April 23 & 24, 2009 - St. Charles, Illinois
600+ lots. Featuring decoys from the collections of David Galliher, Joe French and Dr. George E. Moore. Gross sales $2.1 Million.
St. Charles, Illinois - Guyette & Schmidt, Inc. conducted their 24th annual spring decoy auction on April 23 & 24 at the Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles, Illinois. The auction was held in conjunction with the National Antique Decoy & Sporting Collectibles Show and grossed $2.1 million. The sale pushed Guyette & Schmidt, Inc. total auction sales to over $117,000,000. The crowd was quite large with 325 registered bidders in the audience, another 180 people bid by phone, absentee or online. Prices were under estimate on the first day but near mid estimate on the second day, 51 lots ssold for over $10,000.
A pair of long necked pintails circa 1900 by an unknown maker from Kankakee, Illinois sold under estimate for $97,750. A group of 5 very rare shorebirds by Daniel Lake Leeds of Pleasantville, New Jersey sold over estimate at $140,000. Decoys by Charles Perdew brought high prices at the sale. A sleeping mallard hen sold for $74,750, a canvasback drake for $63,250 and a pair of mallards for $40,250.
Prices were very high for miniatures by Elmer Crowell, Virginia decoys, Maryland decoys and decoys from North Carolina. Noticeable weak spots were decoys from Michigan and Wisconsin. World record auction prices were established for many decoy makers including: Charles Jester, Walter Sibley, Steven Lane and Daniel Strickfaden
Miniature pintail hen by Charles Perdew
Greenwing teal by Charles Perdew
Pair of mallards by Charles Perdew
Canvasback by Charles Perdew
Sleeping mallard hen by Charles Perdew
Canada goose by Nathan Cobb, Jr.
Pair of buffleheads by Charles Jester
Auction World Record Price
Canada goose by Tom Chambers
Pair of teal by Charles Perdew
Black bellied plover by Daniel Lake Leeds
Curlew by Daniel Lake Leeds
Ruddy turnstone by Daniel Lake Leeds
Robin snipe by Daniel Lake Leeds
Yellowlegs by Daniel Lake Leeds
Pintail drake from Kankakee, Illinois
Pintail hen from Kankakee, Illinois
Greenwing teal by Robert Elliston
Market gun by Westley Richards
Pair of mallards by Cline McAlpin
Woodduck by Elmer Crowell
Pair of greenwing teal by Walter Sibley
Auction World Record Price
Blackduck by Dave Watson
Canada goose by Sam Soper
Flying mallard hen by the Ward Brothers
Malloch fish plaque
Loon by Mark McNair
Grebe by Harold Haertel
Pair of ruddy ducks by Harold Haertel
Mallard hen by John Wells
Mallard drake by Mark Whipple
Canvasback by John Wells
Pair of canvasbacks by Tom Chambers
Redhead drake from the Markham rig
Pintail drake by Steven Lane
Auction World Record Price
Miniatures by Elmer Crowell
Mallard hen by the Mason Decoy Factory
Pair of bluebills by Harry Shourds
Robin snipe by Harry Shourds
Jacksnipe by the Mason Decoy Factory
Blackduck by Harry Shourds
Split tail yellowlegs by the Mason Decoy Factory
Swan from North Carolina
Canada goose by John Holly
Canada goose by Joe Lincoln
Sleeping pintail hen by the Ward Brothers
Canvasback by Elmer Crowell
Teal by Lloyd Sterling
Merganser by the Mason Decoy Factory
Swan from the St. Clair Flats
Ruddy duck by Alvira Wright.