Full size Blackduck decoy by Robert “Bob” Litzenberg (1910–1997) of Elkton, Maryland. Clean, dry, all original paint. Signed and dated 1983. Retains original rigging. Great decoy for the upper bay collector!
 
Litzenberg was a traditional Chesapeake Bay waterfowl decoy carver whose work grew directly out of his life as a waterfowl hunter on the Elk River. He began carving during the Great Depression, making his own decoys out of necessity rather than for sale.

Litzenberg was known for his old-school, all hand-carved methods, shaping his birds with a hatchet and knife and avoiding machinery throughout his career. Influenced by Cecil County carver Will Heverin, his decoys reflect classic Upper Chesapeake forms and paint, particularly canvasbacks and other local species. His early work tended to be simpler, while later decoys became somewhat rounder and heavier, though still firmly rooted in tradition.

Highly respected within the regional carving community, Litzenberg was named Honorary Chairman of the Havre de Grace Decoy Festival in 1986, and his legacy is represented at the Havre de Grace Decoy Museum. In later years, declining health led him to carve miniature decoys, allowing him to continue working.