If you would like to contact me direct to chat about your old decoys,
I would enjoy visiting with.
[email protected] 1-613-922-7000 web site http://decoyinfo.com/
Do you have old wooden duck decoys? Do you know anyone that has a antique bird decoy?
Its, ?MR. DECOY? also known as Steven Lloyd and I would like to help you with your old wooden decoys. I have been trusted by countless, museums, shows, special events and international organizations.
The history of waterfowling dates back 2000 years. Think for a second do you know anyone that may have old wooden bird decoys? Many old wooden decoys are worth more than you think or they may not still be out in the barns, sheds or in the attics!
What if that apple basket of old wooden birds are worth thousands?
Just ask the hundreds of folks that e-mailed, phoned or knocked on my door this summer.
All asking the same question, ?ARE MY DUCKS VALUABLE AND HOW VALUABLE??
All very surprise at the potential value of their dusty old decoys and amazed that I can offer detailed history for each decoy. ?All for free?.
I?m very pleased when readers pass on our free Decoy Evaluation Services to folks from other areas.
Most of the owners think they have a few old interesting wooden birds many are headed to the next yard sale! Please ?NO DON?T?, Please find out what you have first!
I am not a writer but I love sharing my 30 years of researching decoys and helping thousands of folks with their decoys and I do enjoy the hundreds of people that call or visit to see my collection each year.
Here is a little about my HOBBY, PASSION and LIFE STUDY, of North America?s old hunting decoys and their history.
Please poor a coffee and enjoy... While you are reading this little ?duck tail? your mind is running over all the places you have seen old duck decoys , GOOD? .
Maybe that apple box or sack full is still there. Pop a picture of it and email it to Steve and he will give a free evaluation and identifacation. Then you can make a more informed choice on what to do with them.
I have climbed up in dusty attics, under more that a few cottages, scared by many basements were the ceiling was lower than me and traveled hundreds, even thousands of miles at times to have look at old hunting decoys.
Yes I am ?NUTS? when it come to old dirty decoys. It?s a life long treasure hunt.
My dream is to help as many people as possible in my life time evaluate their old wooden decoys and to educate folks, city dwellers and county folk, about their decoys, the history and their value. Many international and local Museums, local and international auction houses have also asked for help. Auctioneers email pictures of decoys that are coming up in sales. When they get history and data on their decoys usually they sell for much more.
I love exchanging decoy and hunting history while helping people with their old wooden birds.
I offer my near 30 years of specialized knowledge gained while researching old decoys and talking with thousands of great people from all over Canada and the world. . Many people looking for help, come to my home to visit the duck house display. I get many e-mails with pictures of decoys, from all over the world and I?ve had countless invitations to cottages, camps, farms, homes, shops and museums. I have even helped several people that bought cottages, camps and homes. They found old dirty duck and shorebird decoys under and in their cottages some were worth thousands! Almost as much as the property. My advise be careful of what you leave behind, give away or sell.
It is a life long passion and hobby I have nothing for sale. I just sharing information for free. My payment is to see new decoys for my research. I very much look forward to helping your readers and their families.
Decoy questions.
What about the history ? Who made this decoy ? Where is it from ? Where has it been used ? How did it get here ? Why was it made this way ? What kind of duck is it ? Who owned it ? Is it documented? Who?s initials are on the bottom ? IS IT VALUABLE ? Is it one of the good ones ? Which one of my decoys are valuable ? Would a museum want my decoy ?
Most of these questions can be answered, some easier than others.
You can start by sending a picture of your decoys to Steven.
As a well seasoned expert and Canada?s foremost Authority on decoys he can often answer many of these question with glance of your decoy.
We welcome all people to call or send a picture of their decoys by snail mail or our e-mail, at
If any of your readers need to call collect please do. ?Especially Seniors.? 1-613-968-2183
Just a little more about decoys and ?duck tales? As a functional tool a decoy?s primary use was to be used with as many as 300 similar blocks to lure in wild birds to excited waiting hunters.
To day, many are still being used for hunting but many thousands have been retired and are being used in Antique shops to lure in wild decoy collectors, excited about finding the next treasure.
Like the early hunters that had different opinions about what was the best decoy and how they should be used . Today?s collectors have similar opinions on what decoys are treasures or trash. In the most early days of decoys they were primitively constructed from materials on hand, marsh grass, tamarack, mud, twigs even animal skins. All usually had a few found feathers of wild birds to add color and texture. From the mid 1800's to 1918 was the glory years of decoys . Thousands of decoys were carved out .
The market hunter were in full flight and the demand for wooden decoys was higher than what could be supplied. The were many individual carvers that sold decoys but soon factories took the overflow. The Mason , Dodge, Stevens, Victor, and Peterbourgh Decoy Companies were some of the many ones. In the late 1880s and early 1900s the diehard men hunting day after day, many even in spring and fall. It?s a known fact that many of these outdoors men prided themselves on hitting up too 3 decoys per shot on a regular basis. Then unfortunately for the waterfowl there was the invention of the punt gun. It was like a small canon that was bolted to the duck boat and could shoot dozens per shot.
In these days ducks were an important source of food for early families. Many for the commercial hunters also sold at market. The folks would go into town and sell the days hunt often by the pair. The ducks were also shipped in barrels by rail to larger centers. In early days it was common in all the upscale restaurant to order a wild duck dinner or in some areas geese, swans, even shorebirds.
Criteria for Evaluation & Appraising Old Decoys
Most collector and investors agree on the following criteria. 1 Condition, as perfect as when it was originally made. 2 Damage, rule of the thumb the more damage the more the value drops. 3 The carver, the decoys of well known carvers often bring higher prices. 4 Documentation, decoys that are documented are usually more desirable 5 Rarity, of the decoy, by specie, construction, or numbers produced. 6 Folk art, unique construction or a creative pose often catches a different eye.7 Matching pairs or sets of birds appeals to many collectors & investors. 8 Museums often have interest in documented & unique decoys.9 Our economy, if things are good in the world decoys price are often up. 10 ?A Bird In Hand? is true today as it was years ago. Collectors and researchers like myself often only get one opportunity in a life time to buy a dream decoy. We often have dream a certain bird is still out there. So yes, I have paid much more than market price for a few dream decoys in my collection.
Odd Decoy stories.
I trade my family station wagon for a basket of great old decoys in my early years of collecting. I have waited up to 10 years for several decoys in my collection to come for sale. I paddled across 2 lakes 2 rivers and through the bush just to see some very ugly decoys. When I still hunted, I have come home without my shot gun several times after trading it for decoys while hunting on the shore of Lake Ontario. I am promised several rigs of great decoys form different people for more than 15 years and am still waiting, hoping and dreaming for that phone call that the family it ready to part with them. I don?t mind waiting. I always try to keep in touch and always enjoy great conversations each time the family check in with me.
I have spent hundreds of hours at shows and special events at my own expense to help people with decoys and as a obsessive researcher it all worth it ,, even through though shows were it rained all weekend a few people showed up. I have never been disappointed with the dozens of displays I have done because I have always gathered decoy data. My enthusiasm is strained at times at the wee hours of the morning while I am answering emails and studding photographs of decoys.
If you here of anyone with decoys give them a gift of knowledge. I do.
Thank you ,,, Have Ducky Day
Steven Lloyd Historic Waterfowl Decoy Researcher The National Decoy Information Centre
