The Sporting Sale 2022 | Copley Fine Art Auctions

THE SPORTING SALE J U LY 1 4 - 1 5 , 2 0 2 2

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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

CATALOG BY Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. Cinnie O’Brien Colin S. McNair Leah Tharpe Chelsie Olney Eileen Steward, Photography & Design Michelle Dwyer Printed in the USA

© 2022 Copley Fine Art Auctions, LLC. All rights reserved.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Schedule of Events

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Important Notices

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The Sporting Sale | July 14 | 10AM | Lots 1-332

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The Sporting Sale | July 15 | 10AM | Lots 333-676

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Index

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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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THE SPORTING SALE SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

AUCTION: JULY 14-15 Day 1:

Thursday, July 14, 10:00AM Lots 1-332

Day 2: Friday, July 15, 10:00AM Lots 333-676 Live-streamed from Massachusetts; there will be no in-person bidding during the auction.

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

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

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

Please review the Terms and Conditions of Sale on page 303 and Important Notices on page 10 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 SPORTING SALE IMPORTANT NOTICES 1

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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.

Buyer’s premium

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

3 Consign to our next sale Copley Fine Art Auctions, LLC is accepting consignments for our Winter Sale 2023. 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.

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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.

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Inspection of items offered at this auction

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

Copley Fine Art Auctions, LLC reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to refuse condition requests.

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

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

11 Condition description of wear or gunning wear 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 or missing eyes, shot scars, seam separations, raised grain, rust, filler loss, sap, discoloration, and altered rigging, stick holes, and eyes. The condition of the undersides may not be listed.

Clear coats, such as varnish, shellac, and oil, may not be listed.

Repairs, restorations, and touch-up may include new material.

Paint listed as “working,” “gunning,” or “old” is likely not original first coat. Repairs and construction features that are original to the work, including but not limited to putty, bungs, plugs, patches, and stabilization, may not be mentioned.

Replaced and repaired bills may include touch-up near insertion point and extend through back of head, if applicable.

Radiographs, or x-ray images, may be available by request for select lots. Please submit additional condition report requests at least ten days prior to the sale date. Additional online photos are considered to be part of the condition.

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

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

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

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

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

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PROPERTIES FROM Michael Boxer Collection A descendant of Eugène E. du Pont A descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont Ted and Judy Harmon Collection Frank Hyde Collection Donald Kirson Collection Estate of Paul W. Masengarb William C. McMaster M.D. Collection A descendant of Pete Pasky Thomas W. Sheppard Collection A descendant of Joseph F. Sherer Cheryl Sterling Collection Vance Strausburg Collection Van Nostrand Family Collection John R. Wierdsma Collection Eddie Woodin Collection Private Collection, California Private Collection, Connecticut Private Collection, Florida Private Collection, Indiana Private Collection, Cambridge, Massachusetts Private Collection, Massachusetts Private Collection, Midwest Private Collection, Montana Private Collection, New England Private Collection, New Jersey Private Collection, New York Private Collection, Pennsylvania Private Collection, Virginia Private Collection, Wisconsin

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THE SPORTING SALE 2022 LOTS 1-332 DAY 1 | JULY 14 | 10AM Additional images for each lot are available through the online bidding platforms.

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WENDELL GILLEY

1904-1983 | SOUTHWEST HARBOR, ME

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1 Half-Size Great Horned Owl Wendell Gilley (1904-1983) Southwest Harbor, ME, c. 1960 13 in. tall

A miniature great horned owl perched on a wooden branch which is mounted on a chip-carved round base and signed by the maker on the side.

According to the 1968 Decoy Collector’s Guide, “For some years, Wendell Gilley of Southwest Harbor, Maine, has enjoyed national recognition for his decorative and life-like bird carvings.” Today, he is recognized both in the market and through the Wendell Gilley Museum in his hometown.

Gilley hunted with fellow carver and collector Donal C. O’Brien Jr. Additionally, his works were collected by his neighbor and patron of the arts David Rockefeller. Original paint with light wear and one reset “horn.”

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2 Miniature Osprey

Wendell Gilley (1904-1983) Southwest Harbor, ME, c. 1960 17 in. tall, 13 in. wide

A rare miniature osprey alighting on a wooden perch which is mounted on a carved base. The underside of the base bears the maker’s signature and species identification. Original paint with light wear.

3 Kestrel or Sparrow Hawk Wendell Gilley (1904-1983) Southwest Harbor, ME, 1977 12 in. tall

This life-sized carving depicts a kestrel perched on a branch. The underside of the base is signed, identified, dated, and ink stamped by the maker. It also retains a Sotheby’s inventory sticker. Original paint with light wear.

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WENDELL GILLEY

1904-1983 | SOUTHWEST HARBOR, ME

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4 Miniature Great Blue Herons

5 Miniature Gulls on Driftwood Wall Mount

This decorative carving depicts two herons standing on a driftwood base. The top of the base is signed and dated by the maker. This lot includes the carver’s struck ink stamp and a hardbound copy of the carver’s book, Bird Carving: A Guide to a Fascinating Hobby displaying a closely related heron carving on the front dust jacket and frontispiece. Original paint with light wear and possible restoration to neck of lower bird.

This carving displays a gull resting and another alighting on a branch. The wall-mount base is signed by the maker. Original paint with light wear.

Feet are slightly loose in their stand mounts.

Wendell Gilley (1904-1983) Southwest Harbor, ME, 1960 18 in. tall, 13 in. long

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Wendell Gilley (1904-1983) Southwest Harbor, ME, c. 1970 20 in. tall

ALLEN J. KING

1878-1963 | NORTH SCITUATE, RI

6 Quarter-Size Canada Goose Pair Wendell Gilley (1904-1983) Southwest Harbor, ME, 1960 10 1/4 in. tall, 20 in. wide

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A pair of animated geese on “mudflat” carved base. The base is signed “Gilley” and dated on the top and signed and dated on the underside as well. Original paint with light wear, including some flaking to feet.

PROVENANCE: Eugène E. du Pont Collection

Private Collection, by descent from the above

7 Miniature Dove Family Allen J. King (1878-1963) North Scituate, RI, c. 1940 5 in. tall, 4 1/4 in. wide

One of the finest King carvings depicting this highly coveted species. A rare miniature mourning dove family with two raised-wing adults and two chicks in a nest on a branch. The branch bears the maker’s inked inscription and is mounted on a wooden base. Excellent original paint with minimal wear, the upper bird has a replaced bill.

LITERATURE: Joseph Ellis, Birds in Wood and Paint, Hanover, NH, 2009, front cover and pp. 108-113, King carvings illustrated and discussed.

Copley Fine Art Auctions, The Sporting Sale 2021, Plymouth, MA, July 9-10, 2021, lot 104, related family illustrated.

$5,000 - $8,000

Related red-tailed hawk pair with chicks featured on the cover of Joe Ellis’ book.

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ALLEN J. KING

1878-1963 | NORTH SCITUATE, RI

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8 Miniature Ruffed Grouse Pair Allen J. King (1878-1963) North Scituate, RI, c. 1940 3 in. tall

King’s work as a taxidermist in Providence gave him a thorough understanding of the anatomy of a variety of animals. This knowledge is exhibited in the maker’s fine attention to detail.

This exquisite grouse pair is mounted on a signed burl base.

Original paint with minimal wear. $3,000 - $5,000

9 Miniature Green-Winged Teal Family Allen J. King (1878-1963) North Scituate, RI, c. 1940 4 3/4 in. long

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A very rare pair of miniature teal with the hen tending to her five ducklings. The vermiculation treatment on the drake’s sides is exemplary. Signed “A. J. King” on the side of the base. Original paint with minimal wear.

LITERATURE: Joseph H. Ellis, Birds in Wood and Paint: American Bird Carvings and their Carvers, 1900-1970, Lebanon, NH, 2009, p. 10, Fig. 1.6, similar miniature illustrated.

$5,000 - $8,000

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10 Miniature Pintail

Allen J. King (1878-1963) North Scituate, RI, c. 1940 3 in. long

Signed by the maker on the side of the base. Original paint with light wear and minimal touch-up to neck crack and missing tail tip. $1,000 - $1,500

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CHARLES H. PERDEW 1874-1963 | HENRY, IL

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11 Exceptional Miniature Preening Mallard Hen Charles H. Perdew (1874-1963) Henry, IL, c. 1930 5 in. long

This small decoy showcases the region’s most iconic form with an arching neck and delicate bill-to-back connection. It was finished with Edna’s masterful brushwork. Speaking to the special care in creation, this miniature decoy has a thin lead weight on the underside stamped “CHAS. H. PERDEW, Henry, Illinois” in letters lined with gold.

LITERATURE: Copley Fine Art Auctions, The Sporting Sale 2018, Plymouth, MA, July 19-20, 2018, lot 233, exact carving illustrated.

Donna Tonelli, Fish and Fowl Decoys of the Great Lakes, Atglen, PA, 2002, p. 152, related examples illustrated.

Ann Tandy Lacy, Perdew: An Illinois River Tradition, Muncie, IN, 1993, pp. 203 and 226, related examples illustrated.

$10,000 - $20,000

The overall quality and details of this singular work suggest it was likely a special presentation piece for a prominent patron or institution. Given its form, paint, and provenance, it remains second to none among all Midwestern miniatures today.

Excellent original paint with minor wear.

PROVENANCE: David Galliher Collection Private Collection, Florida

Preening mallard hen by Charles Perdew, c. 1920, painted by Edna Perdew, from the G.K. Schmidt rig.

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12 Miniature Ring-Necked Pheasant

15 Miniature Flying Grouse

A bright pheasant mounted on a chip-carved base. A species identification appears in pencil on the bottom. Original paint with light wear.

A larger-than-usual Ahearn miniature grouse showing the maker’s best work. The underside of the left wing bears the maker’s signature. Original paint with minimal wear.

13 Half-Size Quail

16 Miniature Wigeon

A standing bobwhite quail on a carved wooden base bearing the maker’s signature on the side. Original paint with minimal wear.

An exemplary miniature baldpate with Crowell’s circular “MAKER” ink stamp, “23,” and species inscription “Widgeon” pencilled on the underside. Original paint with minimal wear.

14 Miniature Turkey Flock on Two Bases

17 Miniature Flying Turkey

Two pairs of miniature wild turkey carvings, each on a beveled-edge oval base. One tom is in full display with fanned tail and dropped wings. One is signed by the maker on the underside of the base. The other work bears the maker’s business card on the underside. As found.

A finely painted and intricately treated flying miniature bearded gobbler with a ten-inch wingspan. Dando has adeptly captured the exceptionally varied colors of this truly iconic American bird. Original paint with light wear and a rub to bill tip.

Albert J. Dittman (1884-1974) Williamstown, MA, c. 1940 5 1/2 in. long

William H. Reinbold (1926-2018) Lansdowne, PA, c. 1960 5 1/4 in. long

Robert Jameison Rockville, VA, c. 1970 base is 12 in. long

PROVENANCE: Frank Hyde Collection

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James Joseph Ahearn (1904-1963) Stamford, CT, c. 1950 7 in. long

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1920 3 3/4 in. long

Aubrey Jones Dando (b. 1885) Philadelphia, PA, c. 1920 9 in. long

THE HARMON HOLLOW NANTUCKET CURLEW

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18 The Harmon Hollow Nantucket Curlew Nantucket, MA, c. 1850 16 in. long

A featherlight, hollow curlew with extraordinary carving and construction detail by a great yet to be named Nantucket craftsman. This decoy has no species specific comparables, with only a few plover by the maker known to have survived in any condition. The design, execution, and refinement of this form place it in the ranks of the best shorebirds by A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), Fred Nichols (1854-1924), Charles Sumner Bunn (1865-1952), and the Phillips Rig maker. Given the apparent age of this carving and the history of curlew and golden plover hunting on Nantucket, it is likely that this 19th-century sculpture predates the aforementioned named masters by decades.

Along with the great dovetailed maker, this Nantucket carver is among the greatest craftsmen ever to construct a working shorebird decoy. These two early and unnamed 19th-century makers routinely applied an elevated level of refinement to both the inside and outside of their distinct hollow decoys. This curlew displays a very tight vertical body seam, which was hollowed to an egg-shell-thin hull and held together with small cut nails.

The wing carving alone represents a pinnacle execution and makes a case for influencing Crowell’s finest dust-jacket plover.

Like his Nantucketer’s plover, the entire perimeter of the curlew’s wing is raised. Going beyond his smaller plover decoys, the wings have more carved features, including the elaborate raised shoulder carving and the connected tips. The thin primaries are hollowed through from the back to the tail and the tips are reinforced with an original cloth backing.

The surface is finished with excellent mottled feather paint.

A white throat frames the head and the primaries have been lined. Much like the maker’s plover, the top of the tail is finished with appealing tiger striping. The surface remains in remarkably good condition.

There are at least two known plover by this maker that were repainted by Elmer Crowell. The similarities between this curlew and Crowell’s “dust-jacket” plover are extensive in both overall form and in the detailed carving features, especially around the wings. The combination of Crowell’s early exposure and the distinct similarities presents a highly plausible case that this unknown island maker was a direct inspiration for the East Harwich master and his “Dust-Jacket” decoys.

A small stick hole is placed at a steep angle, presenting this alert bird with purpose.

This singular decoy, like the Philips Rig running curlew, is among the greatest shorebird decoys ever to surface.

Exceptional original paint with minimal gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Ted and Judy Harmon Collection LITERATURE: Copley Fine Art Auctions, The Winter Sale 2022, March 4-5, 2022, lots 149 and 164, two related plover illustrated, one with early Crowell paint.

$150,000 - $250,000

Flaring away from the wings is a thin, curved, and fanned tail treated on top with V-parted feathering that leads to a scalloped edge. A mortise-and-tenon bill fits perfectly in an uplifted head with bead glass eyes.

Lot 18 detail.

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Lot 18 (right) alongside an exceptional hollow plover by the same maker.

THE HARMON HOLLOW NANTUCKET CURLEW

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1821 Map of Nantucket.

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

19 Exemplary Dowitcher

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1910 12 1/2 in. long

A rare and important, early, working Crowell dowitcher decoy displaying glass eyes, richly painted detail, and split tail carving with painted primaries. It is difficult to find early examples of this species by Crowell as he concentrated primarily on black-bellied plover and yellowlegs during the first quarter of the 20th century.

Acutely describing a similar shorebird carving in his book, American Wildfowl Decoys, Jeff Waingrow writes, “Crowell’s dowitcher decoy is a transitional carving, displaying the virility of his earlier work with a measure of new refinement found in the later examples. It possesses enough of the best qualities from each period, however to deserve a place among the finer examples of Crowell shorebirds.” Outstanding original paint with minor gunning wear, including a rub to the wing tip. Reset crack in original bill.

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LITERATURE: Copley Fine Art Auctions, The Winter Sale 2013, New York, NY, January 21, 2013, lot 215, exact decoy illustrated.

Donna Tonelli, Top of the Line Hunting Collectibles, Atglen, PA, 1998, p. 88, similar examples illustrated.

Paul A. Johnsgard, The Bird Decoy: An American Art Form, Lincoln, NE, 1976, p. 20 B, similar decoy illustrated.

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

97, similar example illustrated.

Brian Cullity, The Songless Aviary: The World of A.E. Crowell & Son, Sandwich, MA, 1992, p. 49, pl. 1, similar bird illustrated.

$40,000 - $50,000

A. ELMER CROWELL

1862-1952 | EAST HARWICH, MA

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SHOREBIRD HUNTING, 1861

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20 American School (19th century)

Shorebird Hunting, 1861 signed and dated “D.F. [Hill?] 1861” lower left oil on board, 13 1/2 by 20 3/4 in.

This important and historic work, depicting a golden plover and a curlew, is one of the finest early shorebird paintings known to exist.

It is significant in that it depicts a hunter on the hill behind a spread of decoys in a field. While often associated with the

marsh or beach, shorebird hunting on Nantucket often occurred inland where sheep had grazed the moors. These grasslands, filled with crickets and grasshoppers, were a favorite hunting ground for the golden plover.

PROVENANCE: Eddie Woodin Collection

$20,000 - $30,000

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A. ELMER CROWELL

1862-1952 | EAST HARWICH, MA

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21 Early Canada Goose

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1915 23 in. long

Aside from the three unique geese made for Harry V. Long, this early example shows the maker’s very best goose decoy form.

The grand body has a well-rounded breast which transitions very cleanly to the thin and curved neck. It is topped with exceptional head carving. The underside is marked with an early imprint of his oval brand. The rig initials “J.A.N.” are also incised on the bottom. Original paint with moderate gunning wear, two cracks in front of neck, crack along underside, and some touch-up mostly to white on front lower left and to worn area on right side.

LITERATURE: Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. and Chelsie W. Olney, Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving, Hingham, MA, 2019, p. 46, closely related early example illustrated.

$10,000 - $15,000

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CHARLES "SHANG" WHEELER 1872-1949 | STRATFORD, CT

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22 Swan with Two Cygnets

Charles “Shang” Wheeler (1872-1949) Stratford, CT, c. 1938 swan is 16 in. long, cygnets are 5 in. long

This unique one-third size swan family is peerless among all known vintage American bird carvings. As seen in the spring time, the mother has her cygnets resting on her hollow body while holding her wings up to protect them. Shang used this natural phenomenon to showcase this elaborate carving.

LITERATURE: Dixon MacD. Merkt, Shang: A Biography of Charles E. Wheeler, Spanish Fork, UT, 1984, p. 178, exact carving illustrated.

$10,000 - $15,000

This piece was acquired by the Igleheart family directly from the artist and it resided in their Myrtle Grove Plantation in Green Pond, SC. Original paint with even wear, slight seam separation at head-neck joint. Right wing has been reset in two places with touch-up to lines on inside of wing and to much of outside of wing.

PROVENANCE: Austin and Suzanne Igleheart Collection Myrtle Grove Plantation, Green Pond, South Carolina Private Collection, by descent from above

Swan family photographed by Eileen Steward.

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Eugène E. du Pont (1882-1966)

Eugène du Pont was a personal friend of Elmer

At the turn of the century, du Pont received his

Crowell’s and, as such, obtained his decoys directly

education at Harvard, where he overlapped with

from the maker. A consummate sportsman, du Pont

fellow Crowell patrons including Dr. John C. Phillips

was a longtime member of the du Pont Powder

(1876–1938) and Dr. John H. Cunningham (1877–

Company’s shooting team. He also possessed a

1960).

discerning eye for art, as evidenced by his annual Christmas card, for which he commissioned

Copley is honored to bring these exceptional Crowell

renowned artist Richard E. Bishop (1887–1975).

carvings from this esteemed collection to auction for the first time.

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

23 The du Pont Crowell Woodcock A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1912 10 1/4 in. long

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This masterwork represents not only one of the maker’s earliest and best carvings of the species, but also one of his pinnacle paint applications on any gamebird. Of particular note are the dropped wings with carved primary feathers. A closely related example with this treatment from the James and Diane Cook Collection is prominently featured in Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving. Another early example without the dropped wings emanated from the collection of top Crowell patron Dr. John H. Cunningham.

The form, intricate and accurate carving details, exquisite paint, superb condition, and distinguished provenance of this newly discovered mantle carving place it among the finest of all of upland bird carvings.

This early decorative woodcock bears the maker’s crisp oval brand on the underside of its carved wooden base. The undulating base reveals three painted probing holes to emulate where the timberdoodle has just fed. The grand body is outfitted with a bill which displays precise incised carving along all sides of and between the mandibles. It is finished with a subtle, but deliberate curvature to the very tip of the bill. The species’ complex plumage is masterfully applied with tight feathering with high contrast along the top and soft blending in the rich underside.

PROVENANCE: Eugène E. du Pont Collection, acquired directly from the artist Private Collection, by descent from the above

This lot hails from the same du Pont family collection as the Crowell mallard and blue jay in this sale. Excellent original paint with light wear. Typical restoration to thighs and toes, and a spot of minor touch-up to spot on top of bill.

LITERATURE: Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. and Chelsie W. Olney, Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving, Hingham, MA, 2019, p. 46, very closely related woodcock illustrated.

$70,000 - $100,000

THE DU PONT CROWELL WOODCOCK

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

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24 The du Pont Crowell Blue Jay A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1912 8 1/2 in. tall

An exceptional early and rare blue jay carving with a crisp oval brand on the underside. This example displays accurate bill detail, a sharp crest, and carved feather treatment on its long tail. This brilliant bird’s plumage is well represented with bright blue feathering with wet-on-wet blending.

This lot hails from the same du Pont family collection as the Crowell woodcock and mallard in this sale. Excellent original paint with light wear, some typical putty in loss and restoration to legs and toes.

PROVENANCE: Eugène E. du Pont Collection, acquired directly from the artist Private Collection, by descent from the above

$15,000 - $25,000

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THE MUMFORD CROWELL MINIATURE SHOREBIRD SET

Several of the miniatures from the Mumford set.

List of Crowell’s shorebird miniature set. Courtesty of Heritage Museums & Gardents, Sandwich, MA.

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A. ELMER CROWELL

1862-1952 | EAST HARWICH, MA

25 Set of 22 Miniature Shorebirds A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1930 largest is 4 3/4 in. long

Crowell created three different sets of miniature birds, twenty-five ducks, twenty-five songbirds, and twenty-five shorebirds, which he sold to not only his decoy buyers and seasonal tourists, but also schools and museums around the nation for species identification purposes. Author and collector Joseph Ellis, who tallied the maker’s miniature species in Birds in Wood and Paint, writes, “The result—50 ducks, geese, and upland game birds (including females), 42 shorebirds and wading birds, and 91 songbirds, for a grand total of 183—is staggering.”

The vast majority of the original Crowell sets to come to market are his waterfowl species, making this a rare opportunity to acquire a nearly complete shorebird flock with remarkable consistency from bird to bird. Absent from the set are the obtainable jacksnipe (#20), lesser yellowlegs (#24), and spotted sandpiper (#25). Indeed, the number of complete sets of shorebird miniatures that have come to auction can be counted on one hand.

PROVENANCE: Alice “Dotty” Herrick Mumford Collection, Pegan Hill, Dover, Massachusetts, and Great Pond, Eastham, Massachusetts, acquired from the artist Private Collection, by descent in the family LITERATURE: Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. and Chelsie W. Olney, Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving, Hingham, MA, 2019, pp.

239-241, shorebird set list, and miniature song bird and waterfowl carving sets illustrated.

Brian Cullity, The Songless Aviary, Hyannis, MA, 1992, pp. 90-99, similar birds illustrated.

$60,000 - $80,000

Each miniature bears the “A. E. Crowell MAKER East Harwich MASS” rectangular stamp on the bottom of the base, along with a penciled number in reference to Crowell’s published shorebirds set list. The group includes the following with Crowell’s alternate names in parentheses: greater yellowlegs, ruddy turnstone, golden plover, upland sandpiper (upland plover), piping plover, black-breasted plover, killdeer plover, dowitcher, purple sandpiper, dunlin (redback sandpiper), white-rumped sandpiper, pectoral sandpiper, least sandpiper (least peep), marbled godwit, Hudsonian godwit, whimbrel (jack curlew), sanderling, willet, redknot (redbreast), blackneck stilt, semipalmated plover, and semipalmated sandpiper.

This set was originally acquired directly from Crowell by Alice “Dotty” Herrick Mumford of Pegan Hill in Dover, MA, and Great Pond, located in Eastham, MA. The Mumford family farmed Pegan Hill for many generations before conserving the land, now called the Mumford Wildlife Forest, as open space.

The carvings come with their original custom-built wood and glass case with a mirrored back. In addition to the structural protection, the case appears to have prevented any fading or discoloration. Given their condition, provenance, and the rarity of shorebird sets, these birds present the infrequent opportunity for acquisitors to obtain an excellent and cohesive set.

Outstanding original paint with minimal wear.

Lot 25 displayed in their original custom-built case.

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

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26 The du Pont Crowell Mallard Drake A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1912 16 in. long

This bold drake decoy has remained with the same family since it was commissioned from Crowell 110 years ago. Today it survives in exceptional condition; while it was made as a decoy, it was never rigged for hunting. The form, paint, condition, and provenance of this rare decoy place it among Crowell’s very best of this species. When this decoy was made, mallards were not as prevalent along the Atlantic Flyway, as is evidenced by their scarce representation as decoys up and down the East Coast.

The pronounced breast sweeps to a drawn-back head that turns sharply to the right. The head has crisp rasped finishing, deep eye grooves, and pronounced bill detail. The body is finished with his excellent wet-on-wet feather blending. The long sweeping body was finished with carved tail feathers. The underside bears Crowell’s crisp oval brand, denoting an early strike. Like the incomparable Long preening goose, Crowell has painted right up to the edges, but not within the brand.

This lot hails from the same prominent family collection as the Crowell woodcock and blue jay in this sale. Original paint with light wear, hairline crack in neck has been reset.

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PROVENANCE: Eugène E. du Pont Collection, acquired directly from the artist Private Collection, by descent from the above LITERATURE: Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. and Chelsie W. Olney, Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving, Hingham, MA, 2019, p. 35, later drake illustrated, p. 37, early hen illustrated.

$50,000 - $80,000

THE DU PONT CROWELL MALLARD DRAKE

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

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27 Three-Quarter-Size Pintail Drake A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1920 13 3/4 in. long

A rarely seen and well-executed three-quarter-size carving with the maker’s “A. E. Crowell, Maker, East Harwich” rectangular stamp on the bottom. This pintail has a thin neck, and a turned and swept back head, complete with rasping to the crest. Original paint with minimal wear, original knot visible on right side and very minor touch-up to hairline crack in neck. $9,000 - $12,000

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28

29

28 Black Duck

29 Black Duck

The maker’s refined head carving, dynamic poses, and exceptional scratch and feather paint place him alongside Shang Wheeler as Stratford’s finest carvers. Published article titles on Rathmell include “Gentleman carvers of Connecticut” and “Lou Rathmell: A decoy maker who lived in a castle.”

This early gunning model is similar to those made for the sporting outfitter Iver Johnson in Boston. This carving displays Crowell’s fully blended paint with finish rasping to the back of the head. Original paint with light gunning wear, several small brush strokes of working touch-up to the bird’s back and neck base, and a two-inch area along left side.

Louis C. Rathmell (1898-1974) Danbury, CT, c. 1945 17 3/4 in. long

The body was made with a very thick wooden bottom board and cork top, and features a turned head and inserted wooden tail. Original paint with light gunning wear, minimal darkening to body, and touch-up to bill tip.

LITERATURE: Cliff Alexander, “Lou Rathmell: A decoy maker who lived in a castle,” Decoy Magazine, November/December 2015, p.

25 and front cover, rigmates illustrated.

Dixon Merkt, “Gentleman Carvers of Connecticut,” The Clarion, Spring 1980, p. 50, rigmate illustrated and 1941 rig discussed.

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1925 17 in. long

LITERATURE: Copley Fine Art Auctions, The Sporting Sale 2009, July 15-16, 2009, lot 74, exact carving illustrated.

Adele Earnest, The Art of the Decoy, New York, NY, 1965, p. 171, related decoy illustrated.

$3,000 - $5,000

$6,000 - $9,000

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

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32

31

33

34

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30 Miniature Killdeer

32 Miniature Bobolink

34 Miniature English Sparrow

This carving bears a circular “Maker” stamp on the underside and an O’Brien inventory tag. Original paint with light wear.

A partial jelly-jar label reads “Bobolink” in Crowell’s handwriting. The bird’s common name, bobolink, refers to its song, which some believe sounds like “Bob o’ Lincoln.”

Original paint with light wear and bill tip chip.

This miniature sparrow’s underside bears a jam-jar paper label with the species’ name faintly inked upon it. Original paint with light wear, including rub to bill tip.

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1915 3 in. long

PROVENANCE: Donal C. O’Brien Jr. Collection John R. Wierdsma Collection LITERATURE: Sotheby Parke Bernet Inc., The American Heritage Society Auction of Americana, November 6-8, 1975, lot 197, exact carving illustrated.

31 Miniature Dowitcher

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1915 3 1/2 in. long

This carving bears a circular “Maker” stamp on the underside and an O’Brien inventory tag. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Donal C. O’Brien Jr. Collection

John R. Wierdsma Collection

LITERATURE: Sotheby Parke Bernet Inc., The American Heritage Society Auction of Americana, November 6-8, 1975, lot 201, exact carving illustrated.

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A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1910 3 1/2 in. long

PROVENANCE: Joseph F. Sherer Collection,

acquired directly from the artist Private Collection, by descent from the above

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1910 3 in. tall

PROVENANCE: Joseph F. Sherer Collection, acquired directly from the artist Private Collection, by descent from the above

$1,000 - $2,000

$1,000 - $2,000

35 Miniature Red-Eyed Vireo 33 Miniature Robin

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1910 3 1/2 in. long

This early miniature retains a partial jelly-jar label with the species identification and the maker’s faint ink stamp on the bottom of the base. Original paint with light wear and chips to bill tip and left edge of tail tip.

PROVENANCE: Joseph F. Sherer Collection, acquired directly from the artist Private Collection, by descent from the above

$1,000 - $2,000

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1925 2 1/2 in. long

This miniature has raised wings and a partial jelly-jar label on the underside. Original paint with light wear, including chip to bill tip.

PROVENANCE: Joseph F. Sherer Collection, acquired directly from the artist Private Collection, by descent from the above

$1,000 - $2,000

S. EDWIN MEGARGEE

1883-1958

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36 S. Edwin Megargee (1883-1958)

Two Setters, 1939 signed and dated “Edwin Megargee “39” lower right oil on canvas, 24 by 32 in.

Edwin Megargee was born in Philadelphia in 1883. He studied at Georgetown University, the Drexel Art Institute in Philadelphia, and the Art Students League in New York and specialized in paintings of domestic animals and sporting subjects. Many of his sporting dog scenes appeared in Field & Stream and in his portfolio, Gun Dogs at Work. He is best known as a leading portrayer of prize-winning gun dogs, including pointers, setters, retrievers, and spaniels.

Exceptional for its composition, this pinnacle Megargee oil portrays two beautiful English setters on point.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Pennsylvania LITERATURE: Julie Campbell Tatham and Edwin Megargee, illus., World Book of Dogs, Cleveland, OH, 1953, p. 126.

$5,000 - $7,000

In 1953, Megargee illustrated Julie Campbell Tatham’s World Book of Dogs. In it, he is referred to as “a licensed (and very active) judge of the American Kennel Club and Chairman of its Library Committee. A breeder, judge and owner of first-class sporting and bench show dogs, he brings to his paintings and illustrations a thorough knowledge of animal structure, color and authenticity of atmosphere.”

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ARTHUR FITZWILLIAM TAIT 1819-1905

37 Arthur Fitzwilliam Tait (1819-1905) Steady, 1878 signed and dated “A.F. Tait 1878” lower left oil on canvas, 14 1/2 by 21 in. signed and titled on back of wood panel

This important work is titled and described in Tait’s 1878 register entry, as listed in Cadbury and Marsh’s text on the artist.

Known as one of America’s earliest sporting artists, Arthur Fitzgerald Tait was born in Liverpool, England, in 1819. From an early age, he was interested in both art and the outdoors. Tait worked for the firm of Thomas Agnew, a famous art dealer and lithographer in Manchester, trained in lithography and drawing, and explored the open land around the city. However, many of the most beautiful vistas and hunting grounds were private and off limits. While in the employ of the art firm, Tait was exposed to the works of Edwin Landseer (1802-1873), Richard Ansdell (1818-1885), and John Frederick Herring (1815-1907), among others.

In Liverpool, beginning in 1843, Tait spent time with fellow artist George Catlin (1796-1872), which may have whetted the young artist’s appetite to explore life in America. Catlin, who was twenty-three years older than Tait, had spent much of the previous decade living in the American West chronicling the lives of Native Americans through his careful drawings and sketches of their clothing, weapons, and ceremonies. There is little doubt that Catlin’s stories would have captivated the young and talented Tait.

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In 1850 Tait boarded a boat with his wife and came to America. By 1852 Tait was pursuing his interests in wildlife and hunting, based on the subject matter of his works. He worked from a studio in New York City, but spent a great deal of time on Long Lake in the Adirondacks, where he acquired skills as an angler, hunter, and keen observer of wildlife. These skills were as important for Tait’s art as his fine ability with brush and pigment, since they gave an authenticity to his portrayals of outdoor life which was virtually unrivalled at the time. His relative freedom to paint wherever he wanted in the vast public lands of New York was obviously liberating to the artist, who had felt confined by the strict laws governing trespassing and hunting on private property in England.

With this liberation and experience of the outdoors, Tait’s artistic career flourished. In 1852, only two years after Tait arrived in New York, Nathaniel Currier (1813-1888) and James Merritt Ives (1824-1895) purchased the first of many works from the budding artist. In that same year, Tait was asked to hang a half-dozen works at the National Academy of Design’s annual exhibition. By 1854 he had achieved an associate membership and four years later he became a full member.

Editions of Tait’s works for Currier and Ives were reproduced by the thousands and formed some of America’s most iconic images of the Victorian era. The exceptionally popular American Field Sports series showcased Tait’s abilities as an

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upland bird and dog painter and included the four lithographs A Chance for Both Barrels, Flushed, On a Point, and Retrieving.

These hunting scenes, along with his camping and woodland scenes, resonated with the public as an integral part of the American experience and continue to inform us of our history as a nation. Seminal works by Tait, such as An Anxious Moment, A Tight Fix, and Trappers at Fault: Looking for the Trail, have become embedded as part of our heritage and serve as signposts along our path as a nation.

York; the National Museum of Racing, Saratoga Springs, New York; the Shelburne Museum, Vermont; the Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, Connecticut; the Tate Gallery, London; and the Victoria & Albert Museum, London, among others.

Today, Tait’s wilderness, frontier, and wildlife scenes hang in some of the most prominent museums and private collections, including the permanent collections of the Addison Gallery of American Art, Andover, Massachusetts; the Adirondack Museum, Blue Mountain Lake, New York; the American Museum of Western Art, Denver, Colorado; the Amon Carter Museum, Fort Worth, Texas; the Brooklyn Museum, New York; the Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, DC; the Denver Art Museum, Colorado; the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New

LITERATURE: Warder H. Cadbury and Henry F. Marsh, Arthur Fitzwilliam Tait: Artist in the Adirondacks, Newark, DE, 1986, p. 242, no. 78.10.

Kevin Sharp, ed. Wild Spaces, Open Seasons: Hunting and Fishing in American Art, Norman, OK, 2016, pp. 99-100.

Depicting two setters on point, this bright and lively masterwork reveals the artist at the peak of his painting abilities.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, New Jersey, by descent from a Greenwich, Connecticut Estate

$50,000 - $80,000

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38 Aiden Lassell Ripley (1896-1969)

Grouse Shooting, 1946 signed and dated “A. Lassell Ripley © 1946” lower left watercolor, 18 by 22 in.

This 1946 watercolor is part of a print series of six scenes done for Field & Stream entitled Gunning in America. The gentleman pictured to the right is most likely the artist, with his favorite dog, “Chief” by his side. It is by many accounts the most important grouse hunting watercolor the artist ever produced.

Born in Wakefield, Massachusetts, Aiden Lassell Ripley was the son of a Boston Symphony Orchestra musician. From an early age he excelled at music, but he soon discovered a deeper interest in painting. By his mid-teens, Ripley was committed to a career in art, commuting into Boston to take classes. After returning from service in World War I, he attended the Boston Museum School where he studied with the country’s top artists, including Philip Leslie Hale (1865-1934) and Frank W. Benson (1862-1951).

Along with his contemporary Ogden Pleissner (1905-1983), Ripley exemplified the life of a successful sporting artist.

Collectors of Ripley’s sporting art endorsed his numerous trips to the salmon rivers of New Brunswick and the quail plantations of Georgia, where the artist indulged his passion for hunting and fishing while recording material he would use in his art.

PROVENANCE: Commissioned by Field & Stream, 1946

Private Collection, New Hampshire Private Collection, Massachusetts

LITERATURE: Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. and Julie Carlson Wildfeuer, The Art of Aiden Lassell Ripley, Boston, MA, 2009, pp. 53 and 125, illustrated.

Six illustrations commissioned by Field & Stream in 1946, also known as the Gunning in America Series.

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Ripley with Chief, one of his favorite hunting dogs. Courtesy of the A. Lassell Ripley papers, 1873-1973, Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Field & Stream, February 1947, p. 35, illustrated.

Sporting Classics, November/December 1997, pp. 70-71, illustrated.

EXHIBITED: New York, New York, Coe Kerr Gallery, December 2–

January 8, 1982, no. 16.

Wildlife and Sporting Art: The Masters’ Show in Ligonier, 1987.

Dennis, Massachusetts, Aiden Lassell Ripley (1896-1969): A Retrospective, Cape Cod Museum of Art, August 2–October 5, 2008. $50,000 - $80,000

AIDEN LASSELL RIPLEY

1896-1969

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45

FRANCIS LEE JAQUES 1887-1969

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39 Francis Lee Jaques (1887-1969)

Wild Turkey, 1945 signed “F.L. Jaques” lower right oil on canvas on masonite, 24 by 20 in.

Wild Turkey was reproduced as part of a portfolio of thirty-one prints and was included in the book Outdoor Life’s Gallery of North American Game: A Brilliant Collection of Paintings By Francis Lee Jaques, Foremost Artist of the Outdoors, with Descriptive Text By Distinguished Authorities on Wildlife, which was first published in 1946 and reprinted in 1957.

“As is the case with all game birds and animals, it is the hunter who comes to know turkeys best and to appreciate them most...If you understand his nature and his habits; if you have the patience that amounts to persistence; and if you will wait until he gets within fair range, and then shoot him with No. 2’s, you will get your gobbler. And in doing so

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you will achieve a real wildwood triumph. In fact, when you bear such a trophy home, your domestic standing may be vastly improved.”

LITERATURE: Patricia Condon Johnston, The Shape of Things: The Art of Francis Lee Jaques, Camden, SC, 1994, p. 64, illustrated.

Archibald Rutledge, “The Wild Turkey: Prime Sport -- and Prime Eating!” Outdoor Life’s Gallery of North American Game, New York, NY, 1946, pp. 24-27, illustrated.

$18,000 - $24,000

ARCHIBALD THORBURN 1860-1935

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40 Archibald Thorburn (British, 1860-1935)

Woodcock, 1909 signed and dated “Archibald Thorburn 1909” lower left watercolor, 10 1/2 by 14 1/2 in. titled on The Crossroads of Sport, New York label on back

In 1887, Thorburn was commissioned by Lord Lilford to create hundreds of watercolors for Coloured Figures of the Birds of the British Isles. Throughout his career, he exhibited at the Royal Academy and select galleries in London. Thorburn was known for his lifelike scenes, derived from significant time in the field, observing and sketching birds in their natural habitats. An early conservationist, he was an active member and leader of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

This charming depiction of two woodcock is a classic Thorburn, with one of the birds organically walking out of the lush browns and greens of the forest floor setting and a pair of mushrooms to balance the scene. The second bird crouches its stocky body on the ground.

This vibrant Thorburn watercolor relates very closely in size, color, and composition to one of the artist’s most famous works, titled Woodcock Glade, which was made into a limited-edition print published by Embleton in 1923. An interesting side note, the Cocker Spaniel derives its name from the woodcock, as it was bred to hunt the popular gamebird.

