The Winter Sale 2021 | Copley Fine Art Auctions (lots 41-596)

THE WINTER SALE FEBRUARY 19-20, 2021

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Front Cover: Lots 41 (detail), 45, 46, 57, 245, 301 Inside Front Cover: Lot 46 (detail) Right Important Notices: Lot 43 Back Cover: Lots 42, 44, 52, 102, 113, 165, 247, 392 Left Schedule of Events: Lot 44 Left Table of Contents: Lot 296

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

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

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THE WINTER SALE

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

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

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

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

Lots 293-596 Live-streamed from Massachusetts.

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

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

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

Colin S. McNair Decoy Specialist colin@copleyart.com

Leah Tharpe Fine Art Specialist leah@copleyart.com

ABSENTEE & TELEPHONE BIDS To schedule absentee or telephone bids, please use the forms found in the back of this catalog. All bids must be received at least twenty-four hours before the start of the sale. We will be adding additional lines to our popular phone bank; please sign up early.

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

Please review the Terms and Conditions of Sale on page 358 and Important Notices on page 6 of this catalog.

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

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Schedule of Events

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Important Notices

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Properties From

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Day 1, lots 41-292

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Day 2, lots 293-596

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Index of Artists and Makers

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Terms and Conditions of Sale

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Buyer Pre-Registration Form

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Absentee/Telephone Bid Form

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Authorized Shipping Release Form

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THE WINTER SALE IMPORTANT NOTICES 1

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

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

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

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

11 Condition description of wear or gunning wear

3 Consign to our next sale Copley Fine Art Auctions, LLC is accepting consignments for our Sporting Sale 2021. Please contact us by phone at 617.536.0030, or by email at consignments@copleyart.com.

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

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

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

7 Inspection of items offered at this auction All items are sold “as is” and should be inspected either personally or by agent before a bid is placed. Prospective buyers should satisfy themselves by personal inspection as to the condition of each lot. Although condition reports may be given on request, such reports are statements of opinion only.

Regardless of whether or not a condition report is given, all property is sold “as is.” The absence of a condition report does not imply that the property is in good condition. Copley Fine Art Auctions, LLC reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to refuse condition requests.

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

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ear or gunning wear may include all types of wear and W damage that can be inflicted, and may be expected, from hunting, handling, use, or time. This may include, but is not limited to, paint wear, flaking, dings, scratches, checks, cracks, craquelure, age lines, dents, chips, rubs, blunts, broken eyes, shot scars, seam separations, raised grain, rust, filler loss, sap, discoloration, and altered rigging, stick holes, and eyes.

The condition of the undersides may not be listed. Clear coats, such as varnish, shellac, wax, and oil, may not be listed.

Repairs and restorations may include new material. Paint listed as “working,” “old,” or “gunning” is likely not original.

Repairs and construction features that are original to the work, including but not limited to putty, bungs, plugs, patches, and stabilization, may not be mentioned. Replaced and repaired bills may include touch-up near insertion point and extend through back of head, if applicable. Radiographs, or x-ray images, may be available by request for select lots. Please submit additional condition report requests at least ten days prior to the sale date.

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

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

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

15 Auction day contact information

On site: 617.536.0030 Auctioneer Peter J. Coccoluto MA License #2428

THE WINTER SALE FEBRUARY 19-20, 2021

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PROPERTIES FROM The Peter Allen Collection The Kroghie Andresen Collection The Walter L. Bush Collection, Deaccessioned from a New York City Museum The Len Carnaghi Decoy Collection The John Dillon Decoy Collection The William K. du Pont Collection of Decoys, Bird Carvings, and Waterfowling Artifacts The Dale W. Farrell Collection of Coastal and Fish Paintings The Ted and Judy Harmon Collection Estate of Alfred F. King III The Estate of Mary Jane Kuehn The Rich Merrill Collection The Dwight Miller Collection The Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection of American Bird Decoys The Dr. Leonard O. Oden Collection of Bird Carvings Estate of Herbert Prakelt David Schorsch The Herb Wetanson Collection The Eddie Woodin Collection Private Collection, California The Estate of a Collector, San Francisco, California Private Collection, Colorado Private Collection, Georgia Private Collection, Illinois Private Collection, Kentucky Private Collection, Maine Private Collection, Massachusetts Private Collection, Cambridge Massachusetts Private Collection, Cape Cod, Massachusetts The Private Collection, Weston, Massachusetts Private Collection, Montana The Estate of a Private Collector, New York Private Collection, New York Private Collection, Pennsylvania Private Collection, Vermont

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THE WINTER SALE 2021 LOTS 41-292 DAY 1 | FEBRUARY 19

FOLLOWING THE MULLER COLLECTION, APPROXIMATELY 11AM

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EDMUND H. OSTHAUS 1858-1928

41 Edmund H. Osthaus (1858-1928)

Pointer with Quail, 1890 signed and dated “Edm. H. Osthaus 1890.” lower left oil on canvas, 27 by 36 in.

Edmund Henry Osthaus was born in Hildesheim, Germany, in 1958, the son of a prosperous farmer who subsequently emigrated to Toledo, Ohio. Osthaus studied at the Royal Academy of the Arts in Dusseldorf from 1874 to 1882 with Andreas Muller, Peter Jansen, E. von Gebhardt, Ernst Deger, and wildlife and landscape painter Christian Kroner. In 1883, he joined his parents in America and became an instructor at the Toledo Academy of Fine Arts. He served as the director from 1886-1893, refining his painting technique and pursuing his passions: hunting and fishing.

He resigned in 1893 to dedicate his full attention to painting, shooting, and field trials. He was a charter member of the National Field Trial Association established in Newton, North Carolina, in 1895. A frequent field trial judge, he followed that circuit across the country. He showed his own setters and pointers in both field trials and confirmation shows. His artistic talent combined with his love of dogs enabled him to capture the essence of the working dog while depicting accurate anatomical detail.

Osthaus, along with Percival Rosseau and J.M. Tracy, is considered among the greatest American sporting dog

painters. He painted the National Field Trail Association winners for the first three decades of its existence. The DuPont Company reproduced these portraits as calendars and lithographs. Additionally, he was commissioned to paint sporting scenes by industrial magnates, including members of the Vanderbilt family and J.P. Morgan, who admired his large-scale realistic genre.

Pointer with Quail reveals Osthaus at his best. The artist has created a realistic fall landscape; golden grasses and a split-rail fence frame the picture and russet leaves abound. The viewer can almost hear the rustling leaves and smell the crisp autumn air. The fit dog is rendered in masterful detail. His taut body is full of energy as he stands stock still while proudly, but gently holding the quail in his mouth. His bright eyes gaze at his master, who, naturally, is delighted with this retrieve. With its dynamic artistry and recognition by the marketplace, Pointer with Quail is one of America’s great dog paintings.

PROVENANCE: George M. Brady, Esq., Detroit, Michigan who commissioned the work in 1890 By descent in the family to Mr. G.M. Brady’s great nephew, Woodstock, Vermont Private Collection, Florida, acquired from Copley Fine Art Auctions, Plymouth, MA, July 23, 2008, lot 42

$150,000 - $250,000

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ARTHUR FITZWILLIAM TAIT 1819-1905

Lots 42, 43, 47-49, 51, 237, and 238 represent one of the finest A. F. Tait sporting art collections assembled, with seven of the paintings documented in Warder H. Cadbury and Henry F. Marsh’s monograph on the artist. The collector was meticulous about only acquiring works with exceptional provenance, and Setters on Quail, Ruffed Grouse, Duck Shooting, and Doe with Two Fawns each represent Tait at the pinnacle of craftsmanship, demonstrating his intimate knowledge of the subtle nuances of these varied sporting subjects.

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 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.

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ARTHUR FITZWILLIAM TAIT 1819-1905

42 Arthur Fitzwilliam Tait (1819-1905)

Setters on Quail, 1883 signed and dated “A.F. Tait. NA NY 83” lower right oil on canvas, 12 by 16 in.

Also titled Two Setters and Quail, this painting is recorded in Tait’s register as “2 Setters and Quail 12 x 16 Mr. Hy Hentz (Sen’r) for X’mas. to be $100.00 Frame extra.”

Henry Hentz founded a brokerage firm in New York in 1856, and was a charter member and president of the New York Cotton Exchange. Hentz bought multiple paintings from Tait in 1883 and 1884, according to the artist’s registers. When Hentz died in 1924, both the cotton and coffee exchanges closed in his memory for the day.

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 life of American natives 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.

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

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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 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.

Setters on Quail is one of the artist’s greatest renderings of bird dogs on bobwhite quail hailing from one of the finest sporting art collections ever assembled.

PROVENANCE: Henry Hentz Collection, New York Private Collection, Florida, acquired 1999 LITERATURE: Warder H. Cadbury and Henry F. Marsh, Arthur Fitzwilliam Tait: Artist in the Adirondacks, Newark, DE, 1986, p.

268, no. 83.41.

$50,000 - $70,000

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ARTHUR FITZWILLIAM TAIT 1819-1905

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43 Arthur Fitzwilliam Tait (1819-1905)

Ruffed Grouse, 1883 signed and dated “AF Tait. NA NY 83” lower right oil on canvas, 14 1/4 by 24 in.

Kennedy Galleries, Inc., New York label on back

Edward Schenck was a noted auctioneer in New York City, active circa 1860-1886. He had sales rooms at No. 17 Union Square.

Ruffed Grouse is one of the artist’s most accurate and intimate depictions of partridge.

PROVENANCE: Edward Schenck, New York, circa 1883 Kennedy Galleries, Inc., New York Mr. George A. Butler, Houston, Texas, circa 1960 Private Collection, by descent from the above Sotheby’s, New York, November 30, 1989, lot 69 Private Collection, Weston, Massachusetts LITERATURE: Warder H. Cadbury and Henry F. Marsh, Arthur Fitzwilliam Tait: Artist in the Adirondacks, Newark, DE, 1986, p.

