Chincoteague Woodie
$95
This funky looking Wood Duck is a pretty close replica of an Ira Hudson miniature that I once had in my collection and can be seen on page 37 of Henry Fleckenstein’s book “SOUTHERN DECOYS; Decoys of Virginia and the Carolinas”. Ira Hudson (1876-1949) made very few Wood Duck decoys for actual use. The majority of his output of over 20,000 decoys in his lifetime included mostly Canvasbacks, Bluebills, Black Ducks, Pintails, Mergansers, Geese and Brant. Only one or two actual Wood Duck decoys have come to light over the years, so it is interesting that he made a miniature of this species, which is quite similar to an actual working Woodie that recently brought a small fortune at auction. Based on the style of carving and paint, one wonders if old Ira ever saw a live Wood Duck. On the other hand, this little guy would be a delight for any collector of folk art to own. If it ever comes up for sale again, it will bring a lot of money. So the next best thing would be a really good replica! This decoy measures about 5” long, and is carved and painted, and antiqued in the best “Hudson” style.