Mystery Black Duck Decoy

Steve Sanford

Steve Sanford

Well-known member
Good morning, All~


An old friend from Long Island - who now lives nearby it turns out - brought some stool by yesterday. In the batch that included some LL Bean's and Al McCormicks was this nice Black Duck. The body is black cork.



View attachment Unknown DC Black - no tail insert - profile.JPG



It looks to my eye like a factory bird - although I can find no stamp or other ID.


View attachment Unknown DC Black - rolled.JPG



The bottom is what suggests to me mass production. The "DC" is the current owner's initials. "83" refers to the year he bought it. It has never been hunted.



View attachment Unknown DC Black - bottom 1983 Don Campofranco.jpg



The head is very nicely scratch-painted - and with a nice profile.


View attachment Unknown DC Black - head profile.jpg



The crown is distinctively narrow and the bill detail is carefully carved.



View attachment Unknown DC Black - head oblique from front.jpg



Most surprising to me is a lack of any support for the aft end - no tail insert or even bottom board. (That it remains intact is proof that it was never gunned....)



View attachment Unknown DC Black - tail section unsupported.jpg



Any ideas or leads?


All the best,


SJS









 
Decoy looks very similar to Cabelas Cork decoys sold thru their catalog in I believe 80,s. Especially flat keel and no tale board. I,ll get in the shed and take a pic of a couple I,ve got and you can compare.
 
After looking closely I was wrong. Original Cabelas wood head very different and they did have a tail board. Body shape is spot on though save unsupported tail on your example.
 
roy brewington said:
After looking closely I was wrong. Original Cabelas wood head very different and they did have a tail board. Body shape is spot on though save unsupported tail on your example.
Click to expand...

I had a bunch of cabela's corks ( I think they were made by Herters?) heads were different, but the bodies were similar. Nice bird, either way.
 
Steve that's the body style of ones I,ve got. Don,t remember the factory head looking that nice though. Possably changed or reworked on yours? Cabelas thru the years has ran 3 styles of cork decoys. Style you have, a George soule style exactly like Beans and the last was the Herters style w/plastic head. Pics show all but the last. Head has been replaced on my Blk. Duck with Homers head. Original head to style you have in 1st pic but was Blk. DuckView attachment Cabelas decoy 2.jpgView attachment cabelas decoy 3.jpgView attachment cabelas decoys 4.jpgView attachment cabelas decoys 5.jpgView attachment Cabelas Decoy.jpg
 
I had some similar to what Steve posted. No board but there were aluminum gutter spikes driven in from the tail forward, Spikes were about 8" long. Tails still broke off.

Joe
 
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