PROVENANCE: Eddie Woodin Collection LITERATURE: Sotheby’s London, Works by Archibald Thorburn from the Thorburn Museum, 1993, p. 23, closely related work illustrated.

$15,000 - $25,000

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GERARD R. HARDENBERGH 1855-1915

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41 Gerard R. Hardenbergh (1855-1915)

Quail signed “G.R. Hardenbergh” lower left oil on canvas, 12 by 18 in.

“The Van Nostrand Family Collection” label on back

Gerard Rutgers Hardenbergh was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey, in 1856, and was a descendant of early Dutch settlers. He was an early lover of birds, and spent significant time on the Jersey Shore, painting in a floating art studio named the “Pelican,” a houseboat he moored near Bay Head and throughout Barnegat Bay. Though self-taught as an artist, Hardenbergh exhibited to acclaim at the Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia in 1876. He also supplied bird specimens to Princeton University’s Biology Department. Morven Museum & Garden in Princeton, New Jersey, held the first exhibition on the artist, In Nature’s Realm: The Art of Gerard Rutgers Hardenbergh, in 2021.

In 1897 and 1898, Hardenbergh traveled to North Carolina on a hunting trip with fellow artist George Endicott.

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This important early depiction of two quail reveals the artist at the height of his craft.

PROVENANCE: Van Nostrand Family Collection LITERATURE: Patricia H. Burke, Gerard Rutgers Hardenbergh: Artist and Ornithologist, NJ, 2017, p. 31, illustrated.

EXHIBITED: Princeton, New Jersey, In Nature’s Realm: The Art of

Gerard Rutgers Hardenbergh, Morven Museum & Garden, February 19, 2021–January 9, 2022. $5,000 - $8,000

EDMUND HENRY OSTHAUS

1858-1928

49

EDMUND HENRY OSTHAUS 1858-1928

42 Edmund Henry Osthaus (1858-1928)

Setter Puppies, 1890 signed and dated “Edm. H Osthaus 1890” lower left oil on canvas, 18 by 36 in.

Few artists, if any, captured the life and vitality of a litter of pups better than Osthaus does in this masterful portrait of an English setter family.

Osthaus was an instructor at the Toledo Academy of Fine Arts. He then served as the director from 1886-1893, before resigning to devote “his life to painting, shooting, and following field trials. He gunned for prairie chickens, ruffed grouse, snipe, woodcock, and pheasants, but bobwhites were his favorites,” report Kay and George Evans in a 1970 Field & Stream magazine.

“Edmund Osthaus followed field trials from the fall prairie chicken trials in Canada to the important quail trials in the South in mid-winter, judging, sketching, and sometimes entering his dogs,” the Evans continue. “Thousands of shooting men have formed their tastes in dogs from Osthaus paintings... they know his setters and pointers as real dogs pointing and retrieving real birds.”

According to Evans, Edmund Osthaus’ paintings exhibit “the character of the early Llewellin and English setters in this country, their beauty and integrity as bird dogs, and what they meant to those of us who care. Each Osthaus portrait of a gun dog went beyond even that, capturing the individual dog and making him exist after he is gone.” Along with Rossacau, perhaps not other American artist better portrayed the english setter. This major oil of seven pups is one of the artist’s greatest portraits.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, New York LITERATURE: Kay and George Evans, “Dogs that Live Forever,” Field & Stream, vol. LXXV, no. 2, June 1970, pp. 234-240.

$60,000 - $90,000

“One man called them ‘healthy wet-nosed dogs that hunt, wag, sympathize, and love.’”

— Kay and George Evans, Dogs That Live Forever

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42

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EDMUND HENRY OSTHAUS 1858-1928

43 Edmund Henry Osthaus (1858-1928)

Two Setters signed “Edmund Osthaus” lower right watercolor, 20 1/4 by 29 in.

Cowan Collection label on back

This classic hunting scene captures two alert, poised setters as their attention focuses on their quarry just outside the composition. Osthaus’ use of vibrant autumnal color in the trees in the background makes the white fur on this dynamic duo pop.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, New York

$25,000 - $35,000

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PERCIVAL ROSSEAU 1859-1937

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44 Percival Rosseau (1859-1937)

Point by the Pond, 1908 signed and dated “Rosseau 1908” lower right oil on canvas, 13 by 16 in.

Percival Rosseau was born near Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in 1859. Although considered a premier painter of sporting dogs, he did not pick up a paintbrush until the age of thirty-five.

After leaving an eclectic business career, including stints as a cowboy and a lumberjack, he sailed to Paris to attend the Académie Julian. His entry at the 1904 Paris Salon, a painting of a pair of Irish wolfhounds, gained him pivotal acclaim. He returned to the United States where he found a ready market for his work among wealthy sportsmen and received many commissions from first-rate breeders of pointers and setters.

Rosseau’s best works capture the tense action of hunting dogs and depict them in romantic landscapes.

cottage on the property for Rosseau to use when he traveled to the state, and the artist painted there throughout the 1920s and 1930s.

Among these patrons was Percy Rockefeller, nephew of oil tycoon John. D. Rockefeller and a successful businessman in his own right. Along with several investors, Rockefeller built Overhills, a private hunt and country club with stables and kennels in Cumberland County, North Carolina. He kept a

Rosseau’s debt to the Barbizon tradition is apparent in Point by the Pond with its softly defined brushstrokes, rich colors, and pastoral setting.

Dog historian A. F. Hochwalt writes, “Eventually such men as Samuel G. Allen, Harry D. Kirkover and others who own high class shooting dogs began to cultivate his acquaintance, for artists who can portray the pointer and the setter, as he really appears in the field, those who are able to transfer to canvas an actual hunting scene where the dog is not a mere caricature, are few and far between the world over, but particularly so here in America.”

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, New York

$18,000 - $24,000

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RICHARD E. BISHOP 1887-1975

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45 Richard E. Bishop (1887-1975) Pintails at Dusk signed “Richard E Bishop ©” lower left oil on board, 12 by 16 in.

A well-executed and bright painting depicting this highly prized waterfowl.

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$7,000 - $10,000

46 Richard E. Bishop (1887-1975)

Sunny Hill signed “Richard E Bishop” lower right oil on board, 12 by 16 in. inscribed “Pond at Sunny Hill Plantation, Fla.” by the artist on back

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EMILE A. GRUPPE 1896-1978

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47 Emile Albert Gruppe (1896-1978)

Unloading the Nets signed “Emile A. Gruppe” lower right oil on canvas, 30 by 36 in. signed and titled on back Rockport Art Association Exhibition, Rockport, MA label on back

Emile Albert Gruppe was born to an artistic family in Rochester, New York, in 1896. He spent much of his childhood on the coast of the Netherlands, where his father, Charles, was a painter and art dealer. Upon returning to the States in 1913 just prior to World War I, Gruppe pursued his art training full time. He studied in New York at the Art Students League, the National Academy of Design, and with individual artists, such as John F. Carlson (1874-1945).

Gruppe exhibited at the National Academy for the first time in 1915 at the age of nineteen. After seeing a depiction of the Gloucester, Massachusetts, harbor in a subsequent exhibition, the artist’s curiosity was piqued. In 1925 he made his first visit to the Cape Ann area, and by the 1940s he became linked with Rockport and set up the Gruppe Summer School, also known as the Gloucester School of Art on Rocky Neck.

Run with several other artists, including Carlson, this painting school was immensely popular and was held until the 1970s.

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Gruppe’s personable demeanor made him a favored teacher, and he wrote three books on painting later in his career: Gruppe on Painting, Gruppe on Color, and Brushwork for the Oil Painter. He was a member of the Salmagundi Club, the North Shore Art Association, and the Gloucester Society of Artists. Gruppe’s paintings can be found in private and public collections across the country, including the Ringling Museum in Sarasota, Florida, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Cape Ann Museum, Gloucester, Massachusetts, and the White House, among others. The popular artist died in East Gloucester, Massachusetts, in 1978.

Unloading the Nets is a strong, well-composed work depicting a harbor scene, one of the artist’s most sought-after subjects, with confident brushwork and painterly flair.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Massachusetts

$18,000 - $24,000

EMILE A. GRUPPE

1896-1978

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48 Emile Albert Gruppe (1896-1978) Hauling the Nets signed “Emile A. Gruppe” lower right oil on canvas, 30 by 36 in. signed and titled on back

Hauling the Nets reverses the bold composition seen in the artist’s famous work On Fish. It captures the physicality and vitality of commercial fishing, with vibrant brushstrokes conveying the hunched and strained bodies and the churning water full of fish.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Florida

$30,000 - $40,000

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CHET RENESON B. 1934

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49 Chet Reneson (b. 1934) Tarpon Fishing signed “Reneson” lower left acrylic on board, 21 by 35 in.

Chet Reneson graduated from the University of Hartford, Connecticut, in 1960. Reneson’s art teacher, Henrik Mayer, emphasized the importance of simplicity and taught the values of light, dark, and strong. This laid the foundation for Reneson’s unmistakable style. For the past fifty years, Reneson’s painting has remained true to his early mentor’s teaching, encompassing many subjects, including wildlife, duck hunting, upland bird shooting, big game fishing, fly fishing, and Bahamian scenes.

Reneson’s work has graced the covers of Sporting Classics, Gray’s Sporting Journal, and Sports Afield, among others. He is a past member of the Connecticut Watercolor Association and the Old Lyme Art Association. He was the Ducks Unlimited

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Artist of the Year in 1982, the Atlantic Salmon Federation Artist of the Year in 1982 and 2001, and the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust Artist of the Year in 2018. There are two books published on Reneson’s work, Shadow on the Flats and The Watercolors of Chet Reneson. $5,000 - $7,000

CHET RENESON

B. 1934

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50 Chet Reneson (b. 1934) Morning Hunt signed “Reneson” lower left acrylic on board, 21 by 35 in. $5,000 - $7,000

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51 Chet Reneson (b. 1934) Quail Country signed “Reneson” lower left acrylic on board, 21 by 35 in. $5,000 - $7,000

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WILLIE ROSS

1878-1954 | CHEBEAGUE ISLAND, ME

52 Eider Drake

Willie Ross (1878-1954) Chebeague Island, ME, c. 1910 18 in. long

An exceedingly rare, and possibly unique, Ross eider drake.

Though many Ross mergansers have surfaced over the decades, this is perhaps the only eider to have been offered at auction. The head is finished with intricate “flower petal” eyes.

A horseshoe weight is mounted on the underside.

This distinguished Maine carver lived on Chebeague Island, one of the largest of Casco Bay’s 200 islands. Excellent original paint with even gunning wear, a few tail chips, and a small chip under bill. $12,000 - $18,000

Lot 52 alongside a related Willie Ross merganser.

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THE ROSS EIDER DRAKE

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53 Herring Gull

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Maine 16 1/4 in. tall

A mid-20th century carving with a turned head and carved wing and tail detail. Made with laminated construction.

Original paint with even wear, replaced bill, touch-up to throat and to spot on top of wing tips.

54 Rocking-Head Black Duck

Augustus Aaron Wilson (1864-1950) South Portland, ME, c. 1900 19 1/2 in. long

54

A coastal Maine decoy with carved eyes, incised bill detail, raised wings, and an ingenious rocking head.

Original paint with gunning wear, including chip to right edge of tail, wear to bill tip, and tight cracks in neck.

Original imperfection to wood on left side.

LITERATURE: William J. Mackey Jr., American Bird Decoys, New York, NY, 1965, pl. 71, similar rocking-head bird illustrated.

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55 Scoter

Maine, c. 1900 20 in. long

A large sea duck decoy with a inletted head and the incised inscription “S+Z+Rice” on the underside with a backwards “Z.” Old working paint with moderate gunning wear and repair to bottom of bill.

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56 Early Swimming Goose

Joseph W. Lincoln (1859-1938) Accord, MA, c. 1890 27 in. long

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This Canada goose decoy displays Lincoln’s classic clean lines with a forward-reaching head in a swimming posture. Part of Lincoln’s genius was his reductionism, which enabled him to capture the essence of the species without overworking the pattern.

Mix of original and repaint with some added feathering taken down, and moderate gunning wear, including a tight crack in neck and dents along sides.

PROVENANCE: Cap Vinal Collection Private Collection LITERATURE: Cap Vinal, Joseph W. Lincoln, Rockland, MA, 2002, p. 40, exact decoy illustrated.

$3,000 - $5,000

57 Wood Duck

Joseph W. Lincoln (1859-1938) Accord, MA, c. 1920 15 in. long

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This rare Lincoln wood duck displays a sharp crown and a beautifully S-shaped carved head and breast.

The underside bears several inked collectors’ inscriptions and the Hunter collection tag. Only three or four Lincoln wood ducks are known to exist.

Restored by Ken DeLong.

PROVENANCE: Harry V. Long Rig William B. Ebring Jr. Collection Charles S. Hunter III Collection Private Collection

$3,000 - $5,000

58 Long-Tailed Drake c. 1950 11 1/2 in. long

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Cleon Crowell (1891–1961) painted this whimsical diver with his distinct plumage detail. The body is unlike other Crowell works and was likely made by an unknown carver. Excellent Cleon Crowell paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Arthur Gould Collection, Chatham, Massachusetts Private Collection, Virginia

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59 Merganser Hen

Allen P. Stuart (1865-1942) Edgartown, Martha’s Vineyard, MA, c. 1900 15 in. long

A sleek diver by this talented Vineyard carpenter and fisherman. Original paint with gunning wear, including loss to bill tip and minor tail chip. $1,500 - $2,500

60 Merganser Drake

Martha’s Vineyard, MA, c. 1900 16 in. long

A sleek merganser related to, or by, Allen Stuart of Edgartown.

Original paint with gunning wear, including shortened bill tip and several imperfections to wood.

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61 Merganser Hen

North Shore, MA, c. 1920 16 in. long

A merganser with a pronounced crest, incised tail detail, and glass eyes. Original paint with light wear and a replaced bill. $1,000 - $2,000

62 Swimming Eider

Nova Scotia, Canada, c. 1930 17 in. long

Original paint with moderate gunning wear and chip under the bill tip.

PROVENANCE: Donal C. O’Brien Jr. Collection John R. Wierdsma Collection

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63 Running Yellowlegs Massachusetts, c. 1880 12 in. long

A split-tail sandpiper with a thin reaching neck. In working paint with gunning wear and a replaced bill.

LITERATURE: Stephen O’Brien Jr. Fine Arts, 2003 Catalog, Boston, MA, 2003, fig. 41 and back cover, related example illustrated.

George Ross Starr Jr., M.D., Decoys of the Atlantic Flyway, Tulsa, OK, 1974, p. 79, fig. 30, related example illustrated.

64 Yellowlegs

Cape Cod, MA, c. 1890 10 1/2 in. long

A nice high-head yellowlegs with precise, clean lines. Original paint with moderate gunning wear and touch-up to reset neck.

65 Black-Bellied Plover Massachusetts, c. 1870 10 in. long

A featherlight hollow shorebird decoy. Original paint with working touch-up and moderate gunning wear. $2,000 - $4,000

66 Running Yellowlegs Massachusetts, c. 1910 12 1/2 in. long

A running yellowlegs with a split tail and a few shot marks as testament to its service in the line of fire. Mix of original and working paint with moderate gunning wear. $2,500 - $3,500

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“Stephen W. Ward (1895-1976) and his brother Lemuel Travis Ward (18961984) of Crisfield, Maryland were by far the most prominent Chesapeake Bay carvers of the twentieth 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 WARD BROTHERS

1896-1984 AND 1895-1976 | CRISFIELD, MD

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67 1936 Mallard Pair

The Ward Brothers Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976) Crisfield, MD, c. 1936 17 in. long

This is among the very finest pairs of Ward mallard decoys.

They begin with Steve’s celebrated and classic 1936 form with turned heads, high backs, and thin rounded tails. Lem’s paint is exceptional on both and the hen is especially noteworthy for its refined feather paint.

The underside of the drake is marked with a stamp under the tail reading “Hand Made, Distributed by, VL&A, Chicago, ILL.” This unrigged male also still retains its paper VL&A price tag reading “10.00 EA.” Von Lengerke & Antoinne was the prominent sporting goods retailer of Chicago which had been acquired by Abercrombie & Fitch by the time the Wards made decoys from them. Ron Gard points out in his book on the brothers “It is indeed a credit to the artistry of the Wards, that the prestigious department store, Von Lengerke and Antoine (VL&A), sold the Ward mallard and pintail decoys to hunters throughout the Mississippi Flyway. This area was home to some of the finest decoy makers in America.” Attesting to this drake decoy’s exceptional form and paint, it was preserved in its unrigged state as part of a lamp. The hen is signed and dated 1936 by Lem and Steve “with compliments to Ken Longfellow.”

Original paint with even gunning wear to the hen, including rub to right edge of bill tip. The drake has minimal wear and a hairline crack in bill has been cleanly reset, touch-up to back of neck seam and to one-inch spot on back and right side.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, acquired from RJG Antiques LITERATURE: Ronald J. Gard and Brian J. McGrath, The Ward Brothers’ Decoys: A Collector’s Guide, Plano, TX, 1989, pp. 83-86, related drakes illustrated and discussed.

$40,000 - $60,000

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68

GEORGE BROWNE 1918-1958

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68 George Browne (1918-1958) Mallards Gleaning the Stubble, 1951 signed “George Browne” lower left oil on canvas, 30 by 40 in.

Struck down at the age of forty in a tragic shooting accident, George Browne is known to have completed only a few hundred finished works in his lifetime. The thoughtful rendering of his sporting and wildlife scenes suggests a man full of talent and promise. Due to his untimely death, Browne left behind a limited and highly coveted body of work. Following in the footsteps of artists/sportsmen like Frank W. Benson (1862-1951), Carl Clemens Moritz Rungius (1869-1959), and Aiden Lassell Ripley (1896-1969), George Browne painted the waterfowl and upland game birds that he also hunted. Browne is known for his deft handling of paint and his incredible attention to detail.

This painting was one of the artist’s most important works in 1951 when it was exhibited at the Grand Central Art Gallery and was one of his most expensive works ever with a sale price of $700.

LITERATURE: John T. Ordeman and Michael M. Schreiber, George &

Belmore Browne: Artists of the North American Wilderness, 2004, p.

CVI, pl. 21, illustrated.

EXHIBITED: Grand Central Art Gallery, New York, 1951.

$30,000 - $50,000

Mallards Gleaning the Stubble is among Browne’s very best waterfowl scenes, a masterwork filled with action and light.

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THE WARD BROTHERS

1896-1984 AND 1895-1976 | CRISFIELD, MD

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69 1936 Canvasback Hen

The Ward Brothers Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976) Crisfield, MD, 1936 16 in. long

Finding Ward hens in good condition from this era is incredibly difficult. This Ward 1936 canvasback is an American bird decoy classic. The full body, with a humped back and superb surface, places it among the best Ward hen canvasbacks known.

The underside bears both of the Ward brothers’ signatures, Lem’s inked inscription “1936 L. T. Ward - Bro.,” and William H. Purnell’s “P” brand. Bill Purnell is a highly-respected Southern decoy collector, with many of the top decoys from Virginia and Maryland having passed through his hands. Original paint with gunning wear, some minor touch-up to original reset bill, some possible touch-up to neck putty, repair to chip on left edge of tail, and a crack along underside.

PROVENANCE: William H. Purnell Jr. Collection Private Collection LITERATURE: Copley Fine Art Auctions, The Donal C. O’Brien Jr. Collection of Important American Sporting Art and Decoys, Sessions I-II, July 27, 2017, p. 112, lot 40, related decoy illustrated.

Glenn Lawson, The Story of Lem Ward, West Chester, PA, 1984, p.

49, related decoy illustrated.

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

Ronald J. Gard and Brian J. McGrath, Ward Brothers’ Decoys: A Collector’s Guide, Wolf City, TX, 1989, pl. 15, related decoy illustrated.

Lemuel T. Ward Jr. and Paul Shertz, The Decoys of Lem and Steve Ward, printed by Phototype Engraving, Philadelphia, PA, 1978, related decoy illustrated.

$10,000 - $15,000

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THE WARD BROTHERS

1896-1984 AND 1895-1976 | CRISFIELD, MD

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70 Broadbill Pair

The Ward Brothers Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976) Crisfield, MD, c. 1935 15 1/2 in. long

A classic rigmate pair with large bodies that relate to their early hump-back model. Both decoys are signed and dated

by Lem and Steve Ward, have a conjoined “MK” brand, and Kramer Collection ink stamps on the bottom. This exact pair of decoys was selected by artist Paul Schertz for his painting of the Ward Brothers and their decoys. They are illustrated in the lower left corner of Schertz’s painting, which was reproduced and sold as a print. Original paint with even gunning wear, drake has remnants of working paint on head, bill, and breast.

LITERATURE: Ronald J. Gard and Brian J. McGrath, The Ward Brothers’ Decoys: A Collector’s Guide, Plano, TX, 1989, p. 46, pl. 38, similar decoys illustrated.

Paul W. Schertz, Ward Brothers print, 1978, exact decoys illustrated.

$12,000 - $16,000

PROVENANCE: Dr. Morton D. Kramer Collection Private Collection, Maryland Private Collection

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LEM T. WARD

1896-1984 | CRISFIELD, MD

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THE WATERFIELD WARD PREENING CANADA GOOSE

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71 The Waterfield Ward Preening Canada Goose Lemuel T. Ward (1896-1984) Crisfield, MD, 1968 20 1/2 in. long

LITERATURE: Glenn Lawson, The Story of Lem Ward, West Chester, PA, 1984, pp. 62-63, and back dust-jacket cover, related example illustrated.

$18,000 - $24,000

An exceptional preening goose made by Lem for his friend, legendary Cedar Point guide Amos Waterfield. While Waterfield made his career hunting over Ward decoys, today he is known for the carvings he collected, traded, and purchased directly from the Wards, including this special commission.

While Lem is known to have made numerous decorative Canada geese, few employed the fluidity of this preening extended-wing model with its fine feathering. The underside of the hollow body is signed, dated, and inscribed by Lem to Amos. Excellent original paint with minimal wear and very minor touch-up to small area on breast, one small area of shrinkage towards the tail.

PROVENANCE: Amos Waterfield Collection, acquired from the artist Vance Strausburg Collection

Amos Waterfield (right) with Luke Hopkins at Cedar Point. Photo Courtesy of C. John Sullivan.

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THE WARD BROTHERS

1896-1984 AND 1895-1976 | CRISFIELD, MD

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72 Bluebill Pair

The Ward Brothers Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976) Crisfield, MD, 1972 15 in. long

Each is signed and dated on the underside. Original paint with light wear and the hen has some craquelure around the endgrain.

73 Broadbill

The Ward Brothers Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976) Crisfield, MD, c. 1936 14 in. long

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A classic Ward form with a flared bill and paddle tail and a turned head. The underside of the carving is twice struck with a “CRH” brand. In working paint with moderate gunning wear, including a tight age line in neck. Some overprint has been taken down to original paint. $3,000 - $5,000

74 Mallard Hen

The Ward Brothers Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976) Crisfield, MD, c. 1948 17 in. long

A snuggle-head hen with the maker’s signature and date on the underside of the balsa body. Original paint with very heavy gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Cheryl Sterling Collection

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75 Miniature Wigeon Pair

The Ward Brothers Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976) Crisfield, MD, 1955 8 1/4 in. long

A turned-head pair signed and dated on their balsa undersides.

Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Cheryl Sterling Collection

76 Miniature Mallard Pair

The Ward Brothers Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976) Crisfield, MD, 1963 10 in. long

A raised-wing pair, signed and dated on the bottoms alongside a Ward Bros “Best Grade Miniature” ink stamp. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Cheryl Sterling Collection

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THE WARD BROTHERS

1896-1984 AND 1895-1976 | CRISFIELD, MD

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77 Miniature Bluebill Pair

The Ward Brothers Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976) Crisfield, MD, 1948 7 in. long

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A miniature pair of bluebill carvings with balsa bodies and slightly turned heads. The bottoms of both carvings bear the inked inscription “Lesser Scaup L.T. Ward Bro. - 1948 -” and Lem’s signature. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Cheryl Sterling Collection

78 Miniature Gadwall Pair

The Ward Brothers Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976) Crisfield, MD, c. 1950 7 1/2 in. long

A rare turned-head pair with hump-backed balsa bodies.

Signed and dated by Lem on the bottom. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Cheryl Sterling Collection

79 Miniature Canada Goose

The Ward Brothers Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976) Crisfield, MD, c. 1950 11 1/2 in. long

A turned-head balsa gander, signed and dated by Lem on the bottom. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Cheryl Sterling Collection

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80 Kestrel

81 Decorative Wood Duck Drake

A highly refined decorative kestrel with the maker’s signature and date on the underside of the base. It is also numbered “0192” and dedicated “For Pete Pasky thanks for the ‘push.’” Excellent original paint with minimal wear.

An early and highly decorative turned-head drake with ornate carved feather detail, raised crossed wing tips, fine paint, and the maker’s signature and date signed in ink on the bottom.

Original paint with minimal wear.

Floyd Scholz (b. 1958) Hancock, VT, 1989 14 1/2 in. tall

PROVENANCE: Pete Pasky Collection, acquired from the artist Private Collection, by descent from the above LITERATURE: Floyd Scholz, Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art website, Salisbury, MD.

Steve Weaver (b. 1950) Sandwich, MA, 1988 13 1/2 in. long

82 Bobwhite Quail

Ben Heinemann (b. 1954) Durham, NC, c. 2005 9 in. long base

A well-executed bobwhite hen carving nestled on a beveled-edge oval base with the maker’s signature on the underside. Original paint with minimal wear.

“Scholz is a five-time U.S. National Champion and the 2005 World Master’s Best in Show Champion. Scholz’s work has been included in the prestigious Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum Birds in Art exhibition and has been featured in many publications including Smithsonian Studies in American Art and People Magazine, where he was heralded as ‘one of the world’s true Renaissance men.’ One of his dear friends and collectors Elizabeth Taylor once summed it up perfectly when she said, ‘Floyd, you really soar with your eagles!’”

— The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art 76

THE MACKEY-HAERTEL HOODED MERGANSER PAIR

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83 The Mackey-Haertel Hooded Merganser Pair Harold Haertel (1904-1995) Dundee, IL, 1963 13 in. long

These two decoys were gifted with the inscription on the bottom: “To Bill Mackey from Harold Haertel, 1963.” This forward-preening hen and a slightly turned-head drake represent two of the most important Haertel decoys to ever come on the market.

In his pioneer decoy collecting book, Mackey writes in his last chapter, “The unsung folk art of decoy making has survived with all its traditions and has passed into a fresh phase in the work of eminent contemporary carvers as Lloyd Johnson and Harold Haertel of Dundee, IL...” In the same volume, he includes a Haertel carving, the only contemporary bird in the book. In its caption, he writes, “Proud owners of his work float them on mantles, and wildfowl never see them.” The accolades continue in Quintina Colio’s American Decoys, dedicated to Mackey. Excellent original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: William J. Mackey Jr. Collection Private Collection, Massachusetts Private Collection, Florida

LITERATURE: Richard A. Bourne Co. Inc., Collection of the Late William J. Mackey Jr., Hyannis, MA, July 10, 1974, lot 585, exact decoys illustrated.

Copley Fine Art Auctions, The Winter Sale 2012, New York, NY, January 16, 2012, lot 142, exact decoys illustrated.

William J. Mackey Jr., American Bird Decoys, New York, NY, 1965, pp. 193 and 248, Haertel discussed.

$6,000 - $9,000

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ROBERT G. KERR

B. 1935 | SMITH FALLS, ONTARIO, CANADA

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84 Miniature Wood Duck

Robert G. Kerr (b. 1935) Smith Falls, Ontario, Canada, c. 1960 6 in. long

A miniature wood duck with an underside bearing the inked signature of this renowned contemporary competition carver.

Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Sportsman’s Edge Gallery Donal C. O’Brien Jr. Collection John R. Wierdsma Collection, acquired from the above

85 Presentation Swimming Mallard Robert G. Kerr (b. 1935) Smith Falls, Ontario, Canada, 1971 19 in. long

A mallard drake displaying carved bill detail, raised wings, and fine comb-feather paint. Along with the maker’s brand, a signed dedication reads, “Made for Bud Keller July 1971” on the bottom of the carving. Original paint with minimal wear.

86 Miniature Teal Pair and Pintail Pair Robert G. Kerr (b. 1935) Smith Falls, Ontario, Canada pintail drake is 8 in. long

Four miniatures signed by the maker on the undersides. The teal are dated 1978 and the pintails are dated 2006. Original paint with minimal wear, drake has slight neck seam separation.

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87 Presentation Black Duck

Robert G. Kerr (b. 1935) Smith Falls, Ontario, Canada, 1971 17 in. long

A black duck displaying carved bill detail, raised wings, and a signed inscription by the maker which reads, “Painted at the 1971 Decoy contest Salisbury Md. for Mr. Bob Meyer” on the bottom. Original paint with minimal wear.

88 Miniature Mourning Dove Pair

Brig. Gen. Chester deGavre (1908-1993) Onancock, VA, c. 1960 6 in. long, 7 1/4 in. tall

A pair of carved mourning doves perched on a branch that has been mounted into a beveled-edge wooden base. The underside bears the maker’s painted signature. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Frank Hyde Collection

89 Miniature Pintail Pair

Brig. Gen. Chester deGavre (1908-1993) Onancock, VA, c. 1960 7 in. long, 3 in. tall

A standing drake and a resting hen with a signature on the underside. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Frank Hyde Collection

BRIG. GEN. CHESTER DEGAVRE

1908-1993 | ONANCOCK, VA

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90 Miniature Mallard Pair

Brig. Gen. Chester deGavre (1908-1993) Onancock, VA, c. 1960 5 3/4 in. long, 2 1/4 in. tall

In addition to earning a Silver Star for bravery in the Korean War as a regimental commander, deGavre carved miniature decoratives, such as this mallard pair. Inscribed on the underside “Mallard Ducks by deGavre.” Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Frank Hyde Collection

91 Miniature Wood Duck Pair

Brig. Gen. Chester deGavre (1908-1993) Onancock, VA, c. 1960 5 1/2 in. long, 2 1/2 in. tall

Both wood ducks are mounted on a wooden base with the maker’s signature on the underside. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Frank Hyde Collection

A letter from the artist to the patron, Frank Hyde.

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BRIG. GEN. CHESTER DEGAVRE 1908-1993 | ONANCOCK, VA

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92 Miniature Black Duck Pair on Branch

95 Miniature Gadwall Pair

98 Miniature Hooded Merganser Pair

A standing drake and a resting hen signed on the bottom by the maker. Original paint with minimal wear.

A rare pair of decorative gadwall with raised wings and a painted inscription “Gadwall Ducks by deGavre” on the underside of the wooden base. Original paint with light wear.

A pair of decorative hooded mergansers with raised crests and the painted inscription on the underside of the base. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Frank Hyde Collection

PROVENANCE: Frank Hyde Collection

96 Miniature Canvasback Pair

99 Exceedingly Rare Miniature Loon

A pair of miniature canvasback signed and identified by the maker on the underside of the wooden base. Original paint with minimal wear.

An alert loon with carved bill and eye detail resting on a wooden base signed by the maker on the underside. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Frank Hyde Collection

PROVENANCE: Frank Hyde Collection

Brig. Gen. Chester deGavre (1908-1993) Onancock, VA, c. 1960 6 in. long, 2 1/2 in. tall

PROVENANCE: Frank Hyde Collection

Brig. Gen. Chester deGavre (1908-1993) Onancock, VA, c. 1960 7 in. long, 2 1/2 in. tall

Brig. Gen. Chester deGavre (1908-1993) Onancock, VA, c. 1960 6 1/2 in. long, 3 in. tall

93 Miniature Wigeon Pair

Brig. Gen. Chester deGavre (1908-1993) Onancock, VA, c. 1960 6 in. long, 2 1/2 in. tall

A standing drake and a resting hen signed on the bottom by the maker. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Frank Hyde Collection

94 Miniature Canada Goose Pair

Brig. Gen. Chester deGavre (1908-1993) Onancock, VA, c. 1960 6 in. long, 4 1/2 in. tall

A standing and resting pair signed on the bottom by the maker. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Frank Hyde Collection

Brig. Gen. Chester deGavre (1908-1993) Onancock, VA, c. 1960 6 3/4 in. long, 3 in. tall

97 Miniature Green-Winged Teal Pair Brig. Gen. Chester deGavre (1908-1993) Onancock, VA, c. 1960 5 in. long, 2 1/4 in. tall

A pair of miniature green-winged teal with raised wings and the inked inscription “GreenWinged Teal by deGavre” on the base’s underside. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Frank Hyde Collection

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Brig. Gen. Chester deGavre (1908-1993) Onancock, VA, c. 1960 5 in. long, 3 1/2 in. tall

BRIG. GEN. CHESTER DEGAVRE

1908-1993 | ONANCOCK, VA

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100 Three Miniature Bird Carvings

Brig. Gen. Chester deGavre (1908-1993) Onancock, VA, c. 1960 quail is 6 in. long, 3 1/4 in. tall

Three bases, each featuring different species, with the maker’s signature on the undersides. One is a resting ruddy duck with an upswept tail, another is a pair of bobwhite quail, and the third is a pair of goldeneye. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Frank Hyde Collection

101 Miniature Red-Breasted Goose

Brig. Gen. Chester deGavre (1908-1993) Onancock, VA, c. 1960 4 in. long, 2 1/4 in. tall

A decorative feeding red-breasted goose mounted on a base signed by the maker on the underside. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Frank Hyde Collection

102 Miniature Feeding Black Duck Pair Brig. Gen. Chester deGavre (1908-1993) Onancock, VA, c. 1960 4 1/2 in. long, 1 1/2 in. tall

A seemingly unique carving of two feeding black ducks. The carving is felted on the bottom and signed by the maker.

Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Frank Hyde Collection

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THE HUNTER STERLING WOOD DUCK DRAKE

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LLOYD AARON STERLING

1880-1964 | CRISFIELD, MD

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103 The Hunter Sterling Wood Duck Drake Lloyd Aaron Sterling (1880-1964) Crisfield, MD, c. 1925 15 in. long, 10 1/2 in. tall

This is among the earliest decorative wood duck carvings known to have surfaced. It was one of the top decoy lots of 1989 when it was sold as an early Lem Ward carving.

The carving features a grand crest and is fitted with early “peach basket” wing tips. It stands proudly upright on its original legs and feet, which have been fitted to a secure contemporary base.

This early Southern decorative appears to be unique and has resided in the distinguished wood duck collection of the late Charlie Hunter. One related and highly coveted standing black duck by the maker is held in the collection of Dick and Susan McIntyre. With virtually no known early Ward Brothers wood ducks known to exist, this stately carving reigns as a king among all Crisfield summer ducks. Original paint with moderate wear, including some flaking, a tight crack in neck, and some touchup to white.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Northeast Charlie S. Hunter III Collection Private Collection, Connecticut LITERATURE: “The 1989 Year In Review,” Decoy Magazine, p. 26, exact decoy illustrated and labeled as a Lem Ward.

Richard A. Bourne Co., Inc., American Decoys & Bird Carvings, Hyannis, MA, September 25, 1989, back cover and lot 242, exact decorative illustrated.

$40,000 - $60,000

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CHARLES HART

1862-1960 | GLOUCESTER, MA

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104 The Hunter Hart Wood Duck Charles Hart (1862-1960) Gloucester, MA, c. 1910 12 in. long

Charles S. Hunter III (1943-2001) was known for decades as a prominent Southern decoy collector with a penchant for wood ducks. This rare stick-up wood duck, showcasing Hart’s intricate carving, bears the imprint of Hunter’s collection tag on the underside. The bird has two stick-up leg holes and it includes a wooden base. The maker’s finest known summer duck, this life-size bird displays glass eyes, carved bill and wing detail, and carved primary and tail feather detail. Special attention

105

was paid to this drake’s signature crest which Hart fashioned with elaborate three-piece inlay construction.

The bird has two stick-up leg holes and it includes a wooden base.

A related Hart wood duck from the collection of legendary sporting artist, Ogden M. Pleissner (1905-1983) is now in the Shelburne Museum collection. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Charlie S. Hunter III Collection Private Collection LITERATURE: Kory W. Rogers, Birds of a Feather, Shelburne, VT, 2017, p. 105, related Pleissner Collection wood duck illustrated.

$8,000 - $12,000

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84

LOTHROP T. HOLMES

1824-1899 | KINGSTON, MA

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105 Penguin

Charles Hart (1862-1960) Gloucester, MA, c. 1920 5 1/4 in. tall

An emperor penguin mounted on a painted square base.

Original paint with light wear, one-third of bill tip is replaced, minute touch-up to hairline along breast.

106 Early Dowitcher

Lothrop T. Holmes (1824-1899) Kingston, MA, c. 1870 9 in. long

An exceedingly rare Holmes species, the body lines of this decoy resemble those of his famous ruddy turnstones; however, the head of this sandpiper is cocked back slightly in an alert position. Original paint with gunning wear, touch-up to reset neck, replaced eyes and bill.

PROVENANCE: Ronald Swanson Collection Private Collection, Florida LITERATURE: Ronald Swanson, “The Decoy as Folk Sculpture,” Cranbrook Academy of Art Exhibition Catalog, January 1987, p. 16, fig. 22 (2nd from left), exact decoy illustrated.

EXHIBITED: Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, The Decoy as Folk Sculpture,

Cranbrook Academy of Art, January 27–February 22, 1987. $7,000 - $10,000

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MARK S. MCNAIR B. 1950 | CRADDOCKVILLE, VA

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108 Miniature Wood Duck Mark S. McNair (b. 1950) Craddockville, VA, c. 2010 4 in. long

A rare miniature wood duck decoy, complete with miniature weight and leather anchor tie loop, signed by the maker with an incised “McNair” on the underside. Original paint with minimal wear.

109 Miniature Dudley-Style Canvasback 107 Miniature Great Horned Owl Mark S. McNair (b. 1950) Craddockville, VA, 2020 5 1/2 in. tall

This entire miniature owl work is carved from a single piece of wood, from the top of the “ears” to the bottom of the base.

Two-tone glass eyes are inserted. The carving is finished with McNair’s signature painted feathering and warm surface. The carving is signed and dated by the maker on the backside of the base, “McNair 2020 AD.” Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, acquired from the artist

Mark S. McNair (b. 1950) Craddockville, VA, c. 2010 4 in. long

A miniature Back-Bay decoy signed in ink and with an incised “M” on the underside. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Donald Kirson Collection

110 Eider with Mussel

Mark S. McNair (b. 1950) Craddockville, VA, c. 1990 22 in. long

A grand hollow eider decoy with an uplifted head and a mussel in its mouth. This sea duck’s inletted head displays carved eye and bill detail. The body and head are held in with wooden pegs. It is rigged with a pad weight and a leather thong. The underside is signed with an incised “McNAIR.” Original paint with wear.

86

MARK S. MCNAIR B. 1950 | CRADDOCKVILLE, VA

111

111 Canada Goose

Mark S. McNair (b. 1950) Craddockville, VA, 1983 28 1/2 in. long

This grand carving’s spokeshave finish, elegant paint, and hollow construction place this among the maker’s finest goose decoys. The underside bears an incised “M S McNAIR,” a penciled remark “Island Neck, Craddockville, Virginia, 1983,” and the maker’s signature. Original paint with light wear and hairline crack in neck. $5,000 - $8,000

87

MARK S. MCNAIR B. 1950 | CRADDOCKVILLE, VA

112

114

113

115

112 Black-Bellied Plover

114 Running Curlew

A Leeds-style black-bellied plover with carved wings and the maker’s incised “McNAIR” signature on the bottom. Original paint with light wear.

