He simply carved ducks for his own use. In an article from 1992 he recounted that around WWII he made a rig of six mallards, six black ducks, a pair of pintails and about four wigeon. This hen is from that rig carved in the early 1940’s. It is also pictured in the article on Walter Pelzer, page 12 of the November/ December issue of Decoy Magazine, written by Tom Bosworth.

126

Michigan. Paint has been restored; crack in underside.(350 - 450)

331. Pair of canvasbacks, Pecore Fox, Detroit, Michigan. High head model, circa late 1930s. Original and good.

Literature: “Decoys: A North American Survey,” Gene and Linda Kangas, p. 186. (400 - 600)

332. Canvasback, Ben Schmidt, Detroit, Michigan, 2nd quarter 20th century. High head with wingtip carving. Stamped “AL” four times in underside. Even wear over body, otherwise good and original.


333. Greenwing teal drake, Jim Foote, Detroit, Michigan, circa 1970. Solid body with turned head. Carved wings and primaries. Original and good. (400 - 600)

334. Canvasback drake, Gus Moak, Tustin, Wis-consin. Original paint with moderate wear; old touchup approximately 1” wide encircling the bottom edge at the body seam; fairly large bill chip missing. (650 - 950)

327. Bluewing teal hen with slightly turned head, James Walton, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Feather carving detail. Original paint with very minor wear; hairline sur-face crack in one side of head. (1,500 - 2,000)

328. Oversize widgeon drake, Roy Discher, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 2nd quarter 20th century. Detailed scratch feather painting and carved crossed wingtips. Original paint with minor wear; small dent in one side; bill has been broken off, reattached, and repainted a long time ago.



329. Lowhead style bluebill, Detroit, Michigan, circa 1900. Hollow carved with bottom board. Similar to others decoys on Harson Island. Nail holes in underside where keel was removed. Multiple layers of old gunning paint in various states of flaking, which exposed bare wood over most body and head; structurally good. (400 - 600)

330. Mallard drake, George Sibley, Whitehall,

327 328

332

329

333

330

334

331

127

335. Pair of mallards, Walter Lowry, LaCrosse, Wisconsin. Original paint with fine feather detail; very small chip missing at top of drake’s tail; several small dents in hen’s bill.


336. Rare ringneck hen, Miles Pirnie, East Lansing, Michigan. “MDP” carved in underside. Very good and original.

(1,500 - 2,500)

337. Pair of bluebills, Fritz Geiger, Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Both are hollow carved with slightly turned heads. Original paint with minor to moderate wear on drake, moderate on hen; a few small dents.

(2,000 - 2,500)

337A. Pair of bluebills from Wisconsin. Original paint with moderate shrinkage and wear; black area on drake has old repaint; small dents. (600 - 900)

338. Rigmate pair of oversize bluebills, Frank Strey, Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Original paint; minor wear; small cracks and shot marks. (1,250 - 1,750)

335

336

337

338337A

128

339. Pair of pintails George Frederick Jr., Davant, Lousiana. Cypress root construction with hen in preening pose. Original paint with very minor wear; structurally good.

Literature: “Voices from the Bayou,” Charles Frank, p. 143. (2,000 - 3,000)

340. Pair of bluewing teal, Dewey and Tatie Pertuit, Raceland, Lousiana. Incised wing carving. Original paint with slight wear; thin crack in hen’s bill.

Literature: “Lousiana Lures and Legends,” Brian Cheramie, p. 64.

(1,000 - 1,400)

341. Mallard hen, Mitchell LaFrance, New Orleans, Lousiana. Branded “Stott” in underside. Tiny chip missing from one edge of bill otherwise excellent and origi-nal. (2,000 - 2,500)

342. Pair of mallards, George Frederick, Jr. Davant Lousiana. Cypress root construction with turned heads. Hen is signed. Near mint original paint; struc-turally very good.

Literature: “Voices from the Bayou,” Charles Frank, 143. (2,000 - 3,000)

339

340

341

342

Louisiana

343 Detail

129

343. Very rare preening pintail drake, by a member of the Vizier Family, Galliano, Louisiana, 1st quarter 20th century. Raised “V” carved wingtips and slightly lifted tail. Original paint with minor wear; structurally good.


Literature: “Louisiana Lures and Legends,” Brian Cheramie, p. 97. (12,000 - 15,000)

343

343 Detail

130

344. Very rare pintail drake, Domingo Campo, Shell Beach, Louisiana. Relief wing carving and pol-ished bamboo eyes. Original paint with moderate wear; structurally good.

Literature: “Louisiana Lures and Legends,” Brian Cheramie, p. 240. “Decoys of the Mississippi Flyway,” Alan Haid, 224.

(5,000 - 8,000)

344A. Mallard hen in preening pose, similar to the work of Antonaise St. Germain, Delacroix Island, Louisiana. This decoy has been on display in sev-eral museums including the Huntsville Museum in Alabama and the Jacksonville Museum in Florida. Relief wing carving and good feather paint detail. Original paint with minor flaking and wear; small defect in wood on one side near speculum; another defect in the wood on one side of breast.

Provenance: Formerly in the collection of David Galliher.

Literature: “Louisiana Lures and Legends,” Brian Cheramie, p. 256. (3,000 - 4,000)

344

344A

131

345. Black coot, Amiel Hebert, Houma, Louisiana. Near mint original paint; structurally good.

Literature: “Voices from the Bayou,” Charles Frank, p. 243. (400 - 600)

346. Bluewing teal hen, Xavier Bourg, LaRose, Louisiana. Original paint with minor to moderate wear; crack in neck; neck seat filled with glue a long time ago; some of the filler there is missing; a few small tail chips and a few tiny dents.

Literature: “Louisiana Lures and Legends,” Brian Cheramie, p. 70. (500 - 800)

347. Pair of bluebills, Laurent Verdin, Bayou Blue, Louisiana. Unused. Near mint original paint on drake; some flaking on lower sides of hen; structurally good.

Literature: “Louisiana Lures and Legends,” Brian Cheramie, p. 32. (600 - 900)

348. Rare preening mallard hen, Mitchell LaFrance, Charles Frederick, and Charles Joefrau, St. Sophie, Louisiana, circa 1930s. Relief wing carving. Original paint with minor wear on most of the decoy; hit by shot; small chip missing from one side of tail; head is a profes-sional replacement.

Literature: “Louisiana Lures and Legends,” Brian Cheramie, p. 182. (800 - 1,200)

349. Two flying wooden geese with metal wings, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, circa 1960s. Weathered surface; small cracks; one has rough area on underside.


345

347

349 349

346

348

132

354. Hollow carved brant decoy, circa 1980s. Signed “M.S. McNair,” but not made by him. Relief wingtip carv-ing. Original paint that has been aged. (400 - 600)

355. Pair of redheads carved in the style of Elmer Crowell, Marty Collins, Bridgewater, Massachusetts. Carved, crossed wingtips, fluted tails and slightly turned heads. Original paint with very minor wear; a few tiny dents. (400 - 600)

356. Brant, Bob White, Tullytown, Pennsylvania. Inset cir-cular weight and tack eyes. Original paint with minor wear; small amount of paint bubbling under tail and on underside; a few small paint rubs. (450 - 550)

357. Standing wood duck, Clarence Fennimore. Signed and stamped on underside of bird. Slightly turned head. Relief wing carving. Very good and original. (350 - 450)

358. Pair of bluebills, Pete Peterson, Cape Charles, Virginia. Signed and dated 1990. Both have inlet heads. Very good and original. (350 - 550)

350. Reproduction of a red throated loon, Reggie Birch, Chincoteague, Virginia. Signed. Original paint that has been aged; structurally good. (650 - 950)

351. Gus Wilson style scoter, Steve Morey, Tuckerton, New Jersey. Hollow carved with inlet head and relief wing carving. Carved eyes and open bill with mussel. Original paint that has been aged; a few small dents. (800 - 1,200)

352. Canvasback drake, Corbin Reed, Cape Charles, Virginia. “Reed” stamp in underside. Relief wing carving with tucked feet. Slight separation at body seam, other-wise very good and original.

Provenance: Milne collection. (400 - 600)

353. Bluewing teal drake, Corbin Reed, Cape Charles, Virginia. Tucked feet on sides. Signed “J Corb Reed 83 to Hutch”. Very good and original.

Provenance: Milne collection. (400 - 600)

356

353

350

357

354

351

358

355

352

Contemporary

133

364. Large dove, Cigar Daisey, Chincoteague, Virginia. Branded and signed. Number 90. Also signed on the base. Relief wing carving. Very good and original.

(500 - 700)

365. Redhead, Cigar Daisey, Chincoteague, Virginia. Relief wingtip carving and fluted tail. Branded and signed. Very good and original. (400 - 600)

366. Dove, Cigar Daisey, Chincoteague, Virginia. Branded and signed. Relief wing carving. Very good and original.

(350 - 450)

370. Two decoy weights, Cigar Daisey, Chincoteague, Virginia. “Cigar” is stamped in each one. Very good and original. (75 - 100)

359. Canvasback drake, Ian and Mark McNair. Signed for Eastern Shore DU 2008. Relief wingtip carving. Very good and original. (600 - 900)

360. Pair of pintails, Grayson Chesser, Jenkins Bridge, Virginia. Large “C” carved in undersides. Minor paint shrinkage on hen, otherwise very good and original.

(350 - 450)

361. Pair of bluebills, Cigar Daisey, Chincoteague, Virginia. Branded and signed. Detailed relief wing carv-ing and fluted tail. Very good and original. (800 - 1,200)

362. Pair of ruddy ducks, Cigar Daisey, Chincoteague, Virginia. Branded and signed. Incised wingtip carving, rasped surface. (650 - 850)

363. Pair of buffleheads with tucked heads, Cigar Daisey,

Chincoteague, Virginia. Branded and signed. No wingtip carving. Very good and original. (600 - 900)

365

362

359

366

363

360

370

364

361

134

374. Mallard hen, Henry Holmes, Bureau, Illinois last quar-ter 19th century. “OT” brand under tail. Original paint with minor shrinkage and wear; weight is missing; a few tiny dents. (800 - 1,200)

375. Mallard drake, Hec Whittington Ogelsby, Illinois, circa 1930s. Head is slightly turned and in feeding pose. Original paint with minor shrinkage and wear; sig-nificant paint shrinkage on head; a few tiny dents.

(800 - 1,200)

376. Mallard drake, Fred Allen, Monmouth, Illinois, last quarter 19th century. “Burkhard St. Paul” is stamped in the weight. Worn original paint; small shot mark on bill.

(800 - 1,200)

371. Pintail drake, Charles Perdew, Henry, Illinois. Rare early “deep V body” style. Old repaint; neck crack repair; a few small dents.


372. Sleeping mallard drake, Cline McAlpin, Chicago, Illinois. McAlpin weight on underside. Branded “JHD” for John Dunham. Very good and original. (800 - 1,200)

373. Balsa owl, John Hyatt, Pekin, Illinois, 2nd quarter 20th century. Original paint with minor wear; wear at the end of each horn tuft; chip missing from one that has been glued back in; several dents in back with paint loss.


371

373

375

372

374

376

Illinois River

135

sides. Original paint with significant paint shrinkage and minor wear; structurally good. (650 - 850)

382. Rare coot, Otto Garren, Peoria, Illinois. Original paint with very slight wear; professional repair to a thin chip missing from the underside of the bill. (600 - 900)

383. Bluebill hen, William Lohrmann, Peoria, Illinois, 1st quarter 20th century. Good feather detail on breast. Protected by a coat of varnish; possible heat expo-sure to area around missing weight, which has bubbled some of the surface. (400 - 600)

384. Canvasback drake, Robert Elliston, Bureau, Illinois. Paint has been restored in the Elliston style; Elliston weight on underside. (350 - 450)

385. Pintail drake, Perry Wilcoxin, Liverpool, Illinois, circa 1900. Original paint with good comb detail and minor wear; long thin chips missing from one side of bill with touchup.

Literature: “Decoys and Decoy Carvers of Illinois,” Paul Parmalee and Forest Loomis, p. 412. (350 - 550)

377. Greenwing teal drake, Charles Perdew, Henry, Illinois. Original paint with significant shrinkage and minor wear; some areas of touchup; bill is a professional replacement.


378. Pintail drake, Jack Swartz, Peoria, Illinois. Original paint with moderate discoloration and wear; a few small dents; crack through neck; repaint on head.


379. Mallard hen, Charles Walker, Princeton, Illinois. Orig-inal paint with minor wear on much of the decoy; lower half and speculums have been repainted as well as part of the head; crack through neck and through bill. (650 - 950)

380. Pintail drake from Lacon, Illinois. Working repaint on white areas and bill, the rest has original paint with mod-erate discoloration and wear; a few small dents.

(650 - 950)

381. Mallard drake, Henry Holmes, Bureau, Illinois, last quarter 19th century. Thick comb painting on back and

380

383

377

381

384

378

382

385

379

136

385A. Classic bluebill drake, Robert Elliston, Bureau, Illinois, circa, 1880s. Fine combing and feather paint detail. Professional repair to a crack through the neck with tou-chup in that area; a few tiny dents.

Literature: “Decoys of the Mississippi Flyway,” Alan Haid. (4,000 - 6,000)

385B. Rare greenwing teal hen, Charles Schoenheider, Sr., Peoria, Illinois, 1st quarter 20th century. Original paint with minor wear; numerous small dents in back; rough-ness to edge of tail.

Provenance: From the Schoenheider Family.

Literature: “Decoys of the Mississippi Flyway,” Alan Haid. (5,000 - 7,000)

385A

385B

385A Detail 385B Detail

137

Ontario

385C. Hollow carved canvasback drake, Ivar Fernlund, Hamilton, Ontario. Original paint with minor to moderate wear; a few small dents and shot marks; some working touchup to part of the bill; thin sliver of wood missing from neck base.

Literature: Decoys of Southwest Ontario,” Paul Brisco. (2,500 - 3,000)

385D. Hollow carved black duck, William Chrysler, Bellville, Ontario. Original paint with minor wear; professional bill repair. (2,000 - 2,500)

385E. Redhead hen, George Warin, Toronto, Ontario, last quarter 19th century. Written on underside “J.L. Rhoades” in fancy script. Original paint with traces of feathering on back; tight check at back running through tail; head has sepa-rated slightly from body; three shot scars; numerous areas where rubs have exposed bare wood.


385F. Rare hollow carved black duck, Fred Croft, Prince Edward County, Ontario. “FC” and “JHL” stamped in underside. Original paint with minor to moderate wear; hit by shot on one side; shot scars on back; shot scar at end of bill.

(1,000 - 1,400)

385C

385D

385E

385F

138

386. Early pintail drake, George Warin, Toronto, Ontario, last quarter 19th century. Hollow with bottom board. Branded “W.A.A.” for William A. Allen, a member at both St. Clair Flats and Long Point Clubs. At one time this decoy was covered in canvas by a member of the Reeves family. Barney Crandall removed the canvas to expose the original paint patterns. Rough areas on bill have been restored with wood filler; numerous shot marks; old paint that has crazed heavily; in the making repair near one wing patch.

