The Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection of American Bird Decoys - Session II | The Winter Sale 2021

THE DR. PETER J. MULLER JR. COLLECTION OF AMERICAN BIRD DECOYS | SESSION II THE WINTER SALE 2021 | FEBRUARY 19

LLC AUCTIONS, LLC ART AUCTIONS, FINE ART COPLEY FINE COPLEY

The envelope that contained the 1971 letter (see page xx) from Bill Mackey.

Demonstrating the importance of this carving, the Birch Swan is one of the only waterfowl decoys to receive its own photo within the pages of the five Mackey catalogs.

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“I had an instinct to collect.”

— Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr.

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THE DR. PETER J. MULLER JR. COLLECTION OF AMERICAN BIRD DECOYS | SESSION II

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THE PURNELL-MULLER WARD CANVASBACK PAIR

MULLER 4

Lots in this catalog bear the Muller Collection ink stamp featuring a silhouette of the Shourds long-tailed drake.

This stamp is exclusive to the lots in the Muller Collection auction sessions.

THE WINTER SALE

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

AUCTION: FEBRUARY 19-20, 2021 Day 1: Friday, February 19, 10:00AM

Day 1 of The Winter Sale will begin with the Muller Session II catalog, lots 1-40

Followed by lots 41-292 Day 2: Saturday, February 20, 10:00AM

Lots 293-to the end Live-streamed from Massachusetts.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, there will be no in-person bidding during the auction.

AUCTION PREVIEW By appointment in our gallery or contact us to find out if we will be traveling in your area. Copley will be hosting a series of regional previews. Our specialists are also offering personalized video previews; call our office to schedule an appointment.

SPECIALISTS Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. Fine Art & Decoy Specialist steve@copleyart.com

Colin S. McNair Decoy Specialist colin@copleyart.com

Leah Tharpe Fine Art Specialist leah@copleyart.com

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. We will be adding additional lines to our popular phone bank; please sign up early.

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

Please review the Terms and Conditions of Sale on page 141 and Important Notices on page 6 of this catalog.

COPLEY FINE ART AUCTIONS, LLC | info@copleyart.com | 65 Sharp Street | Hingham, MA 02043 | 617.536.0030

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THE WINTER SALE IMPORTANT NOTICES 1

lease be advised that all persons wishing to bid at this auction P 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.

9 Additional images For lots with multiple items and only one shown, please visit copleyart.com for additional images.

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

11 Condition description of wear or gunning wear

3 Consign to our next sale Copley Fine Art Auctions, LLC is accepting consignments for our Sporting Sale 2021. 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 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.

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ear or gunning wear may include all types of wear and W 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 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 and restorations may include new material. Paint listed as “working” or “old” is likely not original. 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.

12 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.

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

14 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.

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Auction day contact information On site: 617.536.0030 Auctioneer Peter J. Coccoluto MA License #2428

THE WINTER SALE 2021

THE DR. PETER J. MULLER JR. COLLECTION

OF AMERICAN BIRD DECOYS | SESSION II

Dr. Muller in his decoy room, Atlanta, Georgia, 2008. Photo by Jim Edwards.

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THE MACKEY MASON PINTAIL Front Cover: Lots 10, 11, 28 Back Cover: Lots 14, 19, 20, 24, 25, 26, 5 Inside Back Cover: Lot 11 Left Schedule of Events: Lot 13 Left Table of Contents: Lot 1

Catalog by: Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. Cinnie O’Brien Colin S. McNair Leah Tharpe Chelsie Olney Eileen Steward, Photography & Design Brad Beckerman Printed in the USA

© 2021 Copley Fine Art Auctions, LLC. All rights reserved.

Like us on Facebook Facebook.com/copleyfineartauctions Follow us on Instagram Instagram.com/copleyfineartauctions

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Schedule of Events

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Important Notices

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A Southern Pilgrimage

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The Life of Peter J. Muller Jr. (1928-2019)

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The Start of the Hunt

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The Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection of American Bird Decoys | Session II The Winter Sale 2021 | February 19 | 10AM

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Index of Artists and Makers

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Terms and Conditions of Sale

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Buyer Pre-Registration Form

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Absentee/Telephone Bid Form

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Authorized Shipping Release Form

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A SOUTHERN PILGRIMAGE

by Stephen B. O’Brien Jr.

Henry Fleckenstein Jr., Stephen B. O’Brien Jr., and Lakota, 1991.

During my indoctrination into the decoy-collecting world back in 1991, Dr. Muller’s name had often arisen. Stories about the legendary Southern collectors, Bill Purnell, Tommy O’Connor, Dr. Lloyd Griffith, and Dr. Peter Muller, had fascinated me. Purnell never let a good Southern decoy get by him. O’Connor started collecting in his teens and had a chaperone take him to decoy shows before he even had a license to drive. Griffith, the country doctor, always wore leather gloves and good luck trying to outbid him. With Muller, the word “gentleman” often came up, and Bud Ward’s, Joe Enger’s, and Dick McIntyre’s descriptions of his Hudsons, Veritys, Cobbs, and Shourds all sounded too good to be true.

The Mullers’ house in Atlanta, Georgia, was the southernmost mark on the map of a twothousand-mile journey that began in Kennebunkport, Maine. I intended to hit all the top Southern collectors along the way. I was traveling with one of my mentors, Henry Fleckenstein Jr., and Lakota, my three-year-old English setter. Lakota didn’t have much of a nose, ranged too far, and bumped way too many birds in the field, but that’s another story.

Driving out of Maine that April heading south had felt amazing. The major league baseball season was underway and Henry and I had a week behind the wheel to debate whether Roger Clemens, who anchored the Red Sox’ starting rotation, would push the Sox past Cal Ripken Jr. and Henry’s Baltimore Orioles.

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To say I was green in the decoy business would be an understatement. While I knew a mallard from a merganser, I could barely identify a Hudson from a Shourds. I traveled everywhere with my dog and had yet to realize that not everyone was a hunter and not everyone appreciated English setter fur on their couch.

However, I did have a few things going for me on the trip. I had Henry riding shotgun. I had an uncanny sense of navigational direction, having pretty much majored in ruffed grouse hunting while in college in Upstate New York. Walking hundreds of miles in upland covers and finding your way back to the truck will hone your sense of direction like nothing else. I had a fat stack of road atlases and several ten-dollar rolls of quarters in the glove box. The atlases had Purnell’s, O’Connor’s, Griffith’s, and Muller’s towns all circled. The quarters fed the payphones. Over the course of the journey, our misfit trio became pretty darn good at finding collectors’ homes.

As Henry, Lakota, and I rolled into Atlanta, I remember phoning Dr. Muller’s Briarcliff Animal Hospital. I now cringe recalling my twenty-one-year-old naiveté, expecting him to drop everything, come running, and show us his decoy collection. I can envision him now, fielding our brazen request. Patiently, with his warm Southern drawl, Peter informed us that, no, he could not see us that day, but if we cared to come by the next morning, he would be happy to meet with us then. Needless to say, we took the meeting and were captivated by not only his impressive collection, but also this kind Southern gentleman.

Chelsie Olney’s biography offers a glimpse into the world of Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr., providing us with the back story of this pioneering collector. We learn how his love of animals, science, and hunting all played a role in defining him as one of America’s top collectors. Dr. Muller understood anatomy and he pursued decoys with laser focus like a detective. He tracked down rare examples in exceptional condition with great provenance. He was one of the first to literally put them under the microscope, in addition to x-raying every decoy in his collection.

Chelsie and I are extremely grateful to Dr. Muller’s wife, Peggy, and her entire family for allowing us into their lives. And, we owe a debt of gratitude to Dr. Lloyd Newberry, the man responsible for introducing Dr. Muller into decoys in the first place!

Recalling my southern sojourn with Henry and Lakota decades ago fuels my excitement to travel to South Carolina in a few short weeks. The Southeastern Wildlife Exposition is a fitting location to celebrate decoys and offer the first session of the Muller Collection. We are thrilled to watch these carvings trade hands and pass on to their next caretakers, becoming key pieces for future waves of collectors.

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Pete and Peggy Muller in the 1950s.

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THE LIFE OF PETER J. MULLER JR. (1928-2019)

by Chelsie Olney

On August 11 of 1928, Peter Julius Muller Jr. was born. Known to his friends and family as “Pete,” he lived an extraordinary life dedicated to pursuing his numerous interests. A true Renaissance man, he possessed a diverse set of skills and an enduring love for family, friends, poetry, animals, hunting, fishing, travel, decoys, and his wife, Peggy.

The only child of Thelma Mary Davidson (1903-1976) and Peter Julius Muller Sr. (1902-1989), Pete was raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, but spent his childhood summers in Bucktown. This small settlement, located on the southern shore of Lake Pontchartrain, was where his mother’s aunt and her family lived. His son, Peter III, explains, “Growing up during the Great Depression, toys were hard to come by, so he turned to the outdoors for enjoyment. Boating, fishing, and crabbing opportunities presented themselves on a daily basis.” The vast marshes and bayous of Lake Pontchartrain were ideal habitats for countless species of fish, birds, mammals, and reptiles, and served as young Muller’s playground.

When he was older, his uncle taught him to shrimp, fish, and hunt muskrats and

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waterfowl. Pete earned money working on his uncle’s fishing boat. He reflects on his formative years in a 2008 Decoy Magazine

Young Pete, 1932.

article, “I lived in the marsh until I was twenty years old. They were happy and golden times.”1 His wife, Peggy, recalls that, as a young boy, Pete would often skip school to go out on the bayou where, in his words, “the Cajun boys lived.” For twenty-five cents, the Cajun boys would take him out in their pirogues. These flat-bottomed, lightweight boats were designed to move through very shallow water. An entrepreneur at an early age, he would capture snakes during these watery trips, and bring his live, slithering quarry back to New Orleans to sell to his city friends. His school locker served as his

Joe Engers, “Collector’s Profile: Dr. Peter J. Muller,” Decoy Magazine, January/February 2008, p. 8.

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Amateur herpetologist Pete Muller collecting snakes down in the bayou, circa 1942.

storefront, though he eventually got in trouble. Nonetheless, Pete’s resourcefulness served him well, especially during the lean years as the nation recovered from the financial crisis. He also had a job shucking oysters in the French Quarter and worked for a veterinary hospital grooming dogs. Pete successfully navigated the fast-paced world of New Orleans, while, at the same time, pursuing the bounty found in the still-wild marshes and bayous of Lake Pontchartrain.

Despite the sharp contrast between these distinctly different landscapes, both urban and rural settings would play crucial roles in his life.

After high school, Pete attended Louisiana State University, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in biology. As an undergraduate, he enrolled in the 14

university’s Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program. In that capacity, he lived with veterans who had served in World War II and were attending the university as part of the G.I. Bill. He credits this experience as positively influencing his career trajectory.

After graduating from LSU, Pete attended Auburn University where he earned a doctoral degree in veterinary medicine. In addition to finishing at the top of his class, he was the captain of the university’s ping pong team and led his squad to victory at the championships. He also played electric guitar in a small band which performed on the weekends in Phenix City, Alabama, often referred to as “The Wickedest City in America.”

After receiving his doctorate, Dr. Muller headed to Miami where he practiced while he awaited his draft notice; he had been deferred during the Korean War while he studied veterinary medicine. When that notice came, Dr. Muller joined the U.S. Army Medical Department’s Veterinary

Pete holding the championship trophy alongside members of the Auburn University ping pong team, circa 1950.

then he and Peggy moved to Atlanta to start his own veterinary practice.

During Dr. Muller’s army days, he met Peggy Lane and they were married in 1954.

Corps and was ordered to Memphis, Tennessee. Established in 1916, this branch of the army was responsible for the health of both animals and soldiers, medically treating the animals and inspecting all of the food eaten by the soldiers. There was a time during the Cold War when Air Force pilots mysteriously began to become sick, suffering from nausea after eating. Dr. Muller was able to determine the source of the problem, which was contaminated ice cream.

During these army years, Pete met Peggy Lane and they were married in 1954.

Dr. Muller was transferred to Jackson, Mississippi, where he continued inspecting and buying food for the Army. After leaving the military, Dr. Muller spent one year as the Pathologist for the State of Louisiana and

Running a snake store and other animalrelated enterprises not only earned Pete the reputation as a wildlife enthusiast, but also bestowed him with confidence in his business skills early on. Attaining advanced degrees in animal science and medicine gave Dr. Muller the education and pedigree he needed to launch a full-time career as a veterinarian.

In 1958, through steadfast vision, hard work, and determination, Dr. Muller founded the Briarcliff Animal Clinic in Atlanta, with Peggy running the front desk and handling the finances. When Peggy expressed her dislike of math and fear that she might not be a good bookkeeper, he told her that she just needed to “cultivate a taste for it.� Dr. Muller would later make that same suggestion to both his children and grandchildren when they found a chore or school subject to their dislike.

Father and son at the Briarcliff Animal Clinic, 1985.

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The clinic cared for all types of dogs, cats, pocket pets, amphibians, birds, and reptiles.

Clients having second thoughts about reptilian purchases would often give Dr. Muller their snakes. As a result, there was an enclosure at the clinic that housed many resident pythons and boas, some measuring eight inches in diameter. Eventually, the snakes were donated to the New Orleans Zoo to the relief of many employees.

For nearly fifty years, Dr. Muller cared for generations of pets, forming friendships with thousands of grateful Atlanta pet owners.

His son, Peter III, explains, “At work Dad had the same drive to push the limits. He started a veterinary hospital that became the largest practice group in Atlanta. His philosophy of working hard and providing excellent client service day in and day out built a loyal client base that still feeds Briarcliff Animal Clinic.”

As a result of Dr. Muller’s disciplined work ethic, Briarcliff Animal Clinic is one of the oldest continuously operating businesses in Atlanta’s Dekalb County.

Dr. Muller’s passion for helping animals not only propelled his own veterinary work, but also inspired his son and his granddaughter Elizabeth to follow the same career path.

At his father’s memorial service, Peter reflected, “I was lucky to love veterinary

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medicine and work with my dad for nearly thirty years. He was a delight for me to work with. He encouraged me to study and obtain my board certification. He listened to my suggestions and allowed me to implement new medical procedures and try new business systems. He helped me to succeed and encouraged me when I failed. I could not have asked for a better mentor in business, medicine, or life.”

