Excellent wire leg Semipalmated shorebird decoy by Mark McNair, Eastern Shore of VA. Circa 2007, carved signature & ink signed along with naming the bird "DAVE". Excellent all original aged paint & condition with intentional lite wear. Lots of nice old looking paint work & time on this beauty with very natural looking wear & some outstanding craquelure done to the paint. Measures approx 6 3/4 inches on the stand tall, bird measures approx 6 1/4 inches long with a nice fat body style. Metal tack eyes with rusted metal wire legs and a splined bill and raised heart shaped shoulder & wing carving. This beauty is a neat style & looks over 100 years old. Its tuff getting any McNairs & this is a really nice style that is seldom seen. "Dave" will fit in nicely with any McNair collector looking for something different. More pics avail.
$1050

Early & very nice drake Bluebill by Robert McGaw (1879-1958), Harve de Grace, MD. Circa 1930-40. Very good plus all original paint & condition, great patina & aging. Never waxed, paint is strong, dry & clean. Has seen a bit of gunning & shows some edge wear as would be expected for a bird of this vintage. Has no neck cracks. Measures approx 14 inches long, has original weight & line tie. Good paint patterns in McGaws best style. Very hard to find these in this condition, this is the first Bluebill I have had by McGaw in a few years, it is fresh to market from a mid-west collection. You will be very happy with this handsome dude, especially at this price, more pics available.
$1000

Superb & pristine Lesser Yellowlegs shorebird carving by A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Mass. Circa 1920-40. Outstanding all original paint & condition. Paint is very detailed, dry, and clean with a perfect patina of age. Only wear is tiny rub to very tip of bill & tail, both are very small rubs & do not distract in anyway. No repairs or touch ups of any kind, blacklights perfect. All gesso for thighs, knees & toes are original & in great shape. Has good strong square style brand. Lifesize it measures approx 8 1/2 inches long, and 9 1/4 tall. Solid body with glass eyes and is mounted on carved clam or quahog shell. Extra pics available. This is a excellent example for any collector looking for a strong Crowell Shorebird carving to add to a collection, this beauty is ex-collection of Steve Ting. Good buy here as Crowell decoys continue to be the strongest part of the decoy market, early untouched examples this nice are getting impossible to find at any price.
SOLD!

Nice hen Gadwall by Grayson Chesser, Jenkins Bridge, VA. From his personal gunning rig, used from 1997-2001& noted as such on bottom. Signed & dated 1997. Has Grayson's "C" carved in bottom. Excellent all original paint & condition, has 2 areas of paint loss on left side, otherwise it is excellent, pics avail. Great patina on this beauty. Life size hollow carved cedar body measures approx 15 1/2 inches with slightly lowered head, also has a raised wing tip and a nice full body carving. Retains original weight & leather line tie. Nice glass eyes with no cracks. Grayson was the "Carver of the Year" at the 2004 Harve de Grace Decoy Show, and just did an exhibit at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, D.C. More pics available. This is a very nice decoy by one of the best classic decoy makers of this generation. Get this modern classic while you can.
SOLD!

Excellent & near mint drake Canvasback by Bert Graves (1887-1956), Peoria, Il . Circa 1920-30s. Pristine all original paint & condition, with very little rub to edge of bill & tail & string mark on neck that just adds to the great look of this beauty. Paint blending & colors on this bird are superb & shows the talent of Kathryn Elliston's finest brush work, no doubt who painted this one! Superb comb & swirl painting all over this beauty. As with most Illinois River decoys the paint was protected by a coat of varnish when made. Hollow carved with no cracks or age lines the body measures approx 16 3/4 inches long. Retains the original marked "B. GRAVES DECOY CO PEORIA IL" weight & swivel line tie. This classic beauty is from a well known collection of Illinois River decoys & was part of a small rig found many years ago. Graves made a great decoy & are true Illinois River classics & are nearly impossible to find in such outstanding condition. The added plus is the extra superb paint by Kathryn Elliston, who doesnt prefer her paint over the others who painted in the region? Good Illinois River decoys of this quality have been very strong values over the last several years & are a solid investment and a joy to own. More pics avail of this beauty.
$8250

Outstanding Cobb Island style Curlew shorebird decoy by Mark McNair, Eastern Shore of VA. Circa 1980-90's. Excellent all original aged paint & condition with very well done intentional wear. Measures approx 14 3/4 inches, fat full body style. Glass eyes, splined bill & raised wing carving, all very accurate in detail. Some grain fault but only helps with the archaic look of this Cobb Island classic. Its tuff getting any McNairs & this is a really nice style & a collector favorite. Carved McNair signature with capital "R". Metal stand included. More pics avail. of this great looking McNair, hard not to want one of these Cobb Island style birds by Mark, he just does such a great job on them.
$1800

Super nice drake Canvasback by Jim Currier (1886-1971), Harve de Grace, MD. Circa 1950-60. Super nice & super clean and dry all original paint & condition, with very nice paint patterns, including some great "feather" painting & blending of colors. This beauty measures approx 16 1/4 inches & has a great full body style. Retains original weight & line tie. Condition is excellent & probably never gunned over. Great classic decoy maker here who made all of his own decoys & did it by hand. A outstanding decoy for any collection of Classic Chesapeake Bay decoys by one of the most undervalued old time makers from the upper Chesapeake Bay area.
$575

Super nice set of 3 Black Belly Plover tin Shorebird decoys with original sticks & super nice original box. Circa 1890-1920. Excellent all original paint that is just about mint with minor assorted contact flakes from storage. Paint is very dry, clean & strong with great colors. They look to never have been used. All are superb & retain original wire clasp, one bird is missing one but a easy fix. Retains original sticks for each. Box is in fantastic shape with all hardware present & in good shape. This is the first time I have had a marked "Black Breast Plover" box, you usually only find Yellowlegs boxes & they are hard to find anywhere near this nice. Factory maker unknown but thought not to be S&S as not marked as such on inside but has the same gloss paint finish on inside of decoys as the paint used in the S&S models. This is the first I have had any of these in awhile as they are getting very hard to aquire, especially in this nice of condition. More pics avail, very nice set for the shorebird or tinnie collector.
$1250 set

Very early and very rare Black Duck decoy by Alma Fitchett (died 1934), Smith Island, Virginia. Circa 1870-1900. Rare 1 of 3 known Black Ducks known by Fitchett & this is only known example with his carved initials in bottom. Paint is all original and very strong considering age & environment where used. Very neat wing patch painting. Excellent surface on this beauty, strong, dry and clean. Black glass eyes & retains original cloth line tie. Big solid carved body measures approx 17 inches long & has a very neat carved ice dip behind the neck. Has a couple of shot scars in body and a neck crack that goes thru 3/4 of neck but is secure & original with no repairs. Has wear that would be expected of a hundred plus year old decoy. Alma Fitchett was a member of the "SMITH ISLAND LIFESAVING SERVICE", some great & very historic decoys came from this group of surfman that manned this station. Info on Fitchett & the other decoy makers that worked the Smith Island Station can be found in Henry Fleckenstien's excellent book "Southern Decoys of Virginia & the Carolinas". Smith Island decoys are very rare and some of the most desired decoys for the Southern decoy collector, great classic form & function with a great history attached to each one that still survives. Great piece here for any collector looking to make that strong historic addition to their collection, its sure to please. Lots of good pics available of this beauty. I bet a lot of Black Ducks have been shot over this historic old decoy.
SALE PENDING!

