A PAIR OF PAINTED WOOD DUCK DECOYS: A PAIR OF PAINTED WOOD DUCK DECOYS. Both mallards, one stamped on underside “Freeman Ottawa”, with scratch feather paint decoration and with glass eyes, and the other unmarked. Each never rigged. Greatest length 17 inches. SHIPPING NOTICE:. Jackson’s is your sole and only source for one stop packing and shipping. With over 50 years of experience, our professional, affordable and efficient in-house shipping department will be happy to provide you a fair and reasonable shipping quote on this lot. Simply email us before the auction for a quick quote: shipping@jacksonsauction. com or call 1-800-665-6743. Jackson’s can expertly pack and ship to meet any of your needs. To ensure quality control Jackson’s DOES NOT release to third party shippers.
DUCK DECOY BY NELSON DECOYS, JONESPORT, ME Carved and Painted Pintail Drake, with glass eyes, detailed painted feathers, webbed feet, mounted on an ebonized wooden base, underside inked "Pintail", "R.L. & C.M. Nelson, Jonesport, Me., 1994", "to Gardiner Biddle with best wishes, Charlene M. Nelson, Robert L. Nelson", 8" high, 22 1/2" x 7 1/4"
FOUR PAINTED WOOD DUCK DECOYS
20TH CENTURY various sizes, carved and polychrome painted feather and eye details(4)Largest 38cm long
FOUR VINTAGE AMERICAN HAND PAINTED WOOD DECOY DUCKS, CH...FOUR VINTAGE AMERICAN HAND PAINTED WOOD DECOY DUCKS, CHESAPEAKE BAY REGION, EARLY 20TH CENTURY, comprising one pair of Canvasback duck decoys painted with black beaks, dark burgundy heads with red eyes over curved necks above black-feathered bodies with silvery white wings, verso centering inset lead weight, painted red dot, and one with tie line loop, height: 8", length: 14 1/2"; together with a similar worn black painted decoy, verso lead weight and tie-line loop, height: 7 1/2", length: 14"; and including a white-capped green masked painted duck decoy with red chest and continuing same colors on body, verso lead weight and tie-line loop, height: 6 1/2", length: 13 1/2". Provenance: The Roth Family Estate, Houston, Texas
Condition:
Good used condition for decoy ducks with later painted areas, age shrinkage cracks, marks, scratches, chips, repairs, and surface buildup throughout. Simpson Galleries strongly encourages in-person inspection of items by the bidder. Statements by Simpson Galleries regarding the condition of objects are for guidance only and should not be relied upon as statements of fact and do not constitute a representation, warranty, or assumption of liability by Simpson Galleries. All lots offered are sold "AS IS."
Black Duck Harve Davern (1865-1958), Brighton, Ontario, Canadac. 1900A decoy with a low body profile, carved bill, glass eyes, extensive scratch-painted feathering, and pronounced cheek carving. Incised "H R" rig initials on the bottom. Along the left wing there is a wood patch repair by the maker prior to the original paint application.
4 DECORATIVE DUCK DECOYS: Two Big Sky Decoys Oswego IL Bob May; 1) Male Shoveler painted feathers 5 1/2''h x 13 1/4''l; 2) Green Wing Teal painted feathers signed and dated '84 5'' x 10 3/4''; 3&4) Two Bundy & Company ducks 6 1/2'' x 12 1/4'' and 5'' x 10 1/4''. Both with clearcoat over enhanced wood grain motif. All with plastic eyes. Sold as a lot.CONDITION: Some dings to each.
Mike Kent Wood Duck Decoy - SignedFinely carved and painted with glass eyes marked to bottome 'Missouri Ducks Unltd. Special Edition 1/100 signed Kent '87 ' 13.5'' L Condition missing rear wing feather.Provenance: From The Estate of The Late James W. Goodrich of Missouri.
EARLY CROSSED-WING BLACK DUCKA. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952)
East Harwich, MA, c. 1910
16 3/4 in. long
Black duck decoys were Crowell’s signature species. When "The Magazine Antiques" chose a Crowell raised-wing example for their September 1989 cover, it cemented the iconic status of the maker's black duck.
This carving has a refined plump body, proud breast, and detailed carving that relates to the birds Crowell made for his renowned patron Dr. John C. Phillips. It was finished with the crossed and incised primaries and tail feathers.
