The wooden ducks commonly seen in many households are often referred to as wooden decoy ducks or wooden decorative ducks. These types of ducks were originally created to be used as hunting decoys, hence the name decoy ducks. Over time, they became more popular as decorative pieces and collector’s items rather than utilitarian hunting tools. Regardless of their use, there are a few common names for these iconic wooden waterfowl.
Decoy Ducks
The term “decoy duck” refers to wooden ducks that were originally carved and painted to lure live ducks for hunting purposes. Decoy duck carving became an American folk art, with carvers creating increasingly elaborate and lifelike duck decoys to attract more waterfowl. Even after hunting with live duck decoys became obsolete, carvers continued creating decorative decoys as an art form.
So “decoy duck” remains the most widely used term for any decorative wooden carved duck, whether or not it was ever used for hunting. Major decoy duck producing areas include the American coasts and Great Lakes region. Regional styles emerged in decoy carving, including the famous Chesapeake Bay decoy style.
Wooden Duck Decoys
“Wooden duck decoy” is a more specific term that denotes a decoy carved and painted for hunting use. These decoys were created to lure in ducks and trick them into thinking an area was safe for landing. The carved decoys would float on the water and move with the ripples, attracting live ducks who wanted to join the flock.
Hunters would hide in camouflaged blinds and wait for waterfowl to approach the decoys before shooting. The most effective wooden duck decoys were shaped and painted as realistically as possible. Popular species to imitate included mallards, canvasbacks, redheads, ruddy ducks, and more.
Decorative Wooden Ducks
The other common term for wooden ducks references their decorative purpose. “Decorative wooden ducks” differentiates birds created for aesthetic display rather than hunting utility. This covers most wooden ducks produced from the early 1900s onward.
While decorative wooden ducks may be carved and painted as realistically as hunting decoys, they can also have more fanciful designs. The ducks are not intended to attract live birds, just to look attractive as figurines and folk art. Decorative wooden ducks are commonly displayed in homes, porches, gardens, and restaurants.
Types of Decorative Wooden Ducks
There are a few main types of decorative wooden duck designs:
- Classic duck decoys – Realistically carved and painted duck species like mallards and pintails
- Simplified folk ducks – Simpler shapes and patterns like the popular “whittled duck”
- Novelty ducks – Whimsical designs like ducks wearing clothes or playing instruments
- Holiday ducks – Ducks designed for seasonal decor like Christmas, Easter, Halloween, etc.
Collectible Wooden Ducks
Vintage hand-carved wooden duck decoys have become collectors’ items, with rare decoys selling for thousands of dollars at auction. The vintage decoys were designed for rugged hunting use so few remain in good condition.
The most valuable vintage duck decoys tend to be:
- Carved and painted by an famous carver
- A highly realistic design
- In original untouched condition
- A rare species that was harder to carve
- From a coveted production area like Maine or Chesapeake Bay
Even folksy vintage decorative ducks have gained collector interest and value. Contemporary decorative wooden ducks can also become collectible if created by famous carvers.
Mallard Duck Decoys
Mallard duck decoys are the most common type of vintage duck decoy collected. The mallard is the most abundant and recognizable wild duck species. Mallard decoys were also the easiest for carvers to create in an accurate and attractive form. Characteristics of vintage mallard decoys include:
- Realistically shaped head, body, and tail
- Painted green head, grey body, white neck ring, and black rear
- Carved swimming pose with flat bottom and head forward
- Made of dense wood like white cedar that floats well
- Male and female mallard decoys often carved in pairs
Simple folk mallard ducks have a more rounded, simplified form while retaining the mallard’s green head and familiar colors.
How Decorative Wooden Ducks Are Made
While methods vary, decorative wooden duck creation typically involves:
- Choosing the wood – Typically dense, buoyant wood like white cedar or white pine.
- Shaping the blank – Sawing rectangular wood blanks into an oval duck shape.
- Carving the form – Using wood chisels and knives to carve the details of the head, body, and tail.
- Texturing the features – Adding fine textural details like feather patterns.
- Painting and finishing – Applying realistic oil-based paints and clear coats.
Power tools are sometimes involved, but hand carving and painting remain at the heart of wooden duck creation.
Common Characteristics of Decorative Wooden Ducks
While styles vary, most decorative wooden ducks share some common traits:
- Bill – Can be open or closed, colored orange or yellow
- Head – Rounded with indented carving to shape the crown and occiput
- Eyes – Painted circular irises, occasionally with inset glass eyes
- Body – Oval, rounded, and plump or more flat and streamlined
- Tail – Carved fan-shaped with elongated tail feathers
- Feet – Sometimes detailed carved feet, often just a flat bottom
- Painted details – Wing patterns, stripes, eye rings, feet webbing
- Base – Flat or mounted on a stake for display
Popular Places to Display Decorative Wooden Ducks
Wooden duck decor looks fitting in:
- Porches
- Living rooms
- Dens
- Dining rooms
- Bathrooms
- Kitchens
- Bedrooms
- Pools and patios
- Gardens and yards
- Boats and docks
Their classic, nostalgic style works with decorating schemes ranging from farmhouse to coastal to cottage. The ducks often become cherished collectible pieces passed down through families.