Super rare hen Goldeneye decoy by Ira Hudson (1873-1949), Chincoteague Island, VA. Circa 1920-30s. Excellent all original paint & condition, the paint is exceptional, very strong, clean & dry with craquelure and patina. Wear is very minimal honest gunning wear, probably hunted less the 3 times. Nice classic scratch painting with great looking paint patterns & very cool large wing patches. Bird is solid body carved & is made from cedar and measures approx 14 3/4 inches & retains original leather line tie & Hudson's pad weight. Decoy is a classic flowing fluted tail model. Tack eyes. Thin as a hair natural age line on back as would be expected from a Hudson & small shot scar across top of the bill, visable in pics above. If you are looking for the rarest & finest examples by Hudson this one is for you. More pics available of this fine old Chincoteague decoy. A good buy on this one as decoys of this quality & vintage from Chincoteague continue to be an excellent investment & just do not come to market anymore.
$14,500

Excellent New England style Yellowlegs shorebird decoy by Mark McNair, Eastern Shore of VA. Circa less then 10 years old. Excellent all original aged paint & condition with intentional lite wear. Lots of nice old looking paint work & time on this beauty with very natural looking wear. Measures approx 11 inches, delicate but full body style. Metal tack eyes, splined bill & raised shoulder & wing tip carving, all very accurate in detail. This beauty is a neat style & looks over 100 years old. Its tuff getting any McNairs & this is a really nice style. Carved McNair signature. More pics avail.
$1800

Rare Oyster Catcher shorebird decoy by Miles Hancock (1888-1974), Chincoteague Island, VA. Circa 1950-60's. A scarce species by Hancock. Probably 3/4 life size it measures 8 1/2 inches. Excellent all original paint, with very nicely done paint patterns on back, sides & neck. This is cedar body bird with tiny pin eyes. Has splined bill thru head & has a small area of puddy loss on back of head in that area. Made with carved & slightly raised wing tips & flutted carved tail. Comes with Miles Hancock made original wooden stand. I have seen 3 or 4 examples (including this one) by Hancock that are this size, I once had a full size gunning model by him that was ex-Mackey collection. We have a lot of Oystercatchers here on the coast of Virginia, pretty much year round, especially on our barrier islands. I often wondered why they were'nt gunned hard, you just dont find early examples of gunning birds of this species. They must have tasted really bad for them not to have been hunted. A tuff species here & Hancock was one of the only makers I have seen examples by, probably just mostly made for the tourist that he sold his mini ducks to. Anyway it is a neat bird, sure to please & a nice addition to a collection of Miles Hancock's. Nice one here. More pics avail.
SALE PENDING!

Superb "PREMIER MASON" style drake Mallard by Cameron McIntyre. Circa less then 15 years old. Excellent all original aged paint & condition with slight intentional wear. The paint style, aging, and patina on this bird is outstanding. Stylish, sleek & very well done carving that would be worth 100K+ if it was really a 100 year old Mason decoy. Measures approx 17 1/2 inches long. Hollow body carving. Paint has been aged proper with an nice soft patina. Carved "CTM" signature in bottom, and has "PREMIER" stencil painted on bottom. Has glass eyes. More pics avail. Cameron said this was the only one of these he ever made, he did a small group of drakes of different species in the Mason style copying the style of Mason's decoys that they advertised in their catalogs & ads, much more stylish then the actual decoys they produced, especially the later years that they were in business. Here is a nice rare decoy for the money, as Cameron's work is nearly impossible to get. I get more follow ups on Cameron's work from folks that "wished they had pulled the trigger" when a piece by him was available only to watch it sell & were sorry they didn't do it. Excellent bird here for the collector of Mason decoys or of Cameron's work. I am constantly amazed at the talent that Cameron exibits in his work, it is always a pleasure to hold & see his decoys & art. You will be more then happy with this one & if you saw what his birds sold for at G&S April 2007 decoy auction you will appreciate the deal on this rare style. More pics available of this smiling beauty.
(Consignment piece)
SOLD!

Outstanding & pretty scarce Snipe shorebird decoy by Mark McNair, Eastern Shore of VA. Circa less then 10 years old. Excellent all original aged paint & condition with very well done intentional wear. Measures approx 7 1/2 inches, fat full body style with low resting head. Brass tack eyes, splined bill & raised wing carving, all very accurate in detail. Tthis is a really nice style & a very seldom seen species by Mark. Carved McNair signature. Metal stand included. More pics avail. of this great looking McNair. Hard not to want to add this little beauty to your collection, great form, style & paint.
$1000

Near perfect Canvasback drake by Robert McGaw (1879-1958), Harve de Grace, MD. Circa 1930-40. Excellent all original paint & condition, great patina & aging. Never waxed, paint is super strong, dry & crisp. Has never been gunned over & is near perfect, only some tiny paint flake at neck base as shown & small area of lifted puddy over nails in top of head with a couple of very tiny flakes of puddy loss. For the age it is just superb! More pics avail. Measures approx 16 inches long, has original weight & line tie. Also has McGaw's brand, it is thought the birds with his brand were from his personal rig. Outstanding paint patterns in McGaws best style. As good as they come, and of the quality you just can't find at any price these days. You will be thrilled with this beauty, it is as fine a McGaw Canvasback decoy as you will ever be able to find of this vintage, birds of this quality continue to be the strongest investment you can put in a collection.
SALE PENDING!

Excellent & very scarce Pike fish decoy by Mark McNair, Eastern Shore of VA. Circa 1980-90s. Excellent all original aged paint & condition. McNair classic style fish decoy with 6 copper fins, carved tail, gill, mouth & eyes. Some paint loss on copper fins, mostly where they meet the body, also has 3 small dents on side of face & one on forehead area, slight loss to wood in one of the dents near mouth. Not perfect by very nice & very scarce. Solid carved body with inletted leaded belly, measures approx 11 1/2 inches long. Painted signature & very cool triangler stand. The paint on this fish is awesome, but with Mark it always is. This is a very nice fish decoy by Mark & a scarce type carving that the hard core McNair collectors are all looking for. You saw some record prices for McNair's this year at auction with a collection that has started to come to market. McNair's continue to be very strong in todays market & they also continue to be very hard to find for sale, especially something that is scarce. Priced to sell. More pics avail.
$1350

Very cool drake Widgeon decoy by Paul Gibson (1902-1990s), Harve de Grace, MD. Circa 1940's-50's. Very good plus all original paint & condition. Nice painting style & a very dry finish, with lots of nice feathering brush work. Measures approx 13 1/2 -inches long & retains original weight, line tie staple & old thick cotton line tie with weight. As found from the gunning rig condition. Condition is excellent with slight but hair thin paint crack on right side of neck, I dont believe it goes into the wood. I have seen a few Widgeon by Gibson but think this may be the earliest I have seen because of the paint style & colors used. Paul was one of the upper Chesapeake Bays finest makers, totally self taught & only made his own decoys. His decoy output was small compared to Mitchell & earlier gunning examples this clean are a lucky find, especially a Widgeon. A superb hunting decoy by one of the great old time Upper Chesapeake Bay makers.
SALE PENDING!

Very early and very stylish Black Duck decoy by unknown maker on the Eastern Shore area of Virginia. Circa 1880-1910. Paint is all original and very strong considering age & environment where used. Very stylish head carving on this beauty that really makes the bird a great looking piece of folk art. Good surface on this beauty, strong, dry and clean. Carved eyes & retains remnents of 2 original line ties, one on front & one on back. Big solid carved body measures approx 19 inches. Has a area of bug damage where some boring type of bug went into tail area, also a couple of thin age lines. Head is very thinly carved & suffered a break at neck in a "home accident" & has been put back in place & light touch up in that area. Very hard to see & the bird is a killer when displayed. Great piece here for any folk art or decoy collector looking to add a super early southern Black Duck addition to their collection, its sure to please. Lots of good pics available of this beauty.
$4,000

Rare, early drake Canvasback by James "Jim" Holly (1855-1935), Harve de Grace, MD. Circa 1890-1920. Ex-Jeff Pelayo collection & stamped as such. Strong all original paint & condition, which is so very rare to find on Upper Chesapeake Bay decoys of this vintage. Paint is very clean & very strong with good paint patterns, shows some honest wear from hunting use & age. Puddy loss at nail hole in top of head & has a thin but secure neck crack. Has large knot in lower right hind area that extends into bottom area with some staining of paint in that area. Solid body measures approx 15 1/2 inches, and retains original line tie & weight. Truly a clean & historic Susquehanna Flats decoy, this is the nice quality everyone wants, but seldom finds for the price they like. Good strong, classic decoy here with great form & style, you don't get many chances at one this nice at this good a price anymore. More pics avail.
$2450

Early model gunning turned head Black Duck by Mark McNair, Eastern Shore of VA. Circa 1980-90. Carved signature. Very good plus all original paint & condition, with some slight wear from gunning use. Measures a bit over approx 16 1/2 inches with nicely turned head. Very nicely done slightly raised wings with great detail to head carving & scratch painting on head. Glass eyes with a nice large hollow carved body, keel has been removed but retains original copper staple & ring line tie. This bird is part of a small rig I have aquired that was made for original gunner owner in payment for a medical bill by Mark. Its tuff getting any McNairs & this one is cool, I bet it did a good job fooling the ducks. Carved McNair signature. Very neat bird here for the McNair collector who is looking for something different. A good buy here considering his latest duck decoys have been selling for almost double this price. More pics avail.
$1850

