Decoys and Sporting Art Auction Day One on Apr 23, 2026 by Guyette & Deeter, Inc in MD
Joseph Lincoln (1859-1938), Accord, Massachusetts.A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts.William Hart (1875-1946), Bellville, Ontario.
Starts on:
St. Michaels, MD, United States
Auction Details

Decoys and Sporting Art Auction Day One

Decoys & Sporting Art Auction
Featuring Session I of the Jim and Diane Cook Collection

For professional soccer players it's the World Cup, football players the Super Bowl, for cyclists it's the Tour de France, and hockey players the Stanley Cup. In the "sport" of decoy collecting it's this! The Jim and Diane Cook collection - Sessions I thru V, and it begins here, with this catalog.
Not since the early 1970's, with the series of auctions featuring the extensive collection of William J. Mackey Jr, has the collecting community had such an outstanding opportunity to acquire rare and important North American waterfowl decoys. While Mackey was known for quantity, the Cook?s have been and always will be known for quality and rarity. Over the last 45 years, Jim and Diane have been tremendous stewards of these important artifacts and now the caretaking of these works will be spread among the collecting community. Like many important pieces from the Mackey auctions, some of these decoys may not be offered again for decades, if ever.
To say that we at Guyette and Deeter are honored to have been chosen to handle the sale of this collection for the Cook family, would be a gross understatement. For more than 40 years our organization has pushed itself to serve the collecting community in the best ways possible, both sellers and buyers. We understand the magnitude of this event within the history of the decoy market and have made a tremendous effort into introducing the collecting world to the Jim and Diane Cook collection. We hope you enjoy and good luck! .
Live Bidding Starts In:
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Joseph Lincoln (1859-1938), Accord, Massachusetts.: Exceedingly rare and important wood duck. Extended crest and very appealing paint pattern. "C.F. Spear" branded on underside. Dr. George Ross Starr collection ink stamps on underside. Measures 15.5"
0001: Joseph Lincoln (1859-1938), Accord, Massachusetts.Est. $400,000-$600,000$200,000
A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts.: Exceedingly rare and important preening widgeon. Pre-brand model with applied raised crossed wingtips. Head is slightly elevated and turned to preen back feathers. Measures 13.5" long. Provenance:
0002: A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts.Est. $400,000-$600,000$200,000
William Hart (1875-1946), Bellville, Ontario.: Outstanding and exceedingly rare hooded merganser. Thinly hollowed with .25" bottom board. Slightly turned and raised head. With exaggerated crest feathers. Excellent paint detail. Measures 15.25"
0003: William Hart (1875-1946), Bellville, Ontario.Est. $100,000-$150,000$50,000
Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland.: Early turned head black duck. 1921 model with low breast and high tail. Excellent scratch feather paint detail. Head is turned 45 degrees. "Ward's Decoys Crisfield MD" painted on underside of tail.
0004: Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland.Est. $60,000-$90,000$30,000
Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland.: Outstanding pair of black ducks. 1936 models with slightly turned heads and excellent paint detail. Measures 16.5" and 17" long. Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection.
0005: Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland.Est. $60,000-$90,000$30,000
Enoch Reindahl (1904-2000), Tustin, Wisconsin.: Very rare Canada goose. Hollow carved with removable head. One of six known in this style. Relief carved wingtips that are extended and crossed. Metal hardware at neck seat to receive head. Metal
0006: Enoch Reindahl (1904-2000), Tustin, Wisconsin.Est. $60,000-$90,000$30,000
A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts.: Outstanding bluewing teal. Relief carved and crossed wingtips. Relief tail feather carving. Head is turned 45 degrees. Maker's oval brand in underside. Made for Dr. John C. Phillips. Measures 11"