An early shorebird with the maker’s incised “McNAIR” signature on the bottom. Original paint with light wear.

113 Shoulder-Preening Shorebird

LITERATURE: Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., Shore Bird Decoys, Exton, PA, 1980, p. 107, related decoy illustrated.

Mark S. McNair (b. 1950) Craddockville, VA, c. 1990 10 1/2 in. long

Mark S. McNair (b. 1950) Craddockville, VA, c. 1975 9 1/2 in. long

An exceedingly rare, if not unique, early preening decoy with its bill tucked under a raised wing. Signed with an incised “MSM” on the underside. Original paint with light wear and some craquelure to end grain.

PROVENANCE: Donald Kirson Collection LITERATURE: Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., Shore Bird Decoys, Exton, PA, 1980, pp. 107 and 135, related preener illustrated.

$2,000 - $3,000

88

Mark S. McNair (b. 1950) Craddockville, VA, c. 1980 18 in. long

PROVENANCE: Donald Kirson Collection

115 Dropped-Wing Dowitcher Mark S. McNair (b. 1950) Craddockville, VA, c. 1980 10 1/4 in. long

An early long billed dowitcher with a small stamped “M” signature under the tail. Original paint with light wear.

WILLIAM GIBIAN

B. 1946 | ONANCOCK, VA

116 Tricolored Heron

William Gibian (b. 1946) Onancock, VA, c. 1995 25 in. tall, 23 in. long

116

A grand decorative Louisiana heron, with carved and painted detail, made for an important patron. The bird is mounted on an elaborate hand-carved base with clamshells.

An incised signature is on the underside of the bird. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, acquired from the

artist

117 Snowy Egret

William Gibian (b. 1946) Onancock, VA, c. 1995 16 1/2 in. tall, 18 in. long

117

A wading snowy egret with fine crest detail, a dropped tail, and the maker’s incised signature on the underside. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, acquired from

the artist

89

118

118 Hudsonian Godwit William Gibian (b. 1946) Onancock, VA, 2021 15 in. long

An elaborately carved and painted shorebird with an incised signature on the bottom. Original paint with light wear.

119

119 Pintail Drake

William Gibian (b. 1946) Onancock, VA, 2000 17 1/2 in. long

A hollow and refined pintail drake decoy with incised primary feather detail. The carving displays scratch-comb paint detail and is signed by the maker with an incised “GIBIAN” and a business card dated “12/00” affixed to the bottom. Original paint with light gunning wear.

120

120 Calling Bobwhite Quail Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 2020 8 in. tall

A calling quail carving with incised tail feather detail. Signed with the maker’s ink stamp and incised “F” on the bottom of the base. Original paint with minimal wear.

90

FRANK S. FINNEY

B. 1947 | CAPEVILLE, VA

121

121 Passenger Pigeon Pair Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 2000 9 1/2 in. tall, 39 in. long

A refined pair of grand passenger pigeons carved in memorial to this now-extinct species. This rare duo is among the maker’s finest presentations. One carving displays a calling bird with an arched back and spread wings, while the other has a slightly

turned head and raised wings. The underside bears the maker’s stylized “F” signature. Original paint with light wear. $6,000 - $9,000

122

122 Preening Woodcock Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 1990 9 in. tall

A dramatically turned-head standing game bird carving featuring the maker’s best carved and painted detail. Signed with his incised “F” on the side of the base. Original paint with minimal wear. $3,000 - $5,000

91

FRANK S. FINNEY B. 1947 | CAPEVILLE, VA

123

125

124

126

123 Life-Size Canvasback Drake

125 Red Knot

A standing raised-wing canvasback signed on the topside of the base. Original paint with light wear.

A decorative robin snipe with carved feather detail and the maker’s incised “F” on the top and bottom of the base. Original paint with light wear.

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 2015 15 in. tall

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 2010 9 1/2 in. long

124 Surf Scoter with Scallop Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 1990 19 in. long

A large and hollow, scallop-eating sea duck displaying pronounced carving detail. The underside bears a leather thong and an incised owner marking “FF 2.” Original paint with light wear and a perfectly reset neck crack, possibly done by the maker.

92

126 Green-Winged Teal Pair Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 1990 11 in. long

A pair of hollow green-winged teal exhibiting raised and incised wing detail. The undersides of both bear the carver’s stylized incised signature. Original paint with minimal wear.

FRANK S. FINNEY

B. 1947 | CAPEVILLE, VA

127

130

128

131

129

132

127 Miniature Calling Goose

130 Miniature Calling Mallard

The underside is signed and stamped by the maker. Original paint with light wear.

The underside is signed and stamped by the maker. Original paint with light wear.

128 Miniature Canvasback Drake

131 Miniature Black Duck

Incised with the maker’s last name on the edge of the base.

Original paint with minor wear.

Signed by the maker on the edge of the base. Original paint with minor wear.

129 Miniature Redhead

132 Miniature Preening Eider

This carving features raised wing tips and an incised “F” and maker’s stamp on the underside of the painted base. Original paint with minimal wear.

A preening eider carving with raised wing tips. Signed with the maker’s stamp and incised “F” on the bottom of the base.

Original paint with minimal wear.

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 2020 7 in. tall

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 1990 6 1/2 in. long

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 2020 4 1/2 in. long

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 2020 5 1/4 in. tall

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 1990 6 in. long

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 2020 4 in. tall

93

MARTY HANSON B. 1965 | PRIOR LAKE, MN

133

134

133

135

133 Packable Curlew

Marty Hanson (b. 1965) Prior Lake, MN, c. 2000 19 in. long

136

A grand shorebird with ingenious construction and ‘MH” incised on the underside of the tail and inside the body. The head and body can be detached and stored in the body, which can be pulled in two along its vertical seam. It also exhibits fine blended paint detail. Original paint with light wear.

134 Black Brant

Marty Hanson (b. 1965) Prior Lake, MN, c. 2000 17 in. long

A hollow, high-head brant with the maker’s incised “MH” signature on the bottom. In original paint with light wear.

135 Miniature Flying Black Duck Plaque Marty Hanson (b. 1965) Prior Lake, MN, c. 2000 plaque is 5 1/2 in. tall, 12 in. long

A half-body carving with a full head. The plaque includes the maker’s white ink stamp signature and wall-mounting hardware on the backside. Original paint with minimal wear and back edge of primary tips has been reset.

94

136 Miniature Flying Pintail Plaque Marty Hanson (b. 1965) Prior Lake, MN, c. 2000 plaque is 5 1/2 in. tall, 14 in. long

A half-body carving with a full head. The plaque includes the maker’s white ink stamp signature and wall-mounting hardware on the backside. Original paint with light wear.

HOMER LAWRENCE

1889-1968 | NORWALK, CT

137 Standing Hooded Merganser Homer Lawrence (1889-1968) Norwalk, CT, c. 1950 13 1/2 in. tall, 14 in. long

137

A standing hooded merganser with carved raised wing tips and incised crest and nostril detail. Original paint with even wear and touch-up to tight reset neck crack.

138

138 Standing Ruddy Duck

Homer Lawrence (1889-1968) Norwalk, CT, c. 1950 12 in. tall, 13 in. long

An alert standing ruddy with incised wing tips and nostril detail. Original paint with even wear.

95

WILLIAM J. KOELPIN 1938-1996

139

139 William J. Koelpin (1938-1996)

Storm Warning, 1990 signed and dated “Wm. J. Koelpin © 90” on base bronze, 27 by 12 by 11 1/2 in. titled and numbered on base edition 7 of 24

William Koelpin was an avid hunter and fisherman from Wisconsin. He went on to become a celebrated sporting artist who excelled in a number of mediums, including bronze, paint, and wood. Throughout his career, Koelpin displayed his passion for the outdoors through his accurate and detailed works.

His first sold-out exhibit was at the Midwest Decoy Collectors Annual Show in the mid-1970s.

Koelpin enjoyed many honors in his time, including the “Best in World” Award from the Ward Museum in Salisbury, Maryland.

He was also named “One of America’s Premier Artists” by the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum in Wausau, Wisconsin.

Since its creation, Storm Warning has been coveted by collectors, becoming one the most iconic waterfowling bronzes of all time.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Wisconsin

$8,000 - $10,000 96

MILTON C. WEILER 1910-1974

140

140 Milton C. Weiler (1910-1974) Pick Up Time, Barnegat Bay, 1969 signed “M C Weiler” lower right watercolor, 19 by 26 3/4 in.

This work was published as a popular limited-edition print by the Winchester Press, making it Weiler’s most celebrated work.

As a conservationist and an outdoorsman, Milton C. Weiler lived the life he painted, and his watercolors have authenticity as a result.

According to John T. Ordeman and Bud Weiler, “Milt Weiler was a watercolorist who could recreate in his paintings the look and feel of a winter waterfowl marsh, autumn upland bird cover, a spring trout stream and a summer salmon river in the manner of the tradition established by the artist whose works had inspired him, Winslow Homer. Weiler was also a carver of decoys, ducks of such sculptural beauty that they won him top awards in the most prestigious working decoy and decorative bird carving competitions...Weiler created covers and illustrations for many sporting magazines, and he earned accolades

as an illustrator of volumes by many of the foremost authors of sporting books - Eugene Connett...among them.”

Nelson Bryant of The New York Times, comments, “Weiler was considered one of the most accomplished painters of hunting and fishing scenes in the country, and he was also an expert carver of decoys.”

PROVENANCE: Charles S. Hunter, III, acquired from Stephen O’Brien, Jr. Fine Arts, 1999 Private Collection, New York LITERATURE: John T. Ordeman & M. C. ‘Bud’ Weiler Jr., The Art of Milton C. Weiler: A Sportsman’s World, Sugar Hill, NH, 2001, pp.

60-61, illustrated.

$14,000 - $18,000

97

141

141 Allan Brooks (Canadian, 1869-1946)

Mallards signed “Allan Brooks” lower right watercolor, 11 3/4 by 18 1/2 in.

The Sporting Gallery and Bookshop, Inc., New York label on back

Allan Cyril Brooks was born in 1869 in India, educated as a boy in England, and moved to Canada in 1881 where his father had become a farmer, eventually settling in British Columbia. He started out as a specimen hunter and collector for museums; however, after being encouraged to pursue his art by William Brewster, he became the Canadian contemporary to Louis Agassiz Fuertes. Due to his accurate shot, Brooks served as a sniper in World

War I, achieved the rank of Major, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for conspicuous gallantry.

His ornithological art appears in John C. Phillips’ The Natural History of Ducks and Forbush’s Birds of Massachusetts, among many other publications.

PROVENANCE: Eddie Woodin Collection

$2,000 - $4,000 142

142 Francis Lee Jaques (1887-1969) Teal Pair in Flight signed “FLJ” lower right oil on board, 17 by 13 in.

Francis Lee Jaques was born on September 28, 1887, in Geneseo, Illinois. As a boy, he loved duck hunting, and spent many hours hunting with his father. When Jaques was twelve his family moved to Kansas to farm corn. This background in agriculture and hunting taught him a great deal about birds which he translated into the stunning realism he was able to capture on canvas. $5,000 - $7,000

98

143 David A. Maass (b. 1929)

143

Canada Geese signed “Maass” lower right oil on board, 23 1/2 by 33 in.

Minneapolis Institute of Arts label on the back $3,000 - $5,000

144 Harry Ross (20th century)

144

Flying Canada Geese signed “Harry Ross” lower right oil on canvasboard, 22 by 27 3/4 in.

145

145 Chet Reneson (b. 1934)

Coot Shooting in Connecticut signed and titled “Coot Shooting in Conn. Chet Reneson” lower left watercolor, 17 1/2 by 25 1/4 in.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Connecticut

146

147

146 Noel Dunn (b. 1939)

Canvasback Hunting signed “Noel Dunn” lower right watercolor, 20 3/4 by 30 in.

147 Daniel Loge (b. 1954)

Bluebill Hunting signed “Daniel Loge” lower left oil on canvas, 36 by 24 in. $2,000 - $3,000

99

The William C. McMaster M.D. Collection Lots 148-201 Copley is honored to present selections from the

captain in the Medical Service of the U.S. Air Force

McMaster Collection which has been passionate-

and later as president of the Western Orthopedic

ly curated over a span of more than thirty years.

Association.

McMaster was introduced to Harold Corbin of Three Ravens Antiques in Salisbury, Connecticut. Corbin

Throughout his life, he has remained an ardent

became an early mentor, introducing him to the

hunter, fly fisherman, and collector. His art

world of shorebird, waterfowl, and fish decoys.

collection contains exceptional original works by

After he attended Yale, McMaster embarked on a

many of the all-time great sporting artists, including

distinguished medical career, including serving as

Benson, Osthaus, Ripley, and Pleissner.

Lot 195 (detail)

100

OGDEN M. PLEISSNER

1905-1983

148

148 Ogden M. Pleissner (1905-1983)

Riverman signed “Pleissner” lower left oil on board, 9 1/4 by 12 in. signed and titled on Salmagundi Club, New York, Thumb-Box Exhibition label on back

Ogden Minton Pleissner was born in Brooklyn, New York, and studied figure painting and portraiture with Frank DuMond (1865-1951) and Frederick J. Boston (1855-1932) at the Art Students League of New York. Despite growing up in the city, Pleissner was attracted to the outdoors and, as a teen, he visited dude ranches in Wyoming, where he sketched from life. Pleissner wanted to be classified primarily as a landscape painter, who also loved to hunt and fish. His subjects range from the landscapes of Europe to salmon fishing in Quebec, and his style is informed by the classical traditions. In 1932 one of Pleissner’s paintings was purchased by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, making him the youngest artist in their collection. Throughout the 1930s and 40s, as a member of the Salmagundi Club, Pleissner frequently won club prizes in the annual shows and gained special note from Howard Devree, art critic for The New York Times. Pleissner’s art is included in more than thirty public collections, including the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Philadelphia Museum of Art,

the Brooklyn Museum, and the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, and hangs in the offices of the Pentagon, West Point, and the Air Force Academy.

Peter Bergh writes, “One can always sense, in Pleissner’s sporting pictures, that he is painting the things he likes to look at in the places he likes to be...his ability to depict the sporting scene and to capture the essence of being outdoors is striking.

This ability contributed a great deal to the quality and interest of his landscapes and certainly furthered his professional career.”

Bill McMaster collected two of Pleissner’s very best small oils.

The artist created very few of these finished works in the oil medium. Though small in size, The Riverman is bold in stature.

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D. Collection

$20,000 - $30,000

101

EDMUND HENRY OSTHAUS 1858-1928

149

149 Edmund Henry Osthaus (1858-1928) Two Setters signed “Edm. H. Osthaus” lower right watercolor, 8 by 14 3/4 in.

Adorned in its period frame, this accomplished small work reveals Osthaus’ mastery of watercolor.

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D. Collection

$10,000 - $15,000

102

AIDEN LASSELL RIPLEY

1896-1969

150

150 Aiden Lassell Ripley (1896-1969) Ladies First signed “A. Lassell Ripley” lower right watercolor, 13 1/4 by 19 in.

Born in Wakefield, Massachusetts, Aiden Lassell Ripley was the son of a Boston Symphony Orchestra musician. From an early age he excelled at music, but he soon discovered a deeper interest in painting. By his mid-teens, Ripley was committed to a career in art, commuting into Boston to take classes. After returning from service in World War I, he attended the Boston Museum School where he studied with the country’s top artists, including Philip Leslie Hale (1865-1934) and Frank W. Benson (1862-1951).

Ripley was awarded a Paige Traveling Fellowship to study in Europe. While abroad, he painted watercolors “en plein air” in North Africa, France, and Holland. Upon his return in 1925, he was elected to the prestigious Guild of Boston Artists. His work focused on the New England countryside as well as depictions of city life and railroad commuting scenes. The Great

Depression, however, limited the sales potential for these works. Following a successful one-man show of his sporting art in 1930, Ripley decided to change tack and specialize in hunting, fishing, and outdoor scenes as subjects.

Along with his contemporary Ogden Pleissner (1905-1983), Ripley exemplified the life of a successful sporting artist. Collectors of Ripley’s sporting art endorsed his numerous trips to the salmon rivers of New Brunswick and the quail plantations of Georgia, where the artist indulged his passion for hunting and fishing while recording material he would use in his art.

A rare early depiction of a female hunter taking aim at a flushing grouse.

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D. Collection

$14,000 - $18,000

103

BRETT JAMES SMITH B. 1958

151

151 Brett James Smith (b. 1958) Breezy Day Setters, 2003 signed “Brett Smith ©” lower right oil on canvas, 9 by 12 in.

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D.

Collection

$1,000 - $2,000

152 Brett James Smith (b. 1958) October Fields signed “Brett J Smith ©” lower right watercolor, 10 by 14 in.

152

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D.

Collection

$1,500 - $2,500

153

153 Brett James Smith (b. 1958)

Wary Bird signed “Brett J Smith” lower right oil on board, 8 1/2 by 11 1/2 in.

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D. Collection

$1,000 - $2,000

104

BRETT JAMES SMITH

B. 1958

154 Brett James Smith (b. 1958)

154

Gunners at Dawn signed “Brett J Smith” lower right oil on board, 11 1/2 by 13 1/2 in.

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D.

Collection

$2,000 - $4,000

155

155 Brett James Smith (b. 1958) Old Ford Bridge signed “Brett J Smith ©” lower right oil on board, 20 by 30 in.

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D.

Collection

$5,000 - $8,000

105

OGDEN M. PLEISSNER 1905-1983

156

156 Ogden M. Pleissner (1905-1983)

Angler and Guide: Kill Devil Run signed “Pleissner” lower right oil on board, 7 1/2 by 11 1/2 in. titled on back Hirschl & Adler Galleries, Inc., New York label on back

Pleissner packs a great deal into this small work. The fisherman and guide work in concert battling an Atlantic salmon in swift current.

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D. Collection

$18,000 - $24,000

106

OGDEN M. PLEISSNER

1905-1983

107

OGDEN M. PLEISSNER 1905-1983

157. 1

157. 2

157 Ogden M. Pleissner (1905-1983)

Complete Set of Eight Etchings each signed “Ogden M Pleissner” lower right etching, 10 by 15 in. (largest)

Pleissner produced eight intaglio prints between 1942 and 1944, at the suggestion of his friend and fellow artist Ernest Roth (1879-1964). He printed six of them in an edition size of sixty, but Riverman and The Aleutians had smaller runs of fifteen and thirteen, respectively.

This lot includes all eight of Pleissner’s coveted etchings, offering a rare, if not unique opportunity to acquire a complete set, which Peter Bergh describes as “a small but delightful body of work.”

Salmon Pool, 1942 edition of 60 inscribed “Selected for Robert Swan Jr” lower left The Aleutians, 1944 edition of 13 inscribed “Trial No 1” lower left The River Blind, 1944 edition of 60 Riverman, 1942 edition 15 of 15 numbered lower left

108

Passing Pintails, 1942 edition of 60 Salmon Guide, 1942 edition of 60 The River at Evening, 1942 edition of 60 Reflections, 1942 edition of 60 PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D. Collection LITERATURE: Peter Bergh, The Art of Ogden M. Pleissner, Boston, MA, 1984, p. 106, each illustrated; The River Blind inside front and back covers, illustrated.

$30,000 - $40,000

COMPLETE SET OF PLEISSNER ETCHINGS

157. 3

157. 4

157. 5

157. 6

157. 7

157. 8

109

FRANK W. BENSON 1862-1951

158

158 Frank W. Benson (1862-1951) Ink Wash and Etching

Setting Decoys signed “F. W. Benson” lower left ink wash, 8 1/4 by 12 in.

Setting Decoys, 1923 etching, 7 3/4 by 11 3/4 in. signed “Frank W Benson” lower left Paff #228, edition of 150

Several of Benson’s iconic etchings are known to have corresponding ink washes. This well-executed composition was completed in 1923; the same year Benson created the popular duck hunting print Setting Decoys.

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D. Collection

$12,000 - $18,000

110

158

OGDEN M. PLEISSNER

1905-1983

159

159 Ogden M. Pleissner (1905-1983) Salmon Fishing signed “Pleissner” lower right watercolor, 14 by 21 1/4 in.

In his monograph on Pleissner, Peter Bergh writes, “Great sporting artists are great artists who know the habits of wild creatures and have committed to memory every detail of habitat...[They] have experienced the thrill of an Atlantic salmon.”

Indeed, Pleissner recalled his New Brunswick salmon adventures, “I drove up there alone and I sketched around for a while...I had a tent and camping equipment so we got in a canoe and ran the whole length of the Restigouche and camped along the way...”

This watercolor shows boldly painted figures about to land an Atlantic salmon. Pleissner’s skill and technique at depicting shimmering, moving water is on full display, particularly in the reflections of the fishermen.

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D. Collection

$15,000 - $20,000

111

WILLIAM J. SCHALDACH 1896-1982

160

160 William J. Schaldach (1896-1982) Wood Duck signed “W.J. Schaldach” lower right oil on board, 14 by 9 3/4 in.

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D. Collection

$2,000 - $4,000

Lot 160, detail

112

RICHARD AMUNDSEN 1928-1997

161

162

161 Richard Amundsen (1928-1997)

162 Richard Amundsen (1928-1997)

Close Flush, 1976 signed and dated “Amundsen ‘76” lower right oil on board, 9 by 12 in. inscribed “Study for painting ‘Close Flush’ Richard Amundsen ‘76” on back

Hasty Retreat, 1976 signed and dated “Amundsen ‘76” lower right oil on board, 8 3/4 by 11 3/4 in. inscribed “Study for painting ‘Hasty Retreat” Richard Amundsen ‘76” on back

The scene depicts a yellow Lab and a flushing pheasant.

This scene depicts a yellow Lab and Canada geese.

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D. Collection

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D. Collection

$2,000 - $3,000

$2,000 - $3,000

113

MARGUERITE KIRMSE 1885-1954

163.1

164

163.2

163 Marguerite Kirmse (1885-1954)

164 Marguerite Kirmse (1885-1954)

Down South 5 1/4 by 8 1/4 in.

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D. Collection

Two Etchings each signed “Marguerite Kirmse” lower right each titled lower left

At Dusk 3 1/4 by 5 1/4 in.

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D. Collection

$300 - $500

114

Steady Now!, 1930 signed “Marguerite Kirmse” lower right etching, 9 1/4 by 6 3/4 in.

$400 - $600

NANTUCKET GOLDEN PLOVER

165 Golden Plover

Nantucket, MA, c. 1870 10 1/2 in. long

165

This plover was carved with subtle chines outlining the wings. Its paint is adeptly applied, with elaborate and precise plumage from head to tail using a negative-space technique to delineate the feathers. It was topped with tight gold speckling. The underside has side-by-side stick holes and the French Collection’s conjoined “JF” stamp. Original paint with even gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Joe French Collection William C. McMaster M.D. Collection

$2,000 - $3,000

166 Golden Plover

W. S. Morton (1809-1871) Rig Quincy and Nantucket, MA, c. 1865 9 1/2 in. long

166

The decoys carved by the Morton rig maker are readily identifiable with their distinct forms, most noticeably their sharp chines along their lower wing edges and the holes for wire legs on their undersides. This plover displays intricate “golden” feathering along its back and has five holes on the underside for multiple leg options. Original paint with old working paint on the belly and gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D. Collection

167 Golden Plover

Charles F. Coffin (1835-1919) Nantucket, MA, c. 1870 10 in. long

167

A two-piece-construction shorebird decoy with tack eyes and detailed painted surface, accurately illustrating why the golden plover was often called “greenback.” The carving also exhibits the carver’s signature rounded head and teardrop body. Original paint with light gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D. Collection

$2,000 - $3,000

115

LOTHROP TURNER HOLMES 1824-1899 | KINGSTON, MA

168 Black-Bellied Plover

Lothrop T. Holmes (1824-1899) Kingston, MA, c. 1860 10 3/4 in. long

Unlike many professional carvers who earned a living selling their decoys, Lothrop Holmes, of Kingston, Massachusetts, only carved decoys for his own rig, which he used along the marshes of the Jones River and Duxbury Bay. Lothrop Turner Holmes is one of the earliest documented shorebird makers from any region and is widely known to be one of the very top decoy makers of the 19th century.

This sophisticated decoy features everything that astute collectors look for in a Massachusetts shorebird decoy, including exceptional form, spectacular blended feather paint, split-tail carving, and stellar condition.

This plover and one other are believed to be the only known survivors from this important rig that features the maker’s tremendous wing and feather paint. Original paint with light gunning wear and a replaced bill.

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D. Collection LITERATURE: John M. Levinson and Somers G. Headley, Shorebirds: The Birds, The Hunters, The Decoys, Centreville, MD, 1991, p. 57, rigmate illustrated.

Gwladys Hopkins, Massachusetts Masterpieces, Lincoln, MA, 2016, pp. 13 and 44, related plover illustrated.

Milton C. Weiler and William J. Mackey Jr., Classic Shorebird Decoys: A Portfolio of Paintings, New York, NY, 1971, pl. 9, Holmes turnstone illustrated Copley Fine Art Auctions, The Winter Sale 2018, Charleston, SC, February 16, 2018, lot 211, rigmate illustrated.

$40,000 - $60,000

Detail lot 168.

116

Related turnstone illustrated in Weiler and Mackey’s Classic Shorebird Decoys folio.

168

117

NANTUCKET

169

169 Exceedingly Rare Running Golden Plover Nantucket, MA, c. 1880 11 1/2 in. long

A rare golden plover with a split tail and racy form, hailing from the golden plover hunting mecca of Nantucket. A number “2” is stamped behind the stick hole. Original paint with light gunning wear and a reset and half-replaced bill.

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D. Collection

$7,000 - $10,000

118

CAPT. WILLIAM J. WYER

1822-1870 | NANTUCKET, MA

170

170 Golden Plover Pair

Capt. William J. Wyer (1822-1913) Nantucket, MA, c. 1870 11 in. long

Capt. William J. Wyer is listed as a mariner in the 1855 U.S. Federal Census, though today he is remembered for his Nantucket golden plover decoy rig. Capt. Wyer is one of the few known makers from this important island celebrated for its legendary history of shorebird hunting. These two have splittail carving and rich breeding plumage. One is in an exceedingly rare running pose. Original paint with light gunning wear. One has a hairline crack along the bill.

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D. Collection

$5,000 - $8,000

119

171

172

171 Golden Plover

172 Yellowlegs

Joseph W. Lincoln (1859-1938) Accord, MA, c. 1900 9 1/2 in. long

Massachusetts, c. 1870 10 in. long

A rare Lincoln golden plover in breeding plumage. Fleckenstein included this example in his 1980 treatise, Shore Bird Decoys.

Original paint with even gunning wear and a reset bill.

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D. Collection

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D. Collection LITERATURE: Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., Shore Bird Decoys,

1980, p. 44, pl. 46, exact decoy illustrated. $1,500 - $2,500

120

An elegant and early yellowlegs with a cut-nail bill and a refined ridged back. Original paint with even gunning wear, chips to tail tip, varnish drip on breast, and touch-up to reset neck.

$3,500 - $4,500 Exton, PA,

173

175

174

176

173 Black-Bellied Plover

175 Black-Bellied Plover

A plump bird with fine square “beetle head” form and deeply carved S-curve wings. This Verity shorebird bears an incised “A” or “V” on the underside. Old working Verity paint with gunning wear, including flaking and a coat of wax.

An alert plover with strong stippling. Original paint with even gunning wear.

Obediah Verity (1813-1901) Seaford, Long Island, NY, c. 1870 10 1/2 in. long

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D. Collection

$1,000 - $2,000

174 Willet

Virginia, c. 1900 13 in. long

Four rigmates of this rare form were selected by Adele Earnest for her The Art of the Decoy book. Old paint with heavy gunning wear, loss to wing and tail tips. Replaced bill has been reset.

Verity Family Seaford, Long Island, NY, c. 1890 10 in. long

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D. Collection

176 Reaching Plover

Frank Kellum (1858-1940) Babylon, Long Island, NY, c. 1900 13 1/4 in. long

A large reaching decoy with tight feathering. Old paint with moderate gunning wear and some age lines, bill appears to be a replacement.

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D. Collection

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D. Collection LITERATURE: Adele Earnest, The Art of The Decoy: American Bird Carvings, New York, NY, 1965, p. 58, rigmates illustrated.

Richard A. Bourne Co. Inc., Very Rare and Important American Bird Decoys, from the Collection of the late William J. Mackey, Jr. of Belford, New Jersey, Hyannis, MA, Session V-VI, July 9-10, 1974, lot 180, rigmate illustrated.

121

177

179

178

180

177 Curlew

179 Yellowlegs

A curlew with an inserted and splined bill. This bird exhibits impromptu craftsmanship. A tight marlin wrapping is in a notched groove at the base of the bill. Capt. Barkalow was a bayman who later in his life became a yachtsman offering sporting excursions. Original paint with gunning wear, chip to lower left corner of bill.

This is a fine example by the maker with strong paint and an iron bill. Original paint with even gunning wear, some expanded rust at base of bill.

Capt. Joel W. Barkalow (1853-1931) Forked River, NJ, c. 1890 13 in. long

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D. Collection

Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924) Detroit, MI, c. 1910 13 1/4 in. long

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D. Collection LITERATURE: Russ J. Goldberger and Alan Haid, Mason Decoys: A Pictorial Guide, Lewes, DE, 1993, pp. 102-103, similar decoys illustrated.

$1,500 - $2,500

180 Yellowlegs 178 Yellowlegs Long Island, NY 13 in. long

This Long Island shorebird decoy exhibits raised and split wings, reminiscent of Bunn carvings. Original paint with moderate wear, a chipped left wing tip, some fill and touch-up to top of head, and a replaced bill.

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D. Collection

$1,500 - $2,500

122

J. N. Dodge Factory (1883-1893) Detroit, MI, c. 1890 12 in. long

A yellowlegs with an iron bill and strong paint. Original paint with light gunning wear and spot of discoloration on left side of breast.

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D. Collection

$2,000 - $4,000

LEVI RHODES TRUEX 1860-1934 | ATLANTIC CITY, NJ

181 Ruddy Turnstone

Levi Rhodes Truex (1860-1934) Atlantic City, NJ, c. 1910 11 in. long

181

While many examples of shorebirds exist by this wellknown New Jersey maker, the ruddy turnstone represents an exceedingly rare species for Truex. To wit, James Doherty’s comprehensive classic New Jersey Decoys book illustrates curlew, plover, and yellowlegs, but no turnstones. Additionally, decoy historians and authors Fleckenstein and Headley/ Somers feature Truex birds in their respective books, but nary a turnstone can be found. Eventually, a deep dive into Gosner’s book revealed one related example. This tremendously rare carving displays the maker’s best work. Original paint with light gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D. Collection LITERATURE: James R. Doherty, Classic New Jersey Decoys, Louisville, KY, 2011, p. 174, no turnstones illustrated.

Kenneth L. Gosner, Working Decoys of the Jersey Coast and Delaware Valley, Cranbury, NJ, 1985, p.166, related example illustrated.

$5,000 - $8,000

182

182 Yellowlegs

Levi Rhodes Truex (1860-1934) Atlantic City, NJ, c. 1900 10 in. long

A yellowlegs displaying glass-bead eyes and a through-splined bill by this well-known New Jersey maker. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D. Collection

123

183

183 The Mackey Somers Point Plover Somers Point, NJ, c. 1900 13 in. long

An exceedingly rare black-bellied plover in winter plumage in a grand reaching posture. The carving displays mottled paint, a through-splined bill, raised wings with defined primaries, deeply incised eye treatment, and a sharp ridge down the back.

The underside bears the Mackey Collection ink stamp and a Mackey inscription.

Original paint with even gunning wear and original grain marks in wood along sides and on bottom.

PROVENANCE: William J. Mackey Jr. Collection William C. McMaster M.D. Collection

$5,000 - $8,000

124

184 Rare Plover

Dr. Gilbert E. Wallace (1873-1916) Forked River, NJ, c. 1890 11 1/4 in. long

184

This distinct carving represents what may be the first plover by the maker to have surfaced. Original paint with even gunning wear and a spot of minor touch-up to top of bill, head, and near stick hole.

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D. Collection LITERATURE: Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., New Jersey Decoys, Exton, PA, 1983, p. 158, related curlew examples illustrated.

185 Mackey-Sherburne Shourds Curlew Harry V. Shourds (1861-1920) Tuckerton, NJ, 1910 13 in. long

Harry Vinuckson Shourds is the most well-known decoy maker from New Jersey; he is also one of the earliest. In addition to being one of the few professional carvers of his generation, Shourds hunted ducks for market, while his wife used the feathers to make pillows and bedding.

185

A fine Shourds curlew decoy displaying painted eyes, a splined bill, and exceptional blended feathering. The underside bears the Shelburne Museum collection ink stamp, a “27.FD19-1” museum identification code and Mackey’s inked inscription “Harry Shourds, Tuckerton, N.J. 1910.” Original paint with even gunning wear, original bark scar on right side and half of bill is replaced.

PROVENANCE: William J. Mackey Jr. Collection Shelburne Museum Collection William C. McMaster M.D. Collection

125

JOHN MCANNEY 1866-1949 | NEW GRETNA, NJ

186

186 Curlew

John McAnney (1866-1949) New Gretna, NJ, c. 1900 13 in. long

McAnney was a lifelong member of the North Brigantine Life-Saving Service, a bayman, and a hunting and fishing guide.

According to Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr. in New Jersey Decoys, he claimed to have never missed a day of any gunning season. He created a refined and effective curlew form with some of the finest paint detail by any New Jersey shorebird decoy maker.

This fine example displays rich textured paint with precise feathering. Original paint with light wear, original bill is reset at base.

126

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D. Collection LITERATURE: John M. Levinson and Somers G. Headley, Shorebirds, Centreville, MD, 1991, p. 85, exact decoy illustrated..

James R. Doherty, Classic New Jersey Decoys, Louisville, KY, 2011, p.

180, pl. 405, rigmate illustrated.

Kenneth L. Gosner, Working Decoys of the Jersey Coast and Delaware Valley, Cranbury, NJ, 1985, p. 166, rigmate illustrated.

$3,000 - $5,000

DAVE "UMBRELLA" WATSON

1851-1938 | CHINCOTEAGUE, VA

187

187 The Mackey Watson Dowitcher Dave “Umbrella” Watson (1851-1938) Chincoteague, VA, c. 1900 12 in. long

A rare and possibly unique dowitcher decoy displaying raised primaries above a thin paddle tail. The alert head is finished with refined eye groove carving, which is a signature feature of many Watson waterfowl. The underside bears the Mackey Collection stamp. Original paint with even gunning wear, including rubs to tail edge.

PROVENANCE: William J. Mackey Jr. Collection William C. McMaster M.D. Collection LITERATURE: Copley Fine Art Auctions, The Sporting Sale 2008, Plymouth, MA, July 24, 2008, lot 294, related sanderling illustrated.

$4,500 - $6,500

127

CHASE LITTLEJOHN 1853-1943 | REDWOOD CITY, CA

188

188 Early Preening Green-Winged Teal Chase Littlejohn (1853-1943) Redwood City, CA, c. 1885 10 in. long

“A more interesting fellow than Chase Littlejohn has probably never existed.” This is the opening line to the carving legend’s chapter in Wildfowl Decoys of California. This early teal and its rigmates remain the only known Littlejohn decoys to have come to light. He is recognized as one of California’s earliest makers.

Over 110 years ago, Littlejohn, a California native, was fascinating his contemporaries with his hunting and natural history adventures. The San Francisco Sunday Call ran a page 2 profile feature in 1909 titled “A Hunter of Rare and Unusual Game: Chase Littlejohn Has bagged Sea Otters in Japan, Big Game in Alaska & Strange Birds Everywhere.” Today, among decoy collectors, he is most remembered for his early and important green-winged teal rig.

preening pose with a refined bill resting back on the right wing.

The carving is finished with detailed feathering, including combed vermiculation on the sides. The carving’s rectangular weight is attached using about forty brass tacks. The underside of the hollow body also bears a tidy leather anchor line tie.

Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D. Collection LITERATURE: Joe Engers, “Early California green-winged teal turn up at West Coast collectibles show,” Decoy Magazine, March/April 1997, p. 14, exact decoy illustrated.

Michael R. Miller, Wildfowl Decoys of California, Spokane, WA, 2015, p. 358, rigmates illustrated.

H. A. Crafts, “A Hunter of Rare and Unusual Game,” The San Francisco Sunday Call, June 27, 1909, p. 2, rigmates illustrated.

$20,000 - $30,000

The maker’s avocations as a naturalist and a taxidermist clearly gave him the anatomical knowledge necessary to accurately carve this preening green-winged teal. The bird is in a deep

128

ART FIZER

1912-2008 | GALT, CA

189

189 Preening Canada Goose Art Fizer (1912-2008) Galt, CA 20 in. long

A grand Canada goose decoy with a deep preening pose extending off its left shoulder.

The underside retains the maker’s brass tag stamped with his name and address. Research shows that Fizer was an early force in the restoration of wood duck populations in California.

Original paint with light wear including some flaking to tail.

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D. Collection

$6,000 - $9,000

129

FRANK S. FINNEY B. 1947 | CAPEVILLE, VA

190

190 Woodcock

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 1990 6 in. tall, 13 in. long

A grand woodcock carving with incised wing and tail detail and anatomically accurate mottled paint. The carving rests on a circular base with carved leaves and the word “WOODCOCK” painted on the leading edge. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D. Collection

$1,500 - $2,500

191 Black-Bellied Plover

191

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 1980 8 3/4 in. long

A copy of an antique plover decoy with mottled paint, a cutnail bill, and incised wing detail. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D. Collection

192

192 Miniature Canvasback Pair on Box Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 1990 7 in. tall, 6 in. long

A pair of miniature canvasback carvings with scratch-comb paint detail and incised bill carving. The duo is mounted on the lid of a circular turned box with the maker’s inked cursive “Frank Finney” inscription and species designation on the bottom of the box. Original condition with light wear.

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D. Collection

130

193

194

193 Marlin

194 Landlocked Salmon

An animated fish carving with carved head features, a large glass eye, and deeply incised fin detail. This wall-mount billfish was carved from a one-and-a-half-inch board and was fitted with inlaid fins.

A beefy twenty-five-inch-long salmon carving on a wooden beveled-edge plaque. The back of the plaque bears the carver’s signature. Original paint with light wear.

Ira D. Hudson (1873-1949) Chincoteague, VA, c. 1940 34 in. long

The Hudson family operated as a cottage industry and it is likely that Ira’s sons, Norman or Delbert, were involved with this folky carving. Original paint with light wear, missing pectoral fin, reset second anal fin and upper tip of caudal, minor chipping around caudal fin.

Lawrence C. Irvine (1918-1998) Winthrop, ME, c. 1960 plaque is 33 in. long

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D. Collection

$1,000 - $2,000

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D. Collection LITERATURE: Henry H. Stansbury, Ira D. Hudson and Family, Lewes, DE, 2002, pp. 12 and 13, related examples illustrated.

$5,000 - $8,000

131

195

195 Exceptional and Early Brook Trout Lake Chautauqua, NY, c. 1870 9 1/2 in.

This early trout decoy illustrates the pinnacle of refinement for this important fish carving region. The exceptional body has clean gill carving and a rare wide open mouth. The carefully cleft and rounded carving detail at the caudal peduncle transition is highly refined and rare, if not unique.