Nice hen Mallard by Grayson Chesser, Jenkins Bridge, VA. Circa less then 20 years old. Has Grayson's "C" carved in bottom. Excellent all original paint & condition that is never gunned over & mint. Great surface on this beauty. Life size hollow carved cedar body measures approx 17 1/2 inches with slightly lowered head, also has a raised wing tip and a nice full body carving. Retains original weight and is keeled. Nice glass eyes with no cracks. Grayson was the "Carver of the Year" at the 2004 Harve de Grace Decoy Show, and just did an exhibit at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, D.C. More pics available. This is a very nice decoy by one of the best classic decoy makers of this generation. Grayson's decoys continue to be some of the most sought after decoys in todays market, get this modern classic while you can.
$500

Super nice early classic Brant decoy by Nathan Cobb Jr (1825-1905), Cobb Island Virginia. Nice deep "N" carved into bottom. Circa 1870-1890. Paint is wonderful old Cobb paint that is very strong considering age & environment where used. Most is all original with working touch up to black & white areas. Good surface on this beauty, strong, dry and clean. Black glass eyes & classic split wing carving. Classic hollow carved body measures approx 19 1/4 inches long & has a very cool inletted neck. Bill is a professional replacement with small patch under chin. Retains original weights & piece of leather line tie. Cobb Island decoys are some of the most desired decoys ever made, great classic form & function with a great history attached to each one that still survives. If your a collector of Southern Decoys the great decoys from Cobb Island are the decoys by which others are measured. Read the history on this family, their decoys & gunning lore. Great piece here for any collector looking to make that strong addition to their collection, its sure to please. Good buy here priced at approx 10k less then last good hollow model sold for at auction. This beauty has seen some history, I would love to go back & been part of some of the great hunts this Brant has seen. Lots of good pics available.
$24,500

Super nice wide bill drake Canvasback decoy by Charlie Joiner (Born 1921), Chestertown, MD. Signed & dated 1965. Excellent all original paint that looks like it was never gunned over. Looks as if it has been waxed with a dark wax that gives it a very clean look with a nice "patina" that is very appealing. Full size with painted eyes, measures approx 16 1/2 inches long. Has a very stylish form & the "classic 65" wide bill carving. Excellent condition with only fault being 2 small hair thin paint cracks, you can see one in pic above, not bad for a 45 year old decoy. More pics avail. Retains original weight and staple/ring line tie. Nice Joiner piece here for the collector that needs a pretty drake or excellent example for the collector that wants a Joiner classic to add to their Canvasback collection. Nice one here for the money.
SALE PENDING!

Outstanding New England style Yellowlegs shorebird decoy pair by Mark McNair, Eastern Shore of VA. Circa less then 10 years old. Excellent all original aged paint & condition with very well done but very lite intentional wear. Measure approx 14 1/8 inches on one & 14 3/4 inches on other, sleek body style with high thin necks. Glass eyes, splined bill & raised tip wing carving, all very accurate in detail. Its tuff getting any McNairs & this is a really nice model that is McNair's style & a collector favorite, these beauties look 100 years old. Carved McNair signature in each. McNair made wooden stands included. More pics avail. of this great looking McNair pair. These look great together & are a bargin in todays strong McNair market.
$2500 pair

Superb drake Goldeneye by Steve Ward (1895-1976), Crisfield, MD. Signed & dated 1967. Excellent clean & thick all original paint & condition. Hollow carved body measures approx 14 1/2 inches long with a slightly turned head. Condition is excellent with only fault being a thin ageline in back & slight ageline in neck puddy around 3/4 of the neck base (see pics above). Very clean & nicely done style by Steve, who was best known as the carver half of the world famous Ward Brothers, its pretty scarce to find a piece carved, painted & only signed by Steve, but I have seen only a couple over the years. Hard to find a head on any decoy carved finer then some of the great decoy folk art done over the many years by Steve Ward. The price of good Ward decoys continue to be one of the stongest investments in the decoy market. This is a sweet example for any collector looking to add a strong Goldeneye decoy to their collection. Extra pics available, you will be very pleased with this beauty.
(Consignment piece)
SOLD!

Very cool Virginia-Carolina style Ruddy Duck decoy by Cameron McIntyre. Circa less then 15 years old. Excellent all original aged paint & condition with exceptional intentional wear to give the look of that 100+ year old Ruddy that everyone wishes they would find in that old barn. Stylish, sleek & fat solid carved body with neat high head & wide bill, head attached with old square cut nails. Measures approx 10 1/2 inches long. Paint has been aged proper with an incredible soft & dry patina. Carved "CTM" signature carved in bottom. Has a perfectly aged leather line tie & aged lead strip weight. Including this one I have only had 2 Ruddies by Cameron, it is pretty scarce species by Cameron. Here is a nice rare decoy for the money, as Cameron's work is nearly impossible to get. Excellent bird here for the collector of southern decoys or of Cameron's work.
SOLD!

Very nice rig mated pair of Canvasback decoys by Paul Gibson (1902-1990s), Harve de Grace, MD. Circa 1940's-50's. Very good plus all original paint & condition. Nice painting style & a very dry finish, with lots of nice feathering brush work. Measures approx 15 3/4 inches long each & both retain original weights & line ties. Has some honest but light wear from gunning & age but overall very good plus. I believe these are pretty early because of paint style & orange pupil on hen. Paul was one of the upper Chesapeake Bays finest makers, totally self taught & only made his own decoys. His decoy output was small compared to Mitchell & earlier gunning examples this clean are a lucky find, especially a nice rig matted pair of classic Chesapeake Bay Canvasbacks. An excellent pair of hunting decoys by one of the great old time Upper Chesapeake Bay makers. More pics avail.
$850 pair

Very rare & early Black Duck decoy by Taylor Boyd (1856-1946), Perryville, MD. Circa 1900-10. Ex-collection of Henry Fleckenstein with Henry's "F" branded into bottom . This rare beauty has a mix of original & working touch up paint, its very clean, old & strong. Shows some honest hunting & age wear as expected of a hundred year old decoy. A true rarity by one of the Susquehanna Flats classic makers in a species that you just do not find at any price. This exact decoy is pictured on page 100 of Henry Fleckenstein's excellent book "Decoys of the MidAtlantic Region". Solid body measures approx 16 inches long. Has some neck cracks as seen in pics above but are very tight & secure. Retains original weight & staple/ring line tie. This is Boyds best body style which is full with nice high head on shelf with great attutude & sharp chined tail. Impossible to find any Black Duck decoys from the Susquehanna Flats area, especially in such fine paint & condition. Great classic Taylor Boyd form & style. This beauty is part of a very rare collection of Upper Bay Black Duck decoys that has been broken up & will be getting offered. Extra pics avail. Good one here for the money, you don't find these this nice at any price.
$4150

Excellent Yellowlegs shorebird decoy by Mark McNair, Eastern Shore of VA. Circa 2006. Excellent all original aged paint & condition. McNair classic style bird with slight raised shoulder/wing carving with split tail. Solid carved body with carved eyes, measures approx 12 3/4 inches long. Has splined bill. Carved signature & stand signed in ink along with date. The paint on this bird is excellent, but with Mark it always is. This is a very nice Yellowlegs by Mark & a popular model with collectors. You saw some record prices for McNair's this past year at auction with a collection that has started to come to market. McNair's continue to be very strong in todays market & they also continue to be very hard to find for sale. Priced to sell. More pics avail.
$1350

Superb drake Hooded Merganser by Danny Marshall, Saxis and Chincoteague Island, VA. Circa less then 20 years old. Superb, clean, & dry all original paint & condition. Signed by Danny with species ID on bottom in ink. Solid cedar body with very cool slightly lifted back & slightly turned head & measures approx 10 1/2 inches long. Condition is mint. I have seen very few of Danny's birds come to market, Danny never carved a lot of birds, but his work is superb and rarely offered up for resale, his work rivals any maker out there that is doing birds in this style. He is a retired Game Warden on the Eastern Shore of VA, he learned to carve under the guidance of his good friends the Ward Brothers of Crisfield, and the lesson's of Lem & Steve Ward was well learned and applied as the results show in his fine decoy carving & paint style. Danny was born in Saxis and spent several years as a private guide on Fox Island. Good looking drake Hooded Merganser here & hard to find species here.
SOLD!