Three generations of Muller veterinarians: Pete, his son, and his granddaughter Elizabeth, 2018.

SPORTSMAN

Pete with a marlin on the reel, Acapulco, Mexico, 1964.

When Pete and Peggy moved to Atlanta in the mid-1950s, he began exploring the surrounding areas in search of hunting and fishing opportunities. Similar to the bayou of his youth, the vast beaches and marshes of Savannah offered plenty of destinations for sportsmen. Hilton Head became a regular favorite spot for catching trout and redfish.

In the fall, the couple would often rent an island home, spending time fishing for spanish mackerel and bluefish, while also enjoying their whole family.

As the seasons changed, December brought on the best of duck season. Rafts of mallards, black ducks, canvasbacks, and teal abounded on the Savannah River.

Loaded down with decoys and guns, decked out in waders, temperatures hovering in

the teens, trudging through knee-deep mud, Dr. Muller relished it all. He loved the adventure of it, and dirty weather just added to the experience. His son, Peter, vividly recalls: “When Dad met Lloyd Newberry, his love affair with waterfowl began. I was amazed at how obsessed they were over hunting divers in the worst conceivable weather you could imagine! These guys dragged me out before dawn often in the pouring rain with temperatures at times below freezing. Several times I thought I was going to succumb to hypothermia! But Lloyd and Dad never seemed to notice the dreadful conditions, always enjoyed the day, and always seemed to have a successful outcome.”

Dr. Muller and Newberry’s dog “Scotch,” hunting on the Savannah River, 1979.

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A letter from Bill Mackey to Dr. Muller, dated November 11, 1971, in which he writes about the publication of his book and adds the comment: “It’s really a fringe book for you as it is 100% snipes.” This letter clearly challenged and had an impact on Dr. Muller. He went on to collect twenty-one of twenty-four related examples from the plates of the Classic Decoy Series. His decoy collection became one of the top shorebird collections in the country!

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COLLECTOR “In the old days, back when we were wheeling and dealing in the 1970s and 80s, none of us had an inkling they’d become so valuable, we just liked them. It was a lot of fun. You didn’t think about values, you just wanted it.”

— Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr., 2008

As a child, Pete collected model ships and planes in addition to live snakes. He once reflected, ”I had an instinct to collect.”2 As an adult, he was an avid art collector particularly fond of animals and nature as subject matter. A voracious reader, he thoroughly researched the nuances of John J. Audubon’s work and systematically built an important collection of the ornithologist’s prints.

Shooting expeditions with Dr. Lloyd Newberry turned Pete on to hunting decoys as well as ducks. Dr. Muller writes, “It was at his home in 1971 that I saw my first old Mason decoy, inciting my love of and interest in 19th century decoys.”3 After years of amassing Audubons, decoys were a natural extension. Over the decades of his acquisitioning decoys, Pete befriended many mentors and early collectors, including Bill Purnell, Adele Earnest, George Thompson, Johnny Hillman, Jim McCleery, Tony Waring, Bud Ward, Ron Gard, Lloyd Griffith,

Ray Egan, Lloyd Newberry, Dick McIntre, Henry Bishop, and Dick Coen, among others.

Reviewing Dr. Muller’s correspondence is a veritable “Who’s Who” of 20th-century decoy collectors.

Burr Running Plover with Mackey Stamp (lot 3).

However, it was Dr. Muller’s introduction to Bill Mackey by Ray Davies, owner of the 1807 River House in New Jersey, that truly opened his eyes to the possibilities of what the field had to offer. Dr. Muller reminisces

Engers, p. 9.

Dr. Peter J. Muller & Peggy Lane Muller, The Stevens Brothers, Their Lives, The Times, and Their Decoys, Marceline, MO: Walsworth Publishing, 2009, p. 5.

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collector. Cape Cod auctioneer Richard Bourne auctioned off the Mackey Collection in four separate sales, comprising eight sessions, held at his gallery in Hyannis, Massachusetts. Dr. Muller attended all four auctions, once quipping, “The Russians could have been on the beach and it wouldn’t have kept me away.”5.

Bud Ward, Ron Gard, Dr. Peter Muller, and Grayson Chesser, Kennebunkport, Maine, 1990.

about Mackey, whom he once described as “the lord and master,” “At the time, it seemed to most collectors that he had all the decoys...It seemed for a while that I was going to be able to build a collection just buying directly from Mackey.”4 As fate would have it, opportunities to acquire major carvings from the Mackey Collection would arise in 1973 and 1974, after the sudden passing of the legendary

The Mackey Cobb Feeding Brant (lot 10).

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Engers, p. 9.

Engers, p. 9.

At auction he acquired the Mason Pintail (lot 1), the Truex Merganser Drake (lot 15), and the Wilson Rocking-Head Scoter (lot 40), among others. The eight sessions of the Mackey Collection marked the beginning of the way decoys are now valued and sold.

Dr. Muller continued to track down and

buy Mackey decoys as they returned to the secondary market. Some of Dr. Muller’s most significant Mackey acquisitions were made outside the walls of the Bourne gallery, such as the Cobb Feeding Brant (lot 10), the Cobb Feeding Curlew (lot 11), the Swimming Cobb Goose (lot 36), and the Verity Oversized Running Plover (lot 8), among others.

Like all of his pursuits, Dr. Muller picked up decoy collecting with unbridled enthusiasm

Lot 36

Lot 15

Lot 8

Lot 40

Lot 1

Lot 11

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Radiograph image of Cobb Feeding Brant (lot 10).

and became a dedicated student of the field, attending all the major shows until the early 2000s. In the mid-1970s, his son recalls that they drove seven hundred miles from Atlanta to the Ward Brothers’ shop in Crisfield, Maryland, where they met Lem, who signed their Ward decoy. To Dr. Muller, no effort or distance was too great in the name of decoys.

Pete utilized a method of assessing the condition of carvings far ahead of his time.

Peggy recalls, “My husband radiographed every decoy he ever bought. Being a

Dr. Muller at work in his clinic, late 1950s. Muller applied his scientific mind to the decoy field, utilizing both high magnification and x-rays long before most had even conceived of it.

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Lot 10

veterinarian, he had an x-ray machine available to him. He started this in the early 1970s. We believe he was the first to start using x-rays in examining decoys. He was laughed at, at first, when he started this [practice].” One collector who most certainly did not laugh was fellow doctor James M. McCleery, who sagely predicted, “I think there will come a time when expensive birds up for auction may have x-ray film available at the time of the sale.”

Attesting to Dr. Muller and Dr. McCleery’s foresight, every decoy in this catalog has been x-rayed.

Dr. Muller holding two Bunn/Bowman shorebird carvings. Lot 19 seen in his right hand.

The five Mackey auction catalogs, 1973-1974. Over five decades, Dr. Muller would go on to acquire more than a dozen top decoys from the Mackey Collection.

The only Cobb feeding curlew with original paint and bill known to exist (lot 11).

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“Peter Muller was a collector’s collector, one of the great connoisseurs of the art of the decoy. It was my privilege to have known him since the early 1980s, and I will always remember the many deep conversations (and laughs) we had over the years. Peter was a man on a mission, and the 2009 book that he and his wife Peggy wrote on the Stevens brothers was the culmination of his long, passionate involvement with wooden birds. Peter’s quest set a new standard for decoy research and curation that should provide a model for all future publications and collections.”

— Robert Shaw, Shelburne, VT Author of Bird Decoys of North America and past curator of the Shelburne Museum

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AUTHOR “After all, collecting decoys is a romantic venture into those days gone by, for those who have hunted and those who collect for the sheer beauty and history of each decoy.”

— Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. & Peggy Lane Muller, 2009

The same dedication and energy with which Pete had approached his undergraduate and graduate studies, he now devoted to decoys and their makers. At the Mackey auctions, Dr. Muller met Ray Egan who introduced him to the decoys of the Stevens brothers, two bird carvers from Weedsport, New York. Dr. Muller ended up buying more than ten Stevens decoys from Egan. Intrigued by these generally misunderstood makers, Pete and Peggy would spend the next thirty years researching their lives and carvings.

Early on, they discovered that Stevens decoys were hand carved by Harvey Stevens (1847–1894) and his brother, George Stevens (1856–1905), rather than factory made as was commonly assumed.

Gradually, the couple could differentiate between the two brothers’ work; Harvey, a cabinetmaker, used patterns with the goal of precision, whereas his brother, George, brought more of an artist’s free spirit to his work. Decades of methodical investigation culminated in 2009 with the publication of The Stevens Brothers, Their Lives, The Times,

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and Their Decoys, a book which the couple co-authored. In the book’s Acknowledgements, Pete reflects back on working with Peggy: “The burden of researching and writing this book was shared equally by my wife. She argued, wrote and rewrote, cajoled and persevered throughout this effort, which occupied, on and off, the last 15 or more years of our 50 years together. To Peggy Lane Muller, my wife and co-author, I offer my sincerest gratitude.”6 Over a decade later, this definitive work still stands as the most comprehensive book on the makers.

Muller & Muller, p. 6.

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Always captivated by literature and poetry, Pete wrote this inscription to his wife, Peggy, in Ernest Hemingway’s 1951 classic The Old Man and the Sea. 26

FAMILY

Dr. Muller with the two best catches of his life: Peggy and a 240-pound marlin caught after a six-hour battle on a 30-pound-test fishing line, Acapulco, Mexico, 1964.

Dr. Muller’s son recalls one occasion when “the Muller family rented and crewed a sailboat through the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas. The second day we had the boat, the drive shaft disconnected from the diesel engine, and we experienced an alternator failure. In the few days since we’d gotten the boat, the rental company had declared bankruptcy and closed its doors. We were on our own. Most families would have cut their losses and headed back to the states.

But not the Mullers! Dad and I reattached the drive shaft using scuba gear, got the batteries recharged on shore, and sailed the boat to a marina where we could get the electrical fixed. To Dad, this was a memorable, fun adventure.”

Of this same trip, Pete’s daughter, Laura, has very different memories: “I was thirteen Pete and Peggy were married for nearly years old when my parents insisted I go on sixty-five years and raised two children this sailing trip. I did not want to leave my together, Laura Muller Jones and Peter Julius friends and was not happy. So, I got in the Muller III. Many vacations were devoted small dinghy and had my brother let it out to fishing, crabbing, sailing, camping, and far behind the larger boat using a long rope. hunting excursions, first with their children The water was crystal clear and I lay face and over time with grandchildren as well. down, all alone, watching the fish and other Hilton Head was a frequent destination, but creatures. This went on a long time. My the Mullers also travelled abroad, ranging mother kept looking back to make sure I was from Arctic dog sledding to African safari. all right.

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Another watery adventure. Laura and her dad in Africa.

“Much later she checked again and there was no boat and no Laura following behind. The towing rope had come undone. I had no idea as I continued to gaze into the water. My family freaked and turned back to look for me, motoring the sailboat as fast as it would go. I had no idea anything had happened. They arrived so excited to find me and I was totally confused. I had never looked up.”

Over time, the women of the family often opted out of these hair-raising episodes, leaving father and son to set off together.

Peter relates: “On one Muller waterfowl trip, Dad and I crossed Calibogue Sound in an aluminum, flat-bottomed Jon boat full of decoys to be deployed on the beach at Daufuskie Island. Winds and seas were high at 4:30 am with temperatures hovering near freezing. I remember Dad yelling, “Bail as fast as you can!” as the boat swamped seventy-five yards from

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the Daufuskie shore. We had life jackets, but were heavily loaded down with waders, decoys, etc. As the boat sank beneath me, I prepared to feel the 38 degree water, but, miraculously, the boat stopped sinking— we were in two and a half feet of water!

Undeterred, we dragged the submerged boat to shore, set up our decoys, and had a great hunt. In the evening, we hiked two miles to the ferry dock to cross back to Hilton Head.”

Dr. Muller loved the Cajun and Creole cuisine of his youth. He relished anything pulled from the sea, whether it be blue crabs, shrimp, oysters, or fish. Laura explains: “I have my dad to thank for giving me the love of blue crabs! As soon as I was old enough to hold a crab, my dad was teaching me how to pick them. I became a whiz with the wooden mallet and my plate, piled high with blue crab meat, was the envy of everyone else at the table.

Father and son fishing for sea trout, Hilton Head, 2014.

Caroline, Olivia, and Eva, lovingly referred to him as “Papa.” He delighted in playing with them and sharing his love for fishing, animals, and adventuring.

“Most summers we would go to Hilton Head for a month. We’d look like National Lampoon’s Family Vacation, going down the highway pulling a Boston Whaler filled with crab nets, fishing poles, coolers and bikes.

We’d fish, my brother would throw a shrimp net, and we’d go crabbing when the tide started to move. I remember the thrill when one of the crabs would get loose in the boat; my mom would pull her feet up and scream!

To this day, I can honestly say that blue crab is my favorite food!“ Peggy reflects, “[I spent] sixty-five years with a very interesting man. We always had plenty to say to each other, no sitting in restaurants ignoring each other as you see so often with long married couples. Living with Peter Muller was never boring.”

Dr. Muller derived tremendous happiness from being a grandfather. His five granddaughters, Catherine, Elizabeth,

Whether he was capturing snakes, crabbing, fishing, caring for clients’ pets, hunting ducks on frigid mornings, or appreciating and procuring fine decoys, communing with nature in some form was a constant source of pleasure throughout Dr. Muller’s life. His son-in-law, Bill Jones, aptly summed him up: “He lived large.”

Pete and Peggy with their five granddaughters at their fiftieth-wedding anniversary celebration, 2004.

Dr. Muller worked hard, played hard, and always took delight in the present moment.

He often remarked, “And now the world takes on a rosy hue,” after a thrilling adventure, a tasty meal, or a fine glass of

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Fishing with Elizabeth, Hilton Head, circa 1996.

Fishing with his son and granddaughter Catherine, Hilton Head.

Papa and his granddaughter Olivia, 2004.

Papa and Caroline.

“On their thirteenth birthdays, he took each girl out to a fine restaurant (just the two of them) and gave her a nice piece of jewelry. He also talked to them about ‘everything,’ offering bits of wisdom about life, romance, etc. This one evening seemed to create a very special bond between Papa and each granddaughter. Of course, he also made sure his granddaughters experienced the ocean and spent time there every summer when they were younger.”