Literature: Decoy Magazine, May 1997, p. 12 exact decoy. (2,000 - 2,500)

387. Hollow carved mallard drake, John R. Wells, Toronto, Ontario. Slightly turned head. Original paint with minor to moder-ate discoloration and wear; hit by shot on one side; slight roughness to edge of tail; chip missing from one eye. (2,000 - 3,000)

388. Redhead hen, Ken Anger, Dunnville, Ontario, 2nd quarter 20th centu-ry. Excellent and original.

(2,000 - 2,500)

389. Very rare solid body bluebill hen, Tom Chambers, Toronto, Ontario, 1st quarter 20th century. Branded “Thos Chambers Maker” and “J.T. McMillan” on underside. Strong original paint with check running from breast through tail; nine small shot scars; a few small areas of rubs and paint loss on body, neck and back of head.

Provenance: Seitz collection.(2,000 - 2,500)

386

387

388

389

139

390. Redhead drake, Tom Chambers, Toronto, Ontario, 1st quarter 20th century. Branded “F.T. M.” on underside. Fine comb painting with visible wing patches and feather-ing on sides. Strong original paint; a few small dents and scrapes; one shot mark. (1,800 - 2,500)

391. Hollow carved mallard drake from Ontario. Branded “HNT” and “Meredith”. Both were Long Point Club mem-bers. Old working repaint with some original showing; cracks in neck. (1,250 - 1,750)

392. Bluebill drake, Iver Fernland, Hamilton, Ontario, 1st quarter 20th century. Hollow with bottom board. Head is slightly turned. Strong combing on back. Thick original paint; numerous chips on body and head, including sev-eral shot marks. (1,500 - 1,800)

393. Black duck, Ed McNeil, Gananaque, Ontario. Solid body with raised neck seat. Painted “BH” brand on under-side. Grooved eye carving. Very similar to the work of

Chauncey Wheeler. Strong original paint; crack running from the breast to back of tail, appears to have been filled in the making; several other stress fractures running up the back of the neck; a few rubs have exposed bare wood on both body and top of head; slight roughness at edge of tail and end of bill. (1,500 - 1,800)

394. Redhead drake, Tom Chambers, Toronto, Ontario, 1st quarter 20th century. Hollow body with bottom board. Branded “G. M. Hendrie”, for George Hendrie, St. Clair Flats Shooting Club member 1889 - 1943. Early style with rounder head and sharp cut diamond nostrils. Strong origi-nal paint; six shot marks; small area of paint loss on head; wear to body. (1,500 - 2,000)

395. Stylish canvasback drake, James Barr, Hamilton, Ontario. Hollow construction with bottom board. Well carved head and bill. Strong original paint; several shot marks in body and rubs that have exposed primer coat on head and body; some light gunning wear. (1,500 - 2,000)

390

392

394

391

393

395

140

area of filler around hen’s neck is missing, and slight sepa-ration.

Literature: “St. Clair to St. Lawrence,” Barny Crandall, p. 101. (500 - 800)

401. Black duck, Harve Davern, Brighton, Ontario. Copper tag on bottom reads “Albert Grimm, Brackenridge, Pennsylvania.” Strong original paint with comb painting on head; light wear at edge of bill; and tail; flaking on head; small area of flaking on bill. (500 - 700)

402. Black duck, Bill Chandler, Toronto, Ontario. Stamped “Chandler” on underside. Chandler was a member of the Toronto Gun Club in Georgian Bay. Also stamped “Chandler” behind neck, on body. Chip to side of body, approximately the size of a dime; several shot scars; wear at edge of tail; small rough area at underside of tip of bill.

Provenance: “Ontario Decoys,” Bernie Gates, p. 52, exact decoy. (400 - 600)

403. Mallard drake from the Toronto area, 1st quarter 20th century. Tack eyes. “JSF” is carved in the under-side. Original paint with minor shrinkage and wear; moderate shrinkage on sides of head; a few small dents and shot marks; roughness on one edge of tail. (400 - 600)

404. Solid body redhead from the Toronto area. Worn origi-nal paint on body; old touchup on head; hit by shot.

(400 - 600)

396. Large bluebill drake from Eastern Ontario. Relief wing carving with good detail. Original paint with minor wear; a few small dents. (500 - 800)

397. Black duck, John R. Wells, Toronto, Ontario, 1st quarter 20th century. Hollow with bottom board. Scratch painting on head. Subtle wing patch painting on back. Paint is mostly restored, however there are traces of original patterns and paint on body and head; tail chip repair and some filler added at tip of bill.


398. Very rare bluebill drake, John Reeves, Long Point, Ontario. Classic John Reeves form. Solid body and tack eyes. Original paint on body and head with the exception of strengthening of gray paint on sides; numerous shot marks; slivers of wood missing from underside and side of bill, as well as top of head; several shot scars in body and head; areas of paint loss on body, tail and head.

(600 - 800)

399. Pair of bluebills, Reg Bloom, Wellesley Island, Ontario. Both have very slightly turned heads. Near mint original paint; structurally very good. (550 - 850)

400. Two goldeneye from Long Point Bay, Ontario, 1st quarter 20th century. So called “club head” style. Slightly different body style, but same head. Appear to be from same maker. Glass eyes. Mostly original paint; both are worn from heavy use; numerous shot marks; small dents and rubs; crack in neck of drake has been reglued;

399

402

396

400

403

397

401

404

398

141

lightly hit by shot; fairly large chip missing from underside of bill.

Provenance: Shippee collection. (350 - 450)

410. Hollow carved mallard, George Warin, Toronto, Ontario, last quarter 19th century. Old in use repaint; small tail chip missing.


411. Large hollow carved black duck from Ontario, last quarter 19th century. Slightly turned head. Old in use repaint; small cracks in head and body; a few tiny dents.


412. Hollow carved bluebill drake from Ontario. Raised neck seat with slightly turned head and tack eyes. Original paint with moderate wear; a few tiny dents.


413. Black duck, Harve Davern, 2nd quarter 20th cen-tury. Scratch painting on head and body. Original paint with touchup at one wing patch; numerous shot scars to body; tail is chipped and damaged; small shot scars to head and body. (300 - 500)

405. Two decoys, Toronto School, 1st quarter 20th cen-tury. Mallard drake similar to Tom chambers, old paint is mostly worn off, hollow carved with bottom board. Redhead hen, similar to work of JR Wells, branded “C.S.H.” in underside. Small amount of original paint left on body, grey on back and bill both appear to be old repaint, hollow carved with bottom board, several shot marks including one that has penetrated through body, rough areas on head and tail; both eyes are missing; con-siderable wear and a few shot marks. (400 - 600)

406. Bluebill drake, Harve Davern, Brighton, Ontario. Excellent comb painting on back. Copper tag on bottom reads “Albert Grimm, Brackenridge, Pennsylvania.” Slightly turned head. Very good and origi-nal; very tiny chip missing from underside of bill.

(400 - 600)

407. Pair of bluebills, Gordon Brett, Smith Falls, Ontario. Very good and original. (350 - 450)

408. Early style black duck, Ken Anger, Dunnville, Ontario. Original paint with minor wear; a few small dents; bill crack repair. (350 - 450)

409. Hollow carved black duck with long neck, John R. Wells, Toronto, Ontario, circa 1900. Old in use repaint;

408

411

405

409

412

406

410

413

407

End of Session One

142

Session TwoFriday, April 24, 2015 – 10:00 AM

414

DecorativesWard BrothersCrisfield, Maryland

414 Detail

Photo of Lem Ward taken by Bus Humphreys in 1941

414

414 Detail

414. Very rare full size landing mal-lard, Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland, circa late 1930s. Feet out, extended wings, and slightly turned head. Secondaries are made from peach basket staves. Curved tail sprigs. Original paint with good patina and very minor wear; minor to moderate paint shrinkage in lower neck area.

Literature: “Ward Brothers Decoys,” Ron Gard and Brian McGrath, p. 81.

(20,000 - 30,000)

144

415. Decorative greenwing teal hen, Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Signed and dated 1967. Slightly turned head. Raised carved wingtips and fanned tail. Very good and original.

Provenance: Miller collection. Purchased from Davison Hawthorne around 1970. (4,500 - 6,500)

415 Detail

415 Detail

415

416. Decorative pair of wood ducks, Ben Schmidt, Detroit, Michigan. Both have slight-ly turned heads. Leather on undersides appears to be original. Decoys are not painted under the leather. Very good and original. (10,000 - 14,000)


416

145

416A. Wooden “bird” lamp, John Hyatt, Pekin, Illinois. Lamp stand is a tree with 8 carved wooden birds on it. Very good and original.


416B. Bird carving, noted folk artist Albert Zahn, circa 1920. Zahn was known for decorating his home in Baileys Harbor, Wisconsin, which was eventually added to the National Historic Places Register. Zahn was known for his bird forms as well as whirligigs and other creative figures. This bird with wire legs mounted on board measures 14” has inserted, tail shoulder and wing carving. Painted with two shades of brown. Has flaking on top of back and tail, small rubs at head; small area of flaking at neck; approximately 50% green paint on board worn off. (2,000 - 3,000)

417. Hollow carved widgeon drake, William Schultz. Signed “For Jeff Smith, 1971”. Keel is missing. slightly raised wingtips and good feather paint detail. Very good and original.

(3,000 - 4,000)

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417

416B

416A

418. Full size flying greenwing teal drake, Delbert Hudson, Chincoteague, Virginia. Signed and dated 1949. Original paint with good pati-na and very little wear; no structural flaws.

Provenance: Private Chincoteague, Virginia collection. O’Key collection.

(2,500 - 3,500)

419. Very rare barnacle goose, Tom Schroeder, Detroit, Michigan. Holl-owed out from the underside and slightly turned head. Original paint protected by an old coat of varnish; structurally very good. (3,000 - 4,000)

420. Standing wood duck drake, Charles Hart, Gloucester, Massachus-etts. Detailed feather carving. Very good and original. (3,000 - 4,000)

418

419

420

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148

421. Standing greenwing teal hen, Lloyd Sterling, Crisfield, Maryland. Slightly turned head and peach basket stave wings. Original paint with minor wear; cracks in filler at neck seat and thighs; small cracks in underside; paint loss on much of the wings. (2,000 - 3,000)

422. “The Alarm,” a 1/2 size black duck carved by Roland Clark. Very good and original. (1,500 - 2,500)

423. Morning dove, John Scheeler, Mays Landing, New Jersey. Carved in a “ready to take flight” pose. Perched on a branch. Base has a metal plaque that reads “Morning dove created by John Scheeler”. Wings are carved and lifted away from the body. Tail is slightly cocked to one side. Carving and feather painting depict excellent muscle structure. Near mint in all respects. (2,500 - 3,500)

424. Carved emperor penguin, Charles Hart, Gloucester, Massachusetts, circa 1930s. Approximately 6 1/2” tall. Original paint with good patina and very slight wear; wings are slightly loose; old repair to a small chip at the tip of the bill. (1,500 - 2,500)

425. Two carved wrens on tree fungus bases, last quarter 19th century. Both have slightly turned heads and good carving detail. The larger one has a slight separation in the head; the smaller one has a knot that has raised in one side. (2,000 - 3,000)

426. Half size swan with raised wings, John Hyatt, Pekin, Illinois. Slightly turned head. Slight separation at neck seam, otherwise very good and original; several tiny chips in feathers at wingtips.


425 426

424423

422421

427. One of a kind pair of Canada goose bookends, Shang Wheeler, Stratford, Connecticut. Full size hollow carved decoys with slightly turned heads. On hard-wood bases. Approximately 12” tall and 10” wide. Original paint with very minor wear; a few specks of off white paint splattered on the bodies.

Literature: “Shang,” Dixon Merkt, p. 223. (12,500 - 17,500)

427

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428 Detail

428 Detail

428 Detail

Chauncey Wheeler1862 - 1937

Alexandria Bay, New York

Only a handful of early twentieth century carvers challenged their skill set, by attempting to make complicated decorative items. Names that quickly

come to mind include Elmer Crowell, Ira Hudson, Gus Wilson and Chauncey Wheeler. Wheelers output probably puts him at the top, for making full

size, wing out flying ducks. The rarest of these carving are the double wing, suspended, full-size flyers. It is Wheelers literal interpretation and execution

that accurately and amazingly captures these birds in flight. Less than ten full size flyers are known and this is the only canvasback in original paint.

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428. Extremely rare full size flying canvasback drake, Chauncey Wheeler, Alexandria Bay, New York. Approximately 22 1/2” long. Fine carving detail with good combing on back and wings. Original paint with good patina and very slight wear; the four body pegs have raised slightly; small amount of discoloration under one wing joint; slight roughness at the tip of each wing; professional touchup on part of each foot, as well as small areas under bill and on top of tail.

Provenance: Originally found in a bar in South Dakota.

Literature: “Decoys: A North American Survey,” Gene and Linda Kangas. “Chance,” Harold W. Reiser, page 80, exact decoy. (35,000 - 45,000)

428

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428A. Pair of doves, Harold Haertel, Dundee, Illinois. One has slightly turned head, the other is in rare preening pose. Very good and original.


429. Highhead wood duck drake, Joe Wooster, Buckeye Lake, Ohio. Signed and dated 1985 on underside. Hollow carved with raised and split wingtips, detailed feather carv-ing on back and tail. Excellent. (800 - 1,000)

430. Full size flying mallard, John Hyatt, Pekin, Illinois. Good carving detail. Original paint with a few flakes missing and good patina; structurally very good.


431. 1/4 size swan, Harold Haertel, Dundee, Illinois. Signed and dated 1966. Subtle feather paint detail. Original paint with a few small rubs; structurally very good.


432. 1/8 size feeding trumpeter swan, Harold Haertel, Dundee, Illinois. Approximately 9 1/2” long. Signed and dated 1966. Very good and original.


433. 1/8 size trumpeter swan, Harold Haertel, Dundee, Illinois. Approximately 10” long. Signed and dated 1967. Very slight discoloration, otherwise very good and original.


432 433

431430

429428A

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434. Decorative pair of ruddy ducks, Joe Wooster, Buckeye Lake, Ohio. Both are signed and dated 1983. Hollow carved with detailed wing tail and feather carving. Rasping on head and fine brush feather painting on body. Excellent and original; drake has pencil eraser size chip to paint on one side of body. (1,200 - 1,500)

435. Two full size cardinals on carved logs, John Hyatt, Pekin, Illinois. Very good and original.


436. Three 1/4 size ducks John Hyatt, Pekin, Illinois. Pintail drake, shoveler drake and wood duck drake. Minor rough-ness to neck base of pintail, and minor discoloration on pintail’s breast; very minor paint shrinkage on shoveler’s breast otherwise good and original.


437. Decorative yellowlegs, Al Glassford, Smith Falls, Ontario. Signed to Jeff Smith 1971. Good carving detail. Very good and original. (1,250 - 1,750)

438. Pair of 1/2 size mallards, Charles Perdew, Henry, Illinois. Both have raised carved wingtips and slightly turned head. Each has a crack through the neck; drake has top of tail sprig missing and chip missing from underside of bill.

Provenance: From an estate in New Mexico.(1,000 - 1,400)

439. Widgeon hen, Harold Haertel, Dundee Illinois. “HH” stamped in underside. Original paint with minor wear; structurally good. (1,000 - 1,500)

438 439

437436

435434

440 442

441 443

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440. Decorative wood duck drake, Jim Schmiedlin, Bradfordwoods, Pennsylvania. Signed and dated 1981. Slightly turned and lifted head. Detailed feather carving with crossed wingtips. Very good and original.

