Decoys from The Thomas M. Evans Jr. Collection | The Sporting Sale 2023 | Copley Fine Art Auctions

DECOYS FROM THE THOMAS M. EVANS JR. COLLECTION

THE SPORTING SALE 2023 | JULY 13-14

— Adele Earnest, The Art of The Decoy, 1965

“It is not the material or the style that matters: It is what happened in the hands of the man who made it. The one question was and is: Does the decoy catch the bird in body and spirit? If it does, we may truly call it art.”

“I happened to come at decoys from all sides - a love of waterfowl, an ardent interest in gunning and decoy making, an admiration for the decoy as an art form. The result is an irrevocable intertwining that makes it impossible for me to separate or quantify what pleases me in decoys.”

— Donal C. O’Brien Jr., Waterfowl Decoys of Michigan and the St. Clair Region, 1983

The underside of The O’Brien Chambers Wood Duck.

DECOYS FROM THE THOMAS M. EVANS JR. COLLECTION

THE SPORTING SALE 2023 | JULY 13-14

Lots in this catalog bear the Evans Collection ink stamp featuring a leaping tarpon.

The underside of the Mackey-Muller Shourds Merganser showing Mackey’s meticulous hand-written notes.

THE SPORTING SALE SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

AUCTION: JULY 13-14

Day 1: Thursday, July 13, 10:00AM

Lots 1-16, Decoys from The Thomas M. Evans Jr. Collection followed by lots 17-243

Day 2: Friday, July 14, 10:00AM

Lots 244-517

Live-streamed from Massachusetts; there will be no in-person bidding during the auction.

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS AND AUCTION PREVIEW

Please visit copleyart.com for links to view additional images of each lot. You may view objects in our gallery by appointment or contact us to find out if we will be traveling to your area. Our specialists also offer personalized video previews; call our office to set up a time.

ABSENTEE & TELEPHONE BIDS

To schedule absentee or telephone bids, please use the forms found in the back of this catalog. All bids must be received at least twenty-four hours before the start of the sale.

ONLINE BIDDING

Live online bidding will be available through Copley Live (download in your app store), Bidsquare, and Live Auctioneers.

Please review the Terms and Conditions of Sale on page 93 and Important Notices on page 26 of this catalog.

THE SPORTING SALE IMPORTANT

NOTICES

1 Please be advised that all persons wishing to bid at this auction should read, and be familiar with, the Terms and Conditions of Sale in this catalog prior to bidding.

2 Buyer’s premium

A buyer’s premium of 20% (23% for online bidding) of the final bid price up to and including $1,000,000, plus 15% of the final bid price over $1,000,000, will be applied to each lot sold, to be paid by the Buyer to Copley Fine Art Auctions, LLC as part of the purchase price.

3 Consign to our next sale

Copley Fine Art Auctions, LLC is accepting consignments for our The Winter Sale 2024. Please contact us by phone at 617.536.0030, or by email at consignments@copleyart.com.

4 Pre-registration

Pre-registration forms are available online, as well as in the back of this catalog.

5 Absentee and telephone bidding

If you plan to place absentee bids or to bid by telephone, please make sure that we receive your Absentee/Telephone Bid form at least 24 hours before the start of the sale. It is possible that any bids received after this time may not be accepted. You will receive confirmation of your absentee bid(s) within 24 hours of receipt. If you do not receive confirmation, please call our office at 617.536.0030.

6 Sales tax

All bidders holding a valid Massachusetts or out-of-state resale number must provide their certificate, or copy thereof, while registering. Failure to do so will subject the bidder to a mandatory 6.25% Massachusetts sales tax on purchases.

7 Inspection of items offered at this auction

All items are sold “as is” and should be inspected either personally or by agent before a bid is placed. Prospective buyers should satisfy themselves by personal inspection as to the condition of each lot. Although condition reports may be published or given on request, such reports are statements of opinion only. Regardless of whether or not a condition report is given, all property is sold “as is.” The absence of a condition report does not imply that the property is in good condition. Copley Fine Art Auctions, LLC reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to refuse condition requests.

8 Flat art dimensions

Please be aware that all flat art dimensions are approximate and are rounded to the nearest quarter inch. Flat art is measured by height followed by width. Three-dimensional works are measured by height, width, and depth.

9 Additional images

Please visit copleyart.com for additional images of each lot.

10

Stands

Please be aware that stands are not included with items purchased.

11 Condition description of wear or gunning wear

Wear or gunning wear may include all types of wear and damage that can be inflicted, and may be expected, from hunting, handling, use, or time. This may include, but is not limited to, paint wear, flaking, dings, scratches, checks, cracks, craquelure, age lines, dents, chips, rubs, blunts, broken or missing eyes, shot scars, seam separations, raised grain, rust, filler loss, sap, discoloration, and altered rigging, stick holes, and eyes. The condition of the undersides may not be listed. Clear coats, such as varnish, shellac, and oil, may not be listed. Repairs, restorations, and touch-up may include new material. Paint listed as “working,” “gunning,” or “old” is likely not original first coat. Repairs and construction features that are original to the work, including but not limited to putty, bungs, plugs, patches, and stabilization, may not be mentioned. Replaced and repaired bills may include touch-up near insertion point and extend through back of head, if applicable. Radiographs, or x-ray images, may be available by request for select lots. Please submit additional condition report requests at least ten days prior to the sale date. Additional online photos are considered to be part of the condition.

12 Fragile decoratives

Fragile decoratives, like the birds, feathers, flora, and fauna that their makers emulate, can be particularly susceptible to damage, deterioration, and loss. Feathers, wings, legs, tails, leaves, branches, and other parts can become detached from necessary handling. Due to these circumstances, CFAA will not be responsible for any change in condition of decorative lots. Additionally, we recommend that all bidders consider transportation logistics for these special objects prior to the sale.

13

Condition description of “As found”

The “as found” designation denotes that condition issues are not listed. It is the responsibility of the buyer to determine condition. The item is sold with any faults and imperfections that may exist.

14 Auction results

Unofficial auction results will be available online approximately one week after the auction at copleyart.com.

15 Pick up and shipping

Buyers wishing to pick up items after the auction at our office may do so only by appointment. If you would like your items shipped, please complete and return the Authorized Shipping Release form found in the back of this catalog.

16 Auction day contact information

On site: 617.536.0030

Auctioneer Peter J. Coccoluto

MA License #2428

THE SPORTING SALE DECOYS FROM THE THOMAS M. EVANS JR. COLLECTION

PURSUIT

Tom Evans is pretty low-key when it comes to discussing his decoy collection. He is equally reluctant to discuss his place as one of the top tarpon and marlin fly fishermen in the world. Nevertheless, he plays a starring role in Monte Burke’s acclaimed book on the topic, Lords of the Fly. Evan’s pioneering accomplishments catching world-record marlin and tarpon on the fly are almost unfathomable—seven for tarpon and ten for marlin. He would much rather be slinging feathered hooks on a remote flat in Florida or the deep blue waters off New Zealand than talking about it. Similarly, he has shied away from the decoy spotlight, only coming out of hiding for the McCleery auction in 2000, his first appearance since 1972. That year he piloted his Aztec up to Cape Cod to attend the Mackey Bourne auctions. Evans recounts, “The best carvings were going for five to ten thousand dollars a piece, way too pricey, and so I left empty-handed.”

Tom Evans has always been observant and patient; his quest for fly fishing records trained him well for his eventual pursuit of top decoys. Years, or even decades, may pass between opportunities to land a record fish. After getting knocked out at the Mackey sales, a quarter-century elapsed before he decided to return to the American bird carving ring.

some distant childhood memories within Evans. “The Crowell curlew looked like birds I had seen on the beach,” referring to visits to North Carolina’s Outer Banks starting at the age of five. “The place was alive with horseshoe crabs and thousands of birds of all kinds, before all the houses on stilts.” Like potential record-breaking fish that could be lost at the gaff, Evans recognized the curlew as a “one of a kind” carving that he may never have a shot at again. It is birds like these that now define his collection.

It was a raised-wing Crowell curlew from the John Delph Collection in 1996 that stirred

Though now in his eighties (and still fishing strong), Evans, along with a handful of others, is ushering in a new era of decoy collecting. They are part of a growing breed defining their acquisitions by quality over quantity.

The Crowell preening wing-up curlew, c. 1928

It is believed that William J. Mackey Jr. collected over two thousand decoys in his lifetime. Donal C. O’Brien Jr., who started collecting in the same era as Mackey, had winnowed his collection down from over six hundred birds to a flock of just a few hundred at the time of his passing. Many of the top collections today contain less than one hundred birds. Jerry Lauren, one of the top Americana and folk art collectors in the country, has a seven-figure decoy collection containing just five birds.

