: A John Blair Sr carved and painted mallard decoy shot past
presale estimates at Guyette & Schmidt's recent North
American Decoys at Auction sale realizing a record price paid at
auction for the carver at $214,000.
The sale, April 28 and 29, which grossed an impressive $2.7
million, had some 36 decoys sell in excess of $10,000.
Hooded merganser by William Hart, $203,000.
The rare mallard hen decoy by the Philadelphia carver
retained its near mint original paint and was in a swimming pose.
Also sold was a nearly identically carved bird, except that it was
painted as a drake, that brought $103,500. The decoys,
ex-collection of James McCleery, were sold by Guyette &
Schmidt/Sotheby's in 2000 at the McCleery sale for $112,500, and
$60,250, respectively.
Another of the top lots was a William Hart hooded merganser that
sold for $203,000, establishing a record price not only for the
carver, but also for any Canadian decoy ever sold at auction.
A complete report of the auction will appear in a future issue.
-DSS
