William Hart Hooded Merganser Drake

William Hart (1875-1946) Belleville, ON, Canada, c. 1930 An extremely rare and important hooded merganser drake that originated from Hart’s personal gunning rig. In April 2005 a Hart merganser set the world record for any Canadian decoy at auction, selling for $203,000. One other Hart hooded merganser with some old overpaint taken down has also come to light. This classic little merganser has a solid body, tack eyes and a deeply incised “W. HART” on the bottom. It is completely original from tip to tail and features fine scratch comb paint along the sides. It is in excellent condition given the delicate nature of its bill and crest, and its use as an actual hunting decoy. In fine original paint with light gunning wear; minor rubs to tip of bill.

Literature: Jim Stewart, The County Decoys: The Fine Old Decoys of Prince Edward County, Erin, Ontario, Canada, 2004, p. 134. Guyette and Schmidt, Inc., "North American Decoys at Auction," April 28 & 29, 2005, p. 93, lot 527.