— Peggy Muller

Eva on a family cruise to Alaska, 2004.

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Laura Muller Jones’ family: Bill, Olivia, Eva, and Laura, 2017. Pete fondly called his son-in-law “Big Guy.”

Dr. Peter Muller III’s family: Peter, Caroline, Elizabeth, Catherine, and his wife, Jamie, 2012. Of his much beloved daughter-in-law, Dr. Muller once said as she arrived when he had been hospitalized, “Here’s the best daughter-inlaw in the world. She always shows up when there is a crisis.” And, according to Peggy, she always did.

whiskey. His incredible number of friends, combined with his boundless enthusiasm, enabled him to live a life filled with adventure and laughter. Over the course

of nearly five decades, Dr. Muller’s vision, detective work, and perseverance enabled him to curate one of the greatest decoy collections ever assembled.

Copley Fine Art Auctions would like to thank Peggy Lane Muller, Laura Muller Jones, Bill Jones, Jamie Muller, and Peter J. Muller III for graciously providing stories and photographs for this biography. Copley also appreciates the contributions of Bob Shaw, Joe Engers, and Bill Purnell.

Sources: Joe Engers. “Dr. Peter J. Muller: Bringing a good eye and an artistic approach to decoy collecting.”

Decoy Magazine, January/February 2008.

Dick McIntyre. “In Memoriam.” Decoy Magazine, July/August 2019.

Dr. Peter J. Muller & Peggy Lane Muller. The Stevens Brothers, Their Lives, The Times and Their Decoys. Marceline, MO: Walsworth Publishing, 2009.

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THE START OF THE HUNT

by Dr. S. Lloyd Newberry

Muller with his first wild turkey, guided by Lloyd Newberry, Racoon Key, Georgia, 1991.

In January of 1970, a friend of mine who was a deer hunting guide called me to discuss a small problem. He had accepted a fee from a client in Atlanta for a duck hunt. Trouble was, he was not a duck hunting guide and knew nothing about waterfowl. He pleaded with me to bail him out and take this veterinarian, a Dr. Peter Muller and his wife, Peggy, duck hunting. I did and it was a most fortuitous and propitious event in my life. Pete and Peggy took a limit of broadbill, two ruddies, and a goldeneye, but, much more importantly, we became friends and formed a bond with each other that was to stand for decades.

Pete and I both had biology degrees, both collected snakes in our youth, and both loved duck hunting. When he walked in my home the first time, another passion we would share through the years was born. I had several old Mason and Wildfowler decoys and some original Audubon prints. Pete fell in love with the Audubons and must have held those decoys for several hours that first trip to my home in Savannah, and as they say, the rest is history.

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Pete was soon making trips to Virginia and Maryland, and later to New Jersey and New York. He met Bill Mackey, Bill Purnell, Bud Ward, and Johnny Hillman with whom he traded and purchased decoys. He attended all the Mackey auctions and purchased many of the best birds offered. He often called me from the old Craigville Motel excited about a new discovery.

For several decades we slogged through mud and cold rain and enjoyed many beautiful sunrises together. The most excited I ever saw him was when I called in his first wild turkey, but he said that the day he married Peggy even topped that. He loved to eat wild game and being born a Cajun, if it had a kick to it, so much the better. Martha prepared many a canvasback and wood duck (his favorites) for us. After dinner we would repair to the den with a roaring fire and a brandy or three. Pete would always bring down his latest two or three purchases which would be placed on the coffee table. I asked him once why he went to the trouble and he stated, “because they are so much better to look at than those old clunkers of yours.” We loved to kid each other and I could fill a book with stories of Pete falling overboard, bogging up to his waist in pluff mud, and, best of all, his gun malfunctioning when fifty cans lit in the decoys. I can still remember that stream of expletives.

Dr. Muller was not a man to delve into any sport, hobby, or interest, without pursuing its history to the most minute detail. He studied the intricacies of paint and carving techniques by decoy craftsmen whose birds he collected and everyone respected his opinion on a given bird or a piece of antique nature art. His favorite decoy was a Harry V. Shourds oldsquaw, but it was hard to get him to pick one as he loved them all.

He had a special fondness for Virginia birds that he and I shared, and in later years he turned most of his attention to Stevens decoys. After thirty years of research (typical of Peter), he and Peggy co-authored The Stevens Brothers, Their Lives, The Times, and Their Decoys. Without a doubt it’s one of the most well-researched and presented decoy publications in the genre.

Through almost half a century, Pete put together one of the finest decoy collections in the country. But much more than that, he was a friend and mentor to so many of us who enjoy the hunting, folk art, and the historical context that the hobby provides.

We are much better because Peter was here.

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THE DR. PETER J. MULLER JR. COLLECTION OF AMERICAN BIRD DECOYS | SESSION II THE WINTER SALE 2021 DAY 1 | FEBRUARY 19 | 10AM

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Page from a Mason Decoy Factory catalog.

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MASON DECOY FACTORY

1896-1924 | DETROIT, MI

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MASON DECOY FACTORY 1896-1924 | DETROIT, MI

1 The Mackey Mason Pintail

Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924) Detroit, MI, c. 1910 18 1/2 in. long

A hollow premier-grade decoy which was never rigged and retains its exceptional strong swirl paint.

This important Mason pintail is featured front and center, alongside Mackey’s famous wood duck and long-tail, on page five of Colio’s American Decoys. The carving retains the Mackey ink stamp on the underside. Excellent original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: William J. Mackey Jr. Collection Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection LITERATURE: 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 20, exact decoy illustrated.

Quintina Colio, American Decoys, Ephrata, PA, 1972, p. 5, exact decoy illustrated.

$6,000 - $9,000

Page from a Mason Decoy Factory catalog.

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THE MACKEY MASON PINTAIL

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MASON DECOY FACTORY 1896-1924 | DETROIT, MI

2 Mackey “Double-Blue” Teal Pair Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924) Detroit, MI, c. 1905 12 1/2 in. long

An early premier-grade blue-winged teal pair with snakey head form. The drake flashes the desirable “double blues” paint pattern. Discussing this drake, the Bourne Sessions V & VI catalog reads: “....an outstanding example with all the quality of a Premier decoy.” The hen has an “FCB” rig stamp on the bottom. The underside of each is marked with the Mackey ink stamp. In original paint with even gunning wear, traces of touch-up to each bill, and minimal fill to three shot scars on hen.

LITERATURE: 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 24, exact hen 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, 1974, Session V & VI, lot 23, exact drake illustrated.

Henry A. Fleckenstein, Jr., American Factory Decoys, Exton, PA, 1981, p. 102, exact pair illustrated.

PROVENANCE: William J. Mackey Jr. Collection Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection

$8,000 - $10,000

Page from a Mason Decoy Factory catalog.

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MACKEY “DOUBLE-BLUE” TEAL PAIR

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ELISHA BURR

1839-1909 | HINGHAM, MA

3 The Mackey Burr Running Black-Bellied Plover Elisha Burr (1839-1909) Hingham, MA, c. 1880 11 3/4 in. long

Elisha Burr was a master of capturing the postures of live birds and many of his works were carved in animated poses with complex wing and tail treatments. This dynamic example also showcases the artist’s lively brush strokes, creating a decoy alive with movement.

This vivacious carving has glass eyes set under crisp brows.

The plump body is finished with the maker’s best split-wing, detailed primary, and drop-tail carving. The underside of the bird’s left flank is crisply stamped with the white Mackey Collection stamp. Both Mackey and Colio chose to feature this pinnacle work in their respective books. Outstanding original paint with light gunning wear.

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PROVENANCE: William J. Mackey Jr. Collection

Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection

LITERATURE: 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 481, exact decoy illustrated.

William J. Mackey Jr., American Bird Decoys, New York, NY, 1965, p.

88, pl. 69, exact decoy illustrated.

Quintina Colio, American Decoys, Ephrata, PA, 1972, p. 72, exact decoy illustrated (in reverse).

Jackson Parker, “Going, Going, Gone!” North American Decoys Magazine, Spring 1974, p. 33 (center of right column), exact decoy illustrated.

$8,000 - $12,000

THE MACKEY BURR RUNNING BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER

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GEORGE H. BOYD 1873-1941 | SEABROOK, NH

4 Black-Bellied Plover in Spring Plumage George H. Boyd (1873-1941) Seabrook, NH, c. 1910 11 in. long

An exemplary Boyd plover showing the cobbler’s best spring plumage with tight feathering from head to tail. Excellent original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: John Hillman Collection

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

LITERATURE: Jim Cullen, Finely Carved and Nicely Painted: The Life, Art and Decoys of George H. Boyd, Seabrook, NH, 1873-1941, Rye, NH, 2009, p. 22, closely related decoy illustrated.

$3,000 - $5,000

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OBEDIAH VERITY

1813-1901 | SEAFORD, LONG ISLAND, NY

5 Exceedingly Rare Feeding Robin Snipe Obediah Verity (1813-1901) Seaford, Long Island, NY, c. 1880 10 1/4 in. long

A shorebird with one of the world’s longest migrations, the robin snipe, or red knot as it is commonly known, has long been sought after by decoy collectors. Decoy historian Henry Fleckenstein states “...few robin snipe or knot decoys that were made by Verity have been collected.” Fellow author Jeff Waingrow, discussing Long Island shorebird decoys, states, “Much of the local production was of yellowlegs and plover, though sanderlings, curlews, terns, knots, and turnstones are all known. Most were carved in a conventional pose, so those few yellowlegs and plover in feeding postures are sought with special avidity...” He continues, “Almost any shorebird from the area is highly collectible, for as most advanced collectors will agree there was a consistently high standard set in that small town that knows no equal in the entire world of decoys.” The Verity name is literally synonymous with the sporting mecca of Seaford having at one time been called Verity Town. The virtual absence of a feeding robin snipe among the known plover and yellowlegs feeders found in ​publications has been the subject of notable attention. One celebrated comparable can be found in the pages of William J. Mackey and Quintina Colio’s books.

Aside from rarity, the form of this red knot places it among Verity’s finest patterns. The elegant clean design displays a deep feeding pose that perfectly captures the probing nature of the species. Verity aficionados will recognize that the Verity wing carving is worthy of special attention. The carver’s raised wing treatment is broadly known to have an S-curve at the front of the wing and a sharp V-form at the wing-tip resolution.

The Mackey-McCleery Feeding Black-Bellied Plover.

This inspired example flips these elements with a sharp V-cut in the front and perfectly executed arcs at the wing tips.

Like carving masters A. Elmer Crowell and Fred Nichols of Massachusetts, this Long Island maker appears to be executing astute adjustments for the special deep feeding posture. The placement of the sharp V-incision on the side of the bird serves as a perfect contrast to the round and sweeping lines that otherwise dominate the pattern.

This rare, and perhaps unique, example is among the finest decoys to survive the intense hunting conditions of the famous sporting destination. The surface is finished with the artist’s tight stippled paint and a light scattering of shot, a signature of the area. This Seaford jewel is among the finest red knot decoys from any region. Original paint with even gunning wear, some gunning touch-up to feathering and breast, replaced bill.

PROVENANCE: Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection, acquired at William

Doyle Galleries, November 1981

LITERATURE: Robert Shaw, Bird Decoys of North America, New York, NY, 2010, p. 180, related examples illustrated including upright robin snipe and feeding plover.

Jeff Waingrow, American Wildfowl Decoys, New York, NY, 1989, p.

42, feeding yellowlegs illustrated.

Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., Shore Bird Decoys, Exton, PA, 1980, p. 25, upright knot illustrated.

William J. Mackey Jr., American Bird Decoys, New York, NY, 1965, p.

102, Mackey feeding knot illustrated.

Quintina Colio, American Decoys, Ephrata, PA, 1972, p. 73, Mackey feeding knot illustrated.

$30,000 - $50,000

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OBEDIAH VERITY

1813-1901 | SEAFORD, LONG ISLAND, NY

6 Running Peep

Obediah Verity (1813-1901) Seaford, Long Island, NY, c. 1880 7 3/4 in. long

A full-bodied little decoy with classic S-curve wings and V-cut wing tips. The bird is painted with tight stippling from tip to tail. Excellent original paint with minimal gunning wear and some touch-up to left side of neck.

PROVENANCE: Frank Surace Collection Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection, acquired from the above, 1976 LITERATURE: William J. Mackey Jr., American Bird Decoys, New York, NY, 1965, p. 102, pl. 85, related example illustrated.

Russell A. Fink, Catalog of American Bird Decoys, Lorton, VA, 1976, lot 196 (bird on left), exact decoy illustrated.

$7,000 - $10,000

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7 Tucked-Head Black-Bellied Plover Pair Long Island, NY, c. 1880 9 3/4 in. long

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A plump pair of tucked-head black-bellied plover. One displays the Mackey Collection stamp on the underside. This bird was chosen for Colio’s 1972 book. Years later, Dr. Muller was able to hunt down a rigmate and reunite them as a distinctive pair.

Original paint with even gunning wear.

LITERATURE: 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, 1974, Sessions VII & VIII, lot 540, rigmate illustrated, lot 413, exact stamped decoy illustrated.

Quintina Colio, American Decoys, Ephrata, PA, 1972, p. 60, exact stamped decoy illustrated.

PROVENANCE: William J. Mackey Jr. Collection, Mackey-stamped bird only Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection, Mackey-stamped bird acquired from the sale of the above, 1974 Unstamped bird acquired from Collectable Old Decoys

$4,500 - $6,500

(bird on right)

MACKEY VERITY OVERSIZED RUNNING PLOVER

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8 Mackey Verity Oversized Running Plover Seaford, Long Island, NY, c. 1910 12 3/4 in. long

A grand Verity family black-bellied plover in a forwardreaching pose. Verity plover, even the rare runners such as this one, regularly measure between 9 and 11 inches; this oversized example boasts a full body spanning 12 3/4 inches.

PROVENANCE: William J. Mackey Jr. Collection Ray Egan Collection Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection, acquired from the above, c. 1974

$3,000 - $5,000

The underside is marked with the Mackey Collection ink stamp. Excellent original paint with minimal gunning wear.