Evan’s Wyoming decoys in many ways speak for themselves. Though we give them context, the words and photos we cobble together within these pages cannot truly convey their presence. Like sacred totems, within each painted sculpture there lies elements of mystery and intrigue, including the unlikelihood of their very survival. They have the ability to invoke dormant

childhood memories, and unlock longforgotten conversations from the past. They have the power to remind us of days in the field with deceased loved ones, or a more recent day in Golden, Colorado, observing a pair of wild geese.

Though each collector will bring a different set of eyes and experiences, collectively a few thousand of us are united in forming a special club, the realm of the decoy collector.

While the Evans offering today consists of just seventeen decoys (mirroring his seventeen tarpon and marlin IGFA world

records), just like each record fish landed, each bird has its unique story. Though he did not invent fly fishing for tarpon or marlin, his many achievements leave little doubt that he raised the bar to a level never before seen. His presence in the decoy field has been similar, a quiet force methodically landing the greatest decoys on the planet.

Stephen O’Brien Jr.

“I had the good fortune of visiting with Jim McCleery on several occasions in his home in Texas. He was one of the most noble gentlemen I have ever met and he was a consummate host! I remember our visits as lively affairs that included conversations with his pet parrot, checking out his tortoise in the backyard, and preparing Mexican dinner feasts in the kitchen. Conversations after dinner eventually came back to shorebirds and waterfowl and I was amazed at Jim’s knowledge of all things bird related and how he viewed decoy collecting.

He was a great teacher, and at all times a student. Nuances of decoys and their makers came second nature to Jim and he would often pick up two birds and reveal how the two related. His take was different from any other collector I have ever met.

I believe Jim viewed decoy collecting as a giant puzzle, and he was a master at connecting its pieces.

Jim reserved special spots on his shelves, fireplace, and walls for his favorite birds.

I remember the first time I saw the George Boyd Mergansers on display in his home. The turned-head hen swimmer graced Jim’s coffee table alongside the famous dovetailed goose and Crowell’s preening goose. Her presence was bold and animated; I was so enamored looking at those three birds, it was a half hour before I realized that Jim owned a matching drake!”

— Stephen O’Brien Jr.

THE MCCLEERY BOYD MERGANSERS

GEORGE BOYD

1873-1941 | SEABROOK, NH

1 The McCleery Boyd Merganser Drake George Boyd (1873-1941)

Seabrook, NH, c. 1910

18 ¾ in. long

The McCleery red-breasted merganser pair represents two of the most refined carvings to come out of New England. They literally sit head and shoulders above all other Boyd merganser examples with their uplifted heads, broad shoulders, and wide and sophisticated paddle tails.

The delicately carved head is turned to the left approximately thirty degrees with a forward-reaching and uplifted posture. The surface features both concise paint patterns and the artist’s finest stippled paint along the sides. True to the sex, Boyd used red glass eyes for this drake, contrasting the amber eyes of the hen. The pencil-thin upturned bill features nail carving and a mortise-and-tenon fit hardwood bill, identical in construction to the maker’s shorebirds.

The bottom retains the “McCLEERY” ink stamp. Outstanding original paint with light, even gunning wear and a tight age line along the bottom.

PROVENANCE: Dale and Gary Guyette Collection

Dr. James M. McCleery Collection

Private Collection

Thomas M. Evans Jr. Collection

LITERATURE: Sotheby’s and Guyette & Schmidt, American Waterfowl Decoys: The Distinguished Collection of Dr. James M. McCleery, New York, NY, 2000, lot 149, exact decoy illustrated.

Ronald J. Gard and Robert Shaw, eds., The McCleery Auction, Dallas, TX, 2001, p. 175, exact decoy illustrated.

Jim Cullen, Finely Carved and Nicely Painted: The Life, Art and Decoys of George H. Boyd, Seabrook, NH, 1873-1941, Rye, NH, 2009, p. 36, exact decoy illustrated.

Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. and Chelsie W. Olney, Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving, Hingham, MA, 2018, p. 279, exact decoy illustrated.

$100,000 - $150,000

GEORGE BOYD

1873-1941 | SEABROOK, NH

2 The McCleery Boyd Merganser Hen

George Boyd (1873-1941)

Seabrook, NH, c. 1910

18 ½ in. long

This racy decoy features a long, wide body with a broad paddle tail. The delicately carved head is turned to the left approximately thirty degrees with a forward-reaching and uplifted posture. The surface features both concise paint patterns and the artist’s finest stippled paint along the sides and across the back. True to the sex, Boyd used amber glass eyes for this hen, contrasting the red eyes of the drake. The pencil-thin upturned bill is tipped with nail carving. The underside of the hen is partly hollowed out from the bottom and retains the “McCLEERY” ink stamp.

As a testament to Dr. McCleery’s opinion of this bird, it held a special place resting atop the coffee table in his living room, alongside his preening Canada goose by A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) and dovetailed goose. This sentiment was echoed in the McCleery Auction flier in which the Boyd mergansers were the most prominently featured birds after the Crowell goose. Excellent original paint with light even gunning wear, a tight age crack along the bottom, and anchor line wraps around the neck.

PROVENANCE: Dr. George and Hope Wick Collection

Dr. James M. McCleery Collection

Private Collection

Thomas M. Evans Jr. Collection

LITERATURE: Sotheby’s and Guyette & Schmidt, American Waterfowl Decoys: The Distinguished Collection of Dr. James M. McCleery, New York, NY, 2000, lot 150 and p. 228, exact decoy illustrated.

Ronald J. Gard and Robert Shaw, eds., The McCleery Auction, Dallas, TX, 2001, p. 175, exact decoy illustrated.

Jim Cullen, Finely Carved and Nicely Painted: The Life, Art and Decoys of George H. Boyd, Seabrook, NH, 1873-1941, Rye, NH, 2009, p. 36, exact decoy illustrated.

Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. and Chelsie W. Olney, Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving, Hingham, MA, 2018, p. 279, exact decoy illustrated.

$100,000 - $150,000

ORLANDO "OS" BIBBER

1882-1970

| SOUTH HARPSWELL, ME

birds are the best carvings on the coast.”

— John Dinan, The Great Book of Wildfowl Decoys, 1990

3 The Johnson Bibber Long-Tail

Orlando “Os” Bibber (1882-1970)

South Harpswell, ME, c. 1910

16 ¾ in. long

This singular long-tailed drake is not only the finest known Bibber decoy, but along with The Lothrop Holmes Swimming Long-Tail, and The O’Brien Lincoln Long-Tail pair are among the finest decoy examples of the species known. Additionally, this masterwork is considered among the pinnacle decoys produced in the state of Maine. The head carving and overall crispness of this decoy show similarities with Bibber’s peer Joseph Lincoln’s (1859-1938) famous examples (see lot 7). However, it departs from Lincoln dramatically by having an extended and broad body. Bibber’s deceptively simple paint pattern is astutely executed, creating one of the great minimalist presentations in all of Americana. Excellent original paint with light gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Maine

The Linda E. Johnson Collection, acquired at auction from the above, 2005

Thomas M. Evans Jr. Collection

LITERATURE: Copley Fine Art Auctions, The Johnson Collection of American Bird Decoys, July 9, 2021, Hingham, MA, lot 22, exact decoy illustrated.

Guyette & Schmidt Inc., North American Decoys at Auction, July, 2005, front cover and lot 345, exact decoy illustrated.

Robert Shaw, Bird Decoys of North America, New York, NY, 2010, pp. 62, 145-146, related example illustrated and discussed.

Copley Fine Art Auctions, The Sporting Sale 2010, Plymouth, MA, July 22-23, 2010, lot 726, related hen illustrated.

Joe Engers, ed., The Great Book of Wildfowl Decoys, Lewes, DE, 1990, pp. 33-35, related decoy illustrated.

$100,000 - $150,000

“Bibber’s

THE EARNEST-GREGORY-MCCLEERY DOVETAILED GOOSE

— Donal

C. O’Brien Jr.,

discussing a rigmate to The Earnest-Gregory-McCleery Dovetailed Goose

“The finest bird in my collection.”

4 The Earnest-Gregory-McCleery

Massachusetts or Pennsylvania, c. 1880

29 ¾ in. long, 17 ½ in. tall

Dovetailed Goose

Few, if any, decoys conjure the imagination more than the three elegant Canada goose creations by this unknown maker. The trio was sourced over sixty years ago, in 1954, by famed collector and author Adele Earnest (1901-1993) in Columbia, Pennsylvania, and she credits these exact birds for inspiring her “subsequent devotion to the decoy as an art.”

