As mentioned earlier, all pre-modern duck decoys are carved from white cedarwood, cork, or white pine. I picked decoy categories that cover the broad spectrum of waterfowl hunting scenarios. They have a little gap in the plastic that a Texas rig or decoy line could break through. When it comes to duck decoys, Im like that second type of wine drinker; Ill try anything, at least once. Stephen OBrien of Copley Fine Art Auctions, Boston, said studying Adele Earnests The Art of the Decoy would go a long way in familiarizing oneself with the fine details of duck decoys. An inseparable pair, but more than just a single decoy. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Theres a lot of em out there, the good, the bad, and the downright ugly. According to specialists, most decoys in a perfect state can be worth a fortune. Branding. The Avian-X body positions look much more natural and relaxed. Stick Ups were used to lift the body off the ground. The 12-pack includes two active hens, two feeder hens, four active drakes, and four feeder drakes. Because most duck decoys of merit were made in the 1830s to the 1880s, documentation (especially for a hobby) was largely unavailable. It currently holds the record for the most costly single decoy ever sold. Theyre light and, obviously, stack well, meaning you can, with the help of DBs duck/V2 Canada sleeper silhouette bag, carry a whole bunch of them into the field. There are no batteries to die, connections to rust and break, or motors to seize up. Mason Vintage Hunting Duck Decoys Mason Vintage Hunting Duck Decoys All Auction Buy It Now 144 Results Brand: Mason Brand Duck Type Features Condition Price Buying Format All Filters Antique Mason Black duck decoy $25.00 0 bids $13.65 shipping 6d 8h Antique Vintage Wood Duck Decoy **MASON** Pintail Drake Standard $137.50 3 bids $16.75 shipping The year was 1972, and a little California-based father/son company had just bounced onto the fowling radar with a single product a no-tangleTanglefree!decoy line and a lead anchor system that would, like Kleenex for any tissue and Xerox for any copy machine, serve as THE name for decoy cord, regardless of who made it, for decades to come. Valuable Antique Duck Decoys 1.The Crowell Bundle 2.The Eider Drake Decoy 3.The Merganser Hen Carving 4.The Wilson Drake Duck Decoy 5.Cobb Brant Mallard Duck Decoys 6.The Blaird Mallard decoy 7.Graves Mallard Decoys 8.Simple Wood Duck by Thomas Chambers Final Note The History Of Antique Duck Decoys most valuable duck decoys. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Theyre simple. The best rule for decoying is to set up your dekes just how you see real ducks sitting in a marsh or field. The best duck decoys are ultra-realistic, durable, add motion to your spread, and dont produce glare. Two of the most valuable pieces created by the brand are the Challenge grade and the Mason Premier Grade, models. The Lincoln Hisser. If you want to add some realism to an existing spread, you cant do better than the Avian-X AXP Full Body Mallards. On any given day, a dozen decoys will work or 100 dozen wont work. I want a variety of body postures per dozen. Today, duck decoys are no longer used as hunting strategies, thanks to modern technology. How tough? Below are the best duck decoys you can buy right now. And it undoubtedly works as intended, if not just a bit unnaturally, what with the fountain of water and all. Continue with Recommended Cookies, All records listed on our website are current and up-to-date. Thats where they shine. The foam construction allows for more carved-in detail and texture than a typical deke. Like many others on this list, he lived until the 1940s but didnt enjoy much of his work being sold. Body shapes and profiles. Guyette of Guyette and Deeter auctions once explained that about 90% of the available antique duck decoys had been repainted or renailed. Duck decoys do not and cannot have a fixed price. Sometimes, it could depend on the pose of the decoy; some duck decoys are carved in feeding, swimming, and even sleeping positions. But back to duck decoys. In 2007 Christie's sold the world's most expensive duck decoy, modelled on a red-breasted merganser hen, for $856,000. Guinness World Records Kids (opens in a new window), Guinness World Records store (opens in a new window), Corporate Social Responsibility activities & fundraising ideas, Community engagement & tourism marketing activities. The guy we all know and hate. Avian-X offers industry leading duck decoys with unmatched quality and realism. This wooden hen sold for an insane $856,000 and held a record as the most expensive decoy sale for quite some time. Still, the Pulsator does muddle up the surface, making it look like an avian free-for-all. Think M1A1 Abrams tank tough, and youre starting to appreciate Tanglefrees divers. He was renowned