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NATHAN ROWLEY HORNER 1882-1942 | RED CREEK, NJ

9 Townsend Rig Canada Goose

Nathan Rowley Horner (1882-1942) West Creek, NJ, c. 1920 24 in. long

An exceptional Canada goose decoy with schooner-like construction by one of New Jersey’s finest makers. Horner captured the essence of a swimming goose, leaving only that which he felt was necessary to create an impression of the real bird. Perhaps the most forward-reaching Horner Canada goose known, this elegant carving was meticulously hollowed to its feather-light state. The underside is marked with the coveted “ED TOWNSEND” stamp as part of this heralded Horner rig. The underside also bears the Philadelphia Wildfowl Exposition ink stamp. Excellent original paint with light gunning wear, a reset neck crack, and touch-up to a chip under bill tip.

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

Robert Shaw, Bird Decoys of North America, New York, NY, 2010, p.

187, related example illustrated.

James R. Doherty, Classic New Jersey Decoys, Louisville, KY, 2011, pp. 96-97, pl. 192, related examples illustrated.

Jeff Waingrow, American Wildfowl Decoys, New York, NY, 1985, p.

39, related example illustrated.

Robert Shaw, Call to the Sky: The Decoy Collection of James M. McCleery, M.D., Houston, TX, 1992, p. 60, related example illustrated.

EXHIBITED: Philadelphia, PA, Philadelphia Wildfowl Exposition, The

Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, 1979. $7,000 - $10,000

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TOWNSEND RIG CANADA GOOSE

“He was much less prolific than Shourds, but his duck, brant, and goose decoys are among the most refined made on the New Jersey shore, with spare, elegant lines and subtly blended paint.”

— Robert Shaw, Bird Decoys of North America

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“The first Cobb decoys to come to the attention of serious collectors caused some confusion, since all decoys have regional characteristics and the Cobb decoys showed a form of construction that was identified with New England makers. This problem quickly resolves itself when we recall that the Cobbs were Yankees in a new home and simply reverted to the style of decoys made in Massachusetts...Perhaps the Cobbs had previous skill in boatbuilding; at any rate, they were determined to produce the best decoys possible, and their work excellently served the needs of both the 19th-century hunter and the modern collector.”

— William J. Mackey Jr., American Bird Decoys

Nathan Cobb Sr. and his third wife, Nancy Richardson. This is the only known photograph of Nathan Sr. The shotgun is a double barrel eight gauge with rabbit ears.

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“Each of his decoys had an individual character and pose, which resulted in their having a most realistic appearance when they were assembled as a rig before the gunner’s blind. This is especially true when a study is made of the Cobbs’ Canada Geese and Brant.”

— William J. Mackey Jr., American Bird Decoys

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THE MACKEY COBB FEEDING BRANT

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NATHAN F. COBB JR. 1825-1905 | COBB ISLAND, VA

10 The Mackey Cobb Feeding Brant

Nathan F. Cobb Jr. (1825-1905) Cobb Island, VA, c. 1880 21 in. long

This lot and the following lot, the Cobb feeding curlew, are among the very few true Nathan Cobb Jr. feeding decoys of any species to have surfaced. The ever-creative Nathan Cobb Jr. made most of his carvings in straight, swimming, hissing, and reaching poses. Among his songless flock, the arched neck of this design, which simulates a brant feeding on eel grass, is virtually unknown.

The Cobb family possessed a special relationship with the Atlantic brant. This unique connection can be seen through multiple perspectives, including the writings of 19th-century hunters, their observations of Nathan Cobb Sr., and today through our reactions to the carvings as collectors. A sporting account from 1908 singles out the “king of salt-water birds, the brant” among the legendary resort’s many attractions. This is understandable in the context of the era, in addition to being an exciting sporting quarry, the brant’s eel grass diet made them decent table fare. More telling still is Nathan Cobb Sr. who maintained a free-ranging flock of brant which were a local attraction and even used as collateral for hotel construction loans. The Cobbs’ saturated exposure to the live bird draws an obvious parallel to A. Elmer Crowell who leveraged his game-keeping abilities to carve wooden creations of the fowl he knew so intimately.

The remaining painted sculptures are representative of the close connection Nathan had to this species which served as his muse. His “root-heads,” by nature of their very construction, are each unique. Though he carved dozens of the species, there are several gunning blocks that shine above the rest, among them: The Mackey-Figge-Jones swimmer (which holds the distinction as the top-selling brant decoy of all-time), The Cobb Family brant (which set the world record for a brant at auction in 2004), The Mackey-Griffith-Kirson hisser, The Bull swimmer, and this Mackey-Muller feeder. Beyond the waters of the Old Dominion, they rest alongside the most desirable decoys by any maker. These birds demonstrate, through their artistry and their prices realized, that brant were and continue to be the family’s most celebrated export.

One of the few comparables is pictured on the cover of the 1983 Richard A. Bourne auction catalog that featured the Roy

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and Lula Bull Decoy Collection. The Bulls, two of the South’s earliest collectors, amassed over 1,700 decoys over the course of their lifetimes. Seizing upon their head start in the 1950s and their Eastern Shore of Virginia location, they acquired numerous masterworks, including the two iconic Ira Hudson (1873-1949) hooded merganser pairs. The Bulls’ Cobb brant was the lone decoy selected to grace the cover of the Richard A. Bourne auction catalog. Legendary Southern decoy collector and specialist William H. Purnell, who wrote the tribute to the Bulls in the front of the catalog, lauded, “To me, it is the finest decoy in America today, bar none. Brave words--but let the decoy speak for itself.”

In addition to demonstrating all of the bold features that define the best of the Cobb style, the Mackey-Muller brant reveals subtle nuances as well; the body possesses bold shoulder carving, an arching neck, and diamond-cut raised wing tips.

The hand-hollowed bird features an inletted root-head, well-defined full cheek carving, and inset German glass eyes within deep eye grooves.

Revealing impeccable provenance, the bird was used in the gunning rig of Nathan Jr.’s son, Elkanah. The underside is cleanly branded “E. B. COBB,” as are a number of Nathan’s finest brant. The underside also bears the ink stamp of William J. Mackey Jr. In the first session of the Mackey sales, Ray Egan acquired this decoy, subsequently selling it to Dr. Muller, whose stamp has now joined Mackey’s. A small oval tag with a museum code references the 1994 landmark Ward Museum exhibition Classic Hunting Decoys & Sporting Art. Curator Sam Dyke selected this decoy for what he called “the finest special exhibit” the museum ever presented. This decoy can be seen front and center on the first page of the exhibition catalog.

The refined and unique feeding form, exceptional paint surface, sporting history, and all-star provenance of this MackeyMuller standout place it not only among the finest brant by any maker, but in the ranks of the greatest 19th-century American vernacular sculpture. Exceptional and dry original paint with even gunning wear, some paint loss to original age line along left side, chipping to back of neck seam, head is slightly loose.

THE MACKEY COBB FEEDING BRANT

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PROVENANCE: Elkanah B. Cobb Rig William J. Mackey Jr. Collection Ray Egan Collection, acquired 1973 Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection, acquired from the above, 1978 LITERATURE: Dr. S. Lloyd Newberry, Wings of Wonder: The Remarkable Story of the Cobb Family and the Priceless Decoys They Created on Their Island Paradise, Columbia, SC, 2020, front dust-jacket cover, related rootheads illustrated and p. 232, 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 206, exact decoy illustrated.

Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., Southern Decoys of Virginia and The Carolinas, Exton, PA, 1983, pl. II, p. 33, 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, front cover and p. 8, exact decoy illustrated.

Richard A. Bourne, Inc., The Roy Bull Decoy Collection, Hyannis, MA, March 1983, front cover, introduction, and lot 75, related example illustrated.

Alexander Hunter, The Huntsman in the South, Vol. 1, Virginia and North Carolina, New York, NY, 1908, p. 145, Cobb’s brant flock discussed.

Sam Dyke, et al., Classic Hunting Decoys & Sporting Art, Salisbury, MD, 1994, p. 1, exact decoy illustrated.

Loy S. Harrell Jr., Decoys: North America’s One Hundred Greatest, Iola, WI, 2000, p. 59, related example illustrated.

Joe Engers, ed., “Museum News: Mackey Decoy on Exhibit at Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art,” Decoy Magazine, July/August 1994, front cover and pp. 40-41, exhibition coverage.

EXHIBITED: Salisbury, Maryland, Classic Hunting Decoys & Sporting

Art, Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, September 1994–January 1995. $100,000 - $150,000

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“Cobb’s Island was a favorite rendezvous for the American Yacht squadron, and in the summer all sorts of craft filled with pleasure-seekers would anchor off the place, and there would be feast, fun and frolic.”

— Alexander Hunter, 1908

President Ford steps briskly along the flight deck of the aircraft carrier Forrestal, the host ship for Operation Sail. With Ford are Adm. Thomas Moorer and William Middendorf, Navy Secretary, July 4, 1976. Photo by Dan Farrell, New York Daily News Archive via Getty Images.

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THE MACKEY-MIDDENDORF FEEDING CURLEW

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“Every Nathan Cobb decoy had its own natural pose. Even his Hudsonian Curlews seemed to run, feed, and walk.”

— William J. Mackey Jr., discussing a rigmate in American Bird Decoys

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NATHAN F. COBB JR. 1825-1905 | COBB ISLAND, VA

11 The Cobb Feeding Curlew Nathan F. Cobb Jr. (1825-1905) Cobb Island, VA, c. 1880 12 1/2 in. long

Nathan Cobb Sr. sailed his family south from Cape Cod to the Eastern Shore of Virginia where they settled around 1837. The family brought with them Massachusetts decoy concepts, including German bead-glass eyes and the refined split-tail carving style adopted by Lothrop Holmes, A. Elmer Crowell, and Joseph Lincoln. Over time, the Cobbs evolved this style into one of their own with robust elements and their signature ridged backs.

A well-balanced decoy, this curlew exhibits pleasing proportions with a gracefully rounded head, thin neck, full cheeks, and a plump body that resolves with a precise Cobb Island tail cut. This confident carving, featuring the Cobb’s signature “V” feathering, represents the pinnacle of the Southern standard. The underside is marked with Nathan Jr.’s deeply incised “N” with serifs.

This decoy can be traced back to the collection of the Honorable J. William Middendorf II, who obtained it privately from William J. Mackey Jr. along with an eponymous “dust-jacket” plover, among other important works. Middendorf, a celebrated early decoy collector, served as the 62nd United States Secretary of the Navy.

This stunning curlew, with its original paint, crisp clean lines, and original bill, hits the highest level of craftsmanship seen in the decoys that survived the remote island’s storm-wrecked history. Cobb curlews in any pose are highly sought after, and the running models have been among the most coveted

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decoys of all time. Indeed, three times they have posted auction results over $200,000, more showings than any other maker’s curlew. The rarity of this animated decoy can not be overstated; according to Southern decoy specialist William H. Purnell Jr., it is the only known Cobb curlew in a true feeding posture. Moreover, it is one of the only known feeding curlew decoys by any maker. Excellent original paint with even gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Nathan Cobb Jr. Rig William J. Mackey Jr. Collection Honorable J. William Middendorf II Collection Ray Egan Collection Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection LITERATURE: Dr. S. Lloyd Newberry, Wings of Wonder: The Remark-

able Story of the Cobb Family and the Priceless Decoys They Created on Their Island Paradise, Columbia, SC, 2020, p. 248, 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, p. 8, exact decoy illustrated.

William J. Mackey Jr., American Bird Decoys, New York, NY, 1965, color pl. VII, rigmate with plover bill 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 57, related example with plover bill illustrated.

Robert Shaw, Bird Decoys of North America, New York, NY, 2010, p.

214, McCleery Cobb curlew illustrated.

North American Decoys: Wildfowl Carvers and Collectors News, Spring 1976, p. 22, exact decoy illustrated. $80,000 - $120,000

THE COBB FEEDING CURLEW

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“When the tide ebbs and these flats are left dry the oystermen land and simply gather them up in baskets, and they say the supply is inexhaustible. It is on these places also that the curlew, willet and snipe are shot, and often these flats are literally alive with them…”

—”Cobb’s Island in Summer,” Forest and Stream Magazine, 1876

Shorebird hunting from a beach blind, Northhampton County, Virginia, c. 1900

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ALBERT COBB

1836-1890 | COBB ISLAND, VA

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12 Running Curlew

Albert Cobb (1836-1890) Cobb Island, VA, c. 1880 15 1/2 in. long

A deep-bodied example of this rare decoy species. The classic Cobb Island tail cut continues up through the wings and culminates in an S-curve, a flourish seldom seen on Virginia decoys. The reaching head features incised eyes, full cheeks, and deep eye grooves. The underside is marked with an incised “A” for the rig of Albert Cobb. Shorebirds from the rig of Albert, along with his brother Nathan Jr., are considered the best from the island. Related examples can be found on both the front and back dust-jacket covers of Fleckenstein’s Shore Bird Decoys book. Original paint with even gunning wear, replaced bill.

PROVENANCE: Albert Cobb Rig Ray Egan Collection Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection, acquired from the above, 1974

LITERATURE: Dr. S. Lloyd Newberry, Wings of Wonder: The Remarkable Story of the Cobb Family and the Priceless Decoys They Created on Their Island Paradise, Columbia, SC, 2020, p. 260, exact decoy illustrated.

Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., Southern Decoys of Virginia and The Carolinas, Exton, PA, 1983, p. 209, pl. 444, rigmate robin snipe illustrated.

Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., Shore Bird Decoys, Exton, PA, 1980, color pl. VII, rigmate robin snipe illustrated, front and back dust-jacket covers and color pl. LXVI, related curlew illustrated.

Adele Earnest, Folk Art in America, Exton, PA, 1984, p. 171, related robin snipe illustrated.

William J. Mackey Jr., American Bird Decoys, New York, NY, 1965, p.

155, pl. 128, related example illustrated.

$6,000 - $9,000

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THE WARD BROTHERS

1896-1984 AND 1895-1976 | CRISFIELD, MD

“Stephen W. Ward (1895-1976) and his brother Lemuel Travis Ward (1896-1984) of Crisfield, Maryland, were by far the most prominent Chesapeake Bay carvers of the 20th-century and among the greatest and most influential bird carvers of all time. The brothers worked closely together throughout their lives, combining the complementary talents of Steve’s hand carving and Lem’s brushwork to create works of extraordinary grace and realism.”

