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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.
D0942: Torry Ward Preening Canada Goose Decoy
Fine and graceful hollow-bodied Canada goose decoy with glass eyes carved in a preening or sleeping pose by Torry Ward (1924-1990), Portage La Prairie, Manitoba, Canada, circa 1970s. Measuring 25" in length, this sleek carving is in excellent original paint with a pleasing patina. It is signed "Torry Ward" on the bottom. SOLD
D0943: New Jersey Yellowlegs Decoy, Circa 1900
Excellent full-bodied yellowlegs decoy by an unknown maker from New Jersey, circa late 1800s to early 1900s. The early carving is in original paint with minor wear to the high points. It has carved wing outlines and retains its original bill. The black glass eyes are unusual in that they appear to be in an elevated gem-like setting. The decoy is probably from the Cape May area. Stand included. SOLD
M374: Matt Pierce Checkered Duck Call
Exceptionally nice duck call by Matt Pierce of Dos Palos, California. It is hand-made with overall raised panel checkering (eight panels each on the barrel and the stopper). The call is in perfect working order. SOLD
M373: W. J. Ruppel Company Miniature Feeding Canada Goose
Excellent glass-eyed miniature feeding Canada goose by The W. J. Ruppel Company, Portland, Oregon, circa 3rd quarter, 20th century. Walter J. Ruppel (1902-1999) founded his company in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, in the early to mid-1930s before moving to Portland in 1942 where he continued making decoys and miniatures until the 1990s. Many of his decoys were sold directly to customers, but he also provided decoys to Abercrombie & Fitch, VanLangerke & Antoine, Marshall Fields and the Gorky Co. He advertised in all of the national sporting magazines as well. His company will go down as one of the more successful factory decoy manufacturers. This balsa bird is in near-mint original condition with detailed feather paint and bill carving. It measures 7" in length and 3" in width. This carving retains a portion of an Abercrombie & Fitch decal. The bird was formerly in the collection of Mort Kramer collection and bears the collection stamp. SOLD
D0922: Ted Grace Feeding Wood Pigeon Decoy, Circa 1950s
Feeding wood pigeon decoy by Edward Arthur "Ted" Grace, Walderslade, Kent, United Kingdom, circa 1950s. The bird, painted in fall plumage, is in original feather paint with light 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 marked "Pat. 431190" (Issued to Grace's mentor, Harry Boddy, in 1935) to hold the included metal spike for setting the decoy in the ground. The decoy measures 14.5" in length and 4" in width. It was made in two pieces with a convex lower piece of wood cut from the body. That piece had the center cut out by jig saw to form an elongated "horse collar" hollow and was then nailed back onto the body. This method was found to be easier to accomplish than otherwise hand-hollowing the one-piece decoy from below as seen in earlier examples. There is a clasp at the back of the tail to secure the spike when stored in the hollow body. The hollowed body allowed a light breeze to cause the decoys to bob up and down, effectively simulating live feeding birds. The more slender and longer neck, along with the lighter overall coloration, mark this as a Grace decoy rather than a Boddy decoy which invariably had a shorter and bulkier neck. Stand included.
M375: A. J. Ditman Miniature Widgeon Drake, Circa 1940s
Miniature carving of a widgeon drake by Albert Joseph Ditman (1884-1974), circa late 1940s. The 4 1/2" long carving is in near-mint original condition. It bears Ditman's paper label on the bottom along with the monogram "AJD" over an "M" on the base. The "M" signifies that the carving was done while Ditman lived in Williamsown, Massachusetts. Earlier carvings were done in New York City while he worked for Mobil Oil. Ditman carved his folky miniatures, usually mounted on a chip-carved "rock" base, through sportsmen's stores in New York City such as Abercrombie & Fitch for a period of some 20 years beginning in 1939. SOLD
M373: A. J. Ditman Miniature Cock Pheasant, Circa 1940s
Excellent miniature carving of a cock ring-necked pheasant by Albert Joseph Ditman (1884-1974), circa early to mid-1940s. The 6 3/4" long carving is in highly detailed original condition other than a professional repair to a clean break in the neck (See last 4 photos for close ups of the repaired area). It also has a flake of paint missing on the right side of the tail. The base bears his early monogrammed capital “D†with the “A†and “J†inside, indicating it was made while Ditman lived in New York City while working for Mobil Oil. Later carvings were made in Williamsown, Massachusetts, after Ditman's retirement from Mobil in 1947. These were monogrammed "AJD" with an "M" (for Massachusetts) below. Ditman carved his folky miniatures, usually mounted on a chip-carved "rock" base, through sportsmen's stores in New York City such as Abercrombie & Fitch for a period of some 20 years beginning in 1939. SOLD
D0939/D0940: Schoenheider Illinois River Mallard Pair, Circa 1940s
Very nice pair of Illinois River mallards by Charles Schoenheider, Jr., of Peoria, Illinois, circa 1940s. They are in excellent original detailed feather paint by Millie Graves, wife of fellow Peoria carver Bert Graves. Each hollow-bodied decoy measures 16†in length with especially well detailed bill carving. The decoys generally show light wear other than some flaking along the body seam of the drake. The hen is an especially nice example by this carver. SOLD
