VINTAGE DECOYS
For Sale

Hooded Merganser Hen by C. W. Crysler, Prince Edward County, Ontario Canada. Pre 1900. This is a rare species in original paint. The flat-bottomed, hollow body shows a slight rise from neck to back and moves back into an extended wide and flattened tail, characteristic to the Prince Edward County area. The thin neck develops into an extremely stylized high, narrow head with glass eyes. Her condition is very good with a nice bill repair and a single eye replaced. Impressed on the underside of the jaw is the initial "C" for Chrysler. This little hen has been in the Kangas Collection since 1981. "KANGAS" is hot branded and "MR 3" code is stamped into the bottom board.
Publications: DECOYS: A North American Survey by Kangas, Hillcrest Publications, Utah. 1982, p149, pl255.
Provenance: Richard Bird, Ontario Canada; Gene & Linda Kangas, Ohio.
Price: Price on Request

Red-Breasted Merganser hen by Stanley Sawler, Luenenburg County, Nova Scotia. Ca 1900-20. This racy bird has the stylistic Nova Scotia elongated solid body; partially carved and raised wings, wooden comb, carved mouth and painted eyes. It is a early decoy from Indian Point or Western Shore N.S. The body is in good working condition with a few expected in-use considerations such as a very old chip from topside of the tail; several age cracks; neck separation filled. Several overcoats of paint were removed many years ago and the body re-stained. It has been in the Kangas collection since 1978. The identification "KANGAS" hot branded on the bottom along with their stamped code number "MR 4".
Size: 20"l x 6.5h x 6w".
Publications & Venues:
NATIONAL DIRECTORY OF DECOY COLLECTORS 1978-79. Published by Gene & Linda Kagas, p80.
Exhibition "Folk Art from the Collection of Gene and Linda Kangas," Art Academy of Cincinnati, Ohio. March 1979. Exhibition and catalog No. 32.
DECOYS: A NORTH AMERICAN SURVEY by Gene and Linda Kangas. Hillcrest Publications, Utah, 1982, p 117, pl 193.
Exhibition The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, "The Decoy Study Gallery Inaugural Exhibition," 1992-1993.
Provenance: Murray Stewart, Nova Scotia, Canada; Lynn Van Schyndel, Ontario, Canada; Dick Bird, Ontario, Canada (Correspondence available); Gene & Linda Kangas, Ohio, USA.
Price: $2,800

Oversized Canvasback Drake by Frank W. Buchner (1871-1947), Erie Pennsylvania. Made ca. 1920, this solid-bodied Can has signature elaborate carving with relief wings, an anchor-shaped design on the back, fluted tail feathers and wood-stippled design elements. This large, broad bodied, bold and folky decoy is indicative of Buchner's unique styling.
Size: 17.25"l x 9.5"h.
Provenance: Jeff Cross, PA; Gene & Linda Kangas, Ohio
Price: $8,500

Flying Black Duck by Jack Parr, Michigan. Made ca 1880. Parr's flyer with the outstretched flapping tin wings makes a strong folk art presence. This bird appears singularly focused on its flight destination. It has been in the Kangas Collection since 1973. The carved wooden black-painted body carries inset wings; painted eyes; and black with brown-ochre bill color. The bird is in good condition with some slight checking on the body and a few random shot marks. The "KANGAS" hot brand as well as their stamped code "BD 5" on the underside identifies the bird.
Size: 21"l x 25"w (includes wingspan) x 4.25"h.
Provenance: Jack Parr, Michigan; Phyllis Ellison, Michigan; Gene & Linda Kangas, Ohio.
Publications & Exhibitions:
NBC Television "America: A Different Look: American Folk Art" Nationwide with Robert Bishop, 1976.
Exhibition "The Images of Folk Art," Sept 20-Dec 31, 1978. Cleveland Museum of Art Exhibition & Catalog.
AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF COLLECTIBLES, Time/Life Books, 1978.
NATIONAL DIRECTORY OF DECOY COLLECTORS 1978/79. Pictured. Published by Gene & Linda Kangas.
Exhibition "Folk Art from the Collection of Gene & Linda Kangas," Art Academy of Cincinnati OH Exhibition & Catalog.
DECOYS: A NORTH AMERICAN SURVEY by Gene & Linda Kangas. Hillcrest Publications, 1982 p 307.
Exhibition Mid-Atlantic Wildfowl Festival, Virginia Beach, VA, August 1982. Exhibition of Stick-up Decoys from the Kangas Collection.
Price: $2200

