Dale's Decoy Den
32210 McGinnis Rd
Albany, Ohio 45710
740-698-5060
Cell: 740-707-0156
dale@dalesdecoyden.com
I answer all emails. If you do not get a reply, look in your spam or junk folder. Or call me, 740-698-5060!
DUCK & GOOSE DECOYS
This website is maintained regularly and is up to date. I answer all emails. If you do not get a reply, look in your spam or junk folder. Or call me, 740-698-5060
L. L. Bean Bluewing Teal Drake. Very scarce and usually rubbed. As one of our high-quality duck decoys, this one has only minor soft rubs and one small chip of paint where the head meets the body. Near Mint. $325
L. L. Bean Feeding, Hissing, Crooked Neck, or whatever geese like this are called in your neck of the woods, Goose. Expand your hunting collectibles with this old L. L. Bean goose decoy that looks like it has many stories to tell if only it could tell them. I am talking about the one on the right in the photo. I put a near Mint decoy (on the left in the photo) for comparison only. It has been and will be part of my own collection for the foreseeable future. Now, back to the one on the right. My best guess is it got loose and lived as a derelict for a long time before someone saved it from a life on the marsh. Paint is worn, with a serious loss on the head and fading on the body. One eye is missing. But it still has charm! The long, lean lines George Soule designed for it stand out as a true representation of a contented goose. Resting by itself, it steals your eye. I didn't think I would like it, but I do. It has been around here for a while, but space is not unlimited, so I have decided to send the decoy on the right along to another loving home--yours if you are quick enough. Paint is only good. Structurally it is perfect, so I will grade it Good+. (the guy I got it from called it "excellent", so you know not everyone grades as accurately as I do). Love it as is, repaint it, and use it; its future is in your hands. (utz) SOLD
Mint L. L. Bean Mallard Pair. These duck decoys came to me in the original L. L. Bean mailing boxes were shipped from L. L. Bean in 1990. According to the son of the original owner, his dad got them at a banquette, put them back in their original boxes, and never opened them again. The son removed them from their boxes to take pictures, which he sent to me, and I bought them! I took them out of the boxes to Google and photograph and returned them to their boxes. In short, they look exactly like they did when they were mailed from the L. L. Bean factory in 1990. Both Drake and hen are flawless, MINT!
In case you are new to collecting L. L. Bean duck decoys, only a tiny, tiny percentage of them retain their original factory mailing boxes. These are that exception and thus among the most collectible of the collectible L. L. Bean decoys. If you have to think it over or ask someone if you should buy them, chances are someone else will purchase them before you. I dare you to find a better pair, or even a pair as good as these two, any time soon.
I have only shown one box and one packing slip in the photo, but each duck decoy has a box and packing slip as well as a little card that gives the history of George Soule's and L. L. Bean's arrangement that made the production of the L. L. Bean Coastal decoys made by George Soule happen.
The price is for Pair of L. L. Bean mallards with two original mailing boxes and 2 packing slips dated August 29, 1990, and 2 cards describing the origin and history of the L. L. Bean cork decoys. Decoys are Mint. (eyl-pair) SOLD
L. L. Bean Light Weight Black Duck. This size was only made for six years, 1953-1958 inclusive. Note carved bill and nostrils. Multi-position heads were offered from the beginning. All original paint shows gunning use. Cork chips easily, and rattling around in a sack over your back gets jostled pretty good banging off trees or tumbling around on the floor of a canoe. Luckily, the head of this duck decoy faired well. Light Weight Models seem to have been made in the smallest quantities of the three size offerings L. L. Bean sold, so any Light Weight is a treasure; ones this old are true gems. Very Good. $155
L. L. Bean Light Weight Black Duck. This slightly shorter but wider body was only offered in 1963 and 1964. Note different style bill and nostril carving. The lowered tail reduced overall volume, thus saving weight. Anyone who packed a dozen or so duck decoys a couple of miles through the woods to a beaver pond or small lake can appreciate each ounce of savings. I really get tired of reading guys claiming the offering is from the 40s or 50s when what they have are the most common Beans offered. In fact, there is little or no change to the Bean decoys made from the 1970s to 1990s. This is a bona fide 1963 or 1964 Light Weight L. L. Bean decoy. Grades out to the same as the proceeding for the same reasons: Very Good. $145