265, no. 83.19, illustrated.

$14,000 - $18,000

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A. ELMER CROWELL

1862-1952 | EAST HARWICH, MA

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

44 Exceptional Bobwhite Quail Pair

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, 1938 male is 8 in. long and female is 7 ½ in. long base is 14 in. long

Today wild quail and other upland species are not commonly associated with Cape Cod; however, they were fairly abundant in Crowell’s time and he was very familiar with the species as several accounts attest to.

In addition to his experience handling live quail, he had experience with them as a market gunner. Receipts from 1892 reveal he received twenty cents for a brace of quail from Boston’s Faneuil Hall sellers Willis and Watts. Two years later a Boston Globe article reports: “Elmer Crowell, B. B. Nickerson, J. P. Nickerson and other gentlemen...are making preparations to greet the feathered flocks which are due to arrive in that vicinity next week; this locality is also a good one for partridges and quail.” Crowell regularly hunted bobwhite quail on the Cape and, as a result, the maker developed a thorough understanding of the species’ anatomy, posture, and covey behavior. This, in turn, enabled him to carve sculptures of quail that bear an amazing resemblance to the live birds.

This exceedingly rare double-mount pair puts the sporting artist’s deep understanding on full display as the male stands sentinel on the high ground while his mate inspects a possible meal. It may be the only known example of a full-size double-mount bobwhite by the maker and

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perhaps the only known life-sized pair on a single base of any Crowell species. In addition to the birds, Crowell created an intricate carved caddis or moth, which the hen is closing in on, making the presentation even more noteworthy. This rare third element was applied by the carver very sparingly and is seen on a notable feeding yellowlegs with a carved fly.

Each bird features excellent wet-on-wet feather blending to illustrate the bobwhite’s intricate plumage. The birds are finished with carved bill detail and incised tail feathers. The maker signed “A. E. Crowell E. Harwich, MA, 1938” in ink and struck his rectangular stamp on the bottom of the painted base. Outstanding original paint with minimal wear and slight rub to paint on back edge of base.

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

15, 42, 183 , related carvings illustrated.

Eldred’s, Summer Sale, East Dennis, MA, July 30, 2020, lot 1, exact carving illustrated.

$40,000 - $60,000

“The strangest sight Mr. Crowell has seen during his long life concerned with birds was a covey of quail which he twice saw landing on water. This apparently inexplicable phenomenon was, according to Mr. Crowell, a case of a whole flock of birds getting thoroughly fooled by the reflection of the bank in the water. ‘Shosh-shosh-shosh, they came down,’ he explained. ‘And never did I see birds so completely disgusted with themselves. Why those quails just sit there—so plumb mad about the whole business—that I rowed right over and picked ‘em up without a flutter.’”

— Cape Cod Standard-Times, August 23, 1940

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“During Elmer Crowell’s youth, the landscape of the Cape was experiencing a regrowth of its forests. Before the arrival of Europeans, Native Americans lived in primarily pine and oak forests, with hickory, beech, cypress, red maple, and birch trees interspersed.

Early colonial settlers vastly diminished these forests by cutting down trees in order to sustain themselves in their new land. Wood was used to build and heat homes, and the cleared land was utilized to grow food and graze livestock.

In the late 1800s, as the human population on the Cape declined, timber was no longer in such high demand and trees began to repopulate the landscape. This pattern of land use was beneficial to bobwhite quail, woodcock, and ruffed grouse that thrive in the mixed vegetation of an early-stage regrowth forest. Today these species are not commonly associated with Cape Cod; however, they were fairly abundant in Crowell’s time.”

— Chelsie Olney and Stephen B. O’Brien Jr., Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving

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

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45 Exceptional Early Woodcock A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1912

This carving represents not only one of the maker’s earliest and best carvings of the species, but also his finest paint applications. A very closely related and possible mantel mate resided in the collection of top Crowell patron Dr. John H. Cunningham. Today, the Cunningham example, which also features rarely seen carved wooden legs, resides in one of the country’s top decorative collections.

While Crowell often utilized metal legs for his upland and shorebirds, this early example exhibits carved wooden legs. The authors of Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving explain, “In the case of his decorative carvings on wooden bases, Crowell experimented with different techniques for creating legs, eventually discovering that umbrella stays, with their thin diameter yet great strength, provided the best stability.”

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, acquired from the maker Private Collection, Massachusetts, acquired from the family of the above LITERATURE: Brian Cullity, The Songless Aviary: The World of A. E. Crowell & Son, Hyannis, MA, 1992, p. 86.

Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. and Chelsie W. Olney, Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving, Hingham, MA, 2019, pp. 15, 16 related carvings illustrated, p. 193 makers leg treatment discussed.

Robert Bishop, American Folk Sculpture, New York, NY, 1985, p. 181, pl. 332, related example illustrated.

Richard A. Bourne, Inc. Rare American Decoys, Bird Carvings, Miniature, and Related Items, August 1, 1972, lot 142, closely related example illustrated.

$50,000 - $70,000

This early decorative woodcock bears the maker’s crisp oval brand on the underside of its carved wooden base.

The grand body is outfitted with a bill which displays precise incised mandible carving and a curvature to the very tip of the bill. The timberdoodle’s complex plumage is masterfully applied with tight feathering and soft blending. Excellent original paint with minimal wear, minor chipping at feet insertion and one missing spur.

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“Such early oils of wildfowl are rare. For the next two decades, Benson only exhibited four paintings of birds.”

— Faith Andrews Bedford discussing Redheads in Flight painted in 1916

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FRANK W. BENSON 1862-1951

46 Frank W. Benson (1862-1951)

Redheads in Flight, 1916 signed and dated “F.W. Benson ‘16” lower right oil on canvas, 36 1/4 by 45 in.

Redheads in Flight was acquired by Mr. Allen, who purchased Benson’s summer home, Wooster Farm in North Haven, Maine in 2013. Allen’s grandfather, Frederick Warren Allen, was an assistant to sculptor Bela Pratt and first came to North Haven in 1913. Allen now keeps Wooster Farm as “an open, living museum...a living and breathing tribute to Frank Benson.”

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Boxford, Massachusetts,

until 1970 Vose Galleries of Boston, inventory no. 23231 Private Collection, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1970 Private Collection, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts Private Collection, California Peter Allen Collection, acquired from Copley Fine Art Auctions, Plymouth, MA, July 25-26, 2014, lot 398

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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. 71, illustrated.

Debra Spark, “Dreamy Days at Wooster Farm,” Maine Home + Design, April, 2013.

Copley Fine Art Auctions, The Sporting Sale, Plymouth, MA, July 25-26, 2014, lot 398 and front catalog cover, illustrated.

EXHIBITED: Duxbury, Massachusetts, Duxbury Art

Association’s Annual Winter Juried Show, Art Complex Museum, February-April 2019. $250,000 - $450,000

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FRANK W. BENSON 1862-1951

Frank Benson spent his boyhood hunting and fishing on the Essex County marshes near his Salem, Massachusetts, home. He was fascinated by ornithology and a great admirer of John James Audubon, often spending hours visiting the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard.

When he entered the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Benson’s goal was to be an ornithological illustrator. His first known oils are of a rail and a snipe.

However, two years of study at the Academie Julian in Paris changed his mind. When Benson returned to Boston, he built his career on finely crafted portraits and stunning interiors of models lit by the glow of a fire or the shimmer of lamplight. Yet he never forgot his first love, the birds that filled the air and the waters of his New England home. His earliest known exhibited painting of wildfowl was Swan Flight, a large canvas depicting the decorative effect of white swans sweeping across a wide expanse of pearl gray sky. By the time it was seen in the galleries of Boston’s St. Botolph Club in 1894, it had already been bought by Dr. Arthur Cabot, a close friend and fellow hunter.

Such early oils of wildfowl are rare. For the next two decades, Benson only exhibited four paintings of birds.(i) This is not surprising. During those years, as co-director of Boston’s Museum School, Benson began creating his stunning wash drawings of wildfowl and started producing the many etchings and drypoints that won him great fame and earned him the title, “Dean of the American Sporting Print.” In addition, his sunlit, Impressionist paintings of his daughters posed against the summer skies of his island home in Maine were in such demand that they sold as quickly as they were finished.

By 1916 Benson’s children, whom he called his “homegrown models,” were growing up and leaving home. That fall, he accompanied Arthur Cabot to Cabot’s private

i It is very likely that a few others were sold out of his studio for, as he wrote to a dealer who wanted such a work, “If I choose to be patient I can sell them all in Boston. If I make one with figure or birds, it is commonly sold as soon as it is framed, and often before.” In closing he added, “if I were to create any larger demand, I simply couldn’t fill it.” Frank W. Benson to Robert Macbeth. 22 February 1926, Macbeth Gallery Papers, Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Museum.

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hunting club on the shores of Lake Erie. It was a trip that would deeply affect his painting for years to come and was, in all likelihood, the setting for Redheads in Flight. It is probably not coincidental that Benson chose to commemorate his first trip to Long Point with this masterful painting of the birds that surrounded him there. The island in the background of this oil adds a striking note to the work. It is a compositional device that Benson employed in a number of his etchings set at Long Point, such as Over Sunk Marsh and Sunset at Long Point, as well as in at least one oil, Long Point Sunset, 1923 and several watercolors.(ii) Formally called The Long Point Company, the club, a collection of buildings elevated about four feet above the water on pilings and connected by a network of boardwalks, was founded on a broad peninsula of land by a group of Canadian businessmen in l866. The express purpose of the club was to keep their favorite hunting ground from being depleted by almost year-round hunting. “The Point looks like a Florida mangrove Key,” Benson wrote in his hunting diary. “Just a few trees that appear to be growing out of the lake.” Eager to get in a bit of shooting his first day there, Benson recalled, “We set decoys hurriedly as it was late, and the ducks came often but not quite near enough. I shot down twenty one and retrieved fifteen. . . The prettiest afternoon’s shooting I ever had.”(iii) It is clear from Benson’s diaries that his experiences at Long Point were some of his most treasured memories.

