Information obtained from "Decoy Magazine" Year in Review
| Highest volume in dollars for the sale of antique decoys of any auction firm in history. (1984 - November 2011) | $132,539,080.00 |
| Highest gross of any decoy auction house per year 1987, 1989 - 2010. | $12,702,094.00 (2007) |
| Most decoys in the top 100 decoys ever sold at auction. | 78 (2009) |
| Most decoys sold by any decoy auction house in top 100 lots in one year 1987 - 2010. | 90 lots (2003) |
| Most decoys sold by any auction house worth over $100,000, 1987, 1989 - 2010. | 24 lots (2007) |
| Most decoys sold by any auction house worth over $10,000, 1987, 1989 - 2010 | 236 lots (2005) |
| Highest average price per lot of any decoy auction house 1987 - 2010. | $7,821.00 (April 2007) |
| Number of auctions in the top 10 decoy auctions of all time | 9 (1984-2010) |
| Number of records set for individual makers. | 197 (1987 - 2010) |
| Most decoys sold per year by any auction house 1987 - 2010. | 2,794 decoys (2004) |
THE REAL LEADER IN THE SALE OF ANTIQUE WATERFOWL DECOYS AT AUCTION:
GUYETTE & SCHMIDT, INC.
Decoy Magazine is the only publication that provides annual statistical information in its Year in Review issue about
the 4 auction houses that specialize in the sale of antique decoys. Each year this publication provides an in-depth analysis
of the performance of each of these auction houses.
| STATISTICS PER DECOY MAGAZINE THROUGH 2010 | |||||||||
| Auction House | Numbers of Years Having Auctions | Total Sales | Top 100 Decoys Ever Sold At Auction | Top 10 Highest Grossing Decoy Auctions | Auction Records for Maker | Decoys Sold for over $10,000 | Highest Price Decoy Ever Sold at Auction | Guaranteed Descriptions | Price of Auction Catalog |
| Guyette & Schmidt, Inc. | 27 | $132,539,080 | 78 | 9 | 197 | 1,871 | $856,000. | Yes | $45. |
| House "DU" | 24 | $19,907,155 | 5 | 0 | 23 | 257 | $225,000. | Yes | $37. |
| House "C" | 5 | $7,738,954 | 15 | 1 | 9 | 117 | $661,250. | No | $58. |
| House "F&F" | 15 | $4,737,700 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 23 | $92,000. | No | $25. |
There are many more categories than those shown here, in which Guyette & Schmidt, Inc. holds a commanding LEAD.
Besides the statistical information offered here, Guyette & Schmidt, Inc. has been chosen to offer the sale of the vast majority
of the largest and most important private collections to come to public auction. They include the collections of:
|
Dr. James McCleery
Mr. Harold Haertel
Mr. Gene Konopasek |
These statistics tell the real leadership story. So, when considering the sale of any or all of your decoy collection, get the facts before making a decision. Then history will be on your side.
Top 50 Decoys Ever Sold at Auction
| RANK | MAKER | STATE | DECOY | AUCTIONEER | DATE | PRICE | RECORD |
| 1 | Lothrop Holmes | MA | Red Breasted Mergaser Hen | Guyette & Schmidt, Inc./Christie's | January-07 | $856,000 | Auction Record for any decoy/state of MA/record for maker |
| 2 | A.E. Crowell | MA | Feeding Dust Jacket style Black Bellied Plover | Guyette & Schmidt, Inc. | November-06 | $830,000 | Auction Record for any shorebird decoyrecord for maker |
| 3 | A.E. Crowell | MA | Preening Pintail Drake | Guyette & Schmidt, Inc./Christie's | January-03 | $801,500 | |
| 4 | A.E. Crowell | MA | Preening Canada Goose | Guyette & Schmidt, Inc./Sotheby's | January-00 | $684,500 | |
| 5 | A.E. Crowell | MA | Nesting Canada Goose | House "C" | July-09 | $661,250 | |
| 6 | A.E. Crowell | MA | Hissing Spread Wing Canada Goose Decorative | Guyette & Schmidt, Inc. | April-04 | $605,000 | Auction Record for any decorative carving |
| 7 | Unknown | PA/MA | Slot Neck Canada Goose | Guyette & Schmidt, Inc./Christie's | January-07 | $553,600 | Auction Record for an unknown carver |
| 8 | A.E. Crowell | MA | Preening Pintail | House "C" | July-09 | $546,250 | |
| 9 | Lothrop Holmes | MA | Ruddy Turnston | Guyette & Schmidt, Inc./Sotheby's | January-00 | $470,000 | |
| 10 | Thomas Gelston | NY | Preening Curlew | Guyette & Schmidt, Inc. | November-06 | $467,000 | Auction Record for state of NY/record for maker |
| 11 | William Bowman | NY | Hollow Carved Curlew | Guyette & Schmidt, Inc./Sotheby's | January-00 | $464,500 | Auction Record for maker |
| 12 | Nathan Cobb, Jr. | VA | Hollow Carved Swimming Canada Goose | Guyette & Schmidt, Inc./Christie's | January-08 | $457,000 | Auction Rrecord for state of VA?record for maker |
| 13 | Lothrop Holmes | MA | Pair of Red Breasted Mergansers | Guyette & Schmidt, Inc./Christie's | January-03 | $394,500 | |