— Robert Shaw, Bird Decoys of North America

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THE PURNELL-MULLER WARD CANVASBACK PAIR

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THE WARD BROTHERS

1896-1984 AND 1895-1976 | CRISFIELD, MD

13 The Purnell-Muller Ward Canvasback Pair The Ward Brothers Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976) Crisfield, MD, c. 1932 16 1/2 in. long, 7 3/4 in. tall

The Ward Brothers captured the likeness of species in their carvings as well as any maker before or after their remarkable careers. This 1932 duo, along with the McCleery-O’Brien pair, are often grouped with the 1936 models, and understandably so. However, a closer look at these elite forerunners shows slightly higher backs, slightly thinner necks with higher heads, and the makers’ very best paint, features rarely seen in later models. Like the best of the 30s canvasbacks, they also have turned heads, broad flared bills, and thin paddle tails. It is rare to find survivors with original bills and tails intact as these features were prone to breakage.

Each bird is signed and dated by the brothers in ink on the underside. They also bear the “P” brand for the collection of the Wards’ friend and legendary Southern collector Bill Purnell.

Of his rigmates obtained from the McCleery collection, Donal C. O’Brien Jr. writes, “If I were to pick a pair of decoys to illustrate the art of decoy making, I would pick the Ward Brothers 1936 canvasbacks. I have searched high and low for these and have had six different pairs. They have the widest,

most flaring bills of any I have seen...and are the best I have come across...” Indeed, the McCleery-O’Brien and PurnellMuller pairs are unsurpassed. The full bodies, refined head carving, exceptional paint, original condition, and provenance of this pair place them among the finest Wards known.

Outstanding original paint with even gunning wear.

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

Robert Shaw, Call to the Sky: The Decoy Collection of James M. McCleery, M.D., Houston, TX, 1992, pp. 76-77, McCleery-O’Brien pair illustrated.

Robert Shaw, Bird Decoys of North America, New York, NY, 2010, p.

205, Gard pair illustrated.

Ronald J. Gard and Brian J. McGrath, Ward Brothers’ Decoys: A Collector’s Guide, Wolf City, TX, 1989.

Copley Fine Art Auctions, The Donal C O’Brien Jr. Collection of Important American Sporting Art and Decoys, Session I-II, Hingham, MA, July 27, 2017, lots 41-42, McCleery-O’Brien pair illustrated.

$50,000 - $80,000

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THE PURNELL-MULLER WARD CANVASBACK PAIR

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“It was probably the greatest single find of its kind in New Jersey decoy history. The Dan Leeds birds have a stylized exaggeration that has an artistic appeal...[He] lavished great care on his decoys during their years of service. They stand on their own unique merit and have little in common with their New Jersey contemporaries.”

— William J. Mackey Jr. comments on the discovery of a Leeds shorebird gunning rig in Classic Shorebird Decoys, 1971

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LEEDS SWIMMING MERGANSER PAIR

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DANIEL LAKE LEEDS 1852-1922 | PLEASANTVILLE, NJ

14 Swimming Red-Breasted Merganser Pair Daniel Lake Leeds (1852-1922) Pleasantville, NJ, c. 1890 19 1/4 in. long

This iconic pair of hollow swimming mergansers features a drake with a horsehair crest. Birds from this rig have been collected by Bud Ward, Jim Cook, and Dr. Muller. Made by Garden State master Daniel Lake Leeds, these birds rank in quality with Harry V. Shourds (1861-1920) and Nathan R. Horner (1882-1942). Jim Doherty selected only carvings by these three makers for his front dust-jacket cover of Classic New Jersey Decoys. Of this carving triumvirate, the senior member’s decoys are by far the most rare. This animated pair was carved in a swimming position with sleek hollow bodies.

Each was finished with Leeds’ signature richly-blended paint patterns.

Dr. Muller acquired the drake privately in 1976. Fifteen years later, he seized the opportunity to acquire the hen and reunite the pair. This offering represents a rare opportunity to obtain two New Jersey masterworks that rank among the finest of the species from any region. Original paint with minimal gunning wear.

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PROVENANCE: Fred Ellenberg Collection Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection, drake acquired from Ray Egan, 1976 Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection, hen acquired from Collectable Old Decoys, 1991 LITERATURE: Joe Engers, “Dr. Peter J. Muller: Bringing a good eye and an artistic approach to decoy collecting,” Decoy Magazine, January/ February 2008, p. 12, exact decoy illustrated.

James R. Doherty, Classic New Jersey Decoys, Louisville, KY, 2011, pp. 44-48, Shourds mergansers illustrated, pp. 102-103, Horner mergansers illustrated, front dust-jacket cover, Leeds, Horner, and Shourds decoys illustrated.

Milton C. Weiler and William J. Mackey Jr., Classic Shorebird Decoys: A Portfolio of Paintings, New York, NY, 1971, pl. 11, Mackey quote.

$30,000 - $50,000

LEEDS SWIMMING MERGANSER PAIR

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LEVI RHODES TRUEX 1860-1934 | ATLANTIC CITY, NJ

15 The Mackey-Truex Merganser Pair

Levi Rhodes Truex (1860-1934) Atlantic City, NJ, c. 1900 18 in. long

An early pair of hollow mergansers originally collected by famed decoy historian and collector William J. Mackey Jr. The form, paint, condition, and provenance of this pair place them among the maker’s finest works. The underside of each is marked with the Mackey collection ink stamp. Original paint with minor gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: William J. Mackey Jr. Collection

Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection

LITERATURE: 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 IV, lot 82, exact drake 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 III, lot 165, exact hen listed.

Jack W. Conover III, “Levi Rhodes Truex, the ‘Yogagger Decoy Maker,’” Decoy Collector’s Guide, 1977, p. 80, closely related pair illustrated in color.

Copley Fine Art Auctions, The Sporting Sale 2011, Plymouth, MA, lot 275, related drake illustrated.

$10,000 - $15,000

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15

THE MACKEY-TRUEX MERGANSER PAIR

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CHARLES SUMNER BUNN OR WILLIAM “BILL” BOWMAN 1865-1952 AND 1824-1906 | SHINNECOCK, NY, BANGOR, ME, AND LAWRENCE, NY

16 The Kinnaman Running Turnstone Charles Sumner Bunn (1865-1952) Shinnecock, NY or William “Bill” Bowman (1824-1906) Bangor, ME, and Lawrence, NY, c. 1900 9 in. long

An exceedingly rare species carved in an animated pose. This alert shorebird decoy exhibits pronounced shoulder, cheek, and raised-wing carving. The reaching head has recessed, German bead-glass eyes. The underside is marked with Robert Lawrence’s “R.L.” brand by the slightly dropped-thigh and two stick holes.

This small decoy reveals the same dropped-thigh form as the famous Nina-Fletcher-Little-O’Brien curlew pair. Only one related running turnstone is known, also from the Lawrence rig, and these Long Island gems rank among the finest of the species by any maker. Original paint with even gunning wear, including minor chipping and rubs to wing and tail tips.

In 1971 pioneer decoy collector William Mackey wrote the text for Weiler’s Classic Shorebird Decoys portfolio. Mackey writes that the maker’s “...decoys have the feel of real birds. His knowledge and study of the live bird and his skill with a knife transferred the feel of the wishbone, the unfolded wings and the modeling of the bone structure to blocks of wood. His was a unique talent not given to any other decoy maker.” Mackey also states, “Nothing finer has been found ever since.”

PROVENANCE: Robert Lawrence Rig

Robert Kinnaman Collection Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection

LITERATURE: Joe Engers, “Dr. Peter J. Muller: Bringing a good eye and an artistic approach to decoy collecting,” Decoy Magazine, January/ February 2008, p. 12, exact decoy illustrated.

Sotheby’s, Sale Catalog New York, NY, October 1997, lot 179, rigmate illustrated.

Timothy Sieger, The Decoys of Long Island, Water Mills, NY, 2010, p.

40, similar example illustrated.

William J. Mackey Jr., American Bird Decoys, New York, NY, 1965, color pl. II, related turnstone with Crowell attribution.

Milton C. Weiler and William J. Mackey Jr., Classic Shorebird Decoys: A Portfolio of Paintings, New York, NY, 1971, pl. 3, Mackey quote, and related examples illustrated.

$20,000 - $30,000

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THE KINNAMAN RUNNING TURNSTONE

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THE STARR-MCCLEERY TURNSTONE

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17 The Starr-McCleery Turnstone New Jersey, c. 1880 8 in. long

This turnstone hailing from the Starr and McCleery collections has an important rigmate in the American Folk Art Museum.

The broad body has a very stylized paint pattern and, true to the species, the bill has a slight upward curve for “turning stones.” The underside is marked with Starr’s wood duck ink

stamp and his “RT-6” code as well as the McCleery ink stamp.

Original paint with even wear, minor flaking, with minimal touch-up to flake on right shoulder.

PROVENANCE: George Ross Starr Jr. Collection Dr. James M. McCleery Collection Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection LITERATURE: Dr. George Ross Starr, Decoys of the Atlantic Flyway, Tulsa, OK, 1974, p. 91, exact decoy illustrated.

Richard A. Bourne Co. Inc., The Rare Decoy Collection of George Ross Starr Jr., M.D., Hyannis, MA, 1986, lot 300, exact decoy illustrated.

Sotheby’s and Guyette and Schmidt, American Waterfowl Decoys: The Distinguished Collection of Dr. James M. McCleery, New York, NY, January 22–23, 2000, lot 370, 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, p. 13, exact decoy illustrated.

Jeff Waingrow, American Wildfowl Decoys, New York, NY, 1985, p.

35, rigmate illustrated.

$5,000 - $7,000

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HILLMAN-MCCLEERY RUDDY TURNSTONE

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18 Hillman-McCleery Ruddy Turnstone John Horn Oceanville, NJ, c. 1890 9 1/2 in. long

One of approximately seven Horn turnstones in original paint, this is among the finest examples known. While few exist, Horn’s decoys have not escaped the purview of the world’s top shorebird collectors, having resided on the shelves of the Noyes, O’Brien, McCleery, Giberson, Headley, Hillman, and Doherty collections.

The underside retains the Hillman and McCleery collection ink stamps. Original paint with even gunning wear, one-inch bill replacement.

A letter from Somers Headley, who as a child knew Horn, adds some real color to this rig. Headley relays that Horn “robbed picket fences for carving wood, he was shot at tearing apart the fences...After the cedar weathered and cured a couple of years the wood was seasoned and easily carved.”

LITERATURE: Sotheby’s and Guyette and Schmidt, American Water-

The Hillman-McCleery-Muller example displays pronounced cheek carving, a beautifully contoured body, and a delicate thin tail. This is not only one of the finest Horn shorebirds to come on the market, but one of the finer New Jersey ruddy turnstones.

PROVENANCE: John Hillman Collection Dr. James M. McCleery Collection Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection

fowl Decoys: The Distinguished Collection of Dr. James M. McCleery, New York, NY, January 22–23, 2000, p. 220, lot 606, exact decoy illustrated.

Guyette and Schmidt, Important Auction of Rare Waterfowl Decoys from the Collection of John Hillman, April 25 & 26, 1996, St. Charles, IL, 1996, p. 156, lot 654, exact decoy illustrated. $7,000 - $10,000

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5

21 83

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CHARLES SUMNER BUNN OR WILLIAM “BILL” BOWMAN 1865-1952 AND 1824-1906 | SHINNECOCK, NY, BANGOR, ME, AND LAWRENCE, NY

19 The Kinnaman Willet

Charles Sumner Bunn (1865-1952) Shinnecock, NY or William “Bill” Bowman (1824-1906) Bangor, ME, and Lawrence, NY, c. 1900 11 3/4 in. long

In 1971 Milton Weiler’s Classic Shorebird Decoys portfolio was published with text by William J. Mackey Jr. Across from Weiler’s Plate No. 3, illustrating related shorebirds, Mackey writes, “In hand [the maker’s] decoys have the feel of real birds. His knowledge and study of the live bird and his skill with a knife transferred the feel of the wishbone, the unfolded wings and the modeling of the bone structure to blocks of wood.

His was a unique talent not given to any other decoy maker.”

Mackey also states, “Nothing finer has been found ever since.”

This is the finest example of this willet model to have surfaced by the maker. Better than any of the other known examples, it has retained its lively plumage which is represented with unsurpassed effect and efficiency. The form is one of the maker’s most elaborate, with its bold body and exceptionally refined wing carving. This form relates closely to the Bunn plover, which once set the world record for any decoy at auction, and the McCleery curlew, which holds the record for the maker at auction. At over eleven inches, the diameter of the body nearly reaches the grand form’s length.

“The shorebirds are ‘sui generis,’” writes historian and curator Bob Shaw, “carved to suggest nuances of body forms and underlying bone and muscle that no other carver even attempted.” Regarding his best works, Shaw states, “[They] transcend the decoy genre to rank among the finest bird portraits created by an American artist.” Excellent original paint with even gunning wear, one wing tip is reset and both have some chipping at the tips, some typical paint flaking to bill.

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PROVENANCE: Robert Kinnaman Collection Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection LITERATURE: Robert Shaw, Bird Decoys of North America, New York, NY, 2010, pp. 180-181, related examples illustrated.

Robert Shaw, Call to the Sky: The Decoy Collection of James M. McCleery, M.D., Houston, TX, 1992, back cover and pp. 36-37, related examples illustrated.

The Decoy Hunter, Clinton, IA, March-April 1982, front cover, related example illustrated.

Milton C. Weiler and William J. Mackey, Jr., Classic Shorebird Decoys: A Portfolio of Paintings, New York, NY, 1971, pl. 3, quote.

Timothy Sieger, The Decoys of Long Island, Water Mills, NY, 2010, front dust-jacket cover, frontispiece, and pp. 38-39, related curlew and willet illustrated.