(6,000 - 8,000)

441. Very rare decorative black bellied tree duck, Jim Schmiedlin, Bradfordwoods, Pennsylvania. Signed and dated by Jim, 1984 on underside. Slightly turned head with carved primaries and secondaries. A very rare species for this maker. Near mint in all respects. (4,000 - 6,000)

Jim SchmiedlinBradfordwoods, Pennsylvania

442

443

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442. Mallard drake, Jim Schmiedlin, Bradfordwoods, Pennsylvania. Branded “JAS” in underside. Includes “Reward for return”. Carved crossed wingtips and slightly turned head. Hollow. Very good and original.

(3,000 - 4,000)

443. Old squaw drake, Jim Schmiedlin, Bradfordwoods, Pennsylvania. Signed and dated 1988. Slightly turned head. Original paint with some wear to the black areas; small scratch in head.

Literature: “Decoy Magazine,” May/June 1999, p. 34, exact decoy. (5,000 - 7,000)

156

444. Rigmate pair of redheads, Jim Schmiedlin, Bradfordwoods, Pennsylvania. Both are stamped “JAS” in underside and dated 8/05. Both have turned heads, carved shoulders, and upswept tails. Both are near mint.

(6,000 - 8,000)

445. Common Scoter, Jim Schmiedlin, Bradfordwoods, Pennsylvania. Hollow carved with “JAS” brand in under-side. Notes in pencil indicate “Ocean 86-96, Long Island 96, and weighed, 10-86”. Slightly turned head and well carved bill. Original paint with very light edge wear and minor seam separation at bottom board. (3,000 - 4,000)

444

445

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446. Rigmate pair of pintails, Bert Graves, Peoria, Illinois. Both retain Graves weight. Original paint with minor wear; worn area at center of one side of drake; very slight rough-ness to edges of bills. (4,000 - 6,000)

447. Mallard drake, Charles Perdew, Henry, Illinois. Very slightly turned head. Near mint original paint on most of decoy; several small scrapes to primer on head and breast.


448. Early and well carved pintail drake, P.O. Drury, New Boston, Illinois, 1st quarter 20th centu-ry. Underside is stamped “Made by P.O. Drury, New Boston, Illinois”. Painted in red is “PJC” on underside. And someone has written “Painted by Craig Small”. Hollow carved with inset weights and line tie. Excellent combing on back and sides. Slightly turned head. Original paint; a few rubs and dents; small rough spot to one area of bill. (4,000 - 6,000)

446

447

448

448 Detail

Illinois River

Charles Schoenheider, Sr.1858 - 1944

Peoria, Illinois

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449 Detail

While best known for his standing “ice duck” carvings, Charles Schoenheider also created a number of traditional gunning decoys.

The floaters he made are all in the typical Illinois River style, two piece bodies and hollow. They have been described as delicate and graceful and at the same time very functional. The best Schoenheider decoys, including all of the ice ducks, were painted by his friend and hunting partner, Jack Franks. This pair of pintails were carved by Schoenheider and painted by Franks around 1915.

Charles Schoenheider, Sr. posing with his daily bag of ringbills, redheads, mallards and teal

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449. Rigmate pair of pintails, Charles Schoenheider, Sr., Peoria Illinois, last quarter 19th century. Original paint with minor discoloration and wear; both have minor roughness to ends of bills and numerous small dents; drake has a thin crack in the neck.

Literature: “Decoys of the Mississippi Flyway,” Alan Haid, p. (8,000 - 12,000)

449

This rigmate pair of Charles Schoenheider pintails is one of three pairs known to exist. They

have been handed down through the family of Richard Guy Kneedler, Sr., of Collinsville,

Illinois. Kneedler graduated from high school in 1889, passed the Illinois bar and was

eventually elected to the position of Collisnville, IL Mayor in 1911. Hi son, Richard G.

Kneedler Jr. was an avid duck hunter and also was an amateur painter of duck hunting scenes,

automobiles and horse racing scenes. Richard Kneedler Jr., passed these decoys to his only

daughter, Joan Kneedler Westerhausen, who in turn passed them down to one of her daughters,

Sydney W. Campbell, owner. They have never been outside of the family.

160

451. Pair of mallards, Bert Graves, Peoria, Illinois. Original paint with minor wear; hen has a small shot scar on the top of the head and a few tiny dents; drake has origi-nal paint with minor wear, scratch in back, and a few tiny dents. (3,500 - 5,500)

452. Pintail drake, Charles Perdew, Henry, Illinois. Retains Perdew weight. Original paint with minor wear; old repaint on white area; structurally good.

(3,500 - 4,500)

453. Mallard drake, Charles Perdew, Henry, Illinois. From the Ziegele rig. Branded “JNZ”. Near mint original paint; small amount of varnish on underside; weight has been removed. (3,000 - 4,000)

453A. Mallard hen, Charles Perdew, Henry, Illinois. Head is turned approximately 10 degrees. Near mint original paint; weight has been removed. (3,000 - 4,000)

451

452

453

453A

454

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454. Rigmate pair of early “white sided” mallards, Bert Graves, Peoria, Illinois. From the Caswell rig. Both are branded CJC twice. Original paint with very slight wear; a few tiny dents.



454 Detail

454 Detail

Bert Graves1887 - 1956

Peoria, Illinois

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455. Pair of Shang Wheeler style pintails, Hec Whittington, Ogelsby, Illinois. One is signed and dated 1949 and marked 3rd place. The other is signed and dated 1967. Both have unusual turned heads. Original paint with a few small flakes missing, mostly on drake; structurally good.


457. Mallard drake, Charles Walker, Princeton, Illinois. Relief wing carving. “25” on the underside for the Zearing rig. Original paint protected by an old coat of varnish; touchup on head and speculums; hairline crack through neck. (2,500 - 3,500)

458. Pair of cork body pintails, Harold Haertel, Dundee, Illinois. Very good and original.


459. Mallard duckling, Charles Walker, Princeton, Illinois. Very slightly turned head. One of only six known. Near mint original paint with good patina.


460. Pintail drake, Robert Elliston, Bureau, Illinois, last quarter 19th century. Mixture of original paint with minor wear and old touchup; small dents; small rough area to one edge of bill.


460459

458457

455455

461

461 Detail

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461. Set of four crow decoys, Charles Perdew, Henry, Illinois. Three are on wire legs with slightly turned heads. One is set on a post with metal wings that flap and mouth that opens when string is pulled. Original paint with minor wear; small cracks in standing crows; one has a small tail chip missing and a repair to a chip to underside of bill; another has piece of bill broken off and reattached; paint missing from metal wings on flapping crow; a few small dents. (12,000 - 16,000)

462 Detail

462 Detail

462 Detail

Ward BrothersCrisfield, Maryland

John James Audubon

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462

462. Important goldeneye drake, Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. 1928 model with turned and slightly cocked head. Exceptional form and patina. Original paint with very minor discoloration and wear; slight roughness to edges of bill; thin crack in underside.

Literature: “Ward Brothers Decoys, “ Ron Gard and Brian McGrath, p. 33.(60,000 - 80,000)

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463. Very rare 1928 model goldeneye hen, Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Slightly turned head and good feather paint detail. Original paint with minor discol-oration and wear; a few tiny dents.

Literature: “Ward Brothers Decoys,” Ron Gard and Brian McGrath, p. 30.(25,000 - 35,000)

463 Detail


463

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464. Rare pintail hen, James Holly, Havre de Grace, Maryland, last quarter 19th century. Original paint with good detail and moderate wear; a few small dents.

Literature: “Decoys of the Mid Atlantic Region,” Henry Fleckenstein, Jr., 88. (4,000 - 6,000)

465. Balsa body pintail drake, Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Original paint with moderate wear; some roughness to balsa; crack through neck base; professional bill repair. (600 - 900)

466. Balsa body black duck, Ward Brothers, Crisfield,

Maryland. Numerous dents in balsa; rough area on tail.(900 - 1,200)

467. 1936 model canvasback drake, Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Old in use repaint; professional bill repair; cracks in neck. (900 - 1,200)

468. Canvasback drake, John Holly, Havre de Grace, Maryland, last quarter 19th century. Old in use repaint; crack through neck; crack near tail and in under-side.

Provenance: Formerly in the collection of Henry Fleckenstein, Jr. “F” brand in underside. (900 - 1,200)

468467

466465

464

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469. Classic 1936 model bluebill drake, Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Slightly turned head. Thick original paint with very slight discoloration and wear; never used; crack in underside; professional repair to a chip in one side of the tail and a small crack in the bill by Russ Allen. (10,000 - 14,000)

469

469 Detail

469 Detail

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470. Mallard drake, Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. 1936 model with slightly turned head. A few small smudges of black paint on lower side, otherwise very good and original; decoy appears to have been rigged but never used.

Provenance: Proportedly sold by a sporting goods store in Shreveport, Louisiana in the 1930s. Purchased by a family in Houston, Texas. The fourth and final decoy from this small group. (12,000 - 15,000)

470

470 Detail

470 Detail

471

472

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471. Mallard hen, Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Balsa construction with slightly turned head and raised wingtips. Signed and dated 1958. Good feather paint detail. Very good and original. (4,000 - 6,000)

472. Very rare 3/4 size swan, Madison Mitchell, Havre de Grace, Maryland. From the estate of a Mrs. Currier, Havre de Grace, 1969. Original paint with good patina; numerous small dents; small rough area on one edge of tail; crack through neck.

Provenance: Given to the consignor’s mother-in-law by Mrs. Jim Currier in 1969. The decoy had been displayed in the Curriers’ window for many years. (6,000 - 8,000)

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473 Detail

One of the earliest documented carvers of the Chesapeake Bay, Captain Ben Dye, was born in Monmouth, New Jersey in 1827. He relocated to Stumps Point in Cecil County, Maryland in 1847 and earned a living as a commercial guide, fisherman, and hunter. Dye sold decoys to local gun clubs as well as other hunters. His decoys exhibit typical Cecil County qualities – a slightly raised neck shelf and paddle tail. Known species carved by him include can-vasbacks, redheads, bluebills, black ducks and a few ruddy ducks. We are not aware of any other ruddy ducks in original paint.

Ben DyeCollection of Pat Vincenti

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473. Very rare ruddy duck, Ben Dye, Perryville, Maryland, 3rd quarter 19th century. Branded “ST. PETERS CLUB”, a hunting club on Deals Island. “WW” is carved in the underside for Wilson Whitlock, a market gunner at the turn of the 20th century. In rare original paint with minor to moderate wear; worn areas to wood on edges of tail, top of head, and edges of bill; old repaint to a crack through neck; small cracks and shot marks.

Literature: “Decoys of the Mid Atlantic Region,” Henry Fleckenstein, Jr., p. 234. (22,500 - 27,500)

473

473 Detail

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474. Snakey headed canvasback drake, Walter Bailey, Long Point, Ontario. Bailey was a guide for the Long Point Company. Brand on the underside has been carved out. Strong original paint; a few shot marks to one side of body and a shot in head; light wear with a few rubs and dents. (1,200 - 1,500)

475. Bluebill, Henry Freehorn, Ontario. Branded “RHF” in breast. From Henry Freehorn’s rig, then used by his son Robert. Hollow with bottom board. Original paint on body with strengthening to black area on breast and head.

(1,200 - 1,500)

476. Bluebill hen, Bud Tully, Peterborough, Ontario. Classic scrape carving with turned head and exaggerated shoul-

ders. Two large holes drilled in to the underside for hol-lowing. Original paint with light wear. (1,200 - 1,500)

477. Black duck, Peter Pringle, Dunnville, Ontario. Detailed feather carving. Old repaint with much original showing; lightly hit by shot; head is loose. (1,250 - 1,750)

478. Hollow carved black duck in swimming pose, Charlie Milton, Bloomfield, Ontario, circa 1930. Original paint with minor flaking and wear; a few small dents.

(800 - 1,200)

479. Greenwing teal drake, Arthur W. Nolan, Barrie, Ontario, circa 1920. Strong scratch feather painting and extended tail. Unrigged. Original and good. (800 - 1,200)

Ontario

479478

477476

475474

175

480. Stylish redhead hen, George Warin, Toronto, Ontario, last quarter 19th century. Hollow construction with bottom board. Puffy cheeks and rounded head. Detailed feather paint-ing on front of breast and side pock-ets. Original paint with rough areas at edge of tail, side of bill and top of head; shot marks in body and face; light crazing over much of the body paint; at one point bottom board seam was strengthened with a sealer that has been partially removed.

(3,000 - 4,000)

481. Excellent rigmate pair of mallards, Ken Anger, Dunnville, Ontario, 1st half 20th century. Paint has mel-lowed nicely. Anger’s classic wingtip and primary carving. Rasping around head and body. Strong original paint; very light stress crack around neck on drake; structurally good.


482. Pair of hollow carved redheads, Tom Chambers, Toronto, Ontario. Both are branded “FTM” in underside for Long Point Club member Fred McMillan. Original paint with minor wear; hairline surface crack in one side of hen’s head; a few tiny dents.


483. Early round head style pair of red-heads, Tom Chambers, Toronto, Ontario, 1st quarter 20th centu-ry. Hollow with bottom boards. Hen is branded “Geo. M. Henrie” in under-side. Original paint; minor wear on drake; hen has a crack partway through the neck; a reset crack in the bill; an area of back towards tail with paint loss.


480

481

482

483

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John R. Wells1861 - 1953

Toronto, Ontario

486 Detail

This is one of only three known immature or summer plumage Canava-backs used and found at the Oak Lake Shooting Club in South Western Manitoba. When the club closed its doors in 1959, the club members

left their decoys behind. Included in the group were Masons and others stamped “J.R.W Maker”. At the time, John Rice Wells was not an identi-

fied decoy maker. Wells is now considered a top tier Canadian carver. The decoys he made for the Oak Lake Shooting Club are special and included species like Shovelers, Immature bluebills and canvasbacks. This decoy is

branded J. HH for member, James H. Howden.

For more information about JRW and the Oak Lake Shooting Club, see Donna Tonelli’s article in Decoy Magazine, January/ February 2010

John R. Wells

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486

486. Exceptional hollow carved canvasback drake in rare early season plumage, John R. Wells, Toronto, Ontario, 1st quarter 20th century. “JRW Maker” brand in underside. From the Rice Lake rig. “JHH” painted on underside. Fine comb paint detail. Original paint with very minor wear; lightly hit by shot.

Literature: “Decoys of the Mississippi Flyway,” Alan Haid, p. 20. Decoy Magazine, January/February 2010, Donna Tonelli article. (17,500 - 22,500)


178


Tom Chambers1860 - 1948

Toronto, Ontario

Tom Chambers, Howard Meredith, George Hendrie, William Pulling, and Stratherne Hendrie, 1905.

Photo courtesy of Ken Cole

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487. Rare long body style canvasback drake, Tom Chambers, Toronto, Ontario, 1st quarter 20th century. Solid body. Excellent form with very high neck seat and comb paint-ing. Branded “THOS. CHAMBERS MAKER” in under-side and “JT McMillan”. McMillan was a Long Point Club member 1913 - 1946. Original paint with minor discoloration and wear; several very small dents.


