Vintage Duck Hunting Decoys

Duck hunters use duck decoys to lureduck hunting decoy from the Tuckerton, New
unsuspecting waterfowl into range so that theJersey area
waiting hunters are able to shoot the ducks.3.Circa 1875 Dodge mallard drake vintage duck
Although they still use decoys for hunting, manyhunting decoy by J. N. Dodge
antique and collectible stores have vintage duck4. Walter Avis circa 1925 Vintage redhead duck
hunting decoys in their shops to lure in vintagedecoy from Toronto, Canada
decoy collectors.5. Circa 1920 - 1930 Benjamin Schmidt over-sized
In North America, decoy history dates back overblack duck decoy
two thousand years and even further back inFor people interested in collecting vintage decoys,
Egypt and other areas of the world. Thebe careful of reproductions, which fool many
Smithsonian Museum houses many of the oldestcollectors. Telling an average decoy from a
duck decoys found in the United States, Canadavaluable one and a new one from an old one is
and other parts of North America. They foundoften very tricky. Vintage decoys had solid color
many of these unique bird replicas along withformalized patterns whereas contemporary ones
native pottery pieces in a cave in Arizona. Theyhave real looking feather painting. Many of the old
made traditional, hand carved, wooden duckdecoys had eyes made of metal tacks, or ones
decoys primarily from the mid eighteen hundredsthey carved by hand and painted. They used
to approximately the mid nineteen hundreds.glass eyes on the later duck decoys. Because
Vintage hunting decoys are desired folk art tothey carved the decoys in the nineteenth century
many collectors, beautiful works of art toby hand using a rasp, draw knife, and hand ax,
numerous duck collectors, and to some peoplealways look for tool marks on the decoy. By the
they are simply wonderful country accents.mid 1850's, they carved hollow decoys made of
Vintage duck hunting decoys along with other oldup to three sections. They also used wood and
items are highly collectable and sought after.metal silhouettes know as stick-ups and shadow
Some vintage duck decoys which are very soughdecoys. Look for the vintage duck hunting decoys
after include:makers name on the keel weight if the decoy still
1. 1900 vintage duck hunting decoy by Charleshas one attached. After the Civil War, the duck
Birch of a mallard duckdecoys tail and beak were carved and its body
2. Circa 1890 goldeneye Harry Shourds vintagemade of cork.