$40,000 - $60,000

THE KINNAMAN WILLET

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CHARLES SUMNER BUNN OR WILLIAM “BILL” BOWMAN 1865-1952 AND 1824-1906 | SHINNECOCK, NY, BANGOR, ME, AND LAWRENCE, NY

20 The Ward Reaching Greater Yellowlegs

Charles Sumner Bunn (1865-1952) Shinnecock, NY or William “Bill” Bowman (1824-1906) Bangor, ME, and Lawrence, NY, c. 1900 12 1/2 in. long

An exceptional reaching yellowlegs with bold wing carving, a dropped thigh, and an outstretched head. The form of this distinctive model most closely resembles the Nina-Fletcher -Little-O’Brien curlew pair, which includes a tucked-head decoy and a similar reaching model. This decoy was a prized possession of legendary Long Island dealer Bud Ward, who handled many of the best Verity and Bunn decoys over several decades. Original paint with even gunning wear, minor chips to wing tips with darkening to wood, 1 3/4 inch bill replacement.

PROVENANCE: Bud Ward Collection Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection, acquired from the above

LITERATURE: Joe Engers, “Dr. Peter J. Muller: Bringing a good eye and an artistic approach to decoy collecting,” Decoy Magazine, January/ February 2008, p. 12, exact decoy illustrated.

Adele Earnest, The Art of the Decoy: American Bird Carvings, New York, NY, 1965, p. 173, related reaching curlew illustrated.

James Julia and Gary Guyette, Inc., Important Waterfowl Decoys & Bird Carvings at Auction, September 20 & 21, 1986, Kittery, ME, lot 260, exact decoy illustrated.

The Decoy Hunter, Clinton, IA, July-Aug 1986, p. 12, exact decoy illustrated.

Robert Shaw, Call to the Sky: The Decoy Collection of James M. McCleery, M.D., Houston, TX, 1992, back cover and p. 37, related example illustrated.

Loy S. Harrell Jr., Decoys: North America’s One Hundred Greatest, Iola, WI, 2000, p. 78, related dropped-thigh, Nina-FletcherLittle-O’Brien curlew illustrated.

$20,000 - $30,000

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THE WARD REACHING GREATER YELLOWLEGS

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21 Rogers Rig Ruddy Turnstone

Jamaica Bay, Long Island, NY, c. 1870 10 in. long

A very strong example of a rare Rogers rig species. The head and neck have tight black feathering and the back is finished with a stippled ruddy coat.

Frank Surace, the owner of this decoy prior to Dr. Muller, was one of the founding members of the Long Island Decoy Collectors Association in 1971, along with Bud Ward, Malcolm Fleming, and Gil Herzey. Original paint with evening gunning wear, including a few paint flakes on the right side.

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PROVENANCE: Frank Surace Collection Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr., acquired from the above in 1976 LITERATURE: Russell A. Fink, Catalog of American Bird Decoys, Lorton, VA, 1976, lot 191, 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, front cover and p. 13, exact decoy illustrated.

$7,000 - $10,000

ROGERS RIG RUDDY TURNSTONE

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“...the overall importance of Carolina’s bays and sounds in the wildfowl picture almost demands that decoy collections contain some example of Carolina origin.”

— William J. Mackey Jr., American Bird Decoys

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THE O’BRIEN WRIGHT RUDDY DUCK

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ALVERY “ALVIRAH” WRIGHT 1872-1951 | DUCK, NC

22 The O’Brien Wright Ruddy Duck Alvery “Alvirah” Wright (1872-1951) Duck, NC, c. 1900 10 3/4 in. long

Captain Al, as Wright was known by his contemporaries, was a boatbuilder and tugboat captain. During North Carolina’s booming waterfowl days, he applied his skills to a limited number of decoys. Past Shelburne Museum curator Robert Shaw observes, “His ruddy ducks, redheads, and canvasbacks can be described only as mighty; even the tiny ruddies have a visceral, almost monumental physical presence achieved by few other carvers, with deep, solid, boat-shaped bodies, sharply sloping lower sides, and powerfully angular heads.” As Shaw suggests, North Carolina collector and author Kroghie Andresen states directly, “The Wright ruddy ducks have the best form of all the species that he carved.”

Since Joel Barber’s historic collecting trip to Knotts Island approximately a century ago, the rare ruddy duck decoys have been a prized export, and Wright is among the species’ best representatives. These high heads were often broken and

lost, making this decoy that kept its original head all the more impressive. This grand humpbacked decoy from the O’Brien Collection was chosen for Fleckenstein’s Southern Decoys book and is among the finest intact Wrights to have survived. Old gunning paint with wear, including small chips on top left side of head and an old stabilizing nail remaining in chips along top of tail.

PROVENANCE: Donal C. O’Brien Jr. Collection Ronald Swanson Collection Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection LITERATURE: Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., Southern Decoys of Virginia and The Carolinas, Exton, PA, 1983, pl. XLV, p. 48, exact decoy illustrated.

Kroghie Andresen, Gunnin’ Birds, Charlotte, NC, 2008, pp. 275276, related examples illustrated.

Robert Shaw, Bird Decoys of North America, New York, NY, 2010, p.

218, Wright ruddy ducks discussed.

Robert Shaw, Call to the Sky: The Decoy Collection of James M. McCleery, M.D., Houston, TX, 1992, p. 87, closely related example illustrated.

$14,000 - $18,000

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THE O’BRIEN WRIGHT RUDDY DUCK

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23 The Mackey Ruddy Duck Back Bay, NC, c. 1900 9 1/2 in. long

Discussing this exact decoy, collector and author William J. Mackey Jr. writes: “The smallest working duck decoy in my collection. In perfect original condition and fully documented.

Made by John Williams of Munden at the head of Currituck Sound. This unsung carver made primitive swan and Ruddy decoys that are classic American folk art. If I could only have one Ruddy this would be the one.”

Finding a decoy of this design with its original upswept bill is virtually impossible; this example features fat round cheeks and a slightly upswept tail. The underside bears the Mackey collection stamp. Original paint with some gunning touch-up and wear, cracks in neck.

PROVENANCE: William J. Mackey Jr. Collection

Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection

LITERATURE: 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, 1974, Session V, lot 198, exact decoy illustrated.

William J. Mackey Jr., “The Booby Trap...,” North American Decoys: Wildfowl Carvers and Collectors News, Spring 1970, p. 14, exact decoy illustrated and discussed.

Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., Southern Decoys of Virginia and The Carolinas, Exton, PA, 1983, pl. XLV, p. 48, exact decoy illustrated.

Kroghie Andresen, Gunnin’ Birds, Charlotte, NC, 2008, front cover and pp. 60-69, related examples illustrated.

William J. Mackey Jr., American Bird Decoys, New Edition, New York, NY, 1987, p. 168, pl. 139, related example illustrated.

$10,000 - $15,000

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THE MACKEY RUDDY DUCK

23

“If I could only have one Ruddy this would be the one.”

— William J. Mackey Jr., (discussing this exact decoy, lot 23), 1970

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“If I were asked to name the spot where the finest sport for wildfowl existed on the Atlantic coast, I would unhesitatingly say Cobbs Island, which attracted sportsmen from all over America, and had its glory during the seventies and eighties. But Cobbs Island is only a memory now. The waves have engulfed this sportsmen’s paradise, and where were hotel, village, church, and a population of six hundred souls, only the life-saving station and a few fishermen remain.

The story of the rise and fall of Cobbs is a romance.”

— Alexander Hunter, Harper’s Weekly, 1897

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THE SURACE COBB BLACK DUCK

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NATHAN F. COBB JR. 1825-1905 | COBB ISLAND, VA

24 The Surace Cobb Black Duck

Nathan F. Cobb Jr. (1825-1905) Cobb Island, VA, c. 1880 15 in. long

Frank Surace was one of the earliest decoy collectors from Long Island and one of the Long Island Decoy Collectors Association’s founding members in 1971. A review of Surace’s collection reveals that by no means did he limit himself to the region. Indeed, he, along with his friends William Mackey and Milt Weiler, traveled together with a briefcase full of cash on decoy-picking road trips. This black duck was very likely sourced from the same rig as the record-setting MackeyO’Brien black duck.

In American Bird Decoys, William J. Mackey, Jr. proclaims that “[the Cobbs] were determined to produce the best decoys possible, and their work excellently served the needs of both the nineteenth-century hunter and the modern collector.”

This hollow black duck with an inletted head is one of the finest Cobb ducks known to have survived the island’s stormwrecked history, along with the Mackey-O’Brien example. In addition to Cobb’s standard eye-groove carving and classic tail cut, this bold model features a well-proportioned and full body, and a pronounced breast that rises upward under the bill.

The underside bears Nathan’s incised and serifed “N” for his rig designation. It is rare that decoy carvers are noted for their signatures; however, in a passionate account of the Cobbs, Mackey writes that “the skill and artistry with which the initials are carved indicate the dedication and talent that Nathan Cobb lavished on his work.” Exceptional original paint with even gunning wear. Minor cracks to breast and back left flank.

PROVENANCE: Nathan Cobb Jr. Rig

Frank Surace Collection Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection, acquired from the above in 1976 LITERATURE: Dr. S. Lloyd Newberry, Wings of Wonder: The Remark-

able Story of the Cobb Family and the Priceless Decoys They Created on Their Island Paradise, Columbia, SC, 2020, p. 156, exact decoy illustrated.

Russell A. Fink, Catalog of American Bird Decoys, Lorton, VA, 1976, lot 118, exact decoy illustrated.

William J. Mackey Jr., American Bird Decoys, New York, NY, 1965, p.

152, Cobb discussed.

Copley Fine Art Auctions, The Donal C O’Brien Jr. Collection of Important American Sporting Art and Decoys, Session I-II, Hingham, MA, July 19, 2018, lot 38, Mackey-O’Brien rigmate illustrated. $30,000 - $50,000

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THE SURACE COBB BLACK DUCK

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AUGUSTUS “GUS” AARON WILSON 1864-1950 | SOUTH PORTLAND, ME

“Gus had a broadness of interest and artist’s eye that allowed him to come up with birds of such merit that they rivaled the best of the others...

Gus Wilson looked at waterfowl much the way the Ward brothers did.

There was a similarity in their ability to capture an unusual pose and to produce a decoy that continues to enthrall even the seasoned gunners who have spent their lives observing waterfowl.”

— Capt. John Dinan, The Great Book of Wildfowl Decoys

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26

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AUGUSTUS “GUS” AARON WILSON 1864-1950 | SOUTH PORTLAND, ME

25 Preening White-Winged Scoter

Augustus “Gus” Aaron Wilson (1864-1950) South Portland, ME, c. 1900 16 in. long

Exhibiting a wide body with clean lines, this Wilson sea duck showcases his preening archetype. The maker’s classic Monhegan Island model is regarded as one of Maine’s most important contributions to the art of decoy carving. The preening head is contained in a single piece of wood which is inletted into the body.

Closely related models have been prized by America’s top decoy and folk art collectors, including Thomas K. Figge, Donal C. O’Brien Jr., Jim Doherty, Russell Aitken, William J. Mackey Jr., Adele Earnest, and fashion moguls Jerry Lauren and Edwin Lewis, among others. In addition to the white-winged scoter pair seen on these pages, Dr. Muller was so enamored with the forms that he owned a related surf scoter pair which was sold in Session I of the Muller Collection in 2020. Original and working paint with even gunning wear, tight age line in tail, original wood knots along right flank.

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PROVENANCE: Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection, acquired in 1977 LITERATURE: Paul A. Johnsgard, The Bird Decoy: An American Art Form, Lincoln, NE, 1976, p. 75, fig. 73, Muller’s Wilson surf scoters illustrated.

Frank Maresca & Roger Ricco, American Vernacular, New York, NY, 2002, pp. 38-39, similar preening decoy illustrated.

Joel Barber, Wild Fowl Decoys, New York, NY, 1954, p. 59, diagram of similar scoter illustrated.

Christie’s, The Collection of Peggy and David Rockefeller, New York, NY, May 10, 2018, lots 1062 and 1063, related decoys illustrated.

Adele Earnest, The Art of The Decoy, New York, NY, 1965, p. 194, pl.

169, related animated Wilson examples illustrated.

Quintina Colio, American Decoys, Ephrata, PA, 1972, pp. 30-31, related decoys illustrated.

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

Linda and Gene Kangas, Decoys, Paducah, KY, 1992, p. 246, pl.

442-444, closely related example illustrated three times.

$15,000 - $25,000

25

105

AUGUSTUS “GUS” AARON WILSON 1864-1950 | SOUTH PORTLAND, ME

26 Breast-Preening White-Winged Scoter Augustus “Gus” Aaron Wilson (1864-1950) South Portland, ME, c. 1900 16 3/4 in. long

This Wilson sea duck showcases the maker’s tucked-head archetype with sweeping lines and a wide body. The iconic head is inletted into the body.

Wilson’s classic Monhegan Island model is regarded as one of Maine’s most important contributions to the art of decoy carving. Decoy collecting pioneer Joel Barber was so taken with this Wilson form that he made architectural drawings of it for his Wild Fowl Decoys book. Original and working paint with even gunning wear, chips out of tail.

PROVENANCE: Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection

LITERATURE: Paul A. Johnsgard, The Bird Decoy: An American Art Form, Lincoln, NE, 1976, p. 75, fig. 73, Muller’s Wilson surf scoters illustrated.

Frank Maresca & Roger Ricco, American Vernacular, New York, NY, 2002, pp. 38-39, similar preening decoy illustrated.

Joel Barber, Wild Fowl Decoys, New York, NY, 1954, p. 59, diagram of similar scoter illustrated.

Christie’s, The Collection of Peggy and David Rockefeller, New York, NY, May 10, 2018, lots 1062 and 1063, related decoys illustrated.

Adele Earnest, The Art of The Decoy, New York, NY, 1965, p. 194, pl.

169, related animated Wilson examples illustrated.

Quintina Colio, American Decoys, Ephrata, PA, 1972, pp. 30-31, related decoys illustrated.

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

Linda and Gene Kangas, Decoys, Paducah, KY, 1992, p. 246, pl.

442-444, closely related example illustrated three times.

Zac Zetterberg, ed., American Decoy: The Invention, Peoria, IL, 2020, p. 187, related example illustrated.

$15,000 - $25,000

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26

The word Monhegan is said to mean "out-to-sea island" in Monchiggon, Algonquian. Joel Barber documented a breast preening scoter in 1934 as being from the far out Monhegan Island, off the coast of Maine. Ever since, collectors have considered these models to be the gold standard among Wilson decoys. — Stephen B. O’Brien Jr.

