Easton, Maryland – Following their $10 million auction held in April, the St. Michaels, Maryland based auction company Guyette and Deeter, hosted their annual summer auction at the Country School on July 24th and 25th. The two-day decoy and sporting art auction brought in $6.5 million, which was substantially more than expected. With 13 items selling for $100,000 or more and 95 bringing over $10,000, there continues to be strong demand for rare and high-quality waterfowl decoys at auction.
The auction started with 63 items from the Jim and Diane Cook collection of Minneapolis, Minnesota, which brought in over $3.67 million, an outstanding per lot average of $58,376. Guyette and Deeter will be offering more important decoys from the Cook collection over their next four auctions.
Important mallard by John Blair selling for $240,000.
The top selling lot of the auction was once again lot 1. This time a rare and important wood duck by Massachusetts carver Elmer Crowell. Estimated at a conservative $120,000 – $180,000, the wood duck grossed $570,000 including premium. The bidding battles continued throughout much of the Cook offerings. Lot 2, an important mallard by Philadelphia carver John Blair with a presale estimate of $60,000 – $90,000, totaled $240,000. An outstanding and very rare long-tailed duck by Joseph Lincoln of Accord, Massachusetts, which was the third item across the block, brought $330,000 against a $120,000 – $180,000 estimate.
An important wood duck by the Mason Decoy Factory sold for $144,000.
It wasn’t just the Cook collection decoys that brought spirited bidding however, a fresh to the market and extremely rare Premier grade wood duck by the Mason Decoy Factory of Detroit, Michigan, which had been passed down in the Mason family, sold for $144,000.
Virginia carver Nathan Cobb, Jr.’s brant sold for $120,000.
From the Oliver Smith collection, a swimming Canada goose by Nathan Cobb of Cobb Island, Virginia brought $120,000 and a rare tucked-head Canada goose by the Ward Brothers at $39,000. The estate of Florida collector Don Leonard offered some very notable decoys including a Noah Sterling goldeneye from Crisfield, Maryland that totaled $57,000, a unique hooded merganser hen by the Ward Brothers at $45,000, and pair of hooded mergansers by Ontario carver Samuel Hutchins that totaled $78,000, though sold separately.
Appealing watercolor by Ogden Pleissner brought $51,000.
An appealing rail hunting watercolor by Odgen Pleissner brought spirited bidding and finished at $51,000. A beautifully carved cigar store trade figure princess by Samuel Robb from the Rudolph Haffenreffer and Mark Goldman collections also ended at $51,000.
This outstanding long-tailed duck by Joseph Lincoln sold for $330,000.
Guyette and Deeter’s next auction will be a two-day Fine Sporting Arms auction on September 10th and 11th followed by their Decoy and Sporting Art auction on November 14th and 15th in Easton, Maryland. To view upcoming offerings at their St. Michaels gallery or to consign to a future auction, call the office at 410-745-0485.
This goldeneye by Noah Sterling from Crisfield sold for $45,000.
6. One of many Ward Brothers carvings. This Canada goose sold for $39,000.