Dr. James McCleery owned one Lake Chautauqua perch made with a comparable level of masterful execution.

Further adding to this masterwork is a sublime surface. The bright and lively colored vermiculation on the back and the red spots along the side are complemented by a phenomenal craquelured surface. Original paint with even fishing wear, including some flaking to fins and chip to lower jaw.

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D. Collection LITERATURE: Steven Michaan, American Fish Decoys, Pound Ridge, NY, 2003, p. 206, excellent McCleery perch illustrated.

$8,000 - $10,000

196 Rare Landlocked Salmon Harry Seymour Lake Chautauqua, NY, c. 1880 7 1/2 in. long

This carving represents an exceedingly rare and early landlocked salmon decoy. The fish exhibits tack eyes, a line hole drilled through the back of the body, carved gills and mouth, and a leather tail. The surface is finished with a dark green back transitioning down to blue sides with white, red, and gold dots and gold head details.

Seymour earned his living as a handyman; however, he is widely considered to be one of the first master carvers from New York State and his fish decoys came to become a standard-bearer of the region’s form. Seymour’s carvings are rare and highly collectible. Indeed, a collection of his carvings now reside in New York City’s Brooklyn Museum. Old working paint with moderate fishing wear, including some flaking to metal.

Tight age line at front of weight.

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D. Collection LITERATURE: Steve Michaan, American Fish Decoys, Pound Ridge, NY, 2003, pp. 12-19, Seymour fish illustrated.

Gene and Linda Kangas, “Chautauqua Fish Decoys,” Decoy Magazine, November/December 1988, pp. 44-45, Seymour salmon illustrated twice.

$6,000 - $9,000

132

196

197

198

197 Northern Pike

198 Fish Decoy

Oscar W. Peterson (1887-1951) Cadillac, MI, c. 1930 8 in. long

Andrew Trombley (1919-1975) Mt. Clemens, MI, c. 1935 12 3/4 in. long

A right-turning fish with cream and gold spots, a red mouth and gills, and tack eyes. Original paint with fishing wear, including craquelure.

An early and large decoy by this skilled Mt. Clemens carver.

Trombley’s works stand on their own, though it is worth noting that he worked closely with Hans Janner, among other carvers from the self-proclaimed “Ice Fishing Capital.” The head is finished with a rare opened mouth. The grand tail is turned slightly to the left. Old fishing paint with heavy fishing wear, replaced pectoral fins, lower portion of caudal fin recarved while in use.

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D. Collection

$1,000 - $1,500

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D. Collection LITERATURE: Steve Michaan, American Fish Decoys, Pound Ridge, NY, 2003, pp. 113-175, related fish illustrated.

$2,000 - $4,000

133

199

200

201

199 Brook Trout

Kenneth Bruning (1919-1974) Rogers City, MI, c. 1945 7 1/2 in. long

A bright trout with excellent paint. Original paint with light fishing wear.

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D. Collection

$1,000 - $2,000

201 Fish Decoy Hans A. Janner Jr. 12 in. long

A refined fish carving with incised gill, mouth, fin, and tail detail made by the second generation of this distinguished fish decoy family. The carving has glass eyes and two sets of inserted metal fins. The natural finish highlights the wood’s dynamic figure, including some tiger stripes. Original natural wood finish with light wear. Two reset cracks in caudal fin.

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D. Collection

200 Albino Brook Trout James Waltham (attr.)

Brainard, MN, c. 1950 9 1/2 in. long

A rare and animated trout with red, green, and black markings.

The large, open red mouth is a rare and distinctive feature. The tail is turned to the right. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D. Collection

$3,000 - $5,000

134

GORDON ALLEN

B. 1953

202 Gordon Allen (b. 1953)

202

Three Monarchs, 2021 signed and dated “G. Allen 2021” lower right oil on linen, 10 by 14 in. $1,000 - $2,000

203

203 Gordon Allen (b. 1953)

Quail Wagon, 2021 signed and dated “G. Allen 2021” lower right oil on panel, 18 by 24 in.

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1953, Gordon Allen began his career as an illustrator of wilderness and hunting guides. In the late 1970s, he transitioned into etching and, eventually, into

painting. He is known for his scenes of the Canadian wilderness, the Chesapeake Bay’s Eastern Shore, and Hampden, a working-class neighborhood in Baltimore. $3,000 - $5,000

135

PEGGY WATKINS B. 1963

204 Peggy Watkins (b. 1963)

204

Ready for More signed “Watkins” lower right oil on board, 30 by 24 in.

Peggy Watkins was drawn to animals from a young age. She studied at the Atlanta College of Art and lives and works in the Carolinas, creating sporting and wildlife art paintings in the “impressionistic realism” category. Among other honors, her work is in the permanent collection of the Bennington Center for the Arts in Vermont.

This portrait of an eager springer spaniel captures the keen drive of a loyal hunting partner. $3,000 - $5,000

205 Peggy Watkins (b. 1963) Dawn on Sand Road signed “Watkins” lower right oil on canvas, 22 by 28 in.

Five wild turkeys saunter and forage along a sandy track in the glowing light of dawn. $3,000 - $5,000

136

205

LUKE FRAZIER B. 1970

206 Luke Frazier (b. 1970) Patience - Woodcock, 2022 signed “l. frazier” upper left oil on board, 11 by 14 in.

206

Luke Frazier is one of the West’s top wildlife artists. Born and raised in the mountains of northern Utah, Frazier spent much of his youth hunting and fishing. His early forays into nature inspired a passion for the outdoors. As a child, Frazier spent countless hours sketching and sculpting wildlife, demonstrating not only a passionate interest, but also an instinctive ability. Later, he received his formal art training at Utah State University, where he earned a bachelor of fine arts degree in painting and a master of fine arts degree in illustration. Frazier cites the influence of Winslow Homer, Edgar Payne, Bruno Liljefors, Carl Rungius, and Bob Kuhn in his work. $3,000 - $6,000

207 Luke Frazier (b. 1970)

207

Time for Higher Ground Big Horns, 1997 signed “l. frazier” lower left oil on board, 18 by 24 in. titled on back PROVENANCE: Private Collection, California

$5,000 - $7,000

137

DAVID SHOLL 1949-2011

208

208 David Sholl (1949-2011)

Cleveland in the Water, 2008 signed and dated “Sholl 08” lower right oil on canvas, 36 by 48 in.

David Sholl was a Boston-area painter and saxophonist. Born in Ohio, he studied art at Bucknell University and the Massachusetts College of Art, exhibiting at galleries across New England over the course of his career. As a musician, his band, “Four Piece Suit,” recorded many pieces for the TV show, Sex and the City. Sholl died in 2011.

A bright oil painting depicting a labrador retriever in the water. $1,000 - $1,500

138

ROBERT KENNEDY ABBETT

1926-2015

209

209 Robert Kennedy Abbett (1926-2015) Wolfpit Mountain Grouse, 2004 signed “Abbett” lower left oil on board, 24 by 36 in. titled, signed, copyrighted and dated on back

Robert Abbett, born in Indiana in 1926, is best known for his depictions of sporting dogs, flyfishing, and Western life. He began his career as an advertising illustrator, attending night and weekend classes at both the Chicago Academy of Fine Art and the American Academy of Art where he found himself drawn to editorial and advertising art. In 1953 he moved from Chicago to Connecticut to be closer to the editorial markets.

He illustrated for Argosy, The Woman’s Home Companion, Sports Afield, Reader’s Digest, and True magazines. He also worked with several West Coast motion picture studios and drew

covers for many of the leading paperback publishers. Abbett was commissioned to paint his first animal portrait of “Luke” in 1970, and subsequently transitioned from working as an illustrator to a full-time gallery artist. Abbett is recognized as a master in the field of sporting art.

In this upland scene, Abbett has captured the exciting moment of two ruffed grouse flushing and the chance for a rare double. $20,000 - $30,000

139

ROBERT KENNEDY ABBETT 1926-2015

210

210 Robert Kennedy Abbett (1926-2015)

Bo and Duke, 1981 signed and dated “R. Abbett © 1981” lower right oil on board, 21 by 36 3/4 in. signed, titled, and inscribed on back

This painting depicts two of the artist’s own dogs, Duke of Oakdale and Bo Jangles. In A Season for Painting, Abbett recalls that his setter Duke “graced our family for his lifetime as hunting dog and artist’s model and all-around pal.” Remembering his Labrador, Abbett writes, “Bo’s worst problem was his unlimited energy; he should have belonged to someone who hunted ducks with him at least twice a day, twelve months a year, with an occasional field trial or two thrown in. As a pup, he would sit in the studio watching me, crouched like a leopard about to spring, and I would tell him, ‘Look, Bo, I’m sorry, but

there’s just not a lot going on right now.’ Perhaps I should have named him ‘Patton:’ his charge was unstoppable.”

Bill Webster selected this iconic painting to make into a limited-edition print by Wild Wings in 1982.

LITERATURE: Robert K. Abbett, A Season for Painting: The Outdoor Art of Robert K. Abbett, Dallas, TX, 2001, pp. 32, 48, 71, and 178, print illustrated.

$12,000 - $18,000

“As a bird hunter who has owned many setters and labs over the years, this Abbett work speaks to me. It captures a setter’s essence of running freely, showing his young friend the way.”

— Stephen B. O’Brien Jr.

140

HARRY V. SHOURDS 1861-1920 | TUCKERTON, NJ

211 Yellowlegs

Harry V. Shourds (1861-1920) Tuckerton, NJ, c. 1900 10 1/4 in. long

211

This decoy, along with its rigmates, is celebrated for its snow-white plumage and impeccable condition. Longtime decoy dealer Russ Goldberger describes this exact bird “as fine an example as exists!” Excellent original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Florida LITERATURE: James R. Doherty, Classic New Jersey Decoys, Louisville, KY, 2011, p. 66, pl. 113 and dust jacket, similar decoy illustrated.

Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., New Jersey Decoys, Exton, PA, 1983, dust jacket, similar decoys illustrated.

$4,000 - $6,000

212 Yellowlegs

Harry V. Shourds (1861-1920) Tuckerton, NJ, c. 1900 10 1/4 in. long

A small conjoined “JF” is stamped on the underside for the early shorebird collector, Joseph French. This decoy, along with its five rigmates, is celebrated for its snow-white plumage and impeccable condition. This decoy is a rigmate to lot 211. Excellent original paint with minimal wear.

212

PROVENANCE: Joseph French Collection Private Collection Private Collection, Florida LITERATURE: James R. Doherty, Classic New Jersey Decoys, Louisville, KY, 2011, p. 66, pl. 113 and dust jacket, similar decoy illustrated.

Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., New Jersey Decoys, Exton, PA, 1983, dust jacket, similar decoys illustrated.

Joe Engers, ed., The Great Book of Wildfowl Decoys, San Diego, CA, 1990, p. 116, similar decoy illustrated.

$4,000 - $6,000

141

HARRY V. SHOURDS 1861-1920 | TUCKERTON, NJ

213

213 Yellowlegs

Harry V. Shourds (1861-1920) Tuckerton, NJ, c. 1900 11 in. long

An excellent example with Shourds’ most elaborate plumage application. Marked for the French Collection on the underside. This example is slightly larger than a typical Shourds yellowlegs. Original paint with light gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Joe French Collection Private Collection Private Collection, Florida LITERATURE: James R. Doherty, Classic New Jersey Decoys, Louisville, KY, p. 66, pl. 114, similar decoy illustrated.

$4,000 - $6,000

214 The Johnson Nelson Shourds Robin Snipe 214

Harry V. Shourds (1861-1920) Tuckerton, NJ, c. 1900 9 in. long

This decoy is a rigmate to the bird illustrated in Top of the Line Hunting Collectibles from the Alan and Elaine Collection. The underside bears an early collector’s inscription. Original paint with even gunning wear, the original bill has been reset.

PROVENANCE: Lloyd Johnson Collection Grant Nelson Collection Private Collection, Florida LITERATURE: John M. Levinson and Somers G. Headley, Shorebirds, Centreville, MD, 1991, p. 82, pl. 6-15, similar decoy illustrated.

James R. Doherty, Classic New Jersey Decoys, Louisville, KY, 2011, p. 70, pl. 136, similar decoy illustrated.

Donna Tonelli, Top of the Line Hunting Collectibles, Atglen, PA, 1998, p. 62, rigmate illustrated.

$6,000 - $9,000

142

HARRY V. SHOURDS 1861-1920 | TUCKERTON, NJ

215

216

215 Yellowlegs

216 Yellowlegs

Harry V. Shourds (1861-1920) Tuckerton, NJ, c. 1900 10 in. long

Harry V. Shourds (1861-1920) Tuckerton, NJ, c. 1900 10 1/2 in. long

Original paint with even gunning wear.

A yellowlegs decoy bearing a French Collection ink stamp and a conjoined “JF” stamp on the underside. Original paint with even gunning wear and a replaced bill.

PROVENANCE: Richard and Lynn Gove Collection Private Collection, Florida LITERATURE: James R. Doherty, Classic New Jersey Decoys, Louisville,

KY, 2011, p. 66, pl. 113, similar decoy illustrated.

Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., New Jersey Decoys, Exton, PA, 1983, dust jacket, similar decoys illustrated.

PROVENANCE: Joe French Collection William Doggart Collection Private Collection

$1,500 - $2,500

$4,000 - $6,000

143

LEVI RHODES TRUEX 1860-1934 | ATLANTIC CITY, NJ

217 Rare Merganser Pair

Levi Rhodes Truex (1860-1934) Atlantic City, NJ, c. 1900 17 1/2 in. long

A rare rigmate pair of the maker’s best species. Each remains in excellent condition, which is impressive given the very thin paddle tails, crests, and bills. Captioning this exact pair in his Decoy Magazine article cover feature on the maker, New Jersey historian John Clayton describes these hollow decoys as “a favorite among collectors.” Indeed, a related drake holds the record price for the maker. This exact pair was also selected for a color photo in Fleckenstein’s largely black and white New Jersey Decoys book. Outstanding original paint with light gunning wear. Old and possibly original spot of fill on left side of hen’s bill.

144

PROVENANCE: Larry Pollin Collection Private Collection LITERATURE: Henry A. Fleckenstein, Jr. New Jersey Decoys Exton, PA, 1983, pl. VI, exact pair illustrated.

John Clayton, “Levi Rhodes Truex,” Decoy Magazine, September/ October 2013, p. 25, exact pair illustrated.

James R. Doherty, Classic New Jersey Decoys, Louisville, KY, 2011, p. 157, related pair illustrated.

$15,000 - $20,000

217

145

JOHN MCANNEY 1866-1949 | NEW GRETNA, NJ

218 The Ellenberg McAnney Ruddy Turnstone John McAnney (1866-1949) New Gretna, NJ, c. 1910 9 3/4 in. long

Of the few McAnney turnstones that have survived, this is believed by many to be the finest example known. Henry Fleckenstein chose to feature it in color in his New Jersey book, highlighting the bird’s crisp and brilliant paint.

Whether he intended it or not, McAnney’s black paint pattern on the decoy’s throat bears a striking resemblance to a woodpecker’s head. Excellent original paint with minimal gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Fred Ellenberg Collection Richard and Lynn Gove Collection Private Collection, Florida

146

LITERATURE: Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., New Jersey Decoys, Exton, PA, 1983, p. 40, color plate XXI, exact decoy illustrated.

Copley Fine Art Auctions, The Sporting Sale, Sessions III-IV, July 28, 2017, front cover and lot 190, rigmate illustrated.

Guyette and Schmidt, Important Auction of Rare Waterfowl Decoys from the Collection of John Hillman, April 25 & 26, 1996, West Farmington, ME, 1996, p. 22, lot 54, rigmate illustrated.

$10,000 - $14,000

THE ELLENBERG MCANNEY RUDDY TURNSTONE

218

147

219

221

220

222

219 Running Red Knot

220 Sandpiper

This bold running decoy displays a hard chine, a chip-carved breast, and an underside with provenance markings. There is a Joe French Collection white label and the inked notion “#178,” denoting the bird’s place in the Shiller Martin Collection at one time.

This early working decoy from the Rockefeller Collection exhibits incised eyes and bears William J. Mackey’s faint writing and his collection stamp on the underside. Old working paint with heavy gunning wear and a replaced bill.

Cape May, NJ, c. 1860 10 in. long

The red knot flies over 3,500 miles from Brazil to feed on the shores of the Delaware Bay as part of a 9,000-mile journey from Tierra del Fuego to the Arctic. This decoy resembles a plump red knot after fueling up on its favorite food, horseshoe crab eggs. Mostly original paint with heavy gunning wear, working black overpaint to breast and a possibly replaced bill.

PROVENANCE: William J. Mackey Jr. Collection Donal C. O’Brien Jr. Collection, acquired from the above Joe French Collection, acquired from the above Shiller Martin Collection, acquired from the above Private Collection, Cambridge, Massachusetts, acquired from the above LITERATURE: Copley Fine Art Auctions, The Donal C. O’Brien Jr. Collection of Important American Sporting Art and Decoys, Sessions III, Plymouth, MA, July 19, 2018, lot 101, rigmate illustrated.

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

135, pl. 114, rigmate illustrated.

Joe King (1835-1913) Manahawkin, NJ, c. 1870 8 in. long

PROVENANCE: William J. Mackey Jr. Collection Peggy and David Rockefeller Collection Private Collection, Cambridge, Massachusetts 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 III, lot 144, exact decoy illustrated.

Christie’s, The Collection of Peggy and David Rockefeller, New York, NY, May 10, 2018, lots 1072, exact decoy illustrated.

221 Plover

Otis Townsend (b. 1877) Townsend Inlet, NJ, c. 1910 11 in. long

A shorebird with a through-splined bill and lightly raised wings.

This decoy was selected for Fleckenstein’s New Jersey Decoys book. Appears to be original paint with minor darkening and heavy gunning wear, including a hole in the breast.

PROVENANCE: Dr. Jack Conover Collection Private Collection LITERATURE: Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., New Jersey Decoys, Exton, PA, 1983, p. 174, exact decoy illustrated.

148

223

224

222 Yellowlegs

Chris T. Sprague (1887-1982) Beach Haven, NJ, c. 1910 11 1/2 in. long

A split-wing-tip shorebird decoy, signed on the underside with the maker’s initials “CTS.” Second coat of Sprague paint with wear.

LITERATURE: Copley Fine Art Auctions, The Sporting Sale 2008, July 23-24, 2008, lot 447, exact decoy illustrated.

223 Ruddy Turnstone

Otis Townsend (b. 1877) Townsend Inlet, NJ, c. 1910 11 3/4 in. long

A large turnstone in an outstretched position with lightly raised wings and etched tail feather detail. Original paint with gunning wear.

224 The Johnson Johnson Yellowlegs J. Taylor Johnson (1853-1929) Point Pleasant, NJ, c. 1900 11 1/2 in. long

An exemplary yellowlegs with an elegant thin neck and refined head. The body shows Taylor Johnson’s telltale log-split lines and a screw-eye under the tail used for carrying the bird into the field. Original paint with light gunning wear, reset age line through neck. Minor chips to top of bill insertion and to tip of bill.

Minor age lines in head.

PROVENANCE: The Linda Johnson Collection Private Collection LITERATURE: Robert Shaw, Bird Decoys of North America, New York, NY, 2010, p. 190, rigmates illustrated.

Gene and Linda Kangas, Decoys: A North American Survey, Spanish Fork, UT, 1983, p. 168, pl. 354, related decoy illustrated.

$3,500 - $4,500

PROVENANCE: John Hillman Collection Schiller Martin Collection Private Collection LITERATURE: Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., Shore Bird Decoys, Exton, PA, 1980, p. 64, pl. 62, similar decoys illustrated.

$6,500 - $8,500

149

JOSEPH S. KING 1905-1992 | EDGELY, PA

225

225 Mallard Pair

Joseph S. King (1905-1992) Edgely, PA, c. 1930 15 1/2 in. long

This fine pair displays traditional raised wings and tail carving, glass eyes, and incised bill detail. King was one of the region’s most refined makers and his slight shoulder separation can be seen along the arched backs. The maker’s “J S King, Edgely, PA” stamped weight is on the bottom of each. This pair is believed to have been painted as black ducks and then repainted by King shortly thereafter as mallards. King paint with very light wear.

150

PROVENANCE: Joseph King Rig David Campbell Collection Private Collection LITERATURE: Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., New Jersey Decoys, Exton, PA, 1983, p. 220, pl. 538, related drake illustrated.

$4,000 - $6,000

226

227

226 Black Duck

227 High-Head Red-Breasted Merganser Hen

A classic Delaware River decoy with a hollow body, raised V-shaped wings, and a thin tail. King was one of the region’s most refined makers and his slight shoulder separation can be seen along the arched back. The maker’s “J S King, Edgely, PA” stamped weight is on the bottom. Excellent working King paint with light gunning wear and a tight age line in neck.

A very rare hollow merganser with an extended head and thin crest. A rigmate drake was collected by William Mackey and David and Peggy Rockefeller. Old working paint with moderate gunning wear.

Joseph S. King (1905-1992) Edgely, PA, c. 1930 15 1/2 in. long

PROVENANCE: Joseph King Rig Private Collection LITERATURE: Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., New Jersey Decoys, Exton, PA, 1983, p. 207, pl. 501, related example illustrated.

J. Taylor Johnson (1853-1929) Point Pleasant, NJ, c. 1900 18 in. long

LITERATURE: William J. Mackey Jr., American Bird Decoys, New York, NY, 1965, p. 117, pl. 100, drake illustrated.

Christie’s, The Collection of Peggy and David Rockefeller, New York, NY, May 10, 2018, lot 1075, drake illustrated.

$3,000 - $5,000

$2,500 - $3,500

151

HARRY V. SHOURDS 1861-1920 | TUCKERTON, NJ

228 The Parrish Rig Shourds Canada Goose Harry V. Shourds (1861-1920) Tuckerton, NJ, c. 1890 23 in. long

The rarity of Shourds geese in excellent original paint is notable, with only a handful residing in the nation’s premier collections. This hollow decoy is recognized as one the very finest New Jersey geese.

collectors of all time. Excellent original paint with even gunning wear, some paint loss around body-seam nails, with very minor darkening to nail areas in feathering. Bill has darkened chip under tip and original fill to knot on left side.

William Mackey was tremendously impressed by the life and work of Shourds. In his book, he shares, “Today Harry Shourdes’ [sic] decoys are prized by collectors. The neat, trim, careful work turned out by his capable hands has the quality of art.” He also recognized the rarity and quality of the maker’s paint, stating, “Fortunate indeed is the collector who has an example of Shourdes’ [sic] work with its original paint intact for his painting was worthy of the excellent carving beneath.”

PROVENANCE: Parrish Rig Harry Megargee Collection Russ Holst Collection Fred Ellenberg Collection, acquired from above Jim and Deb Allen Collection Donald Kirson Collection

The head of this decoy is carved in a forward-arching position and features the broad cheeks and confident lines for which its maker is known. The hollow body is a showcase for the painter’s wet-on-wet feathering with crisp stripes on the side and tight swirls on the back. The underside retains its original poured weight, two museum stickers, and a Kirson Collection sticker. The provenance, exhibition, and literature history of this exact decoy tracks some of the top New Jersey decoy

LITERATURE: Kenneth L. Gosner, Working Decoys of the Jersey Coast and Delaware Valley, Cranbury, NJ, 1985, p. 56 pl. b, exact decoy illustrated.

James R. Doherty, Classic New Jersey Decoys, Louisville, KY, 2011, p. 35, pl. 29 and 30, exact decoy illustrated.

Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., New Jersey Decoys, Exton, PA, 1983, p. 119, exact decoy illustrated (image reversed).

William J. Mackey Jr., American Bird Decoys, New York, NY, 1965, p. 123-127, New Jersey geese and Shourds discussed.

EXHIBITED: Salisbury, Maryland, Decoys and Gunning Traditions of the

New Jersey Shore, Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, June 3, 2008– November 30, 2008. $50,000 - $70,000

228 152

THE PARRISH RIG SHOURDS CANADA GOOSE

228

“The whole Jersey coast may well be proud of the hollow geese which were made and used from the Head of the Bay down to Somers Point. Collectively they are the finest, most carefully made, and altogether pleasing goose decoys left to us today.”

— William J. Mackey Jr., American Bird Decoys

153

LLOYD PARKER

1859-1921 | PARKERTOWN, NJ

229

229 Redhead Drake

Lloyd Parker (1859-1921) Parkertown, NJ, c. 1890 15 in. long

A expertly crafted hollow New Jersey decoy by one of Barnegat Bay’s finest carvers. The work is marked with a stamped “DSC” on the underside and exhibits fine comb-feather paint detail. In fine Parker paint with light gunning wear and a tight neck crack.

PROVENANCE: Dave Campbell Collection Private Collection LITERATURE: Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., New Jersey Decoys, Exton, PA, 1983, p. 144, pl. 329 and 330, similar decoys illustrated.

$4,000 - $6,000

154

NATHAN ROWLEY HORNER 1882-1942 | WEST CREEK, NJ

230

230 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 featherlight state. The underside is marked with the coveted “ED TOWNSEND” stamp as part of this heralded Horner rig.

The underside also bears the Muller Collection and Philadelphia Wildfowl Exposition ink stamps. Excellent original paint with light gunning wear, a reset neck crack, and touch-up to a chip under bill tip.

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.

Kenneth L. Gosner, Working Decoys of the Jersey Coast and Delaware Valley, Cranbury, NJ, 1985, p. 61, exact decoy illustrated (image reversed).

Robert Shaw, Bird Decoys of North America, New York, NY, 2010, p. 187, 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.

PROVENANCE: Ed Townsend Rig, Massachusetts John Dilworth Collection Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection Private Collection

$10,000 - $14,000

EXHIBITED: Philadelphia, PA, Philadelphia Wildfowl Exposition, The

Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, 1979.

MULLER

155

231

231 High-Head Swimming Brant Nathan Birdsall (1890-1936) Lovelandtown, NJ, c. 1930 18 in. long

A high-head hollow brant with baseboard construction.

Nathan was the son of fellow carver Eugene Birdsall.

Original paint with light gunning wear and minor touch-up to nail holes in neck. $2,000 - $3,000

232 Swimming Brant

Birdsall Ridgeway (1880-1952) Barnegat, NJ, c. 1935 20 1/4 in. long

232

A brant with similar paint and two Canada geese by this maker are held in the Shelburne Museum Collection in Vermont. In 1958 the Shelburne Museum’s sleeping brant was included in a touring exhibition of folk art in South America sponsored by the U.S. Government. Typical for the rig, original feathering on back and sides, working repaint to the black and white, second head by the maker, and gunning wear. $800 - $1,200

233 Canada Goose

Eugene Birdsall (1857-1918) Lovelandtown, NJ, c. 1890 21 1/2 in. long

A hollow goose from this renowned decoy-carving family.

Old working repaint with gunning wear.

233

LITERATURE: Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., New Jersey Decoys, Exton, PA, 1983, p. 113, pl. 241, rigmate illustrated.

$1,000 - $1,500

156

234

236

235

237

234 Canada Goose

236 Redhead

A hollow long-bodied goose with a high paddle tail and deep wing separation down the length of the back. Original paint with moderate gunning wear and a neck crack.

A well-executed carving by a skilled and unnamed maker. The decoy features a refined head and bill detail. The raised neck seat rests back into a sleek hollow body. Original paint with gunning wear, including flaking.

Delaware River, c. 1920 21 1/2 in. long

$2,000 - $4,000

235 Bluebill Drake

Philadelphia School, c. 1900 14 in. long

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, New England, acquired from a Pennsylvania collection

Philadelphia School, c. 1900 13 in. long

$1,000 - $3,000

A well-executed carving with refined head and bill detail. The neck rests into a sleek hollow body. Original paint with gunning wear, including flaking.

237 Mallard Drake

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, New England, acquired from a Pennsylvania collection

A well-executed carving with a refined head and bill detail. The neck rests into a sleek hollow body. Original paint with gunning wear, including flaking and old chipping to right side of tail.

$1,000 - $3,000

Philadelphia School, c. 1900 15 1/2 in. long

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, New England, acquired from a Pennsylvania collection

$1,000 - $3,000

157

DAVE "UMBRELLA" WATSON 1851-1939 | CHINCOTEAGUE, VA

238 The Mackey-Purnell Watson Black Duck Dave “Umbrella” Watson (1851-1939) Chincoteague, VA, c. 1900 17 in. long

This grand and hollow decoy was finished with some of the region’s most refined feather paint, which has been very well preserved. The form, paint, condition, and provenance of this Mackey-Purnell black duck place it as perhaps the finest of its kind. Purnell’s “P” brand is on underside. Excellent original paint with light gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: William J. Mackey Jr. Collection William H. Purnell Jr. Collection, acquired from the above Collectable Old Decoys Private Collection, acquired from the above LITERATURE: Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., Decoys of the Mid-Atlantic Region, Exton, PA, 1979, p. 196, exact decoy illustrated.

$12,000 - $18,000

158

THE MACKEY-PURNELL WATSON BLACK DUCK

238

159

THE HUNTER-DOHERTY WOOD DUCK HEN

239

239 The Hunter-Doherty Wood Duck Hen Delaware River, c. 1870 13 1/2 in. long

The rarity of early working wood duck decoys cannot be overstated, with hens nearly impossible to find. This early, hollow Delaware River decoy was made with three-piece body construction and displays an uplifted tail. The inlaid head was made with vertically laminated two-piece construction. Incised detail outlines the sweeping crest.

The underside retains the imprint of a Hunter Collection tag and a Doherty Collection sticker. This provenance is notable as Charlie Hunter specifically targeted the finest early wood duck carvings, including a world-record-setting Lincoln drake and the Sterling standing drake (lot 103). Jim and Pat Doherty, who were known to acquire the finest examples from the Philadelphia area, were the natural succeeding owners.

This exact decoy set a world-record price for John Blair Sr. in 1989 at $30,250 when Hunter acquired it. This placed it in the top ten for the year and outpaced a closely related wood duck drake that set the Blair record the previous year. Original paint with even gunning wear and a reset bill.

160

PROVENANCE: Charles S. Hunter III Collection Jim and Pat Doherty Collection Private Collection LITERATURE: Decoy Magazine, September/October 1989, p. 13, exact decoy illustrated.

“1989 Year in Review,” Decoy Magazine, p. 9, exact decoy illustrated.

Kenneth L. Gosner, Working Decoys of the Jersey Coast and Delaware Valley, Cranbury, NJ, 1985, front dust-jacket cover and color plate 17.A., related drake illustrated.

$18,000 - $24,000

240 Early Pintail Hen

Richard “Fresh Air Dick” Janson (1872-1951) Sonoma, CA, c. 1925 15 1/4 in. long

240

A good early pintail hen with Fresh Air’s refined wing tip carving and lively two-tone feather paint. The head is turned slightly to the left. Excellent original paint with light gunning wear and a tight neck crack. $3,000 - $4,000

241 Broadbill Pair

Ira D. Hudson (1873-1949) Chincoteague, VA, c. 1930 13 3/4 in. long

A fine pair of full-bodied broadbill with pronounced crowns, cheek carving, painted tack eyes, scratched wing paint, and fluted paddle tails. Mostly original paint with working paint to black on drake and brown on hen.

Each has age line coming up from underside.

241

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection Private Collection

$3,000 - $4,000

242 Rare Pintail Hen

Delbert Hudson (1928-1981) Chincoteague, VA, c. 1950 15 1/4 in. long

A rare pintail hen by the accomplished son of Ira Hudson who worked alongside his brother Norman in their father’s workshop. The plump cottonwood body is finished with a fluted tail. Old working paint by the maker with gunning wear and a bill tip chip.

242

161

WILLIAM J. SCHALDACH 1896-1982

243 William J. Schaldach (1896-1982)

243

Flying Quail Pair, 1938 signed and dated “W Schaldach 1938” lower right watercolor, 19 3/4 by 15 3/4 in. $2,500 - $3,500

244

244 William J. Schaldach (1896-1982) Grouse in the Grapes signed “Wm J. Schaldach” lower right watercolor, 18 by 13 in.

PROVENANCE: John R. Wierdsma Collection

245

162

245 William J. Schaldach (1896-1982) Bobwhite Quail signed “Wm J Schaldach” lower right watercolor, 13 3/4 by 17 3/4 in.

AIDEN LASSELL RIPLEY

1896-1969

246

246 Aiden Lassell Ripley (1896-1969) Woodcock signed “A. Lassell Ripley ©” lower left watercolor, 16 3/4 by 12 3/4 in.

“Where alder bottoms, aspen groves, and willow swales wander alongside a stream through rolling farmland, the damp earth may be drilled and spattered by woodcock probing for worms, employing sensitive bills nearly as long as their bodies.

They are inland sandpipers, related to snipe, shorebirds of the uplands with the strong migratory urge of most shore birds.”

Writing of the artist’s relationship with woodcock, Robert Elman continues, “A. Lassell Ripley was fascinated by these

unique game birds. Before his death in 1969, one of his last major endeavors was the completion of the fine etchings and watercolor frontispiece for William G. Sheldon’s noteworthy treatise, The Book of the American Woodcock.”

LITERATURE: Edward Weeks, A. Lassell Ripley: Paintings, Boston and Barre, MA, 1972, pl. 34, closely related watercolor illustrated.

$6,000 - $9,000

163

247 Angus H. Shortt (1908-2006)

247

Pintails, 1945 signed and dated “Angus H. Shortt 1945” lower right watercolor, 13 1/2 by 19 1/4 in.

PROVENANCE: Eddie Woodin Collection

248 Joseph Day Knap (1875-1962) Maryland Marshes (Redheads) signed “J D Knap” lower left watercolor, 14 by 22 in. titled and numbered “#762” on back

249

248

249 Churchill Ettinger (1903-1984) Duck Hunting signed “Churchill Ettinger” lower left watercolor, 14 by 20 3/4 in. $2,000 - $3,000

164

DAVID A. HAGERBAUMER

1921-2014

250 David A. Hagerbaumer (19212014)

250

Pintails, 1963 signed and dated “David Hagerbaumer 1963” lower right watercolor, 16 1/2 by 24 in.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, California

$1,500 - $4,000

251

251 David A. Hagerbaumer (1921-2014)

Canada Geese, 1963 signed and dated “David Hagerbaumer 1963” lower right watercolor, 16 by 21 1/2 in.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Massachusetts

$800 - $1,200

165

252 Louis Agassiz Fuertes (1874-1924)

252

Waterfowl, 1923 mixed mediium, 11 3/4 by 9 1/2 in dated “April 8 1923” lower right inscribed “This chalk and crayon drawing was made by L.A. Fuertes while visiting Arthur A. Allen’s Duck Pond at 208 Kline Rd Ithaca, NY in 1923- as told to me by Arthur A. Allen - David Allen” on back

Arthur A. Allen (1885-1964) was a prominent ornithologist and professor at Cornell University in Ithaca, where Fuertes was born to civil engineering professor Estevan Fuertes. In 1923, when this drawing was created, Fuertes himself was lecturing on ornithology at Cornell.

PROVENANCE: Arthur A. Allen Collection, Ithaca, New York David Allen Collection Eddie Woodin Collection

$4,000 - $6,000

253 Arthur B. Singer (1917-1990)

Eider signed “Arthur Singer” lower left watercolor and gouache, 11 1/2 by 6 3/4 in.

PROVENANCE: Eddie Woodin Collection LITERATURE: Bertel Bruun, Birds of Europe, New York, 1970, illustrated.

$1,000 - $2,000

166

253

254 R. Bruce Horsfall (1869-1948)

254

Buffleheads, 1915 signed and dated “R. Bruce Horsfall 1915” lower right watercolor and gouache, 13 1/2 by 8 3/4 in.

Wildlife artist and bird illustrator Robert Bruce Horsfall was born in Iowa. He studied art at the Cincinnati Art Academy and in Munich, Germany, at the Bavaria Konigliche Academy before embarking on his artistic career. Horsfall created museum background frescos at Rutgers University and many other institutions, including the Smithsonian and the American Museum of Natural History, in addition to wildlife art illustrations for over thirty publications, such as Alice E. Ball’s A Year with the Birds.

PROVENANCE: Eddie Woodin Collection

255 Arthur Schneider (1866-1942) Sinkbox Hunting signed “Arthur Schneider” lower right oil on canvas, 22 by 26 in.

255

$2,000 - $4,000

256 No Lot

167

BOB KUHN 1920-2007

168

WILD CHORUS

257

257 Bob Kuhn (1920-2007) Wild Chorus signed “Kuhn” lower left acrylic on board, 14 by 30 in.

Born and raised in Buffalo, New York, Bob Kuhn enjoyed visiting the Buffalo Zoo and sketching its inhabitants as a child.

After studying design, anatomy, and life drawing at the Pratt Institute in New York City, Kuhn made his living working as an illustrator for various wildlife and outdoor magazines. In the early 1970s, Kuhn switched to painting full time. Kuhn’s work is featured in the permanent collections of the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson, Wyoming; the National Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and the John L. Wehle Gallery of Sporting Art at the Genesee Country Village and Museum in Mumford, New York.

A related big cat work titled, Lair of the Cat is featured on the cover of Wild Harvest: The Animal Art of Bob Kuhn.

PROVENANCE: Fred Glick Collection Private Collection, Montana

$60,000 - $80,000

169

258

259

258 Bob Kuhn (1920-2007)

Big Buck signed “Kuhn” lower left conte crayon on paper, 11 by 13 in. $1,800 - $2,400

259 Carl Clemens Moritz Rungius (1869-1959) An Old Prospector, 1925 signed “C. Rungius” lower right etching, 6 1/4 by 1/2 in.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, New Jersey

$3,000 - $5,000

170

260

261

260 Raymond Harris Ching (b. 1939) Dinner Time, 1976 signed “Raymond Ching” lower right pencil, 15 by 27 in. also titled “Tiger Lying” $1,500 - $2,500

261 Lynn Bogue Hunt (1878-1960) Elephant Illustration signed “Lynn Bogue Hunt” lower center pencil, 18 1/2 by 28 in. $600 - $900

262

264

263

265

262 after Frederic Remington (1861-1909) Trooper of the Plains bronze, 22 by 26 by 6 3/4 in.

263 George Dupont Pratt (1869-1935)

Mountain Goat, 1914 signed and dated “© G.D. Pratt 1914” on base bronze, 7 3/4 by 10 by 7 1/4 in.

264 David H. Turner (b. 1961)

Ram, 2003 signed and dated “D.H. Turner © 2003” on base bronze, 6 1/2 by 3 by 3 1/4 in.

265 Dave Hodges (b. 1949)

Bear Necessities, 1994 signed and dated “Hodges © 1994” on base bronze, 14 by 10 by 6 3/4 in. edition 27 of 30

Dave Hodges became interested in artwork at a young age. He began his professional career as a bronze sculptor in 1982 after graduating with a BS degree from Montana State University in Bozeman. Since then, Hodges has created sculptures of a wide array of subjects in a multitude of sizes, from miniatures to monuments. He also authored Book of Bronze: Creating Sculptures from Clay to Bronze. $1,000 - $1,500

171

266

268

269

267

266 Herman Palmer (1894-1946)

Tiger, 1922 signed “Herman Palmer” lower right pen and ink, 9 3/4 by 7 1/4 in. inscribed “London Zoo Oct 6 22” lower right

Herman Palmer was born in Utah in 1894. He studied at the Art Students League in New York and was known as a leading animalier artist of his time. Palmer served in the Navy in World War I. He was a pupil of Mahonri Young (1877-1957), and several of his animal sketches are in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, and other works can be found in the Brooklyn Museum and the Art Institute of Chicago, among other institutions. He was awarded a Guggenheim fellowship in 1940 and died in 1946.

