A rare pair of mallards by Richard “Fresh Air Dick” Janson (Sonoma, CA) ca. 1940-50. Excellent and all original paint. These exact decoys are featured on pages 192-195 of Richard “Fresh Air Dick” Janson by Wallace Lourdeaux. The hen has a repaired neck crack and tail chip visible under black light. The drake has one small (approx. 2”x1” area on the back that appears to have paint strengthening as well as an old thin coat of varnish visible under black light. Additional photos of this pair are shown on pages 176 and 196 of the Lourdeaux reference. This pair is also pictured on page 114 of Wildfowl Decoys of California by Michael Miller (bottom right). Quality mallards by this most collectable of the west coast makers rarely come available and are highly prized by knowledgeable collectors.
A rare pair of mallards by Richard “Fresh Air Dick” Janson (Sonoma, CA) ca. 1940-50. Excellent and all original paint. These exact decoys are featured on pages 192-195 of Richard “Fresh Air Dick” Janson by Wallace Lourdeaux. The hen has a repaired neck crack and tail chip visible under black light. The drake has one small (approx. 2”x1” area on the back that appears to have paint strengthening as well as an old thin coat of varnish visible under black light. Additional photos of this pair are shown on pages 176 and 196 of the Lourdeaux reference. This pair is also pictured on page 114 of Wildfowl Decoys of California by Michael Miller (bottom right). Quality mallards by this most collectable of the west coast makers rarely come available and are highly prized by knowledgeable collectors.
