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Welcome to Decoy-Dux, specializing in quality representative antique, vintage and contemporary duck, goose and shorebird decoys and carvings, as well as miniatures, books, paintings and other related collectibles.
D0825: TRU-ISS Cast Metal Wood Pigeon Decoy, Circa 1 Q, 20 C
Scarce hollow English wood pigeon decoy made for the gunsmith firm of H. Trulock & Harriss, London, U.K., circa 1909-1911. Made from a cast and chased aluminum alloy, it was patterned after wooden examples made for the famous gunmaker around the turn of the 20th century. The wooden versions are felt by many collectors to be the best examples of English wood pigeon extant. This decoy,in weathered original paint, was made in three pieces; an upper body, a lower body and a separate head. Cast true to the form of the wooden examples, these decoys have strongly emphasized shoulders and detailed primary and tail feathers. This decoy has three impressed notations on its lower half: "THE TRU-ISS DECOY, PATENT APPLIED No. 21550", "H. TRULOCK HARRISS GUNMAKER" AND “22 BURY STREET, ST. JAMES STREET, LONDON S.W.â€. This address dates the decoy to 1909-1911. Later examples (1911-1916) are stamped "THE TRU-ISS DECOY, HARRISS'S PATENT No. 21550", "H. TRULOCK HARRISS GUNMAKER" AND “PICKERING PLACE, ST. JAMES STREET, LONDONâ€. This decoy varies from the later examples in that the head of this one is stationary rather than spring mounted so that it would bobble. The metal post for setting the decoy in the ground is missing. The pigeon measures 13 1/2" in length, 5" across at the shoulders and roughly 4" in depth. Stand not included. SOLD
D0817: Fine Wood Pigeon Decoy, Yorkshire, UK. Circa Late 1800s
Finely crafted and finished early solid-bodied wood pigeon decoy with applied wings, raised wing tips and a full, protruding breast, it shares many characteristics with the carvings attributed to Robert Lange and Robert Sainz (See http://www.woodpigeondecoys.com), both from Yorkshire, characteristics that seem to be common to that area. However, there are just enough differences to make me believe that it was made in the late 1800s to early 1900s by a third carver from that area. The incised primaries on the wings and form of the flared and fluted tail as opposed to the tapered tails most often seen in decoys from this area are unique, while the shapes of the head, bill and full body are not. The decoy, measuring 12.5" in length, is in excellent original paint with very minor wear and a pleasing patina. The bill is a well done professional replacement. In the last photo this decoy is on the right of its rigmate, D0816, listed separately. See my other website, www.woodpigeondecoys.com, dedicated to the identification and documentation of these decoys and their carvers for additional information. SOLD
D0816: Early Wood Pigeon Decoy, Yorkshire, UK. Circa Late 1800s
An excellent early solid-bodied decoy with applied wings, raised wing tips and a full, protruding breast, it shares many characteristics with the carvings attributed to Robert Lange and Robert Sainz (See http://www.woodpigeondecoys.com), both from Yorkshire, characteristics that seem to be common to that area. However, there are just enough differences to make me believe that it was made in the late 1800s to early 1900s by a third carver from that area. The incised primaries on the wings and form of the flared and fluted tail as opposed to the tapered tails most often seen in decoys from this area are unique, while the shapes of the head, bill and full body are not. The decoy, measuring 13" in length, is in original paint with average wear and a professionally replaced bill, wing tip repair and tail repair. In the last photo this decoy is on the left of its rigmate, D0817, listed separately. See my other website, www.woodpigeondecoys.com, dedicated to the identification and documentation of these decoys and their carvers for additional information. SOLD
D0896: Harry Boddy Feeding Wood Pigeon Decoy
Feeding wood pigeon decoy by Harry Boddy, Walderslade, Kent, United Kingdom, circa 1935. The bird, painted in fall plumage, is in original paint with moderate flaking and wear. It has screw eyes set in separate grommets to simulate eye rings, a cast metal beak and relief carved shoulders. The pigeon is hollowed from below with an inset metal plate for mounting the decoy on a metal spike (not included). There is a clasp at back of tail to secure the spike. A patent number is ink-stamped on the underside of the tail. The decoy measures 14.5" in length and 4" in width. As with many of the feeding decoys by both Boddy and his protegee, Ted Grace, this decoys was made from two pieces of wood with a convex lower piece of wood nailed to the upper concave piece of the body. As the lower piece had the center cut out to form an elongated "horse collar" hollow, I have to believe this method was found to be easier to accomplish than otherwise hand-hollowing the one-piece decoys from below. No stand included.
