Antique 19th Century French Folk Art Carved Wooden Duck
Lincoln, United Kingdom
Hassle-free returns
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Easy returns (14 days)
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Free return if the item isn't as described
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Buyer protection
Damage is rare, and you're fully protected if it happens.
Dimensions
Wear Condition
Good
Material
Other Wood
Style
Antique, French Antiques
Product Details
Description
Antique 19th Century French Folk Art Carved Wooden Duck | Naive Painted Mallard Decoy Sculptural Country House Ornament, c.1890
A delightfully charming and highly tactile late 19th-century French folk art hand-carved wooden duck, dating to circa 1890. Brimming with naive character, this folk art sculpture captures the distinctive, plump silhouette of a resting mallard. The piece has been beautifully hand-carved from a single block of timber, with wonderful primitive tool marks left visible along the flanks and tail, adding immense texture and a sculptural quality.
The duck retains substantial traces of its original, multi-layered painted surface—featuring deep forest greens to the head, earthy ochre tones to the breast, and subtle dark grey wash over the body. The surface has naturally aged over more than a century to create a deeply crusted, dry, and wonderfully crackled patination.
Dating from the turn of the 19th century, decoys and bird carvings of this style occupy a celebrated position in European folk art and country house traditions. While some utilitarian wooden ducks were carved strictly as functional sporting decoys for waterfowling in regional France, more stylized, domestic pieces like this example were often crafted by rural artisans or gamekeepers as decorative whimsical ornaments, mantelpiece companions, or even children's toys.
The heavy wood block, visible hand-cut peg inserts, and the primitive, expressive carving technique reflect an honest, regional French craftsmanship that bypassed formal academic structure in favor of pure, observational charm.
Today, this naive mallard serves as a premier, highly decorative collectors' item for enthusiasts of authentic folk art, early treen, and rustic country house interiors. Standing alongside a standard wine bottle for scale, it possesses a substantial, reassuring weight and a bold, graphic presence. It is a masterclass in texture, making it an ideal statement piece to anchor an open dresser, sit proud on a rustic mantlepiece, or add historic warmth to a contemporary library shelf. Its dry, weathered surface offers that elusive, unaltered "found" look that interior designers prize for injecting immediate soul into a space.
Height: 16 cm / 6.3 inch
Width: 30 cm / 11.8 inch
Depth: 13 cm / 4.7 inch
Weight: 0.6 k.g. / 1.3 lbs
Condition report:
Presented in charming antique folk art condition, displaying a superb, entirely original and un-restored surface wear that confirms its 19th-century origin.
The solid carved wood body is structurally stable, heavy, and sound. There are honest, historic shrinkage splits to the dry timber along the back and base, which are entirely stable and characteristic of early single-block wood carvings.
The original polychrome painted surface shows extensive historic wear, flaking, and rubbing down to the bare timber, particularly around the head and base. This historic distressing is completely stable and forms the core of the piece’s weathered aesthetic charm. No modern overpainting, repairs, or active woodworm detected.
Additional dimensions information:
Height: 16 cm / 6.3 inch Width: 30 cm / 11.8 inch Depth: 13 cm / 4.7 inch Weight: 0.6 k.g. / 1.3 lbs
Wear Condition
Good
Cancellations
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Returns
We have a 14-day return guarantee for orders from individual sellers, within the UK and European Union. View full policy.
Additional Delivery Info from Seller
Estimated delivery time
Less than one week
Free collection available
Yes
Made to Last
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Reviews
5.0
Based on 4 reviews
Wear conditions
Excellent
Shows little to no signs of wear and tear.
Good
May show slight traces of use in keeping with age. Most vintage and antique items fit into this condition.
Average
Likely to show signs of some light scratching and ageing but still remains in a fair condition.
Apparent Wear and Tear
Visible signs of previous use including scratches, chips or stains.
Please refer to condition report, images or make a seller enquiry for additional information.