Canvasback hen by Peter Marshall Pringle (1878-1953), Dunnville, Ontario Canada. Beautiful solid-bodied bird with the very subtle original coloration of a hen. Pringle's deft overall surface texturing of head and body softens the image as she rests quietly. Glass eyes, rounded, relief-carved wings, and delicately enunciated tail featheration attest to Pringle's complete attention to his bird. Stamped on bottom under paint "PMP" and "55"; original leather tiedown. "An avid outdoorsman, Pringle began carving decoys in 1898 and in 1928 set himself the goal of producing the best rig of decoys in the world. Between 1929 and 1946, employing his skills as a commercial artist and going to great lengths to ensure the utmost accuracy, he fashioned approximately 120 of what many now consider to be among the finest examples of decoy art....he carved exclusively for his own use and made only a few for close friends..." Quote: William Reeve, Peter M. Pringle Master Decoy Maker.
Size: 16"l x 6.5"h.
Publication: PETER M. PRINGLE MASTER DECOY MAKER by William C. Reeve. McGill-Queen's University Press, Montreal & Kingston, Canada, 2002.
Price: $7,500

Hen Red Breasted Merganser by Harald Thengs (1893-1974). Babylon, Long Island, New York. Ca. 1930s. Fine original condition. Custom fit keel rigged, fore and aft, with brass eye screws. Hand-fashioned eyes (dry pigment & glue). Thengs stamp On bottom. Until 1983, Thengs' extraordinary and totally unique small rig of decoys lay hidden in a dusty sea chest in the attic loft of his family's 350 year old farmhouse. Six more years passed before his family sought information on the birds. All of Thengs' decoys now reside in a few private collections and four major museums. See DECOYS by Gene and Linda Kangas p207 for rigmates.
Size: 17"l x 7.75"h.
Publications: "The Return of the Viking Decoys," Decoy Magazine, March/April 1990, by Gene and Linda Kangas, the Thengs Family and Nicholas Kondon.
Provenance: Harald Thengs, Long Island NY; The Thengs Family, Norway; Gene & Linda Kangas, Ohio.
Price: $8500.00

Life-size Jack Curlew by James Stanley Lapham, Jr. (1909-1987), Dennisport, Massachusetts and Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Signature on bottom of base: "Jack Curlew. James Lapham Dennisport Mass 1962" plus the number " 19. " This superb standing Curlew is boldly yet subtly painted by Lapham and has glass eyes. Long wire legs are affixed to a faux stone base with the bird's feet painted on the "stone." This stately shorebird is in great condition and is one of the nicest of Lapham's works. Until circa 1957 Lapham produced carvings in quite a variety of sizes. He was an avid hunter; yet, no working decoy rig by him is known. He did, however, make a limited number of decorative decoys. After 1957, Lapham tended to specialize in miniature songbirds, waterfowl and upland game birds.
Size: 13.75"l x 13.5"h.
Publications: This exact curlew is featured in the article "James Lapham - Migrant Bird Carver" Hunting & Fish Collectibles Magazine, March/April 2005. Read this article JAMES LAPHAM.
Price: $1600

Confidence Seagull by George V. Soule (1912-1996), Staples Point Road, Freeport Maine. Made ca 1950. This is a very rare all-wood (pine or cedar) Herring Gull Soule decoy, weighted and used for hunting from Soule's own rig. Its turned head looks slightly toward the sky reaching forward in a swimming movement. He has glass eyes, carved shoulder,s and deep relief-carved black and white wing tips. The paint is fine, original and dry. This is one of the best Soule birds we've ever seen.

Reported from Boston Globe/Associated Press April 3, 1996: "BRUNSWICK, Maine -- George V. Soule, a widely known carver of duck decoys and former hunting companion of the founder of L.L. Bean Inc., has died at the age of 84. Mr. Soule, a lifelong Freeport resident was an innovator of coastal cork decoys." It was reported that Soule made and sold 200,000 cork birds through the L.L. Bean catalog over the years....However, THIS wood Herring Gull is from his personal hunting rig.
Size: 17.25"l x 6.25"h.
Publication "Under the Radar: Undervalued Vintage Decoys," Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, July/August 2008.
Price: $2,000

