Guyette and Schmidt Decoy Auction Firm
Guyette & Schmidt, Inc.
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April 24 & 25, 2008 Decoy Auction - St. Charles, Illinois

GUYETTE & SCHMIDT, INC SPRING DECOY AUCTION TOPS $3,500,000

Anyone who was wondering if the decoy auction market would continue strong this year has their answer, YES! Guyette & Schmidt, Inc. conducted their 23rd annual spring decoy auction on April 24 & 25 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 $3,579,797 which made it the 5th highest grossing decoy auction of all time. The crowd was large and the prices were high. Prices were particularly high for Midwestern and Louisiana decoys as well as decorative carvings by the Ward Brothers (Crisfield, Maryland). Three decoys sold for over $100,000; 9 lots sold for over $50,000; 34 lots sold for over $25,000 and 76 lots sold for over $10,000.

An interesting aspect of this auction was that it contained many quality decoys that had sold at auction previously and therefore presented a great look at how the decoy auction market is evolving. Once again a great decoy, a sleeping mallard by Enoch Reindahl, which sold at the Jim McCleery auction in 2000 for $46,000 brought a good return selling this time around for $92,000 an auction record for the maker. Other examples were a Lee Dudley ruddy duck which sold in 1991 for $52,800 sold this time for $269,000, a new auction record for a North Carolina decoy. The best known mallard drake by Charles Perdew sold at auction in July 1991 for $21,000, this time it sold for $137,000. A swimming Canada goose by Ira Hudson that sold at auction in 1985 for $19,800 sold this time around for $71,875.

World record auction prices were established for many decoy makers including: Phinneas Reeves, Lee Dudley, Dave Watson, Enoch Reindahl, Cassius Smith, Hiram Hotze, Mitchell LaFrance, Nicole Vadacovich, Gaston Isadore, Adam Brown, Antonaise St. Germain, Ben Dye, Mark Whipple, Art Herron, Ray Thompson, "Heck" Whittington, Gaston Isadore and others. Guyette & Schmidt, Inc. attributes the high prices to the excitement generated by auctioning decoys from famous old time collections and new buyers participating at Guyette & Schmidt, Inc. because of their cross marketing program with Christie's.

Guyette and Schmidt, Inc.'s next decoy sale will be held on July 26th & 27th, 2008 at the Wyndham Hotel in Portland, Maine. The auction will be held in conjunction with a 75 table decoy show. Consignments for this sale will be accepted until June 10th.

Redhead drake by Mark Whipple
Auction World Record Price
Preening mallard drake by Mitchell LaFrance
Auction World Record Price
Pair of mallards by Elmer Crowell
Bufflehead drake by the Mason Decoy Facatory
Greenwing teal by Charles Perdew Greenwing teal hen by Charles Perdew
Bluewing teal drake by Charles Perdew Sleeping redhead hen by Charles Perdew
Mallard drake by Charles Perdew Pair of robins by Charles Perdew
Preening mallard drake by Enoch Reindahl
Auction World Record Price
Feeding black bellied plover by Obediah Verity
Canada goose weathervane by Elmer Crowell Pintail drake by Nicole Vidacovich
Auction World Record Price
Calls by Charles Perdew Pair of greenwing teal by the Ward Brothers
Pintail hen by the Ward brothers Bluebill hen by Wilfred Benham
Auction World Record Price
Hooded merganser hen by Art Herron
Auction World Record Price
Pair of mallards by Heck Whittington
Pintail drake by the Ward Brothers Running peep by Obediah Verity
Pair of mallards by Hiram Hotze
Auction World Record Price
Decorative Canada goose by the Ward Brothers
Auction World Record Price for Ward Brothers Decorative
Canada goose by Cassius Smith
Auction World Record Price
Brown trout spearing decoy by Ray Thompson
Auction World Record Price
Ruddy duck by Ben Dye
Auction World Record Price
Pintail drake by Dave "Umbrella" Watson
Pintail hen by Dave "Umbrella" Watson
Auction World Record Price
Ruddy duck by Lee Dudley
Auction World Record Price
Canada goose by Phinneas Reeves
Auction World Record Price
Pintail drake by Charles Perdew
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