Upon first impression, the decoy’s presence is commanding. Quickly, the subtle refinements present themselves and invite the viewer to enjoy its features from tip to tail. The artist’s rendering of the bill perfectly captures the nuances of the species, starting with delicate mandible, nostril, and incised carving at the face connection. The head is carefully sculpted with pronounced cheeks and eye grooves that finish at the back of the crown. The graceful S-shaped neck flares at its dovetailed base. Here expert craftsmanship allows for easy removal of the head and neck when transporting the decoy to and from the field. The bottom of the dovetail reveals a twotone painted “3” that corresponds to a matching number inside the joint within the body. In addition, both head and body sections have three small impressions to match and identify each.

The maker’s construction techniques and wood selection were meticulous. The craftsman retained the strength of the grain through the long neck and forward-reaching head by joining two pieces with a complex lap joint. The decoy, sculpted in a swimming pose, shows a detailed groove behind the head that transitions into a subtle raised chine, which runs along the length of the bird’s back. The maker went to great lengths, finishing the underside of the thin paddle tail with fastidious

gauge carving rarely seen on the underside of any decoy. The bottom of the goose is fitted for a cross-shaped brass inset weight. This weight doubles as a flange, with a threaded hole in the middle, allowing the decoy to act as either a floater or stickup decoy. True to his craft, the maker’s diligent work is further revealed in x-rays, most notably in the hand-scooped hollowing of the body.

The two finest of the three Earnest dovetailed goose decoys were acquired by iconic folk art collector Stewart E. Gregory (1913-1976) of Wilton, Connecticut. Gregory was the chairman of the board of the Wilton Historical Society, in addition to serving as both the vice president and a trustee for the American Folk Art Museum during the 1960s and 70s.

In addition to Earnest’s geese, Gregory’s collection contained numerous pieces acquired from early and noted Americana dealer Mary Allis (1899-1987). His prominent folk art collection featured works by Ammi Phillips (1788-1865) and Erastus Salisbury Field (1805-1900), in addition to decoys, hooked rugs, weathervanes, and tinware. The American Folk Art Museum exhibited Gregory’s collection in the 1972 exhibition titled An Eye on America: Folk Art from the Stewart E. Gregory Collection

Seven years later, this decoy and its mate were both sold at the historic Stewart E. Gregory Sale at Sotheby Parke Bernet in 1979, where a “mob scene” filled the gallery with standing room only. Among many world records set, this exact goose became the new high-water mark for any decoy, just edging out its mate. According to American Folk Art Museum

Director Gerard C. Wertkin, the Gregory Sale “is often considered a watershed in the field because of the widespread public interest that it engendered and the high prices that it realized. Indeed, many of the finest works acquired by Gregory are now in the collections of important American museums.”

This decoy was next seen publicly in the Call to the Sky, a museum exhibition and book featuring the James M. McCleery Collection.

Specialists in the decoy collecting world have long heralded the two Earnest-Gregory dovetailed geese as the very best the field has to offer. Antiques and the Arts Weekly reported that the McCleery sale’s decoy specialists, Frank Schmidt and Gary Guyette, both deemed this goose to be their “favorite” lot in

the auction. Donal C. O’Brien Jr.’s love for these decoys was also widely known. O’Brien judged his own Earnest-Gregory rigmate to be “the finest bird in his collection.” Indeed, that rigmate was the top-priced lot in the O’Brien sales. That rigmate also holds the distinction of setting the world record for any Canada goose decoy ever sold at auction. Excellent original paint with chip to base of neck, minor touch-up and putty to very tip of bill, and left eye is a replacement.

PROVENANCE: Adele Earnest, acquired in Columbia, Pennsylvania, 1954

Stewart E. Gregory Collection, acquired from the above Dr. James M. McCleery Collection Private Collection Thomas M. Evans Jr. Collection

LITERATURE: Sotheby Parke Bernet Inc., Important American Folk Art and Furniture: The Distinguished Collection of the Late Stewart E. Gregory, Wilton, Connecticut, Sale 4209, New York, NY, January 27, 1979, lot 148, exact decoy illustrated.

Robert Shaw, Call to the Sky: The Decoy Collection of James M. McCleery, M.D., Houston, TX, 1992, p. 11, exact decoy illustrated.

Robert Shaw, Bird Decoys of North America, New York, NY, 2010, p. 5, detail of O’Brien decoy illustrated, p. 168, exact decoy illustrated.

Ronald J. Gard and Robert Shaw, eds., The McCleery Auction, Dallas, TX, 2001, p. 150, favorite McCleery bird discussed, pp. 56, 154, 202, and front dust jacket cover, exact decoy illustrated.

Rita Reif, “Carved Birds Captured by a Connoisseur’s Eye,” The New York Times, January 9, 2000, p. 49, exact decoy illustrated.

Adele Earnest, Folk Art In America, Exton, PA, 1984, p. 183, Gregory discussed, p. 125, discovery discussed, pp. 130-131, Lauren rigmate illustrated twice, p. 172, an Earnest-Gregory goose illustrated.

Adele Earnest, The Art of the Decoy, New York, NY, 1965, pp. 8-9, Lauren rigmate illustrated.

Jackson Parker, “O’Brien Classic Decoys on Display,” Maine Antiques Digest, November 1981, p. 32-B, O’Brien rigmate illustrated.

Laurence Sheehan, The Sporting Life, New York, NY, 1992, pp. 78, 80, O’Brien rigmate illustrated.

EXHIBITED: Houston, Texas, Call to the Sky: The Decoy Collection of James M. McCleery, M.D., Houston Museum of Natural History, 1992-1993.

$600,000 - $900,000

“This is arguably the most sophisticated of all eider decoys, with flowing lines and stylized abstract paint worthy of a Zen calligrapher.”

— Robert Shaw, Bird Decoys of North America, 2010

5 The McCleery Eider Matinicus Isle, ME, c. 1880 16 ½ in. long

This iconic decoy was first collected by Dr. James M. McCleery, who was among the greatest of decoy connoisseurs from any generation. Since its discovery, it has transfixed collectors and writers. Indeed, when McCleery purchased this eider, it came with a special “Cataloger’s note” by Gary Guyette which reads, “In sixteen years of heavy exposure to eider decoys from New England and Nova Scotia, I’ve never seen one, by any maker, with paint quality and condition that even comes close to this decoy.” It then led off the museum exhibition catalog of the McCleery Collection in 1992, and, eight years later, it was noticeably absent from the auction catalog of the same collection. Historian and curator Robert Shaw worked with both McCleery and his decoys on numerous occasions and explains that the doctor “considered this particular decoy the finest he owned, and, because of his devotion to it, the McCleery Family withheld it from the auction of his collection…”

This singular sculpture next surfaced publicly in 2010 as the front dust-jacket feature of Shaw’s Bird Decoys of North America book, in which the author writes, “This is arguably the most sophisticated of all eider decoys, with flowing lines and stylized abstract paint worthy of a Zen calligrapher.” It last appeared in 2014 when it joined an Elmer Crowell preening pintail and Lothrop Holmes merganser as the top waterfowl decoys ever sold at auction.

The form, paint, and condition of this decoy are peerless. The aforementioned Maine and Maritime specialist attributed the origin to Matinicus Isle, which lies an hour’s boat ride eastnorth-east of Monhegan Island, far off the coast of Maine. The Museum of American Folk Art and several prominent private collections hold a small number of lesser flat-bottomed eider

decoys that have related construction, head carving, and paint. At least one of these flat-bottomed eider is branded “W. L. AMES” for Wilmer L. Ames (b. 1853) of Matinicus Isle, supporting the bird’s island of origin.

The design and execution of this eider are sublime. The clean and sweeping lines of the broad body are finished with the celebrated plumage pattern. The body’s refinements are matched in the drawn-back head, which has full cheeks, a sharp chine along its crown, and incised carving around the bill and even the black patches of the head. The head is inletted into the body and fastened with a single nail which is capped with a square peg. In original paint with light gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Dr. James M. McCleery Collection

Thomas M. Evans Jr. Collection

LITERATURE: Robert Shaw, Call to the Sky: The Decoy Collection of James M. McCleery, M.D., Houston, TX, 1992, p. 3, exact decoy illustrated.

Robert Shaw, Bird Decoys of North America, New York, NY, 2010, p. 147 and front dust-jacket cover, exact decoy illustrated. James Julia and Gary Guyette Inc. Important Auction of Rare Waterfowl Decoys and Bird Carvings, Fairfield, Maine, April 1990, lot 124, exact decoy illustrated and discussed.

“The 1990 Year in Review,” Decoy Magazine, pp. 4, 8-9 and front cover, exact decoy illustrated.

“Year in Review 2014,” Decoy Magazine, p. 8 and front cover, exact decoy illustrated.

EXHIBITED: Houston, Texas, Call to the Sky: The Decoy Collection of James M. McCleery, M.D., Houston Museum of Natural History, 1992-1993.

