Lombard, Illinois – On April 27 & 28, Guyette and Deeter, Inc. held their annual spring auction in conjunction with the North American Decoy Collectors Association Show in Lombard, Illinois. The two-day auction totaled $3.5 million with 10 new world records for makers being set.
Headlined by the amazing collection of duck and fish spearing decoys of George and Miriam Van Walleghem, the auction was a 'cannot be missed' type of event for serious Midwest and fish decoy collectors. The sale also featured the important Wisconsin decoy collection of Herb Desch, the best of its kind ever offered at auction.
Two items sold for $100,000, including a rare and well documented black duck by the Caines Brothers of Georgetown, South Carolina. The sculptural decoy was from the collection of long-time southern collector D.C. North and sold for $102,000. The other six figure lot was the top price of the sale and the new world record for a fish spearing decoy at auction. Selling for $168,000, the large and exceptional fish by Hans Janner, surpassed the old world record by over $50,000. Four other fish spearing decoys from the Van Wallegham collection sold for over $50,000, including three others by Hans Janner and a monumental muskie by Ted Vandenbosche, a new world record for the maker.
With the quality and breadth of the Herb Desch collection, it was no surprise to see strong results for Wisconsin decoys. A Joseph Sieger canvasback sold for $40,800, a rare pair of pintails by Walter Lowery brought $27,000, a rigmate pair of canvasbacks by Gus Moak cost $26,400, and a Russell Berry mallard hen finished at $10,200. All four highlights being world record prices for the respective artists.
Other highlights include an important pair of blue wing teal by Nate Quillen at $81,000, an outstanding green wing teal drake by Charles Bergman at $60,000, and a John Reeves Canada goose with exceptional form selling for $45,000. Again, all world record prices for these carvers.
Contemporary carvings remain strong with works by Jim Schmiedlin, William Gibian, Marty Hanson, and Frank Finney all bringing high prices.
The auction was called by Mary Tumbleson, Tiffany Foes, and Colin McPeak.

Magnificent fish decoy, Hans Janner
World Auction Record for a Fish Decoy

Walleye fish decoy, Hans Janner

Rock bass fish decoy, Hans Janner

Fat jaw style goldeneye, Ward Brothers

Stick up black duck, John Tax

Trout fish decoy, Hans Janner

Feeding yellowlegs, Lothrop Holmes

Preening mallard hen, Bert Graves

Perch fish decoy, Perkins Family

Canvasback, Joseph Sieger
World Auction Record for Carver

Black duck, Nathan Cobb, Jr.

Wood duck hen, Ferd Homme

Edier drake, Gus Wilson

Pair of canvasbacks, Gus Moak
World Auction Record for Maker

Canvasback hen, John Schweikart

Trout fish decoy, Perkins Family

Black duck, Charles "Shang" Wheeler

Pair of pintails, Charles Perdew

Large grasshopper, Frank Finney

Pair of mallards, Glen Cameron
World Auction Record for Carver

Canada goose, George Warin

Trout fish decoy, Harry Seymour

Pair of red breasted mergansers, Jim Schmiedlin

Redhead, Nate Quillen

Perch fish decoy, Perkins Family

Pair of bluebills, attributed to Joseph Sieger

Mallard, Charles Walker

Pair of pintails, Charles Schoenheider, Sr.

Oil on canvas, Harry Curieux Adamson, 21.5" x 27.5"

Black bellied plover, Elmer Crowell

Full size falcon, William Gibian

Gouache, Arthur Burdett Frost, 10" x 13.25"

Pair of bluewing teal, Evans Decoy Factory

Pair of wood ducks, Chief Eugene Cuffee

Walking stick, Frank Finney

Canvasback drake, Ferd or Mandt Homme

Sucker fish decoy, Lake St. Clair

Hooded merganser, Ontario

Black duck, Caines Brothers

Pair of bluewing teal, Nate Quillen
World Auction Record for Carver

Greenwing teal, Charles Bergman
World Auction Record for Carver

Pair of bluewing teal, Robert Elliston

Muskellunge fish decoy, Ted Vandenbosche
World Auction Record for Carver

Wood duck, Jim Schmiedlin

Canada goose, John Reeves
World Auction Record for Carver

Golden plover, Cape Cod

Pair of mallards, Ward Brothers

Preening plover, Melvin Gardner Lawrence

Pair of pintails, Walter Lowery
World Auction Record for Maker

Canada goose, Thomas Chambers

Canvasback, Ferdinand Bach

Frog carving, Frank Finney

Two sided trade sign, Oscar Peterson

Brant, Joseph Lincoln

Pair of mallards, John R. Wells

Cigar store trade sign, William Demuth & Co.

Pintail, Walter Pelzer

Watercolor, Aiden Lassell Ripley, 14.25" x 20.5"

Pair of canvasbacks, Jim Schmiedlin

Full size great blue heron, Chief Eugene Cuffee

Pair of bluewing teal, Frank Resop

Standing redhead, Ira Hudson

Bufflehead, attributed to Eli Doughty

Sleeping mallard hen, Bert Graves

Two mallard drakes, Philadelphia area

Pair of bluebills, Mason Decoy Factory

Oil on canvas, Les C. Kouba, 23.5" x 35"

Low head black duck, Walter Lowery

Pair of bluewing teal, Ward Brothers

Pintail, Phineas Reeves

Lesser yellowlegs, Daniel Lake Leeds

Mallard hen, Russell Berry
World Auction Record for Carver

Canada goose, Joseph Lincoln

Pair of ruddy ducks, Jett Brunet

Owl, Leonard Dorren