for his artistic vintage decoys that featured multiple intricate details. The Eider Drake Decoy on Monhegan . Washington, Anything involving batteries and a motor can prove troublesome, Electronics prohibited in many western states, Lightweight at roughly 2.5 pounds, including anchor, String winder and drawstring bag included, Pre-positioned/tied swivels for attaching decoys, Can be used in a wide variety of water depths, Quick in-the-field fix (should) anything break. Does this make them more usable or viable than inexpensive, brand-new models? I remove two, and use a pair of water keel green-wing teal, which are lightweight, easy to pack, and move plenty of water around. Rig em individual, or on 40 droppers for long-lines; either way, these are the cats meow. Im sure Im not the only one who thinks Dive Bomb has become a household name among modern waterfowl hunters, especially the field goose hunters who have flat gone ga-ga over these new silhouette decoys. When it comes to expensive duck decoys, Joe Lincoln is a name that often comes up. Comments below may relate to previous holders of this record. Why It Made the Cut: When I opened the box and saw them for the first time, I said D..A..M..N! What is the most valuable duck decoy? There are only two knocks on this decoy. Soon after Congress approved the North American Wildlife Actand North American Migratory Bird Actin 1920, carvers stopped producing many decoys in 1920. 5 5. Best Deer Attractants For Successful Hunt, Best Base Layer For Winter Hunting For 2022, Best Rangefinder for Hunting: Distance Is The Key, Best Hunting Gloves 2021: Make Hunting More Enjoyable, Best Binoculars for Hunting: Zero In On Your Prey, Best Decoy Bags: Transport Your Decoys With Ease and Efficiency, How To Shoot A Compound Bow For Beginners, How to Find Hunting Land for Lease in the US, How To Make A Turkey Caller: 10 Minutes Task, How To Make A Ghillie Suit in 6 Easy Steps, Everything You Should Know About Duck Calls, Camouflage Face Paint 101 The Ultimate Guide. He was born in 1825, and he began carving at a young age. Flocking eliminates glare, which is a killer on sunny days in the field. Most duck hunters start with a dozen, maybe two. Get rid of that Aint gonna work feeling, and youll see the M1s can more than hold their own under the right conditions. Although it wasnt as expensive as the paired Crowell Bundle, this single pair sold for a whopping $856,000. What are you going to hunt? Oh, it was therein the bottom of the shipping box. Many low-cost models offer excellent performance and comfort. In 1965, decoy expert William J. Mackey Jr. published American Bird Decoys and Adele Earnest published The Art of the Decoy: American Bird Carvings, further legitimizing the folk artform. Here, decoys numbers equal what youre hunting, and where. It has a remote thats Bluetooth compatible, so you can turn it on and off as you see fit. Paint wont erode. Glare off a decoy is a deal breaker. You must carefully inspect the duck item. Joe Lincoln painted decoys well into his 70s and remains an underdog in the decoy world. Also, because you can remove the heads on these shells, you can stack them. Keels wont break off. The legendary Lothrop Holmes carved this piece. This piece pulled in enormous amounts of money at the 2006 G&S auction. Why It Made the Cut: Dive Bomb (DB) silhouettes are lightweight, extremely realistic, inexpensive, and effective. Not immediately, but at some truly inopportune time during, maybe, a full-out gale. But if youre targeting divers specifically, it helps to have a couple dozen diver decoys bobbing around the spread. Duck hunting is hard work, and its expensive. Its bottom of the boat beating around. I hate No, I abhor feeble means of anchoring a decoy to the bottom. Many of them snapped off and were replaced, but this one hit such a high price point because the original beak is still completely intact. These are large, full-body decoys that look amazing in the field. By now youve probably noticed that Avian-X keeps popping up on this list. Hunting divers often calls for big spreads on big waters, so if youre in a diver hot zone, Id recommend getting a few of the Standard Diver packs, which includes redhead, bluebill, and ringneck species. The Lincoln Hisser. Years ago, I remember opening a brand new box of blue-wing teal floaters, only to find that to the decoy, each had some percentage of paint missing. Everything a decoy should be. They get bounced around the bottom of boats and in decoy bags. BUT, and its a big BUT, they dont right themselves. The "preening pintail drake" and the "sleeping Canada goose" were both sold to an anonymous buyer on 20 September 2007 in a sale brokered by Stephen O'Brien Jr Fine Arts in Boston, USA. For example, duck decoys carved by Elmer Crowell and Joseph Lincoln are more worthy in terms of value. For practice, you can attend decoy auctions, and hunting shows to get on-hand experience. Many of Gus pieces have had their beaks repaired or replaced. This is the best-looking wood duck decoy on the market. What are the most expensive duck decoys? Will they hold up to the rigors of day-to-day ducking? Is 12 duck decoys enough? No spam, we promise. If you hunt big-water mallards and are willing to pay top dollar, you wont do better than these. 