L. L. Bean Black Duck. Coastal model. Lightly used, showing only light rubs to the body and head. Really a nice decoy for hunting collection. Exc- (zut) SOLD
L. L. Bean Black Duck. I honestly don't know exactly what this is. It is a later (after 2000) model with a cork tail, made on A sized body blank, making it a Deluxe oversized model. Unused, I removed it from the clear plastic bag it was shipped from Bean wearing. It doesn't fit in my collection, so I am passing it along to someone else. Mint. $79
I got this pattern from Larry MacLaughlin over 40 years ago. He swore it was Dan English's Green-winged teal pattern. It looks like it could be. If not, it is Larry's idea of what a Dan English teal would look like. Either way it is a pretty slick pattern and would be fun to use. I have never made a decoy from it. I don't know if anyone has ever found a Dan English teal decoy. This could be proof there were some made. I have enjoyed it and can still hear Larry saying he got it from Dan. It is time for me to pass it along to someone closer to the source. I know someone bought all the patterns Larry had when he died. This would be a nice addition to that. Or for someone to make some duck decoys with it, but most of all, it should be in a book someday. I think it is that important. Can't you just imagine a group of teal decoys made from it floating along the Delaware somewhere only you and the teal know? One of One, beyond Rare. $99
L. L. Bean Scaup (Blue Bill or Broad Bill, take your pick) Drake. To save space, I have not put single decoys on, but this one is so clean I thought I would show it alone. There are very, very light rubs on the head. They are handling rubs. This hunting collectible was never rigged, never used. Can you show me a better one? Very Near Mint. (utz) SOLD
L. L. Bean Canvasback Drake. This decoy and the Drake scaup above have shared most of their lives together, so all the comments above apply to this decoy as well: never rigged, never used, very light head rubs, very clean, and darn close to mint. Any Bean Coastal Canvasback is good, but one in this condition is exceptional, a collector's dream come true. Will you be that lucky collector? Very Near Mint. (dnl) SOLD
L. L. Bean Coastal Brant. We all know how difficult it is to find Bean brant that is not beaten up from use in rough salt water. When was the last time you saw two Bean brant as nice as these? Lightly used, they are way better than vg, I grade them as Exc-. The one on the left is (ddt) SOLD, and the one on the right is (det) SOLD
L. L. Bean Black Duck. This has been used and shows rubbing along the sides and back of the duck decoy. The Head has the typical rubs, mostly on the crown and back of the head. good user or starter for a collection. VG (zlx) SOLD
L. L. Bean Mint Mallard Drake. The same decoy is shown below in a photo with another Mint male mallard. (ztl) SOLD
Wildfowler Hissing or Feeding Goose. Branded. A decoy guy who is very familiar with Wildfowler decoys said this is the best paint he has seen on a Babylon Wildfowler. Balsa. Mint. $350
Wildfowler Drake Canvasback. Branded Point Pleasant, NJ. It also has gunner's brand R J O S. Used very gently with light rubs on paint and one anchor mark on the side of the chest. Exc. (ecx) SOLD
I thought a size comparison would be fun to share with you. Below are a pair of Coastal Scaup (bluebills or blackheads to gunners) and a Deluxe Oversize Drake Scaup. I have said Bean used the goose size blocks for their Deluxe Oversize (not "oversized") hunting collectibles. Perhaps this side-by-side comparison will help to point this out:
L. L. Bean Scaup Pair. Bright white on male shows no use, only shelf use. Some rubs on the back of the female and minimal rubs to the flat paint used on the heads. Excellent. Price is for the Pair: $175
L. L. Bean Deluxe Oversize Scaup Drake. Never used. His head has been jarred in various moves made by his original owner over the years, but other than a slight impact to the filler around the base of the neck to the body, no damage. Near Mint. (dlt) SOLD
L. L. Bean Mallard Drake. I assembled these duck decoys for the photos. It is the first time they have been out of the plastic bags Bean workers put them in for shipping to the man I bought them from. He bought them in 1981. I have the original receipt for them as well. They have hand-painted bills. I bought 4. I will sell two. Vibrant colors! I can't see how there can be any that are better anywhere. If you want the very best for your collection, here they are. Both are Mint. (ztl) BOTH ARE SOLD