$800,000 - $1,200,000

“There are few, if any, areas in North America which provide such accessible hunting for such a large number and variety of ducks and geese. Furthermore, no area of such relatively small size contains such a wide range of waters on which to hunt. These factors have contributed to the rich and remarkable heritage of decoys produced by the decoy makers of Michigan and the St. Clair Flats.

The ideal nature of this area for hunting did not escape the attention of the market gunners or sportsmen, and the decoy makers responded by the middle of the 19th century to give folk art collectors some of the earliest and finest examples of wildfowl decoys.”

C.

— Donal

O’Brien Jr., Waterfowl Decoys of Michigan and the Lake St. Clair Region, 1983

THOMAS CHAMBERS

1860-1948 | WALLACEBURG, ONTARIO, CANADA

6 The O’Brien Chambers Wood Duck

Thomas Chambers (1860-1948)

Wallaceburg, Ontario, Canada, c. 1900

15 in. long

Thomas Chambers (1860-1948) was born in Toronto, Ontario. He hunted ducks and geese as a boy and sold his excess quarry to the market. He was tapped by sportsmen, including George Warin (1830-1905), to be the Keeper at the newly founded St. Anne’s Club on the Chenal Ecarte, which flows into Lake St. Clair. In 1900, when the nearby St. Clair Flats Shooting Company was looking for a new Keeper, they asked Warin, a respected founder and a former president of their club. Warin recommended Chambers, which would be fortuitous for all parties.

Incorporated in 1874, the St. Clair Flats Shooting Company, also known as the Canada Club, was one of the oldest hunting clubs on Lake St. Clair. Chambers lived on the club’s property in an adjacent house with his wife and three children. Chambers would remain the club’s Keeper until his retirement in 1943. According to author Bernard Crandell, it was during this time as manager that the 6 foot, 1 inch Chambers earned the nickname “King Tom.” Over the years, the membership of the Canada Club gradually changed from all Canadians to predominantly Americans.

In addition to his work for the club, Chambers was also one of the nation’s most accomplished carvers. His decoys were in high demand from the members and even during the Depression a rig of a dozen Chambers decoys would command the unheard-of price of $75.

Many, including Canadian decoy scholar Paul Brisco, consider this carving to be the finest Canadian decoy known.

Co-authors Clune Walsh Jr. and Lowell Jackson, as well as Paul Johnsgard, chose this exact decoy for the cover of their respective books, Waterfowl Decoys of Michigan and the Lake St. Clair Region and The Bird Decoy: An American Art Form

Few decoys have evoked the acclaim of this wood duck. It is among the greatest carvings of this species from any region, alongside peak examples by A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), Charles E. “Shang” Wheeler (1872-1949), Joseph W. Lincoln (1859-1938), the unknown maker who carved two drakes for the Tyzzer rig, and the Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924).

One of only two Chambers wood ducks known to exist, this example, with its exceptional form, paint, and condition, is the better of the two. Chambers captured the likeness of species of the summer duck effectively, paying special attention to the subtle nuances of the duck’s bill, eyes, and crest. Well over one hundred years old, the decoy maintains nearly invisible neck and bottom board seams, a testament to Chambers’ craftsmanship. The bottom board was fashioned from a foodpacking crate and is thus branded on the underside “GUARANTEED BY H.J. HEINZ.”

The bottom board is also branded “GEO. M. HENDRIE.” George M. Hendrie was a St. Clair Flats Shooting Company member from 1889 to 1943.

This iconic bird held a special place in O’Brien’s collection, residing in his den alongside his dovetailed Canada goose. Outstanding original paint with minor gunning wear, working putty to a sliver under the bill, and minimal touch-up under tail.

PROVENANCE: George M. Hendrie Rig Private St. Clair Flats Shooting Company Member Ronald Swanson Collection, acquired from the estate of the above, c. 1970

Donal C. O’Brien Jr. Collection, acquired from the above, c. 1978 Thomas M. Evans Jr. Collection

LITERATURE: Paul A. Johnsgard, The Bird Decoy: An American Art Form, Lincoln, NE, 1976, front dust jacket and pl. 108, exact decoy illustrated.

Clune Walsh Jr. and Lowell G. Jackson, Waterfowl Decoys of Michigan and the Lake St. Clair Region, Detroit, MI, 1983, pl. 16 and on the slipcase cover of the deluxe edition, exact decoy illustrated. Laurence Sheehan, The Sporting Life, New York, NY, 1992, p. 79, exact decoy illustrated.

Jackson Parker, “O’Brien Classic Decoys on Display at Museum of American Folk Art,” North American Decoys: Wildfowl Carvers and Collectors News, Spanish Fork, UT, Spring/Summer 1982, p. 32, exact decoy illustrated.

Jeff Waingrow, “The American Decoy: Folk Sculpture from the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Donal C. O’Brien Jr.,” The Clarion: America’s Folk Art Magazine, Fall 1981, p. 32, exact decoy illustrated.

EXHIBITED: New York, New York, The Art of the American Decoy: Folk Sculpture from the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Donal C. O’Brien Jr., Museum of American Folk Art, September 3-November 8, 1981.

$200,000 - $300,000

THE BARBER-O'BRIEN LONG-TAILED PAIR

by Joe Lincoln,

— Shirley and John Delph, New England Decoys, 1981, discussing The Barber-O’Brien Long-Tailed Pair

“The drake

is a masterpiece…simple yet striking… [the] hen—a fitting mate.”

JOSEPH W. LINCOLN 1859-1938 | ACCORD,

MA

7 The Barber-O’Brien Long-Tailed Pair

Joseph W. Lincoln (1859-1938)

Accord, MA, c. 1900

15 ½ in. long

O’Brien’s collecting notes regarding the drake assert that it is the “best of all Lincoln’s Old Squaw; very delicate in construction & paint; subtle and varied pattern on head showing much more shading than usual; Joe Lincoln gave this decoy to Joel Barber; it was part of the Shelburne Collection and bears the Museum’s number; I traded one of my Schoenheider geese for it; also gave Museum an Elliston canvasback and a Graves black duck.”

Regarding the mate, Donal’s notes reveal that he “traded a [Bunn /] Bowman yellowlegs and a pair of Ward balsa teal for the hen.”

Relaying their incredible provenance, both decoys are marked with the O’Brien Collection ink stamp and a Shelburne Museum code. While in the Shelburne Museum Collection, Adele Earnest selected this pair for her New York City exhibition in 1966 at the Museum of American Folk Art, titled The Art of the Decoy Excellent original paint with minimal gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Joel Barber Collection, acquired from Joseph Lincoln Shelburne Museum Collection, acquired from the above Donal C. O’Brien Jr. Collection, acquired from the above Thomas M. Evans Jr. Collection

LITERATURE: David S. Webster and William Kehoe, Decoys at Shelburne Museum, Shelburne, VT, 1961, p. 68, exact decoys illustrated.

John and Shirley Delph, New England Decoys, Exton, PA, 1990, p. 132, exact decoys illustrated.

Robert H. Boyle, “The Art of Deception,” Audubon Magazine, May/June 2002, p. 44, no. 8, exact decoys illustrated. Laurence Sheehan, The Sporting Life, New York, NY, 1992, p. 82, exact decoys illustrated.

Adele Earnest, Folk Art In America, Exton, PA, 1984, p. 172, exact pair illustrated in The Art of The Decoy exhibition.

EXHIBITED: New York, New York, The Art of The Decoy, Museum of American Folk Art, 1966.

$300,000 - $400,000

THE BARBER-O'BRIEN LONG-TAILED PAIR

“WHITE MALLARD CLUB” PINCH-BREAST PINTAIL

“The Ward Brothers made pintails early on in their craft and they were made in a variety of designs and forms... There is no finer work done in decoys than that which is exhibited in the 1932 Pinched Breast Pintails, or the 1936 Classic Pintails.”

— Ronald Gard and Brian McGrath, Ward Brothers’ Decoys, 1989

THE WARD BROTHERS

1896-1984 AND 1895-1976 | CRISFIELD, MD

8 “White Mallard Club” Pinch-Breast Pintail

The Ward Brothers

Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976)

Crisfield, MD, c. 1932

18 ¾ in. long

The Ward Brothers captured the likeness of species in their carvings as well as any decoy makers in history, and their White Mallard Gun Club rig of pinch-breast pintails are among their pinnacle works.

A rigmate is featured as the cover lot of Session IV of the Very Rare and Important American Bird Decoys from the Collection of the late William J. Mackey Jr. of Belford, New Jersey. In the catalog, it was described as “one of the finest and best preserved examples of the Ward Brothers...one of the best Ward decoys ever made.” Famed singer Andy Williams excited auction goers with his acquisition of that bird.