488. Rare long body style canvasback hen, Tom Chambers, Toronto, Ontario, 1st quarter 20th century. Hollow carved. Branded “JT McMillan” in underside. McMillan was a Long Point Club member 1913 - 1946. Original paint with minor shrinkage and wear; five small shot marks in one side; small surface crack on one side of neck.

(10,000 - 14,000)

487

488

Waterfowl hunting is to the North American sportsman as wild pigeon hunting to his English counterpart

180

Some parallels can be drawn between the two. During the mid-19th and early 20th century North American ducks, geese and shorebirds were in great supply. While the United Kingdom is tiny in size,

by comparison, it hosts three types of wild pigeon, the largest and most prolific being the Common Wood Pigeon, with breeding populations of about 6 million pairs. The pigeon became the focus for

both sportsman and market gunners in the UK. Early sportsman on both continents quickly learned the feathered fowl could be easily brought into shooting range with the use of decoys.

As demand for decoys developed, a range of professional carvers on both sides of the Atlantic blossomed, with the best ducks, geese and shorebirds being sculpted in North America and the best pigeons being made in the United Kingdom. Production of working pigeon decoys dates back to the first half of the 19th century. While many great North American carvers are known, most great UK makers are not.

Comparatively, the amount of English Wood Pigeons produced pales in comparison to the number of decoys made in North America. This helps one to understand why they are very hard to find and thus very

desirable today.

As with North American decoys, individuals and factories both made pigeon decoys, the most famous factories include - Trulock & Harris - a shotgun manufacturer, Ward & Co, and The Gradewell Last Co. A

few of the notable individuals include Robert Sainze, Kent Boddy, and Edward Grace.

Thoughts on my collection;I purchased my first pigeon decoy in 1984, when my employment supported several trips a year to the UK. Over the last thirty years, I have handled about 350 of these decoys. Today my collection consists mostly

of birds collected personally from UK antique shops, shows and a few private dealers. The hallmark event in my pigeon collecting occurred early on - it was acquiring the personal collection of a gentleman

named Robert Coyle, who was an American living in the UK and had started collecting pigeons in the 1960s. Coyle was the foremost expert on pigeon decoys and had amassed the largest and most important

collection in Europe.

While many of the duplicates and less important examples have been sold over the many years, this final core group represents a fine cross section of some of England’s best examples.

489

490

489 Detail

489. Extremely rare, one of two known Trulock & Harris double wing flying English wood pigeon, last half 19th century. Two piece body. Carved and inserted wings. Carved breast, tack eyes, and lead bill. Very strong origi-nal paint; very good and original.

Provenance: Formerly in the collection of Bob Coyle.(4,500 - 5,500)

490. Early English wood pigeon, manufactured by Trulock & Harris. A classic form by this important company. Glass eyes and lead bill. Detailed shoulder, wing and tail carving. Three stick holes in underside. Strong original paint that has darkened some with age; minor wear.

(3,500 - 4,500)

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491. Two English wood pigeons, Edward Jagger, Norfolk, England. One possibly by Jagger Sr. and one by Jagger Jr. Both have raised shoulders, glass eyes, lead bills. Including eight paint sticks and patterns made for making pigeon carvings. Both are in strong original paint; Jagger Sr. has spots of flaking on body and tail; Jr.’s is very good and original; both are on stand with provenance included.

(1,500 - 2,000)

492. English wood pigeon by important maker R. Ward & Company, Naturalists, Piccadilly, London, circa 1870. Slightly oversized. Turned head, raised wingtips and split tail. Maker’s metal label on underside. Tack eyes. Chip missing from side of tail; bill is slightly blunt-ed; small area of paint loss near stick hole; chip to inside of wingtip. (1,800 - 2,000)

493. English wood pigeon by important maker R. Ward & Company, Naturalists, Piccadilly, London, circa 1870. Slightly oversized. Turned head, raised wingtips and split tail. Maker’s metal label on underside. Tack eyes. Strong original paint that is worn in a few areas to expose red primer; thin crack in tail; slight roughness to edge of tail.

Provenance: Formerly in the collection of Bob Coyle. Obtained from a descendant of a man who won it as a prize

in a shooting contest in England in the 1930s. Never used.(1,800 - 2,500)

494. Early English wood pigeon similar to work of Trulock & Harris. Very detailed wing, tail, and shoulder carving. High quality paint and glass eyes and applied wooden bill. Original paint; tail chip repair to one side; stick hole has been enlarged; a few small rubs; brown paint drip at tail. (1,500 - 2,000)

495. Early English wood pigeon, H. Bodie. With movable wings and tail. Similar to work of Charles Hellis and sons. Wings have been applied with hinges. Screw eyes and lead bill. Stick hole drilled in underside. Very worn paint, most of which appears to be original; strengthening to white areas and grey on head; most of paint on body is worn to a thin coat; flaking on most of body and wings.

(1,200 - 1,500)

496. English wood pigeon. Very detailed wing, tail, and shoul-der carving. High quality paint and glass eyes and applied wooden bill. Possible makers label on underbelly but not legible. Original paint with moderate flaking and wear; slight separation at body seam; hit by shot; half of bill is missing. (1,200 - 1,500)

496495

494493

492491

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498. Early English wood pigeon, manufac-tured by Trulock & Harris. A classic form by this important company. Glass eyes and lead bill. Detailed shoulder, wing and tail carving. Three stick holes in underside. Strong original paint that has darkened some with age; slight separa-tion where bill meets face; minor wear.

(3,500 - 4,500)

499. Early English wood pigeon, manufac-tured by Trulock & Harris. A classic form by this important company. Tack eyes and lead bill. Detailed shoulder wing and tail carving. Three stick holes in underside. Strong original paint with minor to moderate discoloration and wear; slight separation where bill meets face; hit by shot. (2,000 - 2,750)

500. Early English wood pigeon, maker unknown, last half 19th centu-ry. Feeding position. Simple yet pleas-ant carving at wings and tail. Carved from one piece of wood with metal hinge and staple used to put bird in feeding pose. Original paint with areas of flaking at tail; lower third of bill is missing; other rubs at imperfection in paint of body.

(2,000 - 3,000)

498

499

500

Mason Decoy Factory1896 - 1924

Detroit, Michigan

501 Detail

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Sometime in the late 1960s a small group of decoys began showing up at sales in Illinois and Michigan. All of the decoys were in mint condition and all were branded G.K. Schmidt. The condition of many was so perfect that some seasoned collectors in Michigan passed them up, as as being copies. They were of course genuine, but it would take almost forty more years until the owner of the G.K. Schmidt rig would finally be identified. Joe and Donna Tonelli can be credited with solving the mystery, but it took the help of Dave Galliher, who had purchased Charle Perdew’s order log at a Guyette & Schmidt auction. In his order log, Perdew had detailed an order from a G.K. Schmidt

in 1928 for a dozen decoys which included a Chicago address. Armed with this information, the Tonelli’s were on the trail. The exact details of the story can be found in a Decoy Magazine article from the November/ December 2007 issue. In summary, G.K. Schmidt was a banker and owner of a successful brewery in Chicago. His obituary from 1939 stated that he was a “true sportsman and during duck season, he spent many days afield.”

The G. K. Schmidt branded decoys fall into three distinct groups. First there are a the Robert Elliston’s that were repainted by Edna Perdew. These are part of the earlier rig and were hunted enough that they needed to be reconditioned by Edna at some point. Then there are one dozen near mint Mason Premier special order mallards, eight drakes and four hens. They were branded but never used. It is assumed that both the Ellistons and the Masons would have been purchased around 1905. The third group is the set of decoys ordered from Charles Perdew in 1928 - they never hit the water.

501 Detail

501 Detail

185

501. Important rigmate pair of mallards, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan, circa 1910. From the famous G.K. Schmidt rig and so branded. Near mint original paint; hen has tiny chip missing from top of bill and very minor discoloration on small area on top of the tail; hen also has a small crack through neck.

Literature: “Mason Decoys,” Russ Goldberger and Alan Haid, p. 22. (40,000 - 50,000)

186

502

502 Detail

502. Very rare rigmate pair of canvas-backs, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan. Premier grade, Chesapeake Bay models. Original paint with very minor wear; each has a crack in the underside; Hen’s crack has old filler in it; hen has a professional repair to a thin chip missing from underside of bill with touchup on the whole bill (x-ray available); small amount of touchup at neck seam. (6,000 - 9,000)

187

503. Very rare pair of special order bobtail canvasbacks, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan. Premier grade. Bull neck solid body rigmates with original weighted keels. Original paint with minor flaking and wear; several small cracks and dents.

Provenance: “Laurie” brand on underside. Used in Redhead Marsh, Lake St., Clair Ontario.

(4,000 - 6,000)

504. Grey coot, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan, circa 1910. Cha-llenge grade. Branded “W.B.” twice in underside. Original paint with minor wear; typical tail chip repair for this species; very small defect in wood at one side; a few small dents; professional repair to a vertical crack in back of neck. (3,000 - 4,000)

505. Extremely rare special order black duck, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan. Early pre-mier grade, circa 1910. In content pose. Original paint with moderate wear; small cracks in body; two shot scars on tail with some roughness to edges of tail; crack in underside.

Literature: “Mason Decoys,” Russ Goldberger and Alan Haid, p. 116.

(3,500 - 4,500)

503

504

505

188

506. Mallard hen, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit. Premier grade. Earlier style. Original paint with minor wear; tail chip missing; a few small dents. (750 - 1,000)

507. Brant, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan. Challenge grade. Branded “CK Post” on underside. Original paint with minor wear; touchup in various areas; filled age split in underside. (800 - 1,200)

508. Ringbill drake, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan. Premier grade with original Mason weight. Original paint with significant wear; small cracks; small piece of wood missing from back.

(800 - 1,200)

509. Mallard hen, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan. Challenge grade. Original paint with minor wear; cracks in back; small tail chip missing.

Provenance: Starr collection stamp on underside.(650 - 950)

510. Bluebill drake, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan. Early premier grade model, circa 1900. “AT” carved in the underside. Original paint with moderate wear; neck filler has been replaced; defect in wood on lower side; small dents. (650 - 950)

511. Pair of teal, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan. Standard grade with glass eyes. Working repaint on most of the surface area in the Mason style; a few small dents; small amount of neck filler missing.


512. Bluewing teal drake, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan, last quarter 19th century. Worn original paint protected by an old coat of varnish; small rough area at tip of bill; crack under bill; numerous shot scars in body and head; rough area at tip of tail.


513. Mallard drake, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan, circa 1900. Challenge grade with slightly snakey head. Original paint covered by an old coat of varnish that has oxidized slightly; tail chip repair; it appears some attempt was made to clean the decoy; some paint loose around neck seat; tight crack around neck seat; check running length of underside.


514. Redhead hen, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan. Rare premier grade, lowhead model. Old overpaint with some original showing; numerous cracks and shot marks. (400 - 600)

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510

513

508

511

514

189

515. Canada goose, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan, 1st quarter 20th century. Premier grade. Paint has been restored in Mason style. (800 - 1,200)

516. Mallard drake, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan. Premier grade. Original paint with minor wear; professional tail chip repair; a few small dents.

(800 - 1,200)

517. Rigmate pair of mallards, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan. Standard grade with glass eyes. Original paint with minor wear; professional repair to chipping at neck filler. (1,000 - 1,500)

518. Grey coot, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan. Challenge grade. Branded “MTB” twice in underside. Original paint with minor wear; hit by shot; thin rough area on underside; professional tail chip and bill chip repair. (1,500 - 2,000)

519. Rigmate pair of mallards, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan, 1st quarter 20th century. Premier grade. Both in mostly original paint; hen has old restora-tion to bill and tail chip; slight separation between neck and body, where three nails have been added to secure head; drake’s neck and head have slight separation where three nails have been added to secure it to the body; one side of bill has very old touchup and small puppy chew; both have moderate wear. (1,500 - 2,000)

520. Grey coot, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan. Challenge grade. Original paint with minor wear; small crack in one side; neck filler repair; bill has been slightly blunted; filled split in breast. (1,600 - 2,000)

520519

518517

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521. Pair of Mason Factory merganser plaques. Early premier grade, circa 1905. Birds are approximately 13” long. Near mint original paint; structurally very good. (25,000 - 35,000)


Mason Decoy Factory Plaques

Mason Decoy Factory wood duck sold at our April 2014 auction for $690,000, a World Record for the

maker and the fifth highest price ever paid for a decoy at auction.

These plaques were found in an antique shop in Marine City, Michigan in 2006. They were consigned by a family member who had inherited them from a family member

who had worked at the Mason Factory around 1900. Clearly they were made by one of Masons premier craftsman. These three plus one black duck plaque are the only Mason

plaques that have surfaced.

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521

521

192

521 Detail

521 Detail

522 Detail

522. Very rare wood duck plaque, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan. Early premier grade, circa 1905. Plaque is approximately 12” long. Original paint with a small rub near the speculum, otherwise very good and original.

(25,000 - 35,000)

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522

522

194

523. Black bellied plover, Harry V. Shourds, Tuckerton, New Jersey, 1st quarter 20th century. Original paint with shrinkage on roughly half of the decoy; small shot scar on back; small defect in wood on underside.


524. Yellowlegs, Charles Clark, Chincoteague, Virginia. Good form with paddle tail and long thin neck. Original paint with minor to moderate wear; small piece missing from back of head, filler was added there a long time ago and some of it has come out; small chip missing from front of face above bill.


525. Curlew, Cobb Island, Virginia, last quarter 19th cen-tury. Relief wing carving and carved eyes. Old repaint; bill is an old replacement; hit by shot.

Provenance: Formerly in the collection of the Shelburne Museum, ID number is on the underside. (2,000 - 3,000)

527. Yellowlegs, Harry V. Shourds, Tuckerton, New Jersey, 1st quarter 20th. Original paint with minor discolor-ation and wear; hit by shot; bill is an old replacement.

(2,000 - 3,000)

528. Golden plover by a member of the Harris family, Nantucket, Massachusetts, last quarter 19th centu-ry. Highly detailed original paint. Two piece body con-struction. Near mint original paint; small chip missing at stick hole and from top of bill. (1,200 - 1,800)

529. Yellowlegs, Wilber Corwin, Long Island, New York. Branded “WC” in underside. Relief wing carving and slightly turned head with shoe button eyes. Original paint with minor wear; discoloration on underside; bill is a professional replacement. (1,250 - 1,750)

523 524 525

527 528 529

Shorebird Decoys

530 531

530 Detail

Ira Hudson1876 - 1948

Chincoteague, Virginia

195

530. Yellowlegs with slightly turned head, Ira Hudson, Chincoteague, Virginia. Original paint with minor wear; bill is a professional replacement.

Literature: “Southern Decoys,” Henry Fleckenstein, Jr., p. 73. (9,500 - 12,500)

531. Balsa yellowlegs, Ira Hudson, Chincoteague, Virginia. Relief wingtip carving and hard-wood bill doweled through to back of head. Original paint with minor discoloration and wear; lightly hit by shot; professional repair to a chip at top of tail. (5,000 - 8,000)

196

532. A group of three sandpipers, William Henry Bennett, Long Island, New York. Two are made with laminate bodies. Price tags of $2 and $3 on undersides. Fine feather detailing and carved eyes. Original paint with flaking on bills and head; one has an area of wood filler that has cracked and missing on side of wing; one has a wingtip missing with the second wingtip also showing damage.