267 Morten E. Solberg (b. 1935)

Kudu and Oxpecter signed “Morton E. Solberg ©” lower right oil on board, 10 by 14 in.

172

270

268 Herman Palmer (1894-1946) Two Lion Drawings (one shown)

Female, 8 3/4 by 11 in. signed “Herman Palmer” lower right Male, 6 3/4 by 9 3/4 in. signed “Herman Palmer” center right

269 Julia Noffsinger Rogers (b. 1962) Blue Bull/Eland signed “Julia Noffsinger Rogers” lower left oil on board, 16 by 12 in.

270 R. Bruce Horsfall (1869-1948)

Wild Cat in Tree, 1924 signed and dated “R. Bruce Horsfall 1924” lower right gouache, 11 1/2 by 9 3/4 in.

PROVENANCE: Eddie Woodin Collection

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272

273

274

271 Red Grouse Bronze

273 William H. Foster (1886-1941)

PROVENANCE: Eugène E. du Pont Collection Private Collection, by descent from the above

274 Julie G. Askew (British, b. 1969)

signed on base bronze, 13 1/2 by 12 1/2 by 9 in. with stylized “G” “Grandarte” on plaque on marble base edition 18 of 100

272 William Matthews (b. 1949) The Game Keeper, 2003 signed “Matthews” lower left watercolor, 20 1/2 by 28 1/2 in.

A Brace of Black Game signed “W. Foster” lower right watercolor, 9 3/4 by 15 in. titled and signed on back

Grouse signed “Julie G. Askew ©” lower left oil on canvas, 20 by 30 in.

William Matthews lives near Denver, Colorado, where he paints full-time. In 2003, he mounted an exhibition of paintings from his travels in Scotland. His work can be found in the permanent collection of the Denver Art Museum, the Tucson Museum of Art, and the Phoenix Art Museum, among others.

PROVENANCE: Thomas W. Sheppard Collection Private Collection, Massachusetts, by descent

$1,500 - $2,500

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STEPHEN HAWKINS B. 1964

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275 Stephen Hawkins (British, b. 1964)

277 Stephen Hawkins (British, b. 1964)

Stephen Hawkins is an English painter who lives and works in Hurstpierpoint, West Sussex, near the South Downs. His landscape paintings aim to capture “the subtle changes of light and shade, throughout the seasons” and the “peaceful atmosphere of modern day rural life.”

PROVENANCE: Thomas W. Sheppard Collection Private Collection, Massachusetts, by descent

A Good Covey signed “Stephen Hawkins” lower right oil on canvas, 10 by 12 in.

PROVENANCE: Thomas W. Sheppard Collection Private Collection, Massachusetts, by descent

276 Stephen Hawkins (British, b. 1964) Breaking for Lunch signed “Stephen Hawkins” lower right oil on canvas, 10 by 12 in.

PROVENANCE: Thomas W. Sheppard Collection Private Collection, Massachusetts, by descent

174

277

Brow of the Hill signed “Stephen Hawkins” lower right oil on canvas, 12 by 16 in.

278 Stephen Hawkins (British, b. 1964) Comparing Notes signed “Stephen Hawkins” lower right oil on canvas, 20 by 30 in.

PROVENANCE: Thomas W. Sheppard Collection Private Collection, Massachusetts, by descent

BRETT JAMES SMITH

B. 1958

279

279 Brett James Smith (b. 1958)

Back with Meat signed “Brett J. Smith ©” lower right oil on canvas, 24 by 30 in.

A fine oil depicting a hunter returning from a successful elk trip.

Provenance: Thomas W. Sheppard Collection Private Collection, Massachusetts, by descent $3,000 - $5,000

175

280 American School (20th century)

280

Fly Fishing, 2005 signed lower left oil on board, 20 by 30 in. signed, copyrighted, dated on back

PROVENANCE: Thomas W. Sheppard Collection Private Collection, Massachusetts, by descent

281 Bronze Horse

281

signed on base bronze, 7 by 19 by 6 in. edition 4 of 10 PROVENANCE: Thomas W. Sheppard Collection Private Collection, Massachusetts, by descent

282

283

282 Three Sets of Sterling Silver Cuff Links One set is a fishing reel, one is a fishing creel, and the third is a leaping fish pair.

PROVENANCE: Thomas W. Sheppard Collection Private Collection, Massachusetts, by descent

283 Sterling Silver Creel Necklace with Fish Charms necklace is approximately 21 in. long

PROVENANCE: Thomas W. Sheppard Collection Private Collection, Massachusetts, by descent

176

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285

288

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292

287

284 Stan Bogdan Salmon Reel #300

287 Three Hardy Reels

Approximately 3 1/2” diameter and # 300 on tail seat. S.E Bogdan, Nashua, N.H. and drag adjustment on tail plate. Case included. As found.

#885 and extra spool, Bougle MK IV 3 3/4 in. Cases included. As found.

PROVENANCE: Thomas W. Sheppard Collection

Private Collection, Massachusetts, by descent

285 Seamaster Fly Reel Approximately 3 3/4” diameter. Seamaster case included. As found.

PROVENANCE: Thomas W. Sheppard Collection Private Collection, Massachusetts, by descent

286 Hardy Sovereign Set of Four Reels and Four Spools Sovereign set 9/10, 8/9, 7/8, 5/6/7, along with 8 various cases. Some may not be original. As found.

PROVENANCE: Thomas W. Sheppard Collection

Private Collection, Massachusetts, by descent

PROVENANCE: Thomas W. Sheppard Collection Private Collection, Massachusetts, by descent

288 Stan Bogdan Salmon Reel Approximately 3 1/2’ diameter and # 100 on tail seat. S.E. Bogdan, Nashua, N.H. and drag adjustment on tail plate. Case included. As found.

PROVENANCE: Thomas W. Sheppard Collection Private Collection, Massachusetts, by descent

289 Hardy Peerless Reel #6 Approximately 3 1/2” diameter. Peerless case included. As found.

PROVENANCE: Thomas W. Sheppard Collection Private Collection, Massachusetts, by descent

290 Stan Bogdan Salmon Reel #0 Approximately 3 1/8” diameter and No. 0 on tail seat. S.E. Bogdan, Nashua, N.H. on tail plate. Pouch included. As found.

PROVENANCE: Thomas W. Sheppard Collection Private Collection, Massachusetts, by descent

291 Archuleta Large Arbor Reel Approximately 4 1/2” diameter with Santa Rosa, C.A. on tail plate. Case included. As found.

PROVENANCE: Thomas W. Sheppard Collection Private Collection, Massachusetts, by descent

292 Small Fly Reel Possibly Bogdan, approximately 2 7/8” diameter. As found.

PROVENANCE: Thomas W. Sheppard Collection Private Collection, Massachusetts, by descent 177

PETER SHEPPARD B. 1973

293

293 Peter Sheppard (b. 1973)

Bonefish signed “Peter Sheppard ©” lower right oil on canvas, 18 by 36 in.

294

294 Peter Sheppard (b. 1973)

Sailboat signed “Peter Sheppard” lower left oil on canvas, 23 1/2 by 28 1/2 in.

178

295 Alan M. Hunt (b. 1947)

295

Oystercatcher signed “A.M. Hunt” lower left acrylic on board, 9 1/2 by 14 in.

PROVENANCE: Eddie Woodin Collection

296 Donald L. Malick (1929-1986)

Big Fish, 1980 signed and dated “Donald Malick 1980 ©” lower right acrylic on board, 18 by 24 in.

296

Donald Malick was a Colorado-based artist. He produced field sketches for the Denver Museum of Natural History expeditions, where he was a staff artist, and illustrated many bird guides, including Birds of Colorado. This dynamic work captures a common kingfisher with a successful catch.

PROVENANCE: Eddie Woodin Collection

297 Alan M. Hunt (b. 1947)

297

Redshank “Resting,” 1974 signed “A. M. Hunt” lower right watercolor and gouache, 13 by 19 in. signed, titled, and dated on back PROVENANCE: Eddie Woodin Collection

298

298 Guy Coheleach (b. 1933)

Hawks signed “Guy Coheleach” lower left watercolor and gouache, 22 1/2 by 16 in.

PROVENANCE: Eddie Woodin Collection

$1,000 - $3,000

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299

300

299 Goldeneye Watercolor and Three Prints (prints not shown)

Bob Piscatori (20th-21st century) Goldeneye Decoy watercolor, 5 3/4 by 8 1/4 in.

Piscatori is the most prized Massachusetts duck stamp artist of all time, with five winning stamps.

Bob Piscatori (20th-21st century) Martha’s Vineyard Bluebill, 1986 signed “Bob Piscatori” lower right Massachusetts Duck Stamp print, 8 3/4 by 11 1/4 in. edition 10 of 400, with state duck stamp on back Virginia K. Freyermuth (20th-21st centuries) Stephen Badlam Oldsquaw Decoy, 1998 signed and dated “Virginia K. Freyermuth © ‘98” lower right 1999 Massachusetts Waterfowl Stamp color print, 10 by 13 in. edition 68 of 400, titled lower center Donald Blakney (1940-2013) Evans Mammoth Pintail Decoy Pair signed “Donald Blakney” lower right print, 8 1/2 by 10 in. edition 82 of 500, remarqued lower center

180

301

302

300 Lester W. Didier (1930-2014)

Snow Goose, 1997 signed and dated “Les Didier 1997” lower right acrylic on board, 7 by 10 in.

1998 Wisconsin Waterfowl Stamp

Les Didier was born in Ohio and studied at the Dayton Art Institute. After a successful career as a commercial artist in the advertising industry, he turned his focus to bird art in 1983. Among other honors, three of his paintings were chosen for the Wisconsin Duck Stamp, including this and the following lot.

“The eyes see more than the camera can record or field sketch contain,” the artist wrote. “One must absorb the sounds and smells and solitude of the outdoors to allow the inner eye to more fully understand. It is this imagery of mind and senses that most fascinates me. That is what I attempt to capture and combine with the reality of the species.”

The sale of this work benefits the Wisconsin Waterfowl Association.

LITERATURE: Thomas Content, “Milwaukee commercial artist turned to his love of birds in later works,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, July 27, 2014.

$1,500 - $2,500

301 Lester W. Didier (1930-2014)

Mallards, 1994 signed and dated “Les Didier 94” lower right acrylic on board, 7 by 10 in.

1995 Wisconsin Waterfowl Stamp

The sale of this work benefits the Wisconsin Waterfowl Association. $1,500 - $2,500

302 Lester W. Didier (1930-2014)

Redhead Pair, 2002 signed “Les Didier” lower right acrylic on board, 7 by 10 in. inscribed “Entry for 2003 Federal Duck Stamp Contest” on back

The sale of this work benefits the Wisconsin Waterfowl Association.

303.1

303.2

303 Richard E. Bishop (1887-1975)

The Forming “V,” Two Works, 1932 each signed “Richard E Bishop” lower right each titled lower left pencil drawing, 12 3/4 by 17 1/2 in. estate stamped on back drypoint, 10 3/4 by 15 in. inscribed “1st print from plate” lower center in margin edition of 65

304.1

304.2

drypoint and aquatint, 11 3/4 by 14 3/4 in. signed “John M Harrington, exec” lower center edge inscribed “1st printing trial” lower right edition of 65

PROVENANCE: The Estate of Richard E. Bishop Private Collection

306 Richard E. Bishop (1887-1975)

304 Richard E. Bishop (1887-1975)

pencil drawing, 5 1/2 by 8 in. signed “Richard E Bishop” lower left inscribed “Dedicated to the Pennsylvania State Fish and Game Protective Association By Richard E Bishop February 9 1938” lower center

pencil drawing, 7 1/4 by 11 1/2 in. estate stamped and signed on back etching, 9 by 11 1/4 in. signed “John M. Harrington, exec.” lower right inscribed “Final” lower left edition of 65

John Harrington was the executor of Richard Bishop’s estate.

306.1

306.2

Pencil Drawing and Corresponding Etching each 1938

Blacks etching, 5 1/4 by 7 1/2 in. signed and dated “Richard E Bishop ‘38” in plate titled lower left and signed “Richard E Bishop” lower right

307.1

307 Richard E. Bishop (1887-1975)

PROVENANCE: Estate of Richard E. Bishop Private Collection

On The Flats, Pencil Drawing and Corresponding Drypoint, 1929 each titled lower left

305 Richard E. Bishop (1887-1975) Two Works

pencil drawing, 10 1/4 by 14 1/2 in. estate stamped on back

Whistling Swans watercolor and gouache, 11 3/4 by 15 in.

drypoint, 10 1/4 by 14 in. signed “R E Bishop” lower right

Whistling Swans, 1930

305.2

John Harrington was the executor of Richard Bishop’s estate.

PROVENANCE: Estate of Richard E. Bishop Private Collection

Daybreak, Two Works, 1929

305.1

307.2

PROVENANCE: Estate of Richard E. Bishop Private Collection

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308

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310

311

312

313

311 Richard E. Bishop (1887-1975)

Setting Out, 1927 signed “John M Harrington, Exec.” lower center etching, 9 by 12 in. edition 3 of 65

An exceedingly rare Bishop scene depicting a duck hunter.

John Harrington was the executor of Bishop’s estate.

308 Richard E. Bishop (1887-1975) Bob Whites II pencil drawing, 11 by 13 in. titled lower center estate stamped on back

PROVENANCE: Estate of Richard E. Bishop Private Collection

309 Richard E. Bishop (1887-1975)

Judy, 1928 signed “John M. Harrington” lower center edge drypoint, 11 1/2 by 8 1/2 in.

“2nd state of three” lower left margin

John Harrington was the executor of Bishop’s estate.

PROVENANCE: The Estate of Richard E. Bishop Private Collection

310 Richard E. Bishop (1887-1975) Geese Overhead, 1934 signed “Richard E Bishop” lower right aquatint and etching, 11 3/4 by 14 3/4 in. titled lower left edition of 75

182

PROVENANCE: Estate of Richard E. Bishop Private Collection

312 Richard E. Bishop (1887-1975) In the Stooks, 1945 signed “Richard E Bishop” lower right etching, 9 3/4 by 11 3/4 in. titled lower left edition of 100

313 Richard E. Bishop (1887-1975) Currituck, 1930 signed “Richard E Bishop” lower right etching, 9 1/4 by 11 1/4 in. titled lower left edition of 65

314

317

318

315

320

316

314 Aiden Lassell Ripley (1896-1969) Snipe at Dawn, 1940 etching, 9 by 11 3/4 in. titled lower left signed “A. Lassell Ripley” lower right

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Indiana

315 Churchill Ettinger (1903-1984)

Two Pointer Etchings (one shown) each signed “Churchill Ettinger” lower right each 7 3/4 by 9 in. each titled lower left each edition of 100 Company Halt!

Southern Style

316 Marguerite Kirmse (1885-1954)

Two Etchings (one shown) each signed “Marguerite Kirmse” lower right each titled lower left

319

Another Covey 7 3/4 by 11 1/2 in.

Let’s Eat! 10 1/2 by 8 1/2 in.

317 Churchill Ettinger (1903-1984)

Two Setter Etchings (one shown) each signed “Churchill Ettinger” lower right each 8 by 9 in. each titled lower left Pair of Aces On Point

319 Frank W. Benson (1862-1951) Three Canada Geese, 1921 signed “Frank W Benson” lower left lithograph, 11 1/4 by 16 in.

320 Henry Emerson Tuttle (1890-1946) Bob White, 1928 signed “H E Tuttle” lower center drypoint, 9 5/8 by 8 5/8 in.

A superb etching by this accomplished avian artist.

318 Roland H. Clark (1874-1957) Black Ducks [No.3], 1933 etching, 11 by 8 in. signed “Roland Clark” lower right edition of 75

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Connecticut

183

321

324

322 325

323

321 Ogden M. Pleissner (1905-1983)

Grande River- Upper Malbaie, 1959 signed “Ogden M Pleissner N.A.” lower right color print, 17 by 27 in. published and copyrighted in 1959 by Frost & Reed in an edition of 300

322 Edmund Henry Osthaus (1858-1928) and Arthur Hoeber (1854-1915)

English Setters, 1892 signed and dated “Edm. H. Osthaus 1892” in plate lower left and “Arthur Hoeber” in plate lower right etching, 18 1/2 by 29 3/4 in. inscribed “Steady” on wood frame with applied hunting carvings

323 Three Prints (one shown)

Henry Pyall (British, 1795-1833) after Samuel J.E. Jones (British, 1797-1861) Duck Shooting, 1832 colored aquatint, 13 1/2 by 17 in. published by R. Ackermann in London

signed “R Nelson” lower right color print, 10 1/2 by 8 1/2 in. edition 81 of 700

324 Peter Corbin Print and 36 Framed Flies (one shown) Peter Corbin (b. 1945) Beautiful Afternoon, 1993 signed “Peter Corbin” lower right color print, 9 by 13 in. edition 306 of 950 Framed flies, 8 by 10 in.

325 Roland H. Clark (1874-1957)

Three Derrydale Prints, 1937 (one shown) each signed “Roland Clark” lower right each color aquatint, 20 by 15 1/2 in. each Published and Copyrighted in 1937 by Derrydale Press, New York The Alarm - Black Duck edition 15 of 250

after Arthur Burdett Frost (1851-1928) The Huntsman, 1904 print, 14 1/2 by 7 in.

Sanctuary - Green Wing Teal edition 51 of 250

R. J. Nelson (20th century) Three Flying Canada Geese

Down Wind - Pintail Drake edition 169 of 250 PROVENANCE: Eugène E. du Pont Collection Private Collection, by descent from the above

184

326

328

329

330.1

327.1

327.2

330.2

332

331

326 David Lazarus (b. 1952)

329 Mike Stidham (b. 1954)

327 Brett James Smith (b. 1958)

Waterfowl No. 1 titled and inscribed “Mallard, Canvasback, Pintail, Woodduck” lower left edition 155 of 450

Mallards signed “D Lazarus” lower right etching, 4 1/2 by 5 in. titled lower left edition 76 of 100

Two Etchings each signed “Brett Smith” lower right each 5 1/2 by 12 1/2 in.

Log Jam Pool edition 60 of 100

Two Framed Etchings (one shown) each signed “Mike Stidham” lower right each 18 1/4 by 17 in.

Waterfowl No. 2 titled and inscribed “Canada Geese, Whitefront Geese, Black Brant, Snow Geese” lower left edition 80 of 450

Well Played edition 8 of 100

330 Brett James Smith (b. 1958)

328 Gordon Allen (b. 1953)

Fish for Supper 12 by 9 in. edition 88 of 100

Paying Customer signed “G. Allen” lower right etching, 6 1/2 by 10 1/4 in. numbered “LVII/CL” lower left edition 62 of 150

Three Etchings (two shown) each signed “Brett Smith” lower right

The Fly Caster 4 1/2 by 12 in. edition 69 of 100 The Bighorn 4 1/2 by 12 in. edition 4 of 10 (AP)

331 Milton C. Weiler, Decoy Folio, 1969 Milton C. Weiler and Ed Zern, The Classic Decoy Series, New York, NY: Winchester Press, 1969. Text by Ed Zern and foreword by William J. Mackey Jr. As found.

332 Milton C. Weiler, Shorebird Folio

Milton C. Weiler and William J. Mackey Jr., Classic Shore Bird Decoys, New York, NY: Winchester Press, 1971, edition 928 of 975. Text by William J. Mackey Jr. and foreword by Ed Zern. As found.

185

THE SPORTING SALE 2022 LOTS 333-676 DAY 2 | JULY 15 | 10AM Additional images for each lot are available through the online bidding platforms.

186

CHET RENESON

B. 1934

333

333 Chet Reneson (b. 1934) Netting the Catch signed “Reneson” lower left watercolor, 19 1/2 by 28 in.

A classic Reneson Bahamian scene depicting bonefishing on the flats.

334

334 Chet Reneson (b. 1934) Landlocked Salmon Fishing signed “Reneson” lower left watercolor, 21 1/4 by 28 1/4 in. titled on back

187

CHET RENESON B. 1934

335 Chet Reneson (b. 1934)

335

336 Chet Reneson (b. 1934) Feathered Mascot signed “Reneson” lower left watercolor, 14 by 20 in.

188

Molly Rolle signed “Reneson” lower right watercolor, 14 by 20 in.

336

337

337 Adams

Deer signed “Adams ©” lower left oil on board, 9 1/2 by 7 1/2 in.

PROVENANCE: Eddie Woodin Collection

338 Walter A. Weber (1906-1979)

338

Autumn Buck signed “Walter A Weber” lower left watercolor and gouache, 18 by 13 3/4 in.

Walter A. Weber was born in 1906 in Chicago. After receiving a B.S. in biology and zoology from the University of Chicago, he studied at the Art Institute of Chicago. He became a scientific illustrator and expedition artist at the Field Museum of Natural History in 1922 and traveled the world in this capacity. In 1930 he studied under Allan Brooks in British Columbia.

Weber’s drawing was chosen for the 1944-1945 Federal Duck Stamp, and by 1949 he was on staff at the National Geographic Society, which meant more time in the field researching and painting. Among other honors, Weber won the Conservation Service Award from the U.S. Department of the Interior in 1967 for his support of conservation.

PROVENANCE: Eddie Woodin Collection

339

339 Roy Martell Mason (1886-1972) Two Men in a Skiff signed “Roy M Mason” on back oil on masonite, 9 by 12 in.

189

KEN CARLSON B. 1937

340 Ken Carlson (b. 1937)

340

South Texas Trophy signed “Carlson” lower left oil on board, 7 by 9 in. $5,000 - $10,000

341

341 Ken Carlson (b. 1937)

Spring Thaw signed “Ken Carlson” lower right oil on canvas, 20 by 30 in.

Born in 1937, Ken Carlson spent his early life in Minnesota, where he developed a love of nature and art. His artistic training took place at the Minneapolis School of Art. Today, Carlson is among the leading wildlife art painters. His works have been featured at exhibitions and in the collections of the National Wildlife Art Museum in Jackson, Wyoming, the Steamboat Art Museum in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, and the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Museum in Wausau, Wisconsin.

190

Among other honors, he was granted the Bob Kuhn Wildlife Award from the Autry Museum of the American West in Los Angeles in 2008 and the Prix de West in 1999. He is a regular supporter of wildlife conservation organizations, such as Ducks Unlimited and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. $9,000 - $12,000

DAVID A. MAASS B. 1929

342

342 David A. Maass (b. 1929) Ruffed Grouse signed “Maass” lower left oil on board, 24 by 36 in. $6,000 - $9,000

“I want there to be woodcock forever flying over in October, and solitude, and Hunter’s Moons. But most, I want there always to be Grouse—of all wild things, the wildest—in these endless mountains we call home.”

— George Bird Evans, Upland Shooting Life

191

343

343 Frederick Mortimer Lamb (1861-1936) Two Setters, 1902 signed and dated “F M Lamb 1902” lower left oil on canvas, 24 by 30 in.

This important canine work depicts two English setters. The painting hung on the bar room wall at the Ritz Carlton Boston for decades. A rare chance to own not only a piece of Boston history, but also a Lamb masterwork.

PROVENANCE: Ritz Carlton, Boston, MA

$5,000 - $10,000

344

192

344 Walter Matia (b. 1953)

Springer Spaniel Head Bookend, 1995 signed and dated “Matia ‘95” on base bronze, 6 3/4 by 5 by 4 1/2 in. edition 32 of 100

345 Tim Shinabarger (b. 1966)

345

Ruffed Grouse, 2007 signed and dated “© 07 Shinabarger” on base bronze, 15 by 8 by 7 in. edition 39 of 40

One of the artist’s only bronzes depicting birds, Shinabarger has perfectly captured the explosive take-off of a pair of partridge.

346 Arthur Burdett Frost (1851-1928)

Sledding, 1885 signed and dated “A B Frost 1885” lower left watercolor and gouache, 10 1/4 by 14 1/4 in.

346

This illustration was likely done for an article in Harper’s Weekly.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Connecticut

193

ARTHUR BURDETT FROST 1851-1928

347

347 Arthur Burdett Frost (1851-1928) The Christmas ‘Possum, 1900 signed “A.B. Frost” lower right gouache, 23 1/2 by 16 1/4 in.

This published work appeared as an engraving in a 1900 Harper’s Weekly magazine.

Arthur B. Frost was born in Philadelphia in 1851, but spent his most prolific years in New Jersey. Considered one of the great illustrators of the Golden Age of American Illustration, he illustrated more than ninety books and produced thousands of illustrations for Harper’s Weekly, Scribner’s, and Life magazines. Frost’s illustrative work chronicles the mood and details of the daily life of farmers, hunters, and fishermen, as well as barnyards and pastoral motifs. By 1876, he was on Harper’s staff working on many books, including Tom Sawyer, Uncle Remus, and Mr. Dooley. He also illustrated Theodore Roosevelt’s sporting book, Hunting Trips of a Ranchman. Frost was an ardent sportsman who spent his summers and autumns fishing, rowing, and hunting ducks and snipe. He completed hundreds

of watercolors and oils of the New Jersey seaside. Frost is best known for his hunting and shooting prints which capture the drama of sport in realistic, detailed settings. Frost lived at his estate, Moneysunk, in Convent Station, New Jersey.

Frost created this work for the December 8 issue of Harper’s Weekly magazine in 1900. A copy of the magazine page, with the published engraving, accompanies the lot.

PROVENANCE: Eugène E. du Pont Collection Private Collection, by descent from the above LITERATURE: Harper’s Weekly, December 8, 1900, p. 1155, illustrated.

$20,000 - $30,000

194

GUSTAV MUSS-ARNOLT 1858-1927

348

348 Gustav Muss-Arnolt (1858-1927) Setters on Point signed “G. Muss- Arnolt.” lower right oil on canvas, 20 by 28 in.

Robinson Galleries, Miami label on back

Though not as prolific as Percival Leonard Rosseau or Edmund Henry Osthaus, Gustav Muss-Arnolt is recognized as one of America’s greatest dog painters. He specialized in the depiction of hunters and their dogs. He worked as a judge in dog shows, served on the board of the American Kennel Club from 1906-1909, and demonstrated an incredible knowledge of a variety of sporting breeds in his paintings. Throughout his career, Muss-Arnolt’s illustrations were published in magazines, such as Harper’s Weekly and the American Kennel Club Gazette. This important work held the distinction of setting the world record for the artist when it sold in 2018.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, New York LITERATURE: Copley Fine Art Auctions, The Winter Sale 2018, Charleston, SC, February 16, 2018, lot 36, illustrated.

$35,000 - $45,000

195

FRANK LEYENDECKER 1877-1924

349 Frank X. Leyendecker (1877-1924) The Critical Veteran, 1919 signed “F X Leyendecker” lower left oil on canvas, 36 by 30 in.

This work is No. 4 in the American Sportsmen Series painted for Remington UMC by F.X. Leyendecker. True to the period, a rig of Mason decoys is seen in the boat behind the gunner.

It was created for a Remington Arms advertisement, which appeared in a vigorous campaign in many sporting magazines in October 1919, including Forest and Stream and The Saturday Evening Post, among others.

The text of the ad reads, “Practical tests by both the Navy and the Army proved that the ‘Wetproof’ shells are equal in every respect to the more costly brass shells, and in some ways even superior. Remington UMC Wetproofs are the only shells waterproofed at crimp and top wad. They will give the same highly satisfactory all-weather service as your modern Remington UMC Autoloading or Pump Gun.” It continues, “No one is more acute in appraising the true value of service to shooters than the veteran sportsman who as a businessman keeps abreast of the times and handles large affairs. And nothing is more significant than the clean cut superiority of Remington UMC than its large patronage of such widely experienced, progressive and somewhat exacting men.”

The artist, Frank Leyendecker, was born in Germany and moved to Chicago with his family when he was four years old.

He was apprenticed to a stained glass maker before attending the Art Institute of Chicago and the Academie Julian in Paris.

He shared a studio with his brother, Joseph, in Chicago and then New York. After a successful career as a painter and illustrator for popular magazines and advertising, the artist died in New Rochelle at only forty-six years of age.

This work comes with the October 18, 1919, Saturday Evening Post Remington UMC ad featuring The Critical Veteran.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Massachusetts LITERATURE: The Saturday Evening Post, October 18, 1919, p. 176, illustrated.

Sunset, the Pacific Monthly, Volume 43, No. 4, October 1919, p. 72, illustrated.

Forest and Stream, Volume LXXXIX, No. 10, October, 1919, p. 560, illustrated.

Outing, Volume LXXV, No. 1, October 1919, p. 51, illustrated.

Outers’ Recreation, Volume LXI, No. 4, October 1919, p. 307, illustrated.

$30,000 - $50,000

Mason golden-eye (left) from c. 1905 Mason decoy catalog.

196

349

197

350 Earnest William Steffen (1891-1981) Wilson Snipe, 1944

350

signed and dated “E W Steffen 1944” lower left watercolor, 9 by 12 in.

PROVENANCE: Eddie Woodin Collection

351 James Fenwick Lansdowne (Canadian, 1937-2008) Capella Gallinago delicata, male, 1965 signed and dated “J.F. Lansdowne 1965” lower left watercolor, 12 1/2 by 5 1/2 in. titled lower left

351

A well-executed watercolor depicting a crouching Wilson snipe.

PROVENANCE: Eddie Woodin Collection

$1,000 - $2,000

352

352 Donald J. Waters (1931-2005)

Meadowlarks, 1960 egg tempera on board, 20 by 36 in. signed, dated, and inscribed “To Harry Tipper Donald Jordan Waters 12.14.60” lower left

A beautiful species, the western meadowlark is the state bird of Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oregon, and Wyoming.

PROVENANCE: Eddie Woodin Collection, acquired from Copley Fine Art Auctions, The Sporting Sale 2012, lot 80

$2,000 - $4,000

198

GERARD R. HARDENBERGH 1855-1915

353

353 Gerard R. Hardenbergh (1855-1915)

Three Sandpipers, 1894 signed “Gerard R Hardenbergh 1894” lower left watercolor, 11 3/4 by 18 3/4 in.

354

PROVENANCE: Van Nostrand Family Collection LITERATURE: Patricia H. Burke, Gerard Rutgers Hardenbergh: Artist and Ornithologist, New Jersey, 2017, p. 41, illustrated.

EXHIBITED: Princeton, New Jersey, In Nature’s Realm: The Art

of Gerard Rutgers Hardenbergh, Morven Museum & Garden, February 19, 2021–January 9, 2022. $2,000 - $3,000

354 Gerard R. Hardenbergh (1855-1915)

Mallard, 1906 signed and dated “GR Hardenbergh 1906” lower left oil on canvas, 30 by 20 in.

“The Van Nostrand Family Collection” label on back PROVENANCE: Van Nostrand Family Collection LITERATURE: Patricia H. Burke, Gerard Rutgers Hardenbergh: Artist and Ornithologist, New Jersey, 2017, p. 30, illustrated.

EXHIBITED: Princeton, New Jersey, In Nature’s Realm: The Art

of Gerard Rutgers Hardenbergh, Morven Museum & Garden, February 19, 2021–January 9, 2022. $2,000 - $3,000

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

355 Wing-Up Greater Yellowlegs A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1930 12 1/4 in. tall, 8 in. long

A rare and exceptional greater yellowlegs with a raised wing and preening feather. Crowell was a master of preening forms, and he used this special wing-up model to showcase his deft painting abilities. He seems to thrive within the self-presented challenge of doubling the size of his canvas and adding two different plumage presentations, one on each side of the wing.

This grand wing-up mantel bird has carved tail feather detail and a dropped left wing tip. The bill tip is slightly open and preening an individual feather made from metal. It is signed by the maker on the bottom of the base “A. E. Crowell, Cape Cod,” and “Winter Yellowlegs” and marked with the rectangular stamp.

Playing to the Cape Codder’s strengths, it is no surprise that this model has been coveted and challenging to acquire since its introduction in the late 1920s. Harry V. Long illustrates a virtually identical greater (winter) yellowlegs carving in his 1932 journal with a caption reading “Elmer Crowell at work, he promised me that winter [yellowlegs] on the right four years ago -- ‘just a dream.’” David and Peggy Rockefeller owned a Mackey Collection bookend-pair of raised-wing lesser yellow-

Even patron Harry V. Long had to wait out the democratic process as he laments in the photograph’s caption written in his 1932 journal: “Elmer Crowell at work, he promised me that winter [yellowlegs] on the right four years ago—’just a dream.’” Image from the journals of Harry V. Long.

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legs, which were stars in the sale of their bird carving collection. Additionally, a singular wing-up curlew now resides in the Tom and Tania Evans Collection and was featured prominently on the inside back cover of the Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving book. Excellent original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection LITERATURE: Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. and Chelsie W. Olney, Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving, Hingham, MA, 2019, pp. 146-147, 258-261, back inside cover, wing-up mantle birds illustrated.

Christie’s, The Collection of Peggy and David Rockefeller, New York, NY, May 10, 2018, lot 1017, related lesser yellowlegs pair illustrated.

Brian Cullity, The Songless Aviary, Hyannis, MA, 1992, p. 78, pl. 35, related bird illustrated and discussed.

Kory W. Rogers, Birds of a Feather, Shelburne, VT, 2017, p. 114, related example illustrated.

Richard A. Bourne Co. Inc., Very Rare and Important American Bird Decoys, from the Collection of the late William J. Mackey, Jr. of Belford, New Jersey, Hyannis, MA, Session III, August 21, 1973, lot 285, Mackey-Rockefeller lesser yellowlegs pair illustrated.

$30,000 - $50,000

Crowell holding a related preening curlew, c. 1928. The underside of the base reads, “This is one of my models made from wood and painted by me Elmer Crowell.” The maker kept this curlew for several years and posed for photographs with the carving many times. Courtesy of Jim Parker.

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

356

356 Turned-Head Semipalmated Plover

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1920 5 1/2 in. long

A rare and early semipalmated plover with a turned head. As with his dust-jacket decoys, Crowell carefully joined the head to the body for his turned-head models. This extra work may explain the rarity of this form in his shorebird portfolio. The bird is finished with richly blended paint. The underside of the carved clamshell base is signed with the hot oval brand and stamped “CR” for the Rowland Collection. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Carolyn Rowland Collection Michael Boxer Collection

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LITERATURE: Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. and Chelsie W. Olney, Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving, Hingham, MA, 2019, p. 52, related carving illustrated.

Richard A. Bourne Co., Inc., Public Auction Hyannis, MA, August 1, 1972, lot 167, exact bird illustrated.

$15,000 - $25,000

A. ELMER CROWELL

1862-1952 | EAST HARWICH, MA

357

357 Sanderling on Clamshell A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1930 5 in. long

A decorative peep with soft-blended paint mounted on a carved clamshell base. Crowell’s rectangular stamp is on the bottom of the base. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

$4,000 - $6,000

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

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358 Black Duck

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1925 16 in. long

A superb, early full-body example with nicely blended “weton-wet” feathering with trimmed-out speculum paint.

The underside of this never-rigged decoy has the oval brand.

Original paint with light gunning wear and a crack along the underside.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

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A. ELMER CROWELL

1862-1952 | EAST HARWICH, MA

359

359 Miniature Godwit

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1930 4 1/2 in. long

A miniature godwit with Crowell’s rectangular stamp on the bottom of the base. Original paint with minimal wear and a hairline crack at wing tips.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

360 Miniature Running Ruddy Turnstone A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1935 3 1/2 in. long

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This running turnstone exhibits split-tail carving and the maker’s rectangular stamp on the bottom of the base.

Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

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361 Miniature Killdeer

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1935 3 1/2 in. long

Crowell’s rectangular stamp and the species is written on the bottom. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

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

362 Exceedingly Rare Miniature Swimming Goose Decoy

362

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1920 6 3/4 in. long

This rare carving is among Crowell’s finest miniature efforts. Regarding its rarity, there are few, if any, known Crowell swimming geese at any scale. This special work was finished with carved tail feathers, glass eyes, and very fine blended paint. Original paint with light wear and very minor touch-up at neck seam.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

$5,000 - $8,000

363 Micro-Miniature Mallard Drake 363

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1930 2 1/2 in. long

An exceedingly rare miniature mallard with excellent paint.

Few in number, less than a dozen of the maker’s standing micro-minis have surfaced. The underside of the base is signed “A.E. Crowell, Cape Cod” above the maker’s rectangular stamp. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

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364 Miniature Mallard Decoy A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1930 4 in. long

A rare resting drake decoy with Crowell’s finely executed paint. Signed “A.E. Crowell, Maker, East Harwich Mass” on the bottom under a layer of glue. Original paint with hairline crack in bill and light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

365 Miniature Flying Mallard Pair A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1930 drake is 4 in. long

A very rare, flying miniature mallard pair. These carvings display fine paint detail, outstretched carved wings, and “AE Crowell” written in pen on the backs.

Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

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365

WENDELL GILLEY

1904-1983 | SOUTHWEST HARBOR, ME

366

366 Miniature Quail

Wendell Gilley (1904-1983) Southwest Harbor, ME, c. 1960 3 1/2 in. tall

The underside of base bears the maker’s signature. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

367 Half-Size Mallard Pair

Wendell Gilley (1904-1983) Southwest Harbor, ME, c. 1980 8 in. tall, 14 in. long

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Signed “Gilley” on the edge of the base, and signed on the underside. Original paint with minimal wear and some discoloration from drips.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

368

368 Half-Size Wood Duck

Wendell Gilley (1904-1983) Southwest Harbor, ME, c. 1950 9 1/4 in. long

This turned-head carving exhibits raised wing tips and the maker’s signature on the side of the base. Original paint with moderate wear and a repair to left side of tail.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

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GEORGE H. BOYD

1873-1941 | SEABROOK, NH

369

371

370

372

369 Rare Miniature Dovekie George H. Boyd (1873-1941) Seabrook, NH, c. 1935 2 3/4 in. long

An exceedingly rare species for the maker, this little auk is the exact miniature from the Philip S. Drake Collection that sold in 1977. The Drake Collection consisted of over 150 of the finest George Boyd carvings. It was also selected for Jim Cullen’s monograph on the maker. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Philip S. Drake Collection Michael Boxer Collection LITERATURE: M.D. Straw Jr. & Emory Sanders Auctioneers, Important Auction Boyd Miniature Decoys, Wentworth-by-the-Sea, NH, October 17, 1977, lot 61, exact carving illustrated.

Jim Cullen, Finely Carved and Nicely Painted: The Life, The Art, and Decoys of George Boyd, Rye, NH, 2009, p. 81, exact carving illustrated.

$5,000 - $8,000

Miniature swans by any maker are rare. Boyd’s mini swans are considered to be among the finest of all miniature decoy carvings. For this reason, they are celebrated and coveted by decoy and folk art collectors alike. The underside is signed and identified by the maker in pencil. Original paint with light wear and touch-up to reset neck.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection LITERATURE: Jim Cullen, Finely Carved & Nicely Painted: The Life, Art and Decoys of George H. Boyd, Rye, NH, 2009, pp. 58 and 86, related carvings illustrated.