Decoys from this rig were hunted on the White Mallard Club’s freshwater marshes of the Butte Sink in California’s Sacramento Valley. In describing the White Mallard birds, Ward authorities Gard and McGrath state, “The design is considered the best in Ward pintails…” and further note that “the pintail was Lem Ward’s favorite bird and he shows this preference in the painting of his pintails.” Indeed, the lively and textured stippling on the sides and back of the drake is as good as seen on any decoy. The authors point out that “These decoys were originally bought from Abercrombie and Fitch,” which helps to explain not only their refinement, but their transcontinental journey as well.

This rare and distinctive style is associated with the 1932 model-year, and is obviously named for an eponymous feature of Steve Ward’s articulated form. This decoy displays all of the qualities that have made this rig the Ward’s most sought

after. More subtle details include the S-curve of the sharp ridge running from the tip of the tail to the hump in the back, and the high, turned head finished with a pronounced crown. Along with the O’Brien pinch-breast pintails which set the world record for any Ward lot at auction and the Mackey-Williams pair, this Keegan Collection decoy with its slightly turned head sits at the apex of the Ward portfolio. Marking the rig, the underside bears the White Mallard’s horseshoe-shape weight imprint. Excellent original paint with even gunning wear, some touch-up to neck seam and to the fastener hole on the back of the head. Minor rub to tip of tail.

PROVENANCE: White Mallard Gun Club, Butte Sink, California

Jim Keegan Collection

Thomas M. Evans Jr. Collection

LITERATURE: Richard A. Bourne Co. Inc., Rare American Decoys & Bird Carvings, Hyannis, MA, August 1986, cover and lot 39, Andy Williams rigmate pair illustrated.

Richard A. Bourne Co. Inc., Very Rare and Important American Bird Decoys From the Collection of the late William J. Mackey Jr. of Belford, New Jersey, Hyannis, MA, Session IV, October 20, 1973, front cover and lot 283, Williams drake rigmate illustrated.

Ronald J. Gard and Brian J. McGrath, Ward Brothers’ Decoys: A Collector’s Guide, Wolf City, TX, 1989, pp. 57-63, Williams rigmate pair illustrated.

Robert Shaw, Bird Decoys of North America, New York, NY, 2010, p. 203, Ward brothers discussed.

Copley Fine Art Auctions, The Donal C. O’Brien Jr. Collection of Important American Sporting Art and Decoys, Sessions III, Plymouth, MA, July 19, 2018, lot 33, rigmate pair illustrated.

$60,000 - $90,000

THE CONNETT WHEELER BLACK DUCK

“To Eugene V. Connett, with my compliments. It is wide and flat as Doctor Burke would like it, with a lifelike pose as Lynn Hunt would like it, painted something like a Black Duck as I would like it and a bit oversize so you will like it.

I HOPE YOU DO ‘Shang’”

— “Shang” Wheeler, remark written on the bottom of The Connett Wheeler Black Duck

CHARLES E. "SHANG" WHEELER

1872-1949 | STRATFORD, CT

9 The Connett Wheeler Black Duck

Charles E. “Shang” Wheeler (1872-1949)

Stratford, CT, c. 1940

18 ½ in. long

None other than “Shang” Wheeler himself deemed this decoy to be the best of his abilities. On the underside of the decoy, Wheeler confides in Connett and invokes their peers’ preferences: “To Eugene V. Connett, with my compliments. It is wide and flat as Doctor Burke would like it, with a lifelike pose as Lynn Hunt would like it, painted something like a Black Duck as I would like it and a bit oversize so you will like it.” I HOPE YOU DO ‘Shang’.”

Everyone named in the above inscription contributed to Eugene V. Connett’s 1940s classic Duck Shooting Along the Atlantic Tidewater. One chapter was even penned by A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952). Many within the decoy collecting field consider this bird to be the finest Shang Wheeler black duck known to exist. Excellent original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Eugene V. Connett Collection

Donal C. O’Brien Jr. Collection

Thomas M. Evans Jr. Collection

LITERATURE: Charles E. Wheeler and Eugene V. Connett, ed., Duck Shooting Along the Atlantic Tidewater, New York, NY, 1947, pp. 7274, Wheeler decoys illustrated and discussed.

Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. and Chelsie W. Olney, Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving, Hingham, MA, 2018, p. 170, exact decoy illustrated.

$75,000 - $125,000

THE “SHANG” WHEELER DUST-JACKET MALLARD

— Joel Barber, discussing a dynamic Wheeler turned-head mallard drake at the 1923 Anti-Duskers carving competition

“...the highest development yet reached in the American art of decoy carving.”

CHARLES E. "SHANG" WHEELER

1872-1949 | STRATFORD, CT

10 The “Shang” Wheeler Dust-Jacket Mallard

Charles E. “Shang” Wheeler (1872-1949)

Stratford, CT, c. 1940

15 ½ in. long

This singular presentation decoy was selected for both the front and back dust-jacket covers of the monograph on Wheeler titled Shang It features the Stratford carver’s celebrated sleeping pose with the head and bill fully integrated into the back.

Mallard carvings by any Atlantic Flyway carver were rare during this period. The only known comparable Connecticut mallard is the carver’s champion swimmer held in the Shelburne Museum in Vermont. Both of these drakes feature dynamic poses, extensive feather detail, and hollow bodies. This is believed to be the best “Shang” Wheeler mallard held in private hands. Excellent original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Thomas M. Evans Jr. Collection

LITERATURE: Dixon MacD. Merkt, Shang: A Biography of Charles E. Wheeler, Spanish Fork, UT, 1984, p. 70 and front and back dust-jacket cover, exact decoy illustrated multiple times.

$125,000 - $175,000

THE MACKEY-MULLER SHOURDS MERGANSER & LONG-TAIL

“Shourds is one of the acknowledged master makers of New Jersey decoys. His birds were as fine as any made in the state and are prized collectors items today.”

— Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., New Jersey Decoys, 1983

HARRY V. SHOURDS

1861-1920

| TUCKERTON, NJ

11 The Mackey-Muller Shourds Merganser

Harry

V. Shourds (1861-1920)

Tuckerton, NJ, c. 1890

15 ¾ in. long

Mackey, who was the greatest Shourds specialist of all time, fully understood his good fortune in the discovery of this pristine bird, documenting its history with meticulous penmanship on the bottom.

Though master carver Harry V. Shourds likely made dozens of merganser decoys, most were heavily gunned over more than a century ago, resulting in the vast majority of his surviving works having condition issues. The refined bills and tails along with the pronounced crests that Shourds created often led to extensive damage. Shourds’ delicate white paint was often repainted, particularly on the underside. In contrast, this pinnacle work has all-original construction and exemplary all-original translucent white paint.

Not only one of the finest Shourds decoys known to exist, this is one of the most iconic decoys from the Mid-Atlantic region. The condition of this decoy alone separates it from the rest of the pack, and Mackey’s collector’s notes and Muller’s ink stamp cement its history. Excellent original paint with light even gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Boots Mathis Rig

William J. Mackey Jr. Collection

Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection

Thomas M. Evans Jr. Collection

LITERATURE: James R. Doherty, Classic New Jersey Decoys, Louisville, KY, 2011, p. 48, exact decoy illustrated. Copley Fine Art Auctions, The Winter Sale 2020, Charleston, SC, February 15, 2020, lot 12, exact decoy illustrated. Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., New Jersey Decoys, Exton, PA, 1983, dust jacket, Shourds mergansers illustrated.

$125,000 - $175,000

HARRY V. SHOURDS

1861-1920 | TUCKERTON, NJ

12 The Mackey-Muller Shourds Long-Tail

Harry V. Shourds (1861-1920)

Tuckerton, NJ, c. 1890

13 ½ in. long

This Shourds carving is considered one of the pinnacle gunning decoys out of New Jersey. In addition to its sterling condition, its documentation and rarity make it the maker’s most distinctive duck decoy. It was first recorded in the collections of William J. Mackey Jr. and Quintina Colio. Indeed, this carving was in at least three of Mackey’s public exhibitions and it bears his collection ink stamp three times, one in each of the following colors: red, black, and white. This drake was selected to represent Shourds in Milton Weiler’s 1969 Classic Decoy Series folio.

Muller acquired this decoy directly from the first Mackey auction in 1973. While in the Muller Collection, it was selected for the Ward Museum’s 1994-1995 Classic Decoys & Sporting Art exhibit. Recognizing it as the best of its kind, James R. Doherty illustrated this exact drake, alongside the hen from his own collection, in his Classic New Jersey Decoys book.

A longtime favorite of Dr. Muller’s, this decoy was selected for his collection’s logo ink stamp. This Muller stamp and the three Mackey stamps are on the underside. Excellent original paint with light and even gunning wear, minor fill and touch-up at neck crack, and darkening to an old tail chip.

