Cork decoy ID

Good morning, Cap~

I have not seen stamps on any Bean's decoys - and do not recall them on Herter's or Cabela's (although I have not restored the latter 2 makes recently).

BTW: I saw a bunch of Cabela's cork birds (with gorgeous wooden heads) this past week on Long Island: VERY nice birds!

Hope this helps,

SJS
 
I,ve had cabelas corks that had no stamp. Those had wooden heads and were different pattern than llbeans.Also have several llbean impostures that were sold by cabelas. Exact pattern as beans and marketed then as being made by same person or off same patterns. Believe they were produced for a couple years in early 80,s. Side by side identical to beans from same time period. Both cabelas, & beans have stamps bottom cntr. of keel when produced in bean style. Do have an llbean blackduck from same time period with no keel stamp. When cabelas bought out herters they sold some cork bodied birds with herters heads if i remember corectly. Bodies were same pattern as #72,s.
 
I've not seen markings and stamps on LL Bean decoys either. They have gone through many changes and places of origin over the years. It not would be out of the question if some newer ones are marked.
 
No markings on my Bean coastal blk's besides the sale sticker from the 70's but I would think some could be stamped. I'll check with my Yarmouth friends.
 
I have some "Herters" by Cabela's that are early 2000 vintage in both mallards and bluebills with the 72 plastic head. They are plainy stamped, I just ran across a bunch of mallards and bills that have no stamping and there were a lot of opinions as to maker. Being told early 80 vintage by the family. The new Herters I have do not have tail boards and are close to 72 in dimension but are generally rounded off. I have more experience with foam so I was trying to confirm a few things before I pull the trigger on these.
Thanks for the responses.
 
out of the 3 llbean blacks I have 2 are stamped simply LLbean bottom cnt. of keel. Blk. Duck Decoy purchased next year has no stamping. All 3 purchased directly from LLbean catalog by myself. All cabelas from same pattern stamped cabelas bottom cntr. of keel. All are coastals. Cabelas did sell for a while cork decoys, Mallards, Blk. Dks, Bluebills, that I recall that looked nothing like beans. Puddle ducks had wooden tail boards. I had a rig of 16 mixed mallard & black that I sold off when switching off at that time to G&h decoys to lighten load in my Blackjack. Have found a couple of same decoy since then and repaired. They were made of tan cork instead of black. A little bigger decoy than beans coastal and much heavier. The most recent cabelas sold were off herters patterns with no tail boards and herters plastic heads. Had those in their catalog same time they sold herters foams.
 
In my opinion based on what I've seen over the years LL.Bean decoys have been quite consistent. Herters on the other hand seem to have had many variations of the same decoys for a number of reasons. I have seen a bunch of different Herters, some marked and others not marked. It depended on the batch, who made them. Where they were sold or who branded them. Whether they were kits, or seconds sold from a warehouse or Cabelas bargain cave.

You're holding out on us and if you're not gonna buy em why not broker a deal for a duckboats member? Joke, but seriously if you've got the inside track on a pile of decoys that are selling inexpensively help some of the guys get their hand on em. I'm looking for some of the older Herters Mallards I can re-purpose into FL Mottled ducks. I'll buy em from ya and pick em up next time the Family visits Bluefin Bay near Tofte.
 
The Mallard is a Herters for sure. Saw a ten-pack of identical ones at a place in Jordan, MN a few months ago. They wanted $30 each. Wood heads. Looks like that BB has a tenite Herters head to me. Not the greatest pics to ID from though.

There's some of those Mallards on EBay now...
 
Thanks Derek! That was my thinking on them too, but I have limited experience on cork decoys. Guess I will have more now LOL They are being shipped now so I will get a better look at them when they get here and I get back in town.
 
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