How tough? They look less realistic (especially in the bright sun); eventually their paint wears down; and before long youll have to replace them. In regions where hunting wasnt as expected, duck decoys were used as decorative pieces until the next hunting season. This version from Avery is a standby for many veteran waterfowlers. The legendary Lothrop Holmes carved this piece. Does this make them more usable or viable than inexpensive, brand-new models? If there were, it might be overcoming the psychological aspect of gunning over something other than traditional three-dimensional decoys. BUT, and its a big BUT, they dont right themselves. And if you give them just the smallest amount of care, they will last you many years of good hunting. Theyre nice, but theyre heavy. A duck hunter without duck decoys is just another odd fellow who gets up stupid early on the coldest of mornings, dresses funny, and enjoys the company of dogs well above that of people. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Duck decoys are sometimes used in waterfowl hunting to attract real ducks.Duck decoys were historically . He oversees an ace team of writers, photographers, and editors who are scattered across the continent and cover everything from backcountry sheep hunting to trail running. They were carved sometime around 1915-1917, shortly after he began carving and have held their aesthetics and shape for over a century. Theres a ton of mystery shrouding The Eider Drake because even to this day, I cant credit the original manufacturer. 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. 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. This is the most realistic looking full body duck decoy on the market. When it comes to expensive duck decoys, Joe Lincoln is a name that often comes up. This is the most expensive decoy bundle ever sold to date. Does it appear rugged and durable? Glare off a decoy is a deal breaker. Body shapes and profiles are good. Next, they begin to carve the head with a jackknife till they get their desired shape. Yes, Im sure they can be effective at times; Ive just not had that off-the-charts hunt I could attribute to a SWD. The foam filling makes them more durable and will allow them to take a few stray pellets and keep floating. The latest version has a soft, flexible body, magnetic wings, and a solid housing for the body. Theyre all good. If youd like to see a graphical breakdown of expensive wooden decoys, we got you covered: Im calling it this because two decoys were sold together for a whopping $1,130,000. Take a glance at the top 50 decoys ever sold with Guyette a& Deeter, Inc. Top 50 Sold. Oh, and the square handle (box style) stake. Crowell put so much detail into these decoys, that they were picked up by the Fine Arts of Boston (though the timeline is unclear). And that, typically, isnt a bad thing. Some movement in your spread is good. 2 2. Translation? Crowell has been the only one to fetch over a million for a decoy purchase, but that was a pair even then. That all depends upon how seriously you target woodies. Vintage duck decoys can be ridiculously expensive. Shop around, and you can find Flambeaus Masters Series mallards for $4/each, which isnt bad in this day and age. My wife would say I have a duck decoy collection problem, but I contend its only a problem if youre trying to solve it, which I am not. The hens have no damage whatsoever. If its Sandusky Bay bluebills on the menuwell, then, eight or 10 dozenor moredrake bills might be in order. The only downside to these bufflehead decoys is that theyre a little small. Below are the best duck decoys you can buy right now. It was one of the largest amounts of money they made at their 2006 auction. Since their production over a hundred years ago, both items have retained their shape and aesthetics. These are hunks of plastic that are going to be abused. Nothing incredible, but for $4 a decoy, they get the job done. 11 Most Expensive Duck Decoys Ever Sold. Graves Mallards. These factories include Evans, Reynolds, Mason, Dodge, Stevens, Victor, and Peterson. Meet Britain's most expensive duck - a drake that has sold at auction for a record-breaking 1,500. Antique Duck decoys are as valuable as many other vintage and antique items. Based on this, they cost more than the plain decoys produced in other regions. Much like Crowell, Lothrop Holmes actually came from Massachusetts as well, where duck hunting was a common sport. Ultralight, realistic, and durable, these are the ultimate decoys for walk-in hunters. But that way madness lies. What are you going to hunt? Body shapes and profiles. Here are the factors that determine the final price of an antique duck decoy: The size of duck decoys differs depending on the breed the carver is trying to imitate. Its like having a piece of history, from your favorite thing, sitting right on a shelf somewhere. Here are three of my favorites. 11 Most Expensive Duck Decoys Ever Sold 1 1. The hens have just as much detail as the drakes. By the mid-19th century, the style and construction of decoys began to vary based on the region and the carver. In the mid-1900s, duck decoys were as scarce as ever and were regarded as collectible items of folk art. 2023. Its hard to beat an original, and the Mojo spinning wing decoy is still bringing ducks to the kill hole after all these years. High end of the ballpark for DB, but not out of the ballpark. 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. In these events, youll be opportune to inspect subtle features put in by antique carvers. Ducks move around, even when theyre loafing on the water. Yet, this particular antique keeps getting traded at higher resale values. Today, Cory Foskett and the folks at Tanglefree still make that line, along with a lengthy list of other fowling products, including decoys. The Eider Drake decoy used to be the centerpiece in the James McCleery collection till it eventually sold for $767,000 in 2014. But if youre shooting into your decoys, something has gone wrong (with the exception of diver hunters). Chambers is the only one on this list who wasnt American-born. 