In letters home and in interviews, Benson frequently mentioned the beauty of the land and the excellence of the shooting. From the sheer overwhelming numbers of the birds that he saw, it appears that nothing surpassed those hunting grounds. “I saw such a sight today as I never expect to see again,” Benson wrote. “When we started out, ducks rose in thousands and thousands all over the

ii At least seven prints have titles that locate their setting as Long Point. For a discussion of the oil painting Long Point Sunset and the related etching, see Faith Andrews Bedford’s essay “Frank W. Benson’s Paintings and Prints: Inspiration and Replication” in John Ordeman’s book Frank W. Benson’s Etchings, Drypoints, Lithographs and Prints, Lydia Inglett Publishing, Hilton Head, S.C., 2012. iii Benson, Frank W. Benson. Hunting Diary, 8-9 October 1916. Frank W. Benson Papers, Peabody Essex Museum. As quoted in Faith

marsh and the whole sky was covered. . . . Thousands of Redheads and Canvasbacks were coming in from the North in lines and V’s high up against the sky all the morning . . . the noise was like thunder.”(iv) It was undoubtedly a scene such as this that inspired Redheads in Flight. The viewer feels that he is not so much observing the painting as he is in it. One can almost feel the rush of the ducks wings and hear their calls.

kinds of ducks so close at hand,” Benson once wrote to a collector. “I passed one whole day watching every duck that came to my decoys to see how he used his legs when dropping, recovering, rising, et. cetera and, instead of making the best of the shooting, I had a very profitable day in another way.”(vii)

Ornithologist Roger Tory Peterson praised Benson as a painter of bird “pictures,” paintings that focused on the birds’ world, while noting that Audubon, who killed his subjects and wired them into position, was more a painter of bird “portraits.” Yet, like an ornithologist, Benson was careful to depict both male and female in various attitudes of flight. In Redheads in Flight, the ducks are what command immediate attention, yet the work also focuses on composition, light, and design, elements that Benson felt were critical in any painting.

As a contemporary writer wrote, “Frank W. Benson has added something imperishable--an artist’s dream [that Audubon] knew not; a knowledge of bird flight which places him in a class by himself.”(v) Decades of observing birds permitted Benson to portray them in flight or at rest not only accurately, but also with grace and fluidity. As Benson once told a writer, “I try to make them part of the landscape in which they occur, rather than to describe them as specimens. What I most enjoy about them is their wildness.” Noting that birds rarely pose for a picture, he said, “My pictures of wild-fowl are entirely the result of things seen in nature and drawn from memory.”(vi) Redheads in Flight clearly evoked for Benson the wonderful memories he had of his days at Long Point both shooting and painting. “Long Point was a wonderful place to me for I never had such a chance to see so many

Andrews Bedford’s The Sporting Art of Frank W. Benson, Boston, David R. Godine, 2000.

Frank W. Benson and his guide at Long Point. Collection of Faith Andrews Bedford

We are grateful to Faith Andrews Bedford, author of the biography Frank W. Benson: American Impressionist, The Sporting Art of Frank Benson, and Impressionist Summers: Frank W. Benson’s North Haven, for this essay.

vi Lumsden. E.S. The Art of Etching, p. 328. J. D. Lippincott, Philadelphia. 1924. As quoted in Faith Andrews Bedford’s The Sporting Art of Frank W. Benson, Boston, David R. Godine, 2000.

iv Ibid., 25 October 1920. vii Frank W. Benson to Mr. Band, n.d. Benson Papers. v Arthur Philpott, unidentified newspaper clipping, November l936, Artist’s Scrapbook, Benson Papers, Peabody Essex Museum. As quoted in Faith Andrews Bedford’s The Sporting Art of Frank W. Benson, Boston, David R. Godine, 2000.

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ARTHUR FITZWILLIAM TAIT 1819-1905

47 Arthur Fitzwilliam Tait (1819-1905)

Duck Shooting, 1874 signed and dated “A.F. Tait. N.Y 1874” lower right oil on canvas, 20 by 30 in. also titled Retrieving a Duck, this painting is recorded as No. 20 in Tait’s register: “20 Duck Shooting 20 x 30 Canvas Dog swimming Dead Duck in water others flying 2 men in Boat in Rushes in Background. Snedicors Sale.”

Tait’s dealer, John Snedecor, was a leading fine art dealer in New York in the 1850s–1870s, handling both European and American paintings. At one time, his gallery was located at 768 Broadway, and Tait routinely misspelled his name in the register of works.

A related painting of two hunters, dog, and ducks titled Duck Hunting with Decoys set the record for any Tait waterfowling piece in 2006, selling for $856,000.

PROVENANCE: Kennedy Galleries, Inc., New York Mr. George A. Butler, Houston, Texas, circa 1960 Private Collection, by descent from the above Sotheby’s, New York, 30 November 1989, lot 74 Private Collection, Weston, Massachusetts LITERATURE: A. F. Tait: Artist in the Adirondacks, The Adirondack Museum, Blue Mountain Lake, NY, 1974.

Warder H. Cadbury and Henry F. Marsh, Arthur Fitzwilliam Tait: Artist in the Adirondacks, Newark, DE, 1986, p. 229, no.

74.11, illustrated.

$30,000 - $50,000

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ARTHUR FITZWILLIAM TAIT 1819-1905

48 Arthur Fitzwilliam Tait (1819-1905)

Retrieving a Mallard, 1863 signed and dated “A. F. Tait. N.Y. 1863.” lower left oil on canvas, 16 by 26 in.

Tait’s register records this work as “285 Dog & Duck.”

The painting was exhibited and sold at the Leeds Sale, December 18, 1863. Tait and his gallerist, John Snedecor, put together two auctions, run by famed auctioneer Henry H. Leeds. This painting was sold in their first successful auction of Tait’s works, where an incredible fifty-eight offerings by the artist were sold.

PROVENANCE: Henry H. Leeds Sale, John Snedecor Gallery, New York, December 18, 1863 Kennedy Galleries, Inc., New York Mr. George A. Butler, Houston, Texas, circa 1960 Private Collection, by descent from the above Sotheby’s, New York, November 30, 1989, lot 73 Private Collection, Weston, Massachusetts LITERATURE: Warder H. Cadbury and Henry F. Marsh, Arthur Fitzwilliam Tait: Artist in the Adirondacks, Newark, DE, 1986, p. 173, no. 63.60, illustrated.

$12,000 - $18,000

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ARTHUR FITZWILLIAM TAIT 1819-1905

49 Arthur Fitzwilliam Tait (1819-1905)

Doe and Two Fawns, 1872 signed “A.F Tait. N.Y. 72” lower right oil on panel, 20 by 15 3/4 in. inscribed and dated “No. 31 / 1872 / AF Tait / Y.M.C.A. / 23rd St. / N.Y.” on back Winsor & Newton label on back

This painting is No. 31 in Tait’s registry, which records, “Doe & 2 Fawns Upright 22 x 14 Panel $250.00. Edge of Lake. Forest & distance. J.J. Nesmith--Brooklyn Paid for June 4th 1872.”

A.F. Tait spent many of his summers in the Adirondacks, where he hunted, fished, and enjoyed life. In 1872, the year his wife Marian died, Tait split his time between an apartment in the Y.M.C.A. Building in New York and summer camps and lodges in the Adirondack woods. This is a classic lakeside deer scene, representative of some of the artist’s best work.

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PROVENANCE: J.J. Nesmith Collection, Brooklyn, New York, acquired from the artist in 1872 Congoleum Corporation Collection, Christie’s, January 27, 1987, lot 33 Private Collection, Weston, Massachusetts LITERATURE: Warder H. Cadbury and Henry F. Marsh, Arthur Fitzwilliam Tait: Artist in the Adirondacks, Newark, DE, 1986, p.

221, no. 72.22.

$15,000 - $25,000

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37

FREDERIC REMINGTON 1861-1909

50 Frederic Remington (1861-1909)

English Setter, Portrait of Lou Brown’s Dog signed and inscribed “To my friend/ Louis Brown / Frederic Remington” lower right oil on canvas mounted on board, 21 by 28 in.

Among the best-known and most accomplished American artists, Frederic Remington got his start as an artist at the Yale School of Fine Arts. His father, a wellknown newspaper publisher from Upstate New York, died after Remington’s first year and so he left school to travel and work in the West. Throughout the next several years, he worked as a cowboy, rancher, lumberjack, gold miner, and, for a brief period, he owned a hardware store and a saloon. All the while, he produced sketches and illustrations that he shipped back to New York City. Remington found a ready market as Harper’s Weekly, Outing Magazine, and Scribners, all consistently published his work. He also illustrated full-length books, among them Theodore Roosevelt’s Ranch Life and the Hunting-Trail and the novel Oregon Trail by Frances Parkman.

Alternating between the harsh life of the West and working in Brooklyn, New York, where he had access to his clients and a foundry to cast his sculpture, Remington was able to support himself and his wife. The quality of the artwork he produced during his twenty-five year career has made him one of the most historically significant artists in America’s history.

Brown’s prized English Setter was transported to Remington’s studio in New Rochelle, New York to have his portrait painted. The artist vividly captures the attentiveness of an alert hunting companion, as well as the feathered quality of the dog’s fur. Louis Brown, to whom this painting was gifted by the artist as a wedding present, also owned the edition of the bronze Bronco Buster, now in the collection of the Huntington Library in California.

This painting was examined and approved by the Remington Examination Committee at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, Cody, Wyoming in 2018 [2702].

PROVENANCE: Louis Brown and Lulu Brown, New York, New York, gifted from the artist Margaret Eaton Brown Fleming, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, daughter of the above Louis Brown Fleming and wife Jean Tarr Fleming, Los Angeles, California, son of the above Estate of Margaret Eaton Brown Fleming, Pasadena, California Private Collection, Pasadena, California, by descent from the above Private Collection

$50,000 - $70,000

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ARTHUR FITZWILLIAM TAIT 1819-1905

51 Arthur Fitzwilliam Tait (1819-1905)

The Wounded Stag, 1852 signed “AF. Tait” lower right oil on canvas, 14 by 18 in.