371 Miniature Ruddy Turnstone George H. Boyd (1873-1941) Seabrook, NH, c. 1935 4 1/2 in. long

A rare and elaborate miniature. Original paint with light wear and minute touch-up to three spots on neck.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

370 Miniature Trumpeter Swan George H. Boyd (1873-1941) Seabrook, NH, c. 1935 4 1/2 in. long

A particularly fine swan miniature with the maker’s distinctly graceful lines and appealing craquelure paint surface.

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LITERATURE: Winthrop L. Carter, George Boyd, Fayetteville, NY, 1978, p. 13, related turnstone illustrated.

GEORGE H. BOYD

1873-1941 | SEABROOK, NH

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375

374

376

372 Miniature Canada Goose Pair

374 Rare Miniature Wood Duck Pair

Original paint with light wear.

The species’ name is penciled on the undersides. Original paint with minimal wear and several paint rubs.

George H. Boyd (1873-1941) Seabrook, NH, c. 1935 largest is 5 1/2 in. long

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

George H. Boyd (1873-1941) Seabrook, NH, c. 1935 4 in. long

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

373 Rare Miniature Ruddy Duck Pair George H. Boyd (1873-1941) Seabrook, NH, c. 1935 4 1/4 in. long

A rare pair of miniature ruddy ducks and seemingly the finest known. The drake has a turned head and up-turned tail with carved feathering. Each has excellent paint detail. In original paint with wear and touch-up to typical rubs.

PROVENANCE: Philip S. Drake Collection Michael Boxer Collection LITERATURE: M.D. Straw Jr. & Emory Sanders Auctioneers, Important

Auction Boyd Miniature Decoys, Wentworth-by-the-Sea, NH, October 17, 1977, lot 55, exact pair illustrated. $5,000 - $8,000

375 Miniature Mallard Pair George H. Boyd (1873-1941) Seabrook, NH, c. 1935 4 in. long

Original paint with light wear. Hen has restored tail chip and bill.

PROVENANCE: Joe French Collection Michael Boxer Collection

376 Miniature Black Duck Pair George H. Boyd (1873-1941) Seabrook, NH, c. 1935 4 1/4 in. long

A refined original pair with a turned-head hen. Each is identified by the maker on the underside. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection 209

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

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379

381

378

380

382

377 Miniature Canada Goose

379 Miniature Black Duck

381 Miniature Mallard Pair on Base

A miniature goose carving with the maker’s rectangular stamp and the penciled inscription “25” and “Canada goose” on the bottom.

It displays very well-executed paint. Original paint with minimal wear.

A miniature reaching waterfowl carving with “Black duck” inked on the underside. Original paint with minimal wear.

An alert drake and a resting hen, signed “A.E. Crowell, Cape Cod” on the bottom above the maker’s rectangular stamp. This is among the best Crowell double-mount miniatures to come on the market. Original paint with minimal wear.

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1930 6 1/2 in. long

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

$1,500 - $2,500

378 Miniature Wood Duck

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA c. 1920 5 1/2 in. long

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

380 Miniature Ruddy Duck A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1930 2 1/2 in. long

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1920 4 in. long

This finely carved and painted bird retains the maker’s rectangle stamp on the underside of the base. Original paint with minimal wear.

The wood duck bears the species’ initials, “W.D.,” on the painted underside. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

210

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1930 drake is 5 in. long

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

382 Miniature Pintail

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1930 5 1/2 in. long

A pintail miniature with the rectangular “A. E. Crowell, Maker, East Harwich, Mass.” ink stamp on the bottom. Original paint with minimal wear and touch-up to reset neck.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

383

385

384

386

383 Miniature Mallard Drake

385 Miniature Ruddy Duck Pair

An exceptional miniature decoy with highly refined form and paint detail for the maker. Original paint with light wear.

King’s signature is on the side of the base. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

384 Miniature Hooded Merganser Pair

386 Miniature Mallard Pair

This pair exhibits the “JOE LINCOLN ACCORD, MASSACHUSETTS” ink stamps on the bottoms. Original paint with minor wear.

Signed on the side of the base. Original paint with minimal wear and reset curl feather.

Joseph W. Lincoln (1859-1938) Accord, MA, c. 1910 4 in. long

Joseph W. Lincoln (1859-1938) Accord, MA, c. 1920 3 3/4 in. long

Allen J. King (1878-1963) North Scituate, RI, c. 1940 1 3/4 in. tall

Allen J. King (1878-1963) North Scituate, RI, c. 1950 2 3/4 in. tall

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

211

STEVE WEAVER B. 1950 | SANDWICH, MA

387

387 Miniature White Heron

388 Miniature Great Blue Heron

Miniature heron with a carved feather. Signed and titled “A Time for Patience” by the maker on the base. Original paint with minimal wear.

A miniature heron with a carved feather. Signed, dated, and titled “Captivating Presence” on the base. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

Steve Weaver (b. 1950) Sandwich, MA, c. 2015 6 in. tall

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388

Steve Weaver (b. 1950) Sandwich, MA, 2015 6 1/4 in. tall

STEVE WEAVER B. 1950 | SANDWICH, MA

389

389 Killdeer

Steve Weaver (b. 1950) Sandwich, MA, c. 1995 7 3/4 in. tall

A rare life-size killdeer signed by the maker in ink on the bottom of the driftwood base.

Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

390

390 Miniature Preening Curlew Steve Weaver (b. 1950) Sandwich, MA, 2010 4 in. long

A Crowell-inspired miniature whimbrel identified and signed by the maker on the underside of the base. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

391 Miniature Long-Billed Curlew 391

Steve Weaver (b. 1950) Sandwich, MA, 2014 6 1/2 in. long

A miniature curlew signed and dated on the underside. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

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392

393

394

392 Miniature Great Blue Heron Robert Morse (1920-1960) Ellsworth, ME, c. 1945 5 1/2 in. tall

The base is signed by the maker. Original paint with minimal wear and touch-up to reset neck.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

393 Miniature Wood Ducks Russ E. Burr (1887-1955) Hingham, MA, c. 1930 5 in. long

A particularly fine duo bearing the maker’s ink stamp signature on the underside.

Original paint with light wear, including minor flaking.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

394 Miniature Wood Duck and Grouse William L. Schultz (1923-2009) Milwaukee, WI, c. 1965 wood duck is 5 3/4 in. tall

Two decorative miniature carvings with the 214

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399

maker’s signature and dates on the undersides. The duck is dated 1963 and signed to Arthur MacArthur and the grouse is dated 1965. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

395 Miniature Mallard

Robert Morse (1920-1960) Ellsworth, ME, c. 1940 4 in. tall

The maker’s inked signature is on the side of the driftwood base and a Pebble Hill Plantation sticker is on the underside. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Pebble Hill Plantation

Michael Boxer Collection

396 Miniature Flying Grouse Russ E. Burr (1887-1955) Hingham, MA, c. 1930 5 1/4 in. tall, 5 in. long

The underside displays the maker’s ink stamp signature. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

397 Miniature Flying Snowy Egret Helen Lay Strong (1915-1995) Seneca Falls, NY, 1985 6 1/2 in. tall

The bird is signed, dated, and identified by the maker on the underside of the base.

Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

398 Miniature Black-Bellied Plover Tom Wilson (1863-1940) (Attr.)

Ipswich, MA, c. 1890 2 1/4 in. long

An exceptional and particularly small miniature plover. This is among the most realistic and accomplished decorative miniature bird carvings known. Its details include refined feet, raised wings, and minute glass eyes.

The underside has the French Collection’s conjoined “JF” stamp. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Joe French Collection Michael Boxer Collection

THE WARD BROTHERS

1896-1984 AND 1895-1976 | CRISFIELD, MD

400

399 Miniature Mallard Pair

400 Preening Blue-Winged Teal Pair

Charles H. Perdew (1874-1963) Henry, IL, c. 1950 base is 5 1/2 in. long

Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976) Crisfield, MD, 1966 11 1/2 in. long

A very small miniature pair on a base with the maker’s debossed signature in the underside. Original paint with light wear.

A rare and exceptional pair of hollow decorative preeners with extended wings and carved wing feather detail. Each is finished with the artist’s expert feather paint. The undersides of the hollow bodies are signed and dated by Lem. This pair is among the finest early decorative teal known to exist. Excellent original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection LITERATURE: Glenn Lawson and Ida Ward Linton, The Story of Lem Ward, Exton, PA 1984, p. 71, related “sunbathing” drake illustrated.

EXHIBITED: Salisbury, MD, The Ward Foundation, 1966-1967.

$12,000 - $18,000

215

LEMUEL T. WARD 1896-1984 | CRISFIELD, MD

401

216

THE WARD BROTHERS

1896-1984 AND 1895-1976 | CRISFIELD, MD

401 Sunbathing Wigeon

Lemuel T. Ward (1896-1984) Crisfield, MD, 1968 14 1/2 in. long

402

This singular decorative work is titled Sunbathing and is among Lem’s most ambitious decorative carvings. The preening pose has two raised wings with carved feather detail. Lem was a legendary feather painter and his brushwork is on full display across the entire bird, with special attention paid to the tight vermiculation on the back and scapulars. The burl base is signed, titled, and dated by the artist. Excellent original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Grobaker Collection Michael Boxer Collection LITERATURE: Byron Cheever, Ward Bros., Heber City, UT, 1966, color plate 15, and pl. 61, exact carving illustrated twice.

Glenn Lawson and Ida Ward Linton, The Story of Lem Ward, Exton, PA 1984, p. 71, related “sunbathing” teal illustrated.

$12,000 - $18,000

403

402 Breast-Preening Bufflehead Lemuel T. Ward (1896-1984) Crisfield, MD, 1970 11 in. long

A breast-preening hollow bufflehead, which is signed and dated by the maker on the bottom. Original paint with light wear, including craquelure to the primaries.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

$2,500 - $3,500

403 Ruddy Duck

The Ward Brothers Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976) Crisfield, MD, 1969 10 1/2 in. long

The underside of the hollow body is signed and dated by the maker. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Grobaker Collection Michael Boxer Collection LITERATURE: Glenn Lawson, The Story of Lem Ward, West Chester, PA, 1984, p. 66, related pair illustrated.

$2,500 - $3,500

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THE WARD BROTHERS

1896-1984 AND 1895-1976 | CRISFIELD, MD

404

404 Pinch-Breast Bluebill

The Ward Brothers Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976) Crisfield, MD, c. 1960 14 in. long

The underside of this exceedingly rare model is signed to Hal Sorenson by Lem Ward. In creating this decoy, Lem started with a 1930s decoy body. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Hal Sorenson Collection, acquired from the maker Michael Boxer Collection

405 Black Duck 405

The Ward Brothers Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976) Crisfield, MD, 1969 16 in. long

This turned-head black duck bears the makers’ signatures and Lem’s inscription on the underside of the hollow body, “Painted a little special for a special friend Paul Nock.” The makers revisited their 1930s pinch-breast style as a favor for a special patron.

Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Paul Nock Collection John Maddox Collection Michael Boxer Collection

406 Miniature Hissing Goose 406

The Ward Brothers Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976) Crisfield, MD, 1962 12 in. long

The Wards’ best grade of miniature, this animated balsa goose carving features a hissing pose, open bill, and raised wing tips. “Canada Goose, Ward Bros., Crisfield, MD. -1962-” is inscribed on the bottom. Original paint with minimal wear, including minor touch-up to reset neck.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

218

THE STERLING WARD REDHEAD PAIR

407

407 The Sterling Ward Redhead Pair

The Ward Brothers Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976) Crisfield, MD, 1967 15 in. long

A highly refined pair of redheads made for the Ward’s close Crisfield friend, Ralph Sterling. The undersides of these hollow birds are signed, dated, dedicated, tagged, and resigned by the makers. In the last inscription, Lem states that these are the best redheads he ever made. Original paint with light wear and one small spot of touch-up to drake’s right shoulder.

PROVENANCE: Ralph Sterling Collection, acquired directly from the makers Michael Boxer Collection

$14,000 - $18,000

The Ward Brothers in front of their Crisfield workshop.

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408

409

408 Early Swan

R. Madison Mitchell (1901-1993) Havre de Grace, MD, c. 1936 28 in. long, 24 in. tall

A classic Upper Bay working swan decoy with an extensive exhibition history. The underside has a fixed weighted wooden keel, which is rare for these decoys. The bird was returned to Mitchell for his signature, which is on the underside.

In the 1990s, this decoy was recorded in exhibitions at two of Maryland’s cultural institutions. Old working paint with moderate gunning wear. Two cracks above upper neck seam and age lines in body.

PROVENANCE: Austin M. Taliaferro Collection Michael Boxer Collection

220

LITERATURE: Maryland Historical Society, Chesapeake Wildfowl Hunting: Maryland’s Finest Decoys, Baltimore, MD, 1991, item # 36, exact decoy illustrated.

EXHIBITED: Baltimore, MD, Maryland Historical Society, Chesapeake

Wildfowl Hunting: Maryland’s Finest Decoys, September 27, 1991February 2, 1992.

St. Michaels, MD, Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, 1994-1995.

409 Canvasback

James T. Holly (1855-1935) Havre de Grace, MD, c. 1890 16 in. long

Original paint with even gunning wear and some dark drips on right side.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

410

412

414

411

413

415

410 Canvasback Pair

Oliver “Tuts” Lawson (b. 1938) Crisfield, MD, c. 2000 14 3/4 in. long

413 Wood Ducks

Charlie “Speed” Joiner (1921-2015) Chestertown, MD, 1991 13 1/2 in. long

A well-executed pair that bear the maker’s signature on the bottoms. Original paint with light wear.

Both bear the maker’s inked signature, date, and “Chestertown, MD.” Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

411 Pintail Pair

414 Sandpiper

R. Madison Mitchell (1901-1993) Havre de Grace, MD, 1968 18 in. long

David B. Ward (1947-2020) Essex, CT, c. 2000 8 in. long

The pair is signed and dated on the undersides. Original paint with light wear.

Signed with the maker’s stamped initials on the underside of the bird. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

412 Preening Curlew

415 Sleeping Black Duck

David B. Ward (1947-2020) Essex, CT, c. 2000 10 1/4 in. long

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 2015 16 in. long

This hollow curlew bears the maker’s “DBW” incised signature on the bottom. Original paint with light wear.

This sleeping Shang-style carving bears an incised “F” signature on the underside. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

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416

419

417

420

418

416 Bobwhite Quail

419 Red-Breasted Merganser Pair

A resting life-size game bird decorative with raised, carved leaves on the base. Signed on the bottom of the base by the maker. Original paint with minimal wear.

A pair of decoys from the Hawthorne rig and so marked. The underside is also signed by the maker and stamped “Berkey.”

Original paint with light gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

PROVENANCE: Davison Hawthorne Rig Barry and Velma Berkey Collection Michael Boxer Collection

Davison B. Hawthorne (1924-2018) Seaford, DE, c. 2000 7 in. long

417 Preening Merganser Pair Keith Mueller (b. 1956) Killingworth, CT, c. 2010 17 in. long

A pair of preening red-breasted mergansers with incised feather detail and the maker’s “Keith Mueller” signature brand on the undersides. The drake exhibits raised, crossed primaries and fine paint detail. Original condition with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

418 Miniature Wigeon and Mallard Davison B. Hawthorne (1924-2018) Seaford, DE, c. 1990 5 3/4 in. long

Both are signed on the bottom by the maker. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection 222

Davison B. Hawthorne (1924-2018) Seaford, DE, c. 1980 16 in. long

420 Half-Size Swimming Mallard James “Corb” Reed (1897-1987) Chincoteague, VA, c. 1960 13 1/4 in. long

A half-size mallard with a typed label on the side of the base that reads: “Grey Mallard: A real gamey bird, not as fine for the table as the black mallard and not as wary, but one has to be a good marksman to bring one down.” and includes the maker’s signed initials. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

JAMES "CORB" REED 1897-1987 | CHINCOTEAGUE, VA

421

423

422

424

421 Wigeon

423 Black Duck

This cranked-head carving is among the maker’s finest. It is signed with a stamped “JC Reed” and inked signature. Original paint with light wear.

This snuggle-head carving displays the maker’s tucked legs feature. It is signed on the underside of the bill. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

James “Corb” Reed (1897-1987) Chincoteague, VA, c. 1970 14 in. long

$1,500 - $2,500

422 Canvasbacks

James “Corb” Reed (1897-1987) Chincoteague, VA, c. 1970 16 1/2 in. long

This pair each bear the maker’s stamped “Corb Reed” signature. Original paint with light wear.

James “Corb” Reed (1897-1987) Chincoteague, VA, c. 1970 15 in. long

424 Wood Duck

James “Corb” Reed (1897-1987) Chincoteague, VA, 1975 14 in. long

The underside bears the maker’s inked and stamped “Corb Reed” signature and date. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

223

DELBERT "CIGAR" DAISEY B. 1924 | CHINCOTEAGUE, VA

425

427

426

428

425 Red-Breasted Merganser Pair

427 Mallard and Black Duck

Signed in ink “Delbert Cigar Daisy” and branded “Cigar” on bottom. Original paint with light wear.

The cork-bodied black duck is branded “Cigar” and bears the penciled inscription “My Hunting decoy used on Wildcat Marsh” on the keel. The cork-bodied drake is branded “Cigar” and signed in ink “Delbert Cigar Daisy” on the bottom. Original paint with minor wear.

Delbert “Cigar” Daisey (1924-2017) Chincoteague, VA, c. 1980 17 in. long

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

426 Ruddy Duck

Delbert “Cigar” Daisey (1924-2017) Chincoteague, VA, c. 1965 10 1/2 in. long

Signed and dated in ink “Delbert Cigar Daisy” on bottom and branded “Cigar.” Though described by the maker on the underside as a hunting decoy, this carving shows the Islander’s decorative features. Original paint with light wear. Bill has blunted tip and hairline crack.

PROVENANCE: Curtis Fruit Collection, acquired from the artist Michael Boxer Collection

224

Delbert “Cigar” Daisey (1924-2017) Chincoteague, VA, c. 2000 16 1/2 in. long

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

428 Hooded Merganser Pair

Delbert “Cigar” Daisey (1924-2017) Chincoteague, VA, c. 1980 12 in. long

A pair of Jester-style mergansers signed in ink “Delbert Cigar Daisy” on bottom and branded “Cigar.” Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

429

431

430

432

429 Red Knot

431 Miniature Hudsonian Godwit

This robin snipe bears the maker’s incised “W” and the date on the underside. Original paint with minimal wear.

A godwit with carved bill detail and raised wings. Signed and dated by the maker on the underside of the base. Original paint with minimal wear.

Eddie Wozny (b. 1959) Cambridge, MD, 1997 9 in. long

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

Eddie Wozny (b. 1959) Cambridge, MD, c. 2015 6 in. long

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

430 Long-Billed Dowitcher Mark S. McNair (b. 1950) Craddockville, VA, c. 1990 11 in. long

Carved in the Bunn style and signed with an incised “McNair” on the underside. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

432 Feeding Verity-Style Peep Mark S. McNair (b. 1950) Craddockville, VA, c. 2000 6 in. long

Signed with an incised “McNair” on the underside. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

225

433

435

434

436

433 High-Head Ruddy Duck

435 Ruddy Duck

Signed with an incised “CTM” on the underside. Original paint and wear.

A ruddy duck with intricate carving and paint. The bottom is signed and dated. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

434 Calling Blue-Winged Teal

436 Green-Winged Teal

Victor Paroyan is a three-time world champion for decorative wildfowl and a five-time world champion for decorative smoothies. He is the author of Workbench Projects: American Goldfinch, a carver’s instructional guide published by Wildfowl Carving magazine.

A teal with intricate incised bill and wing carving. Bottom reads “Greenwing Teal in late fall plumage for Dr. J.B. Palenske by Harold Haertel. 1971.” Original paint with light wear.

Cameron T. McIntyre (b. 1968) New Church, VA, c. 2000 11 in. long

Victor Paroyan, 2006 11 1/2 in. long

A turned-head, calling blue-winged teal with highly refined carved feather detail and paint. The underside bears the maker’s signature, species identification, and date. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

226

Harold Haertel (1904-1995) Dundee, IL, 1964 9 in. long

Harold Haertel (1904-1995) Dundee, IL, 1971 101/4 in. long

PROVENANCE: Dr. J.B. Palenske Collection Michael Boxer Collection

MASON DECOY FACTORY

1896-1924 | DETROIT, MI

437

439

438

440

437 Black Duck

439 Hollow Challenge-Grade Mallard Pair

This decoy is from an elite rig of six that turned up at a Connecticut auction fifteen years ago. A sterling Challenge-Grade Mason with excellent dry original paint. A tightened crack in the bill and minor touch-up to the neck seam are the only imperfections to this near-mint gunning bird.

A rare pair of hollow Challenge-Grade mallards, the hen has been twice struck with a “D” brand. Original paint with even gunning wear. The hen has touch-up to neck seam and restoration to most of top of tail. The drake has restoration to a tail chip.

Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924) Detroit, MI, c. 1910 16 1/4 in. long

Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924) Detroit, MI, c. 1910 16 1/4 in. long

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

440 McCleery Pintail and Black Duck 438 Bluebill Pair

Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924) Detroit, MI, c. 1910 14 in. long

A rigmate pair of Challenge-Grade decoys. Mostly original paint with even gunning wear and some touch-up.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924) Detroit, MI, c. 1910 16 in. long

Once hailing from the renowned Dr. James M. McCleery Collection, these two standard-grade decoys display painted eyes, “McCleery” stamps, and orange Sotheby’s auction stickers from the historic sale. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Dr. James M. McCleery Collection Michael Boxer Collection, acquired from the sale of the above LITERATURE: Sotheby’s and Guyette and Schmidt, American Water-

fowl Decoys: The Distinguished Collection of Dr. James M. McCleery, New York, NY, January 22–23, 2000, lots 265 and 587, exact decoys illustrated.

227

441

443

445

442

444

446

441 Wood Duck

Leo H. McIntosh (1953-2007) Woodville, NY, c. 1990 12 in. long

443 Bufflehead

Leo H. McIntosh (1953-2007) Woodville, NY, 1983 11 in. long

A turned-head carving with “L. H. McIntosh” debossed in the bottom.

Original paint with minimal wear.

A slightly turned-head carving with a “L. McIntosh” dated marking on the bottom.

Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

$1,500 - $2,500

442 Green-Winged Teal

Leo H. McIntosh (1953-2007) Woodville, NY, c. 1990 11 in. long

A slightly turned-head decorative carving with “L. H. McIntosh” debossed in the bottom. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

445 Long-Billed Curlew

Leo H. McIntosh (1953-2007) Woodville, NY, c. 1990 17 in. long

A rare long-billed curlew by the maker with intricate bill detail and dropped wings signed with his debossed signature on the underside. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

444 Swimming Blue-Winged Teal Leo H. McIntosh (1953-2007) Woodville, NY, 1984 12 1/2 in. long

This pinnacle work for McIntosh won Best-In-Show at the 1984 U.S. Nationals competition. It is a rare swimming carving with a “L. McIntosh” signature and a remark on the bottom. This carving was featured on a “Best In Show” dish illustrating this exact blue-ribbon bird. Original paint with light wear and a 1/4 inch wing tip repair.

446 Sandpiper

Leo H. McIntosh (1953-2007) Woodville, NY, c. 1990 7 in. long

A slightly turned-head carving with “L. McIntosh” painted on the bottom of the driftwood base. Original paint with light gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection U.S. National Decoy Show, 1984, Best-In-Show winner

228

442

KEN HARRIS

1905-1981 | WOODVILLE, NY

447

449

448

450

447 Bluebill

449 Mallard Pair

The carving bears the maker’s brand on the underside. Original paint with light wear and some discoloration on bill.

Each carving has a maker stamp on the underside. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

448 Wood Duck

450 Preening Mallard

The underside is signed with the maker’s brand. Original paint with light wear and darkening to chipped left wing tip.

A turned-head decorative with a “By Ken Harris, Woodville, N.Y.” brand on the underside. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

Ken Harris (1905-1981) Woodville, NY, c. 1970 12 in. long

Ken Harris (1905-1981) Woodville, NY, c. 1970 12 in. long

Ken Harris (1905-1981) Woodville, NY, c. 1970 15 in. long

Ken Harris (1905-1981) Woodville, NY, c. 1960 13 1/2 in. long

229

451

453

452

454

451 Black Duck

453 Plover

A classic hollow Connecticut black duck decoy with refined carving and fine feather paint. This decoy is one of the maker’s very best. A paper label on its breast remains from an early decoy competition or exhibition. Original paint with light wear and touch-up to tip of bill.

Original paint with even gunning, including minor flaking at base of bill.

Charles R. Disbrow (1881-1954) Stratford, CT, c. 1930 17 1/2 in. long

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection LITERATURE: Henry C. Chitwood, Connecticut Decoys, West Chester, PA, 1987, p. 104, rigmate illustrated.

Guyette and Deeter, North American Decoys at Auction, November 7-8, 2012, lot 482, exact decoy illustrated.

$2,000 - $3,000

452 Wood Duck Pair

William H. Cranmer (1917-2008) Beach Haven, NJ, 1959 13 3/4 in. long

A pair of hollow wood ducks signed and dated on the undersides. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

230

Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924) Detroit, MI, c. 1900 10 in. long

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

454 Blue-Winged Teal

J. N. Dodge Factory (1883-1893) Detroit, MI, c. 1885 12 1/4 in. long

This green-winged teal bears a “WTB” brand on the underside.

Original paint with heavy wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

455

457

456

458

455 Mallard Drake

Charles Walker (1873-1954) Princeton, IL, c. 1925 16 in. long

This hollow turned-head carving bears the maker’s name, date, and the Mackey stamp on the underside. It also retains the original slot weight and remnants of painted initials. Mostly original paint with moderate gunning wear, overpaint remains on breast, and overpaint on white has been taken down.

PROVENANCE: William J. Mackey Jr. Collection John R. Wierdsma 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, Session III, August 21, 1973, lot 123, exact decoy illustrated. $1,000 - $2,000

456 Rare Canvasback Hen

gunning wear, including minor flaking and age lines to end grain.

Crack in neck.

LITERATURE: Donna Tonelli, Fish and Fowl Decoys of the Great Lakes, Atglen, PA, 2002, p. 122, related decoys illustrated.

$3,000 - $4,000

457 Canvasback Drake

G. Bert Graves (1880-1956) Peoria, IL, c. 1920 17 in. long

A classic Graves canvasback with excellent combed and swirled paint. In fine Catherine Elliston paint with even gunning wear, touch-up to reset neck.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Midwest LITERATURE: Donna Tonelli, Fish and Fowl Decoys of the Great Lakes, Atglen, PA, 2002, p. 122, related decoys illustrated.

G. Bert Graves (1880-1956) Peoria, IL, c. 1920 16 1/2 in. long

$2,500 - $3,500

This hollow high head represents one of the maker’s rarest diving duck carvings. Finding a hen in original paint is challenging, with the drakes far more common. Original paint with even

Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924) Detroit, MI, c. 1910 13 in. long

458 Premier-Grade Broadbill

Original paint with moderate gunning wear.

231

CHARLES H. PERDEW 1874-1963 | HENRY, IL

459 Early Mallard Pair

Charles H. Perdew (1874-1963) Henry, IL, c. 1920 16 3/4 in. long

An early and hard-to-find rigmate pair with strong two-piece hollow body form and Edna’s exceptional paint. Her brushwork is notably showcased on the hen’s back. These regional archetype decoys retain their early poured strip weights.

A closely related pair from the Figge Collection is illustrated and glowingly described in Ann Lacy’s definitive monograph on the maker. Original paint with even gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Brewer Rig Private Collection LITERATURE: Ann Tandy Lacy, Perdew: An Illinois River Tradition, Muncie, IN, 1993, title page, related pair illustrated, p. 110, Figge pair illustrated and discussed.

Stephen O’Brien and Julie Carlson, Masterworks of the Illinois River, Boston, MA, 2005, p. 68, early Figge pair illustrated.

$25,000 - $35,000

232

Related early mallards featured on the cover of Perdew an Illinois Tradition, image courtesy of David A. Galliher.

THE BREWER PERDEW MALLARD PAIR

459

233

MASON DECOY FACTORY 1896-1924 | DETROIT, MI

“Mason’s Decoy Factory of Detroit, Michigan, left us our finest heritage of factory-made decoys.”

— William J. Mackey Jr., American Bird Decoys

460

460 The Mackey Mason Green-Winged Teal Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924) Detroit, MI, c. 1910 12 1/2 in. long

A rare Premier-Grade green-winged teal drake. This decoy hails from the Mackey Collection and retains his faint collection stamp. The underside is branded “WP.” Richard Bourne chose Bill Mackey’s top Masons to kick off his historic 1973 summer auction. This decoy was the first Mason teal offered from this highly esteemed group. A closely related Mason green-winged teal drake was collect by Dr. James McCleery M.D. Original paint with light gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: William J. Mackey Jr. Collection John R. Wierdsma Collection, acquired from the sale of the above LITERATURE: Richard A. Bourne Co., Inc., Very Rare and Import-

ant American Bird Decoys from the Collection of the late William J. Mackey Jr. of Belford, New Jersey, Hyannis, MA, Session I & II, 1973, lot 18, exact decoy illustrated.

William J. Mackey Jr., American Bird Decoys, New York, NY, 1965, pl. VIII, Mason factory discussed.

Russ J. Goldberger and Alan Haid, Mason Decoys: A Pictorial Guide, Updated Edition, Lewes, DE, 2014, pp. 60-61, related examples illustrated. $10,000 - $20,000

234

THE MACKEY MASON TEAL

460

461

235

THE MACKEY MASON BLUE-WINGED TEAL

461

461 The Mackey Mason Blue-Winged Teal Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924) Detroit, MI, c. 1910 12 in. long

A slightly turned-head teal with double-blue plumage. The underside retains the Mackey stamp and a “WW” brand.

Richard Bourne chose Bill Mackey’s top Masons to kick off his historic 1973 summer auction. This decoy was the first Mason blue-winged teal offered from this highly esteemed group.

Original paint with even gunning wear, small spot of early fill to top of head, minor darkening to paint flake on back. Bill has old working paint and a tight crack.

PROVENANCE: William J. Mackey Jr. Collection John R. Wierdsma Collection, acquired from the sale of the above 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, Session I & II, 1973, lot 23, exact decoy illustrated.

Russ J. Goldberger and Alan Haid, Mason Decoys: A Pictorial Guide, Updated Edition, Lewes, DE, 2014, pp.

$10,000 - $20,000

Lots 460 and 461 illustrated in the Session I-II Mackey catalog. 1973.

236

462

462 Rare Tern Decoy

Henry Ellison (attr.)

Freeport, Long Island, NY, c. 1890 11 in. long

Tern decoys by any maker are exceedingly rare with seemingly all of the known examples coming from Long Island for use in supplying the millenary trade.

This, along with a small number of exceptional Verity family terns, stands among the very best of the species. The underside is marked with an incised “HE” and a collector’s note referencing Henry Ellison. Appears to be original paint with moderate gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Peter Bartlett Collection Private Collection

463

LITERATURE: Quintina Colio, American Decoys, Ephrata, PA, 1972, p. 74, related Verity illustrated.

$3,500 - $4,500

463 Merganser Silhouette Cape Cod, MA, c. 1900 20 in. long

An old silhouette of a red-breasted merganser removed from its original dovetail-ended crosspiece. The quality of the paint is related to the brushwork exhibited in decoys by A. Elmer Crowell.

Original paint with light gunning wear.

464 Swan Silhouette 464

Upper Chesapeake Bay 34 1/4 in. tall, 48 1/2 in. wide

An oversize swan decoy which could be used as a blind while “body-booting” on the Upper Chesapeake. One side has mounts to enable the swan to be held by a pole. The neck is reinforced with a serpentine metal rod on one side and metal brackets on the other. Original paint with even wear, some craquelure, and a chip at base of neck.

237

“These monumental decoys are as exceptional as a decoy can be; in size, rarity, and design they are in a class by themselves.”

— William J. Mackey Jr. discussing egret decoys, American Bird Decoys, 1965

465 The Mackey-Colio American Egret New Jersey, c. 1880 45 in. long

An extremely rare, oversize egret known widely through its prominent presentations in the 1960s and 70s. This offering represents this iconic bird’s long awaited public encore since being acuired by John R. Wierdsma from the Quintina Colio Collection through Sotheby Parke Bernet in 1975.

The grand body measures a full forty-five inches from head to tail with a sixteen-inch neck. It was carved from a one-inch board. The head was applied with a metal bracket on each side. It was made as a stick-up decoy and has also been displayed hung on a wall with two small tacks on the right side.

Although egrets were not often, if ever, hunted for the table because their flesh was generally deemed unpalatable, egret and heron carvings were used as confidence decoys to lure in more tasty waterfowl. They were also for a time involved with hunting for the millenary trade. While heron decoys with provenance are very rare, egret decoys are nearly non-existent, or in words of William Mackey “excessively rare.” Indeed, only one comparable to this lot has surfaced, and it has resided in the Shelburne Museum since the institution acquired it directly from the Downtown Gallery in 1952. This groundbreaking art gallery was started by Edith Halpert (1900-1970) in 1926.

The surface is as distinctive as the carving itself with tremendous craquelure. Two small paper labels on the right side of the tail remain from the Colio and Wierdsma Collections. Old working paint with craquelure, heavy gunning wear, and some flaking to exposed wood. Chip along right side of stick hole.

The Mackey-Colio egret decoy was published in full-page features in both Mackey’s 1965 American Bird Decoys, and Colio’s 1972 American Decoys. From there, it was vetted for The Flowering of American Folk Art touring exhibition and accompanying book. This landmark museum exhibition debuted in New York City’s Whitney Museum in 1974 and was pivotal to our current appreciation of American Folk Art. The exhibition was headed by Alice Winchester and Jean Lipman, with consultants including Mary Allis, Adele Earnest, Nina Fletcher Little, and Peter Tillou. Among the small number of decoys selected were a Lothrop T. Holmes merganser pair and the Capt. Osgood geese. After leaving the Whitney, this carving made stops at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.

238

PROVENANCE: Quintina Colio Collection John R. Wierdsma Collection, acquired 1975 LITERATURE: William J. Mackey Jr., American Bird Decoys. New York, 1965, pl. 36, exact decoy illustrated.

Quintina Colio, American Decoys, Ephrata, PA, 1972, p. 83 exact decoy illustrated.

Jean Lipman and Allice Winchester, The Flowering of American Folk Art (1776-1876), New York, NY, 1974, p. 167, exact decoy illustrated.

Sotheby Parke Bernet Inc., The American Heritage Society Auction of Americana, November 6-8, 1975, lot 262, exact decoy illustrated.

EXHIBITED: New York, Whitney Museum of American Art, The Flow-

ering of American Folk Art, February 1 - March 24, 1974.

Richmond, Virginia, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, “The Flowering of American Folk Art,” April 22–June 2, 1974.

San Francisco, California, The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco: M. H. de Young Memorial Museum, “The Flowering of American Folk Art,” June 24–September 15, 1974. $20,000 - $30,000

THE MACKEY-COLIO AMERICAN EGRET

465

239

“When well conceived and endowed with the awkward grace of the great bird itself, a heron decoy can take command of almost any collection. Their variety runs the entire gamut from the most primitive forms to beautifully carved and painted examples.”

— William J. Mackey Jr., American Bird Decoys 466

466 Reaching Great Blue Heron New England, c. 1900 32 1/2 in. tall, 41 in. long

This grand carving measures over forty inches from tip to tail.

The head is in a reaching position and cocked to the right.

The underside is fitted with two legs and a metal support rod.

One known related example was sold in 2021 as part of the Linda E. Johnson Collection. Mix of old paint with heavy wear, working repairs, loss to tail, and contemporary restoration to body, bill, and legs.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, New England

240

LITERATURE: Copley Fine Art Auctions, The Johnson Collection of American Bird Decoys, Hingham, MA, July 9-10, 2021, inside back cover and lot 26, closely related example illustrated.

William J. Mackey Jr., American Bird Decoys, New York, NY, 1965, chapter IV, herons discussed and illustrated.

$8,000 - $12,000

JOSEPH W. LINCOLN

1859-1938 | ACCORD, MA

467

467 Early “Angel Wing” Black Duck Joseph W. Lincoln (1859-1938) Accord, MA, c. 1910 22 in. long

A special-order black duck made for a major patron. This decoy approaches Lincoln’s typical twenty-five-inch-long goose pattern in size. In addition to the bird’s grand scale, it also displays scalloped speculum paint, a sharp flared bill, and sculpted shoulder carving.

Attesting to the rarity of this unrigged, near-mint example, Cap Vinal illustrates and features a related “EARLY ROUND HIGH HEAD-TACK EYES-NOTCHED BILL TIP-SCULPTURED WING SEPARATION-PARTIAL REPAINT” model in his book on the maker. Excellent original paint with minimal wear, typical Lincoln check in the bottom.

PROVENANCE: Chester F. Spear Rig, acquired from the maker By descent in the Spear Family Private Collection LITERATURE: Cap Vinal, Joseph W. Lincoln, Rockland, MA, 2002, p.

29, related decoy illustrated.

Copley Fine Art Auctions, The Winter Sale 2019, Hingham, MA, lot 196, exact decoy illustrated.

$14,000 - $18,000

“Lincoln was a laconic man, a consummate Yankee craftsman whose solid-bodied decoys are reflections of their maker’s personality— direct and spare, with not a gesture wasted. Their clean, crisp lines and reductively abstract paint patterns capture the essentials of each species’ form and plumage with remarkable integrity and economy of means.”

— Robert Shaw, Bird Decoys of North America 241

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

468

468 Rare Redhead Hen

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1920 15 in. long

Crowell’s redhead hens are very rare. This crisp example displays bold tail feather carving, glass eyes, expertly blended paint, and carved bill detail. Measuring seven inches in width, it features deep rasp carving and a slightly uplifted head, accurately capturing the likeness of species. The underside is marked with a small Colby Wood collection stamp. Never rigged, in near-mint original paint with a faint age line through head.

PROVENANCE: Colby Wood Jr. Collection Private Collection

$10,000 - $14,000

242

A. ELMER CROWELL

1862-1952 | EAST HARWICH, MA

469

469 Semipalmated Plover A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1935 5 1/4 in. tall

The underside of this rare mantle carving is struck with the maker’s rectangular stamp. Original paint with light wear. $8,000 - $12,000

243

470

471

470 Plover

George H. Boyd (1873-1941) Seabrook, NH, c. 1900 10 3/4 in. long

Though most Boyd plover are uniform in shape, this beautifully sculpted plover has a nice round head and a thinner neck than most of the maker’s carvings. The extensive feathering represents breeding plumage. Original paint with light gunning wear, replaced bill, and touch-up to one spot by right eye and wing, and three on bottom. $3,500 - $4,500

244

471 Exemplary Golden Plover Nantucket, c. 1880 9 1/2 in. long

An excellent plover decoy with slight shoulder carving and precise and crisply carved V-shaped wing tips. It was finished with soft blended paint and tight gold speckling in breeding plumage. Original paint with light gunning wear and some old working fill to several small shot holes. $6,500 - $8,500

472 Tucked-Head Curlew

Thomas Gelston (1850-1924) Quogue, Long Island, NY, c. 1880 16 3/4 in. long

472

A tucked-head model with the Mackey stamp on the underside. Original and old working paint with moderate gunning wear, a reset neck, and replaced bill.

PROVENANCE: William J. Mackey Jr. Collection John R. Wierdsma 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, Session III, August 21, 1973, lot 319, exact decoy illustrated.

