THE BENNETT DUCK CALL COLLECTION
WELCOME
I hope you will view and enjoy seeing some fine duck calls crafted by some great call makers. I placed these pictures of my call collection on this page so others can see different styles, looks and shapes of yesterday and today's calls. I have over 550 calls by over 240 call makers on these web pages. If you have any questions, comments or updates about a call maker you can email me at Jameshbjr@aol.com.
Two good sites to learn more about the history of duck calls and ask call makers about call making are www.customcalls.com and www.ccaacalls.org.
Thank you
James T. Beckhart (1864-1922) of Buckspoint, Arkansas made this fine duck call. Most of Beckhart's calls were made of walnut. This call is made of cedar and has a silver mouthpiece. One of the checkered panels has a banner for someones initials.The top of the barrel is stamped twice with "J.T. BECKHART". His first calls were made around 1890 and were known as "Big Lake Style Calls". Today calls with these type checkered panels are known as "Beckhart" style calls. Beckhart sold his fancy hand-checkered calls for $5.00 and his plain calls for $2.50.
This great call was found at a yard sale in 2008 for $1.50 by Richard Reeves of Mansfield, Missouri and sold to me in 2009. You can find out more on J.T. Beckhart and see more of his calls in the "Arkansas Duck Hunters Almanac" on page 58, in Harlan's book page 79 and in McGrath's book page 62.
These five calls may be the oldest in my collection. They are of the Tongue Pincher type that was patented by Elam Fisher of Detroit, Michigan on May 10, 1870. This is the earliest patent found for a duck call. These calls, or ones similar, were sold from the 1870's through the 1930's. They are made of rosewood with a "cow" horn bell and a copper reed. The horn bell is threaded and can be unscrewed for cleaning and tuning. Elam Fisher may have even made the larger calls on the left personally.
Here are five Elam Fisher design style calls. The first two are known as Red Duck Calls. The other three tongue pincher style calls are sometimes referred to as the B.G.I. call for the Bridgeport Implement Company of Bridgeport, Connecticut. They all have rosewood mouthpieces and metal bell ends. Calls are not marked or stamped and could date between the 1870's through the 1930's. You can read more about these types of calls in Harlan's book, pages 15 - 19.
Four calls made by Charles Haddon Perdew (1910-1998) of Henry, Illinois. The first two calls are made of red cedar in the famous "Perdew" style started by Charles father, Charles Henry Perdew in the early 1900's. They are both banded and have "CHAS. H. PERDEW, HENRY, ILL" stamped in the top part of the barrel under the first band. The next two calls are the "St. Francis River" style call or "VL&A" call. They are made of walnut and have three checkerd panels and one plain panel for the owners initials. The first is WRB for William Bailey and the second, TEC, for Tom Condo. I am proud to have these two calls in my collection. Both are ingraved on the top of the barrel with Perdew's name and home town. You can read more about Charles Perdew and his father in Christensen's book, page 136 and Harlan's book page 92. Charles is in Fleming's first book on page 141.
Fred A. Allen (1838-1912) of Monmouth, Illinois made these five calls. They are the long and short barrel styles with the nickel-plated insert stamped "F.A. ALLEN, MONMOUTH, ILL". The first two calls have mouthpieces or lip rings. The large center call has Allen's deep lanyard groove. Most duck call historians and collectors attribute the invention of the modern day duck call to Fred Allen. Page 21 in Harlan's book, page 44-49 in Christensen's book and page 16 in McGrath's book tell more about Mr. Allen.
The first call was made by Charles W. Grubbs (1848-1930) of Chicago, Illinois. Grubbs is generally credited with making the first banded commercial duck call. The is Grubbs's standard call made of walnut. Information on Grubbs can be found in Christensen's book,page 86 and page 25 in McGrath's book.
The second call is a New Eureka style call by Charles H. Ditto (1865-1935) of Keithsburg, Illinois. You can read about this Illinois call maker in Christensen's book, page 70, Harlan's book, page 75 and McGrath's book page 22.
Joseph Montgomery Goodbrake (1882-1957) of Vandalia, Illinois made the third call. It is a hard wood call with a brass reed. Goodbrake made several variations of his duck calls, but all were characterized by a large lanyard groove. You can read more about him in Christensen's book page 84 and Harlan's book page 230.
