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.
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Magnificent fish decoy, Hans Janner
World Auction Record for a Fish Decoy
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Walleye fish decoy, Hans Janner
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Rock bass fish decoy, Hans Janner
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Fat jaw style goldeneye, Ward Brothers
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Stick up black duck, John Tax
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Trout fish decoy, Hans Janner
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Feeding yellowlegs, Lothrop Holmes
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Preening mallard hen, Bert Graves
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Perch fish decoy, Perkins Family
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Canvasback, Joseph Sieger
World Auction Record for Carver
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Black duck, Nathan Cobb, Jr.
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Wood duck hen, Ferd Homme
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Edier drake, Gus Wilson
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Pair of canvasbacks, Gus Moak
World Auction Record for Maker
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Canvasback hen, John Schweikart
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Trout fish decoy, Perkins Family
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Black duck, Charles "Shang" Wheeler
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Pair of pintails, Charles Perdew
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Large grasshopper, Frank Finney
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Pair of mallards, Glen Cameron
World Auction Record for Carver
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Canada goose, George Warin
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Trout fish decoy, Harry Seymour
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Pair of red breasted mergansers, Jim Schmiedlin
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Redhead, Nate Quillen
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Perch fish decoy, Perkins Family
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Pair of bluebills, attributed to Joseph Sieger
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Mallard, Charles Walker
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Pair of pintails, Charles Schoenheider, Sr.
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Oil on canvas, Harry Curieux Adamson, 21.5" x 27.5"
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Black bellied plover, Elmer Crowell
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Full size falcon, William Gibian
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Gouache, Arthur Burdett Frost, 10" x 13.25"
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Pair of bluewing teal, Evans Decoy Factory
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Pair of wood ducks, Chief Eugene Cuffee
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Walking stick, Frank Finney
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Canvasback drake, Ferd or Mandt Homme
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Sucker fish decoy, Lake St. Clair
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Hooded merganser, Ontario
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Black duck, Caines Brothers
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Pair of bluewing teal, Nate Quillen
World Auction Record for Carver
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Greenwing teal, Charles Bergman
World Auction Record for Carver
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Pair of bluewing teal, Robert Elliston
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Muskellunge fish decoy, Ted Vandenbosche
World Auction Record for Carver
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Wood duck, Jim Schmiedlin
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Canada goose, John Reeves
World Auction Record for Carver
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Golden plover, Cape Cod
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Pair of mallards, Ward Brothers
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Preening plover, Melvin Gardner Lawrence
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Pair of pintails, Walter Lowery
World Auction Record for Maker
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Canada goose, Thomas Chambers
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Canvasback, Ferdinand Bach
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Frog carving, Frank Finney
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Two sided trade sign, Oscar Peterson
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Brant, Joseph Lincoln
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Pair of mallards, John R. Wells
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Cigar store trade sign, William Demuth & Co.
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Pintail, Walter Pelzer
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Watercolor, Aiden Lassell Ripley, 14.25" x 20.5"
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Pair of canvasbacks, Jim Schmiedlin
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Full size great blue heron, Chief Eugene Cuffee
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Pair of bluewing teal, Frank Resop
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Standing redhead, Ira Hudson
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Bufflehead, attributed to Eli Doughty
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Sleeping mallard hen, Bert Graves
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Two mallard drakes, Philadelphia area
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Pair of bluebills, Mason Decoy Factory
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Oil on canvas, Les C. Kouba, 23.5" x 35"
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Low head black duck, Walter Lowery
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Pair of bluewing teal, Ward Brothers
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Pintail, Phineas Reeves
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Lesser yellowlegs, Daniel Lake Leeds
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Mallard hen, Russell Berry
World Auction Record for Carver
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Canada goose, Joseph Lincoln
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Pair of ruddy ducks, Jett Brunet
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Owl, Leonard Dorren