Recorded in Tait’s registry as painting number “23.

Wounded deer. Jno. Osborn, Esq. $100.”

PROVENANCE: John Osborn Collection Marshall R. Berkoff Collection The Congoleum Corporate Collection, Christie’s, New York, January 27, 1987, lot 37 Private Collection, Weston, Massachusetts LITERATURE: Warder H. Cadbury and Henry F. Marsh, Arthur Fitzwilliam Tait: Artist in the Adirondacks, Newark, DE, 1986, p. 120, no. 52.12, illustrated.

EXHIBITED: National Academy of Design 27th Annual

Exhibition, 1852, titled Wounded Deer and owned by John Osborn. $12,000 - $18,000

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OGDEN M. PLEISSNER 1905-1983

52 Ogden M. Pleissner (1905-1983)

Jimmy’s Pool on the Restigouche Playing a Salmon - New Brunswick, 1938 signed “Pleissner” lower left oil on canvas, 24 1/4 by 36 1/4 in. titled on Sportsman’s Edge Ltd., New York 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 the New York Times’ art critic, Howard Devree. 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.

His art hangs in the offices of the Pentagon, West Point, and the Air Force Academy.

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

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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…” In a 1970 Sports Illustrated article by Pat Ryan, the author reports that scores of salmon would lie in this highly productive salmon pool.

In this painting, the surefooted guides steady the canoe while the fly fisherman plays the large leaping Atlantic salmon. Renowned for his ability to render water with paint, here Pleissner captures the river, the colors of the guide’s shirt and vest, as well as the reflection of the mottled gray sky. He ties the composition together with the horizontals and verticals of the surrounding trees and the guides’ net and pole, and captures the viewer’s eye with the roiling water and the rhythmic quality of the fisherman and guides working in sync to land the quarry.

This significant oil painting displays Pleissner’s characteristic excellence and is among the artist’s finest works to come to the market. In it, Pleissner successfully tackles the challenges of painting an on-the-water action scene, rewarding the artist and viewers with a vivid depiction of one of the most exciting moments in all of sport.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Pennsylvania LITERATURE: Peter M. Bergh, The Art of Ogden M. Pleissner, Boston, MA, 1984, pp. 73-74.

Pat Ryan, “A River Running Out of Eden,” Sports Illustrated, May 25, 1970, pp. 86-102.

$60,000 - $90,000

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OGDEN M. PLEISSNER 1905-1983

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53 Ogden M. Pleissner (1905-1983)

Fishing in a Mountain Stream: Beneath Gannett Peak in the Wind River Range, Wyoming, 1940 signed “Pleissner” lower right watercolor, 14 1/4 by 21 1⁄8 in. also titled Glacier Country, Wyoming

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 Western landscapes of the thirties could be considered his first sporting paintings, and even here 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.”

Pleissner remembered, “We used to take our pack horses and tents and go up in the mountains to fish the trout streams and lakes. The trout out there were three or four pounds, and you could get them on a dry fly or any technique you wanted to use. There were lots of fish and beautiful streams. I always took my paints along...”

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This bright, beautiful, sunlit fly fishing scene captures the vibrant light bouncing off the rocks in a high-mountain setting. Its vivid clarity ranks among the best of Pleissner’s Western watercolors.

PROVENANCE: Estate of a Private Collector, New York LITERATURE: Peter M. Bergh, The Art of Ogden M. Pleissner, Boston, MA, 1984, p. 73.

Ogden M. Pleissner, The Sporting Grand Tour, Manchester, VT, 2008, pp. 11-12, illustrated.

EXHIBITED: Manchester, Vermont, “Ogden M. Pleissner: The

Sporting Grand Tour,” American Museum of Fly Fishing, 2008. $10,000 - $20,000

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54 Frank V. DuMond (1865-1951) “Casting,” Cabot Trail, Cape Breton signed “F.V. DuMond” lower left oil on canvas, 24 by 30 in. estate stamped on back

Frank DuMond, who was born in Rochester, New York, in 1865, worked as an illustrator before going to Paris in 1888, where he studied at the Academie Julian. Upon his return to the States, DuMond began an extensive career as an artist and educator. He taught at the Art Students League in New York for forty-nine years and served as director of the Lyme Summer School in Old Lyme, Connecticut, rendering him a very influential artist to generations of fellow painters, including sporting art master Ogden Pleissner (1905-1983). He was a member of the National Academy of Design from 1906 onwards. In addition to being a pathbreaking Tonalist and Impressionist painter, DuMond was a passionate fly fisherman. He died in 1951.

PROVENANCE: Elizabeth DuMond Perry Estate of a Private Collector, New York

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$2,000 - $4,000

55 Walter Granville-Smith (1870-1938)

In the Catskills: Fly Fishing in Autumn, 1934-37 signed and dated “W. Granville-Smith 1934-37” lower left oil on canvas, 25 1/4 by 30 1/4 in. signed and titled on back PROVENANCE: Estate of a Private Collector, New York

$3,000 - $5,000

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OGDEN M. PLEISSNER 1905-1983

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56 Ogden M. Pleissner (1905-1983) Rising Mist - Cran Serre, Moisie River signed “Pleissner” lower right watercolor, 18 by 28 in.

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Ogden Pleissner appreciated the opportunities hunting and fishing allowed him, saying, “I’ve seen things and experienced things that are interesting and great fun and paintable. I would never see these things if I didn’t have a shotgun in the crook of my arm or my flyrod in hand.” As Peter Bergh writes, Pleissner’s “ability to depict the sporting scene and to capture the essence of being outdoors is striking.” His observant eye and superior technical ability combined with his love of nature to create an impressive body of painted landscapes.

his obituary in The New York Times noted, “Mr. McLean was an avid fisherman, hunter and golfer. He owned a number of field hunters and show horses, but his most absorbing hobby was the breeding and training of English springer spaniels, including several that won field championships.”

Robert McLean, who previously owned this painting, was a career newspaper man who headed the Associated Press as president for nineteen years. Born in 1891 in Philadelphia, McLean attended Princeton and fought in World War I before settling in to his long publishing career. In 1964, he bought the Santa Barbara News-Press and moved to California, where he founded the Birnam Wood Country Club in Montecito on an old lemon orchard. McLean died in 1980 at the age of eighty-nine, and

PROVENANCE: Robert McLean, Montecito, California Birnam Wood Country Club, Santa Barbara, California, gift from the above

This atmospheric salmon fishing work is as fine as they come, with the morning mist reminiscent of Blue Boat on the St. Anne.

LITERATURE: Robert McG. Thomas Jr., “Robert McLean, Ex-A.P. Official; Published Bulletin in Philadelphia,” The New York Times, Sunday, December 7, 1980.

$50,000 - $70,000

MOISIE RIVER CARVED SALMON

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57 37 lb. Trophy Atlantic Salmon Carving

John Tully (1862-1931) and Dhuie Tully (1862-1950) Fochabers, Scotland, 1914 fish is 47 1/2 in. long, plaque is 54 by 18 3/4 in.

“C. Farlow & Co. Ltd., London.” stencil on back

Front of plaque reads “KILLED BY H. ST GEORGE, MOISIE RIVER. 28th june, 1914 37 lbs.”

John Tully learned his trade by apprenticing for the master fish carver John B. Russell (1819-1893), one of the founding fathers of trophy fish carving. In the 1870s, Russell had a studio in Fochabers, a village on the east bank of the river Spey. He carved and painted life-size models of trophy salmon until his death in 1893. Tully married Russell’s daughter, Isabella “Dhuie” (1862-1950), and it was Dhuie that painted nearly all of her husband John’s carvings. John, the carver, and Dhuie, the painter, were one of the finest artisan duos to have ever worked in the carved and painted wood tradition.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Denver, Colorado

$12,000 - $18,000

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EWOUD DE GROOT B. 1969

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58 Ewoud de Groot (Dutch, b. 1969) Silver Buck, 2020 signed “Ewoud� lower left oil on linen, 39 1/4 by 39 1/4 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

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the representational and the abstract, the 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

EWOUD DE GROOT B. 1969

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59 Ewoud de Groot (Dutch, b. 1969)

Black-Bellied Plover, 2020 signed “Ewoud” lower left oil on linen, 31 1/2 by 31 1/2 in. $7,000 - $10,000

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Lots 60-98 are part of

The Dale W. Farrell Collection of Coastal and Fish Paintings and Decoys I never had the opportunity to meet Dale Farrell. I will likely never know his sense of humor, his political bent, or his favorite place to eat. After his passing, I was invited by his daughter to do a walk-through in his home.

Walking in the front door of the Farrell home, I was immediately taken with his sense of design.

Numerous mounts of gigantic brook trout lined the walls.

If you have never seen the vibrant red belly of a spawning brook trout, it is one of the most spectacular displays of color in all the natural world, like a peacock’s tail or a tiger’s stripes.

I quickly recognized the work as that of master

Dale W. Farrell (1944-2020).

taxidermist Dave Footer of Maine. While there may be thousands of taxidermists in the United States, perhaps

a vibrant Enneking, and on and on. As a coastal boy who

none surpassed the artistry of Dave Footer. Starting at

grew up sailing and fishing, governed by the tides, seeing

the age of six, I gazed upon a Footer mount of a six-

these exceptional curated works really struck a chord.

teen-inch brook trout on my own bedroom wall, one of the very first fish I ever landed on a fly rod. Meandering

As I was getting ready to leave, his daughter asked me

through the Farrell home, a flood of childhood fishing

to examine a few items in the basement. The second my

memories came back to me.

feet hit the concrete at the bottom of the stairs, I spied a half-dozen Loomis fly rods, and box upon box of trout

Wild brook trout, like ruffed grouse, are spirit animals

flies. Prying the boxes open, I was immediately jealous:

that don’t take kindly to human encroachment. It is for

mouse patterns, Muddler Minnows, Mickey Finns, every

this very reason that anglers, hunters, and lovers of

fly you could ever want to take a record brook trout.

wilderness gravitate towards them with a cult-like following. Dale was a part of the brook trout tribe and

I am saddened that I never had the chance to meet

so am I.

