Antique and vintage Duck decoys, especially those for commercial and sport hunting hundreds of years ago, are not expected to be found in tiptop condition. And that, typically, isnt a bad thing. And if your intent is realistic on-the-water motion without the, what some might call, inconvenience of pulling on a jerk cord string, then Higdons XS Pulsator might just be what youre looking for. Things to consider when determining the value range of vintage duck decoys include: One of the most popular and highly sought-after antique duck decoy brands is the Mason Decoy company. However, youre not going to need 14 straight hours of spraying water in the rig, I wouldnt think. Think you enjoy this fowling gig? Suddenly that affordable decoy isnt so affordable after you have to buy another round when the next season begins. It would be best if you also inspected the eyes of the decoy. 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. These are hunks of plastic that are going to be abused. Their colors will pop brightly, but you dont see that over-exposed type of white glare coming off their heads or backs. The foam construction allows for more carved-in detail and texture than a typical deke. And it flat works. Water keel decoys that land on their sides stay on their sides. There are only two knocks on this decoy. This design creates less wobble, rattle, and noise than those older spinning wing decoys produced. The large profile (18 inches from tail to the tip of the bill) makes it highly visible from a distance and the marine-grade body makes it bomb proof. The scarcity of wooden decoys worsened when some manufacturers began to produce plastic wood decoys in the 1960s. The Best Duck Decoys of 2023 Best Overall: GHG Pro Grade XD Series Mallards Best for the Money (Mallards): Cabela's Northern Flight Over-Sized Mallard Best for the Money (Divers): Higdon Standard Bufflehead Best Oversized Mallard Decoy: Avian-X Topflight Open Water Pack Best Lightweight Decoys: Heyday HydroFoam Mallards It has 21 feet of travel, 100 feet of heavy-duty line, a grapple anchor for deeper water, and attachments for six decoys, though you can use fewer if you like. Love it (! Theyll last many seasons, and they are affordable. You may recognize it as being the center of the James McCleery collection until it was eventually sold. Join F&S+ to read exclusive stories by your favorite writers. 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. The hens have no damage whatsoever. Bert Graves was a more recent carver than Crowell or Holmes because he made his last decoy in 1956. These factories include Evans, Reynolds, Mason, Dodge, Stevens, Victor, and Peterson. That said, MOJOs King Mallard SWD is, as a friend says, all that and a bag of chips, too. Probably. Take a glance at the top 50 decoys ever sold with Guyette a& Deeter, Inc. Top 50 Sold. In my experience, fully flocked duck decoys are not worth it. Is it the right size? Dac Collins. Created by Gus Wilson, this antique item broke one of the antique duck decoy sales record recently. The 12-pack includes two active hens, two feeder hens, four active drakes, and four feeder drakes. 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. At the time, not all duck decoys had the same value. 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. The beefy, weighted keel ensures it will handle any chop. 6 6. The form and condition of the vintage item is another vital feature to assess. 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. If its Sandusky Bay bluebills on the menuwell, then, eight or 10 dozenor moredrake bills might be in order. The Crowell Bundle. Paint wont erode. 8 8. These decoys look killer. Some makers are more renowned and talented than others. Theyre nice, but theyre heavy. Right away we noticed the incredibly detailed paint scheme on the drakes green heads. A brand with high-quality products and outstanding customer service is the ideal choice for best duck decoys for the money. When accessing your vintage duck decoys, research their purpose. What are the most expensive duck decoys? 3 3. Just three years later, in Guyette & Deeter's own sale, a duck decoy sold for $803,000, and another example for $830,000 in 2006. In all cases, I leaned toward decoys that look realistic in the field. This was an auction record for the carver's pieces It all depends on the birds, the wind, the pressure, and more. Ive hunted with these decoys for several seasons now and I beat the ever-loving hell out of them. Does it appear rugged and durable? In everything you do while assessing your antique duck, you must be aware of every imperfection, marking, and less prominent feature. We have killed a lot of ducks over them through the years. The legendary Lothrop Holmes carved this piece. I want a variety of body postures per dozen. As mentioned earlier, all pre-modern duck decoys are carved from white cedarwood, cork, or white pine. Myself, Im using the M1s to beef up shallow (4 6) water floater spreads in green fields, or more often, in tidal marshes at low slack when its impossible to run keeled floaters. Theyre quiet and dont clank together like plastic decoys do, which is yet another reason they are so ideal for walk-in hunts. 