L. L. Bean Goldeneye Pair. A strikingly pretty pair, especially the drake. Both are dated 1979 on the bottom. Keels have been removed; otherwise, Mint. Priced accordingly at $120 for the pair. L. L. Bean Goldeneye Pair. A strikingly pretty pair, especially the drake. Both are dated 1979 on the bottom. Keels have been removed; otherwise, Mint. Priced accordingly for the pair. (ddt) SOLD
Front to Back: L. L. Bean Canada Goose. Hissing neck, crooked neck, depending on where you are from. These are elegant. This one has partial in-use re-paint. As such, it is Exc. (dxx) SOLD
L. L. Bean Canada Goose. Hissing neck, crooked neck, depending on where you are from, these are elegant. This one is pristine, perfect, Mint. (dlx) SOLD
L. L. Bean Canada Goose. Upright head. Handling marks, maybe light use, all original paint. Exc. (del) SOLD
L. L. Bean Canada Goose. Upright head. This is a relic from the 1950s! Note the head. It is a pattern I have not seen. It must have been made by someone new at the Decoy Shop. The carving around the bill is rough, and the sanding of the neck into the base is not as good as usual. I am certain it is original to this hunting collectible. Compare the tail to the tails of the other decoys in this picture. It is longer and wider, what is referred to as a "beaver tail". When George Soule started making tail inserts, they were longer and wider than later ones. I still have not nailed down when the tail insert began, but I do know they were being used as early as 1955. If you compare the body size of this decoy with the newer ones in the photo, you will see it is slightly larger. To date, I have not been able to determine what years they changed sizes, but I have 4 geese in my collection that are larger than this one. Anyhow, this is a prize for the Coastal Bean decoy collector, so consider it carefully. Very Good and all original 1950s. $195
L. L. Bean Brant. Early, still show the shoe glue used to waterproof the cork, the 1960s or before. White and black areas have been repainted. Structurally perfect. The back and sides are original paint. (ol) SOLD
L. L. Bean Brant. Early, still show the shoe glue used to waterproof the cork, the 1960s or before. White and black areas have been repainted. Structurally perfect. The back and sides are original paint with wear to the sides exposing the shoe glue, giving us a really good look at it. (ol) SOLD
L. L. Bean Brant. All original, Exc-Mint.(dxx) SOLD
L. L. Bean Lamp with Wood Duck on it. Branded on the bottom of the lamp base is The Decoy Shop logo decoy, "the decoy shop, Freeport, Maine," then a line and under it, "H Heap III 1981" in the script. I am sure you know Hargy Heap bought the Decoy Shop from George Soule about 1975-6. So, I present to you an all original L. L. Bean Wood Duck Lamp in excellent condition with pedigree branded on base. My guess is, Bean sold many duck decoy lamps with mallards on them, each one with a woodie. (del) SOLD
.jpg)
Carry-Lite Advertisement Sheet, info on both sides. Measures approximately 8.5 inches by 11 inches. Full color on both sides. Pre-zip codes, so before 1960. The wrinkles should press out. This is the first I have seen the miniatures in their ads. Carry-Lite actually did make them. The colors are strong, as printed, I assume. (dc) SOLD
L. L. Bean Mallard Pair. MINT! Brilliant colors. You would be hard-pressed to find a better pair anywhere. Complete with original L. L. Bean hang tag with an $18.00 price on both the mallard and the hen. Cross-checking that price with the catalogs I have indicates they were made (at least sold) in 1980. It looks like the original zinc screw and washer of this duck decoy got lost during the last 37 years, but there is a screw and washer on each holding the heads on securely. Photo of hang tag on request. MINT 1980 pair L. L. Bean mallards for only (dtl) SOLD
L. L. Bean Mallard Pair, early. Compare the paint detail on these with the later pair above. Compare the difference in the head patterns used to make them. Can you make any conclusions from these differences? I date these to about 1965. Very Good+ (enl) SOLD
L. L. Bean Black Ducks. Study them for a while. The one on the right is much nicer to my eye, yet both came from the same factory at roughly the same time, in the 1960s. Why are they so different? Different makers? Why are the paint patterns so different? If anyone out there has a theory or knows the answers, please contact me at (740) 698-5060. Duck decoy on the left is (znx). Duck decoy on the right is (ulz). BOTH SOLD
.jpg)