This early pre-brand example has until recently resided with the New England family who hunted over it. It remains in dry, untouched gunning condition.
Original paint with gunning wear to the wood in places.
Literature: Stephen B. O'Brien Jr. and Chelsie W. Olney, "Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving," Hingham, MA, 2019, pp. 232-233, black ducks illustrated.
MALLARD DRAKE DUCK DECOY. Hand carved wood, 17" long, hand painted and stamped with what appears to be a European carver and artist. Indistinctly stamped under tail feathers and on side of body. c. 1940's. Condition Report
Wood Duck Drake Al Glassford (b. 1927), Scarborough, Ontario, Canada1972An early, competition-grade decoy, described now as more of a decorative slick, before Tull and others started wood burning feather detail and carving individual feathers and feather groups that stood out from the carvings. This bird is faintly inscribed "Made for Bubba Wood, April 1972, Good Hunting, Al "Glass."" on the bottom.Provenance: Bubba Wood CollectionCharles "Buddy" Harris CollectionBy descent in the family to the current owner
DECOYS - Lot of four, early carved wooden decoys with glass eyes. #1 - Male Wood Duck in original painted black and green doweled head with carved green bill, green and white feathered body, lead weight, 6 1/2"H x 16 1/2"L, full length split, old chip on
DUCK DECOYS, SCHIEBEL, CODD AND R.D. LUMASThe first, a Wooden Bird Factory example, signed R. Schiebel, numbered 22/30, colorfully painted, with glass inset eyes; the second, a Mallard Hen, Peter Codd, Hutch Decoy Original, also with glass-inset eyes; the third, an unsigned, unpainted duck, with glass eyes; and a Canadian Goose, signed in pen on the underside, R.D. Lumas, dated 1978. Lengths 15.5 in., 11 in., respectively. (Cond: small chip to tail feather of the first)
2 WOOD CARVED DUCK DECOYS2 carved wood duck decoys. Both unsigned. 19"L and 14"L. Paint loss and chips to both; smaller split to underside, chips to beak, chips to tail feathers; larger chips and splits to body, large chips to neck.
CARVED AND PAINTED WOODEN DUCK DECOY, FEMALEmallard, signed R. C. Mitchell, Kingston, MA on bottom. Displays exceptional carving of individual feathers, and high quality paint. Original. 9" long, 3 1/2" high, 4" wide.
THE PERDEW PREENING BLACK DUCKCharles Perdew (1874-1963)
and Edna Perdew (1882-1974) Henry, IL, c. 1910
15 in. long
This early three-piece preening black duck is a singular decoy with no peers. Indeed, it is rare on several separate accounts, including its early three-piece construction, the preening pose, and as a black duck. The closest Illinois River comparable is an oversized black duck by Robert Elliston held in the Elaine and Alan Haid Collection. Rarity aside, Charlie's sublime preening form was finished with Edna's finest brushwork with embellishments only seen on her earliest work, including brushed-out feathering within the primary delineations.
Earl W. Poggemoeller of Portage des Sioux, Missouri was the first collector to claim this decoy. After his passing in 1984, his birds were sold as "the finest collection of Illinois River decoys to ever come at auction." This standout preener has been celebrated in numerous publications and museum exhibitions since it was acquired at the Poggemoeller sale.
Overall excellent original paint with light gunning wear and some areas of touch-up including right body seam.
Provenance: Earl W. Poggemoeller Collection
Masterworks of the Illinois River Collection
Literature: Stephen B. O'Brien Jr. and Julie Carlson, "Masterworks of the Illinois River," Boston, MA, 2005, p. 67, exact decoy illustrated.
Tandy Lacy, “The Wooden Bird: Heritage Bird Carvers of the Upper Illinois River Valley,” Washburn, IL, 1989, p. 11, exact decoy illustrated.
Zac Zetterberg, ed., “American Decoy: The Invention,” Peoria, IL, 2020, p. 117, exact decoy illustrated.
Jackson Parker, "Fine collection of Illinois River decoys tops Maine auction," Decoy Magazine, Winter 1986, p. 21, Poggemoeller sale discussed.
