Description:

Pair of A.I. McCormick (American, Long Island, 1908-1993) Black Ducks with Cork Bodies and Wood Heads
A.I. McCormack aka "Mr. Decoy" lived in Westbury L.I. and was a very respected carver who always had a carving booth at the LIDCC show. He often taught novice decoy carvers the techniques needed to build rugged working decoys; black ducks were his specialty. The bodies were built of refrigerator cork, also known as black cork, and the heads were made of cedar. After the cork was carved, he used a slurry of cork dust and spar varnish to seal the cork and produce a smooth paintable surface on which he used dull house paint. The keel is 1-inch stock and cut 3-inches wide running the length of the decoy. A strip of roofing or molten lead was screwed to the keel. A.I.'s decoys were mostly used in saltwater, so their construction was made to last the harsh conditions. One decoy shows the keel deteriorating with a saltwater stain along the back. The other is in good condition.

  • Dimensions: Larger 19 x 7 x 7 in. (48.3 x 17.8 x 17.8 cm.)

Accepted Forms of Payment:

COD (cash on delivery), MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

SHIPPING:
As a small auction house, we do not handle shipping internally. We do have a few options for you to choose from-
1. Local Pack & Ship- Uses FedEx or UPS to ship. East End Shipping can be reached at 631-874-7406 or email at [email protected].
2. Local UPS Store- Can be reached at (631) 281-1122 or email at [email protected].
3. Pickup at our gallery. We are located at 485 Montauk Hwy, East Moriches, NY 11940. We are open Monday to Friday from 10am to 4pm for pickup. If picking up, applicable local sales tax will be added to your invoice. Please contact us before coming so we can retrieve your item(s).
4. If you purchased furniture or very large items, please email us and we can provide you a list of shippers to contact.
5. Naturally, you can also use an outside shipper of your choice.
Please email us and let us know your preferred shipping method or if you plan to pick-up.


IMPORTANT NOTE: ALL JEWELRY PURCHASES MUST BE PAID IN CASH, BANK CHECK OR WIRE TRANSFER. IF PAID BY CREDIT CARD IT WILL BE SUBJECT TO A 30 DAY SHIPPING DELAY UNLESS PAID IN PERSON or PRE-APPROVED.

August 23, 2025 11:00 AM EDT
East Moriches, NY, US

South Bay Auctions Inc

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 22% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $49 $5
$50 $199 $10
$200 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $4,999 $100
$5,000 $9,999 $200
$10,000 $19,999 $500
$20,000 $49,999 $1,000
$50,000 $99,999 $2,000
$100,000 $199,999 $5,000
$200,000 $499,999 $10,000
$500,000 + $20,000