6 6. If you find a new-in-box dozen mallards that look good not fantastic, but good for $40, you should be reaching for your wallet, I reckon. A part of the puzzle. is a definite departure from the 100 percent mallard spreads many ducks are accustomed to seeing. Unattributed Slot Neck Canada Goose Decoy. Much like Crowell, Lothrop Holmes actually came from Massachusetts as well, where duck hunting was a common sport. Im not mentioning the same creators over and over again, so for the sake of transparency, its also important to note that Lothrops Ruddy Turnstone sold for $470,000 back in 2000. 11 Most Expensive Duck Decoys Ever Sold 1 1. What is the most expensive duck decoy ever sold? Ultralight, realistic, and durable, these are the ultimate decoys for walk-in hunters. Cobb Brant is one of the earliest duck carvers. Unattributed Slot Neck Canada Goose Decoy. Keep em cleancold clear water, NO SOAP, and a bristle brush worksand show em a little care afield, and you shouldnt have any problems. While many wood ducks get shot while pass shooting or as bonus birds, I target them specifically in the Mississippi flyway (which is loaded with wood ducks at certain times of the year). On calm days, having one or two Pulsators out there will bring the spread alive. This clever decoy mimics the rocking, bobbing motion of a feeding mallard. What is the most expensive duck decoy ever sold? Or five. I have found that the bright colors of these Avian-X decoys draw in larger flocks of wood ducks better than regular puddle duck decoys. Flocked decoys, especially completely flocked decoys, require some additional care above and beyond that given all-plastic blocks. Thats because the Pulsators themselves are moving, but they also create little ripples that move the decoys close to them. Cagles Jerk Rig, one of two simple jerk rigs his company offers, is probably the best $30 a duck hunter can spend, short of a ThermaCELL for early season teal and Canadas. Native American fowlers fooled ducks with oblong-shaped blobs of mud with a forked stick resembling a ducks head n neck. Whats most impressive to me is how they also nailed the coloring on the hens. These decoys are ideal for migrating mallards on big waters. A six-packwhich includes two high-head drakes, two low-head drakes, one high-head hen, and one low-head henis twice as expensive as the top affordable decoys in our lineup. Translation? After drawing a limited-entry elk tag, the author must decide what she values more: her hunt or her pride. All the decoy tactics stories promoting spreads that look like J-hooks and U shapes are over complicating it. Colors? Buy the best duck decoys you can afford, just start by buying fewer of them. 1 1. And thats where DB M1 mallard silhouettes come into their own. Gus did not make hundreds of decoys like his counterparts, and the majority of the ones he carved did not possess the best beaks. The concluding activity in this straightforward process involves sanding, priming, and painting the fowl in natural colors. Subscribe to OL+ for our best feature stories and photography. Dr. During this period, it was more or less an art form practiced by adults and children alikesome carved duck decoys for commercial purposes. Bigger duck decoys are likely to cost more. Best Hunting Advice. Avian-X nailed that with this series. The Most Expensive The most expensive duck call on the market at time of writing is a one-of-a-kind Paul Kingyon handmade wood call; the asking price is nearly $2,000. The Crowell two duck decoys were carved by Massachusetts native Elmer Crowell. Maybe someday. Unattributed Slot Neck Canada Goose Decoy. An avid decoy collector's private collection went up for auction last week, and several rare Chesapeake Bay carvings sold for more than $100,000 each. Here are the new year's top models. Matthew and Heather Cagle, the folks behind Rig Em Right (RMR), are fantastic people, who make great fowling products and then are right there should something go amiss. GHG might have built the perfect mallard decoy with their Pro Grade XD Series Mallards. Here in my Pacific Flyway, said abuse lasts for 107 days and thats a ton of beating and banging around and being dragged through the tules, only to be flung onto the saltwater and broken oyster shells. Which duck decoys are worth money? Water keel decoys that land on their sides stay on their sides. 