Cancellations and Returns
Last updated: 12/02/2026
Clear, predictable protection for every pre-loved purchase.
Simple £75 flat return fee for UK-to-UK mainland furniture when you change your mind.
Applies to furniture with a final selling price of up to £5,000 (excluding delivery and service fees) and delivered from a UK mainland seller to mainland UK addresses. Excludes Northern Ireland, Channel Islands, Scottish Highlands & Islands, Isle of Wight and Isles of Scilly.
Buying vintage should feel inspiring, not uncertain.
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1. Free cancellations
Changed your mind before dispatch?
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To cancel an order, click Create cancellation on the order page.
Once an item has been dispatched, delivery costs are not refundable.
Bespoke, personalised or made-to-order pieces cannot be cancelled.
2. Returning an item
You have 14 days from delivery to request a return.
There are two return types:
A. The item isn't as described (free return)
If your piece arrives and it doesn't match the listing in any material way (incorrect description, undisclosed damage, inaccurate measurements, misleading photos), you are fully protected:
- Free return
- The seller or Vinterior arranges pickup
- Full refund, including outbound delivery costs once the seller receives the item
This applies to all purchases.
B. You changed your mind
UK-to-UK furniture deliveries:
To make UK furniture returns predictable and stress-free, we offer a simple flat return fee of £75.
- Applies to furniture delivered from a UK mainland seller to a mainland UK address. Excludes Northern Ireland, Channel Islands, Scottish Highlands & Islands, Isle of Wight and Isles of Scilly.
- Pickup arranged for you
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We coordinate the return with either the seller's chosen courier or our trusted delivery partner.
All other items
Most smaller items are straightforward to return.
You can still return your item within 14 days.
- For smaller or parcel-sized items, you can choose to post the item back yourself using a tracked service, or the seller can suggest a preferred courier.
- For larger or more fragile pieces, the seller may recommend the safest return method.
- Return delivery costs vary depending on size and courier.
The seller will confirm the best option based on the item.
3. If your item arrives damaged
Damage on arrival is uncommon, especially for UK furniture deliveries.
But if something does go wrong, you're fully protected.
- Let us know as soon as possible (ideally within 72 hours of delivery) so we can resolve things quickly
- Share photos so we understand what happened
- We’ll help arrange a return and refund if needed
You’re always protected when something goes wrong in transit.
Your statutory rights apply for up to 30 days from delivery.
4. What can't be returned
Some items cannot be returned:
- Bespoke, personalised, or made-to-order pieces
- Items altered after delivery
5. How to start a return
- Log in to your Vinterior account
- Open your order
- Click Create a return
- Add notes + photos if relevant
We'll guide you through the rest.
6. What happens next
- We review your request, confirm the return and advise on next steps
- Pickup or return method is arranged
- The item is returned to the seller
- We issue your refund once the seller confirms the item's condition
Returns are completed smoothly once the pickup is arranged.
7. Refunds
Once the seller receives the piece back in the same condition it was sent, we'll issue your refund to your original payment method.
Once a refund is issued, it may take up to 5–10 working days for the funds to appear back on your original payment method, depending on your bank or card provider.
If the item is returned with new damage that wasn't present at delivery, the refund may be adjusted following review.
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What your service fee covers
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14-day return guarantee
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Flat-fee return shipping on UK furniture
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Seller vetting
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Dedicated customer support
| Order Value (£) | Fee (£) |
|---|---|
| 0 — 49.99 | 2.75 |
| 50 — 99.99 | 5.50 |
| 100 — 199.99 | 11.00 |
| 200 — 399.99 | 21.00 |
| 400 — 599.99 | 30.00 |
| 600 — 799.99 | 40.00 |
| 800 — 999.99 | 50.00 |
| 1,000 — 1,499.99 | 55.00 |
| 1,500 — 1,999.99 | 60.00 |
| 2,000 — 4,999.99 | 82.50 |
| 5,000+ | 110.00 |
Added at checkout, based on your basket total.
