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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.
M302: Silas Owen Flying Pheasant Wall Plaques
Pair of miniature pheasant wall plaques (rooster and hen) by Silas E. Owen (1903-1967), Waubay, South Dakota. Silas, who was three-quarters Sioux and one-quarter Scotch-Irish, made a few working duck decoys and miniature standing ducks and geese but mostly wall plaques of flying ducks, geese and pheasants. His carvings were sold in nearby souvenir stores and a local resort bait shop as well as on special order, but he was not against trading his carvings for drinks at the local bar. He carved from the mid-1940s until close to his death in 1967. Many of his carvings are signed or had a paper address label stuck on. Some are just dated with the year they were made. Most of them are carved almost in the round with good detail and boldly realistic paint patterns. These two pheasants are in excellent detailed original paint with carved wing primary feathers and notched tails. The hen has two small chips on the wing tips and the rooster has one. They each measure about 9" to 9 1/2" in length, 6" from wing tip to wing tip and 3/4" in thickness. The hen is signed on the back, "Pheasant hen, Silas Owen, Waubay, S. Dak." The original prices ($5.00 for the rooster and $2.00 for the hen) are written on the backs. SOLD
M303: Frank Townsend Flying Pheasant Wall Plaques
Pair of miniature pheasant wall plaques (rooster and hen) made by Frank E. Townsend, Bloomfield, New Jersey, circa early 3rd quarter of the 20th century. The cock is almost 14" long with a 9 1/2" wing span while the hen is 12 1/2" long with a 10" wing span. Structurally, this pair is three-dimensional. They are carved roughly two-thirds in-the-round with the upper wings and bodies resting flat against the mounting surface while the lower wings and tails are angled out and away. The excellent original detailed feather paint is strong and bold on each. The wings are carved separately from the bodies. There are several tight cracks where the lower wing of the hen joins the body. SOLD
M305: Northern Bobwhite Quail Carving
Excellent male northern bobwhite quail, circa 3rd quarter, 20th century. It was found in Connecticut but the carver is unknown. The highly detailed and well blended original paint is in near-mint condition with only minor wear at the tip of the tail. The carving has incised wings, a fluted tail, glass eyes and real taxidermy feet. Measuring 7 1/2" from the tip of the tail to the tip of the bill, it's on the small side of life-sized. It stands about 8 1/2" high including the base. SOLD
D0751: James Rolph Wood Pigeon, Circa 1900 - 1910
English wood pigeon decoy attributed to Francis Rolph of Lakenheath, Suffolk, United Kingdom, circa 1900 - 1910. He was the area's largest dealer in all manner of birds and game. After inquiries from customers, he began making decoys as early as 1880, concentrating on pigeon decoys. The body is somewhat rectangular in cross section, reflecting the exclusive use of hand tools in the making of his decoys. Lightly used with a pleasing patina, this stylish pigeon with its original wooden bill and separately carved head is slightly oversized, measuring almost 15" in length, 3.75" in width and slightly over 3" in depth at the breast. It has relief carved shoulders and wings and white glass eyes. The full-bodied carving is in original paint depicting the species' fall plumage. The separately carved head is most unusual in decoys of this species. In fact, his decoys are the only ones I've seen by English carvers displaying this characteristic. Francis was the father of James Rolph, himself a decoy maker and father-in-law of William Jaggard who joined the family business in the early 1930s. James Rolph's decoys are quite similar to those of his father except that the heads are carved as part of the body rather than separately. Stand not included. SOLD
D0750: Rare Hollow-Bodied English Wood Pigeon, Harry Boddy
Rare hollow-bodied English wood pigeon decoy by Harry Boddy, Walderslade, Kent, United Kingdom, circa 1920s. The bird, painted in fall plumage, is in excellent original paint with a nice patina and minimal wear. A very well formed bird, it has screw eyes set in separate grommets to simulate eye rings, a carved wooden bill and relief carved shoulders. This is the first full-bodied, hollow-carved wood pigeon by any maker that I've ever encountered. In 1933, Arthur Penn patented (British patent number 406,386) a winged version of this decoy for Boddy which, when suspended from a tree and manipulated by strings, closely imitated the hovering and settling motions of live pigeons. This decoy measures 14" in length and 4" in width, the same size as the half-bodied models. Stand not included.
SOLD
M304: Ludwig Shorebird Whistle Circa Early 1900ds
Shorebird whistle made by the Ludwig Company, Chicago, Illinois, in the 1st quarter of the 20th century. It is their small size (1-1/4" diameter, 1-1/2" high canister, 2-3/4" overall height with stem) nickel-coated brass whistle. The whistle is in excellent condition with very little wear other than minimal surface scratching to the nickel plating. On many of these whistles, the stem has broken loose from the canister and been soldered back in place; not so with this one. It is structurally sound and in perfect working order with a strong whistle. "Ludwig" is stamped on the top of the canister. SOLD
D0747: Trulock & Harriss TRU-ISS English Wood Pigeon Decoy
Rare hollow English wood pigeon decoy made for the gunsmith firm of H. Trulock & Harriss, London, U.K., circa 1912-1916. 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 is in weathered original paint. It was made in three pieces; an upper body, a lower body and a spring-mounted head. An integral wire stake is attached, designed, along with the "bobble-head", to add motion to a set of birds. Cast true to the form of the wooden examples, these decoys have strongly emphasized shoulders and detailed primary and tail feathers. This decoy has four impressed notations on its lower half: "THE TRU-ISS DECOY", "HARRISS'S PATENT No. 21550", "H. TRULOCK HARRISS GUNMAKER" AND "PICKERING PLACE, ST. JAMES STREET, LONDON". The pigeon measures 13 1/2" in length, 5" across at the shoulders and roughly 4" in depth, exclusive of the head. SOLD
M298: Leo McIntosh Snowy Owl - Stony Creek Decoys
Fine full-sized carving of a snowy owl by Leo H. McIntosh, Jr. (1953 - 2007), Stony Creek Decoys, Woodville, New York, circa 1990s. Recognized as one of the best contemporary decoy carvers before his untimely death, Leo apprenticed with Ken Harris for five years before founding Stony Creek Decoys. This owl, in excellent antiqued feather paint, exhibits a nice patina with pleasing crackleture. It measures 17" in height (21 1/2" with the stand) and its body is slightly over 6" in diameter. The head, with high quality glass eyes, is turned about 45 degrees to the left. The wings, shoulders and tail are all relief-carved. There is an age split running the length of the breast as well as other smaller cracks in the back and wings. The carving is signed, "McIntosh", in front of the tail by the hole for mounting it on its stand. This is a rare species for McIntosh and one sure to please the advanced collector. SOLD
