Cool Finds: A Little Wooden Duck With a Story to Tell

Sometimes my finds lead to some pretty cool stories.

My father-in-law purchased a box of old dolls at an auction for me to research and resell recently, and in that box was a variety of different things, including this wooden duck.

Immediately, I think... this duck's head looks like the seagulls from Finding Nemo.

Thank you to Buildabettermousetrip.com.

But there is obviously more to this duck than it looking like a seagull. 

It's solid wood (I'm not sure what kind), and there is an inscription on the bottom.

 Sure enough, I start there with my research... searching for Earli Fossen. Nope, not it. Is that a V? Yep... and that i is an e... okay, getting somewhere...

"Earle Vossen, Eugene, OR 5-'87 #236". So we now know that there is at least 235 of these wood ducks out there, and this was carved in May of 1987. The search continues to turn up nothing.

Finally, I search only for Earle Vossen Eugene Oregon. The only thing I can find for this gentleman in Oregon is a Find-A-Grave listing.

Turns out, the only Earle Vossen in Oregon happens to have been a Major in the US Army in World War II.

Note: I won't take the picture of his stone and put it here out of respect... but the Find-A-Grave listing has a picture of it.

So, it turns out that this wooden duck was (highly likely) carved by a talented Major in the US Army in World War II. Somehow, it's found it's way to Michigan, and soon it will take flight to somewhere else. The Internet is a an awesome tool when it comes to learning the stories behind pieces like this!

I've decided to list it on eBay, but made sure to share this little duck's backstory in the listing as well so that someone else can appreciate it's history as much as I do.

Thanks for reading!