Welcome to the Blog today. I’m so happy you decided to visit. Today I’m sharing with you some vintage geese and a duck that I found at Thrift Stores in the past couple of years. I’ve always loved these vintage pieces and being originally from Canada the goose holds a special place in my heart. Hand carved and painted wooden birds are great to use as home decor year round but the holidays really help them to shine.
The goose in the picture above is quite large, 16″ from tip to tip and 13″ tall. It is carved out of a single piece of wood and the painting is quite detailed. I remember finding this at a Salvation Army Thrift Store. They had just brought him out from the back on a cart and I saw him and quickly placed him in my basket. He was being sold for under $5. I was thrilled.
He has painted eyes and you can see the defined beak and even the nostrils. Such a beautiful guy.
Next we have this beautifully primitive carved goose. He is also carved from a single piece of wood but in a simpler style. I love the curve of his neck and the raised eyes calling attention to the face. His beak is also defined and he is quite beautiful. The paint on this duck is distressed, some I think by design and some through natural wear and tear. He definitely has attitude. He was about $2 at a Goodwill. This duck measures 11 3/4″ long by 9 3/4″ tall.
This third piece is a painted Wood Duck carved from a single piece of wood. The painting on the duck is more detailed and the eyes are made of glass. He measures 12″ long by 6″ tall. He is a little beauty. This duck was found at a local Thrift Store and I still have the tag on the bottom. This duck was $2.25 and I think bought last November.
The Wood Duck was made in 1980 by Janice Cooper as you can see by the signature.
For the holiday season the duck and geese are dressed in seasonal bows. I often use red but don’t have my red ribbon unpacked yet so used this bronze and gold ribbon to give you an idea of how they look during the holidays. You can place your birds in a basket filled with pine or in a wooden dough boy with seasonal greens. They can be centerpieces or accent pieces and bring a bit of the outdoors inside. The natural look is a great way to decorate during the holidays.
Thanks for joining me today and hope you find some of these great wooden birds when you’re thrifting.
I know many people aren’t fans of Canada geese, but I think they are gorgeous creatures. I just make sure I watch where I’m walking! These three ducks/geese are so lovely, and I can’t wait to see them in your Christmas house!
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Thanks, Marsha. Canadian Geese are very aggressive but are also great family units. They protect their young and they look brilliant coming in for a landing on a lake. You definitely have to be aware of your footing when around these birds. Thanks for sharing. Have a great week.
Lynne
Nice specimens. Never see them in shops here. Better wooden than real. They are deemed a nuisance here with special diversions used to keep them away. Their guano is toooooooo much.
All true, Robin, but I still love to watch them in the air and on the water. They make for great carved birds. Thanks for stopping by and sharing. have a wonderful week.
Lynne
What great finds at great prices! Maryland, where I live has a rich history in carved shore birds. Having the Chesapeake Bay here, there are many carved bird festivals. I have never seen carved birds in thrift stores around here but keep a lookout just in case. They are so beautiful.
the Chesapeake Bay Area is such a beautiful spot. I imagine people are much more in tune with the value of carved birds since they are so prevalent there. You never know what you will find in a Thrift Store, that’s why we keep on looking LOL. Have a great week and thanks for sharing.
Lynne
The paint work on that first one is just amazing. Wow. Thank you for sharing this post at the Will Blog for Comments #14 linkup.
He was definitely a nice find, Jennifer. I’ll be displaying him more prominently for the holiday season. Thanks for visiting and have a great week.
Lynne
What an awesome collection. Love the prices too. I don’t think we are getting such great deals today because of the aggressive buyers cleaning out places like GoodWill to sell online.
I think you are probably right, Myrna. I have noticed a distinct hike in prices and lots of empty shelves in places that used to be well stocked. it makes thrifting more challenging. I see people all the time with carts piled high that are clearly filled with items they don’t intend for their own homes. Makes it more difficult for the individual shopper. Thanks for stopping by and sharing. Have a great week.
Lynne
I think I need to find different thrift stores because I rarely find things I want to bring home. Not that I don’t already have enough . . . The painted details on the first goose are wonderful. I admit to liking the second goose much better with his bow — to go with his attitude.
I think even wooden geese like to dress up a bit. LOL thrift Stores definitely vary by region and I’m lucky to live in an area where people seem to redecorate frequently. Keeps me coming back. Thanks for stopping by and sharing. Love your Blog. Have a great week.
Lynne
I loved seeing your birds. The only wooden one I have is a large carved puffin that I received for a wedding gift back in ’88; he is magnificent! I have a large collection of smaller ceramic birds. They are easy to thrift! I blame it all on receiving a Little Golden Book about birds as a child!