Exhibited: Salisbury, Maryland, “The Illinois River Meets the Chesapeake,” Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, September 2 - November 13, 2005.
Peoria, Illinois, “The Wooden Bird Exhibition,” Lakeview Museum of Arts and Sciences, January 7–February 18, 1990.
Springfield, Illinois, “The Wooden Bird Exhibition,” The Illinois State Museum, March 3–April 22, 1990.
Peoria, Illinois, “American Decoy: The Invention,” Peoria Riverfront Museum, February 9–April 28, 2019.
Polychrome carved wood duck decoy primitively carved with feather details. H10 1/2'' L12 1/2'' Provenance: Charleston South Carolina private collection. Back   Inquiry    Previous Item  Next Item © Charlton Hall Auctions. Images descriptions and condition reports used on this site are original copyright material and are not to be reproduced without permission. For further information telephone 803.779.5678   © 2012 CHARLTON HALL GALLERIES INC.
DUCK DECOYS, SCHIEBEL, CODD AND R.D. LUMASThe first, a Wooden Bird Factory example, signed R. Schiebel, numbered 22/30, colorfully painted, with glass inset eyes; the second, a Mallard Hen, Peter Codd, Hutch Decoy Original, also with glass-inset eyes; the third, an unsigned, unpainted duck, with glass eyes; and a Canadian Goose, signed in pen on the underside, R.D. Lumas, dated 1978. Lengths 15.5 in., 11 in., respectively. (Cond: small chip to tail feather of the first)
2 duck decoys Two carved and painted wood Mallard Hen duck decoys by Ben Schmidt. Identically carved feather body, painted in black and olive green with a hint of blue at each side, inset glass eyes. Unsigned. Several cracks noted to the bodies; some paint wear. With one weight. 19" long. ESTIMATE $300-500
Wood Duck Drake David W. Nichols (1890-1977), Smith Falls, Ontario, Canada, c. 1950A well-executed decoy with glass eyes, a lightly "coggled" bill edge, and raised wing tips and tail feathers. The bottom is signed by the maker, retains a "Kangas" brand, and is stamped "WD 3." Provenance: Linda and Gene Kangas CollectionRichard and Lynn Gove CollectionLiterature: Larry Lunman, "David W. Nichol and the Decoys of the Rideau Canal Waterway," Louisville, KY, 2009, p. 54, similar decoy illustrated.
Duck and goose wooden decoys, all hand carved and painted wood, smallest being the most detailed, a duck with decoratively painted brown feathers, two ducks are tri-colored, and last a green goose with neck bent looking backwards, largest 11" h., all with wear consistent with age and use, including paint loss, wood separation on the largest, etc.
Folk Art Carved Wood Goose / Duck Decoy: American or Chinese carved wood model of a duck or goose in graceful recumbent pose, with well-detailed feathers. 10. 75" H X 19" L. Cracks; patched hole on neck. Condition Notice to bidders: Condition reports and additional photographs are available by request. The absence of a condition report does not imply that the lot is in perfect condition.
Wood Duck Pair Ken Harris Workshop, Woodville, NYc. 1970Two decorative decoys with slightly turned heads, raised wings, and carved primary and tail feathers.
LIFE-SIZE STANDING WOOD DUCK DRAKE DECOY By George Bell of Crisfield, Maryland. Carved wing and tail feathers. Signed on underside of tail.
DECOY - Early carved wooden duck decoy stamped 'Hall'. Textured feather black painted body with white under tail, black painted head and neck with carved white bill crested with red glass eyes. 10"H x 12 1/2"L x 6 1/2"W, old surface, shrinkage crack in ne
DECOY - First half 20th C. Wood Duck decoy, stamped on base 'Wood Duck by Randall'. Black and tan body with spotted red chest, white head with green feathers, orange, tan, white and green bill, with amber glass eyes. 7"H x 14 1/2"L x 5 1/4"W, original old
THREE STICK-UP DECOYS. One, a black painted balsa wood crow with glass eyes, 15 3/4 in. long; one, a black painted wood shore bird (without base) with tack eyes, 13 in. long; one, a Black Duck, marked Seidel, with carved feathers and tack eyes, 16 in. long
DUCK AND GOOSE WOODEN DECOYS, ALL HAND CARVED AND PAINTED WOOD, SMALLEST BEING THE MOST DETAILED, A DUCK WITH DECORATIVELY PAINTED B...Duck and goose wooden decoys, all hand carved and painted wood, smallest being the most detailed, a duck with decoratively painted brown feathers, two ducks are tri-colored, and last a green goose with neck bent looking backwards, largest 11" h., all with wear consistent with age and use, including paint loss, wood separation on the largest, etc.
