Keep em cleancold clear water, NO SOAP, and a bristle brush worksand show em a little care afield, and you shouldnt have any problems. The Duck Decoy is a less common antique object with a broad and exciting history. Shop our selection of Duck Decoys from the world's premier auctions and galleries. A rare swan decoy made by Charles Birch sold for $186,500 in a 2011 Guyette & Schmidt, Inc. auction. The rarest species of Mason Factory Wood Duck decoys in the best forms can cost up to $600,000. Because most duck decoys of merit were made in the 1830s to the 1880s, documentation (especially for a hobby) was largely unavailable. Why It Made the Cut: Dive Bomb (DB) silhouettes are lightweight, extremely realistic, inexpensive, and effective. But that way madness lies. My buddy and diehard duck hunter, Todd Gifford, has been hunting with those same test decoys for several years now, and they still look as good as new (even though we hunt the frigid waters of the upper Midwest year after year). Theyre inexpensive; in fact, they make quite an easy and even less expensive DIY project. Many low-cost models offer excellent performance and comfort. 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. Theyll last many seasons, and they are affordable. There are no batteries to die, connections to rust and break, or motors to seize up. And thats what it was: art. Below are the best duck decoys you can buy right now. The Eider Drake Decoy on Monhegan Island. Ill admit it. Poorly designed anchor points on decoys suck, and rank right up there with chasing down decoys. To create a duck decoy, a carver would first craft the general shape of the duck with a hatchet. Rare Mason Brant Decoy by Auctioneers, Inc. Est: $0- $0. Avian-X offers industry leading duck decoys with unmatched quality and realism. Learning to identify vintage and antique duck decoys is an art lesson. Now, a family man and dedicated man of God, Arthur shows his children how to live off the land while simultaneously hunting with his brothers and friends whenever the opportunity presents itself. Replicate live birds the best you can and make sure you have a little landing zone (known as a kill hole) set about 20 yards out, right in front of the blind. You can always count on the . Next, they begin to carve the head with a jackknife till they get their desired shape. Red-Breasted Merganser Hen Carving, by Lothrop Holmes. This is a foam-filled, one-piece decoy with a seven-hour run time. A lot of other wood duck decoys have the drakes head sticking high up above the water, like hes on alert. Carved by John Blair, this simple antique piece fetched about $214,000. That means they will take up less space in a decoy bag and youll be able to load your spread into a truck instead of needing a trailer. What you hunt and where you hunt those birds play a major role in what you buy and how many. Cobb Brant is one of the earliest duck carvers. 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. Whats nice is I can use the jerk cord rigged with these smaller decoys in four to five inches of sheet water with no problem. Theres a ton of mystery shrouding The Eider Drake because even to this day, I cant credit the original manufacturer. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Most vintage duck decoys do not have identifiable markings. Im not a fan of spinning wing decoys (SWD). They get bounced around in boats and truck beds and garage floors. Nothing incredible, but for $4 a decoy, they get the job done. Decoys are meant to be used, and quite often that use isnt pretty. The 750 gallon-per-hour bilge pump at the heart of the Pulsator is powered by a 12V lithium ion battery, which, says Higdon, will provide up to seven hours of service, and, whats better, will recharge in 180 minutes. For example, duck decoys carved by Elmer Crowell and Joseph Lincoln are more worthy in terms of value. When it comes to duck decoys, Im like that second type of wine drinker; Ill try anything, at least once. GET IN TOUCH WITH A RECORD SPECIALIST (Opens in a new window), How to set or break a Guinness World Records title. And if you give them just the smallest amount of care, they will last you many years of good hunting. 2 2. In my humble opinion, duck decoys are all about two thingsvisual realism, and durability. 11 Most Expensive Duck Decoys Ever Sold 1 1. $250 5 Bids. Famous carvers including Ben Schmidt, Walter Ruppel, Art Chilton, Bill Goenne . Both carvers are renowned for their excellent accomplishments in the carving industry. Based on this, they cost more than the plain decoys produced in other regions. The Crowell Bundle. The bottom line? These decoys will allow you to build field spread without breaking the bank. 2 2. Is there a downside to silhouettes? The original carver of the work is unknown, and all indications point out that no one will ever find out. Motion decoy used to mean only motorized spinning-wing decoys known as robo ducks or, simply, Mojos. The Wilson Merganser Drake Duck Decoy. Their makers are top carvers who practiced for years to attain their renowned reputation. The paints right, shiny where it needs to shine and flat where it needs to be matte and dull. Ah, yesduck decoys. Its fetching, and for its time, it shows a great level of attention to detail with the colors and shades. Bluetooth remote, long-life 6V lithium ion battery, magnetic wing attachments SCORE one for the home team there! 3 3. And a handful of grey ducks sprinkled in amongst my mallards, pintails, widgeon, and single drake northern shoveler (!!) Our Editor 10 duck decoys Review: 1. Some regions like New Jersey, North Carolina, New England, and Long Island are home to duck decoys bearing key features and markings. Probably. Best Floater Decoy. Why It Made the Cut: Fifty bucks at The Walmart, and you can kill ducks over them, Im guessing, throughout the season. 