Posted 12 years ago
pickingupb…
(197 items)
Folk art Duck Decoys. Ducks have glass eyes laced on bottom covered with canvas. Another garage sale find.Seller sez deceased husband made them in the 40's. Happy to have them as part of my collection.
Thanks packrat
thanks EJW.AR8 & Scandi
In spite of what your seller may have told you, there were several American factories that made light weight, sewn canvas decoys stuffed with Kapok. These look rather like some I had years ago made by the Armstrong Featherweight Decoy Co., of Texas, I believe. You could try getting hold of a book called "American Factory Decoys", by Henry Fleckenstein, for more info.
Thanks bushrat for your comments I appreciate them. Don't believe these are stuffed with Kapok. I'll give them another look. However I will try and find your reccomended read. Thanks again
this may save you some searching time:
From p. 40 of Fleckenstein's book: "Armstrong Featherweight decoys were made of a canvas covering printed mechanically with an elaborate rendition of the species coloration and feathering, and filled with kapok or ground cork. The bodies were sewn through the back with a heavy waxed cord presumably to help hold them together so that they might withstand hard usage. A tapered wooden bill was inserted in its proper place in the canvas for the beak. Glass eyes are found in all of the birds. Apparently two different models were made and the later birds did not have the waxed cord sewn through their bodies. Otherwise, they were very similar in construction and style. The exact dates for the beginning and end of the company are not known, but they advertised extensively during the years 1939-41. For sale were mallards, pintails, bluebills, black ducks, Canada geese and snow geese."
The book shows various advertising reprints suggesting that these sold around $1.25 - $1.60 a piece back then. I have seen them selling, recently, in antique shows for around $200.
TAL bushrat for researching these. I think the seller was confused about husband making them. He may have repaired them but they do look professionaly made. I will still look to see what they are stuffed with and let you know.