Putting some classic gunning decoys back into shape
Here is how they looked upon arrival – worn from honest work but not beyond repair.
As much as I enjoy developing a new “fancy” carving – and crafting a gunner that looks and works really well – I still thoroughly enjoy re-painting gunning decoys. There is something about transforming a whole herd of venerable but badly worn decoys that is very satisfying. In fact, it is difficult for me to gaze upon some of my “collectible” birds – like some cork Wildfowler Black Ducks – and not pick up the paint brush. So, when I saw a bunch of Bean’s Coastal Black Ducks for sale in nearby Vermont, I took the plunge. Just for fun – and a modest profit – I would rescue some classic decoys and put them in the hands of a gunner who would put them back into use. Best of all, he would put them into use on the “coast” – the tidal salt waters of my native Long Island.
I bought 16 Black Ducks and brought them to the shop in August. I picked out the “best” pair – a high head and a lowhead/swimmer with the most original paint. They will live on a shelf in my shop – unmolested by tools or paint for the foreseeable future. The others would be restored – as 10 Blacks and 4 Mallards.
Gallery 1 – As they were
- Here is how they looked upon arrival – worn from honest work but not beyond repair.
- This is the original paint – perhaps 40 or 50 years old.
- The heads were fastened with a dowel.
- A brass pin intercepted the dowel in the neck.
- I always liked this Swimmer posture.
Dale Dalrymple – of http://www.dalesdecoyden.com – freely provided his thoughts on the vintage – probably late-50s or early 60s. I understand that Dale is writing a book on Bean’s decoys.
Phase I involved some minor repairs and then sealing and priming so they could be painted.
I hang the birds so the varnish will run to one spot – the tail.
Gallery 2 – Getting them ready for paint
- Some of the larger voids in the black (aka “refrigerator”) cork were filled with epoxy and microballoons – then sanded.
- I drove a deck screw up alongside the dowel on about half the birds – whenever the head wiggled side-to-side.
- Here is a better view of the dowel and the driven screw.
- Then, I brushed on a very wet coat of spar varnish – to seal the cork so it would not drink up Great South Bay.
- I hang the birds so the varnish will run to one spot – the tail.
- Flat grey primer goes on the bottoms and the heads.
I painted the Black Ducks first. Although I usually topcoat gunners with acrylic latex (house paint), I like to prime my birds with flat oils. In this case, I had a can of Black Duck Body Color – Flat Marine Enamel #3 from Lock, Stock & Barrell. This is an oil paint – and is the perfect base color for this species. So, the “primer” and the topcoat were one-and-the-same on the Black Duck bodies.
And here is the Big Ten – ready once again to campaign on Great South Bay.
Gallery 3 – Painting the Blacks
- The body color is carried onto the back and top of the head.
- Notice that the body color also comes up the base of the neck in the front.
- Behr Mocha Accent from Homre Depot – in a sample-sized jar – is a good base color for the face on a Black Duck.
- I use Behr Black Suede for the crown and the eyeline.
- The bill is mostly Yellow Ochre from a tube. Note the black Line of Demarcation between the face and the bill – with that little triangle by the hinge.
- I use Behr “Fedora” for the streaking on the cheeks – and suggest the back of the cheek separate from the neck itself.
- I overpainted the dark flecking with paler (Behr Ashwood) streaks at a different angle to give that “wormy” look.
- I accent the eye by painting in the lower eyelid with Ashwood – or White.
- Here is a finished Swimmer – with a simpler paint scheme on the face.
- This Highhead has the two-tone paint job.
- I vary the eyeline but try to get that “hat pulled down to his eyes” look.
- The tertials are probably important to other Black Ducks – note that they fade to paler toward the inside of the back.
- I like a Grey bottom – so I can write the owner’s name in permanent marker.
- Here is the face in natural light.
- Here is the whole bird outside.
- And here is the Big Ten – ready once again to campaign on Great South Bay.
Painting the Mallards
Here is the Foursome.
Although the Mallard is our commonest species – and probably the commonest decoy – it is the most difficult to paint. The Drake requires some blending on its back and flanks to look right – and the Hen needs to look streaked like the grassland-nester that she is.
- The Hen is primed with the Black Duck Body lightened with White.
- The paint and varnish need to be scraped from the eyes.
- The undertail is streaked with White to lighten it.
- The speculum – which usually shows more on Hens than Drakes – is done with 2 shades of Ultramarine Blue – and some detail on the Black and White”bars”.
- The back should be dark but with obvious streaking.
- The sides are lighter but still heavily streaked. Each streak should sweep upward as it goes aft. The “tan” is Behr “Collectible”.
- The Hen’s chest – just like the Drake – has a reddish cast to it.
- Note the “mustache” – which Black Ducks do not have – and the heavy “saddle” on the bill.
- Here is the whole effect on the Swimmer.
- The Drake’s tertial feathers should be blended light to dark as they move outward from the centerline.
- The dark back feathers are distinct “triangles”.
- The flanks should fade from a warm Grey to White along the after edge.
- The chest is Black Duck Body overpainted with a Barn Red.
- I favor a dark Green cheek – without the vivid colors some prefer.
- Here is the Foursome.
- And here is the completed rig.
Now for delivery – and a useful life once again.
And here is the completed rig.
Steven Jay Sanford 
Steve, Great Job on those Repaints , Merry Christmas. Paul From: Steven Jay Sanford To: duckguy723@yahoo.com Sent: Friday, December 12, 2014 4:12 AM Subject: [New post] Re-painting L L Bean Coastal Black Ducks and Mallards #yiv2759600860 a:hover {color:red;}#yiv2759600860 a {text-decoration:none;color:#0088cc;}#yiv2759600860 a.yiv2759600860primaryactionlink:link, #yiv2759600860 a.yiv2759600860primaryactionlink:visited {background-color:#2585B2;color:#fff;}#yiv2759600860 a.yiv2759600860primaryactionlink:hover, #yiv2759600860 a.yiv2759600860primaryactionlink:active {background-color:#11729E;color:#fff;}#yiv2759600860 WordPress.com | Steven Jay Sanford posted: “Putting some classic gunning decoys back into shape As much as I enjoy developing a new “fancy” carving – and crafting a gunner that looks and works really well – I still thoroughly enjoy re-painting gunning decoys. There is something ab” | |