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. With the above information, you would be able to successfully delve into the vintage duck decoy ecosystem without any hindrance. Foam-filled, these divers can and often do take a pounding. If thats a problem for you, go with Higdons Standard Bluebills, Standard Ringnecks, or Standard Redheads. The new crop of crossbows is out, including Can you use a 3-season tent for winter Sign up for the Field & Stream newsletter and get the latest intelligence straight to your inbox. Tanglefrees Flight Canvasback are all that, and more. 3 3. There are a lot of companies producing duck decoys nowadays. Theyre all good. Crowell has been the only one to fetch over a million for a decoy purchase, but that was a pair even then. He later went into carving full time and created some magnificent pieces of decoys. Were still in New England guys, but this time were in Maine. Its rocky. In 2007 Christie's sold the world's most expensive duck decoy, modelled on a red-breasted merganser hen, for $856,000. An antique duck decoy with some imperfections. Non-mallards. But if youre shooting into your decoys, something has gone wrong (with the exception of diver hunters). Antique duck or fowl decoys have glass eyes. They cost less than half the price of the most expensive full bodies. Does this make them more usable or viable than inexpensive, brand-new models? Get rid of that Aint gonna work feeling, and youll see the M1s can more than hold their own under the right conditions. Just getting started fowling and on a budget? In 2007, his pintail drake and Canada goose decoys sold as a bundle. Other books recommended by folk art experts include American Bird Decoys by William J. Mackey Jr. and Wild Fowl Decoys by Joel Barber. '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 . Its a rite of passage for a lot of young men. However, Lothrop started as a Ship Carpenter and carved only as a hobby. 3 3. Theyll all work, to an extent, but some fake decoys are simply destined to work better. $140 5 Bids. They look less realistic (especially in the bright sun); eventually their paint wears down; and before long youll have to replace them. Comments below may relate to previous holders of this record. Factors That Affect Antique Duck Decoy Values, Vintage Sarah Coventry Jewelry: Identity, Value and Price Guide, Vintage and Antique Piggy Banks: Complete Value Guide, Antique and Vintage Ashtrays: Complete Value Guide, 10 Rarest Vintage Breyer Horses: Value and Price Guide, 10 Most Valuable Vintage Perfume Bottles: Value Guide, 15 Most Valuable Vintage Postcards: Complete Value Guide, Sports Memorabilia Price and Identification Guide, Olympia Typewriter: History, Models, and Value, Most Valuable Antique Swords: Identification & Valuation, How to Identify Victorian Furniture Styles, Goebel Figurines: Marks, Identification, and Value, White Sewing Machine 101: Everything you need to know. Sometimes, it doesnt matter if the duck is hand carved or factory-made; what determines the price is its condition. When they were first introduced in 2018, we tested theirHarvester Pack, which is a six-pack that includes two active drakes (heads up), two swimmer drakes, and two active hens. Size. Which duck decoys are worth money? What is the most expensive duck decoy ever sold? Oh, I have to have four or five dozen divers, minimum. Hence, these items are regarded as antique and vintage. Ah, now its time to dust off the silhouettes and the full-bodies. That means the decoys tend to run on the more expensive side. 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. But if you target wood ducks specifically, especially larger flocks of migrating woodies, it definitely pays to have a dozen wood duck dekes in your arsenal, and you wont find more realistic ones than the Avian-X Topflight Wood Ducks. Unattributed Slot Neck Canada Goose Decoy. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Some of the master carvers of duck decoys such as Ben Schmidt, Joe Lincoln, Walter Ruppel, Adam Anger, Addie Nichol, Alain MacDonald, Albert Laing, Art Chilton, Babe Strubinger, Bert . 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. The incredible configuration of paint and realistic body positions and profiles combine to make the most lifelike floater wed seen at the timeand they still are today. 5 5. In these events, youll be opportune to inspect subtle features put in by antique carvers. If youre new to field hunting and set on starting a duck spread, these shells would be a good place to start. 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. In 2007 Christie's sold the world's most expensive duck decoy, modelled on a red-breasted merganser hen, for $856,000. The foam construction allows for more carved-in detail and texture than a typical deke. For more information on duck decoys, including tips on buying or selling these vintage pieces, you can consult the extra references below. 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. In larger flocks of wood ducks better than regular puddle duck decoys these decoys. Its condition excellent accomplishments in the best duck decoys have the drakes head high... In the best duck decoys from the world & # x27 ; s auctions! Youre New to field hunting and set on starting a duck spread these. For a lot of other wood duck decoys nowadays if you give just. Pintails, widgeon, and more $ 214,000 opinion, duck decoys is an art lesson matte and.! 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