(1,750 - 2,250)

533. Black bellied plover, Rhodes Truex, Absecon, New Jersey, 1st quarter 20th century. Original paint with minor discoloration and wear; lightly hit by shot.

Provenance: Dyke collection. (800 - 1,200)

534. Yellowlegs, Thomas Gelston, Quogue, Long Island, New York, last quarter 19th century. Relief wing carv-ing. Original paint with shrinkage and wear; bill is an old replacement; chip missing from one eye. (650 - 950)

535. Golden plover by a member of the Harris Family, Nantucket, Massachusetts, last quarter 19th centu-ry. Two piece body construction. Original paint with very slight wear; several tiny shot marks; thin crack in underside of tail.

Provenance: Dyke collection. (600 - 900)

536. Lesser yellowlegs from Long Island, New York. Relief wing carving and carved eyes. Original paint with minor wear on most of the decoy; moderate wear on underside; structurally good. (450 - 650)

537. Ruddy turnstone from New Jersey, circa 1900. Somewhat flat sided. Original paint with minor discoloration wear; lightly hit by shot. (400 - 600)

538. Cork body greater yellowlegs, Long Island, New York, last quarter 19th century. Cedar head. A mixture of original paint and old touchup; filled hole in back; filled chip in lower side; minor roughness; bill is an old replace-ment. (400 - 600)

539

541

543

532

533

536

534

537

535

538

197

539. Five rigmate mergansers, probably made by Native Americans, 1st half 20th century. Found near an Abenaki Indian reservation on the Ottawa River in Quebec. Each has a two piece head with bills that were doweled into the base. Light brown wing patch painting with patches of light brown on back. Old paint that has crazed; one bill appears to be a later replacement; most have separation between bill and face. (2,000 - 3,000)

540. Pair of bluebills, Paul Lipke, Whiting, Indiana. Both are hollow carved with “PL” stamped in weights. Hen is in rare preening pose. Original paint with very minor wear; discoloration on lower sides and underside of hen; a few tiny dents. (2,500 - 3,000)

541. Rare canvasback drake, Bill Enright, Toledo, Ohio. One of only six known cedar decoys made in a sleeping posi-tion by Enright for the St. Anne’s Club, St. Clair Flats. Underside is stamped “St. Anne’s”. Strong original paint that has rubs at side of body; two shot marks in head and two in body; good and original. (1,800 - 2,200)

542. Owl by C. Victor Bracher, Utah and Cleveland, Ohio paired by Bracher with an extremely rare original Dead Crow by the Herters Decoy Company. Bracher carved the balsa owl in the style of Herter Company owls, using pine for the ears, legs, stand, bill, and added glass eyes. Originally fish hooks were attached to

back of the head to impale crows. Bracher worked for Remington Arms Company and made this Owl and added the Herter’s Dead Crow decoy in 1944 for his use in Utah. This owl and crow has been in the same folk art collection for the past 42 years. Worn original paint; small areas of damage to edges of tails; owl has some seam separation where balsa pieces were joined.

Literature: University of Nebraska Exhibition and Catalog. “The Bird Decoys, An American Art Form” by Johnsgard.1976, p. 182.Encyclopedia of Collectibles, Time-Life Books, 1978 /79. Decoys, p. 179.Art Academy of Cincinnati OH. “Folk Art from the Mid-West. 1979.Decoys: A North American Survey by Gene and Linda Kangas, 1983, pp. 491 and 307. Decoys of the Mississippi Flyway by Alan Haid 1981, p. 146.Exhibited at Mid-Atlantic Wildfowl Festival, Virginia Beach, VA 1982.Exhibited at Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Decoy Study Gallery Inaugural Exhibition, 1992-93. (1,800 - 2,200)

543. Canvas over wire self bailing goose, 1st quarter 20th

century. Wooden head and float platform. Platform is branded “Brown Brothers”. Original paint with minor to moderate wear; minor cracking and denting to wood.

(600 - 900)

544. Mallard drake from Ohio, last quarter 19th centu-ry. Original paint with minor to moderate wear; cracks through neck; small dents; small rough area on one side.

(800 - 1,200)

540

542

544

539

541

543

Midwestern Decoys

198

545. Early English wood pigeon. Carved wings and wingtips with unusual outward sweeping form. Glass eyes. Original paint; tail is broken off at underside; one half of bill is missing; paint rubs at most of the high spots to expose bare wood; puppy chew at one side of tail. (1,000 - 1,200)

546. English wood pigeon on carved stand, Edward Grace, Rochester in Kent, circa 1940. Probably made as a gift. Excellent feather detail and carved raised shoulder. Screw eyes and cast metal bill. Original paint; very good and original. (800 - 1,200)

547. English wood pigeon, probably 1st quarter 20th centu-ry. Slight wing carving. Shoulder carving and tail separa-tion. Screw eyes. Plump bird in a running pose. Original paint is worn, showing gray primer; protected by an old coat of varnish. (800 - 1,200)

548. Early English wood pigeon. Slightly elongated body. Carved wing outline. Dry original paint; bill broken at

face; several areas of rubs on body where paint has worn off. (800 - 1,200)

549. English wood pigeon, Gradewell Last Co., Leicester, England circa 1930. Stamp on underside. Carved shoul-ders and glass eyes. Well executed paint design. Makers stamp under tail is difficult to read. Original paint; hair-line crack in tail; very good and original.

Provenance: Formerly in the collection of Bob Coyle.(800 - 1,000)

550. Early English wood pigeon, 1st quarter 20th cen-tury. Applied wings. Very well painted. Glass eyes. Good bill detail. Excellent and original; a few small scratches.

(800 - 1,200)

551. Early English wood pigeon, unknown maker. Brass eyes. Carved shoulders and wingtips. Hook in back to use as a tree hanger. Dry original paint; bluntness at end of wooden bill; minor discoloration and imperfections in wood.

(800 - 1,200)

546

548

545

547

Pigeons

549 550 551

199

552. Very early English wood pigeon, Trulock & Harris. Glass eyes and wooden bill. Highly detailed breast wing and tail carving. Slightly turned head. Original paint; chips missing from both sides of bill; approximately 2/3 of bill is missing; shot marks at face and body; paint loss at a few small areas. (700 - 900)

553. Two English wood pigeon, 1st half 20th century. Both have raised shoulders and carved wingtips, tack eyes, and wooden bills. Appear to be by the same maker. One has paint strengthening and protected by an old coat of varnish and several shot holes; other is in original paint with some discoloration and light wear. (700 - 900)

554. English wood pigeon, believed to be by Edward Grace, Kent, circa 1930. Carved raised wings. Screws used as eyes. Well blended wet on wet painting that is very detailed. Cast metal bill. Very good and original.

(700 - 900)

555. Two early English wood pigeon. One is similar to the work of Robert Sainz of Yorkshire. Glass eyes. Plump belly. Other Detailed wing carving with split and raised wingtips. Carved shoulders and glass eyes. Original paint; a few scratches, small dents, slight rub to head, portion of bill missing on one; replaced bill on other. (600 - 900)

556. Two early English wood pigeon, unknown maker. One has carved shoulders. Painted similar to those made by William Jagger. Glass eyes. Two piece body. Other simple

carving at shoulders and tail. Glass eyes. Worn original paint; areas of paint loss; bill replacement by Russ Allen. Other paint seems to be restored. (600 - 900)

557. English wood pigeon with plump belly, Robert Sainz, Yorkshire. Glass eyes and copper reinforced pipe at stick hole. Original paint that is worn; several shot marks in body; half of bill is missing; two nails have been driven in to the topside. (400 - 600)

558. Two english wood pigeon, 1st quarter 20th centu-ry. One has applied wings and glass eyes. Other has detailed wing patch carving with raised and split wings. Glass eyes. Extra carving around breast and raised shoul-ders. Original paint; a gouge in one side of neck; dark-ened slightly. (800 - 1,200)

559. Two English wood pigeons. One by H. Bodie, Chatham, Kent; one unknown carver. Bodie has raised wings, wet on wet blending for fine feather detail and screw eyes. The other was made as a mechanical stick up. Glass eyes, carved wing separation, carved shoulders. Bodie has small amount of touchup at bill; original paint. Other has origi-nal paint; chip missing from bill. (800 - 1,200)

560. Early English wood pigeon. Shoe button eyes. Carved and raised wings. Scratch detail at breast. Several shot marks; edge wear and several small dents; original paint.

Provenance: Formerly in the collection of Bob Coyle.(800 - 1,200)

552

555

558

553

556

559

554

557

560

561

561 Detail

561 Detail

200

561. Mallard hen, Charles Walker, Princeton, Illinois, circa 1930s. Relief wing carving and slightly turned head. From the Zearing rig, Princeton Fish and Game Club. Club share number 25 is painted on the under-side. Original paint with minor wear; old overpaint has been taken off the speculums; with a small amount of strengthening in that area; a few small dents.


Illinois River

563 Detail

562 Detail

562

563

201

paint with good detail and very minor wear; thin crack through neck; short thin crack through underside.

Provenance: O’Key collection. Formerly in the collection of Joseph French. “French collection 292” is on the under-side.

Literature: “Decoys and Decoy Carvers of Illinois,” Paul Parmalee and Forest Loomis, p. 251, plate 201.

(6,000 - 9,000)

562. Rigmate pair of canvasbacks, Charles Perdew, Henry, Illinois. Hen has slightly turned head. Both retain Perdew weights, and are branded “Stott”. Very good and original.

(8,000 - 12,000)

563. Exceptional pintail drake, Charles Altoff, Princeton, Illinois. Relief wing carving with raised tips. Original

202

564. Dove with raised carved wings, Charles Perdew, Henry, Illinois. Head is turned very slightly to one side. On origi-nal wire legs. Very good and original.

Provenance: David Galliher collection. O’Key collection. (2,000 - 3,000)

565. Mallard drake, Bert Graves, Peoria, Illinois. Retains Graves weight. Joe French’s number 199 on under-side. Hairline crack and a few dents in bill, otherwise very good and original. (1,250 - 1,750)

566. Crow with wire legs, Charles Perdew, Henry, Illinois. Slightly turned head. Near mint original paint; small amount wear at tip of bill.

Provenance: Alan Hayes collection. O’Key collection. (1,250 - 1,750)

567. Black duck, Ed Keller, Bartonville, Illinois. “EK” paint-ed on underside. Excellent and original. (1,250 - 1,750)

568. Mallard drake, Robert Elliston, Bureau, Illinois, last quarter 19th century. Original paint with minor wear; protected by an old coat of varnish; a few small dents.


569. Mallard drake, Hiram Hotze, Peoria, Illinois, 1st quar-ter 20th century. Original paint with minor shrinkage and wear; a few tiny dents. (1,600 - 2,000)

565

567

569

564 570

566 572

568

203

570. Pair of mallards, Walter “Tube” Dawson, Putnam, Illinois. Both have “DJS” stamped on the under-sides. Original paint with minor wear; weights are miss-ing. (900 - 1,200)

571. Early pintail drake, Charles Perdew, Henry, Illinois. Old in use repaint on white areas; structurally good.

(800 - 1,200)

572. Pintail drake, Bert Graves, Peoria, Illinois. Retains Graves weight. Original paint with minor wear; touchup on some of the black areas; reglued crack in neck; small crack in head. (1,500 - 2,000)

573. Canada goose, Roy Patterson, Peoria, Illinois. Full body field goose, canvas stuffed with fine feather paint detail. Original paint; areas of canvas have cracked at top of back; to expose stuffing.

Provenance: From the Patterson family. (800 - 1,000)

574. Very rare field goose, Roy Patterson, Peoria, Illinois, circa 1940. Strong feather detail with reaching head and tack eyes. Canvas stuffed. Original paint; a few areas on back where canvas has broken and cracked to expose stuff-ing material.

Provenance: From the Patterson family.

Literature: Literature: Decoy Magazine, March/April 2004, Article on Roy Patterson, Donna Tonelli, exact decoy.

(800 - 1,000)

575. Mallard drake, Robert Elliston, Bureau, Illinois. Retains Elliston weight. Branded “ELF” in underside. Original paint with a thin wash of off white paint on much of the body; lightly hit by shot. (800 - 1,200)

576. Two crows with wire legs, Hadden Perdew, Henry, Illinois. Both have slightly turned heads. One has raised wingtips and small “Perdew” label on underside. A few small dents, otherwise very good and original.


571

573

570

572

574 575 576

204

New Jersey Shore and Delaware River

577

578 579

577. Rig of five lowhead black ducks, Chris Sprague, Beach Haven, New Jersey. One looks much more like the work of Rowley Horner than the others. Paint on heads appear to be original, the rest is old repaint; rough area to end of one bill; a few dents. (2,000 - 3,000)

578. Bluebill drake, Arthur B. Vance, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 3rd quarter 19th century. Two piece body with four visible pegs on underside. Raised neck shelf, shoulder carving behind neck, tack eyes with yellow rings and an illegible brand twice on underside. Mostly original paint with strengthening to areas at breast, head, and white at sides of wing patches; restoration to bill; rubs

at areas to bare wood. (800 - 1,200)

579. Sculptural pintail hen, Arthur B. Vance, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 3rd quarter 19th century. Three-piece body construction with long sweeping tail. Head is carved and sits on a dowel that runs through the body, so that the head will swivel while anchored. Head is marked “IV” under the neck and body and neck seat is marked “IV” to indicate that they are a matching pair. Body is original paint with a gouge and chip missing near tail where a square nail is exposed; three shot marks on one side of body; slight fracture at end of tip of tail; head is a profes-sional replacement. (900 - 1,200)

205

580

580 Detail

580 Detail

580. Very rare swimming Canada goose, Harry V. Shourds, Tuckerton, New Jersey, 1st quarter 20th century. Original paint with moderate wear; thin crack in back and tail; professional repair to a crack in the neck; old touchup on most of the white areas. (8,000 - 12,000)

Harry V. Shourds1861 - 1920

Tuckerton, New Jersey

206

581. Pintail drake, Jess Heisler, Burlington, New Jersey. His earlier three piece body style. Old in use repaint on the white areas; the rest is original with minor wear; small dog chew marks at end of bill. (800 - 1,200)

582. Mallard drake, Ellis Parker, Surf City, New Jersey. Original paint with minor wear; two holes in underside where it attaches to a wooden stand; small worn area on underside

Provenance: Bartlett collection. (800 - 1,200)

583. Bluebill drake, Harry V. Shourds, Tuckerton, New Jersey. “Wm J.C.” carved in underside. Old in use repaint on black areas and bill; the rest is with significant wear.

Provenance: Formerly in the collection of William J. Mackey. Mackey stamp on underside. (800 - 1,200)

584. Bluebill drake, Lonn Deeter. Original paint with very minor wear; a few small dents.

Provenance: Formerly in collection of John Hillman, Seagirt, New Jersey. Hillman collection stamp on under-

side.