Black Duck by Benjamin Holmes, Stratford, Connecticut, circa 1870. This lovely hollow, low head decoy has bill and nostril carving, and glass eyes. The teardrop style Holmes weight is affixed to the bottom as well as the "B Holmes" stamping near the leather tie down. The bird is in beautiful Shang Wheeler paint. The "KANGAS" hot stamp and code number "BD 1" are also on the bottom board. This bird has been in the Kangas Collection since 1981. A note from previous owner Dixon Merkt dated 10/22/81 reads: "Low back Ben Holmes black duck made ar. 1870 with "B Holmes" stamp. Acquired from old Stratford gunner in early 1970. Blacks seem to be more scarce than broadbill."
Size: 15.75"h x 6"h.
Provenance: Old Stratford Gunner, Early 1970s; Dixon Merkt; Gene & Linda Kangas.
Publications and Venues: DECOYS: A NORTH AMERICAN SURVEY by Kangas, Hillcrest Publications, Utah, 1982; p 204 color.
Exhibition Mid-Atlantic Wildfowl Festival, Virginia Beach, VA, August 1982. Won Blue Ribbon for Best in Show of Ben Holmes Black Ducks.
Exhibition of Antique Black Duck Decoys (including catalog) at 1984 Ohio Decoy Collectors & Carvers Assn. Show, Westlake, Ohio.
COLLECTOR'S GUIDE TO DECOYS by Kangas. Wallace-Homestead, 1992; p 104.
Exhibition The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, "The Decoy Study Gallery Inaugural Exhibition;" July 1992.
Price: $4,800

One-of-a-Kind Owl decoy (made 1944) by C. Victor Bracher (Utah and Cleveland Ohio), paired with a Herter's Company rare "Dead Crow". This Owl was fashioned by Bracher in the style of the commercially-made Herter's Company Owls. Signed by Bracher. The owl was intended to be nailed to a fence post in a field. Originally, fish hooks were attached to the back of the head to impale the crows. The owls were used to lure crows which would then attack the owl while a farmer shot the crows protecting his crops. Herter's Company produced a limited number of "Dead Crows" to be used with their owls in the field. Both decoys, the Owl and the Crow, are in very good condition. This Owl and Crow have been in the Kangas Collection since 1973.
Sizes: Owl 20.5"h Crow 17"l (length of crow) Ensemble with metal stand 28.5"h.
Provenance: C. Victor Bracher, Ohio; Gene and Linda Kangas, Ohio
Publications & Venues:
THE BIRD DECOY, AN AMERICAN ART FORM, Exhibition & Catalog. Johnsgard, University of Nebraska, 1976, p182
Cincinnati Post, March 24, 1979, p17
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF COLLECTIBLES. Time-Life Books, 1978/79. Chapter "Decoys", p179
Exhibition "Folk Art from the Collection of Gene and Linda Kangas," Exhibition and Catalog at the Art Academy of Cincinnati, Ohio, March 1979, plate 1
DECOYS: A NORTH AMERICAN SURVEY by Gene and Linda Kangas, Hillcrest Publications, Utah, 1983, plate 491,p307
DECOYS OF THE MISSISSIPPI FLYWAY by Alan Haid, Schiffer Publishing, 1981, p146
Exhibition Mid-Atlantic Wildfowl Festival, Virginia Beach VA, August 1982
Exhibition The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, "The Decoy Study Gallery Inaugural Exhibition," 1992-93
Price: $7,500

Mallard Drake and Hen by Walter "Tube" Dawson (1882-1955), Putnam, Illinois. Made circa 1940. These decoys are hollow, slightly oversize, in very good bold, strong original paint, and have extra long necks which distinguish them from most other Illinois River decoys. The high necks represent Dawson's best work and were part of a "special order" of just one dozen made for hunting in high grass. The unique painting on the neck of the hen relates to "folk grain painting" found on some early painted furniture. They have the "KANGAS" hot brand and code stamps "MD 13" and "MD 2" on the bottom of each decoy. They have been in the Kangas collection since 1980.
Sizes: Drake 17.25"l x 9.25"h and Hen 17.75"l x 9.75"h.
Publications: DECOYS OF THE MISSISSIPPI FLYWAY by Haid, 1981, page 168;
NATIONAL DIRECTORY OF DECOY COLLECTORS, 1981, Book II, Kangas, page 33;
DECOYS: A NORTH AMERICAN SURVEY, 1983, page 246;
COLLECTORS GUIDE TO DECOYS by Kangas, 1992, page 134.
Provenance: Joe & Donna Tonelli; Gene and Linda Kangas.
Price on Request