Makers / Herter's / Owl

Herter's Great Horned Owl Decoy

Herters Manufacturing Inc. (est. 1890s) Waseca, MN, c. 1940

Herter's – Great Horned Owl Decoy – 2017
$2,160
Brought, including buyer's premium
Estimate $1,000–$1,500over estimate
Sold Jul 2017at Copley, July 2017

See this lot at Copley →

SpeciesOwlPaintOriginal

The catalog record

Herters Manufacturing Inc. (est. 1890s) Waseca, MN, c. 1940 20 in. tall

This life-size owl decoy was designed for crow hunting. Original paint with gunning wear and an area of discoloration on back.

Provenance: Donal C. O'Brien, Jr. Collection

Literature: Robert Shaw, "Bird Decoys of North America," New York, NY, 2010, p. 100, similar decoy illustrated. William J. Mackey, Jr., "American Bird Decoys," New York, NY, 1965, p. 198, plate 156, related example illustrated. Peter Johnson and Alf Wannenburgh, “The World of Shooting,” Lausanne, Switzerland, 1987, pp. 259-261, exact decoy partially illustrated.

Provenance

Donal C. O'Brien, Jr. Collection

Comparable sales

The 5 most recent Herter's Owls to cross the block.

SoldConditionPaintBrought
Jul 2025—Original$780
18 May 2024——$390
Feb 2021—Original$3,600
15 Feb 2020—Original$2,400
25 Jul 2019—Original$1,320

Same maker and species, most recent first. Prices include the buyer's premium. All Herter's sales