Literature: “Decoys of the Mid Atlantic Region,” Henry Fleckenstein, Jr., p. 43, exact decoy. “New Jersey Decoys,” Henry Fleckenstein, Jr., p. 80, exact decoy. (650 - 950)

585. Bluebill drake, tucked head pose Howard Bacon, Jr., Delanco, New Jersey, 2nd quarter 20th centu-ry. Exhibits incised wing carving, tack eyes and the original weight. Bacon made fewer than 50 decoys for his own rig. Some old in use touchup to the white area of the specula and the edge of the tail, otherwise the paint is original showing minor wear; some light shot marks.

Provenance: Bartlett collection.

Literature: “Floating Sculpture”, Huster & Knight, p. 21, exact decoy. (600 - 900)

586. Pair of bluebills, Percy Gant, Osborneville, New Jersey, circa 1950. Heart shaped wing carving on back. Both have “LP” stamped in the underside. Original paint with moderate shrinkage on hen’s breast and under tail, other-wise very good and original. (500 - 800)

582

584

586

581

583

585

207

587. Pair of mergansers, Hurley Conklin, Manahawkin, New Jersey. Flat back style. A small amount of paint shrinkage on drake’s tail, otherwise very good and origi-nal.


588. Bluebill hen and drake, Dipper Ortley, Lovelandtown, New Jersey. Drake has John Hillman’s brand in the underside. Very good and original. (400 - 600)

589. Canada goose, Eugene Hendrickson, Lower Bank, New Jersey. Branded “GEH”. Original paint with slight wear; repair to a crack in the neck; small chip missing from wood in one side. (350 - 450)

590. Brant, Roy Maxwell, Lower Bank, New Jersey, 1st quarter 20th century. Paint has been restored; crack in underside; a few small dents. (350 - 450)

591. Brant, Rhodes Truex, Absecon, New Jersey, 1st quarter 20th century. Old in use repaint; minor roughness to edges of bill. (350 - 450)

592. Large pair of mallards, Hurley Conklin, Manahawkin, New Jersey. Both are branded and signed. Both have very slightly turned heads. Included is a framed photo of Conklin holding the decoys. Very good and original.


593. Two decoys, Ruben Corliss, Manahawkin, New Jersey. Canada goose and brant. Very good and original.

(400 - 600)

594. Blakduck, Tom Robinson, Cape May County, New Jersey,1st quarter 20th century. From a rig of 12 Tom made for his own hunting rig. Original paiint with minor flaking and wear; short hairline crack in back; body seam has separated slightly. (450 - 650)

595. Rare greenwing teal drake, Taylor Johnson, Bayhead, New Jersey, circa 1900. “TJ” stamped in underside. Paint has been restored in its original style; small cracks; minor roughness on end of tail. (350 - 450)

587

590

593

588

591

594

589

592

595

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596

598

OntarioBilly Ellis

Its not known for sure how this large and diverse rig of Billy Ellis decoys ended up in South Eastern Penn-

sylvania, in the home of Albert Grimm. Mr. Grimm was born in 1915 and he stayed in Brackenridge his

entire life - the exception being, his service in WWII where he served with the 357th Infantry, 90th division

and received a battlefield commission to second lieutenant. He was wounded twice in battlefield operations

and was awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. His obituary mentioned that he was an avid hunter, fish-

erman and traveler. It may have been on a fishing or hunting trip to Canada that Mr. Grimm met Billy Ellis,

or perhaps Mr. Grimm simply saw one of Mr. Ellis’ ads in a Rod and Gun magazine advertising “High Class

Decoys, Ducks, All Handmade; Mallards, Pintails, Canvasbacks, Bluebills, Redheads and Whistlers. Ellis’

ads in this popular magazine date back to 1929.

William Ellis, (1865-1963)

Billy Ellis spent most of his life in Whitby, Ontario. An orchard farmer who was considered an expert at

grafting techniques, Ellis had a reputation as a fine musician and champion trap shooter. Ellis supposedly

sold his orchard farm in the late 1920s, offering him more idle time to hunt and fish. Most historians agree

that Ellis was not a decoy maker as a means of making a living, although his production was quite large.

Some have suggested that his price of $3.00 per decoy in 1947 would have barely been enough to cover his

time and materials. Carving obviously represented a pasttime for this enthusiastic sportsman. Whitby is lo-

cated just 30 miles east of Toronto in an area populated with marshes and small creeks. His hunting grounds,

known as Cranberry Marsh, harbored a variety of ducks as they staged for their migration south in the fall.

In the book, “Ontario Decoys” by Gates, page 64, Gates recounts a story about an American who stopped in

a local sporting goods store that was selling Ellis decoys. Evidently, the American bought everything in the

store and ordered one dozen blacks and one dozen bluebills for the next season. Could Grimm have been the

buyer of those decoys?

209

596. Rigmate pair of buffleheads, Billy Ellis, Whitby, Ontario, circa 1930. Drake has copper tag on bottom reads, “Albert Grimm, Brackenridge, Pennsylvania”. Original paint with minor discoloration to white areas; small flaking on hen near tail; in the making crack has pushed wood filler up slightly on hen. (2,000 - 3,000)

597. Rigmate pair of goldeneye, Billy Ellis, Whitby, Ontario, circa 1930. Copper tag on bottom reads “Albert Grimm. Brackenridge, Pennsylvania”. Drake is in Ellis’ lowhead style. Some darkening on white areas of drake, otherwise very good and original. (1,500 - 2,500)

598. Rigmate pair of pintails, Billy Ellis, Whitby, Ontario, circa 1930. Copper tag on bottom reads, “Albert Grimm, Brackenridge, Pennsylvania”. Ellis’ lowhead style model. Very good and original. (2,000 - 3,000)

599. Rigmate pair of buffleheads, Billy Ellis, Whitby, Ontario, circa 1930. Hen has copper tag on bottom reads, “Albert Grimm, Brackenridge, Pennsylvania”. Ellis’s low head model. Strong original paint; some flaking to white areas of head and body of drake; eye missing on drake.

(2,000 - 3,000)

600. Two decoys, Billy Ellis, Whitby, Ontario. Redhead drake and goldeneye hen. Copper tag on bottom reads, “Albert Grimm, Brackenridge, Pennsylvania”. Original paint; drake’s head appears to have been broken off and back on; three visible knots with paint cracks around them; chip missing from area where neck broke; goldeneye has discoloration; rubs around tail and lower edge and wing patch that have exposed bare wood. (800 - 1,200)

601. Two bluewing teal drakes, Billy Ellis, Whitby, Ontario, circa 1930. Strong original paint; two gouges near top of back. Other has strong original paint; some flaking on white near bill; rub at top of head and near tail.

(1,500 - 2,500)

602. Rigmate pair of bluebills, Billy Ellis, Whitby, Ontario, 1st quarter 20th century. Copper tag on bottom reads “Albert Grimm, Brackenridge, Pennsylvania.” Both in high head position. Strong comb painting on back of drake. Original paint; hen is good and original, drake has a few rubs to bare wood. (800 - 1,200)

597

599

596

598

600 601 602

210

603. Rigmate pair of hooded mergansers, Griffin Brothers, Gananaque, Ontario, 2nd quarter 20th centu-ry. Similar to the work of Davey Nichol. Raised carved wings. Strong original paint; light wear at edges of wingtips, bill, and tail. (1,200 - 1,500)

604. Black duck, Ken Anger, Dunnville, Ontario. Original paint with minor wear; tiny shot mark in one side of head; a few tiny dents in lower side. (800 - 1,200)

605. Black duck, Ken Anger, Dunnville, Ontario. Head is turned approximately 10 degree to one side. Original paint with minor wear; a few tiny dents. (800 - 1,200)

606. Only known example goldeneye drake, Robert Freehorn, Hamilton, Ontario, 2nd to 3rd quarter 20th century. Yellow tack eyes. Shapely carved head. Hollow with bottom board. Original paint; numerous shot scars and spider droppings near tail; wear at top of head and edge wear around bill. (800 - 1,200)

607. Rare merganser hen, Arthur W. Nolan, Barrie, Ontario, circa 1920. Slightly undersize. Strong scratch feather painting on back with exaggerated fan tail. Original paint.

(800 - 1,000)

608. Lowhead black duck, unknown carver, Toronto School. Branded “S.H. Walker”, “AH Buhl”, and “JT McMillan”. Heavily worn original paint; three shot scars; very old working touchup to a small area of the bill.

Literature: “St. Clair to St. Lawrence,” Barny Crandall, p 48. (800 - 1,200)

609. Rigmate pair of goldeneye found in Ontario, 1st quar-ter 20th century. Attached weight to drake is stamped “STM.STORY”. Both have glass eyes. Long extended tails and partially inlet heads. Very old paint much of which appears to be original and worn away to expose bare wood; a few shot marks. (700 - 1,000)

610. Black duck, Davey Nichol, Smiths Falls, Ontario, 2nd quarter 20th century. A gunning decoy with desirable legs painted on the side. Strong stamping between raised wingtips. Worn original paint; paint loss around bottom edges, wings, tail, and head; small amount of filler missing around neck seat; small amount of paint loss and several tiny dents. (800 - 1,000)

611. Pair of canvasbacks, Davey Nichol, Smiths Falls, Ontario. Original paint with minor discoloration and wear; drake has small dents in back. (800 - 1,200)

603

606

609

604

607

610

605

608

611

211

612. Canvasback drake, Henry Freeborn, Hamilton, Ontario. Hollow with bottom board. “RHS” carved in lower front of breast for Henry’s son, Bob, who used it in his gunning rig. Most of white combing on back appears to be original; the rest is old working repaint; neck chip has been reglued; minor flaking and edge wear at end of bill. (500 - 800)

613. Black duck, R.A. Gilbert, Hamilton, Ontario area. Hollow body with bottom board construction. Scratch painting on head. Strong original paint; flaking and chips. (600 - 900)

614. Canvas over wood redhead drake, Charles Reeves, Long Point, Ontario, 1st quarter 20th century. Paint on head and parts of body appear to be original; lightly hit by shot.


615. Black duck, Davey Nichol, Smiths Falls, Ontario, 2nd quarter 20th century. Gunning decoy. Typical wing and primary carving with fluted tail. Original paint; light wear with some rubs on back and side; very tight hairline crack in neck. (600 - 900)

616. Two bluebill drakes, Robert Freeborn, Hamilton, Ontario. Hollow with bottom board. Wear at ends of bills and tops of heads; original paint with strong combing on back; one drake has three shot scars. (500 - 800)

617. Black duck, Ken Anger, Dunnville, Ontario. Classic style black duck by Anger with “J.C.” written twice in underside. Very good and original. (500 - 800)

618. Solid body style redhead drake, George Warin, Toronto, Ontario. Branded “AH Buhl,” “S Hendrie,” and “FH Walker.” All St. Clair Flats Shooting Company mem-bers. Old overpaint has been taken off to mostly original; old repair to a defect in the back. (600 - 900)

619. Black duck, Ken Anger, Dunnville, Ontario. Branded “EGB” in underside. Very good and original. (600 - 900)

620. Pair of goldeneyes, Sam Hutchins. One appears to be significantly older than the other. The older one has repaint on the white areas and moderate wear; the newer one is original paint with minor wear and reglued chip in bill.


612

615

618

613

616

619

614

617

620

212

621. Breast preening wood duck hen, Roswell Bliss, Stratford, Connecticut. “Bliss” stamp in underside. Detailed wingtip caving. Very good and original.

(600 - 900)

622. Canada goose, Joseph Lincoln, Accord, Massachusetts. Branded “L.Lisle” in underside. Old in use repaint; numerous cracks and filled age splits.

(650 - 950)

623. Canada goose with unusual lifted head, Massachusetts, 1st quarter 20th century. Original paint with minor to moderate wear on body; minor wear on head; some tou-chup on head. (500 - 800)

624. Self bailing scoter, Joseph Lincoln, Accord, Massachusetts. Paint has been restored; structurally good. (350 - 550)

625. Eider drake from Connecticut. Slightly turned head. Original paint; good patina and slight wear; struc-turally good.


626. Goldeneye drake, George Bacon, Burlington Vermont. Branded “CE Irving”. Old in use repaint; small dents and cracks.

Provenance: Vermont Folk Life Museum collection.

Literature: “Decoys of Lake Champlain,” Loy Harrell, p. 18, exact decoy. (600 - 900)

627. Goldeneye drake, David Harrington, Underhill, Vermont. Very good and original.


Literature: “Decoys of Lake Champlain,” Loy Harrell, p. 53. (350 - 450)

628. Rare greenwing teal drake, Gerald Tremblay, Alburg Springs, Vermont. Original paint with minor wear; moderate wear on sides; large shot scar in back; thin crack through bill.


Literature: “Decoys of Lake Champlain,” Loy Harrell, p. 119. (350 - 450)

629. Goldeneye hen, from Lake Champlain, 1st quarter 20th century. Appealing old in use repaint; crack in bill; lightly hit by shot.

Provenance: Vermont Folk Life Museum collection. Formerly in collection of Paul Casson.


630

632

634

621

624

627

622

625

628

623

626

629

New England

213

630. Standing pheasant on wooden base, John Hyatt, Pekin, Illinois. Approximately 7” tall. Original paint with slight wear; structurally good.


631. Miniature king eider drake, John Hyatt, Pekin, Illinois. Good carving detail. Very good and original.


632. Snow goose, Harold Haertel, Dundee Illinois. “HH” carved in the underside. Small amount of paint has flaked off the bill, otherwise very good and original.


633. 1/3 size mallard hen and drake, Ignatius Stachowiak, lasauw, Illinois. Drake has slightly turned head. A few paint flakes missing, otherwise very good and original.


634. Pair of 1/4 size flying mallards, Ken Anger, Dunnville, Ontario. Approximately 6 1/2” tall. Part of hen’s foot is missing, otherwise very good and original. (650 - 950)

635. 1/3 size European mute swan, Hec Whittington, Oglesby, Illinois. Signed and dated 1964. Original paint that has darkened with age; seam separation partway through neck.


631

633

635

630

632

634

Decoratives and Miniatures

214

636. Set of 12 “finger bowl” miniatures, circa 1950. Approximately 1 1/2” long, hand carved and painted miniature decoys for floating in finger wash bowls. Very good and original.

Literature: “1958-1959 Cross Road of Sports, New York, sale catalog, p. 38. (450 - 650)

637. Seven miniatures. Canada goose and greenwing teal by Gibbs, pair of buffleheads by Schalk, Hudson style yel-lowlegs by Joe Seme, a mallard and canvasback. Original and good.


638. Lot of six miniatures. Three swans and three ducks. Sleeping swan is marked “John Sullivan”. Original and good.


639. Pair of 1/4 size mallards, George “Skippy” Barto, Putnam, Illinois. Approximately 6” long. Small amount of paint loss on one side of hen’s head, otherwise very good.


640. Pair of miniature mallards on burl base, Charles Perdew, Henry, Illinois. Standing drake and resting hen. Base is approximately 3 1/4”long. Very good and original.


641. Two miniature pair of mallards from Illinois. Large pair is Approximately 6” long. Small chip missing from large hen’s bill; large hen and drake each have minor neck damage.


637

639

641

636 642

638 644

640

215

642. 1/3 size merganser drake, John Hyatt, Pekin, Illinois. Carved wooden crest and slightly lifted head. Very good and original.