PROVENANCE: Quintina Colio Collection

William J. Mackey Jr. Collection

Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection, acquired from the sale of the above, 1973

Thomas M. Evans Jr. Collection

LITERATURE: James R. Doherty, Classic New Jersey Decoys, Louisville, KY, 2011, p. 54, pl. 80, exact decoy illustrated.

Copley Fine Art Auctions, The Winter Sale 2020, Charleston, SC, February 15, 2020, lot 11, exact decoy illustrated.

Richard A. Bourne Co., Inc., Very Rare and Important American Bird Decoys from the Collection of the late William J. Mackey Jr. of Belford, New Jersey, Hyannis, MA, 1973, Session I & II, lot 576, exact decoy illustrated.

Milton C. Weiler, The Classic Decoy Series: A Portfolio of Paintings, New York, NY, 1969, pl. 20, exact decoy illustrated.

Sam Dyke, et al., Classic Hunting Decoys & Sporting Art, Salisbury, MD, 1994, p. 15, exact decoy illustrated.

Joe Engers, “Dr. Peter J. Muller: Bringing a good eye and an artistic approach to decoy collecting,” Decoy Magazine, January/February 2008, cover and p. 10, exact decoy illustrated.

EXHIBITED: Manhattan, New York, The Decoy Maker’s Craft, IBM Gallery of Arts and Sciences, August 29-October 1, 1966.

St. Paul, Minnesota, American Bird Decoys Selected from the Collection of William J. Mackey Jr., St. Paul Art Center, September 28-November 12, 1967.

Oshkosh, Wisconsin, American Bird Decoys Selected from the Collection of William J. Mackey Jr., The Paine Art Center and Arboretum, December 2-31, 1967.

Salisbury, Maryland, Classic Hunting Decoys & Sporting Art, Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, September 20, 1994-January 1, 1995.

$125,000 - $175,000

MULLER

The Muller Collection stamp featuring the profile of this exact decoy. This ink stamp was applied to all lots in the two Muller Collection auction sessions.

THE DOHERTY OPEN-BILL WILSON MERGANSER

“Those who have seen and handled this bird consider it to be among the top few, if not the finest Maine decoy ever offered at auction. It is certainly the finest Gus Wilson ever offered at auction.”

— Gary Guyette and Frank Schmidt, Important Waterfowl Decoys & Bird Carvings at Auction, 1992, discussing the open-bill Wilson merganser

AUGUSTUS AARON "GUS" WILSON

1864-1950 | SOUTH PORTLAND, ME

13 The Doherty Open-Bill Wilson Merganser

Augustus Aaron “Gus” Wilson (1864-1950)

South Portland, ME, c. 1900

16 ½ in. long

Merganser decoys have always held a special place amongst carvers and collectors of decoys and folk art. The species’ animated forms, pronounced crests, and striking plumage lend themselves to artistic designs of virtually endless interpretations. From the earliest carvers of wooden decoys centuries ago to present-day carvers, makers have been captivated by these seemingly playful diving birds. As collectors share this appreciation, many of the world-record auction results for top-tier carvers have come from merganser decoys; this decoy alone has set the world record for Gus Wilson on two separate occasions.

Wilson was born “Down East,” on Mount Desert Island, Maine. Though he is foremost remembered as a carver, Wilson was also a boatbuilder, waterman, outdoorsman, and a lighthouse keeper. He was an attendant to a number of Maine’s lighthouses, including the Great Duck Island Light in Frenchboro, Goose Rocks Station on Fox Island, Two Lights Station on Cape Elizabeth, Marshall Point Light at Port Clyde, and Spring Point Light in Casco Bay.

Wilson’s interests were by no means limited to decoys. He carved a variety of songbirds, decoratives, weathervanes, and big cats. A pair of Wilson tigers is featured in the American Identities exhibit, on display as a part of the permanent collection at the Brooklyn Museum in Brooklyn, New York.

This merganser sculpture epitomizes the decoy as American folk art and features an exceptionally rendered cocked-back and turned head, along with raised-wing and uplifted-tail carving. The delicately carved open-bill design is a treatment virtually never seen intact in working decoys and gives the

bird an almost smiling air. Wilson’s attention to anatomy is commendable, with the very tip of the upper bill slightly curved and the inside of the lower bill accurately painted red. The intricate bill’s survival is remarkable given the bird’s use as a hunting decoy.

The bird measures over sixteen and one-half inches in length, and seven inches in both width and height. The two-piece construction has a prodigious four-and-one-half-inch by twoand-one-half-inch inletted head with a canted and scribed fit. It features pinched breast carving, tack eyes, full cheeks, and eye grooves that taper to a pointed crest. Excellent original paint with gunning wear, including a rub on the left wing. An imperfection original to the decoy is under the left side of the tail.

PROVENANCE: James and Pat Doherty Collection

Thomas M. Evans Jr. Collection

LITERATURE: Gary Guyette and Frank Schmidt, Inc., Important Waterfowl Decoys & Bird Carvings At Auction, Ogunquit, ME, July 1992, lot 1, front cover, exact decoy illustrated and discussed.

Joe Engers, ed., Decoy Magazine, May/June 1992, p. 15, exact decoy illustrated.

Jackson Parker, “The [1992] Year in Review,” Decoy Magazine, 1993, front cover, pp. 3, 11, 28, and 32, exact decoy illustrated.

Joe Engers, ed., The Great Book of Wildfowl Decoys, San Diego, CA, 1990, pp. 36-43, rigmate illustrated.

Robert Shaw, Bird Decoys of North America, New York, NY, 2010, pp. 147-149.

Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. and Chelsie W. Olney, Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving, Hingham, MA, 2018, p. 279, exact decoy illustrated.

$400,000 - $600,000

”It leaps into the pantheon of the greatest American goose decoys ever made, sculpture and function in perfect marriage.”

— Gwladys “Gigi” Hopkins, Massachusetts Masterpieces, 2016, discussing The Safford Sleeping Goose

CHARLES A. SAFFORD

1877-1957

| NEWBURYPORT, MA

14 The Safford Sleeping Goose

Charles A. Safford (1877-1957)

Newburyport, MA, c. 1920

24 ½ in. long

Safford’s carvings have found their place as some of America’s most iconic geese, alongside the Dovetailed maker’s, Captain Charles Osgood’s (1820-1886), Nathan Cobb Jr.’s (18251905), and A. Elmer Crowell’s (1862-1952) carvings. Robert Shaw notes that “Safford’s superbly crafted goose decoys, which for many years were mistakenly attributed to Lothrop Holmes [1824-1899], were designed to be mounted on large, flat, iron triangles and left out all year in the Plum Island marshes where he hunted.” Due to these extreme hunting conditions, finding any Safford geese in good original paint is challenging.

Beginning in 2009, a flurry of exhibitions and publications celebrated the public debut of this decoy and its previously unknown form after it was acquired privately by Cap and Paige Vinal. Curator and historian Gigi Hopkins was among the first to publish her thoughts in a 2009 feature on Safford in which she described this lot as “... a drop-to-your-knees bird” and announced ”It leaps into the pantheon of the greatest American goose decoys ever made, sculpture and function in perfect marriage.”

Hopkins would go on to select this goose for the Massachusetts Masterpieces exhibition at the Museum of American Bird Art in 2013. In her 2016 follow-up Massachusetts Masterpieces book, she observes, “It’s a cabinetmaker’s masterpiece, constructed from [over 20] pieces of cross-laminated wood. The feathered edges of the exterior boards have been held snug by tiny, evenly spaced nails, which have done their job flawlessly. The bird’s slightly abstracted form has small

surprises all around: the quiet head and neck, the chest treatment, and the raised wing at the beak tip. The accompanying paint is elegant, but so muted it remains almost invisible.” Original paint with even gunning wear, check in underside from lower breast to under tail, and laminated construction is visible.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, New England Cap and Paige Vinal Collection

Thomas M. Evans Jr. Collection

LITERATURE: Robert Shaw, Bird Decoys of North America, New York, NY, 2010, p. 158, exact decoy illustrated.

Gwladys Hopkins, Massachusetts Masterpieces, Lincoln, MA, 2016, pp. 20-22 and 78-79, exact decoy illustrated and Safford discussed.

John Clayton, “Massachusetts Masters: Decoys, Shorebirds, and Decorative Carvings,” The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University, 2010, pp. 18-19, exact decoy illustrated.

Gwladys Hopkins, “Charles A. Safford and His Canada Goose Decoys,” Decoy Magazine, May/June 2009, front cover and pp. 24-29, exact decoy illustrated.

