William Duet was among the finest decoy carvers who lived along Bayou La Fourch. The bayou stretches from Donaldsonville on the Mississippi River to a point near Grand Isle, on the Gulf of Mexico. Duet was a fisherman and shrimper, a way of earning a living he shared with many of the men who inhabit the region. Unlike most of his neighbors, Duet carved decoys for his own use and the hunters drawn to the area. The upswept bill, rounded head and feathered detail are characteristics of his work. He is credited with having produced a number of mallard, pintail, teal and coot decoys. Duet is recalled as a man with a “ready smile and keen carving skills.”
For additional information
Collecting Antique Bird Decoys, 1983 by Carl F. Luckey Louisiana Duck Decoys, 1975 by Charles W. Frank, Jr.