one for the Americans ,the stately Can .

[holloway]

Just picked this up from an auction ,rarely seen on this side of the pond, i just loved the way its been carved ,i know it was probably never meant to shoot over but it does float perfectly because i tested it .

probably made for display judging by the wing inserts. It has a brand mark that ive traced to a chap called Larry Reno (Michigan)1950-60 maybe ? 

[greenshank1]

Very nice 👌 

[simcgunner]

Very nice great lakes style. Carvers from that area are known for using Feather stamps but the detail on your Deke is unusual. Have a look at the auction house Guyette and Deeter in St Michales Md. They are the premier Antique duck decoy collectors and wildfowling kit house. The auction estimates are usually lower than realized prices.  Rare antiques art and Guns. Their catalogues are masterpieces and very educational. congratulations on a nice find.

guyetteanddeeter.com

Edited August 16, 2023 by simcgunner

[holloway]

8 hours ago, simcgunner said:

Very nice great lakes style. Carvers from that area are known for using Feather stamps but the detail on your Deke is unusual. Have a look at the auction house Guyette and Deeter in St Michales Md. They are the premier Antique duck decoy collectors and wildfowling kit house. The auction estimates are usually lower than realized prices.  Rare antiques art and Guns. Their catalogues are masterpieces and very educational. congratulations on a nice find.

guyetteanddeeter.com

Thanks for the information ,i will check out the catalogue ,love to know how it got here.

[Penelope]

Nice Can.

[simcgunner]

I believe your correct Your Canvasback was not made for gunning over . The fancy logo carved on the base.,as Well as the detailed feather striations. make it a combination folk art and Decoy. Made by a decoy carver to sell individually rather than a spread of gunning decoys. the Feather stamps used by great lakes carvers were hand made U shaped  chisels that could be pushed into the decoy replicating a layer of feathers. Still a nice find that if made by a famous carver could be valuable. I would have picked it up  if priced fairly.

[holloway]

2 hours ago, simcgunner said:

I believe your correct Your Canvasback was not made for gunning over . The fancy logo carved on the base.,as Well as the detailed feather striations. make it a combination folk art and Decoy. Made by a decoy carver to sell individually rather than a spread of gunning decoys. the Feather stamps used by great lakes carvers were hand made U shaped  chisels that could be pushed into the decoy replicating a layer of feathers. Still a nice find that if made by a famous carver could be valuable. I would have picked it up  if priced fairly.

Interesting about being great lakes style did every area have there own style ? Id love to find some more over here but you just don't see them , wooden pigeon decoys make fair money over here but the Canvasback was cheap at £20 .

[simcgunner]

 I think you paid A good price for a hand carved decoy. and yes, if you go to different states the hunting decoys develop distinct styles.  Among the best ever were the Ward Brothers of Maryland. Their style changed over the years, and they enjoyed fame as carvers in their lifetime. One of the brothers specialized in the painting of the dekes. one wrote poetry sometimes on the bottom of the dekes. look them up on- line they are very interesting. They were barbers by trade and carved while waiting for customers. I am reading a book on how to rig and use decoys written in the late 50s and the author extolls the supremacy of the new modern plastic decoys over the old fashioned wooden ones. 

[holloway]

17 minutes ago, simcgunner said:

 I think you paid A good price for a hand carved decoy. and yes, if you go to different states the hunting decoys develop distinct styles.  Among the best ever were the Ward Brothers of Maryland. Their style changed over the years, and they enjoyed fame as carvers in their lifetime. One of the brothers specialized in the painting of the dekes. one wrote poetry sometimes on the bottom of the dekes. look them up on- line they are very interesting. They were barbers by trade and carved while waiting for customers. I am reading a book on how to rig and use decoys written in the late 50s and the author extolls the supremacy of the new modern plastic decoys over the old fashioned wooden ones. 

thanks for the info ,and yes plastic might have many advantages ……but no soul .

[Penelope]

14 hours ago, simcgunner said:

 I think you paid A good price for a hand carved decoy. and yes, if you go to different states the hunting decoys develop distinct styles.  Among the best ever were the Ward Brothers of Maryland. Their style changed over the years, and they enjoyed fame as carvers in their lifetime. One of the brothers specialized in the painting of the dekes. one wrote poetry sometimes on the bottom of the dekes. look them up on- line they are very interesting. They were barbers by trade and carved while waiting for customers. I am reading a book on how to rig and use decoys written in the late 50s and the author extolls the supremacy of the new modern plastic decoys over the old fashioned wooden ones. 

I have read about the Wards.

[Konor]

I holidayed at Saint Michaels in the Chesapeake Bay Area a few years back and visited a small wildfowling museum /exhibition down at the harbour. We also visited the Havre de Grace Decoy Museum where there was a mock up of the Ward Brothers workshop amongst other interesting exhibits. I also bought a couple of small signed canvasback decoys which I think may have been entrants in a carving competition though not sure if that was the case

 

[Konor]

[greenshank1]

If your interested in decoys watch Tales from the Marsh on YouTube, it features some fantastic carvers and their work is stunning. 

[simcgunner]

Nice pair of minis a good trip remembrance. nice heads on both.

[NoBodyImportant]

Yeah that looks way nicer then most made to shoot over.  I run across 12 duck strings at yard sales and they are normally crudely carved and half painted 

[Konor]

On 20/08/2023 at 19:09, simcgunner said:

Nice pair of minis a good trip remembrance. nice heads on both.

Thanks, were minis normally just made for practice or decorative purposes or were they entered into local carving competitions

[simcgunner]

Minis  are folk art and decorative only. They do not float test them. What is nice about yours is the carver was proud enough of his work to sign them on the bottom. They are excellent on a bookshelf or someone's, desk, especially if made by a good carver. During most competitions there is a class for them. The decoy contests that I have attended have a test in a tank of water and the large decoys are judged by a panel of experienced wildfowler's. They must be able to perform as gunning decoys as well have a good shape and paintwork. I am not a collector of fine decoys and can't tell the difference between a 50 dollar decoy and one valued at 50000 dollars

[simcgunner]

  This one sold last week for $ 3960.00

 

Edited September 19, 2023 by simcgunner

[holloway]

Hard to tell if thats a painting or a decoy ? stunning whatever it is. 

[simcgunner]

2 hours ago, holloway said:

Hard to tell if thats a painting or a decoy ? stunning whatever it is. 

Thats one of the decoys sold last week at the Guyette and Deeter auction. the photo is from their catalogue. Their catalogues are Beautyful. check them out and you may be astounded at some of the prices realized. especially the art work and some of the guns. 

[holloway]

Just been looking through some tonight  i'm fascinated by the Elmer Crowell preening ducks that he was famous for .

[Bigbob]

On 19/08/2023 at 12:48, greenshank1 said:

If your interested in decoys watch Tales from the Marsh on YouTube, it features some fantastic carvers and their work is stunning. 

Struggling to get this on you tube 

[Penelope]

15 hours ago, Bigbob said:

Struggling to get this on you tube 

This looks like it.

 

 

[Bigbob]

Thank you i still cant see that on what i have got