Dale Farrell; however, I sure am impressed with what he amassed. It is often said that “we can’t take it with us,”

Moving upstairs, Dale’s daughter brought me into his

yet the objects we leave behind as collectors can create

coastal painting room. When she opened the door, it was

trails of understanding for those we never meet.

like opening a vault. There on the wall was the best Emile Gruppe painting I’d ever seen. To its left, the best Thieme,

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— Stephen B. O’Brien Jr.

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60 Walter Brackett (1823-1919) (Attr.)

Brook Trout, 1881 signed, dated and inscribed “Wt. 9 1/4 Aug 1881 S.L. Tuttle.” lower right oil on canvas, 14 1/2 by 30 1/2 in.

PROVENANCE: Dale W. Farrell Collection, acquired from Kearsarge Lodge Antiques

$3,000 - $5,000

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61 Asa Coolidge Warren (1819-1904)

Forge Pond Trout, 1887 signed and dated “A. Warren 1887.” lower left oil on canvas, 6 by 10 in.

PROVENANCE: Dale W. Farrell Collection

$800 - $1,200

62 C.E. Hutchins (19th-20th century) Hanging Trout signed “C.E. Hutchins.” lower left oil on canvas, 18 by 7 in.

PROVENANCE: Dale W. Farrell Collection

$1,000 - $1,500

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63 Outstanding Carved Brook Trout c. 1900 21 in. long

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An early carved and beautifully painted trophy brook trout with inset caudal fin designed to be hung from the wall. Closely resembles the work of Charles Edward “Shang” Wheeler, especially the hooked bill carving and gill treatment. In excellent original paint with even wear.

Lower jaw has crack and is loose.

PROVENANCE: Dale W. Farrell Collection

$1,000 - $1,500

64 Turtle Clasp Creel Appears to be in good condition.

PROVENANCE: Dale W. Farrell Collection, acquired from Lang’s auction 11/9/02, lot 148

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$1,000 - $1,500

65 One Basket and Two Creels c. 1910 basket is 22 1/2 in. tall biggest creel is 10 1/2 in. tall

As found.

PROVENANCE: Dale W. Farrell Collection, Dennis and Natalie Louwers Antiques

$900 - $1,200

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SAMUEL A. KILBOURNE 1836-1881

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66 Samuel A. Kilbourne (1836-1881)

Brook Trout, 1877 signed and dated “S A Kilbourne, March 30th 1877” lower left oil on canvas, 10 by 18 1/2 in.

Samuel Kilbourne was born in 1836 in Bridgetown, Maine. He was a successful landscape artist before turning his detailed eye to specialize in painting fish, and in 1878-1881 he published Game Fishes of the United States.

PROVENANCE: Dale W. Farrell Collection, acquired from

Kearsarge Lodge Antiques $4,000 - $6,000

67 Samuel A. Kilbourne (1836-1881)

Two Brook Trout signed “S.A Kilbourne.” lower left oil on board, 8 by 12 in. inscribed “S.A. Kilbourne Grove Hill Morrisania N.Y City” on back PROVENANCE: Dale W. Farrell Collection

$1,500 - $2,500

68 Samuel A. Kilbourne (1836-1881) Grey Trout, or Weakfish signed “S. A. Kilbourne” lower left oil on canvas, 10 by 18 in.

The grey trout, or weakfish, is the state fish of Delaware.

PROVENANCE: Dale W. Farrell Collection, acquired from Kearsarge Lodge Antiques

$4,000 - $6,000

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SAMUEL A. KILBOURNE

1836-1881

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68

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69 Barn Owl

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Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 1990 23 in. tall

A barn owl with elaborate carving, antiqued paint, and a turned-head. It bears the maker’s “Frank Smith Finney” ink stamp signature twice on the underside of the base.

In original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Dale W. Farrell Collection, acquired from Decoys Unlimited

$1,500 - $2,500

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70 Barred Owl

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 1990 23 in. tall

A barred owl with elaborate carving, antiqued paint, and a turned-head. It bears the maker’s “Frank Smith Finney” ink stamp signature twice on the underside of the base.

In original paint with minimal wear including a small age line in one wing tip and faint cracks in feet.

PROVENANCE: Dale W. Farrell Collection, acquired from Decoys Unlimited

$1,500 - $2,500

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71 Owl and Crow

Herters Manufacturing Inc. (Est. 1890s) Waseca, MN, c. 1940 24 1/4 in. tall

A Herters owl with a rarely seen original crow. Outstanding original paint with light even wear. Crow has minor rubs and dings and some flaking to bill.

PROVENANCE: Dale W. Farrell Collection LITERATURE: Robert Shaw, Bird Decoys of North America, New York, NY, 2010, p. 100, similar decoy illustrated.

$1,000 - $2,000

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MASON DECOY FACTORY

1896-1924 | DETROIT, MI

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72 Outstanding Black Duck

Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924) Detroit, MI, c. 1910 17 3/4 in. long

A superb, hollow, black duck decoy with strong swirl paint and the original Mason Factory “Premier” paint stamp on the bottom. This exact Mason black duck receives top billing, illustrated on pages 28 and 29 in Goldberger and Haid’s treatise on these midwest carvings. Excellent original paint with minimal wear, minor touchup to small tail chip.

PROVENANCE: Dale W. Farrell Collection, acquired from RJG Antiques LITERATURE: Russ J. Goldberger and Alan Haid, Mason Decoys: A Pictorial Guide, Lewes, DE, 1993, p. 28, exact decoy illustrated.

Decoy Magazine, March/April 2012, p. 31, closely related decoy illustrated.

$3,500 - $4,500

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MASON DECOY FACTORY 1896-1924 | DETROIT, MI

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73 Important Goldeneye Drake

74 Challenge-Grade Black Duck

A hollow, premier-grade decoy displaying the desirable fulllength feather swoosh. This decoy was acquired from Mason specialist RJG Antiques who describes it as “Near mint...

One of the best I have handled!” Indeed the exact decoy is illustrated in Goldberger and Haid’s Mason Decoys book.

Original paint with even gunning wear, some touch-up around neck seam.

The bottom has been hollowed out and fitted with an inlaid bottom board, likely post factory. Original paint with gunning wear. Professional restoration to tail chip and neck fill.

Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924) Detroit, MI, c. 1915 15 in. long

PROVENANCE: Dale W. Farrell Collection, acquired from RJG

Antiques

LITERATURE: Russ Goldberger and Alan Haid, Mason Decoys,

A Pictorial Guide, Lewes, DE, 1993, p. 142, exact decoy illustrated.

John and Shirley Delph, Factory Decoys, Exton, PA, 1980, p.

67, related decoy illustrated.

Richard A. Bourne Co., Inc., Very Rare and Important American Bird Decoys from the Collection of the late William J. Mackey Jr. of Belford, New Jersey, Hyannis, MA, 1973, Session IV, lot 6, closely related example illustrated. $5,000 - $8,000

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Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924) Detroit, MI, c. 1905 16 3/4 in. long

PROVENANCE: Dale W. Farrell Collection

$300 - $500

75 “Iver Johnson” Black Duck A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1925 16 1/2 in. long

This early gunning model displays Crowell’s fully blended paint with finish rasping to the back of the head. The underside retains the “Iver Johnson Supreme” stencil on the bottom. Johnson immigrated to Worcester, Massachusetts from Norway in 1863 at the height of the American Civil War. Johnson was by trade a gunsmith, also working as an inventor in his spare time. He started a company with Martin Bye in 1871 and would go on to manufacture firearms and motorcycles. The firm recruited several top

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notch machinists and designers including O.F. Mossberg and Andrew Fyrberg.

It is rare to find Crowell decoys with Iver Johnson provenance in such good condition as they represent some of the maker’s earlier and most gunned-over models.

Similar to finding a Ward Brothers decoy with a “VL & A” stamp, the Johnson stencil is coveted by collectors.

Original paint with light gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Iver Johnson’s Arms & Cycle Works Dale W. Farrell Collection LITERATURE: Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. and Chelsie W. Olney, Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving, Hingham, MA, 2019, p. 273.

$1,000 - $1,500

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

76 Turned-Head Wood Duck A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1925 11 1/2 in. long

A well-executed turned-head wood duck carving. The underside is marked with the maker’s oval brand and has a large poured circular weight with a blue paper label over it. The heavy weight suggests this was made to be employed as a stop or desk weight. Few of these examples have survived in such well preserved condition. Excellent original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Dale W. Farrell Collection LITERATURE: Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. and Chelsie W. Olney, Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving, Hingham, MA, 2019, p. 251, related carving illustrated.

$10,000 - $12,000

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77 Exceptional Black Duck

Joseph W. Lincoln (1859-1938) Accord, MA, c. 1920 16 3/4 in. long

This classic Lincoln black duck displays a sharp flared bill, a beautifully s-shaped carved head and breast that flows into delineated shoulder carving towards its perfectly rounded tail. The paint is notable for its tight stippling on the head and the double-white trim around the speculum. Though measuring almost seven inches wide, this example reveals no check or crack typically seen in Lincoln’s work. This is one of the finest Lincoln black ducks to ever come on the market. Excellent original paint with even gunning wear including some shot and rub to tail edge.

PROVENANCE: Dale W. Farrell Collection, acquired from Decoys Unlimited LITERATURE: Gary Guyette and Frank Schmidt, Inc., Important Waterfowl Decoys & Bird Carvings at Auction, November 10 & 11, 1993, Easton, MD, lot 376, exact decoy illustrated.