Superb Brook Trout fish plaque by Lawrence Irvine, Winthrop, Maine. Signed by Irvine but not dated. Excellent all original paint & condition with no repairs. Fish measures approx 17 inches, overall plaque size is 21 inches. Very cool carved eyes full body style with 6 wood carved fins. This is a neat piece & his work is very collectable & sought after. Great addition to any collection, if the duck decoys are wearing you down this will surely please. More pics avail.
$1450

Superb & scarce "Tiger Stripe" model Canada Goose by Edward Phillips (1901-1964), Cambridge, MD. Circa 1930's. Excellent all original paint & condition with a bone dry suface that is very clean. Paint is very detailed "Tiger Stripe" model with a perfect soft patina. Has some wear from honest gunning & age but very strong considering its size & age. Body measures approx 26 1/4 inches, measurement to top of head is approx 15 inches tall. Has typical age check in bottom as all of his Geese do, but its tight & not getting any bigger, a few small age lines as expected with a solid body bird of this vintage & size, overall it rates excellent & displays beautifully. Ask for extra pics if interested. Retains original pad weight & a very cool original copper strip line tie. This scarce piece is outstanding & will be a great addition to any collection. Ed Phillips was the hands down premier maker of Dorchester County & Geese by him are rarely offered this nice at any price. Good buy here & sure to please.
(consignment piece)
SOLD!

Very nice running Sicklebill Curlew by Michael Johnson, Inman, SC. Circa 2010. Carved "MJ" signature. Paint is all original & very rich in color, has carved wooden eyes & is lifesize and measures approx 22 1/4 inches long. Body is solid carved with very cool treated oak bill to keep its curve. Nice raised shoulder carving with split tail. Michael has been carving for 30 years and carves mostly in the styles of the old classic makers. He carves a few pieces to order for long time customers but mostly his work is only sold at The Audobon Gallery in Charleston, SC. Metal stand included. A very nicely done Sicklebill Curlew with good folk art appeal, more pics avail. Good buy here!
$500

Very early and rare Black Duck decoy attrib to George Isdell, Cobb Island and Oyster, Virginia. Circa 1870-1900. Paint is wonderful old working repaint that is very strong considering age & environment where used. Some original coat showing in areas of wear. Good surface on this beauty, strong, dry and clean. Deeply carved eyes & classic split wing carving. Big solid carved body measures approx 16 3/4 inches long & has a very neat inletted neck. Body is large & made out of a offset chunk of wood that gives the bird a great look with good folk art appeal. Has some age lines in body and some neck cracks but is secure & original with no repairs. Has wear that would be expected of a hundred plus year old decoy. Retains original weights & leather line tie. This beauty has been attrib to George Isdell who was a guide for the Cobb family & is pictured in Southern Decoys by Fleckenstein. He is pictured in the book after a hunt with the famous author Thomas Dixon. Cobb Island decoys are some of the most desired decoys ever made, great classic form & function with a great history attached to each one that still survives. If your a collector of Southern Decoys the great decoys from Cobb Island are the decoys by which others are measured. Read the history on this family, their decoys & gunning lore. Great piece here for any collector looking to make that strong classic addition to their collection, its sure to please. Fresh to market offering, this bird was aquired from collector who purchased it at an antique shop back in the early 1970's here on the Eastern Shore. Lots of good pics availableof this beauty. I bet a lot of Black Ducks have been shot over this old decoy.
$8,750

Super neat Ira Hudson style drake Red-Breasted Merganser by Mark Daisey, Chincoteague Island, VA. Circa 2010, and branded "MARK". Strong, dry & clean all original paint that shows intentional wear & aging to give it the look of the hundred year old classic by Ira Hudson. Nice fat size bird at approx 16 1/4 inches with solid carved spoke shaved body with a thin intentional ageline behind neck & some shot scars. Tack eyes with good flutting to tail & head as proper to follow Ira Hudson's classic. Has aged weight & line tie. Mark Daisey is the nephew of the "world famous" Cigar Daisey. He makes a excellent decoy in many different styles including copying some of the classics. His work is a smart buy for the good quality that he puts into his work. Extra pics avail & a great buy on this one.
$250

Superb & very scarce mini flying drake Pintail plaque by Marty Hanson, Prior Lake, Minn. Circa 1990's (?). Has Marty's white ink stamp on back. Excellent all original paint & condition with a great patina. Paint is very detailed with a perfect soft patina. Has great looking aged "burst" painting behind the bird that really makes it stand out. Body is 1/2 carving that measures approx 11 1/2 inches, overall length of plaque is approx 14 inches. Ask for extra pics if interested. This scarce piece is outstanding & will be a great addition to any collection. Marty is a great talent & if you have ever tried to get any decoys at a show by Marty you know he sells out fast & you wont find one of these. Good buy here.
SOLD!

Folky & early boat shaped body Coot decoy by unknown maker from VA or NC. Circa 1930-50. Strong, dry & clean all original paint that shows some edge wear. Nice folky form with solid boat shaped body that retains original round inletted circular poured weight & thin strip weight still intact, also has original staple line tie (Two dimpled areas in weight in top photo is solid, area lost in pic when pic was cropped). Measures approx 11 inches long. Has slight crack on eack side of neck because of the way the base of head was sawed in neck area to accomodate the mounting of head with nails. Not sure who made this one but surely thought to be from the Back Bay or Currituck Sound area or even the coastal area of NC. Coots are pretty scarce compared to most species & do make a good collection with good folk art charm. Good example here, very clean & all original, sure to be a nice addition to any collection. Extra pics avail & a good buy on this one.
$285

Superb & scarce Doug Jester (1876-1961) miniature Merganser decoy, Chincoteague Island, VA. Circa 1930-50s. Ex- Joe French collection. Nice classic body style, measuring approx 5 1/2 inches long with a classic 4 tine crest carving & the one of best forms I have ever seen on one of his minis, the mini neck shelf had to be some work to do. Paint is all original & nicely done. Has tiny rigging on bird, complete with tiny staple line tie, tiny lead pad belly weight & tiny lead anchor. Never saw another Jester mini done like this & dont know if he did it or Joe French added later. I would think Joe collected this right from Jester as he was one of the famous collectors out there gathering up birds in the early days. Jester was well known for his classic Chincoteague style hunting decoys, but his minis are quite hard to find, especially this nice & a Merganser. More pics avail of this beauty.
$850

Early model gunning Black Duck by Mark McNair, Eastern Shore of VA. Circa 1980-90. Carved signature. Very good plus all original paint & condition, with some slight wear from gunning use. Measures a bit over approx 18 1/4 inches with slightly turned head. Very nicely done slightly raised wings with great detail to head carving & scratch painting on head. Glass eyes with a nice large hollow carved body, keel has been removed but retains original copper staple & ring line tie. This bird is part of a small rig I have aquired that was made for original gunner owner in payment for a medical bill by Mark. Its tuff getting any McNairs & this one is cool, I bet it did a good job fooling the ducks. Carved McNair signature. Very neat bird here for the McNair collector who is looking for something different. A good buy here considering his latest duck decoys have been selling for almost double this price. More pics avail.
$1850

Very scarce miniature drake Redhead plaque by Oliver Lawson, Crisfield, MD. Signed & dated 1967 by Lawson. Excellent all original paint & condition. Great extra fancy paint on this one. Measures approx 7 inches long on duck & plaque measures approx 11 X 8. Lawson learned to make decoys under the guidance of his neighbors, the Ward Brothers. He must not have missed a single lesson as his decoys are superb with the strong influence of the Ward's work. I have never seen another one of these plaques by Lawson & was asssured they are very rare as Lawson made very few of them. More pics avail.
$500

Very rare & early Black Duck decoy by Columbus "Lum" Fletcher (1867-1942), Harve de Grace, MD. Circa 1910-20. Ex-collection of Henry Fleckenstein. This is the only known Black Duck known by Fletcher in all original scratch paint. Shows some honest hunting & age wear as expected of a hundred year old decoy. A true rarity by one of the Susquehanna Flats classic makers in a species that you just do not find at any price. Solid body measures approx 17 inches long. Has hair thin age line in neck but is mostly surface & doesnt go into neck. Retains original weight & staple/ring line tie. Has "FS" carved into bottom. This is Fletcher's best body style which is full with nice high head & sharp upswept tail. Impossible to find any Black Duck decoys from the Susquehanna Flats area, especially in such fine original paint & condition. Great classic Lum Fletcher form & style. This beauty is part of a very rare collection of Upper Bay Black Duck decoys that has been broken up & will be getting offered. Extra pics avail. Good one here for the money, you don't find these this nice at any price.
$4800