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AUGUSTUS “GUS” AARON WILSON 1864-1950 | SOUTH PORTLAND, ME

Diagram from Joel Barber’s Wild Fowl Decoys, New York, NY, 1954, p. 59.

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AUGUSTUS “GUS” AARON WILSON 1864-1950 | SOUTH PORTLAND, ME

Lot 26.

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IRA D. HUDSON

1873-1949 | CHINCOTEAGUE, VA

27 Plump Long-Billed Dowitcher Ira D. Hudson (1873-1949) Chincoteague, VA, c. 1910 12 in. long

A grand Hudson shorebird with a broad body, plump breast, thin neck, and bold head carving. The body is finished with tight scratch feathering in its turkey-umber plumage. This decoy has excellent provenance, acquired by three of the world’s top shorebird decoy collectors. Lloyd Johnson’s collecting inscription is found on the underside.

Related examples have also resided in many premier decoy collections. Jim McCleery’s favorite decoy, as recorded by authors Shaw and Gard, was a related high-head decoy. A near-perfect rigmate is in the prominent collection of Paul Tudor Jones II. Original paint with light gunning wear, replaced bill.

Ira Hudson, photograph courtesy of Henry Stansbury.

PROVENANCE: Lloyd Johnson Collection Morton M. Hanson Collection, acquired from the above Dr. Peter Muller Jr. Collection, acquired from the above, 1973 LITERATURE: Joe Engers, ed. The Great Book ofWildfowl Decoys, San Diego, CA, 1990, p. 157, related examples illustrated.

Joe Engers, “Dr. Peter J. Muller: Bringing a good eye and an artistic approach to decoy collecting,” Decoy Magazine, January/ February 2008, p. 8, exact decoy illustrated.

William J. Mackey Jr., American Bird Decoys, New York, NY, 1965, p.

161, pl. 135, related decoy illustrated.

Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., Southern Decoys, Exton, PA, 1983, pp. 7374, similar decoys illustrated.

Henry H. Stansbury, Ira D. Hudson and Family, Lewes, DE, 2002, p.

140, related decoys illustrated.

Quintina Colio, American Decoys, Ephrata, PA, 1972, p. 59, related decoy illustrated.

Robert Shaw and Ronald Gard, The McCleery Auction, Dallas, TX, 2001, p. 118, related example illustrated and discussed.

$7,000 - $10,000

27

110

JOHNSON-HANSON HUDSON DOWITCHER

27

111

IRA D. HUDSON

1873-1949 | CHINCOTEAGUE, VA

“As a commercial carver, Hudson produced gunning decoys in a number of grades and price ranges. All of his birds were well made, but his finest decoys, which were probably crafted for the wealthy sportsmen who occasionally visited his shop on Chincoteague, are distinguished by their carefully rendered forms and detailed paint patterns, which often included feathers scratched in wet paint.”

— Robert Shaw, Bird Decoys of North America

112

HOLLOW HISSING GOOSE

28

113

IRA D. HUDSON

1873-1949 | CHINCOTEAGUE, VA

28 Outstanding Hollow Hissing Goose Ira D. Hudson (1873-1949) Chincoteague, VA, c. 1930 26 1/2 in. long

For decades collectors, historians, and authors have admired the exceptional Hudson hissing goose forms only to meet with the challenge of finding one with its original head and paint. This grand decoy retains one of the maker’s finest head carvings with an exceptionally thin neck flaring out to exaggerated full cheeks with a deep eye groove and a sharp brow. The cedar body measures over nine inches in width and is finished with the maker’s best stippling on the back and lively wave-like swirls on the sides. The form and condition of this Virginia masterwork place it as one of the finest geese from the region. Original paint with even gunning wear, cracks in neck have been stabilized with minimal touch-up, and two very minor chips to tail edge.

PROVENANCE: Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection LITERATURE: Joe Engers, “Dr. Peter J. Muller: Bringing a good eye and an artistic approach to decoy collecting,” Decoy Magazine, January/ February 2008, p. 9, exact decoy illustrated.

Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., Southern Decoys of Virginia and the Carolinas, Exton, PA, 1983, p. 32, pl. 38 and 39, hissing geese illustrated.

Jackson Parker, “The 1987 Year in Review,” Decoy Magazine, Ocean City, MD, 1988, p. 12, exceptional hissing goose illustrated.

Henry H. Stansbury, Ira D. Hudson and Family, Lewes, DE, 2002, pp.

92-98, hissing geese illustrated.

Robert H. Richardson, ed., Chesapeake Bay Decoys, Burtonsville, MD, 1991, p. 222, hissing goose illustrated.

$35,000 - $45,000

28 114

HOLLOW HISSING GOOSE

28

“Hudson was particularly fond of lifelike, animated head and body forms” — Robert Shaw, Bird Decoys of North America

115

WILLIAM H. SOUTHARD 1874-1940 | SEAFORD, LONG ISLAND, NY

29

29 Running Yellowlegs

William H. Southard (1874-1940) Seaford, Long Island, NY, c. 1890 12 in. long

This decoy and the following two Verity lots were acquired by Dr. Muller from legendary Long Island dealer, historian, and collector Bud Ward.

This exemplary bird features carved eyes, a splined bill, and deeply-cut, raised wing carving. The bird was finished with tight stippled paint that covers it from top to bottom and tip to tail. Original paint with minor gunning wear, replaced bill.

PROVENANCE: Bud Ward Collection Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection

LITERATURE: 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 336, related example illustrated.

Timothy Sieger, The Decoys of Long Island, Water Mills, NY, 2010, p.

37, similar example illustrated.

Joe Engers, ed., The Great Book of Wildfowl Decoys, San Diego, CA, 1990, p. 103, similar decoy illustrated.

William J. Mackey Jr., American Bird Decoys, New York, NY, 1965, p.

102, pl. 86, similar decoy illustrated.

Zac Zetterberg, ed., American Decoy: The Invention, Peoria, IL, 2020, p. 193, related example illustrated.

$6,000 - $9,000

116

JOHN HENRY VERITY

1788-1866 | SEAFORD, LONG ISLAND, NY

30

30 Antebellum Curlew

John Henry Verity (1788-1866) Seaford, Long Island, NY, c. 1830 16 in. long

The coastal village of Seaford, where John Henry Verity hailed from, is inextricably linked with decoy making and fowling heritage. The maker of this bird is one of the earliest documented decoy carvers from any region and is listed as the father of Obediah (1813-1901) and Smith Clinton Verity (18451920). Gene and Linda Kangas discuss his significance in a 2017 article, observing that “He is recognized as the patriarch of the Verity family decoy dynasty.”

Aside from its early origin, this grand decoy is a truly unique interpretation of this rare species. Like the reaching heads of Cobb’s best brant and geese, this shorebird was made in the “root-head” fashion from a single twisted piece of wood from head to tail. This continuous grain afforded the extra strength needed to survive roughly two centuries. Beyond the rich shores of Long Island, this sculpture is one of the few antebellum decoys to have survived. In old working paint with gunning wear, some age lines, including one in head, and partial bill replacement.

PROVENANCE: Bud Ward Collection Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection LITERATURE: Gene and Linda Kangas, “Older Than Methuselah,” Decoy Magazine, Lewes, DE, March/April 2017, pp. 24-32, related decoy illustrated.

Linda and Gene Kangas, Decoys, Paducah, KY, 1992, p. 312, pl. 604, related decoy illustrated.

Loy S. Harrell Jr., Decoys: North America’s One Hundred Greatest, Iola, WI, 2000, p. 201, related example illustrated.

$6,000 - $9,000

117

SMITH CLINTON VERITY 1845-1920 | SEAFORD, NY

31

31 Running Yellowlegs

Smith Clinton Verity (1845-1920) Seaford, Long Island, NY, c. 1890 12 1/4 in. long

A rare running yellowlegs with raised wings which resolve with spread wing tips. The well-preserved paint features tight stippling and an appealing craquelure. Bud Ward attributed the incised “W” on the underside to the rig of Willard Verity, Smith Clinton’s son. Original paint with even gunning wear and small rub to right wing.

118

PROVENANCE: Willard Verity Rig Bud Ward Collection Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection

$5,000 - $8,000

THE HILLMAN ENGLISH-DAWSON PINTAIL HEN

32

119

JOHN ENGLISH 1848-1915 | FLORENCE, NJ

32 The Hillman English-Dawson Pintail Hen John English (1848-1915) Florence, NJ, c. 1880 14 3/4 in. long

English’s importance as the father of the Delaware River school of carving is documented by virtually every authority from the region. Robert “Bob” White describes English as “the ultimate Delaware River carver.” Author Kenneth L. Gosner notes, “The work of John English set a standard against which other Delaware River makers have been measured and compared ever since. Indeed, for many collectors, the English style is the Delaware River style.”

A Decoy Magazine article on the Delaware River master explains “... a large rig of John English decoys were acquired by John Dawson [1886-1959], a hunter from nearby Trenton, who repainted the rig in bold geometric patterns... this unplanned collaborative effort produced a rig that is highly sought by collectors…”

This exact hen is one half of John Hillman’s English-Dawson pintail pair, which has been illustrated in no less than five major decoy publications. In the 1996 Hillman Collection auction, the drake was the first English-Dawson decoy to break

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the six-figure mark. The underside is marked with the Hillman collection ink stamp. In excellent Dawson paint with minimal wear and working touch-up to four nail holes and a small section of the body seam under the tail.

PROVENANCE: John Hillman Collection Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection LITERATURE: Kenneth L. Gosner, Working Decoys of the Jersey Coast and Delaware Valley, Cranbury, NJ, 1985, pp. 89-91, quote, color pl.

27, exact decoy illustrated.

H. Harrison Huster and Doug Knight, Floating Sculptures: The Decoys of the Delaware River, Spanish Fork, UT, 1982, p. 121, exact decoy illustrated.

Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., Decoys of the Mid-Atlantic Region, Exton, PA, 1979, p. 67, exact decoy illustrated.

Guyette and Schmidt, Important Auction of Rare Waterfowl Decoys from the Collection of John Hillman, April 25 & 26, 1996, St. Charles, IL, 1996, p. 93, lot 400, exact decoy illustrated.

Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., New Jersey Decoys, Exton, PA, 1983, p.

40, pl. XXX, exact decoy illustrated.

$9,000 - $12,000

THE HILLMAN ENGLISH-DAWSON PINTAIL HEN

32

121

33

122

JOHN DAWSON

1889-1959 | DUCK ISLAND, NJ

33

33 Dawson Merganser Pair John Dawson (1889-1959) Duck Island, NJ, c. 1930 18 in. long

An outstanding pair of Delaware River decoys by one of the region’s premier makers. Both birds feature matching designs with long bills, wooden crests, “shark fin” raised primaries, and rounded paddle tails. Known as a fastidious painter, Dawson even tinted the underside of the drake’s white feathers as is seen subtly in the wild. A single rigmate of this design can be seen in the “Hundred Greatest” decoy book.

Dr. Muller was able to reunite this rigmate pair, acquiring the hen in 1993 and the drake in 1994. The hen originally hailed from the collection of arts patron Ralph Loeff, who donated it to The Art Institute of Chicago. The decoy was subsequently offered through Skinner’s Americana sale where Dr. Muller purchased it. Just one year later, Dr. Muller was able to match it up with the drake. Both birds have the maker’s “JD” initials carved in the bottom indicating the birds to be from the maker’s personal rig. The hen also has the museum code “1967.456” painted under the initials. Both decoys are in strong original paint with light even gunning wear. Hairline crack in drake’s neck with minor flaking at front neck seat. Some fill loss to nail holes on hen.

PROVENANCE: Ralph Loeff Collection (hen)

Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection, hen acquired at Skinner, lot 454, October 1993 Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection, drake acquired in 1994 LITERATURE: Joe Engers, “Dr. Peter J. Muller: Bringing a good eye and an artistic approach to decoy collecting,” Decoy Magazine, January/February 2008, p. 12, exact decoy illustrated.

The Decoy Hunter, Clinton, IA, March-April 1995, p. 10, exact drake illustrated.

Hal Sorenson, “Loeff Donates Special Decoy Collection to Art Institute,” Decoy Collector’s Guide, 1968, p. 122, exact drake illustrated.

Loy S. Harrell Jr., Decoys: North America’s One Hundred Greatest, Iola, WI, 2000, p. 131, rigmate hen illustrated.

$20,000 - $30,000

123

A. ELMER CROWELL 1862-1952 | EAST HARWICH, MA

34 Running Yellowlegs

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1915 12 1/4 in. long

Crowell was an expert in capturing the feeling of motion in his decoys. Though created to perch statically on a stick, this well-executed yellowlegs imparts the artist’s intent. Nice dry original paint with minor gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection LITERATURE: Joe Engers, “Dr. Peter J. Muller: Bringing a good eye and an artistic approach to decoy collecting,” Decoy Magazine, January/February 2008, p. 13, exact decoy illustrated.

Adele Earnest, The Art of the Decoy: American Bird Carvings, New York, NY, 1965, pp. 170-171, pl. 145 and 147, similar decoy illustrated.

Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. and Chelsie W. Olney, Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving, Hingham, MA, 2019, pp. 164, 217, related decoys illustrated.

$6,000 - $9,000

34 124

34

125

HARRY V. SHOURDS 1861-1920 | TUCKERTON, NJ

35 Mackey Shourds Plover in Winter Plumage Harry V. Shourds (1861-1920) Tuckerton, NJ, c. 1900 9 1/4 in. long

A rare plover by one of the Jersey Coast’s top carvers. The bird retains a crisp Mackey stamp on its underside. In addition to William J. Mackey Jr., top collectors James R. Doherty and Donal C. O’Brien Jr. also obtained sterling examples of this difficult-to-find plover phase. Original paint with minor gunning wear and shot scar on right cheek.

PROVENANCE: William J. Mackey Jr. Collection Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection LITERATURE: 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, 1974, Sessions V & VI, lot 520, exact decoy illustrated.

$3,000 - $4,000

126

MACKEY SHOURDS PLOVER IN WINTER PLUMAGE

35 127

“One night in 1893 Cobb Island was literally wiped from the face of the earth when a tidal wave swept over it. Next morning not a building remained. The inhabitants who survived moved to the mainland. The ‘good old days’ were gone forever. But decoys were made to float, and most of those that still survived were picked up adrift after the storm and used again, their fame increasing through the years that followed.”