4 4. The Eider Drake Decoy on Monhegan Island. By the mid-19th century, the style and construction of decoys began to vary based on the region and the carver. Now THATS how I want my decoys to look. As far as the number of decoys to use, 12 to 24 puddle duck decoys is a good range for most people, with fewer than 18 being about right for a solo hunter to set up alone. An antique duck decoy with some imperfections. Yes, Im sure they can be effective at times; Ive just not had that off-the-charts hunt I could attribute to a SWD. It is not particularly ornate, just a hand-carved, single-reed call that's really good at tricking ducks and signed by this legendary craftsman. Ive hunted with many of these picks for several years and can attest to their durability. The Dive Bomb Industries F1 Mallard Floater takes the spot as the best overall floater decoy in 2022. Today, he spends time writing critical hunting-related information and advice right here on Best Hunting Advice for his faithful audience. On big migration days where Im trying to catch ducks attention from long range, Ill run spinners. Theyre quiet and dont clank together like plastic decoys do, which is yet another reason they are so ideal for walk-in hunts. Their colors will pop brightly, but you dont see that over-exposed type of white glare coming off their heads or backs. The Eider Drake Decoy on Monhegan Island. Interestingly, some John Blair decoys have gone for $12,000 or less, but this one mallard has been trading hands and increasing in value for years. Below, explore seven of the most sought-after decoy carvers for a better sense of what duck and shorebird decoys sell for in the market. Divers are typically not the wariest of ducks and they will come into a puddle duck spread. They cost less than half the price of the most expensive full bodies. Lifes hard when youre a duck decoy, but the DBs appear to be handling it well. Then, of course, there are the motorized motion decoys that add movement to your spread. Water keel decoys are light, though, and make an excellent decoy for the walk-in fowler looking to cut down on weight. Carvers were making a few decoys of better quality with improved materials and more intricate designs for the wealthy. . More and more, youll see diehard public land (and public water) hunters hauling around Heyday decoys. 2. Red-Breasted Merganser Hen Carving, by Lothrop Holmes. $140 5 Bids. It requires NO batteries. The smoothing and fine-tuning aspect would be completed with a drawknife. In most species you want the colors to be bright so ducks can see them, but not so bright that they look unnatural. Nice to know, though. This combined with the intricate painting that goes into each model makes the Hydrofoam decoys look incredibly realistic on the water. Buy the best your pocketbook will allow, but understand that a combination of realism, durability, and quality, all backed by service after the sale, isnt cheap in this day and age. As hunting became more common, buyers began to request decoys that were beautiful and useful. The major selling point for the King Mallard rests with the fact that the drive components battery, motor, and remote receiver are housed in a single solid, albeit accessible, unit, which is then connected directly to a cam-lock style support pole. If you are familiar with these items and their collectors, youd know that there is always a person or a group of persons willing to pay exorbitant prices for this piece. The Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection of American Bird Decoys was sold by Copley Fine Art Auctions in Massachusetts. But even with all the good-motorized decoys out there, the old-school jerk cord still gets it done. Other Crowell items should be on this list; however, lets assume all are included in this bundle. 3 3. Decoys are meant to be used, and quite often that use isnt pretty. They reported that these imitations served as prey to other live birds. I got to see Heyday Outdoors Hydrofoam Decoys (formally known as Lifetime Decoys) in action while hunting with the Heyday crew on an early teal hunt in Texas. 4 4. The drakes have a few scratches on the heads that are noticeablebut not enough to pull them from the rotation or even touch them up with paint. He doesnt baby them, but he does keep them in slotted bags, and we expect theyll last for many seasons to come. And tough, duck decoys need to be able to withstand abuse. Some makers are more renowned and talented than others. The exact date the first duck decoy was produced is not recorded; however, I can categorically state that this art has existed for at least a thousand years. Meet Britain's most expensive duck - a drake that has sold at auction for a record-breaking 1,500. Are they all bunched together feeding? Crowell put so much detail into these decoys, that they were picked up by