Mid-Century French Hand-Carved Duck Decoy - 13½"

This mid-century French hand-carved duck decoy, worked from lightweight softwood, has a quietly appealing, lifelike presence with its smoothly rounded body, incised feathering, and a gently turned head that gives the bird a natural, watchful pose. The rounded eyes are carved into the head, each set with a tiny contrasting wood pupil that lends a focused, alert expression. The surface is finished in a deep brown–to–near-black wash, with warm ochre highlights from natural rubbing catching the carved strokes and emphasizing the hand-worked texture. Time and use have left scattered wear and a visible old neck repair adding to its rustic charm.

Such working decoys were used by waterfowlers along France’s wetlands, their robust forms, lightweight woods, and subdued staining designed for clarity on the water long before plastic replaced wooden birds in later decades.

As an object of folk art, it lends quiet character to a console, mantel, or library shelf, where its tactile carving and muted patina temper more polished pieces. Pair it with stoneware, weathered books, or vintage botanical engravings to underscore a naturalist or sporting vignette, or let it stand alone on a desk or entry table as a grounded, organic accent. Its restrained silhouette and honest surface make it an easy fit in rustic, modern farmhouse, or collected interiors.