2 duck decoys: Two carved and painted wood Mallard Hen duck decoys by Ben Schmidt. Identically carved feather body, painted in black and olive green with a hint of blue at each side, inset glass eyes. Unsigned. Several cracks noted to the bodies; some paint wear. With one weight. 19" long. ESTIMATE $300-500 Condition Several cracks noted to the bodies; some paint wear. With one weight.
Mallard Tobacco Box and Game Calls Carl Malmstrom (1892-1983), Long Cove, St. George, Mainec. 1930duck box measures 12 by 5 1/2 by 3 1/2 in. A rare two-thirds-size mallard drake decoy lift-back tobacco box displaying carved eyes and bill detail. The carved covert feathers act as a box lid handle and tail feathers have incised detail. The box is signed by the maker with his ink stamp under the box lid and on the bottom.Remnants of an Abercrombie & Fitch paper label are also on the bottom. Five vintage wooden game calls made for Abercrombie & Fitch Co. including a goose call in original box, a predator call in original box, a goose call, and two duck calls, all with A&F Co. paper labels.Provenance: Private Collection
Wood Duck Drake Mark S. McNair (b. 1950), Craddockville, VA, c. 2005A hollow decoy with raised wing tips and carved primary feathers. An incised "McNair" signature and the original rigging are on the bottom.
DECOY - First half 20th C. carved wooden gray female Mallard duck decoy, signed on bottom in pencil 'Gray-Female-Mallard, F. Smith 1936', with attached paper 'Coll. Of Phyllis Elleson Southfire', also impressed 'OSD'. Toned white body with carved feathers
500. Another Lot of Antique Duck Decoys Signed by John Francis Henry Wyse, ca. 19th Century
Both signed on bottom and stamped into wood below the next. Painted, one with wet-incised surface for feather illusion. Both have glass eyes. Approx. 7-1/2" x 14-1/2". Approx. 6-1/2" x 14-1/2".
500/1,000 Sold: $316.25
PAINTED WOOD DUCK DECOY, SIGNED Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) in plumage. Northern Pintails with elongated central tail feathers.
H: 14 3/4"(37.5 cm)
Condition: In good condition
Joe Freitas Signed Wooden Mallard Hen Decoy: Included in this lot is a signed Joe Freitas signed wooden Mallard Hen Decoy. This decoy is a stunning representation of Joe Freitas work. The carving highlights the natural curvatures of a Mallard duck at rest. The painting and attention to detail accentuates the feathered look of this gorgeous carving. The decoy measures 15" x 6. 5". Condition For a complete representation of condition and for additional images please call 800-686-4216. It is the buyer’s responsibility to view each image and preview the item to determine condition.
SIX FINE WOOD DUCK DECOYS, CIRCA 1900: SIX FINE WOOD DUCK DECOYS, CIRCA 1900. Comprising six carved and painted hollow wood mallard drakes and hens, each with scratch feather paint decoration, glass eyes, and original lead weights. Nicely carved heads and delicately carved beaks, possibly Robert Elliston (1847-1925). Greatest length 16. 5 inches. SHIPPING NOTICE:. Jackson’s is your sole and only source for one stop packing and shipping. With over 50 years of experience, our professional, affordable and efficient in-house shipping department will be happy to provide you a fair and reasonable shipping quote on this lot. Simply email us before the auction for a quick quote: shipping@jacksonsauction. com or call 1-800-665-6743. Jackson’s can expertly pack and ship to meet any of your needs. To ensure quality control Jackson’s DOES NOT release to third party shippers.
DECOY - Mason carved, wood-duck hen decoy, brown painted body with tan and black feathering, gray spots and glass eyes with carved bill. 6 1/2"H x 14 1/2"L x 6"W, original paint, repair to bill end, full length body shrinkage check.