Jeff Waingrow, American Wildfowl Decoys, New York, NY, 1985, p. 63, related example illustrated.

John and Shirley Delph, New England Decoys, Exton, PA, 1981, p. 98 (top bird), rigmate illustrated in color.

Cap Vinal, Joseph W. Lincoln, Rockland, MA, 2002, pp. 30-33, related examples illustrated.

Rob Moir and Jackson Parker, “Massachusetts Waterfowl Decoys,” The Magazine Antiques, September 1989, p. 521, pl.

VIII, related example illustrated.

$12,000 - $18,000

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JOSEPH W. LINCOLN

1859-1938 | ACCORD, MA

“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

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JOSEPH W. LINCOLN 1859-1938 | ACCORD, MA

Joe Lincoln working on this exact rig in 1935.

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78 Four Canada Geese

Joseph W. Lincoln (1859-1938) Accord, MA, c. 1935 hissing goose is 30 in. long

Consisting of a hisser, two swimmers, and a straight head, this rig of animated geese is pictured multiple times in Cap Vinal’s book. A 1935 photograph shows Lincoln holding one of the geese from this rig while he was working on it. These geese are unique in that Lincoln began the rig with used Mason Decoy Factory bodies and outfitted them with his own heads in multiple positions.

Next, he applied his best stippled paint, creating an appealing and one-of-a-kind rig. Copley is excited to connect these decoys with the photograph for the first time. Each decoy has two holes on the undersides for use

as stick-ups in the field. In strong Lincoln paint with light gunning wear, including some age lines and a crack in the hisser and one of the swimmers. Some minor white spatter mostly on hisser.

PROVENANCE: Dale W. Farrell Collection LITERATURE: Cap Vinal, Joseph W. Lincoln, Rockland, MA, 2002, p. 26, exact rig illustrated twice.

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DAVID A. FOOTER B. 1931

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79 Exceptional 10 1/4 lb. Brook Trout Taxidermy Mount

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David A. Footer (b. 1931) fish is 28 in. long, plaque is 24 1/2 by 40 1/2 in.

This specially commissioned mount shows Footer’s best taxidermy work combined with the artist’s finely painted backboard. The trophy mount is displayed in a painted underwater habitat with the lodge in the background and the lake’s namesake flying above. Encapsulated in a protective Plexiglass bubble. Described on the back, the catch was landed on Osprey Lake in Labrador in 1996. Signed and dated, “David A. Footer ‘99” lower right. Mount and painting appear to be in excellent original condition with no fading.

PROVENANCE: Dale W. Farrell Collection

$1,000 - $2,000

80 Exceptional 9 lb. Brook Trout Mount David A. Footer (b. 1931) fish is 25 in. long, plaque is 25 1/2 by 34 3/4 in.

This specially commissioned work shows Footer’s best taxidermy work combined with his finely painted backboard of the trophy fish in its natural underwater habitat and landscape with birds flying overhead. Encapsulated in a protective Plexiglass bubble. The work contains information on the catch landed on Osprey Lake, Labrador in 1995. Signed and dated, “David A. Footer ‘97.” Mount and painting appear to be in excellent original condition with no fading.

PROVENANCE: Dale W. Farrell Collection

$1,000 - $2,000

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DAVID A. FOOTER

B. 1931

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81 8 3/4 lb Brook Trout Taxidermy Mount on Birch Bark

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David A. Footer (b. 1931) fish measures 25 1/4 in. long, plaque is 14 1/4 by 31 in.

Inscribed on the back “8 3/4 lb brook trout caught by: Dale Farrell, Bolton, Mass., September 10th, 1997, Osprey Lake, Labrador, #6 black stone fly nymph.” Excellent original condition with no fading and minor separation of birch bark under pelvic fin.

PROVENANCE:

Dale W. Farrell Collection

$600 - $900

82 Brook Trout Mount on Birch Bark

David A. Footer (b. 1931) fish is 13 in. long, plaque is 19 3/4 by 9 1/2 in.

A taxidermy hanging brook trout on birch bark mount.

Excellent original condition with no fading.

PROVENANCE:

Dale W. Farrell Collection

$400 - $600

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83 Junius Allen (1898-1962)

The Bait Jetty, 1945 signed “Junius Allen” lower center oil on board, 8 1/2 by 11 1/2 in.

Salmagundi Club Thumb-Box Exhibition, 1945, New York label on back

The Salmagundi Club began in 1871 as a sketching class in the studio of sculptor Jonathan Scott Hartley (18451912). It derives its name from a Washington Irving book, and continues to promote art education and representational art today. Its New York City brownstone has three art galleries and serves as a social space for its artist and patron members. Notable members over the years include Childe Hassam, William Merrit Chase, Howard Pyle, N.C. Wyeth, Louis Comfort Tiffany, Ogden Pleissner, and many others.

PROVENANCE: Dale W. Farrell Collection, acquired from the Cooley Gallery

$2,000 - $3,000 68

84 Edward A. Page (1850-1928) Dory, Shacks, and Barrels, 1925 signed “EA Page” lower left oil on canvas, 10 by 14 in.

Edward Page was born in Groveland, Massachusetts, in 1850. He trained as an artist under George Morse (18341925), and spent much of his career known as one of the Lynn Beach Painters. Page taught at the Lynn Evening School of Art and died in 1928 in Swampscott.

PROVENANCE: Dale W. Farrell Collection

$5,000 - $8,000

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85 Edward A. Page (1850-1928) Boats Along The Shore signed “EA Page” lower right oil on board, 6 by 8 3/4 in.

This gem of a coastal scene by Page exhibits the artist’s signature light and color.

PROVENANCE: Dale W. Farrell Collection

$3,000 - $4,000

86 Frank Alfred Bicknell (1866-1943)

Old Fish Wharf - Cape Cod signed “Frank. A. Bicknell” lower left oil on board, 8 by 10 in.

Thumb Box Exhibition, Salmagundi Club, New York label on back

Bicknell was born in Augusta, Maine, in 1866. He studied art in Massachusetts before moving to New York City in 1887. Over the course of his career, he traveled to Europe extensively, studying at the Academie Julian in Paris with William Bouguereau (1825-1905). For a time he lived at the Salmagundi Club, where he exhibited this painting in one of its annual shows for members. In 1902 he came to the artists’ colony of Old Lyme, Connecticut, where he lived for the next forty years. Bicknell was also a member of the National Academy of Design and the National Arts Club, among others.

PROVENANCE: Dale W. Farrell Collection

$3,000 - $4,000

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JOSEPH ELIOT ENNEKING 1881-1942

87 Joseph Eliot Enneking (1881-1942)

Docked, East Gloucester signed “J. Eliot Enneking� lower left oil on board, 14 by 12 in. two-sided painting with farm scene on back

Joseph Eliot Enneking was born in Boston to John Joseph and Mary Eliot Enneking in 1881. The son of a leading tonalist and impressionist landscape painter, Joseph continued his training at the Boston Museum School with Frank Weston Benson (1862-1951) and Edmund Tarbell (1862-1938). He traveled from his Brookline studio throughout the local area capturing landscapes and coastal scenes, such as Docked, East Gloucester. He is known for his bright, colorful impressionist paintings created with vivid brushstrokes, on clear display in this tour-de-force dockside scene.

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Enneking was a member of the North Shore Art Association, the Salmagundi Club, and the Copley Society during his lifetime. Today, his paintings can be found in the Cape Cod Museum of Art, among others. He died in Boston in 1942.

PROVENANCE: Dale W. Farrell Collection, acquired from Brock

& Co.

$8,000 - $12,000

EMILE ALBERT GRUPPE

1896-1978

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EMILE ALBERT GRUPPE 1896-1978

88 Emile Albert Gruppe (1896-1978)

On Fish, 1969 signed “Emile A. Gruppe” lower right oil on canvas, 30 by 36 in. titled, signed, and dated on stretcher 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

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the 1970s. 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, FL, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Cape Ann Museum, Gloucester, MA, and the White House, among others.

The popular artist died in East Gloucester, MA, in 1978.

This work is a tour-de-force of brushwork, color, and composition. The hard-working fishermen at the center of the painting are framed by the dynamic beaming light and choppy sea. Gruppe’s painterly hand is evident in the confident handling of the ocean waves.

PROVENANCE: Dale W. Farrell Collection

$30,000 - $50,000

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ANTHONY THIEME 1888-1954

89 Anthony Thieme (1888-1954)

Fishing Smacks, 1932 signed “A Thieme” lower right oil on canvas, 30 by 36 in. titled on the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts exhibition label on back

Anthony Thieme was born in the port city of Rotterdam in the Netherlands in 1888. Though he showed an early aptitude for art, his family tried to steer him towards a maritime career, which gave him more time to study ships, rigging, and the sea. By the age of fourteen, he was allowed to study at the Academy of Fine Arts in Rotterdam, and from then on he pursued his career in the arts with vigor.

After twenty peripatetic years training and working throughout Europe and South America, Thieme arrived in the States in the 1920s. He settled in Boston, then the most European city, and made his living painting stage sets before becoming established as a painter. Thieme’s mature style combines Dutch seascapes with plein air impressionist landscapes.

He settled in the artists’ colony of Rockport, Massachusetts, in the late 1920s, becoming a US citizen in 1935.

Thieme also painted in Charleston, South Carolina. Towards the end of his life, he split his time between Rockport and St Augustine, Florida. He died in 1954 at the age

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of sixty-six. He was a prominent member of quite a few artists’ associations, including the Salmagundi Club, the Rockport Art Association, the National Arts Club, and the Boston Art Club, among many others. During his lifetime he exhibited widely, at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia, the Grand Central Art Galleries in New York, the Corcoran Gallery in Washington, D.C., and elsewhere. His paintings can be found in the permanent collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and other institutions.

Fishing Smacks is a quintessential Thieme port scene, in which he expertly captures the New England light on the water. The reflection of the ships and rigging creates a dynamic, energetic composition.