Dale Dalrymple Wood Duck Drake. I started this pattern 2 years ago from the last woodies I harvested. Every time I thought it was ready, I would see something I didn't like and alter it over and over. Well, this decoy and I have plans for this season if there are acorns falling in a certain pond in October... After that you could buy this one or order another anytime. $250
Carry-Lite Mallard Drake. It's a blooper, for sure; keep reading. Photos show both sides of this never-in-the-water duck decoy. The little ouch to his noggin is all he can complain about in over a half-century of sitting around. The guy who painted the whites must not have been working the day this decoy went through the paint shop. There is no neck stripe and no white in the tail. No blue and white speculum. It was a blooper when it got packed for shipment. As such, it adds interest to a collection where all the other mallards look alike and begs questions about how it left the factory looking like this. Bright colors. One of a kind. Exc+ $22
.JPG)
Jack Leach Mallard Hen. From his personal gunning rig. Jack was born and raised in New Jersey, but like David Hagerbaumer, became a West Coast resident after the Navy. I first read about him in about 1980 when Decoy Magazine did an article about him. He was in Oregon at the time. A phone call procured one of the goldeneyes pictured in the article. We were both NJ guys, but neither of us was from Coastal NJ, yet each had drifted into decoy-making. Other phone conversations followed over the years. In one, I remember him saying, "I don't think I will ever learn to paint." I think he did learn and learn well! I liken Jack to a modern Ben Schmidt. Each made a decoy that really looks like a duck, rather than following strict local carving styles, making "cute" decoys to sell to a public that neither guns nor bird watches, so they have no clue what a real duck looks like. Take a minute to examine this hunting collectible. See the slight sheen to the bill? Just like a real duck bill. Best I have seen. I have tried to do it, but failed. Yes, Jack could paint! And carve, too. Solid-body, life-size, Mint. Scarce. (etl) SOLD
.JPG)
.JPG)
Jack Leach Canvasback Hen. From his personal gunning rig. This is a magnum-sized lady, measuring 16" bill to tail by 8" wide and 8 1/2" tall, not including the keel. She weighs just under half a ton! Luckily a half a dozen would be all you would need of these to attract cans. This is a really spectacular duck decoy. Study it. Think outside the auction catalogs for a change. By the time a decoy has made the auction catalog, it is overpriced. Try collecting before the auctioneers catch on to a carver, much like buying an artist before he wins the duck stamp contest. (I think back to a beautiful painting one painter had at a show one year. It was oldsquaws flying in a snowstorm and about 48" x 30" for $3000. He won the National Duck Stamp contest, and the following year, he had the same painting for $30,000. I knew I should have bought it, but I imported a new Grulla for myself instead. It has only doubled in value, not bad, but...) Act now, or be telling your version of this story when this hunting collectible gets in an auction catalog... Mint with his brand underneath. $350
.JPG)
L. L. Bean Blue-winged Teal Drake. Bean only offered these blue wings for a few years, and they didn't sell well, so they are SCARCE as a hen's teeth. The spot on the left side of the head is a knot that bled a little bit, but it is as made. Remember, these were made to hunt with, not view critically. This one is as nice as they get. Mint (cxx) SOLD
Dale Dalrymple Harlequin Duck Pair. This is the first pair I have made in over 40 years of carving decoys. I think I have only made 2 or 3 males before this one. Just not much call for them where I have lived. This pair is spoken for, but I would make more for YOU, should you wish to order them. My phone and email are on top and bottom of every page of my website. Price for the pair is $450. Orders taken.
Early L. L. Bean Lightweight Decoys. Little is known about the fact that when Soule/Bean launched the Coastal line, there were three lines of hunting collectibles created using the cork bodies and pine heads: The Lightweight Decoys, the Coastal Decoys, and the Deluxe Oversize (not oversized) Decoys. These early Lightweights were almost as large as the Coastal decoys later became. Notice the bill carving on the heads, with even the nostrils indicated. See the cork tails? The early Coastal and Deluxe Oversize also sported them. Back to the heads. Check out the eye grooves. The drake has the gouged depression like the model that preceded these. The head on the hen has a more refined crown-eye groove-cheek transition that evolved into the shape we now know. These are not for sale at this time.