A modern Studio style wooden decoy duck, elaborately painted in green with gilt highlights and further black and red feathering, 28cm wide, and a Portmeirion planter. (2)
DECOY - Early carved wooden Black Duck decoy with glass eyes, carved wings, tail and beak. Black body and bill with brown painted feathers. 5 3/4"H x 20"L x 6 1/2"W, original surface.
Charles Hart (1862-1960)
Gloucester, MA, c. 1910
12 in. long
Charles S. Hunter III (1943-2001) was known for decades as a prominent Southern decoy collector with a penchant for wood ducks. This rare stick-up wood duck, showcasing Hart's intricate carving, bears the imprint of Hunter's collection tag on the underside. The bird has two stick-up leg holes and it includes a wooden base. The maker's finest known separate summer duck, this life-size bird displays glass eyes, carved bill and wing detail, and carved primary and tail feather detail. Special attention was paid to this drake's signature crest which Hart fashioned with elaborate three-piece inlay construction.
The bird has two stick-up leg holes and it includes a wooden base.
A related Hart wood duck from the collection of legendary sporting artist, Ogden M. Pleissner (1905-1983) is now in the Shelburne Museum collection.
Original paint with minimal wear.
Provenance: Charlie S. Hunter III Collection
Private Collection
Literature: Kory W. Rogers, “Birds of a Feather,” Shelburne, VT, 2017, p. 105, related Pleissner Collection wood duck illustrated.
Wood Duck Drake Jim Schmiedlin (b. 1945), Bradfordwoods, PA, 1992An alert decoy with a slightly turned head and carved wing and tail feathers. Signed by the maker with the decoy's gunning history on the bottom.
Curlew A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, MAc. 1930A life-size shorebird mantle carving with a slightly turned head. This decorative exhibits Crowell's mastery of the carved wooden bird and his finest blended painted surface representing the plumage. Mounted on a carved clam-shell base with the maker's rectangular stamp on the bottom. The underside also displays the inscription "A. H. Dempsey to J. Ashley Dempsey," and "CR" for Carolyn Rowland.Anthony Elmer Crowell was born in 1862 in the town of East Harwich, Massachusetts, the son of a Cape Cod mariner and cranberry grower. According to Crowell in his memoires, Anthony S. Crowell, Elmer’s father, though not a hunter, gave his son his first shotgun at the age of twelve. Of the relevance of receiving the new shotgun Crowell wrote, “Then, I was some boy!” The legend of A.E. Crowell and his famous carvings has many of the common threads of the typical artist’s tale. It is the story of a boy of modest means, born at the right time, and befriended by encouraging patrons. Crowell started out in his teens as a market hunter and a pioneering keeper of live waterfowl. These passions helped Crowell to develop an intrinsic knowledge of both waterfowl and other birds. His familiarity with bird anatomy enabled Crowell to create carved wood sculptures that bear exceptional likeness to their species.Young Elmer wasted no time immersing himself into the life of a market hunter. His father owned a small piece of property on nearby Pleasant Lake in East Harwich. By 1876, at the age of fourteen, Elmer had set up his own gunning stand along the lake’s southern shore. Crowell describes the site as having, “a fine sand beach which was ideal for my ducks. I had only six live decoys the first season. I made nine block decoys and put them off about thirty yards in the lake.” Crowell’s description reveals two important aspects regarding his career. The first being his preferred use of live birds as decoys, and the second is the documentation that he began to carve decoys by the age of fourteen.It is often the confidence and enthusiasm of youth that brings forth great experimental breakthroughs. Crowell’s immersion into waterfowl hunting was no different. At a time when market hunters could earn a respectable living if they were able to secure enough game, necessity became the mother of invention. Crowell’s flair for handling live decoys was most certainly born of this mindset. Crowell recounted in his memoir that by 1878, less than two years after starting to hunt, he had increased his flock to, “forty live decoys and tried a new way of handling my ducks. I sank a pole with a ring in the top and ran a line through it back to the blind, which made an endless line. I tied four live ducks to it and pulled them off the pond about thirty five yards. It was about two weeks before they were broken in so I could pull them out without their making a flutter. After that they were all right.”In the third quarter of the 19th century, Cape Cod