The 10 Top Call For A Great Collection!!

[oldcalls]

Top 10 call makers for a great collection!!!  Notice I said call makers, not calls.  The reason for this is that one or two possibly fill most of the top ten slots.  Also, keep in mind that tastes vary from region to region and people have different opinions.  Yes, I know, many will look and say that so and so should be listed.  Billy Burke, Tom May, or G. D. Kenny, could make the top call list due to rarity as well as quality.  But, it's my list and I arrived at this with my pursuit of calls over the last twenty plus years of collecting.   The calls listed below can be obtained today with some effort.  These calls have been marketed well and are desired by those trying to collect what's considered the best of the best.

1.  Perry Hooker - carved
2.  J. T. Beckhart - carved
3.  Victor Glodo - checkered
4.  J. E. Cochran - checkered
5.  Ira Ferguson - checkered
6.  Kenny Harlow - carved
7.  Tom Turpin - inlay/checkered
8.  John Jolly - carved
9.  Charles Perdew - crown carved
10. Clifford - brick laminated

There are hundreds of great collectible calls out there in addition to this list.  Shown above are some great anchor calls towards building a strong collection.  Owning just one or two of these gets you on a good start.

I have spent a great deal of time contemplating this list on a challenge from a good friend of mine and had fun doing it.  Try it yourself.  This list would be a good starter list for a new/serious collector who wants to build a fine duck call collection.

If you're a true collector, once you own one your focus tends to change to the next call you want to own.   Enjoy what you get.

In closing, remember its only my opinion and the reasoning behind my choice of the listed makers above would be promotion, history/knowledge of the maker, age/time period, originality/innovation, and availability.

I challenge each of you to assemble a list like this using your knowledge towards calls you've been exposed to.  It's a fun exercise and I promise you that if you file the list away, the next time you try, it, it won't be the same!!

[marshcall]

perry hooker duck call.... $17,250, cant afford it...also i think a real victor glodo call would be at the top of my list...


very nice site here! ive already identified a call i have from the ark pictures...

[Duck Tracker]

Where would you rank Dennison since they didn't make top 10?

[oldcalls]

Dennison? That is a good question. There are a lot of calls I put above them for one reason or another. As Tennessee goes Earl plays an important role. He is like Turpin in many ways. Nationally known, made lots of calls, has some that are rare. Many of his calls have survived and In collections. A person could collect only Dennison's and have a great collection. One of my good friends built an incredible collection of the family calls.
Dennison makes my top twenty Tennessee call list but not the top list of calls in the country. There history is great. If ya wanted, you could find about a dozen different labels in their calls to collect. Or you could build a collection of fakes that would be about forty strong.  Made calls for collectors who asked about different makers from the area like Turpin's, Marsh calls, (spelled marsh wrong on his calls) NO White, Shaw's and many others. I like the calls and they sound good too. When I get a minute I'll add my favorite Tennessee call list. I had fun putting the list together. It's all just an opinion remember.

[oldcalls]

Hey Marshcall - I'd love to have a carved Hooker one day but don't think it will happen! I did get a plain Hooker a while back. 17k would buy a lot of stuff my wife wants