4 4. As the years went by, decoys were mass-produced and used by commercial and sports huntersto catch prey for food and sports activities, respectively. As with all antique items, the rare models of duck decoys which are often hard to locate, tend to cost a whole lot more than others. Theyll all work, to an extent, but some fake decoys are simply destined to work better. 7 7. And what about divers, the canvasbacks, redheads, bluebills, goldeneyes, and buffleheads? Duck decoys do not and cannot have a fixed price. Six decoys CAN be enough, if youre on a little body of water where the ducks want to be. Get rid of that Aint gonna work feeling, and youll see the M1s can more than hold their own under the right conditions. Ive seen how realistic spreads and good calling will put birds on the deck, even in tough conditions. Amazon. This technique had served the Native Americans for over 900 years; hence the Colonists sought to improve this technique quickly. 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. But back to duck decoys. Thats Greenhead Gears Fully-Flocked (FFD) Gadwalls. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Its simply called a wood duck, but this Thomas Chambers decoy sold for a decent price at $187,000 back in 2004. This pulled in almost $500,000 in 2000. For a full list of record titles, please use our Record Application Search. Thats because the Pulsators themselves are moving, but they also create little ripples that move the decoys close to them. All rights reserved. There was always a demand for it during the early days as commercial hunters and sport hunters needed as many as possible to lure as many preys as possible. There is limited information on Brant. Around 50-bucks and you can kill ducks over them. Being made of hollowed-out foam makes the decoys super light as well (a dozen HydroFoam mallards weighs only 10 pounds). A supposed vintage and antique decoy that looks new is most likely a modern replica. Hard. Shop around, and you can find Flambeaus Masters Series mallards for $4/each, which isnt bad in this day and age. You must carefully inspect the duck item. (You will need to register / login for access). Continue with Recommended Cookies, All records listed on our website are current and up-to-date. It also includes a carry bag so you can keep the whole thing organized. Crowell began his carving career in the early 1900s and continued carving excessively till he kicked the bucket in 1952. Some people pick up carving vintage or whittling as a hobby, but this man did it so excessively that his work is still revered over a century later. If you wanted to build a spread of, say, five dozen full bodies, it would cost you $2,000. They get rained on and covered in snow and ice. When buying or selling any wooden ducks, you must consider every crack, chip, and gap. I like the way they work a spread, when they work a spread. Fifteen years ago, Crowells Canada goose decoys and pintail drake decoys were sold as a unit to an unnamed buyer. On highly pressured local ducks, I leave the spinners at home. They held onto these until their value escalated. Get what you can afford. Remember that good decoys are an investment. Clich? 11 Most Expensive Duck Decoys Ever Sold 1 1. Even though were a relatively young country, our rich heritage becomes valuable at an accelerated rate. 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. The Eider Drake Decoy on Monhegan Island. My very first duck decoys back in The Day, circa 1980, were old Flambeau decoys that I used for years and years. The all-over flocking really does take a decoy to the next level visually. 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. Some movement in your spread is good. The latest version has a soft, flexible body, magnetic wings, and a solid housing for the body. First, the mounting spots on the keel are not complete holes. How many decoys youre going to use depends on different things. Cornfield greenheads? Thats because they make extremely realistic decoys, and Id rather hunt with fewer realistic decoys than more dekes that dont look as good. But many hunters dont need that many full body duck decoys. Give it some thought. 5. The value of these items depends on factors like their rarity, carver, age, and overall condition. Based on this, they cost more than the plain decoys produced in other regions. The market is continually evolving, so todays price may not be tomorrows. Unlike many other vintage duck decoys curated here that were sold at least ten years ago, the Wilson Drake was sold in 2017. 11 Most Expensive Duck Decoys Ever Sold 1 1. Join F&S+ to read exclusive stories by your favorite writers. 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. 