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. Holmes spent his time as a ships carpenter for years, which allowed him to grow his proficiency in woodworking. Your email address will not be published. Soon after Congress approved the North American Wildlife Actand North American Migratory Bird Actin 1920, carvers stopped producing many decoys in 1920. Our Topflight floating duck decoys feature a weight-forward swim keel for realistic movement across the water. But many hunters dont need that many full body duck decoys. There is limited information on Brant. And then it builds from there. Unlike many other vintage duck decoys curated here that were sold at least ten years ago, the Wilson Drake was sold in 2017. There are hundreds of valuable duck decoys worldwide. For instance, the Mason Factory Wood Duckis one of the rarest unique models of wood decoy. In the early days, most carvers engraved their initials and date on the bottom of the decoy. Subscribe to OL+ for our best feature stories and photography. In my experience, fully flocked duck decoys are not worth it. And so it goes from there, but its a good thing, really. This pulled in almost $500,000 in 2000. So, first, the downside. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Top 50 Decoys Ever Sold at Auction. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. So these are the elements I took into consideration when I put the above list together . 1 1. Red-Breasted Merganser Hen Carving, by Lothrop Holmes. Its muddy. 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. Most duck hunters start with a dozen, maybe two. Theyre light and durable. 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 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. Many people use a mix of mallards, black ducks, and pintails for their visibility and good pulling power. So think: Are you going to hunt over a foot or more of water? GLOWYE Duck Decoy Realistic Plastic Floating Duck for Hunting Decoy Garden Decor Pond Decorations Holiday Decoration Mallard Decoy Goose Decoy Features : Extremely RealisticDuck decoy fine workmanship, the feather texture is carefully carved, and it floats on the water like real life. This wooden hen sold for an insane $856,000 and held a record as the most expensive decoy sale for quite some time. Duck decoys do not and cannot have a fixed price. Buy the best duck decoys you can afford, just start by buying fewer of them. Replicate this when you set up your spread. This is important for diver decoys since these types of ducks are known for coming in low, just above the water. Garage sale mallards may cost $2 each, a call-your-buddies bargain, especially if theyre in a condition where they can be immediately used. Ive seen how realistic spreads and good calling will put birds on the deck, even in tough conditions. Theyll all work, to an extent, but some fake decoys are simply destined to work better. In most species you want the colors to be bright so ducks can see them, but not so bright that they look unnatural. Keels wont break off. WHAT MAKES A GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS TITLE? Flocked decoys, especially completely flocked decoys, require some additional care above and beyond that given all-plastic blocks. The guy we all know and hate. 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 . Vintage and antique duck decoys have different designs, depending on their intended purpose. Unattributed Slot Neck Canada Goose Decoy. Its a fetching decoy, but nothing like Crowell or Holmes could make, yet it still sold for a hefty price tag of $767,000 back in 2014. Were still in New England guys, but this time were in Maine. And it flat works. 2 2. In all honesty, despite the high costs of these antique duck decoys, there are some passionate decoy duck collectors and hunters with more than enough money who would immediately pick up any of these converted decoys as soon as they were put up for sale. And for those field hunts, a couple dozen flocked full-bodies. Those will work!. Some can take it; some cant, but its definitely worth a close eyeball. If youre just building your spread, Id go with buffleheads first because theyre prominent in so many flyways, and the bright white contrasting on the black is really what diver ducks key in on (plus, buffies always like to land by other buffies). And what about divers, the canvasbacks, redheads, bluebills, goldeneyes, and buffleheads? Because these decoys are larger, theyll be more visible, so you can get away with a smaller spread in many situations. Cagle's 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. Bernie Madoff might just go down as this centurys biggest American villain, but his decoy fetched a rather handsome amount of money during the auctioning of his estate. Decoys the physical decoys themselves are just the beginning. Other carvers worthy of note include Charles and Edna Perder, the Ward Brothers of Maryland, and Ken Agner. 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. In turn, the demand for decoys grind to a halt. There are other videos, articles, and books you can consult on this subject to learn to recognize these antique items. 7 7. 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). Today, duck decoys are no longer used as hunting strategies, thanks to modern technology. . Is 12 duck decoys enough? Graves Mallards. I take care of my gear I really do but I dont baby it. Novice collectors undoubtedly have struggles recognizing these decoys. Join F&S+ to read exclusive stories by your favorite writers. Thats Greenhead Gears Fully-Flocked (FFD) Gadwalls. The moral of this story is Shopping around never hurts. Higher end dekes use paint that wont glare. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Wilsons decoy pulled in $330,000, partially because he didnt make a lot of decoys. Avian-X nailed that with this series. 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