Decoy prices remain strong at auction

A decorative wood duck by Jim Foote brought $2,588, meeting the high estimate mark of $1,500 to $2,500. Photos courtesy Guyette & Schmidt.

WESTLAKE, Ohio — On March 19, Guyette & Schmidt, Inc. conducted a small auction at the Ohio Decoy Collectors Show in Westlake, Ohio. The auction was well attended and grossed $54,863, which was within estimate. The top lot in the sale was a rare pair of shovelers by Ben Schmidt, which sold for $6,900.

Collectors from Italy, Australia, and the Virgin Islands were some of those bidding for decoys online, which accounted for 12 percent of the total sale. Jon Deeter and Zac Cote did the cataloging and ran the sale for Guyette & Schmidt, Inc. North Carolina auctioneer, Larry Carter did the bid calling.

Available at shop.collect.com

Guyette & Schmidt, Inc. is the world’s largest decoy auction firm with over $120 million in decoy sales. The company holds three major decoy auctions per year in different locations across the United States.

Guyette & Schmidt, Inc.’s next decoy sale will be held April 22-23, 2010 in St. Charles, Ill., in conjunction with the Midwest Decoy Collectors Association National Antique Decoy & Sporting Collectibles Show, the country’s largest antique decoy show.

Guyette and Schmidt, Inc. provides free decoy appraisals to anyone sending a decoy photo and stamped, self-addressed envelope to: Guyette and Schmidt, Inc., P.O. Box 1170, St. Michaels, MD 21663. Phone 410-745-0485, fax 410-745-0487, or by e-mail to decoys@guyetteandschmidt.com.