Two decoys surpass $1,000,000 at Cook Collection – Session I

Lombard, Illinois – With a museum exhibit, hardbound collection book, multiple seminars, and podcast features, the anticipation had been building for months for the first offerings of the Jim and Diane Cook collection of waterfowl decoys, and the results are nothing but extraordinary. The first 138 lots from the Cook collection, grossed $7,390,260, nearly 20% over their respective high estimates, and an incredible average lot price of $53,552.61.

The fireworks started with lot 1, an important wood duck by Joseph Lincoln, once owned by Dr. George Ross Starr, and what many would consider to be the centerpiece of the Cook collection. Auctioneer John Hays, former executive chairman of Christie’s, opened the bidding at $300,000 and it was slowly bid up by multiple phone bidders, finishing at $1,260,000 including premium, a new world record price for any decoy ever sold. In the many seminars hosted by Guyette and Deeter leading up to the sale, collector and advisor to the Cooks, Joe Tonelli, called the wood duck, “the most important decoy in existence”, many others agreed.

When the rapturous applause had finished, lot 2, a unique preening widgeon by Elmer Crowell, made for Dr. John C. Phillips, was also opened at $300,000. After a volley of bids between 4 bidders had slowed, two long-time collectors took it to the end, with one taking it home for $1,140,000, a new world record for the maker.

Those first two lots set the pace for the remainder of the sale with 28 auction records being set for different artists, 8 of which were not from the Cook collection.

The two-day auction, held in conjunction with the North American Decoy Collectors Association, grossed just shy of $10,000,000 with 15 items topping $100,000 and 132 items selling for over $10,000. High condition and rare examples remain in high demand and the summer Guyette and Deeter auction, held at the Country School in Easton, Maryland on July 24 & 25, will have many offerings in this category. If you would like to have your items considered for the July auction, the deadline for consignments is May 15. Call Jon Deeter at 440-610-1768 or Zac Cote at 207-321-8091.