I made this about 1978-1982. Never rigged, it went straight into a collection. It has never been weighed. It was my version of the old Bordentown, NJ decoys. Exc+ to Mint. (dnl) SOLD
L. L. Bean Deluxe Oversize Mallard Drake. As you know, these are bigger than the Coastal models. The bodies are made from the regular L. L. Bean goose body blanks. Very light rubs to the flat paint on the head. The swirl near the bill tip is paint only. There is no damage to the wood or paint. There is a very small chip of yellow paint off the tip of the bill. Near Mint. (dlx) SOLD
L. L. Bean Deluxe Oversize Black Duck Pair. There were many, many fewer black duck decoys made than mallards. Think about it. Only the East Coast had blacks, and the limit was down to one for many years. Mallards are found nationwide. Get it? As more and more folks begin to collect Bean decoys, the blacks will grow more and more difficult to find, especially in this condition. The ball is in your court... Near Mint. pair (eux) SOLD
L. L. Bean Mallard Pair. A really interesting pair because of the amount of detailing of paint. As time went by, efforts were continually made to streamline operations, and detailing was one of the things that got lessened. The heads are George Soule all the way. There is shoe glue on the body, meaning the 1960s. From the body size, I know these hunting collectibles were made after 1966, so 1967-69 is when these were made. They show use but still retain much of the original paint and all the cork. VG used a pair approaching senior citizen status. SOLD (dnx)
Dale Dalrymple Canvasback Pair. I made these about 20 years ago. The original owner said she has enjoyed them all that time, but she has recently closed her office and downsized house size, so she wants someone else to have the opportunity to enjoy them, as she did. Priced at about what they were when made. The pair is unused and Mint except for a dent on the mail's back, received in shipment to me. SOLD (cxx)
Dale Dalrymple Mallard Drake. This is another of the duck decoys I am selling for the nice person who housed them for about twenty years. I am always delighted at how the oil paints have aged over the years. Barnegat Bay style, hollow of course, and slightly oversized. Unused but with a few paint flecks. Exc+ SOLD (dyl)
Ora Anderson was a local legend around here. He died several years ago. His daughter recently brought me some of his decoy collection to sell. He began collecting in the early 1970s while attending the National Decoy Championships at Babylon, Long Island, to see many of his own carvings win. Ora had Schmidt and Guyette appraise his decoys in the late 70s. Information about each decoy and values are what they said back then. These decoys were already vintage when he collected them. Here are some OF THE OLD HUNTING COLLECTIBLES FROM HIS COLLECTION:
Maryland Drake Canvasback. Old, Old Maryland body with newer, in-use head. Wide body like Holley or Ben Dye. The head reminds me of a Jessie Urie, but I never was really sharp on Maryland decoys, and I have had lots of time to forget the little I knew. If interested, ask for more pics and steal them from me. In the meantime, I don't mind looking at it. Remember, this decoy's head was "old" when Ora collected it prior to the mid-1970s, the body being even older. (cel) SOLD
Cork Mallard Hen. I am told this is a top-of-the-line Oscar Quam "Presidential Model". 1960s. Exc. $89
above photo, rear decoy: Black Duck Decoy. The south shore of Massachusetts. Solid body, original paint. (ddl) SOLD
above photo, decoy in front: Black Duck Decoy. Mason Challenge grade head on the homemade body. Michigan. The body is original painted, and the head is repainted. $60
Cork and Wood Mallard Drake. The head swivels 360 degrees, so it can be a preener or sleeper this week and something else next week if you like. I am pretty sure I have seen similar in Ken Trayer's book on Factory decoys, but I haven't found the time to look it up. If you get tired of waiting for me, you can look it up yourself as long as you have that best of all factory decoy books, North American Factory Decoys by Ken Trayer. If you don't have it, I sell it. Give me a call at 740-698-5060.