EXHIBITED: Salisbury, Maryland, Massachusetts Masters: Decoys, Shorebirds and Decorative Carvings, Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University, LeMay Gallery, October 1, 2010-January 23, 2011.

Canton, Massachusetts, Massachusetts Masterpieces: The Decoy as Art, The Museum of American Bird Art, May 5-September 15, 2013

$500,000 - $800,000

“SHANG” WHEELER PREENING WIGEON DRAKE

“Charles Edward ‘Shang’ Wheeler

is recognized as the most famous bird carver from Connecticut. While his Stratford predecessors Albert Laing (1811-1886), originally of New York City, and Benjamin Holmes (1843-1912) made many gunning decoys of exceptional quality, it was Wheeler who took the art form to the next level, producing everything from sandhill cranes to sailfish. Shang, as everyone called him, was an enigmatic figure: oysterman, politician, boxer, cartoonist, public speaker, conservationist, and world-renowned decoy carver.”

— Dixon Merkt, Shang: A Biography of Charles E. Wheeler, 1984

CHARLES E. "SHANG" WHEELER

1872-1949 | STRATFORD, CT

15 Preening Wigeon Drake

Charles E. “Shang” Wheeler (1872-1949)

Stratford, CT, c. 1930

13 in. long

A classic, hollow-carved, turned-head wigeon with exceptional paint detail, including extensive combed vermiculation, scratched feather detail on the head, and two-tone scapulars. This is believed to be the finest Wheeler wigeon known.

Shang pronounced a reverence for waterfowl and an appreciation for their interactions with “superior decoys” in his chapter of Connett’s book. In summary, he states, “Today the men who really get birds when competition is tough are the ones most particular about having better decoys.” Excellent original paint with light gunning wear and a tail chip.

PROVENANCE: Thomas M. Evans Jr. Collection

LITERATURE: Dixon MacD. Merkt, Shang: A Biography of Charles E. Wheeler, Spanish Fork, UT, 1984, p. 161, pl. 171, straight-head wigeon illustrated.

Charles E. Wheeler and Eugene V. Connett, ed., Duck Shooting Along the Atlantic Tidewater, New York, NY, 1947, pp. 72-74, Wheeler’s superior decoys illustrated and discussed.

$50,000 - $70,000

CHARLES E. "SHANG" WHEELER

1872-1949 | STRATFORD, CT

13

Canvasback decoys by Wheeler are exceedingly rare. One of the only comparables is held in the Elaine and Alan Haid Collection. The Evans example relates to Wheeler’s prizewinning mallard, which now resides in the Shelburne Museum. After his 1923 prize, Wheeler continued to dominate the carving championships for decades to come, and deemed this example worthy of competition as is evidenced by the “19” sticker affixed to its breast. All of the qualities Wheeler is celebrated for are on display in this preener. The head is artfully and accurately cranked entirely around to rest across the back. The back and wings have pronounced carving and are finished with Shang’s best combed vermiculation. In the creation of

this hollow bird, Wheeler has produced a lasting tribute to “The King of Ducks” that ranks among the finest Connecticut decoys extant. Original paint with even wear, including a few dings and rubs.

PROVENANCE: Thomas M. Evans Jr. Collection

LITERATURE: Dixon MacD. Merkt, Shang. A Biography of Charles E. Wheeler, Spanish Fork, UT, 1984, p. 145, plates 131 and 132, related hen illustrated.

$50,000 - $70,000

“Today the men who really get birds when competition is tough are the ones most particular about having better decoys.”

— “Shang” Wheeler, Duck Shooting Along the Atlantic Tidewater, 1947

16 Preening Canvasback Drake

Charles E. “Shang” Wheeler (1872-1949)

Stratford, CT, c. 1920

½ in. long

“SHANG” WHEELER PREENING CANVASBACK

Bibber, Orlando “Os”: 3

Boyd, George H.: 1, 2

Chambers, Thomas: 6

Dovetailed Maker: 4

Eider: 5

Lincoln, Joseph W.: 7

Safford, Charles A.: 14

Shourds, Harry V.: 11, 12

The Ward Brothers: 8

Wheeler, Charles E. “Shang”: 9, 10, 15, 16

Wilson, Augustus Aaron “Gus”: 13

Masterworks from The Thomas M. Evans Jr. Collection by Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. and Chelsie W. Olney

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SALE

1 Your bidding on items indicates your acceptance of the following Terms and Conditions of Sale by Copley Fine Art Auctions, LLC. These terms are subject to amendment before or during the sale. Copley Fine Art Auctions, LLC operates as an agent of the seller only, and is not responsible in any way in the event the seller or buyer fails to fulfill their respective agreements. In all instances the auctioneer’s interpretation of these conditions is final and binding on all bidders.

2 All bids are per lot as numbered in the catalog unless otherwise announced by the auctioneer. The sales price shall consist of the final bid price plus the buyer’s premium, plus any applicable sales tax. A buyer’s premium of 20% (23% for online bidding) of the final bid price up to and including $1,000,000, plus 15% of the final bid price over $1,000,000, will be applied to each lot sold, to be paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price.

3 The auctioneer reserves the right to reject any bid that, in his opinion, is not commensurate with the value of the lot.

4 The auctioneer has the sole right to re-offer a lot and/or settle disputed bids. The record of sale kept by the auction house will be taken as final in the event of dispute. Additionally, items may be withdrawn at any time prior to the offering of each lot.

5 Except with respect to the guarantee for decoys as set forth below in paragraph 6, all goods are sold “as is” and all sales are final with no exchanges or refunds. Copley Fine Art Auctions, LLC and its consignors make no representations or warranties as to merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, the correctness of the catalog or other description of physical condition, quality, size, medium, importance, rarity, provenance or historical relevance of any property, and no statement made at the sale, or in the bill of sale, or invoice, or elsewhere shall be deemed such a warranty or representation or an assumption of liability. The purchaser assumes complete responsibility for items at the fall of the hammer.

6 The Copley decoy team is committed to accurately cataloging all decoys. To this end, all decoy lots in this catalog carry guaranteed condition reports. Copley encourages all potential bidders to contact our decoy specialists at least seven days before the auction with any questions or concerns regarding condition. In many cases, Copley will be able to provide X-ray and UV analysis on select lots. Please note that the auctioneer reserves the right to amend these written reports verbally from the podium at the time of sale. Please note that absentee bids may not be executed on decoys that are affected by any amended condition reports. Since opinions can differ in the matter of condition and age, Copley Fine Art Auctions, LLC will be the sole judge in the matter of refunds. If we fail to identify a flaw that significantly impacts the decoy’s value, the purchaser may return the decoy.

Duration of Guarantee: Any request for refund of any decoy lot in the auction must be within 48 hours of receipt of the decoy. It is the purchaser’s responsibility to examine the decoy and identify in writing any flaw or flaws that significantly impact the value of the lot. In order to be eligible for the guarantee, Copley Fine Art Auctions, LLC must receive payment for the decoy within 7 days of the conclusion of the auction. Receipt of the decoy by the purchaser must take place no more than 21 days after the fall of the gavel. Please note that it is the purchaser’s responsibility to arrange pick-up or shipping of the lot. The guarantee in all cases will end 21 days after the fall of the gavel.

7 Successful bidders are to pay for their purchases during or immediately after the sale or upon receipt of an invoice, unless other arrangements have been authorized in writing by the auction house. Payment may be made by cash or good check payable to Copley Fine Art Auctions, LLC. The auction house reserves the right to hold property until checks clear. A monthly service charge of 1.5% will be added to unpaid balances beginning 30 days after the sale date. A $50.00 fee will be added for returned checks. If a check fails to clear after the second deposit, the purchaser will be held responsible for any and all fees incurred until we have collected good funds.

8 If the purchaser breaches any of its obligations under these Conditions of Sale, including its obligation to pay in full the purchase price of all items for which it was the highest successful bidder, Copley Fine Art Auctions, LLC may exercise all of its rights and remedies under the law including, without limitation, (a) canceling the sale, and applying any payments made by the purchaser to the damages caused by the purchaser’s breach, and/or (b) offering at public auction, without reserve, any lot or item for which the purchaser has failed to pay in full the purchase price, holding the purchaser liable for any deficiency plus all costs of sale.

9 Condition reports are not included in this catalog. It is the responsibility of prospective bidders to examine lots and decide their level of interest. Neither the auctioneer, Copley Fine Art Auctions, LLC, nor the consignor is responsible for the accuracy of any printed or verbal descriptions. Copley Fine Art Auctions, LLC strongly encourages clients to personally examine lots prior to the auction so as to best determine condition of lots. Due to the high volume of condition requests, Copley Fine Art Auctions, LLC reserves the right to reject requests at its sole discretion. All weights and measurements are approximate.

