What's the going rate (or range) for used commercial cork decoys? Something like an LL Bean or Herter's, used but not abused, decent paint, in working condition?
Fair price for used cork decoys?
- Thread starter Jeff Reardon
- Start date
Mike Trudel
Well-known member
Jeff, are you talking a rig sale where a purchaser would get multiple decoys or an individual decoy sale? Also are you talking older Herter's cork decoys and George Soule made L.L. Bean decoys or more recent blocks?
This would be for individual decoys in pairs or trios. Given what I know of when the decoys were acquired, I'd assume some of them are from the George Soule era at Beans, and others are more recent. They mostly look to be of higher quality than Bean's current cork blocks.
As for my Herter's comment, I have no idea if that's where they are from, but some of the decoys are not from Beans. I siuspect they are from another company that produced decoys in quantity, and Herter's seemed a likely choice. There may be others. What I meant to convey is that these are mass-produced working decoys, not works of art. (Though some might disagree about the Soule's . . . .)
As for my Herter's comment, I have no idea if that's where they are from, but some of the decoys are not from Beans. I siuspect they are from another company that produced decoys in quantity, and Herter's seemed a likely choice. There may be others. What I meant to convey is that these are mass-produced working decoys, not works of art. (Though some might disagree about the Soule's . . . .)
Mike Trudel
Well-known member
At a number of decoy shows I have seen the old Soule type decoys going for $75-$150. Herters are usually less. Keep in mind the decoy market has been dropping due to recent economic "hope" and change.
somewhere in between what you are willing to pay and the owner thinks they are worth? Ever watch "Pawn Stars"?
IMHO, it's a black cork football with a machine carved head, regardless if George Soule ran the duplicating machine or somebody else. Current price on a Bean decoy is $66 if you buy three or more. Retail markup means it cost around $33 to make. Black cork, head, paint, let's call it $12 for materials. That leaves $21 for a person's labor and bennies.......probably about one hour for somebody making $12/hr.
If there is such a thing as "collector value" for a George Soule Bean decoy they are worth what you are willing to pay based on condition I guess. Not just a Bean thing, I scratch my head at what people pay for Mason decoys.
If it's something that you are going to gun over they probably need repair/repaint and I'd say $20-$25, given that to pay for the materials to make a tan cork decoy with a cedar or basswood head, eyes, paint, etc is gonna cost you $25-$30 plus your time, probably way more than an hour.
If they are going to cost you $75 apiece, buy some decoys from George Williams or Pitboss or any of a multitude of contemporary decoy makers who make Bean decoys look somewhat.......impressionistic.
IMHO, it's a black cork football with a machine carved head, regardless if George Soule ran the duplicating machine or somebody else. Current price on a Bean decoy is $66 if you buy three or more. Retail markup means it cost around $33 to make. Black cork, head, paint, let's call it $12 for materials. That leaves $21 for a person's labor and bennies.......probably about one hour for somebody making $12/hr.
If there is such a thing as "collector value" for a George Soule Bean decoy they are worth what you are willing to pay based on condition I guess. Not just a Bean thing, I scratch my head at what people pay for Mason decoys.
If it's something that you are going to gun over they probably need repair/repaint and I'd say $20-$25, given that to pay for the materials to make a tan cork decoy with a cedar or basswood head, eyes, paint, etc is gonna cost you $25-$30 plus your time, probably way more than an hour.
If they are going to cost you $75 apiece, buy some decoys from George Williams or Pitboss or any of a multitude of contemporary decoy makers who make Bean decoys look somewhat.......impressionistic.
Tom Johnson
Active member
In New England, it isn't hard to find older LLBean cork birds going for $25-30 each in good shape. Herter's last cork birds had tenite (plastic) heads, worth whatever you are willing to pay, not more than Bean birds, as a rule. There were a couple other companies that came and went, w/wood heads, cork bodies, might go for the same $20-30 range. I agree with former posts, if you can spend up to $75-100 dollars, go for Wasson, or other present day carvers on this site, great working birds - good value.