Mason Mallard. SOLD
Here are three of the more difficult species to find in L. L. Bean duck decoys:
Canvasback Drake. Never used. The usual minor head rubs; otherwise, Mint. SOLD (znl)
Woodduck Drake. About as clean as you will find. I bought it from the original owner, who only used it in her home. Mint. (zul) SOLD
Green-winged Teal Drake. About as clean as you will find. I bought it from the original owner, who only used it in her home. Mint. (ztl) SOLD
L. L. Bean Blue-winged Teal. The rarest of any of the Coastal duck decoys offered by L. L. Bean. The reason is simple: very few states offer an early teal season, and Blue-wings are gone through before most states' regular duck season begins. Little demand, so they were only offered a few years, 1986-1993. Yes, those are the only years Bean offered the Blue-winged Teal Coastal decoy. How many have you seen offered? Not many. Here are three. Look closely, as each is different in some way from the others. All are Mint. Serious inquiries are accepted by phone. All three have been SOLD
.JPG)
Very Early L. L. Bean Black Duck ca 1955. Take a minute and look at the duck decoy in the back of the photo above. How many of you noticed the bill carving? How many saw the longer tail set at the proper angle? Did you notice the body is larger (19")than the one in front of it (18")? All three are true and lead to the conclusion that this decoy was made in 1955! Over time, the decoys got smaller and simpler. I know the head is original paint on this decoy. The body feathering is hand-painted. I am not sure I want to sell this one yet, it is here as a training tool.
L L Bean Black Duck, ca 1975. Compare this to the proceeding black duck decoy. See how much the tail insert has changed? It is shorter and straighter, not at the angle at which a bird's tail really sits. But is is structurally stronger and less likely to get broken or dislodged in use. This is the head pattern George Soule made following the early Coastal decoys, as above. However, this is Hargy Heap's paint pattern on the body. That helps date it to around the time he bought the Decoy Shop from Mr. Soule. Remember, these are factory decoys, parts grabbed from bins and assembled as fast as quality would allow. (It is similar to the transfer from hard rubber to plastic for Olt calls: I just sold an Olt Keyhole D-2 with a hard rubber insert and plastic barrel.) Near Mint. SOLD (ztl)
L. L. Bean Black Duck, ca 1975. I have another. Early, fixed head turned to the right. The paint is bright, as new, with no dust build-up that happens when exposed to most of our houses. Doesn't have the smooth, worn look of the one in the photo. Near Mint. (ztt) SOLD
L. L. Bean Lightweight Decoy. Take a close look at this decoy. Cork tail, incised bill carving, body measures 17 1/2 inches! It is almost as long as the modern Coastal models. This size was only used on the earliest model of the Lightweight models, 1949-51! I started my collecting of Bean decoys with the Coastal Model, but George Soule also made the Deluxe Oversize Model and the Lightweight Model simultaneously, so I was drawn in by them as well. These examples are important because they are easily dated to the earliest Lightweights made. I have five, I am selling two of them. Excellent used condition. Try to find another in like condition. Bet you can't any time soon. Exc. Extremely Rare! SOLD (edl-ea)
Two canvasbacks made by me recently. I don't copy anyone, including myself. Each is an effort to make it better than before and more like the actual bird. There are better pattern makers, better carvers, and better painters than I, but in contests where actual birders are the judges, I have done very well. Hunters seldom go out in the off-season to learn what the birds look like on the water. They shoot them in the air and see them dead on the bottom of the boat. I try to give each an attitude that makes it come to life on the waves. I once hunted with a Wildlife Protector and an award-winning waterfowl taxidermist. I heard the GP ask the taxidermist what he thought of the decoys while they were off a ways from me. The latter said, "They come to life when we put them on the water". That phrase of praise has stuck with me. I never let on to them that I heard them. These are to give you an idea of what you might get. One is staying with me, and the other is going to swim in South Carolina next fall. (One more short aside: I had the one I am keeping out last year. It was the only canvasback duck decoy I had, but I knew there were some real ones in the area. I blew on my canvasback call a couple of times, and out of the gray came the real birds, and they landed on top of my decoy! Literally within a few feet. Apparently, they were convinced.) ORDERS FILLED IN THE ORDER RECEIVED. $245 EACH.
There are more of my hunting collectibles toward the bottom of this page. Now, back to some more L L Bean decoys...