was a major stop-over for migratory birds and sparsely populated by people. However, with increased access by train and the advent of the automobile, Cape Cod was quickly becoming a destination for sportsmen in pursuit of outdoor recreation. The concept of the American shooting sportsman was beginning to take root. The gunning stands and camps that had once been primarily operated by local market gunners were becoming increasingly sought after by sportsmen from Boston.These newer club owners would often invite their influential and wealthy friends down as guests and they needed managers to run the camps. It was Charles Ashley Hardy of Chatham and Wayland, Massachusetts, along with his partners, G. Herbert Windeler and Loring Underwood, who first approached the enthusiastic young bird handler. It is no small coincidence that they established their camp “The Three Bears Club” on Pleasant Lake, one half mile from Crowell’s gunning stand.The tremendous advantages that Crowell’s inventions and practices provided to the “Three Bears” cannot be overstated. Crowell’s trapdoor invention most closely resembled an automatic garage door. A domesticated flock of honking Canada geese would fly out, circle the pond, and draw the wild geese straight back to the beach like magnets. Crowell stated, “It was a success and we had good shooting for a number of years. At that time we began to bait the small ponds with corn, and two years later we baited in front of our blinds at the lake. It stopped the black ducks from going south, so the ponds were full of ducks; the shooting was great.” Crowell’s own words speak volumes and provide insight into the looming decimation of the migratory bird populations which began to occur at the turn of the century. The refined use of live decoys coupled with baiting waterfowl halted the wild birds from their natural migration patterns. Hunters were quickly becoming so adept at attracting their quarry that wild ducks and geese stood virtually no chance.Federal regulations shortly thereafter banned the use of live decoys and forced Crowell into the world famous carver so revered today. Unable to use live domesticated birds to lure in the flocks, Crowell did the next best thing, creating exceptional sculptures of likeness in wood.The quality of the carvings that Crowell created for his earliest patrons, including this whimbrel for the Hardy family, was often exceptional. Through experimentation he developed and mastered his “wet-on-wet” dry brush feathering technique. While the darker brown feather paint was still wet Crowell applied the lighter feather delineations. Once the two different colored paints became tacky, he took a clean dry brush and gently feathered the two colors together, producing a nicely blended affect. One has the sense that Crowell was either looking right at a real curlew as he painted this carving or he had handled so many that their shapes and feather patterns were etched in his memory.The special relationships forged through hunting, beginning with Charles Hardy, Dr. Phillips, Harry V. Long and others, opened the world to Crowell’s workshop, and the customers came knocking. Crowell specifically credits Mrs. Alexis Felix DuPont for introducing his work to many of the affluent summer residents of Chatham and other important patrons including Joseph B. Chace, Stuart Crocker, Dr. Mac Cunningham, Henry Ford, Arthur Gould, John D. Rockefeller Jr., and Abby Aldrich Rockefeller.Provenance: Alison Hardy Dempsey CollectionJane Ashley Dempsey CollectionCarolyn Rowland CollectionPrivate CollectionLiterature: Copley Fine Art Auctions, LLC, "The Harry V. Long Collection of A. Elmer Crowell Decoys", The Sporting Sale, Boston, MA, 2009.Brian Cullity, "The Songless Aviary," Sandwich, MA, 1992, p. 26, similar example illustrated.
THE CRANDALL SLEEPY-EYED MALLARDHorace "Hi" Crandall (1892-1969)
Westwood, CA, c. 1935
15 in. long
One of California's best decoy carvers, Crandall is also considered by some to be its best painter. Born in Rhode Island, the maker originally learned about duck hunting on the Atlantic Coast from his father, who was a market hunter. Crandall was an outdoorsman, a taxidermist, and a talented painter all at a young age.
After moving to California in 1917 in his mid-20s, he found himself in a position to hunt and fish from his own property. Additionally, he had easy access to excellent wood for decoy making. He built his first decoys using the redwood railroad ties that washed ashore near his home.
This rare, and perhaps unique, decoy was made early in Crandall's long carving career and slightly before he was selected to exhibit his carvings on Treasure Island at the World’s Fair in 1938.