PROVENANCE: Dale W. Farrell Collection

$25,000 - $35,000

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90 Lot of Thirteen Fly Boxes, Wading Staff, and Vice Thirteen boxes of trout and salmon flies along with a Renzetti M6004 Master Vice and wading staff. As found.

PROVENANCE: Dale W. Farrell Collection

$300 - $500

91 Abel Pliers and Swarovski Binoculars As found.

PROVENANCE: Dale W. Farrell Collection

$200 - $400

92 Three Abel Reels and Three Abel Spools The reels are a number three, a number two, and a super five. The extra spools appear to be for the number three and the number two. The third spool does not appear to match. As found.

PROVENANCE: Dale W. Farrell Collection

$600 - $800

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93 Two Reels and a Spool Loop reel is a model two with what appears to be an extra spool. The other reel is a Tioga reel. As found.

PROVENANCE: Dale W. Farrell Collection

$200 - $400

94 Three GLX Loomis 4-Piece Rods (not illustrated) Two nine-foot six-weights and one nine-foot ten-weight.

As found.

PROVENANCE: Dale W. Farrell Collection

$400 - $600

95 Three GLX Loomis 2-Piece Rods (not illustrated) One nine-foot six-weight, one nine-foot eight-weight, and one nine-foot ten-weight. As found.

PROVENANCE: Dale W. Farrell Collection

$400 - $600

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96 Gay Head Sign c. 1910 30 1/4 in. long

As found.

PROVENANCE: Dale W. Farrell Collection, acquired from Part of the Past Antiques, 1993, Wiscasset, Maine

$600 - $900

97 Early Oyster Sign c. 1880 8 in. tall by 44 in. long

As found.

PROVENANCE: Dale W. Farrell Collection, acquired from Raccoon Creek Antiques, 1996

$600 - $900

98 Hanging Barn Owl 17 1/2 in. long

A decorative barn owl carving made to hang from a rafter or beam. Original paint with even wear.

PROVENANCE: Dale W. Farrell Collection

99 Swordfish Weathervane Harwich, MA, c. 1930 39 1/4 in. long

A stylish swordfish weathervane from Cape Cod. The gill plate is raised and the fins show some refinement including the species’ distinct caudle peduncle. The pectorals are made from applied copper showing verdigris through their white wash. Old paint weathered to wood, some worn loss to tops of dorsal fins.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Cape Cod, acquired from a home in Harwich, Massachusetts

$2,000 - $4,000

100 Flying Goose Plaque Harwich, MA, c. 1940 25 1/2 in. tall, 28 1/2 in. long

This life-size Canada goose plaque was displayed outdoors on Cape Cod. The applied wing has extensively carved feather detail. Weathered surface with traces of original paint.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Cape Cod, acquired in Harwich, Massachusetts

$800 - $1,200

$600 - $900 77

AIDEN LASSELL RIPLEY 1869-1969

101 Aiden Lassell Ripley (1896-1969)

Grouse on a Winter’s Morning signed “A. Lassell Ripley ©” lower right watercolor, 24 3/4 by 20 3/4 in. titled on The Sportsman’s Gallery, New York label on back

Grouse on a Winter’s Morning depicts two partridge in new fallen snow. Sporting art collector, Guido R. Perera, a friend and patron of the artist, marvels at Ripley’s knowledge of the artist’s favorite game bird, writing in Sporting Etchings, “Aiden may have been a grouse in one incarnation.” The unforgiving nature of watercolor is daunting for any artist. Ripley’s ability to create two life-size grouse and accurately rendered landscape without any flaws is extraordinary.

This important Ripley watercolor bookends the artist’s summer composition titled Grouse with Grapes. That work, a vertical watercolor of the same size, was selected

Grouse with Grapes, a summer scene watercolor of the same size chosen for the cover of The Art of Aiden Lassell Ripley.

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for the front dust-jacket cover of the book, The Art of Aiden Lassell Ripley.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, New York LITERATURE: Dana S. Lamb and Guido Perera, Sporting Etchings

by A. Lassell Ripley, Barre, MA, 1970, p. 8, Perera quote.

The Sportsman’s Gallery of Art and Books, Inc. Catalog, New York, NY, 1963-64, p. 24, exact painting illustrated.

Stephen B. O’Brien, Jr. and Julie Carlson Wildfeuer, The Art of Aiden Lassell Ripley, Boston, MA, 2000, dust-jacket cover and p. 126, related work illustrated.

$10,000 - $20,000

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FRANK W. BENSON 1862-1951

102 Frank W. Benson (1862-1951)

Goose Hunter, 1937 signed and dated “F W. Benson ‘37” lower left oil on canvas, 20 1/4 by 30 in.

Frank Weston Benson, one of the Ten American Painters and a leading influence in the Boston School of American Impressionism, was born in Salem, Massachusetts, on March 24, 1862. In his youth, Benson was a gifted athlete and excelled at boxing, sailing, and tennis. Growing up along the extensive marshes surrounding his native Salem, Benson learned to hunt and fish at an early age.

Benson loved nature and birds in particular. He wanted to combine his love for birds and his love for art by pursuing a career as an ornithological illustrator in the manner of John James Audubon (1785-1851). As a child he spent many hours at the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard and Benson’s mother, who was herself a painter, encouraged him in this pursuit.

In 1880, Benson enrolled at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. He studied with the school’s founding teachers, Otto Grundmann (1844-1890) and Frederick Crowninshield (1845-1918). Among his classmates were Willard Metcalf (1858-1925), William Bicknell (1860-1947), Edmund C. Tarbell (1862-1938), and Joseph Lindon Smith (1863-1950). Benson learned quickly and was recognized as a particularly gifted

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student. In 1882, while still attending classes at the Museum School, Benson began to teach free evening drawing classes in Salem.

In 1885 Benson rented a painting studio in Salem. He began to exhibit at the Boston Art Club and the National Academy of Design in New York, receiving much critical acclaim and numerous awards. After his marriage to Ellen Peirson in 1888, he taught at the Boston Museum School with his friend Edmund Tarbell intermittently until 1930.

This classic Benson painting exhibits all of the hallmarks of the artist’s finest work. The artist’s adept use of light is extraordinary, with the sun poking through the clouds and reflecting on the water. The painting combines accurate representation of waterfowl hunting with Benson’s painterly colors and brush strokes to create a beautiful, atmospheric landscape.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Weston, Massachusetts

$40,000 - $60,000

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AIDEN LASSELL RIPLEY 1896-1969

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103 Aiden Lassell Ripley (1896-1969)

Three Grouse signed “A.L. Ripley” lower right watercolor, pencil, and gouache, 7 1/2 by 17 in.

Three Grouse depicts three partridge in an apple tree with a warm tonal palette of afternoon light. Ripley’s ability to create three life-size grouse, accurately rendered apple tree branches, and a smoothly transitioned skyline is remarkable.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Weston, Massachusetts

$3,500 - $4,500

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104 Aiden Lassell Ripley (1896-1969)

Study for Bill and Beau oil on canvas board, 8 1/4 by 12 1/2 in. inscribed “Preliminary oil study for ‘Bill and Beau,’ 28” by 37” oil painting by A. Lassell Ripley a.n.a.” in pencil on back estate stamped on Guild of Boston Artists, Boston, Massachusetts label on back LITERATURE: The Crossroads of Sport, Inc., Gifts, Paintings, Prints and Books for the Sportsman, 1976-1977, New York, NY, p. 67, related work illustrated.

$6,000 - $9,000

AIDEN LASSELL RIPLEY

1896-1969

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105 Aiden Lassell Ripley (1896-1969)

Two Woodcock, 1941 signed and dated “ A. Lassell Ripley ‘41” lower right watercolor, 12 3/4 by 18 3/4 in. titled on The Sporting Gallery and Bookshop, Inc. New York label on back

“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. One of his last major endeav-

ors before his death in 1969 was the completion of the fine etchings and watercolor frontispiece for William G. Sheldon’s noteworthy treatise, ‘The Book of the American Woodcock.’”

LITERATURE: Robert Elman, The Great American Shooting Prints, New York, NY, 1972, pl. 56.

$5,000 - $8,000

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AIDEN LASSELL RIPLEY 1896-1969

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106 Aiden Lassell Ripley (1896-1969) Grouse Shooting, 1938 signed and dated “ A Lassell Ripley 1938” lower left watercolor and gouache, 19 1/2 by 13 1/4 in.

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$10,000 - $14,000

107 Aiden Lassell Ripley (1896-1969)

Two Woodcock estate stamped lower left watercolor, pencil and gouache, 5 1/2 by 7 3/4 in.

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AIDEN LASSELL RIPLEY

1896-1969

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108 Aiden Lassell Ripley (1896-1969) Tuna Fisherman estate stamped on back (twice) oil on board, 15 by 18 in.

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Depicting tuna fisherman unloading the catch in Brittany, France, this early and vibrant impressionistic oil was painted in the mid-1920s. Referred to as Fishing Dories, End of Jetties on Vose Galleries, Boston label on back.

LITERATURE: Stephen B. O’Brien, Jr. and Julie Carlson Wildfeuer, The Art of Aiden Lassell Ripley, Boston, MA, 2000, p. 19, pl. 16, exact painting illustrated.

$4,500 - $6,500

109 Aiden Lassell Ripley (1896-1969)

Painting Hulls, 1928 signed and dated “A.L. Ripley ‘28” upper right watercolor, 15 1/2 by 19 3⁄8 in. inscribed “For my friend Geoffrey Epine Smith” lower left

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ANTHONY THIEME 1888-1954

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110 Anthony Thieme (1888-1954) Vermont signed “AThieme” lower right oil on canvas, 25 by 30 in. titled and inscribed on back

In addition to his Rockport and Coastal scenes, Thieme traveled throughout New England, capturing the nuance of the local light and landscape. In this work, he paints the rugged topography of the Vermont hills.