473 Golden Plover

Joseph W. Lincoln (1859-1938) Massachusetts, c. 1880 10 in. long

473

An exceptional golden plover in transitional plumage with a reddish tone and gold flecks.

The body exhibits highly refined split-tail form.

Excellent original paint with moderate gunning wear, including small worn chip to top of wing tip and crack in bill. Very old fill to several shot holes.

PROVENANCE: John R. Wierdsma Collection LITERATURE: Cap Vinal, Joseph W. Lincoln, Rockland, MA, 2002, p. 68, related example illustrated.

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CHARLES SUMNER BUNN 1865-1952 | SHINNECOCK, NY

474 Rare Curlew

Charles Sumner Bunn (1865-1952) Shinnecock, NY, c. 1900 18 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 a closely related curlew, 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 newly discovered and exceptionally rare Long Island shorebird now joins a small and elite group of curlew by this celebrated carver and guide. It has been passed down through a prominent New York family who lived in the city and escaped to Long Island and specifically the Hamptons. The family had a strong sporting heritage dating back to at least the 19th century and played host to figures including Ogden M. Plesissner.

This decoy was retired from gunning to be displayed in their Upper East Side apartment. The bird is now making its debut to the decoy community, marking one of the greatest shorebird decoy discoveries in recent memory.

Very few decoys of this coveted model have surfaced, with fewer still held in private collections. One example from the William J. Mackey Collection was acquired by Dr. James McCleery in the 1970s, setting a record price for any decoy at the time. After that bird traded again in the McCleery auction decades later, it rejoined the ranks of the top decoys ever sold.

The second and last known comparable in private hands, recently reached the market from the estate of Dr. Lloyd Griffith. Condition reports provided for the two aforementioned private collection examples suggest all three have survived in fairly comparable condition.

An illustration of a closely related curlew in Classic Shorebird Decoys: a Portfolio of Paintings, 1971.

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Lastly two related examples from the rig of T.F. Norton have been held in the Long Island Museum at Stony Brook since they were gifted in 1966. One of these two appears to be the model for Weiler’s illustration. This survey makes this lot the fifth of this model to surface publicly, and only the third to come to auction.

The grand body is larger than some waterfowl and accordingly was made with two-piece construction, held together by wooden pegs. “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.” Original paint with even gunning wear and some flaking mostly to front. Head has touch-up to neck crack and back of head and replaced bill. Shallow flat area around stick hole has been restored.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, by descent in a prominent New York City family LITERATURE: Robert Shaw, Bird Decoys of North America, New York, NY, 2010, pp. 180-181, related example 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 example illustrated.

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

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

E. Jane Townsend, Gunners Paradise: Wildfowling and Decoys on Long Island, Stony Brook, NY, 1979, p. 106, Norton rig pair 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 207, related example illustrated.

Quintina Colio, American Decoys, Ephrata, PA, 1972, p. 69, related examples illustrated (image reversed).

$60,000 - $90,000

CHARLES SUMNER BUNN 1865-1952 | SHINNECOCK, NY

474

247

MACKEY-MULLER VERITY OVERSIZE RUNNING PLOVER

475

475 Mackey-Muller Verity Oversize 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 nine and eleven inches; this oversize example boasts a full body spanning 12 3/4 inches. The underside is marked with the Mackey and Muller Collection ink stamps. Excellent original paint with minimal gunning wear.

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

$8,000 - $12,000

MULLER

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476 Rare Mackey Godwit c. 1900 18 in. long

476

This large carving bears a trace of a Mackey stamp on the underside. Adele Earnest published this decoy as a godwit in her American Bird Decoys book; the bill has since been spun to curve down. A rigmate godwit was published in William Mackey’s book. Old paint with heavy gunning wear, including some chipping at face where bill was turned.

PROVENANCE: William J. Mackey Jr. Collection John R. Wierdsma Collection LITERATURE: Adele Earnest, The Art of The Decoy: American Bird Carvings, New York, NY, 1965, p. 57, exact decoy illustrated.

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

46, rigmate illustrated.

Richard A. Bourne Co., Inc., Very Rare and Important American Bird Decoys from the Collection of the late William J. Mackey Jr. of Belford, New Jersey, Hyannis, MA, Session I & II, 1973, lot 482, exact decoy illustrated.

477

477 Hollow Plover

Massachusetts, c. 1870 12 1/4 in. long

A large and very hollow shorebird with a vertical body seam bearing the Mackey stamp. Old working paint with heavy gunning wear and touch-up to face and a replaced bill.

PROVENANCE: William J. Mackey Jr. Collection John R. Wierdsma Collection

478 Curlew

New Jersey, c. 1880 13 1/2 in. long

478

An early curlew with deep eye grooves and a thin neck. Old working paint with gunning wear, a neck crack, touch-up to tail edge and top of head, and partially restored bill.

PROVENANCE: Donal C. O’Brien Jr. Collection John R. Wierdsma Collection

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479

481

480

482

483

483 Feeding Mackey Peep Pair New Jersey, c. 1900 largest is 7 1/4 in. long

A pair of feeding peeps bearing Mackey stamps. As found.

PROVENANCE: William J. Mackey Jr. Collection John R. Wierdsma Collection

479 Red-Backed Sanderling

Verity Family Seaford, Long Island, NY, c. 1890 7 1/2 in. long

A rare little peep decoy displaying gently stippled feathering with red brushwork though the back. Original paint with gunning wear. An original age crack on left side with stabilizing nails, and an old replaced bill with touch-up where it meets the face.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Long Island Private Collection, Cambridge, Massachusetts LITERATURE: Copley Fine Art Auctions, The Winter Sale 2011, New York, NY, January 17, 2011, lot 290, exact decoy illustrated.

$1,500 - $2,000

480 Black-Bellied Plover

John Dilley Quogue, Long Island, NY, c. 1880 10 1/2 in. long

This heavily gunned-over decoy exhibits a full body with a broad “beetlehead” and incised S-wing carving. Mix of original and

250

old working paint with gunning wear. Touch-up to edges of tail and forehead.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Cambridge, Massachusetts

481 Black-Bellied Plover Frank Kellum (1858-1940) Babylon, NY, c. 1890 9 1/4 in. long

Original paint with heavy gunning wear.

482 Black-Bellied Plover

Verity Family Seaford, Long Island, NY, c. 1880 11 in. long

A classic Seaford plover with plump form.

As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Cambridge, Massachusetts

LITERATURE: Quintina Colio, American Decoys, Ephrata, PA, 1972, p. 72, one exact bird illustrated, 2nd from left, with rigmates.

Richard A. Bourne Co. Inc., Very Rare and Important American Bird Decoys, from the Collection of the late William J. Mackey Jr. of Belford, New Jersey, Hyannis, MA, Session III, August 21, 1973, lots 90-91, one exact and one rigmate illustrated.

Richard A. Bourne Co. Inc., Very Rare and Important American Bird Decoys, from the Collection of the late William J. Mackey Jr. of Belford, New Jersey, Hyannis, MA, Session V-VI, July 9-10, 1974, lot 241, one exact bird illustrated.

WILLIAM HUMPHREY

1823-1880S | TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA

484

484 Greater Yellowlegs

William Humphrey (1823-1880s) Toronto, Ontario, Canada, c. 1870 13 1/2 in. long and 13 in. tall

This boldly carved shorebird is among the finest Canadian shorebirds to come on the market. The animated body was finished with excellent stippling from head to tail. The original wrapped thighs remain intact around the pair of wire legs. The underside is marked with the Nelson Collection ink stamp.

A related example resides in the Harbinson Collection of the Canadian Museum of History (Musee Canadien de L’Historie).

Original paint with gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Grant Nelson Collection Private Collection LITERATURE: Jackson Parker, “The Year in Review: The Decoy at Auction 2002,” Decoy Magazine, 2002, p. 19, no. 46, exact bird illustrated.

Patricia Fleming, ed., Traditions in Wood, Toronto, Ontario, 1987, p.

126, related decoy illustrated.

$10,000 - $14,000

NELSON

251

JOHN R. WELLS

1861-1953 | TORONTO, CANADA

485

486

485 Hollow Broadbill Drake John R. Wells (1861-1953) Toronto, Canada, c. 1900 15 1/2 in. long

Though large in scale, this broadbill is featherlight. A “JASC” brand is in the bottom board. Original paint with even gunning wear. $1,200 - $1,800

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486 Black Duck

John R. Wells (1861-1953) Toronto, Canada, c. 1900 17 in. long

This classic flats decoy was finished with fine feather detail on the head and body. Original paint with even gunning wear and professional repairs to left edge of bill and two tail chips.

MACKEY SWIMMING BLACK DUCK

487

487 Early Mackey Swimming Black Duck East Orleans, MA, c. 1860 20 1/2 in. long

This exceptional swimming black duck features a grand body with subtle wing carving and highly refined head and tail features. The underside bears a penciled date, location, and the Mackey ink stamp. Original paint with even gunning wear and a crack at right side of neck base.

PROVENANCE: William J. Mackey Jr. Collection John R. Wierdsma 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, Session I & II, 1973, lot 532, exact bird listed.

$6,000 - $9,000

253

EWOUD DE GROOT B. 1969

488

488 Ewoud de Groot (b. 1969) Young Peregrine, 2022 signed “Ewoud” lower right oil on linen, 28 by 56 in.

Ewoud de Groot lives and works in Egmond aan Zee, a coastal village in the Northern Netherlands. After receiving a degree in illustration and painting from the Minerva Academy of Art, he began illustrating nature books for a period before pursuing painting full time in 1999. Today, de Groot is recognized as a rising star in wildlife painting, bringing a truly unique perspective to the genre. His work strives to find both a balance and a tension between the representational and the abstract, the

254

traditional and the contemporary. For de Groot, painting wildlife is not an exercise in rendering all the exact details. Instead, his work is an ongoing experiment of composition, color, and technique, concerned with conveying a sense of mood and atmosphere found in the natural world. $8,000 - $12,000

JENNY BUCKNER

B. 1965

489 Jenny Buckner (b. 1965)

489

Retriever Blues signed “Jenny Buckner” lower right oil on canvas, 24 by 30 in. signed and titled on back

Jenny Buckner lives, works, and teaches art in Waynesville, North Carolina. She says, “A painting creates an emotion just like a story does. As long as you’re emotionally involved somehow, you’re going to keep on reading, you’re going to keep looking, keep being drawn into the story, into the painting.” $2,500 - $3,000

490 Jenny Buckner (b. 1965)

Moody Purple and Blues- Canada Geese signed “Jenny Buckner” lower left oil on board, 16 by 20 in. signed and titled on back

490

$1,500 - $2,500

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491

491 Thomas Hirata (b. 1955)

Raccoon, 1982 signed and dated “Hirata © 82” lower right oil on board, 28 by 44 in. signed, copyrighted, and dated on back PROVENANCE: Private Collection, New Jersey

492

492 Jim Rataczak (b. 1965)

Western Skyline-Sharp-Tailed Grouse, 2019 signed “Rataczak” lower left oil on linen on board, 17 by 29 in. on back titled, copyright 2019 and signed

Jim Rataczak grew up in Minnesota, graduated from Notre Dame and the University of Michigan, and studied both biology and art for many years. After a stint at the Delta Waterfowl Research Station, he moved to Chicago where he studied at both the Field Museum and the Art Institute of Chicago. By the mid-1990s, Rataczak was able to turn to his artwork full time.

He says, “Lugging a spotting scope, sketchbook, paint, and pencils outside can be a lot of work. But field sketching is the 256

foundation of my work as a bird artist. It trains my eyes to see, and my hand to record, interesting shapes, colors, and events.”

Rataczak continues, “My hope is that my work will encourage viewers to take a second look at the natural world, to make them want to be outside and deepen their own connections with nature.” Today, the artist lives and paints near St. Paul, Minnesota, and exhibits his artwork across the country. $3,000 - $5,000

493 After the Harvest, c. 1900

493

signed “EMH” lower right oil on board, 11 1/2 by 18 in.

A well-executed oil depicting pumpkins and bundled stalks.

494 Al Barker (b. 1941)

Early Fall, 2002 signed “Al Barker ©” lower left oil on board, 4 3/4 by 7 1/2 in.

494

495 American School (20th century) Boat at Dock signed “Humes” lower left oil on canvas, 24 by 36 in.

495

PROVENANCE: Estate of Paul W. Masengarb

496 John Loren Head (1913-1997)

New Powder, 1988 signed “John Loren Head” lower right oil on canvas, 11 by 16 in. inscribed “To Russell 6/29/88, John” lower right

496

257

497 C. Luckett (British, 20th century)

497

Pheasant signed “C Luckett” lower left watercolor, 12 by 16 in.

PROVENANCE: Eddie Woodin Collection

498 Walter E. Bohl (1907-1990)

498

Mourning Doves, 1947 signed, dated, and inscribed “Walter E Bohl 1947 © To Karen with love Daddy” lower left watercolor, 21 by 29 1/2 in.

PROVENANCE: Eddie Woodin Collection

499 Lindsay Scott (b. 1955)

499

Strutting Their Stuff signed “Lindsay Scott” lower left colored pencil, 12 1/2 by 23 in.

A well-executed work depicting two cock pheasants. $2,000 - $4,000

500 Neil Blackwell (20th century)

Two Loons, 1989 signed and dated “© Neil Blackwell ‘89” lower left oil on canvasboard, 17 1/2 by 24 in.

PROVENANCE: Eddie Woodin Collection

258

500

503

501

502

504

501 Prideaux John Selby (British, 1788-1867)

503 John James Audubon (1785-1851)

This print is Plate XXIII from the artist’s Illustrations of British Ornithology, published from 1821 to 1834.

PROVENANCE: Eddie Woodin Collection

Snowy Owl, 1821 signed and dated “P J Selby 1821” lower center hand-colored engraving, 21 by 16 3/4 in. titled lower center

PROVENANCE: Eddie Woodin Collection

$2,000 - $3,000

502 John James Audubon (1785-1851)

Red-Tailed Hawk (No. 11, Plate LI), 1829 hand-colored engraving, 38 1/4 by 24 3/4 in.

“Red-Tailed Hawk Male 1. F. 2 FALCO BOREALIS” lower center “Drawn from Nature & Published by John J. Audubon, F.R.S.E. F.L.S. M.W.S” lower left “Engraved by R.Havell Junr. Printed & Coloured by R.Havell Senr.

London 1829.” lower right on J Whatman Turkey Mill watermarked paper

Smew or White Nun chromolithograph, 26 3/4 by 19 3/4 in.

(No. 9-4, Plate 414) Mergus Abellus “Drawn from Nature by JJ Audubon FRS FLS” lower left “Chromolith’y by J. Bien New York 1860” lower right

$2,000 - $3,000

504 after John James Audubon (1785-1851) Baltimore Oriole chromolithograph, 40 by 27 1/2 in.

PROVENANCE: Eddie Woodin Collection

259

CAMERON T. MCINTYRE B. 1968 | NEW CHURCH, VA

505

505 Hanging Pintail Drake

Cameron T. McIntyre (b. 1968) New Church, VA, c. 2010 25 in. long

This pintail is an exceptional example from McIntyre’s portfolio of painted nature morte carvings. The quality of work places him in the elevated company of early masters Alexander Pope Jr. (1849-1924) and A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), who also carved hanging game.

McIntyre’s knowledge of this subject is on full display, leaving his knife and rasp tool marks in the wood to great effect. The paint is an excellent complement, with features including extensive combed vermiculation.

The back side of this full body carving is fitted with a heavy screw eye for hanging. It is signed with the maker’s incised “CTM.” 260

This exact carving was selected for the front cover of Hunting and Fishing Collectibles magazine. Related works are prominently displayed in the Center for American Decoys at the Peoria Riverfront Museum. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, acquired from the artist LITERATURE: “Journey’s End: The Nature Morte Art of Cameron T. McIntyre,” Hunting and Fishing Collectibles magazine, JanuaryFebruary 2012, front cover, exact carving illustrated.

Zac Zetterburg, ed., American Decoy: The Invention, Peoria, IL, 2020, p. 103-105, related carvings illustrated.

$6,000 - $9,000

Contemporary Carvings from the Estate of Paul “Bill” W. Masengarb (1940-2022) The following thirty-seven lots (506-543) of contemporary carvings and folk art are from the Estate of Paul “Bill” W. Masengarb. Following in the footsteps of Dr. George Ross Starr Jr., Masengarb was a patron of contemporary decoy makers, including Mark McNair, Cameron McIntyre, Dave Ward, Frank Finney, and Reggie Birch. A regular at decoy shows and always quick with a smile, Bill will be sorely missed by the decoy collecting community.

506

508

507

509

506 Two Phillips-Rig-Style Shorebirds

508 Running Yellowlegs

A curlew and a running yellowlegs signed with an incised “McNair” on the undersides. The curlew is made from pegged two-piece construction. Original paint with light wear.

A reaching shorebird with an incised “McNAIR” on the underside. Original paint with light wear.

Mark S. McNair (b. 1950) Craddockville, VA, c. 1990 largest is 23 in. long

Mark S. McNair (b. 1950) Craddockville, VA, c. 1990 15 in. long

PROVENANCE: Estate of Paul W. Masengarb

PROVENANCE: Estate of Paul W. Masengarb

$2,500 - $3,500

507 Sandpiper Pair

Mark S. McNair (b. 1950) Craddockville, VA, c. 2000 largest is 9 in. long

Two raised-wing peeps with stringing holes in their tails and the maker’s incised signature on the undersides. One has a turned head. Original paint with light wear.

509 Two Shorebirds

Mark S. McNair (b. 1950) Craddockville, VA 11 3/4 in. long

A straight-head Eskimo curlew with a bone bill and a yellowlegs, both bearing the maker’s incised signature. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Estate of Paul W. Masengarb

PROVENANCE: Estate of Paul W. Masengarb

261

MARK S. MCNAIR B. 1950 | CRADDOCKVILLE, VA

510

512

511

513

510 Plover Trio

512 Peep Pair

A group of three plovers that includes a very early example with an incised “MSM” and two different early models signed with an incised “McNair” on the underside Original paint with light wear, one has a tight age line along the right side.

Two Verity-style peeps with an incised “McNair” on the underside. Original paint with light wear.

Mark S. McNair (b. 1950) Craddockville, VA, c. 1975-1990 largest is 11 in. long

PROVENANCE: Estate of Paul W. Masengarb

511 Shorebird Trio

Mark S. McNair (b. 1950) Craddockville, VA, c. 1990 12 1/2 in. long

A Verity-style feeding peep, running dowitcher, and a plump sandpiper with the maker’s incised “McNAIR” signature on the bottoms. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Estate of Paul W. Masengarb

262

Mark S. McNair (b. 1950) Craddockville, VA, c. 2000 largest is 7 in. long

PROVENANCE: Estate of Paul W. Masengarb

513 Dovetailed Yellowlegs Mark S. McNair (b. 1950) Craddockville, VA, c. 1990 12 1/2 in. long

A hollow yellowlegs with a removable dove-tailed head. The underside has a bone insert around the stick hole and is signed with an incised “McNair.” Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Estate of Paul W. Masengarb

MARK S. MCNAIR B. 1950 | CRADDOCKVILLE, VA

514

516

515

517

514 Two Curlew

516 Sandpiper and Red Knot

A pair of Virginia-style curlew signed with an incised “McNair” on the undersides. Original paint with light wear, one bird has a reset bill and wing tip chip.

A Cobb-style red knot and a Hudson-style yellowlegs. Both are signed with an incised “McNair” on the underside. Original paint with light wear, the sandpiper has a reset bill.

PROVENANCE: Estate of Paul W. Masengarb

PROVENANCE: Estate of Paul W. Masengarb

515 Reaching Eskimo Curlew

517 Canvasback Drake

This running curlew has a bone bill and the underside bears the maker’s incised signature. Original paint with light wear.

This decoy displays raised wings and retains an incised “McNAIR” on the underside. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Estate of Paul W. Masengarb

PROVENANCE: Estate of Paul W. Masengarb

Mark S. McNair (b. 1950) Craddockville, VA, c. 1990 14 in. long

Mark S. McNair (b. 1950) Craddockville, VA, c. 2000 15 in. long

Mark S. McNair (b. 1950) Craddockville, VA, c. 1995 red knot is 8 1/2 in. long

Mark S. McNair (b. 1950) Craddockville, VA, c. 1990 15 in. long

263

CAMERON T. MCINTYRE B. 1968 | NEW CHURCH, VA

518

520

522

519

521

523

518 Yellowlegs Pair

521 Golden Plover Pair

A pair of Massachusetts-style yellowlegs with the maker’s incised “CTM” on the underside. Original paint with light wear.

Two Massachusetts-style golden plover signed with an incised “CTM” on the underside. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Estate of Paul W. Masengarb

PROVENANCE: Estate of Paul W. Masengarb

Cameron T. McIntyre (b. 1968) New Church, VA, c. 2000 12 in. long

$2,500 - $3,500

519 Red Knot Pair

Cameron T. McIntyre (b. 1968) New Church, VA, c. 2000 10 1/2 in. long

Cameron T. McIntyre (b. 1968) New Church, VA, c. 2000 11 1/2 in. long

522 Yellowlegs Pair

Cameron T. McIntyre (b. 1968) New Church, VA, c. 2000 10 1/2 in. long

Two well-fed robin snipe signed with an incised “CTM” on the undersides. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Estate of Paul W. Masengarb

520 Oversized Plover

Cameron T. McIntyre (b. 1968) New Church, VA, c. 2000 11 3/4 in. long

A large Virginia-inspired plover signed with an incised “CTM” on the underside.

Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Estate of Paul W. Masengarb

264

518

The pair is signed with an incised “CTM” on the undersides. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Estate of Paul W. Masengarb

523 Reaching Curlew

Cameron T. McIntyre (b. 1968) New Church, VA, c. 2000 18 1/2 in. long

The underside is signed with an incised “CTM.” Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Estate of Paul W. Masengarb

REGGIE BIRCH

B. 1953 | CHINCOTEAGUE, VA

524 Swan

Reggie Birch (b. 1953) Chincoteague, VA, c. 2020 33 in. long

524

A grand, hollow swan with the maker’s incised signature on the underside. This carving represents the maker at his very finest.

The work’s S-shaped neck illustrates Birch’s carving prowess as only a few birds with this form are known to exist. The pinnacle example of this form is the legendary Canada goose carving made by Elmer Crowell for important patron Harry V. Long (1857-1949), which Copley sold for over $650,000 in 2009.

Original paint and wear.

PROVENANCE: Estate of Paul W. Masengarb LITERATURE: Stephen B. O’Brien Jr., The Harry V. Long Collection of A. Elmer Crowell Decoys, Boston, MA, 2009, front cover, frontispiece, and pp. 62-66, related example illustrated.

$2,500 - $3,500

525

525 Crisfield-Style Swan Reggie Birch (b. 1953) Chincoteague, VA, c. 2015 29 1/2 in. long

A hollow decoy carved with some influence from the early Crisfield, Maryland makers. “R. Birch” is incised and ink stamped on the underside. Original paint with wear.

PROVENANCE: Estate of Paul W. Masengarb

526 Miniature Cobb Goose Reggie Birch (b. 1953) Chincoteague, VA, c. 2015 10 1/2 in. long

526

Like the iconic Earnest-Peterson Cobb goose which it is modeled after, this carving can be displayed as a floater or stick-up. The underside bears the maker’s incised signature.

Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Estate of Paul W. Masengarb

265

FRANK S. FINNEY B. 1947 | CAPEVILLE, VA

527

529

528

527 Great Horned Owl

529 Swan

This grand carving stands out among Finney owls for its refinement and feather detail. The bottom of this hollow bird is signed with a large version of the maker’s incised “F.” Original paint with light wear and one reset talon.

Signed with the maker’s incised “F” on the bottom of the decoy. Original paint with wear, including a crack along underside.

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 2010 20 in. tall

PROVENANCE: Estate of Paul W. Masengarb

$4,000 - $6,000

528 Chocolate Lab

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 1990 6 1/2 in. tall, 8 1/4 in. long

Signed with the maker’s incised “F” on the bottom of the base.

Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Estate of Paul W. Masengarb

266

530

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 1980 33 in. long

PROVENANCE: Estate of Paul W. Masengarb

530 Baltimore Oriole and Robin Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 2020 8 in. long

Signed with the maker’s incised “F” on the underside of the base. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Estate of Paul W. Masengarb

CHARLES HART

1862-1960 | GLOUCESTER, MA

531

531 Five-Inch Penguin Pair Charles Hart (1862-1960) Gloucester, MA, c. 1930 5 in. tall

These carvings have many of the features that astute collectors look for: inletted bills, applied shaped wings, grooved feet, and a rich patina commensurate with the birds’ age. Original paint with light wear. One penguin has touch-up to broken off bill tip.

532

PROVENANCE: Estate of Paul W. Masengarb LITERATURE: Richard Bishop, American Folk Sculpture, New York, NY, 1985, p. 177, related carving illustrated.

$2,500 - $3,500

532 Rare Miniature Pelican Charles Hart (1862-1960) Gloucester, MA, c. 1930 5 in. tall

A rare and early five-inch-tall folk art carved bird with raised wing detail. Acquired directly from the Hunt family, this represents an exceedingly rare species by the maker. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Charles and Annette Hart Collection Norma Hart Anderson Collection, by descent from the above Estate of Paul W. Masengarb

267

533

534

536

535

537

533 Great Blue Heron

534 Long-Billed Curlew

536 Turned-Head Yellowlegs

A rare life-size hollow heron decoy with the maker’s “DBW” stamp. Original paint with light wear.

A graceful long-billed curlew by the grandson of renowned carver Ted Mulliken, who founded Old Saybrook’s Wildfowler Decoy Company in 1939. The hollow body displays incised raised wing detail. The underside bears a “DBW” stamp. Original paint with light wear.

A turned-head yellowlegs signed “Steven Weaver Cape Cod” on the underside. Original paint with minimal wear.

David B. Ward (1947-2020) Essex, CT, c. 2000 54 1/4 in. tall, 35 1/2 in. long

PROVENANCE: Estate of Paul W. Masengarb

$2,000 - $3,000

David B. Ward (1947-2020) Essex, CT, c. 2000 21 in. long

PROVENANCE: Estate of Paul W. Masengarb

535 Goose and Canvasback goose is 24 in. long

A Canada goose by Madison Mitchell and an Upper Bay canvasback. As found.

PROVENANCE: Estate of Paul W. Masengarb

268

Steve Weaver (b. 1950) Sandwich, MA, c. 2010 10 in. long

PROVENANCE: Estate of Paul W. Masengarb

537 Red Knot

Jasper N. Dodge Decoy Company (1884-189 Detroit, MI, c. 1885 10 in. long

This shorebird appears to be the result of a special-order from the Dodge factory. UV light reveals French Collection markings.

Original paint with light gunning wear and some minor crazing.

PROVENANCE: Joseph B. French Collection Paul W. Masengarb Collection

538

539

541

542

540

538 Collection of Baskets

largest is 6 in. tall, 6 1/2 in. wide

A dozen woven baskets of various sizes and shapes. All have handles and three have moveable handles. As found.

PROVENANCE: Estate of Paul W. Masengarb

539 Sailor Whirligig Ezra Pease (attr.)

Cape Cod, MA 16 in. tall, 10 1/2 in. long

Original paint with even wear and replaced paddles.

PROVENANCE: Estate of Paul W. Masengarb

541 Nantucket Baskets Jack Nichols 5 1/2 in. tall, 10 in. long

Nest of four Nantucket woven baskets with moveable handles.

As found.

PROVENANCE: Estate of Paul W. Masengarb

542 Miniature Carved Eagle 6 in. tall

Incised illegibly on the underside. Original paint with even wear.

PROVENANCE: Estate of Paul W. Masengarb

540 Quail Shooting Targets c. 1920 19 1/2 in. tall, 16 in. long

Three bobwhite shooting targets with a stenciled “PATENT 20S5933” on each. The birds rest on their original wire stands, which have been placed in wooden blocks. As found.

PROVENANCE: Estate of Paul W. Masengarb

269

JOAN SEIBERT B. 1941 | CAPE MAY, NJ

544

546

545

544 Miniature Ruddy Turnstone Joan Seibert (b. 1941) Cape May, NJ, 1982 3 1/2 in. long

This turnstone is signed “Joan Seibert” and dated on the bottom of the base. Original paint with some wear to the legs.

545 Four Miniatures

Joan Seibert (b. 1941) South Dennis, NJ, c. 1985 geese are 7 1/2 in. long

547 Folk Art Bird Tree Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 1990 14 1/2 in. tall

This colorful bird tree displays eleven different birds. Each carving is mounted on a branch which is set in a painted wooden base. Signed with the maker’s stylized “Frank Finney” ink stamp on the bottom of the base. Carved in the Pennsylvania tradition, this notable work is one of the artists’ greatest folk art pieces. Original paint with light wear. $6,000 - $9,000

A group of miniature carvings all mounted on wooden bases.

The redhead, blue-winged teal, and long-tailed duck are all inscribed on the underside of the bases. The Canada goose pair is unsigned. As found.

PROVENANCE: Frank Hyde Collection

546 Hudsonian Godwit Joan Seibert (b. 1941) Cape May, NJ, c. 1980 4 in. tall

A miniature Hudsonian godwit with a turned head, raised wing tips, and superb form. Original paint with minimal wear.

270

FRANK S. FINNEY

B. 1947 | CAPEVILLE, VA

548 Crowing Rooster Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 2020 7 in. tall

This little crowing rooster carving features incised feather detail and the maker’s ink stamp on the underside of the painted base.

Original paint with minimal wear.

549 Rooster

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 2020 5 in. tall

This carving of a small rooster features incised feather detail and the maker’s ink stamp on the underside of the painted base. Original paint with minimal wear.

550 Miniature Whale

547

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 2020 9 in. long

548

551

This carving, made from English boxwood, features an incised “F” on the underside of the whale, and the maker’s stamp on the underside of the wooden base. Original wood finish with minimal wear.

551 Miniature Fox

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 2020 base is 10 1/2 in. long, 4 1/2 in. wide 549

552

An animated, turned-head fox with a raised front paw and a bushy tail. The carving is mounted on a rectangular painted base with the maker’s signatory stamp on the underside.

Original paint with light wear.

552 Purple Gallinule on Water Lily

550

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 2015 11 in. long

A member of the rail family, this purple gallinule is perched upon a water lily. It displays raised, crossed wings and incised bill and feather detail. The underside of the base bears the maker’s incised “F.” Original paint with minimal wear. $2,500 - $3,500 271

FRANK S. FINNEY B. 1947 | CAPEVILLE, VA

553

555

557

554

556

558

553 American Goldfinch

555 Evening Grosbeak

557 Pine Grosbeak

A goldfinch carving with dropped wings and incised tail feathers. Signed with the maker’s stamp and incised “F” on the bottom of the base. Original paint with minimal wear.

This carving features raised wing tips and an incised “F” and maker’s stamp on the underside of the painted base. Original paint with minimal wear.

A pine grosbeak carving with dropped wing tips. Signed with the maker’s stamp and incised “F” on the bottom of the base. Original paint with minimal wear.

556 Calling Robin

558 White-Throated Bee-Eater

This calling robin carving features dropped wing tips and an incised “F” and maker’s stamp on the underside of the painted base.

Original paint with minimal wear.

A rare species for the maker, the bee-eater deftly disarms its quarry’s stinger by repeatedly hitting and rubbing the bee against a hard surface. This process also discharges most of the venom. This carving features raised wing tips, a swept-back split tail, and the maker’s ink stamp on the underside of the painted base. Original paint with minimal wear.

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 2020 5 in. tall

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 2020 5 1/2 in. long

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 2020 6 in. long

554 Hoopoe

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 2020 8 in. tall

A hoopoe carving with dropped wing tips, an incised crown, and a slightly turned head. This colorful bird is found in Africa, Asia, and Europe. Signed with the maker’s ink stamp on the bottom of the base.

Original paint with minimal wear.

558

272

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 2020 3 in. tall

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 2020 9 1/4 in. tall

559

561

560

562

559 Black Duck Pair

Oliver “Tuts” Lawson (b. 1938) Crisfield, MD, c. 2000 16 in. long

A pair of refined black ducks with turned heads and raised wing tips. Original paint with light wear.

560 Pintail Pair

Anthony G. Murray (1941-2005) Virginia Beach, VA, c. 1990 18 in. long

Once a classical guitar maker, Murray turned to the craft of decoy carving later in life. The drake has a slightly turned head and fine scratch comb paint. The hen is in a sleeping posture with the bill tucked into her feathers. Both display “AGM” carved in underside. Original paint with minimal wear.

561 Mammoth Canvasback Pair

Lem Ward (1896-1984) and Norris Pratt Crisfield, MD and Kemblesville, PA, 1961 16 1/2 in. long

For much of his career, Lem painted and his brother, Steve, carved. This “Mammoth” canvasback pair, as they are known, saw Lem as the painter and his friend Norris Pratt as the carver in place of Steve. The drake bears the following inked inscription on the underside: “Made by Norris E. Pratt / Kemblesville Pa / Painted by L. T. Ward / Crisfield, Md. 1961.” The hen bears the following inked inscription on the underside: “Made

by Norris E. Pratt / Kemblesville Pa / Painted by L. T. Ward / Crisfield, Md.” Original paint with light wear.

562 Wood Duck Pair George Strunk (b. 1958) Glendora, NJ, c. 2000 15 in. long

A pair of wood duck decoys with raised wings and tail carving.

The undersides display “G. STRUNK” stamped in the weight.

Original paint with minimal wear.

273

563

566

564

567

565

563 Black Duck Decoy

566 Mallard Pair

A refined hollow black duck decoy by this legendary collector and highly accomplished carver. Original paint with light wear.

An unrigged pair retaining traces of their original newspaper packaging. Original paint with light wear and age lines along the undersides.

PROVENANCE: Donal C. O’Brien Jr. Collection John R. Wierdsma Collection, acquired from the above

567 Three Duck Decoys

Donal C. O’Brien Jr. (1934-2013) New Canaan, CT, c. 1975 16 in. long

$2,500 - $3,500

564 Two Mallards

Wildfowler Decoys (1939-1957) Old Saybrook, CT, c. 1950 16 in. long

The tucked-head decoy is marked with the Wildfowler’s Old Saybrook stamp. As found.

565 Three Miniature Blair-Style Decoys Robert Seabrook (b. 1951) Absecon, NJ, c. 1990 8 1/2 in. long

The three hollow decoys signed with either an incised “S” or “SEABROOK.” Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Richard and Lynn Gove Collection Private Collection 274

568

J. M. Hays Wood Products (1920-1930) Jefferson City, MO, c. 1925 16 in. long

eider is 18 1/2 in. long

A group of three duck decoys, including a working hooded merganser hen signed and dated by Robbie Lewis of Virginia, an unmarked contemporary eider decoy, and an unpainted Upper Bay canvasback. As found.

568 Miniature Canvasback Pair Robert “Bob” McGaw (1879-1958) Havre de Grace, MD, c. 1950 6 in. long

Original paint with light wear including a ding to hen’s crown.

GRAND SEYMOUR TROUT

569

569 Exceedingly Rare Fourteen-Inch Fish Decoy Harry Seymour Lake Chautauqua, NY, c. 1890 14 in. long

An impressive trout decoy with a leather tail, lead eyes, and a poured weight. This is believed to be the finest of the largescale Seymour fish known to exist. It is being offered for sale for the first time in over forty-five years. A closely related example resides in the Pete Siggelko Collection. Original paint with fishing wear and some flaking and putty loss around weight.

LITERATURE: Sotheby Parke Bernet Inc., The American Heritage Society Auction of Americana, November 6-8, 1975, lot 218, exact decoy illustrated.

Steve Michaan, American Fish Decoys, Pound Ridge, NY, 2003, pp.

14-15, closely related 14 1/4 inch decoy illustrated. [Note: According to top fish decoy collector Pete Siggelko, this Michaan book measurement is inaccurate. It actually measures 14 1/4 in.]

PROVENANCE: John R. Wierdsma Collection, acquired 1975

$12,000 - $18,000

Lot 569 alongside closely related Seymour landlocked salmon carving lot 196.

275

570

570 Sixteen Freshwater Fish Carvings in a Case Massachusetts, c. 1940 case measures 19 by 27 in.

A set of full-body fish carvings with well-executed species-specific paint patterns, labeled as follows; brook trout, rainbow trout, brown trout, golden trout, white perch, bluegill, sunfish bass, common sunfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, yellow perch, crappie, pickerel, walleyed pike, pike, and muskalonge. Good condition with some wear to outside edges of case. $9,000 - $12,000

571 Blue Marlin Wall Mount 571

c. 1940 18 in. long

A full-body marlin carving mounted on an oval plaque.

As found.

LITERATURE: Ronald S. Swanson, Fish Models, Plaques & Ef-

figies, Far Hills, NJ, 2009, pp. 53 and 105, related carvings illustrated.

572

572 Two Fish Decoys largest is 8 in. long

Two fish decoys, including a green-andyellow model with red highlights. As found.

573 Trout Carving 573

Paul E. McNeal Erhard, MN 15 in. long

A colorful trout carving with metal fins and anatomically accurate mouth detail.

The carving is signed on the back “Paul E. McNeal,” who is an award-winning fish decoy artist. As found.

276

574

576.1

575

576.2

574 Brown Trout

576 Two Lake Trout Carvings

McCaleb grew up fishing in Craddock Creek, Virginia, and her early carving and painting instruction was by decoy carver Mark McNair, from Craddockville, Virginia. She is one of the top fish carvers today.

One is a twenty-four-inch-long lake trout carving on a beveled-edge, naturally stained plaque. The back of the plaque bears the carver’s signature. The second is a twenty-threeinch-long lake trout carving on a beveled-edge birch plaque.

The back of the plaque bears the carver’s signature. As found.

Ellen McCaleb Barrington, NH c. 2000 plaque is 37 1/2 in. long

Lawrence C. Irvine (1918-1998) Winthrop, ME, c. 1960 plaques are 28 in. long

This brown trout was carved in the tradition of historical English trophy fish carvers. The twenty-six-inch-long carved trout shows exacting attention to detail, especially the intricately carved wooden plaque that the fish is mounted on.

The thirty-seven-and-one-half-inch plaque is signed on the back.

575 Rainbow Trout Carving Ellen McCaleb Barrington, NH c. 2000 plaque is 37 1/2 in. long

A twenty-five-inch-long carving mounted on a wooden plaque with incised fish detail, signed on the back.

577

577 Bamboo Fly Rod in Metal Case c. 1910

A rare nine-piece adjustable bamboo rod with what appears to be the original bag and tube. The rod’s handle piece is wrapped with a tight cord. The rod’s butt section and each of the other segments measure 12 1/8 inches long, with the exception of the second tip which measures 11 7/8 inches long. The rod measures approximately 78 inches in length as a 7-piece, and 100 inches in length as a 9-piece.

277

578

580

581

582

579

578 Pug Carving

11 3/4 in. tall, 10 in. long

583

This carving bears a plaque with the word “Dory” on the top of the base.

579 Mallards, Sandpiper, Woodcock, Wren woodcock is 7 in long, 4 in. tall

A lot of carvings, including a miniature mallard pair, a miniature snipe, a wren, and a woodcock. The woodcock is signed “Keith.” As found.