| 14 | Nathan Cobb, Jr. | VA | Running Curlew | Guyette & Schmidt, Inc. | November-06 | $390,000 | |
| 15 | Mason Decoy Factory | MI | Premier Grade Wood Duck | Guyette & Schmidt, Inc./Sotheby's | January-00 | $354,500 | Auctio Record for a Factory Made Decoy/state of MI |
| 16 | A.E. Crowell | MA | Dust Jacket Style Black Bellied Plover | Guyette & Schmidt, Inc. | April-04 | $352,000 | |
| 17 | Unknown | MA | Running Sickle Billed Curlew | Guyette & Schmidt, Inc. | July-97 | $335,500 | |
| 18 | Clinton Keith | MA | Pair of Red Breasted Mergansers | Guyette & Schmidt, Inc. | April-06 | $335,000 | Auction Record for maker |
| 19 | A.E. Crowell | MA | Preening Pintail Drake | House "O" | July-86 | $319,000 | Same Decoy as #3 above |
| 20 | William Bowman | NY | Hudsonian Curlew | Guyette & Schmidt, Inc. | April-07 | $313,000 | |
| 21 | A.E. Crowell | MA | Dust Jacket Style Black Bellied Plover | Guyette & Schmidt, Inc. | April-04 | $297,000 | |
| 22 | A.E. Crowell | MA | Feeding Dust Jacket style Black Bellied Plover | Guyette & Schmidt, Inc. | April-07 | $291,000 | |
| 23 | Lee Dudley | NC | Ruddy Duck | Guyette & Schmidt, Inc. | April-08 | $269,000 | Auctio Record for State of NC/record for maker |
| 24 | Nathan Cobb, Jr. | VA | Running Curlew | Guyette & Schmidt, Inc. | April-07 | $258,000 | |
| 25 | Charles Perdew | IL | Sleeping Mallard Hen | Guyette & Schmidt, Inc. | April-07 | $252,000 | Auction Record for State of IL/record for maker |
| 96% by lot of the top 25 decoys ever sold at auction | |||||||
| 97% by dollar value of the top 25 decoys ever sold at auction | |||||||
| 26 | William Bowman | NY | Tucked Head Lesser Yellowlegs | Guyette & Schmidt, Inc./Sotheby's | January-00 | $244,500 | |
| 27 | Nathan Cobb, Jr. | VA | Swimming Brant | Guyette & Schmidt, Inc. | April-04 | $241,500 | |
| 28 | A.E. Crowell | MA | Feeding Dust Jacket style Black Bellied Plover | House "S" | May-05 | $240,000 | |
| 29 | Unknown | PA/MA | Slot Neck Canada Goose | Guyette & Schmidt, Inc./Sotheby's | January-00 | $233,500 | |
| 30 | John English | NJ | Hollow Carved Pintail Hen | Guyette & Schmidt, Inc. | July-07 | $225,000 | Auction Record for State of NJ/record for maker |
| 30 | Attr. Tom Wilson | MA | Feeding Willet | House "DU" | July-08 | $225,000 | |
| 32 | A.E. Crowell | MA | Standing Blackduck | House "C" | July-08 | $214,000 | Auction Record for maker |
| 32 | Ira Hudson | VA | Red Breasted Mergaser Hen | Guyette & Schmidt, Inc. | April-07 | $214,000 | Auction Record for maker |
| 32 | A.E. Crowell | MA | Feeding Semi-Palmated Plover | Guyette & Schmidt, Inc. | April-07 | $214,000 | |
| 32 | Bert Graves | IL | Pair of Oversized Hollow Carved Mallards | Guyette & Schmidt, Inc. | July-06 | $214,000 | Auction Record for maker |
| 32 | John Blair, St. | PA | Hollow Carved Swimming Mallard Hen | Guyette & Schmidt, Inc. | April-05 | $214,000 | Auction Record for State of PA/record for maker |
| 37 | A.E. Crowell | MA | Standing Decorative Black Duck | Copley Auction Company | July-08 | $214,000 | |
| 38 | A.E. Crowell | MA | Wood Duck | Guyette & Schmidt, Inc./Sotheby's | January-00 | $211,500 | |
| 39 | Joseph Lincoln | MA | Wood Duck | House "B" | May-86 | $205,000 | Auction Record for maker |
| 40 | A.E. Crowell | MA | Great Grey Heron | Guyette & Schmidt, Inc./Christie's | January-07 | $204,000 | |
| 41 | Harry V. Shourds | NJ | Hollow Carved Hissing Canada Goose | Guyette & Schmidt, Inc. | April-96 | $203,500 | Auction Record for maker |
| 42 | William Hart | ONT | Hollow Carved Hooded Merganser | Guyette & Schmidt, Inc. | April-05 | $203,000 | Auction Record for Canada/record for maker |
| 43 | Harry V. Shourds | NJ | Hollow Carved Gull | Guyette & Schmidt, Inc./Sotheby's | January-00 | $200,500 | |
| 44 | Gus Wilson | ME | Preening Raised Wing Black Duck | House "K" | May-05 | $195,500 | Auction Record for State of ME/record for maker |
| 45 | Nathan Cobb, Jr. | VA | Hollow Carved Swimming Canada Goose | Guyette & Schmidt, Inc. | April-93 | $192,500 | Same Decoy as #10 above |
| 46 | Hucks Caines | SC | Snakey Neck Mallard | Guyette & Schmidt, Inc./Sotheby's | January-00 | $189,500 | Auction Record for State of SC/record for maker |
| 47 | Thomas Chambers | ONT | Hollow Carved Wood Duck | Guyette & Schmidt, Inc. | April-04 | $187,000 | Auction Record for maker |
| 48 | A.E. Crowell | MA | Running Curlew Decorative | Copley Auction Company | July-07 | $186,500 | |
| 49 | Fred Nichols | MA | Greater Yellowlegs | Guyette & Schmidt, Inc. | November-05 | $181,000 | Auction Record for maker |
| 50 | Joseph Lincoln | MA | Hooded Merganser Hen | Guyette & Schmidt, Inc. | November-04 | $181,000 | |
