The late Governor James R. Thompson, the longest serving governor in Illinois history, four terms and 14 years (1977-1991), was an avid antique collector for 50 years, specializing in decoys, and his collection will be up for bids this spring. The governors goal was to acquire a representative sample of Illinois carvers with a diverse selection of species. Thompson (1936-2020) purchased top-of-the-line decoys from Guyette & Deeter auctions and privately from decoy notables Joe Tonelli, Randy Root, Dan Johnson, and Dave Kneebone. Over the course of 18 years, Thompson amassed one of the finest Illinois River decoy collections. Guyette & Deeters spring two-day auction will be held Friday and Saturday, April 30 and May 1. It will feature over 550 lots with guaranteed condition reports. Phone and absentee bidding will be available, along with online bidding through Invaluable, Bidsquare, and LiveAuctioneers. To learn more, call 410-745-0485.