Hi All, I scored some cork decoys this week two teal and three bufflle heads. I know the Buffies were carved by Captain Dick Henderson based on the RBH brand on the keel, I have six Pintails and a pair of Green Wing Teal he carved. I am stumped by the two Teal hens. Are they Blue wing or Greenwing? Any idea who might have made them? They look similar to some P.K. Hilliard but...no idea. Thanks

Teal look like LLBean repaints to me.

Dave Diefenderfer
Manassas, VA

"Once you set out to build a boat, throw away your square. And if you work on her after she's launched, throw away your level." author unknown

Teal could possibly be Cabela's from when they first sold cork decoys. Not the herters they sold latter or the L.L.Bean look alikes they sold for a couple years. Keel & tail insert look identical to ones they first sold. Haven,t a clue who carved them for Cabela's though. Some had the Cabela's brand on bottom of keel but if I recall thats when they sold a identical decoy to L.L. Beans George Sole type. That was the second corks they sold. I think your teal are first.

Good morning, Lawrence~


I cannot shed any real light on the makers of these birds. Those 3 Butterball are very nice decoys!


The 2 Teal look to my eye like LL Bean birds - especially the heads (which always look just a bit small for their bodies). Regarding species, they are painted as generic Teal.


Here is a pair of Bean's Greenwings I rehabbed in 2015. Keels look like yours. I had chamfered the edges before taking this photo.







Ready-to-hunt:






All the best,


SJS



Steven Jay Sanford
Pencil Brook Farm
South Cambridge, NY
http://www.stevenjaysanford.com

thanks all,
Beans is probably right. One of the heads isn't faired to the body (you can see a gap) not something a craftsman would do, more commercial