How tough? The latest crop of cams is one of the best in years, including one unit that claims eliminate false triggers. There are only two knocks on this decoy. They look less realistic (especially in the bright sun); eventually their paint wears down; and before long youll have to replace them. Our Topflight floating duck decoys feature a weight-forward swim keel for realistic movement across the water. So, heres why, and at the risk of repeating myself, Im a HUGE fan of jerk cords. Shop around, and you can find Flambeaus Masters Series mallards for $4/each, which isnt bad in this day and age. We know the amount, and the date, but the buyer went completely undisclosed. In different regions of the United States and across the globe, shows, auctions, and conventions are held in honor of duck decoys. While wood ducks do strike this pose, thats not the only position I want to replicate while hunting. Some of his pieces have been sold for less than $20,000. Red-Breasted Merganser Hen Carving, by Lothrop Holmes. That all said, I have a lot to concern myself with when Im duck hunting; I dont want to worry about my decoys unraveling. Carvers were making a few decoys of better quality with improved materials and more intricate designs for the wealthy. 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. Those will work!. Chambers is the only one on this list who wasnt American-born. In 2007 Christie's sold the world's most expensive duck decoy, modelled on a red-breasted merganser hen, for $856,000. As for the price ($175/12), you can get a dozen mallards for $40, and you can find a dozen mallards pushing $200. The overall quality of a duck decoy is the combination of several factors, one of which is durability, or as I like to call it, a decoys abuse rating. Created by Gus Wilson, this antique item broke one of the antique duck decoy sales record recently. Shape. This brought in $553,600 back in 2007 when it was sold by Guyette, Schmidt, and Deeter. Today, he spends time writing critical hunting-related information and advice right here on Best Hunting Advice for his faithful audience. The current condition of an antique duck decoy plays a significant role in determining its value. Price depends, too, on whether or not youre looking at new decoys, or slightly used. '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 landing on the water. The Crowell Bundle. Just watch live ducks in full plumage during bluebird conditions. Modern decoys have these details stamped in a metal tag and attached to the bottom of the item. Unattributed Slot Neck Canada Goose Decoy. This is the best-looking wood duck decoy on the market. Theyre simple. 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. they work incredibly well for putting ripples and waves, i.e motion on the water, and breathing life into an otherwise lifeless decoy spread. mallards, black ducks, and pintails, often require fewer decoys to be successful, as they typically gather in smaller numbers than do, say, bluebills, canvasbacks, and other diving ducks. Love em or hate em, SWDs can make a difference if/when used correctly, and MOJOs King Mallard sits at the top of the list. A supposed vintage and antique decoy that looks new is most likely a modern replica. 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.. So, first, the downside. Keep em cleancold clear water, NO SOAP, and a bristle brush worksand show em a little care afield, and you shouldnt have any problems. All rights reserved. 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. It also includes a carry bag so you can keep the whole thing organized. Clich? Around 50-bucks and you can kill ducks over them. Trust me. Their lightweight design doesnt sacrifice durability, either. By the mid-19th century, the style and construction of decoys began to vary based on the region and the carver. Vintage duck decoys can be ridiculously expensive. By now youve probably noticed that Avian-X keeps popping up on this list. If youre a novice collector, get prepared to be blown away by the costs of the following antique duck decoys. Were still in New England guys, but this time were in Maine. 2023. Your email address will not be published. Foam-filled, these divers can and often do take a pounding. Nothing incredible, but for $4 a decoy, they get the job done. The rarest species of Mason Factory Wood Duck decoys in the best forms can cost up to $600,000. 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. I mostly hunt ducks over water and my decoys get covered in marsh muck on almost every outing. Join our exclusive email list of over 2000 subscribers to get tailored advice, product roundups, and updated content around hunting. Red-Breasted Merganser Hen Carving, by Lothrop Holmes. And Id really like to know that these particular decoys are going to stand up to that abuse. That concept holds true for the Avian-X AXP Full Body Mallards. Graves Mallards. The Eider Drake Decoy on Monhegan Island. Are they realistic in appearance? 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. Its believed that this is because Americas history continues to go on and on. Required fields are marked *. Water keels are hollow, and fill with water once theyve landed, head-up. And thats what it was: art. The market is continually evolving, so todays price may not be tomorrows. However, youre not going to need 14 straight hours of spraying water in the rig, I wouldnt think. This technique helped families during the civil war to catch prey for feeding. Were giving Crowell his dues here, and while he isnt included further down the list since weve already mentioned him, its important to state that this 1.13 million dollar purchase for two decoys was actually part of a large sale of 31 Crowell decoys, which in total ended up costing about $7,500,000. He doesnt baby them, but he does keep them in slotted bags, and we expect theyll last for many seasons to come. Some of the lures in this range were handpainted in eye-catching natural shades, which were easy to spot. Motion decoy used to mean only motorized spinning-wing decoys known as robo ducks or, simply, Mojos. If you want to kill ducks consistently, dont hunt with cheap decoys. They utilize what GHG calls DuraFeather, which is a soft, more flexible plastic that wont crack easily. The beefy, weighted keel ensures it will handle any chop. The Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection of American Bird Decoys was sold by Copley Fine Art Auctions in Massachusetts. Is the paint going to flake off almost immediately? Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. 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. ), as it makes picking up said bunch of flats stupid quick and easy. When buying or selling any wooden ducks, you must consider every crack, chip, and gap. Rule of thumb. 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. Nice to know, though. But, the most realistic duck decoys on the planet arent worth a damn if you cant afford them. In my experience, fully flocked duck decoys are not worth it. Moving forward, the Colonists introduced the concept to the emerging New World. Higdon offers a foam filled option for these decoys, which Id highly recommend. 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. He was born in 1825, and he began carving at a young age. What is the most valuable duck decoy? Other carvers worthy of note include Charles and Edna Perder, the Ward Brothers of Maryland, and Ken Agner. If you want to add some realism to an existing spread, you cant do better than the Avian-X AXP Full Body Mallards. 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 . The right colors. The common feature of duck decoys at that period was the wood used; white pine and white cedar. The Eider Drake Decoy on Monhegan Island. Its relatively simple, though. They wont crack or immediately fade. 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 Graves antiques are more recent than the Holmes or Crowell pieces. Not necessarily, but you have to understand that black duck hunting is a pastime. 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. On big migration days where Im trying to catch ducks attention from long range, Ill run spinners. Because theyre so hefty, youre not going to want to hike them into little potholes. But, an individual duck decoy carved by him pulled in $168,000. Mallard decoys can range from a low of $5 apiece to upwards of $30 per duck. They have a consistent overall worn-out look that sometimes has bullet holes. Native American fowlers fooled ducks with oblong-shaped blobs of mud with a forked stick resembling a ducks head n neck. It currently holds the record for the most costly single decoy ever sold. This version from Avery is a standby for many veteran waterfowlers. You incorporate it into your life, and other eccentric duck hunters with deep pockets will stop at nothing to claim some of the most coveted factory-made decoys in history. Yes, Im sure they can be effective at times; Ive just not had that off-the-charts hunt I could attribute to a SWD. This is often all it takes to convince wary ducks to commit. On calm days, having one or two Pulsators out there will bring the spread alive. Lothrop Holmes is also a Massachusetts native-like Crowell. '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 . Duck decoys are more valuable when their original parts are complete or havent been replaced. What is the most valuable duck decoy? All of these conditions work to ruin flocking. Six decoys CAN be enough, if youre on a little body of water where the ducks want to be. The guy we all know and hate. Then, of course, there are the motorized motion decoys that add movement to your spread. 2 2. They held onto these until their value escalated. Does this make them more usable or viable than inexpensive, brand-new models? Are they spread out loafing? Some movement in your spread is good. Continue with Recommended Cookies, All records listed on our website are current and up-to-date. . On the flipside, you dont have to buy the most expensive duck decoys either. Learn more . It would be best if you also inspected the eyes of the decoy. As it bobs, it sprays water across the spread like ducks are really getting after it. These arent out-of-the-packaging duck decoys (and some are not even decoy ducks), but they all have one thing in common: they cost a ton of money. Still, the Pulsator does muddle up the surface, making it look like an avian free-for-all. I was, Ill be honest, skeptical about the visual benefits, per se, of fully flocked (FFD) duck decoys; however, upon seeing Greenhead Gears FFD gadwallwell, lets just say I became a believer, and that to the point where today Im setting FFD mallard floaters, full-body mallards (drake heads only), and pintails in my day-to-day spread. It comprises two duck decoys, and both are worth $1,130,000. 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. This ones simple Does it look like a duck? most valuable duck decoys. Oh, I have to have four or five dozen divers, minimum. Both decoys have detailed paint designs, solid bodies, flat bottoms, and hollow centers. 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. Below are the best duck decoys you can buy right now. 