Painted Wooden Duck Decoy, Italy, 1960's

A wonderfully characterful antique painted wooden duck decoy, its hand-painted surface depicting a mallard hen in grey, black, and cream with a yellow and black bill. The paint has worn beautifully over the decades, with chips and losses that only add to the piece's rustic, well-used patina. A classic example of American folk art and waterfowl decoy carving tradition, equally at home in a coastal or woodland interior as it is in a more eclectic collection.