0007: A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts.Est. $150,000-$250,000$75,000
Ira Hudson (1873-1949), Chincoteague, Virginia.: Outstanding red-breasted merganser. Football body style with fluted paddle tail. Partially inlet neck seat, extended crest, and patined tack eyes. Measures 17" long. Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook
0008: Ira Hudson (1873-1949), Chincoteague, Virginia.Est. $60,000-$90,000$30,000
Robert Elliston (1849-1915), Bureau, Illinois.: Outstanding preening mallard hen. Hollow carved with head turned to preen back feathers. Scratch feather paint detail on back. "Chadbourn" branded in underside. Measures 14.5" long. Provenance: By
0009: Robert Elliston (1849-1915), Bureau, Illinois.Est. $100,000-$150,000$50,000
Louis C. Rathmell (1898-1974), Danbury, Connecticut.: Very rare and outstanding mallard hen. Hollow carved with slightly turned head. Outstanding paint detail with scratch feathering on head. Stamped "1943" on underside. Measures 17.5" long. Provenance:
0011: Louis C. Rathmell (1898-1974), Danbury, Connecticut.Est. $20,000-$30,000$10,000
A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts.: Early decorative walking curlew. Relief wingtip carving and appealing early base style. Maker's oval brand on underside. A very important example. Measures 16.5" long, stands 11.25" tall. Provenance:
0014: A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts.Est. $100,000-$150,000$50,000
Mason Decoy Factory (1889-1924), Detroit, Michigan.: Rare widgeon. Hollow carved premier grade with snakey head style. McCleery collectin ink stamp on underside. Measures 15" long. Provenance: Dr. James McCleery collection. Jim and Diane Cook
0017: Mason Decoy Factory (1889-1924), Detroit, Michigan.Est. $30,000-$50,000$15,000
Mason Decoy Factory (1889-1924), Detroit, Michigan.: Excellent and rare merganser. Hollow carved premier grade with extended crest. Measures 18" long. Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection.
0018: Mason Decoy Factory (1889-1924), Detroit, Michigan.Est. $20,000-$30,000$10,000
Mason Decoy Factory (1889-1924), Detroit, Michigan.: Very rare rigmate pair of buffleheads. Challenge grade with snakey head style. Mackey collection ink stamp on undersides. Measure 12.25" long. Provenance: William J. Mackey Jr collection Jim and
0019: Mason Decoy Factory (1889-1924), Detroit, Michigan.Est. $20,000-$30,000$10,000
Mason Decoy Factory (1889-1924), Detroit, Michigan.: Exceedingly rare rigmate pair of red-breasted mergansers. Hollow carved premier grade. With early head styles and extended crest. One of only two known pairs. Measure 17" long. Provenance: Jim and
0020: Mason Decoy Factory (1889-1924), Detroit, Michigan.Est. $50,000-$80,000$25,000
Joseph Lincoln (1859-1938), Accord, Massachusetts.: Excellent widgeon. Measures 15.25" long. Provenance: Joel Barber collection. Shelburne Museum collection. Jim and Diane Cook collection. Literature: "Decoys" by Gene and Linda Kangas, page 280, exact
0021: Joseph Lincoln (1859-1938), Accord, Massachusetts.Est. $40,000-$60,000$20,000(1 bid)
Ira Hudson (1873-1949), Chincoteague, Virginia.: Important pintail. Flat bottom style with partially inlaid neck seat and scratch feather paint detail. "SGH" stamped twice on underside for the collection of Somers Headly. William Purnesll Jr
0022: Ira Hudson (1873-1949), Chincoteague, Virginia.Est. $30,000-$50,000$15,000
Charles Schoenheider Sr. (1854-1924), Peoria, Illinois.: Exceedingly rare standing mallard ice duck. Hollow carved, with removable iron foot. Believed to be the only standing mallard by the maker. Measures 17" long. Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook
0023: Charles Schoenheider Sr. (1854-1924), Peoria, Illinois.Est. $80,000-$120,000$40,000
Frank Cassini (1899 – 1967), Galesburg, Illinois.: Unique pair of shoveler. Hollow carved with slightly turned heads and raised wingtips. Measures 12.5" long. Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. Literature: "Decoys and Decoy Carvers of
0024: Frank Cassini (1899 – 1967), Galesburg, Illinois.Est. $40,000-$60,000$20,000