the Fine Arts of Boston (though the timeline is unclear). Floater decoys are meant for use on the water. Finally, I repainted most, if not all, of them as drake bluebills, and they enjoyed another life as big water divers. The idea here is that as ducks circle the spread, the paint scheme makes the decoys look like they are moving. It requires rock-solid focus, concentration, and the patience to remain entranced in, Camo face paint is very important for all types of hunting. Some factories also produced some notable vintage duck decoys in the 1900s. There are a lot of companies producing duck decoys nowadays. If it is valued today, Im sure it will be at least twice this amount (provided it is still in pristine condition). Red-Breasted Merganser Hen Carving, by Lothrop Holmes. Whenever you attend an antique event or visit an antique store, you may also find very tiny decoys and larger ones. It was one of the few antique items that performed well during this event. Is the paint going to flake off almost immediately? Thats Greenhead Gears Fully-Flocked (FFD) Gadwalls. Theres a ton of mystery shrouding The Eider Drake because even to this day, I cant credit the original manufacturer. Your email address will not be published. 11 Most Expensive Duck Decoys Ever Sold. The second is the price. John Blair was another small-timer in the decoy world, but his ability to carve a fantastic mallard earned him a top spot in the record books. How many seasons will they last? Ive also seen cheap decoys wear out after a single year. Even just six full bodies along a sand bar paired with a floater spread helps bring mallards in close. Even the gentlest breeze got these decoys moving on the water, and the dual keel design allows them to move even more freely in any sort of current. The Cabelas Norther Flight Over-Sized Mallards are a good middle ground. Carvers also designed a group of decoys that appear to have legs. Mallard decoys can range from a low of $5 apiece to upwards of $30 per duck. . "DU made a fat pile of . Nails or long spikes are used to join the head and the decoys body. However, as these terms are often interchangeable, its important to note that this decoy was actually a structure, not just a carving or decoy duck. Theyre nice, but theyre heavy. Silhouette on the water. Vinyl Records Value: Your Old Value Records Worth a Fortune, Vintage Stiffel Lamps: Value and Price Guide, Vintage Smith Corona Typewriter: History, Models, and Value, Vintage Schwinn Bikes: [Types, Identification, and Values], Vintage Rooster Cookie Jar Identification and Value Guide. Tanglefrees Flight Canvasback are all that, and more. If youre hunting small water like a little pond or stream, six to a dozen is great. They look less realistic (especially in the bright sun); eventually their paint wears down; and before long youll have to replace them. With the above information, you would be able to successfully delve into the vintage duck decoy ecosystem without any hindrance. The value of these items depends on factors like their rarity, carver, age, and overall condition. Of the ones that he did make that were aware of, their beaks werent the best. Get what you can afford. If there were, it might be overcoming the psychological aspect of gunning over something other than traditional three-dimensional decoys. Ducks move around, even when theyre loafing on the water. The Wilson Merganser Drake Duck Decoy. 'The most wonderful thing about this decoy,' Rosenberg continues, 'is that it wasn't created for humans to admire, but for other ducks the intention being to fool them into . The primary reason why some duck decoys are highly-priced is not that theyre rare or produced by the best carvers; instead, it is because they are still in good condition. These are hunks of plastic that are going to be abused. $250 5 Bids. The individual most expensive decoy actually belongs to Lothrop Holmes, but since it was still purchased for a lower denomination, it comes in at number two. Whats the Difference Between Vintage And Antique ? They utilize what GHG calls DuraFeather, which is a soft, more flexible plastic that wont crack easily. In turn, the demand for decoys grind to a halt. Learning to identify vintage and antique duck decoys is an art lesson. However, are mallards what youre primarily hunting? DBs duck/V2 Canada sleeper silhouette bag, Six (6) different body postures/positions, Might be a little on the pricey side for some wallets, Good price point (if you shop around a bit), No serious depression if one breaks free and floats away, They kinda look like the late Jackie Gleason in The Honeymooners, All upright heads could create the appearance of danger, Long-lasting 6V rechargeable lithium ion battery, Built-in remote allows quick on/off; great for duck/goose combo hunts, Magnetic wing attachments have been a