Lombard, Illinois – On April 27 & 28, Guyette and Deeter, Inc. held their annual spring auction in conjunction with the North American Decoy Collectors Association Show in Lombard, Illinois.  The two-day auction totaled $3.5 million with 10 new world records for makers being set.

Headlined by the amazing collection of duck and fish spearing decoys of George and Miriam Van Walleghem, the auction was a 'cannot be missed' type of event for serious Midwest and fish decoy collectors.  The sale also featured the important Wisconsin decoy collection of Herb Desch, the best of its kind ever offered at auction.

Two items sold for $100,000, including a rare and well documented black duck by the Caines Brothers of Georgetown, South Carolina.  The sculptural decoy was from the collection of long-time southern collector D.C. North and sold for $102,000.  The other six figure lot was the top price of the sale and the new world record for a fish spearing decoy at auction.  Selling for $168,000, the large and exceptional fish by Hans Janner, surpassed the old world record by over $50,000.  Four other fish spearing decoys from the Van Wallegham collection sold for over $50,000, including three others by Hans Janner and a monumental muskie by Ted Vandenbosche, a new world record for the maker.

With the quality and breadth of the Herb Desch collection, it was no surprise to see strong results for Wisconsin decoys.  A Joseph Sieger canvasback sold for $40,800, a rare pair of pintails by Walter Lowery brought $27,000, a rigmate pair of canvasbacks by Gus Moak cost $26,400, and a Russell Berry mallard hen finished at $10,200.  All four highlights being world record prices for the respective artists.

Other highlights include an important pair of blue wing teal by Nate Quillen at $81,000, an outstanding green wing teal drake by Charles Bergman at $60,000, and a John Reeves Canada goose with exceptional form selling for $45,000.  Again, all world record prices for these carvers.

Contemporary carvings remain strong with works by Jim Schmiedlin, William Gibian, Marty Hanson, and Frank Finney all bringing high prices.

The auction was called by Mary Tumbleson, Tiffany Foes, and Colin McPeak.