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