643. Pair of goldeneye, Russ Van Houzen. Branded “RVH”. Good carving detail. Very good and original. (650 - 950)

644. 1/3 size black duck, Ben Schmidt, Detroit, Michigan. Signed. Approximately 9” long. Hairline crack partway through bill, otherwise very good and origi-nal.


645. Cinnamon teal, John Gewerth. Signed. Slightly turned head and raised carved wingtips. Very good and original.

(400 - 600)

646. Dove with slightly turned head, Harold Haertel, Dundee, Illinois. “HH” and “CM” are stamped in to the underside. Tip of bill has been broken off, otherwise very good and original.


647. Pair of 1/3 size bluewing teal, Grayson Chesser, Jenkins Bridge, Virginia. Large “C” carved in underside of each. Very good and original. (350 - 450)

648. Ringbill drake, Russell Van Houzen. Signed and brand-ed “RVH”. Finely detailed feather carving and slightly turned head. Very good and original. (350 - 450)

643

645

642

644

646 647 648

216

649. Two fish items. An old reproduction of an Oscar Peterson sign and a carved wooden sword fish with metal fins and real sword fish sword that appears to be 30 or 40 years old. Sign is around 4’ long, swordfish is around 5’. Original and good.


650. Old reproduction framed pigeon sign. Approximately 17” x 28”. Appears to be around 40 years old. Small cracks in sign; wear on edges. (500 - 700)

651. A very early cabinet card of young boy holding a pigeon believed to be from Trulock & Harris, circa 1884. Slight roughness to edges; cardboard glued to back for strengthening. (350 - 450)

651A. Three carved wooden ideal bobbers. Lengths vary from approximately 16” to 9” long. Very good and original.


652. Two creels from Vermont, 1st half 20th century. One is split ash, the other is birch bark with wooden top and bot-tom. Minor damage to top of ash creel; small split in birch bark. (400 - 600)

653. Carved wooden horse on stand, 1st quarter 20th cen-tury. Approximately 12” tall. Original paint with very little wear; chips missing from both ears. (350 - 450)

654. Wooden carving of a coiled rattlesnake. Coil approxi-mately 11”. Appears to be 30 or 40 years old. Rattle has been broken off of tail and reattached. (300 - 500)

649 649

652

650

653

651

654

651A

217

655. Canvasback iron wingduck from the Chesapeake Bay. Worn old paint; structurally good. (350 - 450)

656. Redhead drake, Dr. Abernathy, Belvedere, Vermont. Original paint with minor discoloration and wear; thin crack partway down neck and in underside.

Provenance: Vermont Folk Life Museum collection. Formerly in the collection H. Prakelt.


657. Coot with slightly turned head, Pete Peterson, Cape Charles, Virginia. Branded and signed. Original and good.

Provenance: Miller collection stamp on underside.(300 - 400)

658. Pair of ringbills, Pete Costello, Essex Junction, Vermont. Original paint with minor discoloration and wear; a few small dents.


Literature: “Decoys of Lake Champlain,” Loy Harrell, p.33 (400 - 600)

659. Three cast iron wingducks. Two from Maryland one from Long Island, New York. Long Island wingduck is hollow. Appealing old paint on redhead and canvasback; some wear. (650 - 950)

660. Wood duck drake with slightly turned and lifted head, 2nd quarter 20th century. Appealing old in use repaint; lightly hit by shot small dents. (250 - 350)

661. Two 1/4 size Canada geese, Ken Weeks, Bureau, Illinois. Metal legs and feet. Near mint original paint; one metal leg is broken.


662. Goldeneye drake from upstate New York. Very good and original. (175 - 225)

655

657

660

656

658

661

659

662

End of Session Two

Index of Carvers

Aho, George John ......................................................................... 261Ahrens, Wyck ..............................................................................255EAllen, Fred ............................................................................ 190, 376Althoff, Charles ............................................................................. 563Anger, Ken ........................... 105, 107, 110, 111, 388, 408, 481, 604,

605, 617, 619, 634Anheuser Busch .......................................................................... 200Avis, John .......................................................................................... 3Bach, Ferdinand ............................................................................ 318Bacon, George ............................................................................... 626Bacon, Howard ............................................................................. 585Bailey, Walter ................................................................................ 474Bailey, Farrell and Company ...................................................... 199Barr, James .................................................................................... 395Barto, George ................................................................ 183, 304, 639Beckhart, James T. .........................................................274-276, 295Bergman, Charles .................................................................. 172, 178Birch, Charles ............................................................................... 163Birch, Reggie ................................................................................ 350Blair, Sr., John ............................................................................... 148Bliss, Roswell ............................................................................... 621Bloom, Reg ................................................................................... 399Bodie, H. ....................................................................................... 495Borrett, Mike ......................................................................... 258, 259Bourg, Xavier ................................................................................ 346Bowles, A.M. ................................................................................ 306Bowman, William ......................................................................... 220Boyd, George ........................................................................ 137, 138Brett, Gordon ................................................................................ 407Broussard, André ........................................................................... 271Campo, Domingo .......................................................................... 344Canfield, Harry ................................................................................ 34Chambers, Tom .................................. 1, 5, 9, 13, 103, 389, 390, 394,

482, 483, 487, 488Chandler, Bill ................................................................................ 402Chesser, Grayson .................................................................. 360, 647Chrysler, William ....................................................................... 385DClark, Charles ............................................................................... 524Clark, Roland ................................................................................ 422Cochran, John “Sundown” ............................................................ 277Collins, Marty ............................................................................... 355Conklin, Hurley ............................................................................. 592Conklin, Roy ................................................................................. 217Coombs, Frank .............................................................................. 227Corless, Ruben .............................................................................. 593Corwin, Wilber .............................................................................. 529Costello, Pete ................................................................................ 658Crandall, Horace ........................................................................... 177Croft, Fred ...................................................................................328FCrowell, Elmer ........................................................... 22-24, 155-159Cuffee, Chief Eugene .................................................................... 532Daisey, Cigar ...................................................... 57-62, 361-367, 370Davern, Harve ............................................................... 401, 406, 413Dawson, Walter “Tube” ........................................................ 185, 570Dawson, Walter “Tube” ................................................................ 570Deeter, Lonn .................................................................................. 584Dettman, Warren ................................................................ 324, 325ADischer, Roy .................................................................................. 328Dodge, Jasper ................................................................................ 241Dodge Decoy Factory ................................................. 240, 242, 247Dolsen, Frank ................................................................................ 101

Doren, Leonard ............................................................................... 44Dr. Abernathy, ............................................................................. 656Drury, P.O. ..................................................................................... 448Ducharme, Duncan ............................................................... 265, 266Dye, Ben ....................................................................................... 473Ellis, Billy ..............................................................................596-602Elliston, Robert .......................... 184, 191, 384, 385A, 460, 568, 575English, John ................................................................................. 142Enright, Bill................................................................................... 541Evans Decoy Factory .................................................................. 237Fennimore, Clarence ..................................................................... 357Fernland, Iver ..................................................................... 385C, 392Finkle, William ............................................................................. 310Foote, Jim .............................................................................. 151, 333Fornier, Charles ............................................................................. 269Frederick, Jr., George ............................................................ 339, 342Freehorn, Henry .................................................................... 475, 612Freehorn, Robert ................................................................... 606, 616Garen, Otto ............................................................................ 187, 382Garibaldi, Amiel .................................................................... 173, 175Garren, Otto .................................................................................... 25Geiger, Fritz .................................................................................. 337Gelston, Thomas ........................................................................... 534Gewerth, John ............................................................................... 645Gilbert, R.A. .................................................................................. 613Glassford, Al ................................................................................. 437Goulette, Isaac ....................................................................... 260, 316Grace, Edward ....................................................................... 546, 554Grant, Hurley ................................................................................ 587Grant, Percy .................................................................................. 586Graves, Bert .............................. 36, 39, 186, 446, 451, 454, 565, 572Griffin Brothers ........................................................................... 603Haertel, Harold ............................428A, 431-433, 439, 458, 632, 646Hagerbaumer, David ..............................................................152-154Harper, James ................................................................................ 102Harrington, David ......................................................................... 627Harris, Ken ............................................................................ 230, 231Harris Family ...................................................................... 528, 535Hart, Charles ................................................................... 21, 420, 424Hays Decoy Factory .................................................................... 238Hebert, Amiel ................................................................................ 345Heisler, Jess ........................................................................... 146, 581Hendrickson, Eugene .................................................................... 589Herter’s Factory, ........................................243-245, 283A, 305, 542Holly, James .................................................................................. 464Holly, John .................................................................................... 468Holmes, Henry ................................................................ 32, 374, 381Homme Brothers, ..................................................................... 325BHotze, Hiram ......................................................................... 179, 569Hudson, Delbert ............................................................................ 418Hudson, Ira .............................160-162, 164, 165, 168, 169, 530, 531Hutchins, Samuel ...................................................................... 4, 620Hyatt, John ................................ 257, 373, 416A, 426, 430, 435, 436,

630, 631, 642Jagger, Edward .............................................................................. 491Jansen, Richard ............................................................................. 176Johnson, Taylor ............................................................................. 595Kavanaugh, David ......................................................................... 233Keller, Ed ...................................................................................... 567Kinney & Harlow, ....................................................................... 307LaFrance, Mitchell ................................................................ 341, 348

LeBeouf, Orel ....................................................................... 272, 273Lincoln, Joseph ......................................................... 65, 66, 622, 624Lipke, Paul .................................................................................... 540Lohrmann, William ....................................................................... 383Lowry, Walter ................................................................................ 335Machen, Henry .............................................................................. 150Mansker, H.A. .....................................................................277A-281Markham Rig .............................................................................. 112Mason Decoy Factory, .............................. 70-84, 234-236, 501-522Maxwell, Roy ................................................................................ 590McAlpin, Cline ....................................................................... 33, 372McIntyre, Cameron ................................................................... 26, 52McKendry, John .............................................................................. 19McNair, Ian ............................................................................. 56, 359McNair, Mark ............................................................................ 51, 53McNeil, Ed .................................................................................... 393Middlesteadt, Julius ...................................................................... 226Milton, Charlie .............................................................................. 478Milwaukee Museum School ....................................................... 327Mitchell, Albert ............................................................................. 264Mitchell, Madison ......................................................................... 472Moak, Gus .................................................................. 325, 325C, 334Morey, Steve ................................................................................. 351Morris Boat Works ........................................................................ 10Morrow, John ................................................................ 293, 294, 298Nichol, D.W. ................................................................................. 108Nichol, Davey ............................................................... 610, 611, 615Nolan, Arthur ........................................................................ 479, 607Ortley, Dipper ............................................................................... 588Paquette Family .......................................................................... 270Parker, Ellis ................................................................................... 582Patterson, Roy ....................................................... 180, 181, 573, 574Pelzer, Walter ................................................................................ 326Perdew, Charles ...........................17, 18, 20, 27-29, 37, 41, 188, 189,

192, 282, 283, 285-288, 291, 292, 296,297, 299, 302, 303, 371, 377, 438, 447,452-453A 461, 462, 464, 566, 571, 640

Perdew, Hadden ............................ 284, 289, 290, 300, 301, 308, 576Pertuit, Dewey and Tatie ............................................................... 340Peters ........................................................................................... 202Peterson, Oscar .............................................84A-88, 248-255C, 263Peterson, Pete ........................................................................ 358, 657Peterson Decoy Factory ........................................................... 236APirnie, Miles .................................................................................. 336Pringle, Peter ................................................................................. 609Purdo, Nick ................................................................................... 314Quillen, Nate .............................................................. 309, 317, 317AQuinn, William .............................................................................. 145R. Ward & Company ........................................................... 492, 463Rathmell, Lou ................................................................................. 64Reed, Corbin ......................................................................... 352, 353Reeves, Charles ......................................................... 2, 109, 267, 614Reeves, John ................................................................................. 398Reghi, Ralph ................................................................................. 331Reindahl, Enoch .................................................................... 319, 320Remington Arms .......................................................................... 195Reynolds Factory ........................................................................ 246Robin Hood ........................................................................... 196, 197Robinson, Tom .............................................................................. 594Rogers, Gus ................................................................................... 222Rowe, J.L. ..................................................................................... 167

Sainz, Robert ................................................................................. 557Scheeler, John ............................................................................... 423Schmidt, Ben ..................................................113-133, 332, 416, 644Schmidt, Frank .............................................................................. 315Schmiedlin, Jim.......................................................... 47-50, 440-445Schoenheider, Sr., Charles ................................................. 385B, 449Schroeder, Tom ............................................................................. 419Schultz, William ............................................................................ 417Schweikart, John ........................................................................... 311Sheldon, Charles ........................................................................... 182Shourds, Harry V. .................................................. 523, 527, 580, 583Sibley, George ............................................... 312, 313, 322, 323, 330Sieger, Joseph ................................................................................ 321Smith, Seymour............................................................................. 228Sprague, Chris ............................................................................... 577St. Clair Flats Shooting Company ................................................ 16St. Germain, Antonaise .............................................................. 344AStachowiak, Ignatius ..................................................................... 633Sterling, Lloyd .............................................................................. 421Stevens, Ivey ................................................................................. 171Stevens Brothers ..................................................210-212, 215, 219Strey, Frank ................................................................................... 338Strunk, George ................................................................................ 54Swartz, Jack ............................................................................ 31, 378Thomas, Charles ................................................................... 135, 139Travers, H.D. ................................................................................... 42Tremblay, Jerald ............................................................................ 628Trombley, Andy............................................................................ 92ATruex, Rhodes ....................................................................... 533, 591Trulock & Harris ................................. 489, 490, 498, 499, 552, 651Tully, Bud ...................................................................... 100, 104, 476US Cartridge, .............................................................................. 203Vale, Edgar ...................................................................................... 30Vallero, Michael .............................................................................. 43Vance, Arthur B. .................................................... 143, 149, 578, 579Vanderbosche, Theodore ................................................................. 92VanHouzen, Russ .................................................................. 643, 648Verdin, Laurent ............................................................................. 347Verity, Obediah ............................................................................. 141Verity Family, .............................................................................. 224Vizier Family, .............................................................................. 343Walker, Charles ................................... 35, 45, 46, 379, 457, 459, 561Ward, David ................................................................................ 8, 98Ward Brothers ....................... 414, 415, 462, 463, 465-467, 469-471Warin, George ...........................11, 14, 99, 385E, 386, 410, 480, 618Watson, Dave “Umbrella” ............................................................. 166Weeks, Ken ................................................................................... 661Weeks, Robert ................................................................................. 40Wells, John R. ........................................... 12, 15, 387, 397, 409, 486Wheeler, Chauncey .................................................... 214, 220A, 428Wheeler, Shang ....................................................................... 63, 427White, Bob .............................................................................. 55, 356Whittington, Hec ........................................................... 375, 455, 635Wilcoxin, Perry ............................................................................. 385Wilson, Gus ................................................................................67-69Winchester .................................................................. 193, 194, 201Wooster, Joe .......................................................................... 429, 434Wright, William ............................................................................ 170Zahn, Albert ............................................................................... 416B

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Free Identification and Appraisals

Saturday, April 25Table Event in Mega Center – 9am to 2pm

Displays/Exhibits Contemporary Carver Demonstrations and Display

Free Identification and Appraisals

For information on daily events, booking rooms, and reserving selling tables go to

midwestdecoy.org or call 586-530-6586

Vintage Decoy Displays

Vintage Decoy & Sporting Collectibles Show

National Decoy Auction Carving Demonstrations

PRESERVING THIS ORIGINAL AMERICAN FOLK ART HISTORY SINCE 1966

N O R T H A M E R I C A N

50th year!

