Working Red Breasted Merganser hen  by Delbert "Cigar" Daisey (born 1928-2017), Chincoteague Island,VA. Signed & branded "CIGAR". Has tether and weight attached. This decoy displays the long, graceful profile and distinctive proportions characteristic of the Red-breasted Merganser, with a finely shaped head and slender bill. The subdued gray body is complemented by warm brown coloration on the head and neck and contrasting white wing patches. The overall form is sleek and streamlined, capturing the appearance of the species in a traditional swimming/gunning pose.
The decoy exhibits honest age and surface wear, giving it the mellow, weathered appearance collectors often appreciate in traditional working-style decoys.  Great decoy for the Cigar collector.

“Cigar” Daisey was a renowned waterfowl decoy carver from Chincoteague Island, Virginia. Raised in the island’s hunting and fishing culture, he began carving as a boy and later became one of the Eastern Shore’s most respected decoy makers.

The nickname “Cigar” reportedly originated from his exploits as a young market hunter and his encounters with a federal game warden.

Known for carving functional cork and wooden working decoys he produced nearly 2,000 birds over his lifetime. Species included black ducks, mallards, redheads, ruddy ducks, and mergansers. 

Daisey served as resident carver at the Refuge Waterfowl Museum and is represented in major collections, including the Smithsonian and the Ward Museum. Remembered for both his craftsmanship and his colorful personality.

Cigar Daisey is an important modern Virginia decoy carver whose greatest significance lies in his preservation and continuation of the authentic Chincoteague working-decoy tradition. His combination of firsthand waterfowling experience, traditional carving, distinctive species—including his famous ruddy ducks and mergansers—and documented relationships with major collectors gives his work considerable historical and collectible interest.