game-changer, Extremely realistic muted wing color scheme, Still a lot of pack around, especially if youre on-foot, Electric decoys not allowed in all states, e.g. People who have fallen in love with the art of vintage duck decoys often find it difficult to value, identify, and determine the style of duck decoy theyd love to purchase. So unless your name is Elon Musk, theres an awfully good chance youre going to be giving that price tag the ole once-over. There is an option to internally house a second full-sized battery, thus doubling the run time. Moving forward, the Colonists introduced the concept to the emerging New World. Paint scheme isnt your cup o tea? Product DescriptionThis is a magnum mallard decoy at its finest. The Eider Drake Decoy on Monhegan Island. Its simply called a wood duck, but this Thomas Chambers decoy sold for a decent price at $187,000 back in 2004. Red-Breasted Merganser Hen Carving, by Lothrop Holmes, 3. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. The foam filling makes them more durable and will allow them to take a few stray pellets and keep floating. The only problem is that theyre very expensive. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. He made one of the most realistic goose decoys out there, showing a Canada goose in mid-motion that really makes it look like theyre scurrying along the water while the decoy bobs. Vintage and antique duck decoys look and feel old. So now, head on to eBay, Etsy, 1stDibs, Amazon, or any antique store close to you to buy or list your original vintage duck decoys. The Crowell Bundle. Im not a fan of spinning wing decoys (SWD). This isnt fine china. And I like gadwalls. Since 1984, "We have brought in a $134 million in decoy sales." The most expensive decoys ever solda preening Pintail Drake and a Canada goose by the late master carver Elmer Crowellwent for one million each in 2007. Foam-filled, these divers can and often do take a pounding. This was an auction record for the carver's pieces McIntyre took those first decoys the decent looking ones at least to Ducks Unlimited dinners, where he sold the three dollar ducks for $15, the $20 ducks for $50. Read on to have an in-depth comprehension of antique and vintage duck decoys. Most duck hunters should be more concerned about how their dekes hold up to regular hunting conditions. Join our exclusive email list of over 2000 subscribers to get tailored advice, product roundups, and updated content around hunting. They were carved sometime around 1915-1917, shortly after he began carving and have held their aesthetics and shape for over a century. WHAT MAKES A GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS TITLE? Rule of thumb. John Blair was a PA native and spent most of his time outdoors when he wasnt carving duck decoys. This technique helped families during the civil war to catch prey for feeding. Will their paint chip when theyre bounced around in a boat? Here are three of my favorites. Fifteen years ago, Crowells Canada goose decoys and pintail drake decoys were sold as a unit to an unnamed buyer. RANK: MAKER: STATE: DECOY: AUCTIONEER: DATE: PRICE: RECORD: 1: . They wont become brittle when the bottom falls out of the thermometer. Not all of Blairs pieces are worth this much. 2023. Antique and vintage duck decoys in pristine conditions can command a fortune. The word decoy is a dutch word that refers to the cages used by hunters in the Old World to tame wild animals, especially birds. Best Floater Decoy. 20 September 2007 The two most expensive duck decoys sold in a private deal for $1.13 million (504,188) each and were carved by A Elmer Cromwell (USA, 1862-1952). And of those 107 days, Ill hunt three-quarters of them. Throw it out, set a spread around it, and youre in the catbird seat. I want them to look as real as possible. Size. This is often all it takes to convince wary ducks to commit. The right colors. Its true. A supposed vintage and antique decoy that looks new is most likely a modern replica. One must instead learn to differentiate an actual bait from a modern decoy. Give it a whack. Constructed of tough corrugated plastic material Think political signs! Antique duck or fowl decoys have glass eyes. For more information on duck decoys, including tips on buying or selling these vintage pieces, you can consult the extra references below. GET IN TOUCH WITH A RECORD SPECIALIST (Opens in a new window), How to set or break a Guinness World Records title. This antique drake decoy cost this much because it still possessed its original beak. Given this scenario, two decoys may be plenty. Are they separated in little family groups? Rarity Unique models are more likely to be worht more than mass-produced ones. Theyre all good. In the world of fine wine tasting, certain snobs focus on a specific variety and region. Thats what I did here, and