Decoys
Since 2009 Copley has placed 32 lots on Decoy Magazine's "100 All-Time High Prices" list. This is greater than all other auction firms combined during this span.
The Earnest-Gregory Dovetailed Goose SOLD FOR $810,000
World Record for a goose decoy and for maker
The Rockefeller Wood Duck Pair by Shang Wheeler, SOLD FOR $216,000
The O'Brien-Nelson Hollow Nantucket Curlew, SOLD FOR $108,000
Thomas Chambers, Wood Duck, SOLD FOR $270,000
World Record for a Canadian decoy, for a wood duck, and for maker
Ira Hudson, Red-Breasted Merganser Pair, SOLD FOR $207,000
A. Elmer Crowell, Decorative Curlew, SOLD FOR $247,250
World Record for a decorative shorebird
Harry V. and Harry M. Shourds, Canada Goose Pair, SOLD FOR $201,250
The Dodge Wood Duck by the J. N. Dodge Factory, SOLD FOR $108,000
Rare Miniature Belted Kingfisher Pair by A.J. King, SOLD FOR $33,000
Lee Dudley, The Barber-O’Brien Ruddy Duck, SOLD FOR $234,000
John English Sr, Pintail Drake, SOLD FOR $246,000
World Record for Delaware River and for maker
John Blair Sr, Wigeon, SOLD FOR $102,000
The Ward Brothers, Pinch-breast Pintail pair, SOLD FOR $252,000
World Record for Lower Chesapeake Bay Region and for maker
Ward Brothers, Wigeon Pair, SOLD FOR $228,000
World Record for species
Charles Birch, The Mackey-Muller Swan SOLD FOR $210,000
World Record for maker
A. Elmer Crowell, Decorative Black Duck, SOLD FOR $218,500
John Tax, Feeding Goose, SOLD FOR $115,000
World Record for maker
George Boyd, Merganser Pair, SOLD FOR $258,000
Mr. Webster, Golden Plover Pair SOLD FOR $112,800
World Record for Nantucket and maker (raised-wing decoy only)
Ira Hudson, The Mackey-Muller Hooded Merganser Pair, SOLD FOR $168,000
James T. Holly, Canvasback Pair, SOLD FOR $155,250
World Record for maker
Phillips Rig, Reaching Yellowlegs, SOLD FOR $132,000
Charles “Shang” Wheeler, SOLD FOR $198,000
World Record for region and for maker
Harry V. Shourds, The Mackey-Muller Merganser, SOLD FOR $168,000
The Ward Brothers, The McCleery-O’Brien Canvasback Pair, SOLD FOR $156,000
Mason Decoy Factory, G. K. Schmidt Mallard Pair, SOLD FOR $48,875
Mason Decoy Factory, The Mackey-Muller Long-Tailed Drake, SOLD FOR $42,000
Mason Decoy Factory, Curlew, SOLD FOR $37,375
Pat Godin, Trillium Woods Drummer, SOLD FOR $27,600
World Record for maker
The Mackey Cobb Feeding Brant, SOLD FOR 186,000
The Bibber Long-Tailed Drake, SOLD FOR $150,000
Mason Decoy Factory, The McCleery Slope-Breast Mallard Hen, SOLD FOR $96,000
A. Elmer Crowell, The Harmon Dust-Jacket Plover Trio, SOLD FOR $1,140,000
A. Elmer Crowell, The Long Nesting Canada Goose, SOLD FOR $661,250
A. Elmer Crowell, The Phillips Preening Black Duck, SOLD FOR $600,000
World Record for a black duck
A. Elmer Crowell, Tucked-Head Merganser, SOLD FOR $207,000
A. Elmer Crowell, The Long Preening Pintail, SOLD FOR $546,250
World Record for a pintail
Joseph Lincoln, Long-Tailed Duck Pair, SOLD FOR $360,000
World Record for maker and long-tailed ducks (old squaw)
Augustus Wilson, Merganser, SOLD FOR $330,000
World Record for maker
John or James Holly, Swan, SOLD FOR $102,000
A. Elmer Crowell, The Long Calling Yellowlegs Decoy, SOLD FOR $172,500
A. Elmer Crowell, The Long Calling Yellowlegs Decorative, SOLD FOR $174,000
Lothrop Holmes, Swimming Long-Tailed Drake, SOLD FOR $218,500
World Record for a canvas decoy
Charles Schoenheider Sr, Standing Goose, SOLD FOR $204,000
World Record for maker
John Graham, Canvasback Pair, SOLD FOR $216,000
World Record for Upper Chesapeake Bay Region and for maker
Samuel A. Fabens, Merganser, SOLD FOR $184,000
World Record for maker
A. Elmer Crowell, Miniature Waterfowl Set, SOLD FOR $114,000
Nathan Cob Jr, Brant, SOLD FOR $168,000
Exceptional Early Woodcock by A.E. Crowell, SOLD FOR $90,000
John Dilley, Ruddy Turnstone, SOLD FOR $96,000
Charles Sumner Bunn or William Bowman, SOLD FOR $90,000
John Dawson, The Mackey Dust-Jacket Merganser Hen, SOLD FOR $90,000
Mark McNair, SOLD FOR $37,375
World Record for contemporary decoy lot and for maker
A. Elmer Crowell, Important Calling Yellowlegs, SOLD FOR $90,000
Melvin Gardner Lawrence, Sleeping Black-Bellied Plover, SOLD FOR $42,000
Mark McNair, Preening Swan, SOLD FOR $16,000
Oliver “Tuts” Lawson, Flying Black Duck, SOLD FOR $11,400
Elmer Crowell, Exceptional Bobwhite Quail Pair, SOLD FOR $216,000
The Cobb Feeding Curlew, SOLD FOR $120,000
Kankakee Pintail Drake, Herman R. Trinosky Rig, c. 1895, SOLD FOR $186,000
Elmer Crowell, “Dust-Jacket” Black-Bellied Plover Trio, SOLD for a combined total of $984,000
Outstanding Raised-Wing Canvasback Pair by A.E. Crowell, SOLD FOR $102,000
Nichols Feeding Yellowlegs, SOLD FOR $96,000
Updated May 2022