any Ken Harris experts

Rick L

Well-known member
We were at an antique show today - actually saw several good decoys,

brought home an excellent condition "special order" Mason Premier Black Duck - one of the best I have seen

and I found a very oversized Canvasback - mass wise -its 3 to 4 times the size of the wildfowl cans I have-

I have three working canada decoys, they are all at least somewhat little smaller

very light for the size - seems to be balsa

the dealer said it was a Lake Erie decoy - on the way out I passed another dealer I know who said - that's a nice Ken Harris -

Hmm - the combed paint job looked right - and when I was turning it around the better light picked up "Ken Harris" signed on the keel in pencil

so did Harris make a super magnum can? has anyone seen one sold or know the price range (I'm happy with what I paid, but I always like to know where they fall in the range)

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an oversized Harris black for comparison

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Generally Ken Harris had a stamp on the bottom, I'm not saying its not but several things I see don't look like a Harris but I have been wrong before. is it a balsa body ? either way its a cool bird.
 
thanks guys

yes Ken Harris had a variety of stamps and signatures - but as i understand it - his early stuff was not always marked

but - Jack Sweet looks right for this big can - I did not find any of this size on the web- but his paint and head do match- and the seller said it came out of Erie PA, they do look at lot like Harris'
even when you find one with a stamp, the Sweet stamp must have been made by the same stamp maker where Harris got his woodville one- I wonder if there was a connection between the two carvers

I'll get some good pictures of the Mason and also of a Stratford CT school black looks a lot like a Shang Wheeler but i doubt its his -I'd like to see if anyone can name that one
going to have to get my butt in gear and make one of Steve's great photo backdrops

this month I also added what I think are some earlier Wildfowl blocks - a bull and hen can and a black - all in pretty good paint -

I think i've pretty much spent my allowance when you add in the 32" barreled Fox Sterlingwowrth project gun
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The oversize Can is Decoys Unlimited, Wattsburg Rd., Erie, Pa. Jack sweet was a master of combing, and he made mighty fine big water gunning decoys.
 
The oversize Can is Decoys Unlimited, Wattsburg Rd., Erie, Pa. Jack sweet was a master of combing, and he made mighty fine big water gunning decoys.
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thanks Vince -

Like I said that matches what I got from the seller- but when the other dealer- who i know handles some nice decoys said Harris and I found "Ken Harris" in penciled script on the side of the keel it caused some doubts

always glad to know what I have- this one was hunted at least once but not much more than that - there's not any real wear - but a couple small chips to the paint and a couple pellet strikes where I would guess someone sluiced a near by cripple
 
Rick - Most Decoy Unlimited decoys had the ink stamp on the bottom. Some from Abercrombie and Fitch Co. Others were not stamped and many have been repainted, especially the bottom. The oversize decoys were favorites with layout gunners. They took a lickin' and kept on tickin'. Shot scars are very common, and add character to the decoy. Rigs of Decoy Unlimited decoys still show up from time to time, and are no doubt still gunned over.

Ken Harris and Jack Sweet each made some very good balsa decoys. Harris decoys have more stylish heads and necks, and as a result some have neck cracks and fractures. I have examples of each maker in my collection, and parted with some that I wish I had not...

More than anything, the head position on the magnum sez Decoy Unlimited, in my opinion. At the old Ohio show, some guys would buy all they could get their hands on.
 
Decoys Unlimited (Jack Sweet) used Canada Goose bodies for the magnums. His paint is exceptional for factory decoys.
 
He also made some decoys larger than the magnums. They are huge. To see one beside one of his regular size decoys makes me shake my head. The man knew his stuff.
 
I have a few of the "Decoys Unlimited" magnum Canvasbacks. They all use the same head size and it loses proportion. The regulars have the best appearance.
 
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