Major Makers of Decorative Wooden Ducks
Some top producers of decorative wooden ducks include:
- Mason Decoys – An American company known for realistic contemporary carving.
- Yankee Decoy – Producer of painted original folk-art wooden ducks.
- Curtis Designs – Crafts intricately hand-carved and painted wooden ducks.
- Fish House Designs – Offers stained glass inlay duck decoys.
- Blue Bill Decoys – Specializes in working duck decoys for hunters.
- Shore Bird Decoys – Sells museum-quality vintage duck replicas.
Major Vintage Duck Decoy Makers
Vintage ducks by top manufacturers and carvers demand high prices from collectors:
- Mason Factory – Most prolific vintage mass producer of ducks.
- Cigar Daisey – Classic Long Island duck decoy carver.
- Bob McGaw – Highly-respected Ohiodecoy legend.
- Jess Urie – Early 20th century Maryland carver of outstanding canvasbacks.
- Ira Hudson – Premier maker of cork-bodied New Jersey decoys.
- William Gibian – Known as “Bill” and famed for Illinois river decoy creations.
There are many other talented historic makers prized in collecting circles. Also, major decoy making regions have their own folk heroes whose works are valued.
Use of Technology in Decorative Wooden Duck Production
While still largely hand-made, some modern techniques used in decorative duck creation include:
- CNC machines – Can automate wood cutting and initial shaping.
- Power tools – Bandsaws, grinders, sanders, etc. for rough work.
- Photography and imagery – Used for replicating realistic paint detail.
- Acrylic paint – More flexible and forgiving than tradition oils.
- Protective coatings – Mod Podge, polyurethane, epoxy for durability.
However, paint details, wood burning, and final texturing remain hand-finished. So technology assists but has not replaced hand carving artistry.
Styles of Decorative Wooden Ducks
Some main styles of decorative duck include:
Realistic
Carefully carved, painted, and textured to replicate real duck species accurately. Essential for vintage hunting decoys to attract ducks.
Folk Art
Simplified shapes and rustic country charm. Often made by self-taught artisans without formal training.
Whimsical
Artistic interpretations with whimsical themes like ducks in costumes, playing music, anthropomorphic ducks.
Primitive
Very simplified flattened shapes and Elementary painting style with little detail.
Coastal
Crisp colours and details with themes related to the sea – lighthouses, fish, boats.
Victorian
Elaborate realism featuring dapper ducks in formal Victorian era clothing and scenarios.
Key Elements that Increase a Decorative Duck’s Value
Traits that make a decorative duck more valuable include:
- Signature: Being signed by the carver or an established duck making company.
- Provenance: Being documented as to where and when it was carved and who owned it.
- Species: A rare, hard-to-carve duck species.
- Condition: Being in pristine, untouched original condition.
- Age: An early production date, like pre-1900.
- Realism: Lifelike details with exceptional carving and painting skill.
- Size: Being oversized or made from exotic rare dense woods.
Even small ducks can be worth thousands to collectors if these traits are present.
Fun Facts About Decorative Wooden Ducks
- The traditional duck decoy was made from the plentiful white cedar tree, a wood that floats well and withstands the elements.
- It can take over one hundred hours for a carver to create a single highly detailed decorative duck.
- The world record for a vintage duck decoy at auction was set in 2007, when a pintail drake by A. Elmer Crowell sold for $808,000.
- The earliest decoys were simply branches or bundles of reeds tossed on the water to attract ducks within range.
- The largest hand-carved wooden duck on record was over 23 feet long and weighed almost 2 tons.
- Some novelty floating ducks have small electric motors inside so they can move around like real ducks.
- Duck decoys were so critical to subsistence waterfowl hunting that early laws prohibited taking another hunter’s decoys.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are old wooden duck decoys valuable?
Yes, vintage hand-carved duck decoys can be extremely valuable, especially to collectors. Important factors include the carver, condition, species, and provenance. Top decoys can sell for tens of thousands up to hundreds of thousands.
What is the most popular breed of duck for carving?
The mallard is by far the most popular duck species for carving. This ubiquitous wild duck has very recognizable coloring and features that make it accessible for carvers. Other top carving ducks are pintails, canvasbacks, redheads, and black ducks.
How do you tell if a carved wooden duck is old?
Signs that indicate age in a carved duck include crazing and yellowing of the finish, paint wear, roughness of the carving edges, and obvious repairs. An old patina without accumulated dirt can signal a vintage carving. The carving style and species can also indicate age.
What makes a duck decoy collectible?
A duck decoy is more collectible and valuable when it was carved early in the decoy making tradition, is in untouched original condition, has provenance or a signature, shows outstanding artistry, depicts a rare species, or was made by a famous decoy maker or factory.
How do you display decorative wooden ducks?
Decorative ducks look great displayed on mantels, shelves, tabletops, hutches, wall mounts, and exterior areas. They can be clustered in groups or spaced out singularly. Many people enjoy decorating with duck collections that mix different styles, species, and sizes.
Conclusion
Wooden duck decoys were originally carved from wood like white cedar for hunting use to attract live ducks. As duck hunting evolved, decorative duck carving became a folk art tradition. Today these iconic Americana ducks are collected and loved in many homes for their nostalgic, rustic charm. With proper care, a hand-carved wooden duck can be cherished for generations.