L. L. Bean Brant. Ever wonder why there are so few of these that show up? I have. One reason is there were few Brant on the East Coast for some years after the eel grass failure. Another reason is Brant shows up only along both coasts, east and west. Some people don't like their taste. Bean didn't offer them for many years. Gunning in salt water is murder on metal parts (guns) and paint (decoys). All in all it is amazing any L. L. Bean Brant survived. But here is one that has. He shows honest wear on his bill, noggin, breast, and tail but carries these badges of courage proudly. I have shown both sides, as I have been told it is hard to believe I would show the poorer side in my photos. I am assured no one else does. Enjoy both. (I have no idea what the camera was seeing when it made pink areas on Brant's back in the photos. I assure you there is no paint touch-up and no pink!) Very Good with honest in-use paint wear. SOLD (znl)
Lestin Geese Decoys. (see Trayer, p. 233) Both upright and feeder head positions. Inflatable rubber decoys, patent date of 1955. They look to be unused. They do hold air after all these years!. Feeder's head is scarce too rare. Mint with original stakes. The upright head is $75. The pair for $175. I will not sell the feeder alone. (If you don't have Ken Trayer's great book on North American Factory Decoys, I have signed copies available at issue price. There is no other book on the market that can compare this subject! See our book pages or call (740) 698-5060)
Carry-lite Canada Goose Field Decoys (2). The pre-zip code dates to the 1950s. (Trayer states these stickup field decoys were from the late 1960s, but the company these guys came from and lack of zip code suggest these examples are earlier.) They open from the bottom and have the support/leg system built inside to hold the halves apart and stand up the decoys, making it three dimensional. Bodies alone are 22", and the necks are 13" to the pivot point. Necks fold inside the body for protection during storage/carry. Both are in excellent condition. (pr-ol) SOLD
Dup-A-Goose-R Canada Goose Field Decoy. Also, pre-zip code, 1950s. Trayer, pp126-129, lists the dates for this company as 1945-1960. Information printed on the decoy has "Dup-A-Goose-R" and "Dunster Sporting Goods Co., Seattle Wash. Patents pend." The body is 23" long, and the neck is 9 1/2" to the pivot point. Built-in leg and separator intact inside. Necks fold inside the body for protection during storage/carry. Light use with some rubbing on mid sides as shown in the photo. The far side shows chipping along the top edge of the back and along the breast, with more wear on the mild side from rubbing together with other decoys. I would rate the far side as Very Good and the side in the photo as Exc-. $25
Bill Cranmer Hollow Oversized Canvasback Drake. This decoy has so much going for it that it is hard to know where to begin. It is a magnum size, measuring 18" from bill tip to tail tip and 9 1/2" wide. It is hollowed from below with what appears to be a very thin fiberglass bottom, with the weight somehow working into the fiberglass. Pretty slick. It is signed "Cranmer" and dated 1967. Also written on the bottom are "1 of 9", "Canvasback Male," and "shot over by Richard Bishop, the artist." Ward-style paint job with beautifully executed gesso texturing on the back of this hunting collectible. That is a lot going on for one decoy! Mint. $950
Wildfowler Brant. Point Pleasant. This one was signed and dated (1972) by Charlie Birdsall, who owned Wildfowler while it was in Point Pleasant. Unused. Beautiful paint. (clx) SOLD
L. L. Bean Goldeneyes. This may be confusing, but I know you will understand my thoughts. I have two pairs of these particular whistlers. I am selling one pair. Somewhere around 1969, Bean offered their Coastal models with hand-finished and hand-painted heads. These are those. Carved nostrils, hand painting on heads and, on the hens, hand painting where the heads meet the bodies. Even have the nails of the bills painted. These are special. Never used, Exc+ Price is for one pair, the other pair stays here. (I now have 5 Bean/Soule goldeneye pairs and each is different. I really would love to have the time to do more research and write a book about the Coastal era decoys.) Note the longer tail inserts, also. Later models had much shorter tails. You might look for years and never see another pair of unused, hand-finished headed Bean whistlers. I watch the auctions, and I have never seen a pair like this offered. SOLD (ect)
