Newbury
Decoy & Woodshop
173
High Rd.
Newbury,
MA
(978)462-7873
Retail
Sales
Big
Al's
Rte.
1 Seabrook, N.H.
(603)474-3575 |
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How to Age and Value a Hank Walker Decoy
The Hank
Walker Decoy has a long and rich history. It was started 40 years
ago by Hank and his son Geof. The two Walker's carved birds
consecutively in a shop first established in Salisbury,
Massachusetts and later in Newbury, Massachusetts. To a great extent
the birds can be aged, and therefore valued, by determining where
the carving took place and which of the Walker craftsmen created the
bird.
There are very easily recognized ways to begin
evaluating the decoys.
Name Plates -
The name plates are fastened to the bottom of the bird as shown in
figure #6. The actual name plates are made of lead and are affixed
to the bird by 200 year old "ham & egg" nails. The chronology of the
name plates can be found in the chart below.
No Name Plate -
If your decoy has no name plate but instead is hand signed in pencil
by Hank (as shown in fig. #6), this is one the earliest and most
highly valued pieces. The pencil signature is also a sure sign that
the bird was indeed carved and painted by Hank himself. These
"pencil" birds can fetch as much as $3,500 to $5,000.
Dowels - Wooden
dowels were used as an experiment by the craftsmen in the last 2
years of the Salisbury and the first 2 years at the Newbury shop.
Carved Feathers & Body
Styles - Geof and Hank had distinctive carving styles. To
some extent these styles are separated by the placement of the
flight feathers, the squareness of the body, shape of the beak.
Paint - Both
craftsmen also had individual painting styles that would be
difficult to put into words for the purpose of this guide.
Chronology of Name Plated and Doweled
Birds |
Year |
Value |
Name plate signed "Hank Walker" only. |
1969 - 1971 |
$1,000 - $1,500 |
Name plate signed "Hank Walker Decoy" only. |
1971 - 1973 |
$800 - $1,200 |
Name plate signed Hank Walker Decoy - Salisbury, Mass. |
1973 - 1984 |
$600 - $900 |
Name plate signed Hank Walker Decoy - Salisbury, Mass.
with dowels |
1982 - 1984 |
$600 - $800 |
Name plate signed Hank Walker Decoy - Newbury, Mass.
with dowels |
1984 - 1986 |
$400- $600 |
Name plate signed Hank Walker Decoy - Newbury, Mass. |
1984 - Present |
$175 - $400 |
Collector's Note: Hank only
carved Geese, Brants, Swans and Canvasbacks. Any of these birds that
were exclusively carved and painted by Hank himself (Fig. #1)
would add tremendous value to the decoy. In some instances doubling
the value.
Below are photos and some definitions that should assist
collectors in evaluating a particular decoy.
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Fig. #1 - This an
example of one of the earliest birds that would normally
have a pencil
signature valued at $3,500 - $5,000. |
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Fig. #2 - This photo shows an example of a "doweled"
bird. |
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Fig. #3 - This
photo shows three rows of flight feathers that are towards
the rear of the
bird probably indicating a decoy carved by Hank. |
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Fig. #4 - This
photo shows three rows of flight feathers that are more
forward and
spread further apart. of the bird probably indicating a
decoy
carved by Geof. |
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Fig. #5 - An example of a pencil signed decoy by hank. |
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Fig. #6 - An example of a name plate from Newbury, Mass. |
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