Vtg Red +White 

Bru-Ell 

Ice Spear Fishing Decoy 

Folk Art 

Hand Carved Wood 

5 5/8"" Tin Tail+Fins

from Minnesota Collection

The Bru-Ell fish spearing decoys were made by Bruce and Helen Wakefield of Watkins, Minnesota. Bruce, a former mink and cattle farmer, began carving decoys in 1943 after an accident left him unable to continue farming www.retiredlures.com. The name “Bru-Ell” comes from combining their first names — BRU from Bruce and ELL from Helen DecoyPedia.

The Wakefields operated the Bru-Ell Manufacturing Company from 1943 until about 2004, producing decoys for roughly 60 years www.retiredlures.com. They made as many as 3,000 decoys annually, ranging in size from about 3 to 14 inches www.retiredlures.com. The decoys were typically sold in boxes for a few years, but the solid white boxes were only used in the first couple of years (1943–1945) www.retiredlures.com.

Signing:
Some Bru-Ell decoys were signed, often by Helen Wakefield on the bottom, using a real white tack with a black dot for the pupil WorthPoint. However, not all decoys were signed, and the practice was not consistent over the decades WorthPoint. This means they were not always signed — the signature was an optional detail rather than a standard marking.

In summary:

  • Makers: Bruce and Helen Wakefield, Watkins, MN

  • Production period: 1943–2004

  • Signed? Some were signed by Helen Wakefield on the bottom; not all decoys bore a signature.

Great Price at $64.95 !!!!! 

For One As Seen !!!!! 

Plus, I am shipping via

USPS Ground Advantage
To Save You $$$$$ !!!!!
Remind me and I'll give 
you a 10% refund on shipping.

Happy Collecting !!!!!

Be sure to take advantage of our
Volume Purchase Discounts 
and our Combined Shipping Rates  !!!!!
!!Normally, volume discounts apply to multiple items from 
the same listings but mention my volume discount rates 
when ordering a number of items from different listings, 
such as 3 different items from 3 separate listings, and I 
will honor that volume discount in the form of a partial 
refund as eBay is not set up for that. If I am having a sale, 
you will get whichever gives you the highest discount. 
Buy 2 for 5%, 3 for 10%, 4 for 15%, and 5 for 20%

Condition; This is in pretty good condition 
with only minor paint wear.  It came from a 
Minnesota Collection marketed by Luther Auctions.  
Maxi Moterhead, our rescued resident shop cat really 
wanted to help with the display, and I could not resist 
showing you her involvement.  She is not for sale.   
See Photos. 
Phone users, be sure to click on "see full 
description" for measurements and other information.   
There may always be small manufacturer's defects 
or microscopic blemishes or flaws consistent with 
age and use which is to be expected in antique and 
vintage items. Rest assured that any major issues 
will always b4"e both documented and photographed 
to the best of my ability. Be sure and check the 
photos as they are an integral part of the description 
and do a much better job of showing condition issues 
than what I can explain through the use of the 
written word.   Use the magnification tool and feel 
free to ask questions. 

Pricing: I carefully research 
non-auction plus shipping 
sold prices on all items using 
a search tool that goes back 
10 years, with the goal of 
pricing my items fairly from
the start. Some listers 
artificially put higher prices
on their items so that they can 
give huge discounts to their 
buyers while still ending up at 
market price.   I don't do that.  I 
don't have the wiggle room to 
give huge discounts because 
of that practice. In most
cases I can work with you but 
your offers have to be 
reasonable.  I don't control 
shipping and that should not
be expected to come out of 
my 74-year-old pocket.

Measurements: approximated 
5 5/8" long, 1 7/8" wide, 1 5/8" high

Packaging:   Note that I turn over the 
ends of the shipping tape on bubble wrap, 
so the ends are easy to grab and pull off 
without damage so you can re-use the 
bubble wrap.  I always use multiple layers 
of bubble wrap to ensure the item's safety
in transit.

6840-6862 - 11,452 - 
Bx 449
est weight: 2 oz. - 
est shipping weight: 7 oz.

Disclaimer:  Photographs showing the item 
next to a ruler or tape measure are there to show 
scale only and usually will not show exact 
measurements due to the fact that there is usually a 
perspective issue.  Please always go by my stated 
measurements rather than guessing at the exact size 
based on the photos.  

Photographs are a vital part of the 
description:  
If anything shows up in the photographs, a scratch, 
chip, blemish, stain, bump, open air bubble, crazing, 
soiling, smudge, scuff, roughness, manufacturer's flaw, 
or other issues show up in the photos that are not 
mentioned in the written condition description, 
they are still a part of the description and cannot be 
used for a 'not as described' complaint.  I hate to 
admit it, but I am an old lady with fading eyesight 
and so can miss tiny flaws that photos catch.  At 
other times, I may have prioritized other issues in 
the written description as eBay only gives us so 
much word space in that section.  If 
you see something in the photos that you wonder 
about, please ask questions before you commit 
to a purchase.  
Note: Because of the way computers 
and cell phones are set to interpret colors 
that show on their monitors, and because 
of people's perceptions of color descriptions, 
the colors you see on your screen may 
not be exactly the colors you will
get but might appear a bit darker or lighter 
or a shade or two different in tinge. I will 
always do my best to show colors as 
close to reality as I can get them but keep 
that in mind when you make your orders, 
as, although I accept returns, I WILL
NOT accept a small difference in color 
shades as a reason for a 'not as described' 
claim when asking for a return.
Of course, if I say that something is black 
and it turns out to be red, then obviously 
the fault is mine and the 'not as 
described' claim will be accepted.

Shipping window changes:  I am a 74-year-old 
lady who lives quite a way out in the country.  I also have 
chronic pain syndrome.  I choose a longer, up to 5 business 
day shipping window so that I can choose the best weather
days and best health days to make the trip into town where 
I run as many errands as I can including mailing your packages. 
It Is Important that if you do need your item in a 
hurry for a birthday or special occasion, that you 
let me know 
and I will be happy to do my best for you.