By ERIC C. RODENBERG
Antique Week Associate Editor

RUSHVILLE, Ohio – Don Faigley was one of those rare people. He never met a stranger, he was a walking encyclopedia of antique knowledge and he was always ready and willing to share his information.

For the past 40 years, Faigley was a regular at auctions throughout Ohio. His vast knowledge of antiques was often called upon by auctioneers: ‘Hey, Don what the heck is this?,’ was an oft-heard phrase at sales. He nearly always knew. He was the auctioneers’ friend, going so far as alerting one of the sales team to a particular item within a lot box that might do well selling on its own.
When this good, gracious man from Lancaster, Ohio, died suddenly on Oct. 12, it took all his friends by surprise. Although there had been some health issues as he had just entered his 67th year, it came as a shock to fellow collectors, auctioneers and friends when they realized that Don’s friendly, reassuring presence would no longer be seen at auctions.

“He and his wife Linda were just everyday people,” said one antique store owner. “Everyone considered them friends. He was just a laid-back person, who always had a good word for everyone … they were never well to do. Just good, normal people.”

As is often the case these days, the medical bills Don incurred during his final days were nearly insurmountable for his widow, Linda. Something had to be done, it was decided, and it was his “family” of friends — auctioneers and private collectors who rose to the occasion.

More than 20 auctioneers put together an auction on Dec. 12 “in honor” of Don at Mike Clum Auctions in Rushville, Ohio. They not only donated their professional services, but also donated some very nice antique and collectible items.

“A dealer called us about the benefit auction,” says Larry Watson, sales manager for Mike Clum Auctions, “and Mike said there’s no sense in renting a place. We can have the auction right here.”

It took a little “juggling around,” according to Watson, with Clum coming off one big auction only days before the newly-scheduled benefit auction, and going into another big auction shortly after the Dec. 12 date. “But, everybody just came together … things had to be done and we got it done. It was obviously an event worth doing.”

In addition to donations from auctioneers, friends and fellow collectors, the benefit auction also featured several items owned and made by Don. During the past 10 years or so Don had become a skilled wood worker, turning out butter pats, butter molds, small furniture and other country “folk art” items. He never represented them as being antique, according to an antique dealer who sold many of his items, but called them contemporary folk art.

But from Don’s work, his reputation as a duck call and decoy carver began to emerge. Many pieces of his work, particularly the early unsigned pieces, have been featured in collector books and were starting to become in demand across the country.

The calls are done in his typical folk art style, with diverse calls being plain, laminated, checkered or carved with some having sterling silver bands. Some of his calls are carved into duck and dog heads. They are – and will continue – to be prized collector items.

“We had a call from one collector in Vermont that said they would take any and all of his duck calls,” one of the organizers of the auction said. “They’re almost never signed, but in recent years they’ve been starting to command some high prices.”

Despite a day that started out with an icy drizzle at 8 a.m., and turned into a full-fledged blizzard by 1:30 p.m., sales among the auctioneers, friends and collectors were spirited.

“I didn’t know a thing about this,” said Linda Faigley. “I was only told after they started getting everything together … It has sure been appreciated.”