As one insightful Roman poet, Publius Syllius once noted:
“Everything is worth what the purchaser is willing to pay for it.”
This observation may seem like a fairly self-evident statement in the agonizingly obvious creative duck names
but it is perhaps important that we bear these words firmly in the front of our mind the next time we should ever encounter disbelief or doubt about the idea of collectible duck decoy models.
To some, duck hunting is nothing more than a pastime which is designed to cull and better control the population of an animal which has been at various times throughout history been described somewhat uncharitably as a feathered rodent. With such an overtly and openly contemptuous and belligerent opinion of the pastime, little wonder then that such people are scornful that the duck decoys can be very valuable items indeed.
The truth of the matter is that the innate quality, attention to detail alongside the obvious artistic ability of the person responsible for the manufacturing of the antique duck decoys is nothing short of remarkable. Indeed, such creators are to be commended for their obvious creative abilities and talents, for their creations have proven themselves to be exceptionally life like indeed.
Please note that antique duck decoy model hunting is and can be a very lucrative pastime, so long as you are prepared and willing to actually perform the necessary due diligence to ensure that the models that you are purchasing are indeed authentic.
The following is an overview of some salient points to consider.
Verify the Person Responsible For the Creation of the Duck Decoy
There are a number of names in the decoy duck model community which are guaranteed to elicit a very visceral and positive response as those who recognize the name are aware of the accomplishments and talents of the carver. As such, if you are able to acquire a duck decoy model which has been made by such a carver, then you may just have a sound investment on your hands.
Rarity Dictates the Price
Put simply, the more models of a particular duck decoy there is in existence then the less valuable it will be and this is because the supply dictates the level of demand. Therefore, the rarer the model, the more money it will fetch.
Many collectors have purchased a particular decoy duck model which they believed to be a fairly mundane one, only to then discover at some later date that there was some quirk associated with the model that rendered it much more valuable in the eyes of potential collectors.