Kovels Antiques & Collecting: Duck Decoys
By Terry and Kim Kovel
Duck Decoys
When spring returns, mallard ducks are a common sight on the water. In any season, you can find them in duck decoy collections and auctions. This mallard drake decoy sold at Guyette & Deeter, Inc., specialists in sporting collectibles, for $1,125. It was made by the Mason Decoy Factory of Detroit, which operated from 1896 to 1924 and is still celebrated by decoy collectors today.
Decoys by the Mason Decoy Factory, like this Challenger-grade mallard duck, are some of the most famous and most desirable among collectors. PHOTO CREDIT: Guyette & Deeter, Inc.
Founder William James Mason had been making decoys by hand for years when he started his company. When he died in 1905, the company passed to his son Herbert, who used his business skills to expand the operation. One of Herbert's innovations was the introduction of the inexpensive Standard grade of decoys. Before that, the company had made only two grades: the highest quality Premier and the slightly less detailed, less expensive Challenger. The decoy pictured here is Challenger grade. All grades of Mason decoys are sought by collectors today.
Q: I have two antique firearms that I would like to have valued. One is an antique rifle. Its markings are "1873 Torino." The other is a shotgun marked "1879 Piepee." They have been used as an interesting display where my husband (now deceased) mounted them on a brick wall above the fireplace, where they got a lot of attention from any workmen in my home. There are a couple of people who are interested in purchasing them, but I have no idea of what they are worth. Can you help me with that, or tell me where I can get this information?
A: If you intend to sell your antique firearms, the first step is to check your local and state laws. Laws about selling firearms, even antiques, can be very strict. The gun marked "1873 Torino" was probably made at the Turin arsenal in Italy in 1873. Many guns made there were later modified for use in World War I. "Piepee" may be "Pieper," for Henri Peiper, a Belgian company that made guns from the late 1800s to early 1900s. The 1879 reference on your shotgun may be the year the gun was made or the year its design was patented. We suggest you contact a local gun dealer and tell them what you have and that you would like to sell your guns. To find a reputable dealer, check reviews and ask for references. You could also contact an auction house; there are many that hold firearms auctions and provide appraisals. Your situation is a good reminder to all readers to discuss with their loved ones the value and significance of all prized collections while still alive, providing supporting paperwork if possible. It is far easier to determine what to do with an item while we are alive, rather than leaving it up to a loved one to deal with it after we're gone.
TIP: Do not store papers near sunlight, heaters, radiators, furnaces, stoves, lamps, television sets or any other heat-producing device.
CURRENT PRICES
Purse, mesh, art deco style, black and white chevrons, fringe, metal and enamel frame and chain, black and white, satin lining, interior pocket, 6 x 5 inches, $70.
Majolica, umbrella stand, turquoise blue ground, two birds, storks, raised leg, fish in beak, cattails, brown trim, 1880s, 21 inches, $750.
Cut glass, lamp, mushroom shape shade, peaked top, hanging prisms, baluster base, spread foot, electric, 26 inches, $840.
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