If you do not have Ken Trayer's excellent book on factory decoys, we have signed copies available: Trayer, Kenneth L. North American Factory Decoys: A Pictorial Identification and Reference Guide. 2003. 1st ed. 415pp. The best book on the subject ever written. Don't leave home without this hunting collectible! SIGNED. VF in vf dj, exc+, new. $69.95
Unknown New Jersey, Barnegat Bay, Black Duck. Collecting has grown away from its roots, with investors taking over. Few of them would give this guy a glance. Too bad. This duck decoy has "rode the waves" and has history, wear, and charm that no unused decoy can compete with. His maker is unknown to us, but the man knew what he was about. Made with dowels to hold the body pieces together during carving, it dates to at least 1880. Why no one in NJ has done more research and pushed the early decoy dates back as they have in other areas has always frustrated me. Certainly, everyone didn't just begin making the finished NJ style in 1880! It had to evolve, and that took time, trial and error, and improvements. Anyhow this is a really well made old, old Jersey bird. The eyes are some sort of beads. The tops of them are square and flat. They are NOT taxidermist's eyes! The paint looks original. There is some dry rot on the bottom, but all in all, the body is complete. Broken neck, as anyone can see. I think it predates the 1880 date by quite a few years. Hollow, of course. SOLD (elx)
.JPG)
The shotshell box is there for scale and color. It is an exc condition, colors still bright, somewhat rare 28ga. Peters High-Velocity box. I have more of the early shotshell boxes for sale on this website. From the home page, scroll down until you see the link for shotshell boxes, click it, and check out what is available. I keep this website up to date the best I can. Everything is current except the book pages. Call with book interests. (yx) SOLD
Rather than put individual pictures of each decoy on here, I am going to show you a pic of a bunch of them on the shelves, ready to go hunting or into your hunting collectibles. If you have questions about any of them, I can talk to you about them or send you pictures of those in question. This is a random sample of what I have on hand at present. It will change, sometimes daily, so call 740-698-5060 to get up-to-the-minute availability or to place an order. Update: most of these duck decoys have sold, but the pic will give you an idea of what some of the species might look like.
Sold. Will consider orders.
Dale Dalrymple Wood Ducks. These are SOLD and are being used as duck decoys in South Carolina. I will be happy to fill orders for you. All you have to do is call or email. The price per bird is $250.
Dale Dalrymple Brant. I made this pattern in 1999 and never used it until now. My two daughters worked on it with me, so I noted the pattern. I think it is the best pattern I have had. $250. (This one is Sold, orders taken)
L. L. Bean Goldeneye (Whistler) pair. Exceptional pair of Bean goldeneye, or whistlers as they are known in Maine. The hen has not been used, the drake has light wear from honest labor. No shot marks or any gouges in the cork. Again, I show the poorer side if one is worse than another. Both sides of these two are virtually the same. Body size shows these were made anywhere from 1967 to 1993. Those are honest dates. (How many have you seen offered with dates much older? ). Condition is much more important than age when looking at many hunting collectibles. But you knew that. (If you have been following the auctions, this is what a drake's head paint is supposed to look like. Beware elsewhere). You may have to look a long, long time before you find another pair this nice. Exc. Price is for the pair. SOLD (edl)
L. L. Bean Drake Wood Duck. Although the previous owner has written 1984 on the keel, my research shows they were offered first in 1985, in a massive 15-inch body. It was not until 1987 that the body size dropped to 13 inches, as this one is. (How many have you seen listed elsewhere dated to the 50s, 60s, or 70s?) Perfect in every way, Mint. SOLD (ulz)
A lovely Red-bellied Woodpecker committed suicide by window recently, so I made a pattern and carved these two likenesses. Both are spoken for, but I would attempt another if you want one. Also shown, and orders accepted for, mourning doves, downy woodpeckers, and rufous-sided towhee (aka Eastern Towhee). The price is $75 each.
For more information or to purchase any of the above items, please email or give me a call, (740) 698-5060
Updated daily.
Dale's Decoy Den
32210 McGinnis Rd
Albany, Ohio 45710
(740_-698-5060
Cell: (740)-707-0156
via email: dale@dalesdecoyden.comI answer all emails. If you do not get a reply, look in your spam or junk folder, or call me at (740)-698-5060!
There have been visitors to this page.