Guyette & Deeter, Inc. – Decoy and Sporting Art Auction
April 25 & 26, 2024
The Westin Chicago-Lombard, Lombard, Illinois
guyetteanddeeter.com

LOMBARD, ILL. — In 1967, Elaine Haid gave her husband Alan a pair of miniature mallards by William Pratt of Joliet, Ill. It was a fairly simple set of carvings by today’s collecting standards, but those miniature mallards sparked in Alan a desire to learn about and assemble a collection of the rarest examples by the most celebrated carvers in North America. This passion would define much of their adult lives and help shape the world of decoy collecting. Alan often said that “knowledge is power” and as a long-time decoy dealer, appraiser, author and adviser to many collections, there are few decoy collectors today that haven’t been empowered by some of the knowledge Alan accrued and so generously shared over the years.

As an employee of Champion International (now International Paper) for 40 years, Alan traveled extensively throughout the United States and during duck season, many of those trips ended up being along the Mississippi flyway. He would often trade or purchase an old wooden decoy from the clubs he hunted and was always intrigued by the differences in construction and design in the decoys from Canada to Louisiana. After years of research and study, Alan undertook the serious scholarly effort of publishing a decoy reference book. Released in 1981, Decoys of the Mississippi Flyway became an invaluable source for collectors of decoys from this part of the country.

Alan’s longtime friend and partner Russ Goldberger explained, “Alan and I met when we both lived in metropolitan Cincinnati 40-plus years ago. About that time, I spied an ad that Alan had run in a decoy publication, looking for good original paint decoys. Having recently purchased a Mason Premier mallard, of which I was particularly proud, I responded to the ad, and Alan suggested I bring it by his house. He took one look and let me down easy — it was an old repaint. Although I felt disappointed, that chance meeting began a long friendship.” In 1993, the two would jointly author Mason Decoys a Complete Pictorial Guide, followed by the expanded updated edition in 2014.

For nearly half a century, Alan and Elaine were fixtures at decoy shows and auctions across United States. In the ongoing effort to not only grow their collection but to also improve the examples in their holdings, the Haids would often sell four or five more common or lesser condition decoys to acquire one, rarer and more desirable example. In 2006, the opportunity to acquire one of the finest carvings ever created by Elmer Crowell presented itself, and the Haid’s sold 38 important decoys in order to purchase it. At that time, Alan explained that “it was a collector’s dream to have an opportunity to collect a premier piece by the most famous maker, that’s what we live for.”

The Haids gladly opened their home in Darien, Conn., to welcome new and seasoned collectors alike. These visits usually involved a pleasant lunch, study of the decoys and stories or lessons given on one’s favorites. The pursuit of knowledge and passion for sharing that knowledge to further the art form was Alan’s greatest contribution to the collecting community, and the Haids will be remembered as some of decoy collecting’s greatest champions.

Guyette and Deeter owners Jon Deeter and Zac Cote said, “We are honored to have been entrusted with the responsibility of dispersing the Haid collection to the next generation of passionate collectors. We have taken this important duty very seriously and have attempted to put as much thought, planning and hard work into the divestment, as Alan and Elaine put into the creation of this fabulous collection.

We believe the Haids would get great enjoyment knowing that their cherished birds were going to be studied, pursued, enjoyed and shared for generations to come.” Many of the rare examples in the Haid collection have never been offered at auction and were acquired by Alan and Elaine when the vast majority of decoys were traded for and purchased at decoy shows and when most were fresh to the collecting community.

The auction takes place on April 25-26 at the Westin Chicago Lombard, 70 Yorktown Center. A preview party will be conducted on Wednesday, April 24, from 4 to 7 pm. The auction will start at 10 am Central Time on both days.

For information, 410-745-0485 or www.bid.guyetteanddeeter.com, where all Guyette and Deeter auctions take place.

Starting their collecting journey together in 1967, Alan and Elaine Haid, acquired the rarest and finest examples of waterfowl decoys they could find, ever endeavoring to improve and refine their collection over the decades. As Alan’s knowledge and influence grew, he would become a successful dealer and appraiser of decoys and would author ‘Decoys of the Mississippi Flyway’ in 1981 and co-author ‘Mason Decoys – A Complete Pictorial Guide’ in 1993.
The Haids were staples at most of the decoy shows and auctions across the country for a half century. The result of that amount of focus and time spent in one collecting field is a grouping of some of the rarest examples by many of the top artists in North America. From the one-of-a-kind, oversize preening black duck by Robert Elliston, to the only known working semi-palmated plover by A. Elmer Crowell, many of the decoys in the Haid collection would be difficult to improve upon or find anywhere else in the world.
A. Elmer Crowell (1862 – 1951) Exceedingly rare and outstanding, preening black duck, circa 1908 $300,000 – 500,000 This carving was made as a wedding gift in 1908 for Stanley S. Smith, a friend and patron of A. Elmer Crowell. It remained in the family for 100 years until the Haid’s acquired it in 2008. It is one of the carver’s best efforts and has never been offered at public sale.
410-745-0485 • guyetteanddeeter.com • 1210 S Talbot St, Unit A • St. Michaels, MD 21 663
Jon Deeter | jdeeter@guyetteanddeeter.com • Zac Cote | zcote@guyetteanddeeter.com
Obediah Verity (1813 – 1901) $100,000 – 150,000
John Dilley (19th century) $70,000 – 100,000
A. Elmer Croivell (1862 – 1951) $70,000 – 100,000
Robert Elliston (1847 – 1925) $80,000 – 120,000
Dodge Decoy Factory (1872 – 1894) $80,000 – 120,000
Charles E. “Shang” Wheeler (1872 – 1949) $50,000 – 80,000
Mason Decoy Factory (1896 – 1924) $80,000 – 120,000
Harry V. Shourds (1861 – 1920) $90,000 – 120,000
Charles Walker (1873 – 1954) $50,000 – 80,000
Harry V. Shourds (1861 – 1920) $80,000 – 120,000
Ward Brothers (1896 – 1984) & (1895 – 19 76) $70,000 – 100,000
Charles Schoenheider, Sr. (1854 – 1924) $100,000 – 150,000

Mason Decoy Factory (1896 — 1924) $80,000 – 120,000
John Dilley (19th century) $70,000- 100,000
Charles E. “Shang” Wheeler (1872 – 1949) $50,000 – 80,000
Dodge Decoy Factory (1872 — 1894) $80,000 – 120,000
A. Elmer Crowell (1862 — 1951) $70,000 – 100,000
Charles Walker (1873 — 1954) $50,000 – 80,000
Edmund Ostha
Ogden Pleissner
Thomas Brooks
Oscar Peterson
Harry M. Shourds
Elmer Crowell
Cameron Mclnty
Oscar Peterson
Captain Samuel Fabens
Obediah Verity (1813 — 1901) $100,000 – 150,000
Harry V. Shourds (1861 – 1920) $80,000 – 120,000
Robert Elliston (1847 — 1925) $80,000 – 120,000
410-745-0485 guyetteanddeeter.com 1210 S Talbot St, Unit A St. Michaels, MD 21663