The last call was made in the 1930's by Norman Franks of Michigan.
These are the Natural Duck Calls made by Francis J. Muehlstein (1885-1954) of St. Paul, Minnesota. Also known as the flapping bill call because the bill flaps up and down when blown. The bills are painted olive green with a black tip. The wood part of the call is painted dark green. The call on the left is an early Natural Duck Call with glass eyes. The other two calls have painted tack eyes. There is one of these calls pictured on page 140 in Harlan's book. You can also read about Mr. Muehlstein in Doug Lodermeier's book, Minnesota Duck Calls page 271-294.
Five beautiful calls made by Fred Weeks of Savannah, Tennessee. The first call has four raised checkered panels with a carved flying duck on one panel. The other three calls have four raised checkered panels on each. Two are cocobolo and one is blackwood. The center call is banded and the checkered panels flare out at the bottom of the barrel. This is one of the best Weeks call anywhere. The fifth call is made of burl walnut with a moose antler slice laminated into the barrel. They are all Reelfoot style calls. Fred's calls can be seen in Fleming's book, page 168 and Harlan's book, page 185. They don't get much better than Fred's.
Five Reelfoot style calls made by H.J. Harris of Troy, Tennessee. The first is made of ebony wood, the second curly maple, the third is burl walnut, the fourth is cherry, and the last is rosewood. All five have finely checkered panels. The calls are banded and have checkered stoppers. Two of the calls have bands around the top of the stopper. The center call has four inlaid ivory panels that have been scrimshawed with a dog, duck, goose and call. Joel can be found on page 80 in Fleming's second book. Mr. Harris makes one of the finest calls in all of Tennessee.
John Fay Holt (1928-2005) of Bethel Springs, Tennessee made these five Reelfoot style calls. The first three are nice checkered cocobolo calls. The fourth is a laminated call made of cherry, maple and walnut. It is also signed on the barrel. The last is made from gun grade walnut. I was very happy to get to know Fay and his family during my Reelfoot trips. I do miss seeing him. Mr. Holt is found on page 79 in Fleming's first Custom Calls book.
Five nice calls made by Joe Jaroski of DuQuoin, Illinois. The first two calls have laminated barrels and decals that read "Joe Jaroski Jr. DuQuoin, ILL." The third call is Joe's first attempt at carving a scene on one of his calls. It is made of walnut with a carved hunter shooting a shotgun. Also shown are two banded and checkered calls. Read more about Joe in Fleming's first book, page 102 and Fleming's second book pages 97. Christensen's book, page 97 and in the Luckey & Lewis book, Joe is on pages 323. Many of Joe's calls and those that Joe has collected are in "The Art of American Game Calls" book by Russell Lewis. Joe also makes great display stands for duck calls. You can contact Joe at janicejaroski@comcast.net.
Five varieties of Reelfoot style calls made by E.L. Quinn of Newbern, Tennessee. The first call is pictured in Harlan's book page 219 and McGrath's book page 57. It is from the late Harry Warner collection. The next two calls, banded and made of cocobolo, shows Mr. Quinn's fine craftsmanship. They each have a number of checkered panels going up and down. The fourth call is laminated using maple, walnut and purple heart. The last call is walnut with a carved mallard head on the barrel. Mr. Quinn can be found on page 142 in Fleming's first book and pages 151 in his second book.
Five varieties of calls made by Gene Parrish of Erin, Tennessee. The first is a holly call with ten caeved and painted ducks around the barrel and stopper. The third call is the best Parrish call I have. It is a cocobolo call with four raised checkered panels. The stopper is checkered and both barrel and stopper are banded. The last call is shaped like a mallard's head. It has a 12ga shell as the stopper. Gene can be found on page 139 in Fleming's first book and page 144 in his second book. In Harlan book, Gene is on page 239.
Five of call maker Marv Meyer's best work. Marv, from Richfield, Minnesota, shows great carving talent with these calls. The second call is cherry and the rest are made of walnut. Each are carved with chekered panels, small duck heads and other carved designs. The stoppers also have nice carved designs on them. The last call is a three duck headed walnut call. Each head has two glass eyes. You can find out more about Marv Meyer in Doug Lodermeier's book, page 549 and Fleming's second book, page 132. You can also contact Marv on the web at, marvdmeyer@comcast.net. Marv's calls are still priced right for the collector.