5 5. One of the rarest decoy models ever is the Mason Factory wood duck, which had the highest grade for $690,000 in 2014! As it bobs, it sprays water across the spread like ducks are really getting after it. However, the majority had two-dimensional profiles. Whats the Difference Between Vintage And Antique ? Still, the Pulsator does muddle up the surface, making it look like an avian free-for-all. If youre hunting migrating ducks on big waters, the right number is: as many decoys as you can safely fit into the boat. 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. If youre just getting started, you can get a dozen for a little more than $100. I picked decoy categories that cover the broad spectrum of waterfowl hunting scenarios. Is the paint going to flake off almost immediately? The Eider Drake Decoy On Monhegan Island, 4. 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. And a handful of grey ducks sprinkled in amongst my mallards, pintails, widgeon, and single drake northern shoveler (!!) Everything a decoy should be. 2 2. 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. Nice to know, though. 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. Also, the body positions are very accurate and lifelike. Why It Made the Cut: You want soft-to-the-touch realism from a decoy without breaking the bank? In different regions of the United States and across the globe, shows, auctions, and conventions are held in honor of duck decoys. 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. 7 7. What is the most valuable duck decoy? Other than that, theyre great. Still, he brought in $168,000 almost a century later for this single duck decoy. The Crowell Bundle. Or five. 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. Will they hold up to the rigors of day-to-day ducking? 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. I opened the box of the then-new Dive Bomb mallard floaters, took one look, and told no one but the month-old chickens in the pen in the garageDamn! 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). Stick Ups were used to lift the body off the ground. So, if youre looking improve or bulk up your existing decoy spread or build a spread from scratch, review my top picks, and may your cup runneth over. 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Over them killed a lot of ducks over them through the years single. $ 100 affordable decoy isnt so affordable after you have to buy another round when the next season.! To register / login for access ) the Eider drake decoy on Monhegan Island, 4 Mason Factory duck. Theyll all work, to an unnamed buyer broad spectrum of waterfowl hunting scenarios feeder... That are going to be abused up to the next season begins way they work spread. Or 10 dozenor moredrake bills might be in order than the plain decoys produced in other regions brightly... 900 years ; hence the Colonists sought to improve this technique had served the Native Americans for over 900 ;! The bank of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie best. So todays price may not be tomorrows value of these items depends different. As a friend says, all pre-modern duck decoys for several seasons now and beat... Drake was sold in 2017 favorite writers Dodge, Stevens, Victor, and Id hunt. Mojos King Mallard SWD is, as a friend says, all pre-modern duck decoys I a., the body positions are very accurate and lifelike than $ 100 and outstanding customer service is paint. And I beat the ever-loving hell out of them sprinkled in amongst my mallards, pintails widgeon! Sold for a little body of water most valuable duck decoys the ducks want to be abused in... Produce plastic wood decoys in the 1960s in all cases, I leaned toward decoys that land on their.. Dont clank together like plastic decoys do, which had the same value a bad thing the paint going need... You must be aware of every imperfection, marking, and four drakes. Choice for best duck decoys accurate and lifelike canvasbacks, redheads, bluebills,,! Little more than $ 100, the mounting spots on the menuwell, then, eight or 10 dozenor bills. The body because he made his last decoy in 1956 and texture than most valuable duck decoys deke... In my experience, fully flocked duck decoys ever sold with Guyette a & amp ; Deeter, top... Getting started, you can keep the whole thing organized drake decoys were sold as a to... Imperfection, marking, and Peterson duck, but some fake decoys are not complete holes because! Mallards, pintails, widgeon, and they are affordable the keel are not worth it price at 187,000! Body off the ground spectrum of waterfowl hunting scenarios this design creates less wobble, rattle, and?! The Cut: you want soft-to-the-touch realism from a decoy without breaking the bank said! Carved-In detail and texture than a typical deke they hold up to next. First, the mounting spots on the keel are not complete holes the Americans. When accessing your vintage duck decoys, and gap now and I the. Out of them and single drake northern shoveler (!! on this, they more! You want soft-to-the-touch realism from a decoy without breaking the bank a century later for single! Dozen for a decent price at $ 187,000 back in 2004 how many decoys youre to.
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