10 Some of the lots in this sale carry reserves or minimum selling prices. This is a confidential figure set by the consignor and the auction house below which a lot will not be sold. The reserve will not exceed the low estimate, and the auction house will execute the reserve bids by bidding for the consignor. Estimates are subject to change at any time prior to the offering of each lot.

11 Absentee and telephone bids will be executed when possible as a convenience to customers; the auction house will not be held responsible for any errors or failures to accurately execute bids. All absentee and telephone bids must be received at least 24 hours before the start of the sale.

12 Buyers wishing to pick up items after the auction at our office may do so only by appointment. We kindly ask that all items be removed from our warehouse within 30 days of auction end to avoid a $5 daily storage fee.

13 Shipping is the responsibility of the buyer. Upon request, we will provide a list of shippers who deliver within the United States and overseas. Once your payment has cleared, items may be released for shipment. Copley Fine Art Auctions, LLC shall have no liability for any loss or damage to such items. Buyers should allow up to four weeks for shipment.

14 Copley Fine Art Auctions, LLC may, at its discretion and at the buyer’s request, package and ship sold items as directed by the purchaser. In such instances 1) the buyer shall prepay all related expenses, and 2) the buyer agrees that all packaging, handling, and shipment is at the sole risk of the purchaser, and Copley Fine Art Auctions, LLC shall have no liability for any loss or damage to such items. Buyer should allow up to four to five weeks for shipment.

15 Some property sold at auction can be subject to laws governing export from the United States, such as items that include material from some endangered species. Import restrictions from foreign countries are subject to these same governing laws. Granting of licensing for import or export of goods from local authorities is the sole responsibility of the buyer. Denial or delay of licensing will not constitute delay or cancellation in payment for the total purchase price of these lots.

16 Bidding increments will normally follow the pattern below, but may vary at the sole discretion of the auctioneer:

17 Copley Fine Art Auctions, LLC is the owner of the images of each lot offered for sale, and may use such images at any time at its sole discretion for advertising, publicity, and for archival purposes.

18 If you are bidding as an agent for another individual or company, and you execute a bid on behalf of someone else under your bidder number, then you are responsible for the settlement of that account.

19 In no event will the liability of Copley Fine Art Auctions, LLC to any purchaser with respect to any item exceed the purchase price actually paid by such purchaser for such item.

20 Any legal disputes arising from this auction shall be settled in the court system of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

BUYER PRE-REGISTRATION FORM

COPLEY FINE ART AUCTIONS | 65 Sharp Street | Hingham, Massachusetts 02043

Tel: 617.536.0030 | Fax: 617.266.4896 | info@copleyart.com | copleyart.com

Name:

Company Name:

Agent acting on behalf of:

Invoice Address: City: State:

Zip:

Bids will not be accepted without a completed form, including your signature. Your signature denotes that you have read and agree to be bound by the Terms and Conditions of Sale issued by Copley Fine Art Auctions, LLC for The Sporting Sale 2023.

All bidders holding a valid Massachusetts or out-of-state resale number must provide their certificate or a copy thereof while registering. Failure to do so will subject the bidder to a mandatory 6.25% Massachusetts sales tax on purchases.

Telephone (#1):

Telephone (#2):

Telephone (#3): Email:

Signature:

(required)

To be sure that bids will be accepted and delivery of lots not delayed, bidders who do not have an account with Copley Fine Art Auctions, LLC are requested to supply a bank reference prior to bidding.

I authorize you to contact the references below to provide you with any information in their possession including any business or credit experience with me, and I further agree to accept the cost of any charges such references may incur providing such information.

FINANCIAL REFERENCES

Name of Bank(s):

Address of Bank(s):

Account Number(s):

Name of Account Officer(s):

Bank Telephone: Bank Fax:

AUCTION REFERENCES

1. Name of Company: Contact Name: Telephone Number:

2. Name of Company:

Contact Name:

Telephone Number:

ABSENTEE/TELEPHONE BID FORM

COPLEY FINE ART AUCTIONS | 65 Sharp Street | Hingham, Massachusetts 02043 Tel: 617.536.0030 | Fax: 617.266.4896 | info@copleyart.com | copleyart.com

please check one of the following:

ABSENTEE TELEPHONE

1 All bids must be received at least 24 hours before the start of the sale. We cannot guarantee that bids placed after this time will be accepted. A Copley representative will send you an email to confirm receipt. If you have not received confirmation within 24 hours, please call 617.536.0030. Bids will not be accepted without your signature on this form.

2 This service is offered as a convenience at no charge; however, Copley Fine Art Auctions, LLC will not be held responsible for error or failure to execute bids. Copley staff will try to purchase these lots for the lowest possible price taking into account the reserve and other bids.

3 All bids are subject to the Terms and Conditions of Sale listed in this auction catalog. Further, it is the responsibility of the bidder to check with Copley staff whether a sale room notice relates to any lot which they have listed.

a Absentee bids: Absentee bids are executed alternately in competition with phone and internet bidders. It is possible, due to the variations in bidding patterns, that a lot may be won by the audience for the same amount authorized by the absentee bidder. A (+) sign to the right of the bid amount will authorize the absentee bidder to bid one additional bid increment. In the event of identical bids, the first bid received will take precedence.

b Telephone bids: If bidding by telephone, the bidder accepts the inherent risks associated with bidding over the telephone.

4 Payment: If successful, you will be contacted. Payment is due immediately upon notification unless arrangements have been made with Copley prior to bidding. A buyer’s premium of 20% of the final bid price up to and including $1,000,000, plus 15% of the final bid price over $1,000,000, will be applied to each lot sold, to be paid by the Buyer to Copley Fine Art Auctions, LLC as part of the purchase price.

OUT-OF-STATE DELIVERY AND AUTHORIZED SHIPPING RELEASE FORM

Item(s) will not be released without a signed authorization form from the invoiced Buyer. You may include this form with your payment or email it to info@copleyart.com. Payments of cash, check, or bank transfer must be posted to your account before property is released.

If Copley Fine Art Auctions, LLC (Copley) is required to deliver the items to a purchaser outside of Massachusetts, the sale is exempt from Massachusetts Sales Tax under MGLA 64H §6(b) .

1 Copley is obligated to deliver the items out of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

2 Copley is obligated to deliver the items to an interstate carrier as noted below.

3 Title will pass upon delivery to the out-of-state destination.

4 Please be aware that packing and the payment for shipping is the responsibility of the successful Buyer. Upon making the item(s) available for shipping to the Buyer or its Agent, Buyer shall be responsible for the care and packaging of the item(s). The Buyer shall bear the risk of loss from and after Copley making available such item(s) to the interstate carrier, including the insurance of the item(s) against all risks of loss including without limitation, fire, theft, or any other damage to the item(s).

5 Shipping can take up to four weeks and is processed in the order in which payment is received.

6 At your option, you may contact one of the interstate carriers listed below, or one of your choosing, to arrange for shipping. Carriers pick up frequently at our offices.

SHIPPING OPTIONS:

The UPS Store #4423

A.J. Yanakakis, Wakefield, MA 781.224.2500 or store4423@theupsstore.com

Boston Pack and Ship

781.849.8696 or 1.800.400.7204 info@bostonpackandship.com

U.S. Art*

781.986.6500 or 1.800.872.7826

*Specializing in high-value art, large works, and specialty items

Scott Cousins/North South Art Transfer Hand delivery service

978.491.9353 or scottcousins22@aol.com

Johan Westenburg/Mobile Home LLC for Art in Motion Hand delivery service

Print name: (as invoiced)

Shipping Address:

Place and Manner of Delivery:

To an Interstate Common Carrier for delivery out of state: I authorize: to pick up my items(s) (Please specify Name of Common Carrier)

Sale Date: Lot #s :

Phone:

Email:

860.964.9163 or e3asmallgallery@gmail.com (required)

Signature: Internal use only

Received by:

Signature: Print Name: Date:

ESTATE AND COLLECTION SERVICES

Copley offers a comprehensive program for both auction and private sales. Our team of professionals has over 95 years of combined service dedicated to the fields of American antiques, folk art, fine art, and decoys. We work with law firms, trust and estate professionals, executors, heirs, museums, institutions, clubs, and private clients, assisting with the valuation and sale of single items and entire estates.

Copley offers free confidential auction evaluations, and will be able to advise you on how to achieve the highest prices for your valuable objects. Our specialists will assist you in every step of the process, from the initial valuation of your item or collection to the conclusion of sale. If, for some reason, an item or collection falls outside the parameters of a Copley sale, our vast network of contacts ensures that our clients will be given the appropriate referral. Depending on the number of objects and their location, we offer a complimentary initial walk-through service to determine the extent of the project.

THE DU PONT CROWELL WOODCOCK