— William J. Mackey Jr., American Bird Decoys

36

128

NATHAN F. COBB JR. 1825-1905 | COBB ISLAND, VA

36

129

NATHAN F. COBB JR. 1825-1905 | COBB ISLAND, VA

36 The Mackey-Waring Swimming Cobb Goose

Nathan F. Cobb Jr. (1825-1905) Cobb Island, VA, c. 1880 30 in. long

This decoy carries an impeccable provenance and history.

It was originally in the collection of seminal decoy collector William J. Mackey Jr. The next owner was Anthony Waring of Swansea, Massachusetts, who acquired the bird directly from Mackey. Like Joel Barber, Waring was an architect, and, as such, he was preconditioned to appreciate the confluence of form, beauty, and function in bird decoys. A review of decoys with Waring provenance reveals a significant early collection, which included the A. Elmer Crowell plover trio and raisedwing wood duck on the dust-jacket cover of New England Decoys. Muller acquired this decoy and his Lee Dudley canvasback, among others, directly from Waring.

This hollow bird features a root head in an animated canted and turned swimming pose. The thin neck supports one of the finest Cobb goose heads with full cheek carving and deep eye grooves. This feature was carved from a single twisted branch of the southern wax myrtle (Myrica cerifera), which is abundant on the island. The body possesses bold shoulder and sharp wing tip carving and a ridge down the back.

The Cobbs’ domain on the Atlantic Coast positioned them along a busy and perilous sailing route. One of the islanders’ earliest, most profitable, and dangerous pursuits was lifesaving and salvage of distressed and wrecked ships. In 1839 Nathan F. Cobb Sr. founded Cobb’s Salvaging Company. This was prior to the U.S. Lifesaving Service or the Coast Guard. After receiving praise and payment for a rescue, nothing went to waste on the remote Virginia barrier island. Close study reveals that many of

the family’s decoys are made from salvaged wood and hardware. This very decoy was, in fact, resurrected by Nathan Cobb Jr. who performed the gunning repair of the highly accomplished head to the body. A hole in the shoulder is original to the carving and filled with cork. This treatment is also seen in the famous Holly swans of the Susquehanna Flats which have a number of original filled holes in their grand bodies. Thus, this racy goose was built and kept alive by the Cobb’s salvage culture.

In honor of his heroic rescue and salvage efforts, Nathan F. Cobb Sr. was the namesake of a 19th-century 156-foot Lifesaving Service ship. This ship itself was wrecked in 1896 off Ormand Beach, Florida, where Cobb Cottage now stands, fittingly built from the ship’s salvage! Old Cobb paint with gunning wear, second head carved and fitted by the maker, back has original age line and cork plug in hole, typical checks to neck.

PROVENANCE: William J. Mackey Jr. Collection Anthony Waring Collection, acquired from the above Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection, acquired from the above LITERATURE: Dr. S. Lloyd Newberry, Wings of Wonder: The Remarkable Story of the Cobb Family and the Priceless Decoys They Created on Their Island Paradise,” Columbia, SC, 2020, front dust-jacket cover, related rootheads illustrated and p. 225, exact decoy illustrated.

Quintina Colio, American Decoys, Ephrata, PA, 1972, pp. 36-37, related examples illustrated.

Robert Shaw, Bird Decoys of North America, New York, NY, 2010, p.

215, related example illustrated.

Loy S. Harrell Jr., Decoys: North America’s One Hundred Greatest, Iola, WI, 2000, pp. 67 and 97, two related examples illustrated.

Joe Engers, ed., The Great Book of Wildfowl Decoys, San Diego, CA, 1990, pp. 164-165, related example illustrated.

Robert Shaw, Call to the Sky: The Decoy Collection of James M. McCleery, M.D., Houston, TX, 1992, p. 85, related example illustrated.

William J. Mackey Jr., American Bird Decoys, New York, NY, 1965, p.

152, color pl. VII, related examples illustrated.

$50,000 - $70,000

The sloop Clara Combs pulls a scow loaded with Cobb goose decoys.

Photograph courtesy of Tommy O’Connor.

130

THE MACKEY-WARING SWIMMING COBB GOOSE

36

131

“From observing live, caged birds, he developed a stylized feather pattern.”

— Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. and Julie Carlson, Masterworks of the Illinois River

132

OSCAR ALFORD

1883-1962 | BEARDSTOWN, IL

37 133

OSCAR ALFORD

1883-1962 | BEARDSTOWN, IL

37

37 Rare Mallard Pair

Oscar Alford (1883-1962) Beardstown, IL, c. 1920 13 in. long

Along with Otto Garren (1890-1968), Oscar Alford had perhaps the most whimsical style of all the Illinois River decoy makers. With perfectly round heads, thin pointed bills, gently concave backs, intricate tail carving, and highly stylized paint patterns, Alford’s decoys are capricious examples of American folk art.

Oscar Alford, along with his sons, Howard and Glenn, produced a total of only three dozen decoys for personal use. Of this rig of exclusively mallards, there were two dozen drakes and one dozen hens. Howard was known to have done most of the painting. From observing live, caged birds, he developed a stylized feather pattern that is among the most elaborate ever applied to an early gunning decoy. Every feather on the hen is represented, including on the bottom of the bird.

Each bird is hollowed, yet the body seams remain virtually invisible after a century. The drake’s head is turned to the left and the hen’s is slightly turned to the right. The family hunted over the rig for more than twenty years. Despite heavy usage and the bird’s delicate construction, the Alfords took very

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good care of the rig, fashioning individual bags for each bird to carry the decoys to and from the field. Original paint with even gunning wear. Typical gunning touch-up to drake’s breast by the Alfords.

PROVENANCE: Alford Family Rig Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection, acquired from Schiffer Antiques, 1973 LITERATURE: Joe Engers, “Dr. Peter J. Muller: Bringing a good eye and an artistic approach to decoy collecting,” Decoy Magazine, January/ February 2008, p. 13, exact hen illustrated.

Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. and Julie Carlson, Masterworks of the Illinois River, Boston, MA, 2005, p. 110, rigmate pair illustrated.

Paul W. Parmalee and Forrest D. Loomis, Decoys and Decoy Carvers of Illinois, Dekalb, IL, 1969, p. 428, rigmates illustrated.

$5,000 - $8,000

CHARLES WALKER 1873-1954 | PRINCETON, IL

38

38 Hollow Mallard Pair

Charles Walker (1873-1954) Princeton, IL, c. 1930 16 in. long

A pair of hollow Illinois River decoys from the rig of Fred Dunbar, who was a past president of the Princeton Game and Fish Club. Dunbar’s “F.D.” initials are painted on the underside of the round-bottomed hen; his “F.H.D.” initials are painted on the underside of the flat-bottomed drake. In original paint with even gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Fred Dunbar Rig Joe French Collection Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection, acquired from the above LITERATURE: Donna Tonelli, Fish and Fowl Decoys of the Great Lakes, Atglen, PA, 2002, pp. 180-182, similar decoys illustrated.

Stephen O’Brien and Julie Carlson, Masterworks of the Illinois River, Boston, MA, 2005, pp. 58-61, related decoys illustrated.

Robert Shaw, Call to the Sky: The Decoy Collection of James M. McCleery, M.D., Houston, TX, 1992, p. 109, related decoy illustrated.

$6,000 - $9,000

135

39

39 Hollow Long-Tailed Duck Long Island, NY, c. 1880 13 1/2 in. long

An early hunting decoy that saw use along the rugged waters of the Atlantic Coast. William Mackey owned a pair of decoys from this rig, which he illustrates as the only Labrador ducks in his 1965 book American Bird Decoys. The same decoys appear in a 1978 publication regarding the elusive Labrador duck.

Though historically called a Labrador duck by Mackey, the presence of original black cheek patches and the absence of black crowns mark a clear distinction between long-tails and Labradors.

The slightly turned head includes intricate bill carving with raised nostrils. Another rare construction element, which Mackey noted, is the curved section cut into the back to hollow the decoy from the top. Early alligatored gunning paint with some uneven varnish, chips to underside of bill and top of tail.

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PROVENANCE: Frank Surace Collection Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr., acquired from the above, 1976 LITERATURE: Russell A. Fink, Catalog of American Bird Decoys, Lorton, VA, 1976, lot 76, exact decoy illustrated.

William J. Mackey Jr., American Bird Decoys, New York, NY, 1965, p. 62, rigmates illustrated.

Sotheby’s and Guyette and Schmidt, American Waterfowl Decoys: The Distinguished Collection of Dr. James M. McCleery, New York, NY, January 22–23, 2000, p. 138, lot 341, rigmate illustrated.

North American Decoys Magazine, Summer 1978, p. 26, rigmates illustrated.

$3,000 - $4,000

AUGUSTUS “GUS” AARON WILSON 1864-1950 | SOUTH PORTLAND, ME

“This White-winged Scoter has almost everything—bold, fine carving, excellent conformation, and good color pattern, plus a head that bows to each live counterpart. The workmanship on the rocking head is very clever.”

— William J. Mackey Jr. discussing this exact decoy in American Bird Decoys

40

40 Mackey Rocking-Head Scoter

Augustus “Gus” Aaron Wilson (1864-1950) South Portland, ME, c. 1900 18 1/4 in. long

A white-winged scoter with Wilson’s innovative rocking-head design to give the bird a more life-like appearance. This sea duck displays raised wings and the Mackey collection stamp on the underside. Original paint with light gunning wear, reset crack inside rocking joint. Original imperfections to wood.

LITERATURE: William J. Mackey Jr., American Bird Decoys, New York, NY, 1965, p. 90, pl. 71, 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 IV, lot 179, exact decoy listed.

PROVENANCE: William J. Mackey Jr. Collection Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection

$2,000 - $3,000

*The sale continues with lot 41 in The Winter Sale 2021 Catalog.

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INDEX

BY LOT

Alford, Oscar: 37 Bowman, William "Bill" or Charles Sumner Bunn: 16, 19, 20

is pleased to announce the publication of

Boyd, George H.: 4 Bunn, Charles Sumner or William "Bill" Bowman: 16, 19, 20 Burr, Elisha: 3

ELMER CROWELL

Cobb Jr., Nathan F.: 10, 11, 24, 36

Father of American Bird Carving

Cobb, Albert: 12 Crowell, A. Elmer: 34 Dawson, John: 33 English, John: 32 Horn, John: 18 Horner, Nathan Rowley: 9 Hudson, Ira D.: 27, 28 Leeds, Daniel Lake: 14 Mason Decoy Factory: 1, 2

featuring

Shourds, Harry V.: 35

by Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. and Chelsie W. Olney

Masterworks from The Thomas M. Evans Jr. Collection

Southard, William H.: 29 The Ward Brothers: 13 Truex, Levi Rhodes: 15 Verity, 5, 6, 8, 30, 31

$100

Walker, Charles: 38 Wilson, Augustus "Gus" Aaron: 25, 26, 40 Wright, Alvery "Alvirah": 22

“A masterful presentation befitting America’s finest bird carver...”

–Joe Engers, editor, Decoy Magazine

Over 300 pages and 420 color illustrations.

To order your copy of this definitive book, please visit copleyart.com or call the gallery at 617.536.0536.

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A.E. Crowell | $1,140,000

J. Lincoln |

WR

Dovetailed Goose |

WR

$810,000

$360,000

selling the world’s finest DECOYS AND SPORTING ART

A.E. Crowell | $661,250

J. Graham |

WR

$216,000

Ward Brothers | $252,000

A.B. Frost |

WR

$180,000

COPLEY FINE ART AUCTIONS, LLC | INFO@COPLEYART.COM | 617.536.0030

WR

Denotes world record for the artist 139

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.

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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: Estimate To 950 1,000 – 2,400 2,500 – 4,750 5,000 – 9,500 10,000 – 24,000 25,000 – 47,500 50,000 – 95,000 Over 100,000

Increment 50 100 250 500 1,000 2,500 5,000 at auctioneer’s discretion

16 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.

17 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.

18 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.

19 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:

Telephone (#1):

Company Name:

Telephone (#2):

Agent acting on behalf of:

Telephone (#3):

Invoice Address: (PO Box not sufficient)

Email:

Signature:

(required)

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 Winter Sale 2021.

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.

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.

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

AUCTION REFERENCES

Name of Bank(s):

1. Name of Company:

Address of Bank(s):

Contact Name:

Account Number(s):

Name of Account Officer(s): Bank Telephone: Bank Fax:

Telephone Number: 2. Name of Company: Contact Name:

Telephone Number:

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ABSENTEE/TELEPHONE BID FORM COPLEY FINE ART AUCTIONS, LLC 65 Sharp Street | Hingham, MA 02043 Tel: 617.536.0030 | Fax: 617.266.4896 | info@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.

LOT #

142

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.

CATALOG DESCRIPTION

BID PRICE US$

Print Name:

Signature:

(required)

(required)

OUT-OF-STATE DELIVERY AND AUTHORIZED SHIPPING RELEASE FORM I tem(s) will not be released without a signed authorization form from the invoiced Buyer. You may include this form with your payment or fax it to 617.266.4896. 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 ยง6(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

Scott Cousins/North South Art Transfer Hand delivery service 978.491.9353 or scottcousins22@aol.com

Print name:

U.S. Art* 781.986.6500 or 1.800.872.7826 *Specializing in high-value art, large works, and specialty items

Place and Manner of Delivery:

(as invoiced)

To an Interstate Common Carrier for delivery out of state:

Shipping Address:

I authorize:

to pick up my items(s) (Please specify Name of Common Carrier) Sale Date:

Lot #s :

Phone: Email:

Signature: (required)

Internal use only Received by: Signature:

Print Name:

Date:

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COPLEY 2021 ILLUMINATING THE LEGACIES OF COLLECTORS

THE DR. PETER J. MULLER JR. COLLECTION OF AMERICAN BIRD DECOYS | SESSION II THE WINTER SALE | FEBRUARY 19 -20, 2021

COPLEY FINE ART AUCTIONS, LLC

KNOWLEDGE | RESEARCH | RESULTS

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COPLEY FINE ART AUCTIONS, LLC | INFO@COPLEYART.COM | 617.536.0030

COPLEY FINE ART AUCTIONS, LLC | INFO@COPLEYART.COM | 617.536.0030