Posted 13 years ago
Spookster
(1 item)
I have an old decoy I found and would like to know more about it. This folding decoy is 14 1/2" from tip of bill to end of tail. It has the coloration of a female Mallard. The body appears stitched together of some sort of waterproof fabric or light weight canvas. The lever for operation of the spring is on the lee side of the decoy. The actual spring mechanism, when rotated counter clockwise activates metal springs inside the decoy thereby stretching the fabric over it and giving the decoy a realistic appearance. When the lever is rotated clockwise the body goes down flat. The internal mechanism is mounter to a hull shaped piece of wood which is in turn mounted to a flat oval board. I hesitate to try and fully expand the spring for fear of damaging the old fabric. There is an old piece of what I take to be decoy line fastened to the front of the decoy. That's about as accurate a description as I can provide.
I have searched antique shops, talked to owners and enthusiasts, searched Ebay, Craigslist, and any other sites I can find and I have never been able to find anything like it. Any other ideas on finding out more would be appreciated.
The largest producer of folding decoys is the Wm. R Johnson Co. of Seattle. This is more than likly a Johnson's Folding Decoy.
This decoy is more than likely from the Acme Folding Decoy Comp. ca. 1895-1907 or later out of Louisville, Kentucky, and St. Louis, Missouri. The company also made decoy anchor weights and wooden boxes for the decoys, which tend to be more collectable than the decoys themselves. More info can be found in North American Factory Decoys, by Kenneth L. Trayer.