The head is in a tucked, resting position and the eyes are carefully painted as thin "sleepy-eyed" ovals. The refined Crandall decoy features are highly articulated from head to tail. The pinched breast draws up to a sharp ridge behind the head before the body flares out to broad hips. The back is adorned with sharp raised wing tips and soft feather detail. The upswept tail is formed with a Crisfield-like chine which continues along the front edge of the underside as well. Exceptional in its totality, this fine Crandall carving distinguishes itself from other examples by the maker with its unique form, early carving style, royal provenance, and fine gunning patina.
Original paint with light gunning wear. Head is slightly loose.
Provenance: Jim Keegan Collection
Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection, acquired from the above
Literature: Michael R. Miller and Frederick W. Hanson, "Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast,” Portland, OR, 1989, p. 364, exact decoy illustrated.
Michael R. Miller, "Wildfowl Decoys of California,” Spokane, WA, 2015, p. 580, exact carving illustrated.
Robert Shaw, “Bird Decoys of North America,” New York, NY, 2010, p. 266, related "McCleery" teal illustrated.
(3) Wooden Duck Decoys - SignedTo include a Mallard pair marked Churan The Bottom 88 one is 29 both with finely carved feather detail and in excellent condition along with one signed I.D. McCanley #5 and dated 1996 in good condition.Provenance: From The Estate of The Late James W. Goodrich of Missouri.
Joe Freitas Signed Wooden Mallard Drake Decoy: Included in this lot is a signed Joe Freitas signed wooden Mallard Drake Decoy. This decoy is a stunning representation of Joe Freitas work. The carving highlights the natural curvatures of a Mallard duck at rest. The painting and attention to detail (especially the mature curl at the tail) accentuates the feathered look of this gorgeous carving. The decoy measures 16. 5" x 6. 75". Condition For a complete representation of condition and for additional images please call 800-686-4216. It is the buyer’s responsibility to view each image and preview the item to determine condition.
2 DUCK DECOYSTwo carved and painted wood Mallard Hen duck decoys by Ben Schmidt. Identically carved feather body, painted in black and olive green with a hint of blue at each side, inset glass eyes. Unsigned. Several cracks noted to the bodies; some paint wear. With one weight. 19" long. ESTIMATE $300-500
Condition:
Several cracks noted to the bodies; some paint wear. With one weight.
SEVEN PAINTED WOOD DECOY DUCKS 20TH CENTURY various sizes, with carved feather and painted detail (7) largest 38cm long Estimate £ 250-400 Provenance: Auchtertool House, Fife. Sold for £875 (buyer's premium included)
CARVED WOOD DUCK DECOY BY GRAYSON CHESSER OF JENKINS BRIDGE, VIRGINIA. Grayson Chesser, a renown North American carver has carved, authored books and conducted T.V. shows on carving; a colorful local character in the North Carolina/Virginia area. Chesser is also a noted guide. This decoy, in typical form depicts a drake preening wood duck with head turned. The wings are carved in relief, as are the tail feathers. The paint patination is particularly nice and the underside of the decoy bears Chesser’s initial "C". Grayson’s decoys are very popular and are present in many of the decoy collections throughout the country. SIZE: 11-1/2"l. CONDITION: Excellent. 4-56598 (400-600)
BOB HAVEL AND DON BRIDDELL, TWO CONTEMPORARY DUCK DECOYS Late 20th century, both naturalistically carved and painted, the resting Ruddy Duck male of hand-carved Jelutong wood by Bob Havel of Nebraska, singed to underside (4 3/4 x 8 3/4 x 5 in.) (lacking two tail feathers); the standing mallard of hand-carved basswood by Don Briddell of Crisfield, Maryland, numbered edition, titled "Little Leo Mallard," signed and dated 1987 to pewter foot underside (7 3/4 x 5 1/2 x 8 in.) (crack and repair to wing, minute chip to tail feather).
(2) Wood Duck and Pintail Decoys - SignedPolychrome painted with glass eyes Wood Duck has finely carved feathers and is signed Glen Smart Bowie MD and dated 1985 the Pintail is signed Randy W. Pike and is made of cork largest is 16.5'' L Pintail had end broken off otherwise good condition.Provenance: From The Estate of The Late James W. Goodrich of Missouri.
DECOYS - Pair of hand carved and painted male and female Wood Duck decoys. Hollow bodies and fine feather detail with independent tail feathers and glass eyes, signed on bottom D.H. Cramer 1976. Male has damaged tail feather, otherwise fine condition.