580 Twenty-Three Shotgun-Shell Buttons Twenty-three shotgun shell caps that have been retrofitted to serve as buttons, including seven Winchester “Ranger” type 12-gauge shotgun shell buttons, two Remington “Peters” type 20-gauge shotgun shell buttons, one Remington “Peters” type 12-gauge shotgun shell buttons, and thirteen other shotgun shell and fishing-fly-design buttons. As found.

581 Black-Necked Stilt Bud Haines East Haddam, CT, c. 2010 12 in. tall

A lifted-leg stilt with decorative feather carving and the maker’s signature penned on the underside of the base.

Original paint with minimal wear.

278

582 Three Ducks

Ken Harris (1905-1981) Woodville, NY, c. 1960 mallard is 14 1/2 in. long

Lot of three decorative turned-head carvings, including a mallard, and two teal. The undersides of the teal are inscribed “Wood-Land Mayfield, N.Y.” Original paint with moderate wear and some fading. The mallard has an original mounting indent on the lower right side.

583 Cork Black Duck

Eugene “Gene” Wells (c. 1850-1930) Stony Brook, Long Island, NY, c. 1930 15 1/2 in. long

A cork-bodied decoy with a wooden keel and a well-carved head with tight scratch paint. Original paint with even gunning wear.

584

585

586

587

588

589

584 Squirrel Cane

587 Cane with Dog Handle

A squirrel-topped cane intricately carved from a single piece of wood. As found.

As found.

35 1/2 in. long

35 3/4 in. long

588 Cane with Snake 585 Snake Cane 36 in. long

An ornately carved cane with incised detail and a snake wrapped around the shaft. As found.

38 in. long

As found.

589 Cane with Duck and Lady 36 in. long

586 Two Elephant Canes 35 in. long

As found.

Two elephant canes with detailed carving. One has a metal tip.

As found.

279

An Important Collection of du Pont and Related Powder Tins from a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont (1863-1930)

The rarity and scope of the following sixty-eight lots

of going into business. The knowledge he acquired in

makes this offering of antique gunpowder tins an

France enabled him to create a superior product and

unprecedented opportunity for discerning

the orders soon flooded in. During the War of 1812,

Americana collectors. Dating back to the turn of

the US government ordered 750,000 pounds of du

the 20th century and before, the collection features

Pont gunpowder, thereby assuring the company’s

major American gun powder manufacturers, such as

success.

du Pont, Laflin & Rand, American Powder, and King and Hazard.

Over the course of the next century, securing these coveted large orders gave du Pont the capital

Although there were several powder manufacturers

necessary to buy out competing companies and then

in the US at the beginning of the 19th century, the

“dissolve or absorb” the competition. As a result, a

vast majority of the government’s gunpowder supply

large proportion of antique powder tins hail from a

orders were awarded to du Pont. The Paris-born

du Pont company.

founder, Éluthère Irénée du Pont de Nemours (1771–1834), worked at a French powder

The consignor is the great grandson of Thomas

mill before immigrating to the US during the French

Coleman du Pont (1863–1930), who was the great

Revolution. The high cost and low quality of

grandson of the company’s founder. Along with his

American gunpowder in 1800 gave du Pont the idea

cousins, Thomas bought out the family’s explosives

606

280

business and then served as the firm’s president

consignor began collecting a myriad of different

from 1902 until 1915. During his tenure, the company

objects, from Steiff stuffed animals to Chinese export

acquired over one hundred competitors. This

porcelain. He has been collecting power tins for a half

effective business strategy eventually drew the ire of

a century. A lifetime in the art world has endowed

the US government, which sued the firm for violating

him with a fine eye and discriminating taste. Several

the Sherman Antitrust Act in 1907.

tins in this collection are featured in the two-volume treatise Gun Powder Cans & Kegs by Ted and David

A member of a family of collectors, the consignor’s

Bacyk. Copley is honored to present this important

childhood home was decorated with

collection of historic powder tins in the Sporting Sale

Philadelphia Chippendale furniture alongside

2022.

paintings by Winslow Homer (1836–1910), Frederick Childe Hassam (1859–1935), and Maurice Prendergast (1858–1924). As a young boy, the

Source: Ted and David Bacyk. Gun Powder Cans & Kegs.

Lincoln, RI: Andrew Mowbray Publishers, Inc., 1998.

645

597

644

618

281

590

592

594

591

593

595

590 One du Pont Fairlawn Powder Tin 6 1/4 in. tall

A.G.Fay, Agent 14, City Wharf” with image of a dog on point.

As found.

Oval tin with front label: “Fairlawn Gunpowder manufactured

by E.I.Dupont DeNemours & Company, Wilmington Del. USA Form 2.” As found.

du Pont

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman

594 One American Black Powder Can

du Pont

591 One du Pont Golden Pheasant Powder Tin 5 1/2 in. tall

Oval tin with red bag printed with a Golden Pheasant label.

Tin label: “Golden Pheasant Gun Powder E I de Nemours & Co Wilmington Del USA.” As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman

5 in. tall

A black gunpowder can made by The Hazard Powder Company (1843-1913). The label reads: “American Sporting Gunpowder. Manufactured in Enfield, Con. by the Hazard Powder Co.” and includes an image depicting a setter on point. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman

du Pont

du Pont

595 Two Laflin & Rand Powder Company Tins

592 One du Pont Summer Shooting Powder Tin

Two Hard Grain Blue Powder tins. As found.

Oval tin with front label: “Summer Shooting Gun Powder E.I. du Pont De Nemours & Co.” Label depicts two birds. As found, label does not appear to be offset lithograph.

du Pont

6 in. tall

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman

du Pont

593 One Telegraph Sporting Powder Tin 5 3/4 in. tall

Rectangular red metal tin with front label “Telegraph Sporting Gunpowder Manufactured at Boston, Mass. Powder Works.

282

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman

largest is 5 in. tall

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman

596

597

599

600

598

596 Two Laflin & Rand Smokeless Powder Tins

599 Two Hazard Powder Tins

As found.

Two rectangular tins (one a sample tin) with same image on label of hunter, surrounded by decoys, taking aim at incoming Canada geese. “Hazard Smokeless, For shotguns only.

Double-No Trouble, The Hazard Powder Co., New York.”

As found.

largest is 4 3/4 in. tall

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman

du Pont

597 One Laflin & Rand New York Sporting Powder Tin 6 in. tall

Oval tin with front label: image of a heron or egret and cattails “New York Sporting Powder Laflin & Rand Powder Co.” As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman

du Pont

598 Six Powder Tins largest is 6 in. tall

Four red oval tins E. I. du Pont Nemours Powder Co. One red oval and one brown oval tin manufactured by A.F.& Co. As found, smallest tin has dot matrix pattern.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman

largest is 6 in. tall

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman

du Pont

600 Three Powder Tins largest is 6 3/4 in. tall

One square Mathewson’s Superior Rifle Gun Powder tin with label depicting a dog in water retrieving birds in flight, one round tin with red label depicting foliate scrolls around framed text “Superior Rifle Gun Powder,” and one oval tin with red label depicting a dog laying down with “Imperial Gun Powder manufactured by Eureka Powder Works New Durham NH.” As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman

du Pont

du Pont

283

601

604

602

605

606

603

601 One Dittmar’s Powder Tin 5 3/4 in. tall

Rectangular tin with front label: “The Dittmar Powder Co. Dittmar’s New Sporting Powder Works, Binghamton, New York.” As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant

of Thomas Coleman du Pont

Swanton, VT.” The other label reads: “Robin Hood Sporting Powder Quick. Strong. Sure & Clean. Equal to 1 lb of Blk. Powder.” As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of

Thomas Coleman du Pont

604 Four Boston Powder Tins Boston, MA largest is 6 in. tall

606 Four Hazard Powder Cans largest is 6 in. tall

Two big and two small Hazard Kentucky Rifle Gunpowder tins. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

607 One Hercules Powder Flask 8 1/4 in. tall

602 Four Indian Rifle Gun Powder Tins largest is 6 1/4 in. tall

Three made by The Hazard Powder Co. and one made by du Pont. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

One Western Sporting Powder brand tin from the Oriental Powder Company, two Dead Shot brand tins from the American Powder Mill, and one Wing Shot Powder brand tin from the Oriental Powder Company. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of

Thomas Coleman du Pont

603 Two Robin Hood Green Powder Tins 6 in. tall

One label reads: “One Bulk Pound Smokeless Powder for Shot Guns Manufactured by the Robin Hood Ammunition Co.,

605 Two King Powder Company Tins largest is 5 in. tall

Both are Quick Shot model. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of

Thomas Coleman du Pont

Flask-shaped bottle with metal slot for belt.

Paper label “Laflin & Rand Orange Extra Sporting Hercules Powder Co” over original printed label on metal. Embossed on back “Hercules Powder Co USA.” As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

608 Two Powder Tins largest is 4 1/2 in. tall

One red Sportsman’s Favorite tin and one black Union Powder Mill at Santa Cruz tin produced by the California Powder Works, San Francisco. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

284

607

610

612

608

609

613

614

611

609 One Warren Sporting Powder Tin

611 Two Powder Tins largest is 5 in. tall

613 Three Triple Refined Dead Shot Powder Tins

Rectangular tin with front label: “Manufactured at Warren Powder Mills, Warren Sporting, Boston, Mass.” Label depicts three hunters in woods with dog. As found.

One green Hazard tin and one black American Rifle tin. As found.

As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

612 Two du Pont Powder Flasks

614 One Triple Refined Dead Shot Powder Tin

4 1/2 in. tall

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

6 1/4 in. tall

610 Three Hercules Powder Flasks largest is 8 1/2 in. tall

All three labels read “Black Sporting.” As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

Two powder flasks manufactured by the DuPont Co., also known as the E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. (1802-2017). One is Indian Rifle Gunpowder, while the other is labeled Golden Pheasant Gunpowder. Both have images that are illustrative of the powder type.

As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of

Thomas Coleman du Pont

largest is 6 1/2 in. tall

8 in. tall

A red powder tin with a circular label that reads: “Triple Refined Dead Shot Sporting Powder Manufactured by the American Powder Mills, Boston, A.O. Fay, Pres’t..” As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

285

615

615 Three Orange Rifle Powder Tins largest is 6 1/4 in. tall

Three Orange Rifle Powder Tins made by the Laflin & Rand Powder Co. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

616 Three Maine Objects largest tin is 5 1/4 in. tall

One signed, hardbound copy of The Gunpowder Mills of Maine by Maurice Whitten, an Oriental Smokeless Gunpowder tin made by Oriental Powder Mills Manufacturers of Portland, Maine, and a “Sporting Powder” tin Manufactured by D. H. Bibble of Camden, Maine. As found, the mallard label has a dot matrix pattern.

616

619 One Hazard Smokeless Rifle Powder Tin 3 3/4 in. tall

Square tin with front label depicting a man on horseback shooting at chasing wolves/ coyotes and the words “Hazard’s Smokeless Rifle Powder No. 2The Hazard Powder Co. New York.” The Hazard Powder Company was established in 1843 and closed in 1913.

As found.

623 One Hazard’s Powder Tin 3 3/4 in. tall

Square tin with front label: “Hazard’s 30 Calibre Smokeless Rifle Powder. For Military Rifles. For Sporting Rifles. The Hazard Powder Co. New York”depicts hunter aiming rifle at a herd of deer with inset image of a line of military men with rifles.

As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

620 One Powder Tin

624 One Ditmar’s New Sporting Powder Tin

Thomas Coleman du Pont

6 in. tall

One green Snap Shot powder tin manufactured by the Warren Powder Mills. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of

617 One Hercules “Orange Extra Sporting” Powder Tin

621 One du Pont Fair Lawn Mills Powder Tin

6 1/4 in. tall

4 1/2 in. tall

Oval tin with front label: “Laflin & Rand Orange Extra Sporting Hercules Powder CO.” As found.

Black oval tin with front label “Gun Powder Manufactured at Fair Lawn Mills Sold at 88 Wall St NY” depicts a stag in landscape with “FF” across his body. As found.

5 3/4 in. tall

As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

Thomas Coleman du Pont

625 One Hazard Powder Tin

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

618 One du Pont Powder Tin 5 in. tall

Oval black metal tin with blue label: “DuPont Superfine Gun Powder Wilmington Delaware.” As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of

Thomas Coleman du Pont

622 One du Pont Powder Tin

6 in. tall

Oval tin with front label: “DuPont Superfine Gunpowder Wilmington Delaware” with four corner vignettes: stag head, dog head, Native American on horseback, and buffalo. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of

Thomas Coleman du Pont

286

6 1/4 in. tall

Oval tin with front label: “Hazard Smokeless Hazard Powder Co. Double No Trouble for Shotguns only.” Label depicts hunter surrounded by decoys aiming rifle at birds in flight. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

617

621

618

622

625

626

619

623

627

620

624

628

626 One Hazard Smokeless Powder Can 5 3/4 in. tall

Label depicts a Canada goose hunter in the field. As found, label has dot matrix pattern.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

627 One Oriental Dark Red Powder Tin

628 One Savage Powder Tin

An Oriental Smokeless Gunpowder tin manufactured in Portland, Maine. The label on the front depicts a pair of mallards, while the label on the side details the directions for use with a breech-loading shotgun. As found.

Rectangular tin printed on front “Savage Smokeless Rifle Powder Savage Arms Co. Manufacturers of High Grade Hammerless Rifles, Metallic Ammunition, etc. Utica, New York United States of America.” As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

5 in. tall

6 1/2 in. tall

287

629

629 One du Pont Summer Shooting Powder Can 7 in. tall

Large circular metal tin with label “Summer Shooting Gun Powder No. 2 E I Dupont de Nemours & Co.” As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

630 One du Pont Powder Can

630

632 One King Cincinnati Powder Can 7 1/2 in. tall

Can with label “Quick, Clean,Strong, Light Smoke King’s FFG Trademark Quick Shot An Improved Black Powder for Rifles and Shot Guns Manufactured by the King Powder Co., Cincinnati, O, USA” with image of a crown. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

7 1/2 in. tall

Circular red metal can with label “E I Du Pont De Nemours & Company Smokeless Powder Wilmington Delaware.” with image of two dogs, guns, fence and birds.

As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

631 One CA Powder Works Pacific Rifle Powder Can 11 1/2 in. tall

Red metal circular can with label on end “Pacific Rifle The California Powder Works, Santa Cruz Cal” with image of a stag in landscape. This iconic keg was pictured in Ted and David Bacyk’s Gun Powder Cans & Kegs treatise. As found, label does not appear to be offset lithograph.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont LITERATURE: Ted and David Bacyk, Gun Powder Cans & Kegs, Lincoln, RI, 1998, p. 275, exact keg illustrated.

288

633 Four du Pont Powder Cans 3 3/4 in. tall

Two red and one blue have a label on top of a dead deer with trees. Green can has label on top with writing including “Patented Aug.22nd.93 E.I. du Pont Nemours Powder Co.” As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

634 One Austin Powder Can 11 1/2 in. tall

Extra large blue metal circular tin with label “Austin Powder Ohio Club FFC Sporting Powder.” As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descen-

dant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

631

635 Two Oriental Mills Boston Powder Cans 7 in. tall

One with “Oriental Powder Mills Falcon Duck Powder Boston MASS” with image of a falcon. The other reads “Wing Shot Powder Made by Oriental Powder Mills Boston Mass” with image of two hunters and a dog by a blind. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

636 Four Salesman’s Sample Powder Cans 2 1/4 in. tall

Two Hazard Smokeless Hazard Powder Co. tins that are unopened, one Hazard Powder Co. mining powder tin unopened, and one Kentucky Rifle Gunpowder Hazard Powder Co tin that is opened. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

637 One du Pont Sea Shooting Powder Can 7 1/2 in. tall

Large can embossed on one end with “Pat’d July 12 1859” and on the other “Du Pont Sea Shooting Fg.” As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

632

636

633

634

637

635

638 One du Pont Black Powder Can

639

638

640

640 Three du Pont Powder Cans

4 in. tall

639 One Fair Lawn Enfield Rifle Powder Can

Round can with label on top “30 Calibre Smokeless Rifle Powder E.I. Du Pont De Nemours & Co. Wilmington Delaware” with image of two eagles on flags. As found.

Circular tin can with label: “Enfield Rifle Powder Fair-Lawn Mills.” As found, label shows dot matrix printing.

Three Smokeless Rifle Powder cans manufactured by the du Pont Powder Company, two depicting stags, and one depicting two setters. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

7 in. tall

3 4/5 in. tall

289

641

643

645

642

644

646

641 One du Pont Powder Can

a landscape with house and two dogs. As found, the label has dot matrix pattern.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

Circular metal can with paper label on end “E I du Pont de Nemours & Co. Smokeless Powder Wilmington Delaware” with image of two dogs, guns, and birds. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

LITERATURE: Ted and David Bacyk, Gun Powder Cans & Kegs, Lincoln, RI, 1998, p. 275, related keg illustrated.

644 One Hazard Sea Shooting Powder Keg

646 One du Pont Powder Keg

8 1/2 in. tall

12 1/4 in. tall

Wooden circular keg with label “Duck Size Sea Shooting Gunpowder Manufactured at Hazardville, Con by the Hazard Powder Co.” As found.

Wooden circular keg with label “Superfine Sporting Gunpowder Dupont HFg Rifle E I DuPont De Nemours Wilmington Del” with two oval images of a stag’s head and a dog’s head. As found.

7 1/4 in. tall

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant

of Thomas Coleman du Pont

642 One Oriental Mills Boston Powder Keg 9 in. tall

Wooden circular keg with two labels “Western Sporting Gunpowder” and “Oriental Powder Mills Western Sporting Powder Boston MA.” As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant

of Thomas Coleman du Pont

643 One du Pont Wooden Powder Keg 10 1/2 in. tall

Circular wooden keg with label “Du Pont Gunpowder Superfine Powder Wilmington, Delaware” with image of three hunters in

290

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

645 One Superior Shipping Powder Keg 13 in. tall

Wooden circular keg with paper label “Superior Shipping Gunpowder Wilmington, Del.” with image of a sailing ship. A related powder keg is featured in the book, Gun Powder Cans & Kegs, by Ted and David Bacyk. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

647 Two Yellow Smokeless Powder Tins largest is 5 in. tall

As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

647

650

648

651

649

652

648 Two Powder Tins

649 Three Sea Shooting Powder Cans

largest is 5 1/2 in. tall

largest is 5 1/2 in. tall

One Club Sporting Powder, Austin Powder Company and one rifle power tin, Austin Poweder Company, Cleveland, Ohio label. As found.

As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of

Thomas Coleman du Pont

650 Two Duck Shooting Powder Cans 5 1/2 in. tall

651 Two Laflin and Rand Powder Tins 5 in. tall

As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

652 Two Sea Shooting Powder Tins

As found.

largest is 5 1/2 in. tall

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

291

653

653 Three Powder Cans largest is 5 1/2 in. tall

Cans include du Pont’s Ballistite Smokeless Powder and Empire Smokeless Powder. The third can is labeled Dittmar’s New Sporting Powder and has a patent date of 1873, along with the directions for use. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman

du Pont

654 Five “EC” Metal Powder Tins largest is 6 in. tall 654

As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman

du Pont

655 Five Laflin & Rand Powder Tins largest is 6 1/2 in. tall

As found.

655

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman

du Pont

656 Four Hercules Blasting Caps Powder Tins largest is 2 1/4 in. tall

Three circular tins and one square tin with writing. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman

du Pont 656

657 Seven Blasting Caps largest is 1 3/4 in. tall

Two Blasting Caps made by Atlas Explosives and five made by du Pont. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman

du Pont 657

292

658

659.1

660

659.2

661

658 P.C. Wharton (b. 1880)

660 Barry Kent MacKay (Canadian, b. 1943)

PROVENANCE: Eddie Woodin Collection

PROVENANCE: Eddie Woodin Collection

659 Rex Brasher (1869-1960)

661 John Linvzy Ridgway (1859-1926)

Yellowlegs, 1920 signed and dated “P C Wharton 1920” lower right watercolor, 9 1/2 by 11 1/4 in.

Two Watercolors each signed “Rex Brasher” lower right each watercolor on board, 15 by 11 1/2 in.

Least Sandpiper, Golden Plover, Ring Plover Kililee Plover PROVENANCE: Eddie Woodin Collection

Plover signed “Barry Kent MacKay” lower left gouache, 28 by 22 in.

Two Prints, c. 1902 (one shown) each chromolithograph, 6 3/4 by 9 in. from the portfolio “Fish and Game of the State of New York.

Seventh Report” The American Golden Plover The Black-Bellied Plover

293

662 Richard Rosenbaum (Austrian, b.

1864)

662

Four-in-Hand Coach signed “R. Rosenbaum” lower right watercolor, 14 1/2 by 20 1/4 in.

663 George Finch Mason (British, 1850-1915)

663

Hold Up! You Absent Minded Beggar signed “Finch Mason” lower left watercolor, 10 by 14 in. titled lower right

664

664 Brian Coole (b. 1939)

Hunter and Dog signed “Brian Coole” lower right oil on canvas, 16 by 20 in. $1,000 - $2,000

294

665

667

669

668

670

666

665 Ernest Huntley Hart (1910-1985)

666 Richard Sloan (1935-2007)

668 Richard Timm (1926-2016)

Ernest Huntley Hart studied at the Art Students League in New York for four years before embarking on a career as a cartoonist and illustrator. He painted murals for the WPA in Connecticut in the 1930s, and worked for the pet guide publishing company TFH for many years. In 1968 he designed, wrote, illustrated, and published the Encyclopedia of Dog Breeds, “a whopping 780 pages of breed histories, official standards, and lengthy chapters on canine evolution, breeding and genetics, care and training, and a lifetime of personal recollections.” He was a dog show judge, and Hart’s breed of choice was the German shepherd.

This original artwork was published as a print by the Griggsville Wild Bird Society.

Richard Sloan was a wildlife artist and illustrator who worked at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago and exhibited at Abercrombie & Fitch. His works can be found in the Smithsonian Institution, the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, and the World Wildlife Fund, among other private and institutional collections.

This original artwork was published as a print by the Griggsville Wild Bird Society in a series of North American mammals.

Richard Timm trained at the Meinzinger Art School in Detroit and the Art Center in Los Angeles, and had a successful career as a commercial and wildlife artist.

He made his home and studio in Trenton, Michigan, and was a supporter of Ducks Unlimited and other conservation organizations during his lifetime.

667 Arthur B. Singer (1917-1990) and Alan D. Singer (b. 1950)

669 Louis Frisino (1934-2020)

Setters on Point signed “Ernest H. Hart” lower right watercolor on board, 22 by 28 in.

Nature House, Inc. reproduced this painting as a print in its dog breed series.

LITERATURE: Amy Fernandez, “Ernest Huntley Hart - Artist Extraordinaire,” Canine Chronicle, August 2013, pp. 146-158.

Green-winged Teal signed “Richard Sloan” lower right acrylic or gouache on board, 22 by 28 in.

Kentucky Cardinal, 1978 signed “Arthur Singer” and “Alan D. Singer” lower right watercolor, 12 by 14 in. inscribed “Kentucky - Cardinal - (male symbol) below (female symbol) above - Cardinalis cardinalis Richmondena (old name) - Goldenrod - Solidago Canadensis” lower center

Father and son team Arthur and Alan Singer created a series of fifty state bird and flower paintings, which the USPS issued as popular postage stamps.

PROVENANCE: Eddie Woodin Collection

Two Bucks signed “Richard Timm” lower right acrylic or gouache on board, 22 by 28in

Bluebill Pair signed “Louis Frisino” lower left watercolor, 6 3/4 by 8 3/4 in.

PROVENANCE: Eddie Woodin Collection

670 Arthur B. Singer (1917-1990) and Alan D. Singer (b. 1950) Willow Ptarmigan, 1976 signed “Arthur Singer” and “Alan D. Singer” lower center watercolor, 12 1/2 by 14 in. inscribed “Alaska - Willow Ptarmigan Lagopus lagopus - male on left, female on right - Alpine Forget-me-not - Myoso....” lower center PROVENANCE: Eddie Woodin Collection

295

671

672

671 Roland H. Clark (1874-1957)

Two Etchings (one shown) each signed “Roland Clark” lower right each 12 1/2 by 9 in.

Redheads Over a Marsh, 1936 edition of 30 In from the Sea, 1930 titled lower center edition of 75

672 Frank W. Benson (1862-1951) Grouse on a Pine Bough, 1920 signed “Frank W. Benson.” lower left drypoint, 2 3/4 by 2 in.

Paff #176, edition of 150

296

673

674

673 Roland H. Clark (1874-1957)

The Bayman, 1924 signed “Roland Clark” lower right etching, 5 1/4 by 8 1/4 in. titled on Arthur H. Harlow Inc., New York label on back edition of 70

674 Roland H. Clark (1874-1957) A Southland Marsh, 1931 signed “Roland Clark” lower right drypoint, 14 3/4 by 11 3/4 in.

675 Johann Elias Ridinger (German, 1698-1767)

675

Four Hunting Engravings each engraving, 13 1/2 by 16 1/2 in. (approx. sight) two with German and French text below one titled “The Wild Boar” in English, with text below one depicting Bear Hunting

676 Russ Smiley (1922-2003)

Four Prints of Game Fish, 1989 each signed “Russ Smiley” lower right each color print, 19 by 23 in. each edition 3 of 500, published by Saltwater Sportsman

676

’Lunch Time’- Great Barracuda ’Ballin Bait’-Sailfish ’In the Surf’- California Yellowtail ’Big Fish’- Blue Marlin

297

INDEX

BY LOT

Abbett, Robert Kennedy: 209, 210 Adams: 337 Ahearn, James Joseph: 15 Allen, Gordon: 202, 203, 328 American Powder Mills: 613, 614 American Rifle: 611 Amundsen, Richard: 161, 162 Askew, Julie G.: 274 Atlas Explosives: 657 Audubon, John James: 502, 503 Austin Powder: 634, 648 Barkalow, Capt. Joel W.: 177 Barker, Al: 494 Benson, Frank W.: 158, 319, 672 Birch, Reggie: 524-526 Birdsall, Eugene: 233 Birdsall, Nathan: 231 Bishop, Richard E.: 45, 46, 303-313 Blackwell, Neil: 500 Blakney, Donald: 299 Bogdan, Stan: 284, 288, 290 Bohl, Walter E.: 498 Boyd, George H.: 369-376, 470 Brasher, Rex: 659 Brooks, Allan: 141 Browne, George: 68 Bruning, Kenneth: 199 Buckner, Jenny: 489, 490 Bunn, Charles Sumner: 474 Burr, Russ E.: 393, 396 California Powder Works: 608, 631 Carlson, Ken: 340, 341 Clark, Roland H.: 318, 325, 671, 673, 674 Coffin, Charles F.: 167 Coheleach, Guy: 298 Coole, Brian: 664 Corbin, Peter: 324 Cranmer, William H.: 452 Crowell, A. Elmer: 16, 19, 21, 23-27, 29-35, 355-365, 377-382, 468, 469 Crowell, Cleon: 58 Daisey, Delbert “Cigar”: 425-428 Dando, Aubrey Jones: 17 de Groot, Ewoud: 488 deGavre, Brig. Gen. Chester: 88-102 Didier, Lester W.: 300-302 Dilley, John: 480 Disbrow, Charles R.: 451 Dittman, Albert J.: 12 Dittmar Powder Co.: 601, 624, 653 du Pont: 590-592, 598, 602, 612, 618, 621, 622, 629, 630, 633, 637, 638, 640, 641, 643, 646, 653, 657 Dunn, Noel: 146 EC Metal Powder: 654 Ellison, Henry (attr.): 462 Ettinger, Churchill: 249, 315, 317 Finney, Frank S.: 120-132, 190-192, 415, 527-530, 547-558 Fizer, Art: 189 Foster, William H.: 273 Frazier, Luke: 206, 207 Freyermuth, Virginia K.: 299 Frisino, Louis: 669 Frost, A.B. (after): 323 Frost, Arthur Burdett: 346, 347 Fuertes, Louis Agassiz: 252

298

Gelston, Thomas: 472 Gibian, William: 116-119 Gilley, Wendell: 1-6, 366-368 Graves, G. Bert: 456, 457 Gruppe, Emile Albert: 47, 48 Haertel, Harold: 83, 435, 436 Hagerbaumer, David A.: 250, 251 Haines, Bud: 581 Hanson, Marty: 133-136 Hardenbergh, Gerard R.: 41, 353, 354 Hardy: 287, 289 Harris Ching, Raymond: 260 Harris, Ken: 447-450, 582 Hart, Charles: 104, 105, 531, 532 Hart, Ernest Huntley: 104, 105, 531, 532 Hawkins, Stephen: 275-278 Hawthorne, Davison B.: 416, 418, 419 Hazard Powder Co.: 594, 599, 602, 606, 611, 619, 623, 625, 626, 636, 644 Head, John Loren: 496 Heinemann, Ben: 82 Hercules Powder Co.: 607, 610, 617, 656 Hirata, Thomas: 491 Hodges, Dave: 265 Holly, James T.: 409 Holmes, Lothrop T.: 106, 168 Horner, Nathan Rowley: 230 Horsfall, R. Bruce: 254, 270 Hudson, Delbert: 242 Hudson, Ira D.: 193, 241 Humphrey, William: 484 Hunt, Alan M.: 295, 297 Hunt, Lynn Bogue: 261 Irvine, Lawrence C.: 194, 576 J. M. Hays Wood Products: 566 J. N. Dodge Factory: 180, 454, 537 Jameison, Robert: 14 Janner Jr., Hans A.: 201 Janson, Richard “Fresh Air Dick”: 240 Jaques, Francis Lee: 39, 142 Johnson, J. Taylor: 224, 227 Joiner, Charlie “Speed”: 413 Kellum, Frank: 176, 481 Kerr, Robert G.: 84-87 Ketcham, Capt. Albert: 183 King Powder Co.: 605, 632 King, Allen J.: 7-10, 385, 386 King, Joe: 220 King, Joseph S.: 225, 226 Kirmse, Marguerite: 163, 164, 316 Knap, Joseph Day: 248 Koelpin, William J.: 139 Kuhn, Bob: 257, 258 Laflin & Rand Powder Co.: 595-597, 615, 651, 655 Lamb, Frederick Mortimer: 343 Lansdowne, James Fenwick: 351 Lawrence, Homer: 137, 138 Lawson, Oliver “Tuts”: 410, 559 Lazarus, David: 326 Lewis, Robbie: 567 Leyendecker, Frank X.: 349 Lincoln, Joseph W.: 56, 57, 171, 383, 384, 467, 473 Littlejohn, Chase: 188 Loge, Daniel: 147 Luckett, C.: 497

Maass, David A.: 143, 342 MacKay, Barry Kent: 660 Malick, Donald L.: 296 Mason Decoy Factory: 179, 437-440, 453, 458, 460, 461 Mason, George Finch: 663 Mason, Roy Martell: 339 Matia, Walter: 344 Matthews, William: 272 McAnney, John: 186, 218 McCaleb, Ellen: 574, 575 McGaw, Robert “Bob”: 568 McIntosh, Leo H.: 441-446 McIntyre, Cameron T.: 433, 505, 518-523 McNair, Mark S.: 107-115, 430, 432, 506-517 McNeal, Paul E.: 573 Megargee, S. Edwin: 36 Mitchell, R. Madison: 408, 411, 535 Morse, Robert: 392, 395 Mueller, Keith: 417 Murray, Anthony G.: 560 Muss-Arnolt, Gustav: 348 Nelson, R.J.: 323 Nichols, Jack: 541 O’Brien Jr., Donal C.: 563 Oriental Powder Mills: 635, 642 Osthaus, Edmund Henry: 42, 43, 149, 322 Palmer, Herman: 266, 268 Parker, Lloyd: 229 Paroyan, Victor: 434 Pease, Ezra (attr.): 539 Perdew, Charles H.: 11, 399, 459 Peterson, Oscar W.: 197 Piscatori, Bob: 299 Pleissner, Ogden M.: 148, 156, 157, 159, 321 Pratt, George Dupont: 263 Pratt, Norris: 561 Pyall, Henry: 323 Rataczak, Jim: 492 Rathmell, Louis C.: 28 Reed, James “Corb”: 420-424 Reinbold, William H.: 13 Remington: 580 Reneson, Chet: 49-51, 145, 333-336 Ridgeway, Birdsall: 232 Ridgway, John Linvzy: 661 Ridinger, Johann Elias: 675 Ripley, Aiden Lassell: 38, 150, 246, 314 Robin Hood Ammunition Co.: 603 Rogers, Julia Noffsinger: 269 Rosenbaum, Richard: 662 Ross, Harry: 144 Ross, Willie: 52 Rosseau, Percival: 44 Rungius, Carl Clemens Moritz: 259 Savage Arms Co.: 628 Schaldach, William J.: 628 Schneider, Arthur: 255 Scholz, Floyd: 80 Schultz, William L.: 394 Scott, Lindsay: 499 Seabrook, Robert: 565 Seamaster Fly Reel: 285 Seibert, Joan: 544-546

Selby, Prideaux John: 501 Seymour, Harry: 196, 569 Sheppard, Peter: 293, 294 Shinabarger, Tim: 345 Sholl, David: 208 Shortt, Angus H.: 247 Shourds, Harry V.: 185, 211-216, 228 Singer, Arthur B.: 253 Singer, Arthur B. and Alan D.: 667, 670 Sloan, Richard: 666 Smiley, Russ: 676 Smith, Brett James: 151-155, 279, 327, 330 Solberg, Morten E.: 267 Sprague, Chris T.: 222 Steffen, Earnest William: 350 Sterling, Lloyd Aaron: 103 Stidham, Mike: 329 Strong, Helen Lay: 397 Strunk, George: 562 Stuart, Allen P.: 59 Tait, Arthur Fitzwilliam: 37 Telegraph: 593 Thorburn, Archibald: 40 Timm, Richard: 668 Townsend, Otis: 221, 223 Trombley, Andrew: 198 Truex, Levi Rhodes: 181, 182, 217 Turner, David H.: 264 Tuttle, Henry Emerson: 320 Verity Family: 175, 479, 482 Verity, Obediah: 173 W. S. Morton Rig: 166 Walker, Charles: 455 Wallace, Dr. Gilbert E.: 184 Waltham, James (attr.): 200 Ward Brothers, The: 67, 69, 70, 72-79, 400, 403-407 Ward, David B.: 412, 414, 533, 534 Ward, Lemuel: 71, 401, 402, 561 Warren Powder Mills: 609, 620 Waters, Donald J.: 352 Watkins, Peggy: 204, 205 Watson, Dave “Umbrella”: 187, 238 Weaver, Steve: 81, 387-391, 536 Weber, Walter A.: 338 Weiler, Milton C.: 140, 331, 332 Wells, Eugene “Gene”: 583 Wells, John R.: 485, 486 Wharton, P.C.: 658 Wheeler, Charles “Shang”: 22 Wildfowler Decoys: 564 Wilson, Augustus Aaron: 54 Wilson, Tom (attr.): 398 Winchester: 580 Wozny, Eddie: 429, 431 Wyer, Capt. William J.: 170

299

ESTATE AND COLLECTION SERVICES Copley offers a comprehensive program for both auction and private sales. Our team of professionals has over 70 years of combined service dedicated to the fields of American antiques, folk art, fine art, and decoys. We work with law firms, trust and estate professionals, executors, heirs, museums, institutions, clubs, and private clients, assisting with the valuation and sale of single items and entire estates.

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

THE DU PONT CROWELL WOODCOCK

300

ACCEPTING CONSIGNMENTS THE WINTER SALE 2023

Steve O’Brien Jr. Owner, Decoy and Painting Specialist, Estate Consultant steve@copleyart.com 617.388.0792

Colin S. McNair Decoy Specialist colin@copleyart.com 757.999.0078

Leah Tharpe Fine Art Specialist leah@copleyart.com 617.536.0030

Leaders in the Sporting Art, Wildlife Art, and Decoy Fields COPLEY FINE ART AUCTIONS, LLC | info@copleyart.com | 617.536.0030 MA #2428

301

Dovetailed Goose |

WR

$810,000

Ogden Pleissner |

WR

$345,000

selling the world’s finest Edmund Osthaus |

Joseph Lincoln |

WR

$235,750

DECOYS AND SPORTING ART Lynn Bogue Hunt |

$360,000

A. L. Ripley |

302

WR

WR

$97,500

Jim Schmiedlin |

WR

WR

$92,000

$60,000

WR

Denotes world record for the artist

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

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

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

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

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

6 The Copley decoy team is committed to accurately cataloging all decoys.

To this end, all decoy lots in this catalog carry guaranteed condition reports.

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

Duration of Guarantee: Any request for refund of any decoy lot in the auction must be within 48 hours of receipt of the decoy. It is the purchaser’s responsibility to examine the decoy and identify in writing any flaw or flaws that significantly impact the value of the lot. In order to be eligible for the guarantee, Copley Fine Art Auctions, LLC must receive payment for the decoy within 7 days of the conclusion of the auction.

Receipt of the decoy by the purchaser must take place no more than 21 days after the fall of the gavel. Please note that it is the purchaser’s responsibility to arrange pick-up or shipping of the lot. The guarantee in all cases will end 21 days after the fall of the gavel.

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

If a check fails to clear after the second deposit, the purchaser will be held responsible for any and all fees incurred until we have collected good funds.

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

9 Condition reports are not included in this catalog. It is the responsibility of prospective bidders to examine lots and decide their level of interest.

Neither the auctioneer, Copley Fine Art Auctions, LLC, nor the consignor is responsible for the accuracy of any printed or verbal descriptions. Copley Fine Art Auctions, LLC strongly encourages clients to personally examine lots prior to the auction so as to best determine condition of lots. Due to the high volume of condition requests, Copley Fine Art Auctions, LLC reserves the right to reject requests at its sole discretion. All weights and measurements are approximate.

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

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

12 B uyers 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

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

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

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

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

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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:

Email:

(PO Box not sufficient)

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 Sporting Sale 2022.

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):

Telephone Number:

Name of Account Officer(s):

2. Name of Company:

Bank Telephone:

Contact Name:

Bank Fax:

Telephone Number:

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

please check one of the following:

ABSENTEE

TELEPHONE

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

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

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

LOT #

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

Print Name:

Signature:

(required)

(required)

BID PRICE US$

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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 §6(b) .

1

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

2

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

3

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

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

5

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

6 At your option, you may contact one of the interstate carriers listed below, or one of your choosing, to arrange for shipping.

Carriers pick up frequently at our offices.

SHIPPING OPTIONS: The UPS Store #4423 A.J. Yanakakis, Wakefield, MA 781.224.2500 or store4423@theupsstore.com Scott Cousins/North South Art Transfer Hand delivery service 978.491.9353 or scottcousins22@aol.com

Print name: (as invoiced)

Shipping Address:

Boston Pack and Ship 781.849.8696 or 1.800.400.7204 info@bostonpackandship.com U.S. Art* 781.986.6500 or 1.800.872.7826 *Specializing in high-value art, large works, and specialty items

Place and Manner of Delivery: To an Interstate Common Carrier for delivery out of state: I authorize: to pick up my items(s) (Please specify Name of Common Carrier) Sale Date: Lot #s :

Phone: Email:

Signature: (required)

Internal use only Received by: Signature:

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Print Name:

Date:

Make Clean Water And Healthy Flats A Part Of Your Legacy.

Support Bonefish & Tarpon Trust today and help ensure a healthy flats fishery for generations to come.

Learn more by visiting: www.btt.org/donate Photo: Scott Morrison

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