Very early drake Canvasback by Danny Marshall, Saxis and Chincoteague Island, VA. Circa 1977. Superb, clean, & dry all original paint & condition. Very much in the style of the Ward Brothers work with the painting style & stippled paint & texured carved head. Signed & dated 1977 by Danny & this is the earliest decoy I have ever seen by Danny, he probably made this decoy under the wise eyes of guidance of Lem Ward at that time frame. Hollow carved body with sightly turned head & measures approx 16 3/4 inches long. Condition is just about excellent with a few slight natural wood flaws expected of a 33 year old decoy, I have seen very few of Danny's birds come to market, Danny never carved a lot of birds, but his work is superb and rarely offered up for resale. He is a retired Game Warden on the Eastern Shore of VA, he learned to carve under the guidance of his good friends the Ward Brothers of Crisfield, and the lesson's of Lem & Steve Ward was well learned and applied as the results show in his fine decoy carving & paint style. Danny was born in Saxis and spent several years as a private guide on Fox Island. Good looking drake Canvasback here & the earliest decoy I have ever seen by Danny .
$550

Very nice stylish Bowman style resting Yellowlegs by Michael Johnson, Inman, SC. Circa 2010. Carved "MJ" signature. Paint is all original & very rich in color, has glass eyes & is lifesize and measures approx 10 1/2 inches long. Body is solid carved, bill is oak & inserted into head proper. Nice raised shoulder carving with split tail & carved thigh. Michael has been carving for 29 years and carves mostly in the styles of the old classic makers. He carves a few pieces to order for long time customers but mostly his work is only sold at The Audobon Gallery in Charleston, SC. Metal stand included. A very nicely done Bowman style classic with good folk art appeal, more pics avail. Good buy here!
$450

Excellent Old Saybrook Redhead decoy by the Wildfowler Decoy Company, Old Saybrook, Connecticut, Circa 1945-50. Has excellent Old Saybrook brand stamp in bottom. Excellent all original paint & condition, I dont think it was ever used, only wear is 2 little rubs to tail & 1 small one on side of head. Has 1 cracked glass eye but is fully intact, other eye has no cracks. Paint is very dry & clean, never waxed. I believe this model is called Battery Model or Superior Model with #2 feather finish. Great patina on this beauty, fresh to market from small hunting rig that showed up at estate sale here on the Shore. Measures approx 15 1/2 inches long & retains original keel. More pics available. Nice bird here, seems that most of the Old Saybrook decoys just arent found with the highly sought brand stamp, this one has a excellent one as pic shows above. If you like super nice Old Saybrook decoys you will be very pleased with this one.
$325

Very nice matched pair of feeding Yellowlegs flattie shorebird decoys by unknown maker but probably Mass. area. Circa 1900-1920. Excellent all original mellowed paint with a great patina & color. Wear is minimal mostly from age and storage. Great stylish feeding body style that measures approx 10 1/4 inches long each. They both have inserted bills & split tail carving. Comes with nice custom made beach wood stand. Somewhat plain in style but they do have good folk art appeal, hard to find a matched pair of feeding shorebirds, especially in original paint that is so clean, strong & dry & of good early vintage. More pics avail. This pair is pretty cool and are sure to please.
$625 for the pair

Early & classic Black Duck decoy by Doug Jester (1876-1961), Chincoteague Island, VA. Circa 1925-40. Strong, dry & clean all original paint & condition, super nice wide scratch painting style with tiny scratch painting style on head. Shows light edge wear from age & some honest lite gunning wear, mostly to edges of bill & end of tail. Nice fat size bird at approx 15 inches with cedar body & head model with only a couple of very thin as a hair shallow age lines in head neck area. Tack eye model bird with both eyes long ago rusted & fell out but has a great look without them as the imprint of tack is still there & good oxidation of paint in that area. Retains original weight & line tie. Extra pics avail. Nicely done head & bill that are deeply carved. A classic & very nice Jester for any Southern or Chincoteague decoy collection. More pics of this southern beauty avail.
$950

Super nice & early Canada Goose by unknown maker from the Eastern Shore of VA or MD. Circa 1925-50. Excellent all original paint that is very strong & clean with good feather paint style. Shows some edge wear mostly to bill & tail but has never been rigged to gun with. Carving style shows the strong influence of the work of the earliest decoy makers of Crisfield to Chincoteague. Full size with painted eyes, measures approx 24 inches long with a slightly turned head. Very cool relief wing carving & paddle tail. Great example here & sure to please any collector looking for a cool folky Goose or the Eastern Shore collector that knows how hard it is to find old decoys in this fine a condition. More good pics available.
$1800

Super nice drake Canvasback by Danny Marshall, Saxis and Chincoteague Island, VA. Circa 1993. Superb, clean, & dry all original paint & condition. Signed & dated 1993 by Danny & was made for the Chincoteague Island Fire Company & noted as such on bottom. Solid cedar body with turned head & measure approx 15 inches long. Condition is just about perfect, I have seen very few of Danny's birds come to market, Danny never carved a lot of birds, but his work is superb and rarely offered up for resale. He is a retired Game Warden on the Eastern Shore of VA, he learned to carve under the guidance of his good friends the Ward Brothers of Crisfield, and the lesson's of Lem & Steve Ward was well learned and applied as the results show in his fine decoy carving & paint style. Danny was born in Saxis and spent several years as a private guide on Fox Island. Good looking drake Canvasback here & hard to find these.
$450

Early & scarce Black Duck by Capt. Ike Phillips (b-1850's~d-1940's), Wachapreague, VA. Circa is probably 1900-1930 considering Ike's age. Good all original paint that shows some honest gunning wear but surface is very clean & dry. Original condition with no repairs or touch ups & retains original leather line tie but weight has been removed. Has neck crack as can be seen in pic above. Measures approx 16 1/4 inches long with a nice body style. Capt Ike Phillips was a decoy maker, waterman & guide to the "sports" that visited the famous Island House of Wachapreague & Cedar Island at the turn of the century. Only a few decoys have surfaced by him & it is thought that he probably made less then 100 duck decoys, Black Ducks & Bluebills are the only species known by him. I think the famous "Parramore Island Flatties" were also made by him & used by the Island House guest that wanted to do some shooting on Cedar & Parramore Island. This is one of the better original paint Black Ducks I have seen by Ike Phillips. Nice addition here by one of the historic makers from the very old days on the Eastern Shore of VA. More pics avail.
SALE PENDING!

Very early & rare hen Canvasback decoy by Miles Hancock (1888-1974), Chincoteague Island, VA. Circa 1930-40's. Very good all original paint that is very strong, dry, & clean. Shows some honest old wear from gunning, most of which is edge wear. Measures approx 16 inches & is solid cottonwood with cedar head, has thin age split in bottom. Has tack eyes. Retains original Hancock sandcast lead weight & early style ring & staple line tie. Good classic & very early folky style with a nice tapered body with nice tail. Hancock was a neat guy with a great history, lots written on him is available in most all decoy books about historic Virginia carvers. He didnt make the prettiest decoy ever made but probably forgot more about killing ducks then 90% of the other makers even knew about killing ducks of the day. His ducks were made to last & are a interesting study, no apologies needed on his classic work. This is a nice earlier Miles Hancock decoy & a very hard to find Canvasback decoy that has seen some action but is sure to please a collector of Chincoteague or Hancock decoys. Very tuff addition to a collection, you just dont find these this early. More pics avail & a good buy here.
$900

Superb lifesize Ruddy Turnstone shorebird decoy by Eddie Wozny, Cambridge, Maryland. Circa 1994. Signed & dated 1994 with carved "W" in bottom. Very nice piece that is life size. Paint is all original & very rich in color. Glass eyes & measures approx 9 inches long with slightly turned head. Nice deep & rich lifelike colors & good detailed carving with raised wing tips. Eddie is one of the best carvers out there, & his shorebirds are just superb. He is quick to sell out at any of the shows he does & his carvings are rarely offered for resale. Very good piece here, its sure to please. More pics avail.
$825

Very nice hen Canvasback by Jim Currier (1886-1971), Harve de Grace, MD. Circa 1950's. Very good all original paint & condition, with very nice paint patterns, including some great "feather" painting & blending of colors. Paint is very clean & dry with minimal wear but has been lightly gunned over. Overall condition is very good plus but does have one half moon crack at neck base as can be seen in photo above. This beauty measures approx 16 1/4 inches & has a great full body style. Retains original weight & line tie. Great classic decoy maker here who made all of his own decoys & did it by hand. A scarce hen decoy for any collection of Classic Chesapeake Bay decoys by one of the most undervalued old time makers from the upper Chesapeake Bay area. More pics avail and a good match to the drake also currently listed.
SOLD!

