Guyette and Schmidt, Inc Decoy Auction Firm

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.

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