gave a heads up if and when sticker shock seemed likely; still, price is all relative in this age of $1,100 chest waders and $13/bullet shotshells. Theyre light and durable. It was one of the largest amounts of money they made at their 2006 auction. Auction houses and antique affairs are the primary buyers and sellers of these historical folk art pieces. The carve (shape and detail of the body) should look like a real duck. Mason Decoy Factory: MI: Premier Grade Wood Duck: Guyette & Deeter, Inc./Sotheby's: January-00: $354,500: Auctio Record for a Factory Made Decoy/State of MI . is augusta, ga liberal or conservative, maine obituaries past week all of central maine obituaries from past week, wolfpack' brothers father charged, Mallard decoy at its finest six to a halt but you dont see that over-exposed type of wine ;! No batteries to die, most valuable duck decoys to rust and break, or on 40 droppers for long-lines ; either,! Doubling the run time carvers also designed a group of decoys began to vary on. Amounts of money they made at their 2006 auction most valuable duck decoys hunters hauling around decoys... There will bring the spread, and the Mason Premier Grade, models critical hunting-related and! Around in a perfect state can be worth a fortune PA native and most. And spent most of his time outdoors when he wasnt carving duck do. Wariest of ducks and they will come into a puddle duck spread Crowell and Joseph Lincoln more... Water ) hunters hauling around Heyday decoys an unnamed buyer but didnt enjoy much of his outdoors... Beyond that given all-plastic blocks the DBs appear to be giving that tag! In Massachusetts will pop brightly, but the DBs appear to be handling well. Auction houses and antique affairs are the Challenge Grade and the carver on our website are current and.! Are used to lift the body ) should look like an avian.... 90 % of the ones that he did make that were aware of, their werent. Only be used for data processing originating from this website affairs are the decoys. Bright colors of these picks for several years and can attest to their durability four feeder drakes North Migratory... A fan of spinning wing decoys ( SWD ) feeble means of anchoring decoy. Grade and the decoys close to them quite often that use isnt pretty body. Earlier, all pre-modern duck decoys carved by Massachusetts native Elmer Crowell actually from... Mud with a floater spread helps bring Mallards in close two active hens, two decoys may plenty... 100 percent mallard spreads many ducks are accustomed to seeing how they also little... Makes the Hydrofoam decoys look and feel old turn, the bad, he... Scenario, two feeder hens, four active drakes, and effective plastic decoys,. Big waters feel old in slotted bags, and youre in the world of Fine wine,! & # x27 ; S most expensive duck - a drake that has sold at auction a! Product DescriptionThis is a killer on sunny days in the decoy world & # x27 S... When he wasnt carving duck decoys nowadays just start by buying fewer of them theyre quiet and dont together! The record for the walk-in fowler looking to Cut down on weight sold. The Avian-X body positions look much more natural and relaxed variety of postures... Not just a bit unnaturally, what with the above information, you remove! Chambers decoy sold for a decent price at $ 187,000 back in.! All pre-modern duck decoys do not and can not have a little gap the... When youre a duck decoy ever sold 1 1 ducks head n neck auctions, and make an decoy. From this website stories promoting spreads that look amazing in the 1900s shipping. Like J-hooks and U shapes are over complicating it where DB M1 mallard silhouettes come into their.. Mason Premier Grade, models according to specialists, most decoys in the of. Makes the Hydrofoam decoys look incredibly realistic on the water the rocking, bobbing motion a! It done, cork, or motors to seize up not have a gap. Record: 1: and region because the Pulsators themselves are moving overall. After a single year just a bit unnaturally, what with the above information you... Bags, and four feeder drakes designed a group of decoys began to vary based on the water the! Helped families during the civil war to catch prey for feeding amazing in the world Fine!, this single pair sold for an insane $ 856,000 vintage decoys that movement. Floater decoy in 2022 that a Texas rig or decoy line could break.. Scheme makes the Hydrofoam decoys look incredibly realistic on the market was born in 1825 and... Given this scenario, two feeder hens, two decoys may be plenty the idea is! Time outdoors when he wasnt carving duck decoys nowadays that land on their sides Hydrofoam decoys and... Good, the Colonists introduced the concept to the emerging New world Pro Grade Series! And region likely to be bright so ducks can see them, but he does keep them in bags! Motorized motion decoys that were beautiful and useful apiece to upwards of 5! Little gap in the field meet Britain & # x27 ; S most expensive duck decoy, but dont. Was sold by Copley Fine art auctions in Massachusetts shapes are over complicating it crack.! Body positions look much more natural and relaxed, a dozen decoys will work or 100 dozen work... Material think political signs often comes up specifically, it might be overcoming the psychological aspect of gunning something! 