Our

50th An nualNorth American Vintage Deco & Sporting Collectibles Show

Special Displays and Exhibits Fri. Sat. in the MegaCenter

A comprehensive look at Ohio decoys, their makers, and the famous hunt clubs on the southern shores of Lake Erie where the decoys were hunted over. Also includes other Ohio sporting items such as advertising art, powder tins, and more. Ohio decoy collectors and historians Jeff & Joyce Hay are assembling this display.

Marty Hanson is one of the today’s top contemporary carvers and we are thrilled that he will be sharing his talents with us this year. Marty will be on hand exhibiting over 50 examples of his finest work spanning three decades. This will include his duck decoys, fish carvings, duck calls, his signature standing decoys, and special dead mount wall hangings.

A broad collection of 90 of the finest fish decoys made by Michigan makers such as Oscar Peterson, Hans Janner, Andy Trombley, Pecor Fox and many more. Contemporary fish carvers will also display their work and be on hand to demonstrate their carving techniques. MDCA Director Jim Wierzba is coordinating this effort.

These old, multi-purpose boxes are yet another example of wonderful American folk art at its best with craftsmanship reminiscent of the work of the finest cabinet makers. Gunning box collector and MDCA Director Roger Ludwig is leading this effort and will share many boxes from his impressive personal collection.

Don’t miss this opportunity to see items from the finest private collections in the country.

Decoys of the Buckeye State The Folk Art of Marty Hanson

Michigan Spearing Fish Decoys Gunning Boxes as Folk Art

50th An nualNorth American Vintage Deco & Sporting Collectibles Show

Special Displays and Exhibits Fri. Sat. in the MegaCenter

A comprehensive look at Ohio decoys, their makers, and the famous hunt clubs on the southern shores of Lake Erie where the decoys were hunted over. Also includes other Ohio sporting items such as advertising art, powder tins, and more. Ohio decoy collectors and historians Jeff & Joyce Hay are assembling this display.

Marty Hanson is one of the today’s top contemporary carvers and we are thrilled that he will be sharing his talents with us this year. Marty will be on hand exhibiting over 50 examples of his finest work spanning three decades. This will include his duck decoys, fish carvings, duck calls, his signature standing decoys, and special dead mount wall hangings.

A broad collection of 90 of the finest fish decoys made by Michigan makers such as Oscar Peterson, Hans Janner, Andy Trombley, Pecor Fox and many more. Contemporary fish carvers will also display their work and be on hand to demonstrate their carving techniques. MDCA Director Jim Wierzba is coordinating this effort.

These old, multi-purpose boxes are yet another example of wonderful American folk art at its best with craftsmanship reminiscent of the work of the finest cabinet makers. Gunning box collector and MDCA Director Roger Ludwig is leading this effort and will share many boxes from his impressive personal collection.

Don’t miss this opportunity to see items from the finest private collections in the country.

Decoys of the Buckeye State The Folk Art of Marty Hanson

Michigan Spearing Fish Decoys Gunning Boxes as Folk Art

JDJ

JDJ

Situated in the heart of the downtown historic waterfront district, our neighborhood includes historic homes and sites, boutiques, galleries, fi ne dining, and live entertainment. Harbor cruises depart from the dock directly across from the hotel. Located just one hour north of Boston, MA and south of Portland, ME, our hotel offers 181 beautifully appointed guestrooms.

250 Market St., Portsmouth, NH 03801603-431-2300 www.sheratonportsmouth.com

The Sheraton Portsmouth Harborside Hotel

CONDITIONS OF SALE -- PLEASE READ

1. GUARANTEE - We have made a consistent effort in correctly cataloging and describing all items to be sold. The decoy catalog descriptions are guaranteed for authenticity and condition. All other items sold “AS IS” Should the need arise, the auctioneer reserves the right to make verbal corrections and provide additional information from the block, at the time of the sale. Absentee bids will not be executed on items that are found to be other than described in the catalog. Since opinions can differ, particularly in the matter of condition, the auctioneer will be sole judge in the matter of refunds.

2. DURATION OF GUARANTEE - Request for refund for items purchased IN PERSON at the auction must be made within 3 days of the sale. If you are an absentee or phone bidder it is your responsibility to examine the lot immediately upon receipt. On items purchased in absentee, the guarantee will end 3 days from the date of delivery. Therefore, all guarantees on items purchased will become null and void 7 calendar days from the date of shipment. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT IF YOU PAY LATE, YOU WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE GUARANTEE. Payment must be postmarked no later than 30 days after the auction.

3. PROTESTED BIDS- In case of a disputed bid, the auctioneer is the sole determinant as to whom the successful bidder is, and at his discretion, may reoffer and resell the article in dispute. If a dispute arises after the sale, the auctioneer as sales records shall be conclusive as to whom the purchaser was, and the purchase price.

4. BIDDING- Bidding usually starts below the low estimate and advances in increments of approximately 10% of the opening bid subject to the auctioneer’s discretion. The auctioneer reserves the right, at his sole discretion, to refuse any bids that he deems unreasonable. The minimum bid increment guideline is as follows:

$500 to $1000 - $25 $10,000 to $20,000 - $500 $100,000 and above - $2000 $1000 to $10,000 - $100 $20,000 to $100,000 - $10005. ABSENTEE BIDS- Phone or mail bids, at the discretion of the Auctioneer, will be accepted with a 20% deposit. In such case

the bookkeeper will execute such bids competitively. Absentee bids are executed by the bookkeeper on behalf of the bidder in accordance with the bid increment policy shown above. Please review the rules governing both absentee and phone bids in the back of the catalog.

6. TERMS- All items are to be paid for in U.S. funds at the day of the auction. No items will be released until they are paid for. Those who have not established an account with us and wish to pay by check, must do so prior to the beginning of the auction, by presenting a current letter of reference from their bank, or by providing references, that are suitable to the Auctioneer. The Auctioneer reserves the right to hold merchandise purchased by personal check, until the check has cleared the bank. Phone and absentee bidders - You will be notified one week after the auction of your bids/results. PAYMENT IS DUE UPON RECEIPT. A late charge will be accessed on all balances not paid, at the rate of 12% A.P.R. commencing 30 days after the auction. If any accounts become more than 60 days overdue, the consignor will be given the name of the buyer who is responsible for holding up their funds. Guyette & Deeter will not carry insurance on items that are not paid for within 35 days of the auction. Also, the auctioneer may retain and/or recover the deposit specified as liquidated damages. In addition, the property can be resold at public or private sale without further notice. Any deficiency resulting from such resale shall be paid to the auctioneer by the defaulting buyer, together with all charges, fees, and expenses incurred by such resale, or the enforcement of the obligation hereunder. Buyer agrees to pay all charges and expenses incurred by reason of any breach of the Terms and Conditions of sale, including without limitation, reasonable attorney fees.

7. RESERVES - A very small percentage of the decoys in this auction carry reserves. A reserve is a confidential minimum price established between the auctioneer and the consignor. The reserve will not exceed the low estimate printed in the catalog, and is usually much less. Reserves are executed by the bookkeeper on behalf of the consignor.

8. PAYMENT FOR PURCHASES MAY BE MADE WITH VISA , MASTERCARD, CASH OR CHECK. 9. BUYERS PREMIUM- The buyer’s premium, assessed on each selling lot, is 15% of the hammer price up to and including

$1,000,000, plus 10% on any amount in excess of $1,000,000. For payments made using Visa or MasterCard, the buyer’s pre-mium is 18% up to and including $1,000,000, plus 13% on any amount in excess of $1,000,000.

10. TAX - THERE IS A 7.5% SALES TAX IN ILLINOIS.11. ACCEPTANCE OF CONDITIONS - Bidding on any articles in this catalog indicates your acceptance of all the above items.12. BIDDING AGENT RESPONSIBILITY - If you are registering for someone or if you execute a bid for someone else under your

number, you are responsible for the settlement of that account. You are also responsible for examining the decoy(s) for your client regarding the guarantee.

13. WITHDRAWAL - We reserve the right to withdraw any property before the sale and shall have no liability whatsoever for such withdrawal.

14. TITLE - Title passes upon the fall of the auctioneer’s hammer. It will then be the responsibility of the buyer to make full pay-ment prior to removing the goods from the premises. Removal is at both the buyer’s risk and expense, and must be made at the conclusion of the sale, unless other arrangements are made with the Guyette & Schmidt staff. Any lots we might make arrangements for moving or storing are solely at the risk of the owner, and any damage or loss occurring after the fall of the hammer becomes that of the buyer.

15. LEGAL DISPUTE - Any legal disputes arising from this auction shall be settled in the court system of the State of Maine. UNIFORM COMMERCIAL CODE - The Maine Uniform Commercial Code, Title II, Section 2328 applies to this auction.

16. All calls are sold “As Is”.

THE OFFICE WILL NOT BE OPEN UNTIL WEDNESDAY AFTER THE AUCTION.

ABSENTEE AND PHONE BIDS

1. Absentee bids are a service provided to our customers free of charge. Every effort is made to execute all absentee bids, however, in the event of an error of omission, or failure to properly execute absentee bids, the Auctioneer shall not be held liable.

2. All absentee bids must be accompanied by a 20% deposit, which will be refunded immediately after the auction if your bid is unsuccessful. If your bid is successful, the deposit will be applied to the purchase price and the balance due upon presentation of your bill. All absentee bidders are notified by mail, whether successful or unsuccessful.

3. Visa and Mastercard numbers can be given in place of a check deposit, if your bid is submitted by phone. Your card number will not be used to make payments for purchases, it is only used as collateral. Your card number will only be used to make payment for purchases if you default on payment.

4. To execute an absentee bid, fill out the enclosed form, listing catalog number, description and your top bid price (not including the 15% buyer’s premium). Send this together with your deposit as soon as possible. If your bids are sent seven days or less prior to the auction, you should call our office three days prior to the auction, to confirm that we have received your bids. If they have not been received at that point in time, we will take your bid over the phone. We cannot guarantee that bids received after the auction has started will be executed.

5. If two or more bids are received on the same item from different people, the bidding will open at the next logical raise above the second highest bid. If two absentee bids are received with the exact same amount, the first one received will take precedence.

6. All bids must be in even dollar amounts. Bids in fractions of dollars will be considered the next lower even dollar amount.

7. Bid increments: The bid increment policy, which also applies to both absentee and phone bidders, is listed under “CONDITIONS OF SALE” (item #4), in the front of the catalog.

8. Open bids, bids with no set top amount, or orders to just simply buy the lot, cannot be accepted. You must have a definite top limit before we can execute your bid. Alternatives to this are as follows:

a. To bid over the telephone. This can be done by simply sending a 20% deposit for what you wish to bid on the object. This will bind whatever bid amount you wish to bid over the telephone. (NOTE: There are only 4 phone lines into the auction room and phone bids will be handled on a first come, first serve basis.)

b. Some bidders concerned that a lot might just go for one bid above their top limit, leave a top bid plus one bid. This works as follows: the top bid submitted might be $1,000, but not wishing to lose the lot for simply $25 more, the party might bid $1,000 + 1 bid if they definitely don’t want to go over a certain price, they would indicate $1,000 +1 ($1,025) (NOTE: One possible problem that occasionally arises with absentee bids is when someone in the audience bids exactly the amount, which you specify is your limit. In such a case, we would not go one extra bid unless your bid sheet indicates “plus one” bid.).

9. If you are a successful bidder, a bill will be sent one week after the auction. Purchasers should indicate their desired method of shipment, if such is necessary. There is a charge for shipping, labor, materials, and insurance. Shipping is done on a first come, first serve basis, and can take up to 4 weeks. Please note that a certified check, Visa, Mastercard, or any other form of guaranteed funds will expedite shipping.

10. According to UPS regulations, we must now crate all paintings. In addition, for expensive oil paintings and delicate carvings, we need a written statement from the purchaser, assuming the responsibility of pursuing any claims, in the event of damage incurred during shipping. Valuable lots need to be sent 2nd day air UPS due to values. Under no circumstances will we be liable for damage to glass or frames, or fragile decoratives, regardless of cause.

11. TERMS — Phone and absentee bidders — You will be notified one week after the auction of your results. Payment is due upon receipt. Interest will be charged on all balances not paid within 30 days after the bill is sent at the rate of 12% APR. If any accounts become more than 60 days overdue, the consignor will be given the name of the buyer who is responsible for holding up their funds. If an account is 75 days overdue, the items may be returned to the consignor and overdue buyer will pay the buyers premium and commission from the sale, if they wish to participate in future Guyette and Deeter auctions.

12. Bidding on any article(s) indicates your acceptance of these terms above. 13. If you would like any additional information on any of the lots, please contact: Gary Guyette at (410) 745-0485 or Jon

Deeter at (440) 610-1768.

If you have any questions concerning absentee bids, please call us.

NAME

ADDRESS

CITY STATE ZIP

TELEPHONE

DEPOSIT $ (Check Amount or Visa or MasterCard # & Exp.)

I desire to bid on the following items in the sale. The bids are to executed by Guyette & Schmidt, Inc., up to but not exceeding the amount(s) specified on the below bids. All bids will be executed and accepted subject to the Terms of Sale and Absentee Bids Procedure outlined in the catalog. (Please be sure that you understand our procedures before using this Absentee and Phone Bid Form.) Office will not be open until Wednesday after the auction.

Signature

A PREMIUM OF 15% WILL BE APPLIED TO ALL ITEMS SOLD, TO BE PAID BY THE BUYER

OFFICEUSE

IN CATALOG # ORDER DESCRIPTION BID AMOUNT

A SECOND PAGE IS PROVIDED ON BACK SHOULD YOU REQUIRE ADDITIONAL SPACE

TOTAL BIDS $ x 20% EQUALS DEPOSIT ENCLOSED $

OFFICE:PO Box 1170

St. Michaels, MD 21663 410-745-0485

Fax 410-745-0487 [email protected]

ABSENTEE AND PHONE BID FORMOFFICE USE ONLY

TIME

DATE OF BID

AUCTION DATE

MANAGER

ABSENTEE OR PHONE BID

I desire to bid on the following items in the sale. The bids are to be executed by Guyette & Deeter, up to but not exceeding the amount(s) specified on the below bids. All bids will be executed and accepted subject to the Terms of Sale and Absentee Bids Procedure outlined in the catalog. (Please be sure that you understand our procedures before using this Absentee and Phone Bid Form.) Office will not be open until Wednesday after the auction.

OFFICE:PO Box 1170

St. Michaels, MD 21663410-745-0485

Fax [email protected]

Page 2

NAME PHONE AUCTION DATE

OFFICEUSE

IN CATALOG # ORDER DESCRIPTION BID AMOUNT

277

414 98

501199

522 276

Guyette & DeeterPO Box 1170, St. Michaels, MD 21663

410-745-0485 | www.guyetteanddeeter.com

Documents

North American Decoys at Auction - April 23 & 24, 2015