Superb NC battery style Black Duck by "Hurricane Pete" Peterson, Capeville, VA. Circa 2009. Excellent all original paint & in unused condition. Solid carved cedar body measures approx 18 inches long, with great head & full body carving. No eyes with original leather line tie & old Elizabeth City battery duck style bottom weight. Has Pete's brand "PETE" in bottom. Pete makes a great bird & his decoys are a collector favorite, & very hard to find. This is a really nice and a scarce model by Pete, great classic Pete form & style, its always a pleaser. More pics available.
$475

Early & rare flat bottom drake Mallard decoy by Charlie Joiner (Born 1921), Betterton, MD. Signed & dated December 1964. Excellent all original paint, with very stylish, clean finish. A very hard to find species by Joiner in this vintage with a flat bottom. Full size with glass eyes, measures approx 14 1/4 inches long. Has a slightly turned head & the "classic 64" wide bill carving. Perfect condition except for slight puddy lift on back of head. You will have a tuff time finding another one of these as early flat bottom models by Charlie are scarce & this is the only the 2nd one I have seen, the other was from the Ward Brother's family collection sold last year, also a matching hen sold on ebay last year. Serious Joiner piece here for the collector that thought they had it all.
$3,600

Very early Brant decoy from Barrier Islands of coastal Virginia. Probably from Hog, Cobb or Smith Island area. Circa 1880-1910. Very good old working paint with mostly original coat showing , great patina & aging. Solid body measures approx 18 1/2 inches long, with nice Cobb style raised wing tip carving. Retains original splined bill. Has a superb 2 1/2 X 5 1/2 inch aged patch job by Mark McNair. Patch is put in with 6 carved wooden pegs, paint & surface has been expertly matched by Mark, see pic above. The patch by Mark makes it more interesting, it is quite a piece of workmanship by Mark. Also retains original weight & leather line tie. More pics avail. You will like this bird, I'm sure it has seen many a Brant killed over this one. Nice one here for the money.
$2950

Very early & extra fat Dowicher from Jamaica Bay, Long Island, NY. Maker unknown but from the same hand as the birds made for the Theodore Rodgers rig, and may possibly be from that 1853 rig. Circa 1850-60. Very old, clean & strong paint, most of which appears to be original coat. Bill may be old replacement or possibly shortened as other Dowicher's I have seen from this rig have a long bill, it is proper splined thru head. Has shot scars & a area where wood was lost along grain on bottom right side (not shown but extra pics avail), may have had the "Rodgers" brand shaved off in that area and painted over. Overall a great looking & historic shorebird & as early as you will ever find any decoy. More pics avail.
$950

Very early & scarce species miniature drake Baldpate (Widgeon) by Oliver Lawson, Crisfield, MD. Circa early to mid 1950's & made for "The Duck House", Rumbley, MD. Excellent all original paint & condition, paint about mint with great color, very small slight rub to tip of tail is only imperfection. Great early model with the original "DUCK HOUSE" label on bottom. Measures approx 7 1/3 inches long with straight head and painted eyes. Lawson learned to make decoys under the guidance of his neighbors, the Ward Brothers. He must not have missed a single lesson as his decoys are superb with the strong influence of the Ward's work. Very hard to get any of Lawson's work these days, and here is a great early miniature of a good collector species in outstanding condition & style. Probably wont have a chance at another drake Baldpate single this nice again. More pics avail.
SOLD!

Very nice hen Canvasback decoy by Decoys Unlimited (1961-75), Erie, PA. Very good plus all original paint with a good patina & color. Nice brush painting style. Shows some wear from gunning use, mostly to edges. Great stylish full size body that measures approx 18 1/2 inches long. This beauty is solid carved very hard balsa body with cedar or pine head. Both glass eyes very clean with no cracks. Has makers stencil on bottom, also retains original keel. This was a fresh find & bought from original gunner owner. These were great factory made decoys to use for hunting, very good quality & nice big size, its a real shame no factory makes a wooden decoy of this quality to use for gunning these days. I will take these over plastic anyday. Great decoy to collect, these are quite affordable & make a nice collection. More pics avail. & guaranteed to please.
$225

Very nice & very scarce Black Belly Plover shorebird decoy by Doug Jester (1876-1961), Chincoteague Island, VA. Circa 1900-30. Ex-Mackey collection & retains his black collection stamp. Strong, thick & clean all original paint & condition, showing a nice patinia from age. Lots of nice paint work on this one. Nice model with very cool "Shark Fin" back carving & retains original bill that is splined thru head. Not sure why Jester put such a long bill in his plover but all are found that way, I guess he figuired the birds would attract first to the silhouette, by the time they could appreciate his paint they would be dead. Nice size bird at approx 9 1/2 inches with a very neat natural hole in side that goes thru body, another example of not letting anything go to waste. Very strong shorebird here with great paint & very clean all original paint & condition, and ex-Makey collection is always a nice plus to a bird iin a collection. A classic & rare beauty Jester shorebird for any Southern or Chincoteague shorebird decoy collection, you don't get a chance at one of these very often. More pics avail.
$3300

Very scarce miniature standing sentry Canada Goose by Hurley Conklin (1913-199?s), Manahawkin, NJ. Circa 1950-60. Signed but not dated by Hurley on bottom. Excellent all original paint & condition. Very slight area of shrinkage. Great patina on this beauty. Mini size solid carved body measures approx 5 1/2 inches tall from top of base to top of head, also has very cool raised wing tip carving & very neat feet detail. More pics available. I have seen a few miniature Geese by Conklin over the years including the massive collection of Conklin works in the collection of the late Walt Oler but I have never seen another in this pose. This is a very cool miniature decoy by one of the best New Jersey classic decoy makers. If you like minis you will be very pleased with this one.
SALE PENDING!

Superb, very early & very clean Brant decoy by Ira Hudson (1876-1949), Chincoteague Island, VA. Circa 1910-35. Superb dry, clean all original paint with very little wear for the age. Very nice feathering on the sides of this beauty. No repairs or touch ups of any kind. Measures approx 16 3/4 inches & is solid body, probably cedar. Has a thin but tight age line on left side of neck that goes approx 1/2 way into neck, but is stable, tight & very secure. Great looking spoke shave marks that give it a great look. A desirable & early classic Hudson, with a great style and form. Has tack eyes. Retains the original line tie and weight. Outstanding & classic Ira paint style & as good as you can expect to find on a bird of this vintage. Great bird & as clean and honest as you will find a Hudson, very cool bird that will surely please. More pics avail. A outstanding very early model classic Ira Hudson Brant example for any collection.
SOLD!

Very early & oversize hollow carved Golden Plover shorebird decoy from Mass. Circa pre 1900. Very nice all original paint & condition with no repairs. Paint has a excellent look & patina from age, it is dry & clean with good feathering. Body is hollow carved with seam down back & belly. Its a great size at approx 13 inches long. Has slightly raised wing & tips, black glass button eyes & the original inserted bill is still intact. Wood on body has some holes that was in wood before decoy was made. Hole in bottom for stick is very large, the gunner must have used reeds instead of stick when setting bird out, who knows maybe he put on his toe to get a close shot (just kidding). This is a neat piece & will be a pleasing addition to any collection. Very earlly & all original old shorebird here for the money, hard to beat this one for the price. More pics avail.
$1250

Very nice Demott style running Tern decoy by Michael Johnson, Inman, SC. Circa 2010. Carved "MJ" signature. Paint is all original & very dry, has glass eyes & is lifesize and measures approx 13 3/4 inches long. Body is solid carved, bill is oak & inserted into head proper. Nice running style carving with a split tail. Michael has been carving for 29 years and carves mostly in the styles of the old classic makers. He carves a few pieces to order for long time customers but mostly his work is only sold at The Audobon Gallery in Charleston, SC. Metal stand included. A very nicely done Demott style classic with good folk art appeal, more pics avail. Good buy here!
$350

