Beautiful 17 ½” Open Mouth, Curved Tail Trout Carving by Carl Christiansen, Newberry, Michigan, circa early 2000s. Christiansen is a self-taught carving and artist who is well documented in Frank Baron’s Commercial Fish Decoys. The Carl Christiansen Lure Company was formed in 1979, and as the business grew, Christiansen’s carving skills grew with it. He typically carved 6” fish decoys displaying outstanding paint patterns sold in both wooden boxes and decorated cardboard box. These efforts expanded into a wide array of decorative fish carvings and fishing displays. This Fully Carved Wooden Trout is an example and his Finest Decorative Fish Carvings. Both the Carving Details and the Elaborate Paint Execution offers an Outstanding Vision of the Trout. (See especially the range of photographs.) The Artist has Signed and Numbered his work: “Carl Christiansen / #133” (The numbers relate to his larger fish carvings.) This Christiansen Trout is A Wonderful Opportunity for a Serious Fish Decoy Collector.

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Price $345 plus shipping

Classic 5 ½” Attractor Ice Spear Fishing Decoy by Cyril Bethel (1900 – 1980), Park Rapids / Nevis, Minnesota, circa 1960s. Cyril was the brother of the well-known Pearl Bethel, though Cyril was somewhat more eccentric than his brother. His decoys are also distinctly different with the most obvious difference found in the placement of the decoy eyes. Cyril’s paint eye placement is virtually at the top of the head. The form of the body and the fins are also different from Pearl’s fish. There is a good description of Cyril’s fish in Donald Petersen’s Folk Art Fish Decoys, and for collectors of Cyril’s decoys, his work is clearly a Folk Art that emerges from a Practical Activity. This Fish is probably as Basic as they come. The Strong Original Paint presents a Greenish-Yellow Body on Top, with Bold White Eyes Over Black, leading to a Bright Yellow Bright Bottom with Black Dots along the Sides. The Early Tin Fins are Painted Black with White Stripes on Top and Yellow on Bottom; the Tail is Black with White Tips.  Stand not included. Fish Decoys by Cyril Bethel have a Strong Folk Art Character.

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Price $145 plus shipping

Early 7” Red & Yellowish Green Ice Spear Fishing Decoy by Louie Leech (1905-1982), Fairmont, Minnesota, circa 1960s. Leech made fish decoys from the 1950s to the end of his life. Leech started out making fish for himself, but as the effectiveness of his decoys became evident, he began making them for sale. Donald Petersen notes in his book Folk Art Fish Decoys that for Leech the “important feature is its lead balancing” creating “a natural gliding motion”. Leach also added glitter for reflective light attraction. Leech Fish have a Common Wood Body Form, regardless of size, and Map Pin Eyes (late decoys have copper tacks). Fins are all painted metal. This Fish is in Excellent Original Condition. No Stand Included. A Fine Minnesota Fish Decoy.

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Price $125 plus shipping

Very Cool 6” Northern Ice Spear Fishing Decoy by an Unknown Maker from Minnesota, circa 1950s. This Little War Horse, a Classic Minnesota Red & White, which is in “As Found” Condition but All Original was found in the 1990s in Northern Minnesota. The Fish has incredible style with a Northern Form, Dominant Cut Mouth, Map Pin Eyes, Multiple Line Wire, Wood Body and Tin Fins. It could probably use a little cleaning, but it displays In-Use Wear. The Stand is Not Included. A Very Cool Minnesota Red & White from the 1950s.

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Price $95 plus shipping