Makers / Shang Wheeler / Black Duck
Shang Wheeler Hollow Black Duck
Charles E. "Shang" Wheeler (1872-1949) Stratford, CT, c. 1920
$5,700
Brought, including buyer's premium
Estimate $3,000–$5,000over estimate
Sold 16 Feb 2018at The Winter Sale 2018 — Copley
SpeciesBlack DuckSize18"PaintOriginal
The catalog record
Charles E. "Shang" Wheeler (1872-1949) Stratford, CT, c. 1920 18 in. long
A classic Connecticut black duck decoy by the region's most revered maker with exceptional carving and fine paint. Original paint with wear, especially along body seam.
Provenance: Ronald Swanson Collection
Literature: Dixon MacD. Merkt, "Shang: A Biography of Charles E. Wheeler," Spanish Fork, UT, 1984, dust jacket cover, pp. 19, 129, 152, 172, and 173, pl. 5, 107, 142, 188-192, related decoys illustrated a dozen times.
Provenance
Ronald Swanson Collection
Comparable sales
The 5 most recent Shang Wheeler Black Ducks to cross the block.
| Sold | Condition | Paint | Brought |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2026 | Excellent | Original | $33,000 |
| Jul 2026 | — | Original | $14,400 |
| Apr 2026 | Mint | — | $144,000 |
| Feb 2026 | Excellent | Original | $84,000 |
| Nov 2025 | Excellent | Original | $12,000 |
Same maker and species, most recent first. Prices include the buyer's premium. All Shang Wheeler sales