worth of old herters foamers?

[Paul W]

I have some old foam decoys with hard heads on them. pretty sure they're herters, they have steel keels it looks like, some of them anyway. some look like they are missing the bottom weight, and I have a pair of old cork decoys in better shape than these too. too. I just don't think I am nostalgic enough to fix them up etc
View attachment FOAM DECOYS.jpgView attachment FOAM DECOYS 2.jpg

 

[Dave Diefenderfer]

Paul, in that condition, I would suggest $5 to $10 each. I paid $2 each for some 63 Divers at Tuckerton last September, and will usually pick up what I can find for $5 or less for 72s that need to be repaired and heads replaced.

Depends on where you are located. Some guys prize them, but with Meyers and Homers, and others available new, with better heads than Herters, I think their value has softened.

 

[Bill Clark]

Last time i checked ebay prices were high.

 

[Steve Sanford]

Paul~


Dave is right on the money, from my experience. Your birds look like Herter's Model 63 Mallards/Black Mallards. If they have flat bottoms - no extruded foam keels - they are the earlier ones.


For those of us who grew up on the Herter's catalog - and gunned over their decoys - they have a special place. Nevertheless, even "mint" ones command about $10 apiece. I have collected a batch for myself and rehabbed bunches for customers. They do look wonderful on the water, especially compared with other inexpensive decoys available at that time (early 50s and 60s).



https://stevenjaysanford.com/pintail-rehabbing-herters-smaller-decoys/



And, yes, you can find ridiculously high prices for Herter's on eBay. I sometimes contact the sellers to let them know what they have. Some ask what I think they are worth, others prefer not to know....


Caveat emptor!


SJS