Super serious Dudley style Canvasback decoy by Frank Finney, Capeville, VA. Has proper "LD" perfectly carved into bottom. Excellent aged paint to make this classic beauty look like an original 100 year old decoy by Lem & Lee Dudley. Measures approx 13 inches long & has proper authentic weight & a remnent of a leather line tie which adds to its realistic look. This is a neat piece & Frank's work is very collectable & sought after. Great addition to any collection, if you love the classics but cant afford what the real one will cost then this one should fill the bill at a small fraction of price of the authentic one if ever sold. More pics avail.
$2350

Very nice & scarce low head Canvasback hen decoy by Decoys Unlimited (1961-75), Erie, PA. Very good plus all original paint with a good patina & color. Nice brush painting style. Shows some wear from gunning use, mostly to edges. Great stylish full size body that measures approx 18 1/4 inches long. This beauty is solid carved very hard balsa body with cedar or pine head. Both glass eyes very clean with no cracks. Has makers stencil on bottom, also retains original keel. This was a fresh find & has original gunner's initals painted on bottom. These were great factory made decoys to use for hunting, very good quality & nice big size, its a real shame no factory makes a wooden decoy of this quality to use for gunning these days. I will take these over plastic anyday. Great decoy to collect, these are quite affordable & make a nice collection. More pics avail. & guaranteed to please.
$225

Truly exceptional Wood Duck pair by Capt. Bill Collins (b. 1949), Havre de Grace, Maryland. Signed & dated 1986. Never used & excellent all original condition. Both have slightly turned heads and retain original weights and line ties. Mint condition with exception of small nail pop on crown of drake’s head which could be easily fixed. Solid bodies measure approx 14 1/2 inches each. These were made in Madison Mitchell’s shop, turned on his lathe, using his blanks and patterns. Collins took over from Mitchell in the 1980s, but for many years, Madison continued to join Capt. Bill in the shop and consult on birds, occasionally working on some. Some pairs of wood ducks from this period bear the signatures of both men. No one disputes that Mitchell was a master painter, but the paint on this pair of birds rivals or exceeds anything any Upper Bay maker has done. Capt. Bill was Honorary Chairman of the 1989 Havre de Grace Decoy Festival. Because of his stellar work and extremely limited output, Capt. Bill has created a strong market for his decoys in his own right. But for the Mitchell collector who wants to get incredibly close to Mitchell Woodies without spending four, five or even six thousand dollars, this pair is as good and as close as you will ever come. More pics avail of these beauties.
Sale Pending!

Superb miniature carved tail model Black Duck by Oliver Lawson, Crisfield, MD. Signed & dated 1960 & made for "The Duck House", Rumbley, MD. Excellent all original paint & condition, paint is mint with great color & super clean dry surface. Great early model with the original "DUCK HOUSE" label on bottom. Measures approx 8 1/4 inches long with slightly turned head and painted eyes. Lawson learned to make decoys under the guidance of his neighbors, the Ward Brothers. He must not have missed a single lesson as his decoys are superb with the strong influence of the Ward's work. Very hard to get any of Lawson's work these days, and here is a great early miniature of a good collector species in outstanding condition & style. Probably wont have a chance at another Black Duck this nice again, I think this is the nicest mini Black Duck I have ever seen by Lawson. More pics avail.
SOLD!

Superb pair of sleeper model BlueBill decoys by Charlie Joiner (Born 1921), Chestertown, MD. Signed but not dated. Excellent all original paint, with very clean & dry finish, great paint jobs on this pair, Charlie is the master at paint & it really shows on this pair. Also shows the strong influence of the Ward Brothers painting that Charlie learned & excelled in. Full size with painted eyes, measures approx 13 3/4 inches each with original weights & line ties. Great examples here & sure to please any collector looking for top quality Joiners for their collection. Great pair of hard to find sleeper models here by one of the Chesapeake Bays finest makers.
$850 pair

Very early Ruddy Turnstone shorebird decoy by William Gibian, Onancock, Eastern Shore of VA. Circa is very early, not sure of exact date when Bill started carving but one of his early ones & from an old Mid-West collection. Excellent all original paint & condition with a nice soft patina finish. Measures approx 10 inches. Nice detailed head with splined bill and raised wing & tail carving with carved feather wing tips . Has glass eyes. This is a neat style & shows the strong use of form & movement that Gibian incorporates in his fine work. Its tuff getting any Gibian carvings as his decoys are highly sought by collectors of both old & contemporary decoys. Carved "Gibian" signature. Stand included. Good buy here & probably the earliest piece you will ever see by Bill Gibian.
$1250

Scarce & early classic hollow Black Duck decoy by Charlie Birch (1867-194?), Willis Wharf, Northampton Co., VA. Circa 1920-30's. Paint is old working repaint. Shows some honest hunting & age wear as expected. A decoy collecting classic Eastern Shore Black Duck, measures approx 17 inches long, tack eyes & thin neck crack as visable in photo. Retains original weight. This is Charlie's best body style hollow Black Duck, with shelf carving, flat back & flowing tail. Hard to find any Birch decoys, especially hollow & with such great classic Charlie Birch form & style. Extra pics avail. Good one here for the money, you don't find these this nice very often & with less then 6 hollow model Black Ducks known in 100% original paint you can figuire paying at least ten times this price for one.
SALE PENDING!

Superb miniature flying Ruffed Grouse carving by Eddie Wozny, Cambridge, Maryland. Circa less then 20 years old. Carved "W" in bottom. Paint is all original & very rich & life like in color. Glass eyes & measures approx 4 1/4 inches long & 5 1/4 inches tall. Nice lifelike colors & very detailed carving with a very nicely done posture with lots of nice detail including the tucked feet. Eddie is one of the best carvers out there, & his minis will rival any ever made by anyone. He is quick to sell out at any of the shows he does & his carvings are rarely offered for resale, I don't think he carves as much now with his current job. Great piece here, its sure to please. Comes with original metal stand.
$675

Outstanding & scarce Delaware River style Black Duck carved by George Strunk, Glendora, NJ. and painted by Federal Duck Stamp artist Wilhelm Goebel, NJ. Signed in ink on bottom by Goebel. Outstanding all original paint & condition. Strunk & Goebel are friends, Strunk made a rig of unpainted Black Ducks for Goebel to give it a try at painting a 3-d surface, the results are excellent as you can see in pic. Has been gunned over but paint is near mint with only slight wear to edge of tail & bill with small chip to right edge of bill, it was a working bird. Hollow carved body measures approx 16 1/2 inches long. Has glass eyes & very detailed paint work. Great job on this beauty with detailed bill carving, raised wing-tips & tail carving and a great looking slightly turned head. George makes a great looking bird in the classic Delaware River style. His work is highly sought after by collectors of both old & contemporary decoys. Plus how many decoys do you find painted in detail by a artist that has won the Federal Duck Stamp contest along with several state duck issues, click http://www.wjgoebel.com/body.html to read bio on Goebel. Outstanding opportunity here & sure to please. More pics avail.
$500

Early and hard to find deep bodied model drake Bufflehead decoy by Miles Hancock (1888-1974), Chincoteague Island, VA. Circa 1940-50's. Excellent all original paint that is very strong, dry, & clean. Shows some honest old wear from gunning, most of which is edge wear. Measures approx 12 3/4 inches & is solid cedar or pine, not cottonwood. Nice deep body style that you rarely see on a Bufflehead by Hancock. Has thin neck crack but is very tight & secure. No eyes on this one & has a fluted tail which you very rarely see on a full size Hancock working decoy. Retains original Hancock sandcast lead weight & very early style telephone line wire tie. Good classic style with a nice tapered body with nice form. Hancock was a neat guy with a great history, lots written on him is available in most all decoy books about historic Virginia carvers. He didnt make the prettiest decoy ever made but probably forgot more about killing ducks then 90% of the other makers even knew about killing ducks of the day. His ducks were made to last & are a interesting study, no apologies needed on his classic work. This is a nice Miles Hancock decoy & a collector favorite deep bodied Bufflehead decoy that has seen some action but is sure to please a collector of Chincoteague or Hancock decoys. Very tuff addition to a collection, you just dont find this style Bufflehead, especially this clean & original. More pics avail & a good buy here.
$450

Super nice & very scarce Doug Jester (1876-1961) miniature Canada Goose decoy, Chincoteague Island, VA. Circa 1930-50s. Nice classic body style, measuring approx 7 1/2 inches long. Paint is all original & nicely done. Very clean, strong & dry. Very thin ageline around neck, thinner then a hair & is totally secure. Jester was well known for his classic Chincoteague style hunting decoys, but his minis are quite hard to find, especially this nice & a Goose.
$850

Very early & scarce species miniature hen Baldpate (Widgeon) by Oliver Lawson, Crisfield, MD. Circa early to mid 1950's & made for "The Duck House", Rumbley, MD. Excellent all original paint & condition. Great early model with the original handwritten "Jelly Jar" label on bottom. Measures approx 7 inches long with 45* turned head and painted eyes. Lawson learned to make decoys under the guidance of his neighbors, the Ward Brothers. He must not have missed a single lesson as his decoys are superb with the strong influence of the Ward's work. Very hard to get any of Lawson's work these days, and here is a great early miniature of a good collector species in outstanding condition & style. Probably wont have a chance at another hen Baldpate single this nice again. More pics avail.
SOLD!

