Previewing the North American Vintage Decoy and Sporting Collectibles Show
Matt Downs envisioned a perfect analogy for a bait show.
“I look at it like going to these ‘Star Trek’ conventions,” he said. “I understand it’s weird, but I really don’t want to stop doing this.”
Take the North American Vintage Decoy and Sporting Collectibles Show, taking place April 25-29 at the Westin Lombard Chicago Hotel. Considered “the largest decoy and sport collectors show in North America,” it is hosted by the North American Decoy Collectors Association.
Visiting previous incarnations at the former Pheasant Run Resort, it blew me away as a casual fan.
Apparently I missed the coolest part – trading from room to room, that’s the first three days. I want to fix that this year.
“Most dealers are there from Monday or Tuesday,” Downs said. “A lot of the good stuff disappears in the trade from room to room.”
The Guyette and Deeter Inc. auction takes place on the third and fourth days. The ballroom show is the fourth and fifth day. The events are public.
File photo of duck decoys for sale in a vendor’s hotel room at the former North American Antique Decoy and Sporting Collectible Show (now the North American Vintage Decoy and Sporting Collectibles Show). During the day, vendors turn their hotel rooms into makeshift storefronts to sell their wares.
Sun Times Media Brian Powers/Su
“Room-to-room is probably the most fun,” Downs said. “New people are probably the most fun and sociable. For Pheasant Run, it would be the entire building. It would take half the day to go through and you would forget which room you saw something you wanted. There were all sorts of things. Some were insanely expensive and the next room by one [bargain price].”
The Decoy collection is very diverse.
“Different people are attracted to different things,” Downs said. “Some are in history: who made decoys for this rifle club? Other people buy based on what looks cool to them. Some focus on factory baiting; some of them are cheaper.”
There are people from rural areas who have hunted and fished all their lives, with limited money, who are spending what they can. Then you have big collectors like Paul Tudor Jones.
“You spread that widely [gathering]’ Downs said. “Some have their own art advisors with them.”
I was wondering if people ever use collected baits.
“There are people who throw them in their rigs,” Downs said.
He quoted a lace carver, Marty Hanson of Hayward, Wisconsin. People use his bait, which is worth thousands. Michigan collector Ken Cole hunts over his collected baits.
Virginia’s Cameron McIntyre is a “carver extraordinaire” who uses hand tools. He is so talented that he restores old decoys. He is a remarkable all-round artist.
“On the show, they’re celebs and rock stars,” Downs said.
Downs said of himself, “I carve as a hobby. I don’t actually tell anyone about it. It doesn’t make sense to people.”
The auction regularly set world records before the stock market crash and routinely reached hundreds of thousands of dollars. Since then the market has calmed down.
Mike Stevenson of Guyette & Deeter wrote via email: “A black duck belonging to the Caines brothers is the top lot at the auction, estimated at between $150,000 and $180,000.”
A Caines Brothers black duck estimated at $150,000-$180,000 is the top lot at the Guyette and Deeter, Inc. auction during the North American Vintage Decoy and Sporting Collectibles Show.
He mentioned a few other highlights: “The George & Miriam Van Walleghem collection (the premier fishing lure collection to come up for auction and lots of exciting duck baits) and the Herb Desch collection (the best selection of Wisconsin baits ever a retail sale was offered).”
The show will include vintage displays, contemporary carving and painting demonstrations, and free evaluations.
“There’s something for everyone,” Downs said. “You can buy things for 10 dollars. You don’t have to buy anything. You can spend thousands of dollars if you want.”
Adult admission is $5. For more information, call (586) 530-6586 or visit nadecoycollectors.org.
A range of more modest value wooden duck decoys at the former National Antique Decoy and Sporting Collectibles Show (now the North American Vintage Decoy and Sporting Collectibles Show).