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. Take a glance at the top 50 decoys ever sold with Guyette a& Deeter, Inc. Top 50 Sold. Here are three of my favorites. Gus did not make hundreds of decoys like his counterparts, and the majority of the ones he carved did not possess the best beaks. Let me put it this way. The Crowell Bundleextensively includes 31 decoys, all of which were valued at $7.5 million. Right away we noticed the incredibly detailed paint scheme on the drakes green heads. The Duck Decoy is a less common antique object with a broad and exciting history. Singles and pairs will lock into a regular mallard spread. Lothrop didnt start out with decoys; it was more of a side hobby that later turned into a career. The Lincoln Hisser. Some manufacturers inscribe particular one-of-a-kind features to their duck decoys. Its true. And it flat works. The all-over flocking really does take a decoy to the next level visually. If youre hunting small water like a little pond or stream, six to a dozen is great. For example, duck decoys carved by Elmer Crowell and Joseph Lincoln are more worthy in terms of value. '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 . Does it appear rugged and durable? Red-Breasted Merganser Hen Carving, by Lothrop Holmes. Since their production over a hundred years ago, both items have retained their shape and aesthetics. GHG might have built the perfect mallard decoy with their Pro Grade XD Series Mallards. What are the most expensive duck decoys? The right mix of iridescence and matte finish. Today, Cory Foskett and the folks at Tanglefree still make that line, along with a lengthy list of other fowling products, including decoys. Most of these decoys will, on any given day, fool a mallard or two, but theres a hell of a lot more to consistently decoying ducks than merely buying a dozen Brand X mallards and tossing em out willy-nilly. 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. 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. The decoys body profile and paint job are full of thoughtful details that Avian-X has made its name on. The unit includes . Water keel decoys are light, though, and make an excellent decoy for the walk-in fowler looking to cut down on weight. Colors? Is the keel rigid, or does it flex, meaning it might be relatively short-lived and a trouble spot? Gus Wilson may not be the first name that comes to mind when you think of famous decoy designers, but hes one of the most recent record-holders for duck decoy sales. 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. It requires NO batteries. The hunters who were still active at the time destroyed most of their wooden decoys and embraced the plastic items because they were less expensive and lighter. And that, typically, isnt a bad thing. Some factories also produced some notable vintage duck decoys in the 1900s. 11 Most Expensive Duck Decoys Ever Sold 1 1. Ill admit it. 4 4. Or five. 5 5. I want a variety of body postures per dozen. He began carving vintage and selling his decoys in 1912, up until his passing in 1952, and as we all know, dead artists can make a ton of money. Otto - Longest human tunnel travelled through by a skateboarding dog, Ashrita Furman - Most Guinness World Records titles held. Sure, it may be to hook me, the fisherman, but if thats it, Im sold. . And then it builds from there. Unlike my buddy Gifford, I do not always keep my decoys in a slotted bag. Like many others on this list, he lived until the 1940s but didnt enjoy much of his work being sold. Vintage and antique duck decoys look and feel old. The latest version has a soft, flexible body, magnetic wings, and a solid housing for the body. In these events, youll be opportune to inspect subtle features put in by antique carvers. Good duck decoys will swim naturally with a breeze or in the current. Even though were a relatively young country, our rich heritage becomes valuable at an accelerated rate. 2. Not immediately, but at some truly inopportune time during, maybe, a full-out gale. Its hard to beat an original, and the Mojo spinning wing decoy is still bringing ducks to the kill hole after all these years. Of all the rabbit holes duck hunters get lost in, decoys might be the deepest, most labyrinthian. Will their paint chip when theyre bounced around in a boat? You can always add more decoys; its what we do. The way each decoy sits on the water, as if it were a real about-to-take-flight mallard duck. These decoys look killer. Garage sale mallards may cost $2 each, a call-your-buddies bargain, especially if theyre in a condition where they can be immediately used. 2 2. These decoys are ideal for migrating mallards on big waters. According to specialists, most decoys in a perfect state can be worth a fortune. It all depends on the birds, the wind, the pressure, and more. While a few make the markings on the wing side. This wooden hen sold for an insane $856,000 and held a record as the most expensive decoy sale for quite some time. The legendary Lothrop Holmes carved this piece. I like the way they sound. The "Mackie Auctions" established the waterfowl decoy collecting market. How many decoys youre going to use depends on different things. Plus, I like the name. 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 Eider Drake Decoy On Monhegan Island, 4. 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. During that time, youll still be killing ducks over your realistic looking mini-spread. Bottom line I want them to look like ducks. If it is valued today, Im sure it will be at least twice this amount (provided it is still in pristine condition). Best Hunting Advice. Crowell has been the only one to fetch over a million for a decoy purchase, but that was a pair even then. So these are the elements I took into consideration when I put the above list together . Absolutely, you can rush right out or open up the Internet if youre prone to such activity and buy the first pretty plastic ducks you come across. 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. 3 3. Yeah, theyre a little odd looking, but theyre pretty tough, self-righting, have sturdy anchor points, and, when you decide to upgrade, you can always turn em into bluebills. 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. As the years went by, decoys were mass-produced and used by commercial and sports huntersto catch prey for food and sports activities, respectively. Mallards on big waters the ducks want to add some realism to an existing,. Its believed that this is the keel rigid, or does it look like ducks long. The following antique duck decoys carved by Elmer Crowell and Joseph Lincoln are worthy. Best in years, including one unit that claims eliminate false triggers, product roundups, and intricate. Version from Avery is a pastime around hunting them into little potholes records titles.! 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