Super nice Redhead drake decoy by R. Madison Mitchell (1901-1993), Harve de Grace, MD. Signed & dated 1969. Excellent all original paint that's strong, dry & clean, great brush work on this beauty. Measures approx 14 3/4 inches long with a nicely done slightly turned head. Has flattened bottom for shelf or lamp display. More pics avail. You have seen the Mitchell market soar this past 2 years & this nice Redhead is super nice example for any collection. A superb & scarce model 40 year old super clean decoy by the dean of Upper Chesapeake Bay makers & for the Mitchell collector looking for only choice examples. More pics avail, this beauty is priced to sell.
SOLD!

Very early, clean & matched Canvasback pair by R. Madison Mitchell (1901-1993), Harve de Grace, MD. Circa 1940's. Very good plus all original paint that's very strong, dry & clean. Great paint on this pair, lots of nice feathering with knock out color & patina. Measure approx 15 1/2 inches long each. Both retain original weights & staple/ring line ties. Condition is very good plus with slight gunning wear & "NO NECK CRACKS!", hen has a knot stain, some shot scars & thin bottom crack at the "in the making" puddy fill area, but is tight & secure. More pics avail. You have seen the Mitchell market soar this past year & this being a matched pair of this vintage & quality puts them in a class all their own, early Mitchell's started bringing 5 figures at Guyette and Schmidt April 2004 sale. A superb 60+ year old matched pair by the dean of Upper Chesapeake Bay makers. Priced to sell, you just don't find Mitchell's this early & in this condition anymore, very good buy on this fine pair & a solid investment. This is the earliest pair of Mitchell's I have seen avail for sale in several years & a fantastic matched pair for a collector looking for a great pair of early Madison Mitchell decoys.
(consignment pair)
Sale Pending!

Scarce matched pair of oversize "Up The River" model Bluebill decoys by R. Madison Mitchell (1901-1993), Harve de Grace, MD. Signed & dated 1976. Excellent all original paint that's strong, dry & clean, great brush work on these oversize beauties. Measures approx 16 3/4 inches long each with nicely done slightly turned heads on both. Retains original weight & staple rig line tie. Shows minimal wear & never hunted over. More pics avail. You have seen the Mitchell market soar this past 2 years & this pair is super clean the way you want them. A superb & scarce model 30+ year old decoy by the dean of Upper Chesapeake Bay makers & for the Mitchell collector looking for only choice examples. More pics avail, these are priced to sell.
A steal at $950 pair

Classic & all original drake Bluebill decoy by Miles Hancock (1888-1974), Chincoteague Island, VA. Circa 1940-50's. Worn but all original paint that is very dry & clean, with very nicely done paint patterns on back. Shows some honest old wear from gunning, black areas show the most wear. Measures approx 14 inches & is solid cottonwood with cedar head. Has tack eyes. Retains Hancock's typical sand cast weight & early ring & staple line tie. Good classic folky style with a nice tapered body. Hancock was a neat guy with a great history, lots written on him is available in most all decoy books about historic Virginia carvers. He didnt make the prettiest decoy ever made but probably forgot more about killing ducks then 90% of the other makers even knew about killing ducks of the day. His ducks were made to last & are a interesting study, no apologies needed on his classic work. This is a good classic & a harder to find Bluebill decoy that has seen some action but is sure to please a collector of Chincoteague or Hancock decoys. More pics avail & a good buy here. E-mail for more pics.
$450

Very scarce Ward Brother's style Canada Goose decoy by Charlie Joiner (Born 1921), Betterton, MD. Signed & dated 2004. Excellent all original paint, with very stylish, clean finish in a classic Ward style paint job. Full size with glass eyes, measures approx 25 inches long & about 10 inches wide. Has a slightly forward & slightly turned head & never weighted, made for the shelf. You will have a tuff time finding another one of these as Charlie only made a few of these. Serious Joiner piece here for the collector that thought they had it all.
(Consignment piece)
$2500

Super nice & earlier base mounted Mourning Dove by Eddie Wozny, Cambridge, Maryland. Circa 1980's. Has Eddie's carved "W" in bottom. Very nice piece that is life size. Paint is all original & very rich in color. Glass eyes & measures approx 12 1/4 inches long. Can be mounted on wood as sold by Eddie or can be put on metal shorebird stand, I will include one if wanted. Nice lifelike colors & good detailed carving with raised wing tips. Eddie is one of the best carvers out there, & his Doves are just superb & will rival any ever made by anyone. He is quick to sell out at any of the shows he does & his carvings are rarely offered for resale. Good piece here, its sure to please. More pics avail. Eddie said this was probably made in 85 & is one of the first dozen Doves he ever made.
$550

Superb & pretty scarce pair of Red~Breasted Merganser decoys by Charlie Joiner (Born 1921), Chestertown, MD. Signed & dated 2003. Excellent all original paint, with very clean & dry finish, great paint jobs on this pair, Charlie is the master at paint & it really shows on this pair. Also shows the strong influence of the Ward Brothers painting that Charlie learned & excelled in. Full size with glass eyes, measures approx 16 3/4 inches each. Great examples here & sure to please any collector looking for top quality Joiners for their collection. Great pair of hard to find Merganser models here by one of the Chesapeake Bays finest makers.
$1350 for the pair

Superb Bluewing Teal pair by Frank Finney, Capeville, VA. Circa 1980-90s. Signed "Finney" in paint & has carved "F". Excellent all original paint & condition. Paint is thick & very detailed, its dry & clean with a great aged look.Nice head positions with raised wing carving. Have been weighted & have line ties. Each have glass eyes & measures approx 14+ inches long each. A lot of work in this pair. Very nicely done matched pair.
(Consignment piece)
SOLD!

Superb Black Duck pair by Oliver Lawson, Crisfield, MD. Signed & dated 2003. Superb all original paint & condition. Paint is mint, bone dry, very clean & detailed. Both are signed by Lawson on bottom with species & sex noted. Solid bodies measure approx 15 1/2 inches long each & both have slightly turned heads with glass eyes. Lawson learned to make decoys under the guidance of his neighbors, the Ward Brothers. He must not have missed a single lesson as his decoys are superb with the strong influence of the Ward's work. Very hard to get any of Lawson's work these days, and here is a perfect matched pair of a good collector species in outstanding condition & style.
SOLD!

Rare & extra nice fat drake Mallard miniature decoy possibly carved by Ira Hudson (1876-1949), but most likely painted by his oldest son Norman Hudson (1901-1983), Chincoteague Island, VA. Circa 1930-50. Superb all original paint & condition with 2 small rubs on tail & 1 on bottom. Paint is dry, very clean, with great patina. Solid balsa body measures approx 5 1/2 inches long. Great early Chincoteague Island miniature here from one of the finest maker & painters of decoys that lived, & priced to sell. Fresh to market from a very well known & very strong collection of Ira Hudson & classic Southern decoys. More pics avail of this rare mini.
(Consignment piece)
$350

Super nice & very scarce Doug Jester (1876-1961) miniature Canvasback decoy, Chincoteague Island, VA. Circa 1930-50s. Nice classic body style, measuring approx 6 3/4 inches long. Paint is all original & nicely done. Very clean, strong & dry & has a few very small flakes to wood on back. Jester was well known for his classic Chincoteague style hunting decoys, but his minis are quite hard to find, especially this nice & a Canvasback is one of the hardest species to find as a mini.
$450

~~~WANTED TO BUY~~~

~~~WANTED TO BUY~~~
MINIATURE DECOYS BY MARK McNAIR FOR MY COLLECTION
ALL SPECIES CONSIDERED, SEND DESCRIPTION OR PICS & PRICE