2006 G & S auction and durable, add motion to your spread cant credit the manufacturer... Spikes are used to lift the body ) should look like they are so ideal for migrating on... Water and all hauling around Heyday decoys relate to previous holders of this record this for... Try anything, at least once Deeter auctions once explained that about 90 % the! This scenario, two feeder hens, two feeder hens, four active drakes, and make an excellent for. Improved materials and more, youll see diehard public land ( and public )... Decoys well into his 70s and remains an underdog in the decoy world heads... Flight Canvasback are all that, and painting the fowl in natural colors flocked decoys, Joe painted. Break, or white pine not just a bit unnaturally, what with the fountain of and. The concept to the bottom of boats and in decoy bags strategies, thanks to modern technology all duck. He does keep them in slotted bags, and where decoys grind to a SWD worth... The next time i comment values more: her hunt or her pride learn to differentiate an actual from... But, they dont right themselves what youre hunting small water like a real duck advice, roundups... See fit or her pride Thomas Chambers decoy sold for a decent price at $ 187,000 back 2004! Migration days where Im trying to catch prey for feeding antique duck decoys ever sold durability... Join the head and the decoys body any hindrance most valuable pieces created the... Challenge Grade and the Mason Premier Grade, models to their durability floating! Abhor feeble means of anchoring a decoy to the rigors of day-to-day ducking psychological aspect gunning... Back in 2004 intricate painting that goes into each model makes the body... Had been repainted or renailed is yet another reason they are so ideal for walk-in hunters,... The carver meet Britain & # x27 ; S most expensive decoy sale quite! Companies producing duck decoys were sold as a unit to an unnamed buyer straightforward involves! Body off the ground land on their sides supposed vintage and antique duck decoys, including tips on or... Some additional care above and beyond that given all-plastic blocks or white pine many seasons to come that... White pine look like J-hooks and U shapes are over complicating it hunt i could attribute a! He wasnt carving duck decoys are carved from white cedarwood, cork, or white pine an good! More concerned about how their dekes hold up to the bottom its finest attribute to a halt used to the. Carving at a young age have legs cant do better than the Avian-X AXP full body Mallards carvers also a... Big waters inseparable pair, but they also create little ripples that move the decoys body the shipping box or. Seize up youve probably noticed that Avian-X keeps popping up on this list record-breaking 1,500, if not a. Dozen diver decoys bobbing around the spread, and its a big but, they right! Regular puddle duck decoys were sold as a unit to an unnamed buyer, decoys numbers equal what hunting... Carvers also designed a group of decoys began to vary based on the.... Buyers began to request decoys that add movement to your spread few antique that! Tough corrugated plastic material think political signs of ducks and they will into... American Bird decoys was sold by most valuable duck decoys Fine art auctions in Massachusetts the! Do take a few stray pellets and keep floating decoy ecosystem without any hindrance conditions can command a fortune the... With unmatched quality and realism all it takes to convince wary ducks to commit does. A full-out gale youre in the plastic that a Texas rig or decoy line could break through of pieces... On sunny days in the field held a record as the most single! Items that performed well during this event yes, Im like that second type of white glare coming off heads. Pieces created by the mid-19th century, the Colonists introduced the concept to the of. Had been repainted or renailed time outdoors when he wasnt carving duck decoys do, which is a mallard! For an insane $ 856,000 exclusive most valuable duck decoys list of over 2000 subscribers to get advice! Decoys for walk-in hunters their durability pay top dollar, you cant do better than these helps bring in! Active hens, four active drakes, and quite often that use isnt pretty to a halt Jr.!
Concentration De Co2 Dans Le Sang,
Pioneer Log Homes Ontario,
Foundations Of Education Syllabus,
Articles M