D0823: Unknown Wood Pigeon Decoy, Circa 2Q, 20C
Very nice wood pigeon decoy by an unknown English carver, circa 2nd quarter, 20th century. The decoy exhibits characteristics most often seen in carvings from the Suffolk area such as those by Harry Boddy and Ted Grace; however this 15-inch long decoy is slightly larger and fuller-bodied with a thicker head and neck than those of the aforementioned carvers. As with Boddy's and Grace's birds, the front wing and shoulder outlines are cut in; however, this carver continued the lower wing outline along the sides, culminating in a "V" atop the tail. In original paint, also of the typical Suffolk pattern, the decoy has glass eyes. The bill is also original and appears to be carved integrally with the rest of the decoy rather than being carved or cast separately and inset into the head. In the last photo, this decoy is on the left of somewhat similar examples by Harry Boddy (center)and a Ted Grace (right), listed separately. See my other website, www.woodpigeondecoys.com, dedicated to the identification and documentation of these decoys and their carvers for additional information. Stand included. SOLD
D0822: Wildfowler Green-Winged Teal Drake Decoy, Circa 1950
Handsome decorative solid-bodied green-winged teal drake by Old Saybrook Wildfowler. As detailed in Wildfowler Decoys by Richard Cowan and Dick LaFountain, the machine-carved face/bill separation indicates this decoy was made somewhere between 1942 and 1957. After studying photos of this decoy, LaFountain and Tim Sieger ascertained that the decoy was possibly painted by Harry Ross, circa 1950-1955, as either a production model or for an order for Abercrombie and Fitch in 1955. Measuring only 11 1/2" in length and 4 1/2" in both width and height, the decoy is in expertly-applied thick original oil paint displaying a very pleasing patina. The back of the decoy is machine-carved with raised wingtips. There is a tight, thin crack at the neck seat, a paint chip at the tip of the bill and an extremely fine and nearly imperceptible hair-line crack in the bill. The felt on the bottom conceals any possible stamps or signatures.
SOLD
D0820: Wildfowler Mallard Hen Decoy, Point Pleasant, NJ, Dated 1973
Near-mint mallard hen by Wildfowler Decoys, Point Pleasant, New Jersey (1961-1977), circa 1973. Charlie Birdsall bought the Wildfowler Decoy Company from Rab Staniford, Quogue, Long Island, New York, in 1961 and moved the company to his home in Point Pleasant (See Chapter Three of Cowan and LaFountain’s Wildfowler Decoys). While Birdsall did a great deal of the carving and painting, he also employed a number of excellent assistants, especially painters. One of the most notable was William (Bill) Keim who painted this decoy, as attested to by his signature under the bill. While this carving is unstamped, â€Norman 1973" is printed on the bottom. Although Keim painted this decoy, it is possible that "Norman" refers in some way to Norman Smith, himself an exceptional painter during Wildfowler's Quogue days. This decoy is in excellent original paint with a small amount of bubbling on its left side from sap seepage. The glass-eyed bird, measuring about 15 1/2†in length, 7†in width, and 5 1/2†in height, has its head turned about 15 degrees to the right. SOLD
D0821: Snakey-Head Swimming Blue-Winged Teal Decoy, Circa 2Q, 20C
Very fine solid-bodied, glass-eyed swimming snakey-head blue-winged teal hen by an unknown Midwest carver, circa 2nd quarter, 20th century. The decoy is highly detailed with incised primaries and secondaries as well as raised wingtips and a fluted tail. The outstretched head, mounted on a raised neckseat, is turned roughly 25 degrees to the right and includes a carved nail and mandibles with painted nostrils. The well-executed original paint features extensive detailed feathering and muted tones. The body of the decoy itself measures 11 1/2" in length with the outstretched head adding another 3" in length. The bird is about 4 1/4" wide and 5 1/4" high at the head. The decoy was last found in an estate sale in Cuba, Illinois; however, the owner stated that it was from Minnesota. While the incised feathering and paint style seem to support a Minnesota origin, the shelved tail and raised wingtips have an Illinois River feel. SOLD