PROVENANCE: Estate of a Private Collector, New York

$7,000 - $10,000

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ANTHONY THIEME 1888-1954

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111 Anthony Thieme (1888-1954) Rockport signed “AThieme” lower right oil on canvas, 24 by 36 in. titled on back

This quintessential painting by Thieme captures the idyllic artists’ colony of Rockport, Massachusetts, on Cape Ann. The signature spires and quaint white buildings can be seen behind a pleasant coastal walkway, now Beach Street.

PROVENANCE: Estate of a Private Collector, New York

$7,000 - $10,000

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WALTER T. MATIA B. 1953

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112 Walter T. Matia (b. 1953)

Turkey Pair, 1995 signed and dated “95 © Matia” on base bronze, 30 1/4 by 21 by 17 in. edition 9 of 12

As Tom Davis writes in Sporting Classics, Walter Matia “paid his dues, assembled a remarkable body of work, and established himself as a wildlife and sporting sculptor of uncommon perception, imagination and reach.”

Matia created this pair of turkeys during a period of exploration of pairs, when he was examining the power of connections to tell stories. Cast at Virginia Art Castings, the artist retains the last edition of this bronze. It was included in the artist’s 2000 show at the Raymond F. Evans Sporting Art Gallery at the Albany Museum of Art in Albany, Georgia.

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PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Pennsylvania LITERATURE: Tom Davis, “Artist’s Hands, Hunter’s Heart,” Sporting Classics, March/April 2008, pp. 107-111.

Walter T. Matia, A Question of Balance: Walter T. Matia, Poolesville, MD, 2000, p. 10, example from this edition illustrated.

EXHIBITED: Albany, Georgia, A Question of Balance: Walter T. Matia,

Albany Museum of Art, December 2000. $2,000 - $3,000

BOB KUHN

1920-2007

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BOB KUHN 1920-2007

113 Bob Kuhn (1920-2007)

Ten-point Buck with Does, 2000 signed and dated “Kuhn 00” lower right acrylic on masonite, 22 by 33 in. signed and dated on back also titled Young Buck with Doe

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.

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This grand painting depicts a large, healthy buck in the field, bounding out of the water, with four alert does set in the late morning or afternoon sunlight. It relates closely to A Race Down the Slough, out of the Paul Tudor Jones II Collection.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Montana LITERATURE: Wild Harvest: The Animal Art of Bob Kuhn, Sporting Classics, 1997, p. 118.

$80,000 - $120,000

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LUKE FRAZIER B. 1970

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114 Luke Frazier (b. 1970)

Mist Creeper, 2021 signed and dated “l. frazier © 21” lower left oil on board, 24 by 24 in. signed, titled, and dated on back

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. $7,000 - $10,000

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MAYNARD F. REECE

1920-2020

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115 Maynard F. Reece (1920-2020)

Wild Turkey signed “Maynard Reece” lower right oil on canvas, 20 by 25 in.

Abercrombie and Fitch Co., New York label on back

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Abercrombie and Fitch was the leading sporting goods store and outfitter in New York City throughout much of the 20th century. Founded in 1892, by 1917 it occupied an entire building on Madison Avenue and 45th Street. Its sixth floor included an art gallery, and the roof housed a pool for fly fishing lessons.

During its heydey, Abercrombie and Fitch was known for its quality; it outfitted aviators Amelia Earhart and Charles Lindbergh, polar explorer Ernest Shackleton, author and fisherman Ernest Hemingway, and presidents Theodore Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Weston, Massachusetts

$3,000 - $5,000

116 Maynard F. Reece (1920-2020)

Mallards Ducks, Banking for Landing signed “Maynard Reece” lower right oil on canvas, 20 by 24 in.

Abercrombie and Fitch Co., New York label on back

An ardent conservationist, Maynard Reece donated art work to benefit numerous environmental and conservation causes throughout his career. To date, he has won the Federal Duck Stamp contest more than any other artist, with his design chosen in 1948, 1951, 1959, 1969, and 1971.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Weston, Massachusetts

$3,000 - $5,000

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CHET RENESON B. 1934

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117 Chet Reneson (b. 1934)

Dawn Flight, 2020 signed “Reneson” lower left acrylic on board, 20 3/4 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

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and the Old Lyme Art Association. He was the Ducks Unlimited 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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118 Chet Reneson (b. 1934)

119 Chet Reneson (b. 1934)

$5,000 - $7,000

$5,000 - $7,000

Island Clouds, 2020 signed “Reneson” lower left acrylic on board, 20 3/4 by 34 3/4 in.

Two Roosters, 2020 signed “Reneson” lower right acrylic on board, 21 by 35 in.

95

JOSEPH W. LINCOLN 1859-1938 | ACCORD, MA

120 Early Goldeneye Drake Joseph W. Lincoln (1859-1938) Accord, MA, c. 1890 13 1/2 in. long

A rare species for the maker showcasing one of his most stylish paint patterns on a sleek early form with carved separation between the wings. Lincoln’s confident paint pattern is seen on the sides, back, and even under the long thin paddle tail, and is reminiscent of the elder South Shore master Lothrop Holmes (1824-1899).

Original paint with gunning wear, to the wood in places.

Minor chip to knot on tail edge.

LITERATURE: Gary Guyette and Frank Schmidt, Inc., Important Waterfowl Decoys & Bird Carvings at Auction, July 29 & 30, 1994, Ogunquit, ME, lot 196, exact decoy illustrated.

$4,500 - $6,500

Joe Lincoln painting a later goldeneye drake at the New England Sportsman’s Show, Boston, 1933. Lincoln had a cabin and workshop at this early exposition which also hosted Elmer Crowell.

96

120

97

JESS HEISLER

1891-1943 | BORDENTOWN, NJ

121 Exceedingly Rare Sleeping Mallard Pair

Jess Heisler (1891-1943) Bordentown, NJ, c. 1920

An excellent and important sleeping pair from a river region dominated by straight-headed decoys. John English is credited with drawing up the region’s pattern and setting an unsurpassed bar for quality. In his broad wake, Heisler seems to have introduced the sleeper to the region, with some later makers following his lead to the delight of collectors.

Along with their rarity, the well-executed carvings are among the maker’s finest with thin tails, crisp primaries, and excellent paint, especially the feathering on the hen.

The heads and bill are carefully inlayed into the three-

98

piece hollow bodies. Excellent original paint with even gunning wear, a few age lines in heads, touch-up to chip in drake’s left primary.

PROVENANCE: Herb Wetanson Collection LITERATURE: H. Harrison Huster and Doug Knight, Floating Sculptures: The Decoys of the Delaware River, Spanish Fork, UT, 1982, no sleepers by known early makers illustrated.

$20,000 - $30,000

121

99

WILLIAM H. QUINN 1915-1969 | YARDLEY, PA

122 Exceptional Snuggle-Head Pintail Pair

William H. Quinn (1915-1969) Yardley, PA, c. 1950 17 in. long

One of the best pintail pairs to come out of the region, this matched pair is out of Quinn’s personal gunning rig.

The grand bodies are hollowed and feature the region’s signature raised wing tips that are quite pronounced and sit above the long thin tails. The underside of each has a painted “W. QUINN YARDLEY, PA.” Excellent original paint with minimal gunning wear and some drips removed from the drake’s right side.

PROVENANCE: William H. Quinn Rig Thomas Eshenbaugh Collection William Butler Collection Herb Wetanson Collection LITERATURE: Alan Linkchorst and Artie Birdsall, “Bill Quinn,” Decoy Magazine, July/August 1993, pp. 8-10, rigmates illustrated.

$16,000 - $20,000

100

122

101

JOHN ENGLISH 1848-1915 | FLORENCE, NJ

123

123 Wigeon Drake

John English (1848-1915) Florence, NJ, c. 1880 14 in. long

A rare English decoy showcasing the maker’s best form with exceptional wing tip and tail refinements. This hollow carved Delaware River decoy still exhibits its original paint, having evaded John Dawson. Authors Huster and Knight highlight this carving in Floating Sculpture, showcasing it with a full-page color detail in their mostly black and white publication. Original paint with gunning wear and some old working paint, mostly on the underside.

PROVENANCE: Mort Hanson Collection Herb Wetanson Collection

124

LITERATURE: H. Harrison Huster and Doug Knight, Floating Sculpture: The Decoys of the Delaware River, Spanish Fork, UT, 1982, p. 53, pl. 22, exact decoy illustrated.

$3,000 - $5,000

124 Wigeon Hen

John English (1848-1915) Florence, NJ, c. 1800 14 1/4 in. long

A rare English decoy demonstrating the maker’s best form with exceptional wing tip and tail refinements. This hollow carved Delaware River decoy retains its original paint, with excellent feathering on the back. Original paint with gunning wear and some old working paint, mostly on the underside.

Some dents and shot to the head.

PROVENANCE: Mort Hanson Collection Herb Wetanson Collection LITERATURE: H. Harrison Huster and Doug Knight, Floating Sculptures: The Decoys of the Delaware River, Spanish Fork, UT, 1982, pp. 53, 56, and 60, related drake illustrated.

$2,000 - $3,000

102

WILLIAM H. QUINN 1915-1969 | YARDLEY, PA

125

125 Mallard Drake

William H. Quinn (1915-1969) Tullytown, PA, c. 1950 17 1/4 in. long

A bold Delaware River decoy displaying raised wing and tail carving and the white-paint inscription “W. Quinn Yardley, PA” on the underside. Original paint with even gunning wear including very minor chip to right edge of tail, and one ding on right flank.

PROVENANCE: William Quinn Rig

LITERATURE: H. Harrison Huster and Doug Knight, Floating Sculptures: The Decoys of the Delaware River, Spanish Fork, UT, 1982, pp. 101 and 109, tucked-head drake illustrated.

Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., Decoys of the Mid-Atlantic Region, Exton, PA, 1979, p. 69 (middle), related example illustrated.

$5,000 - $8,000

Herb Wetanson Collection

103

Lots 126-161 are from

The Len Carnaghi Decoy Collection Hailing from Clinton Township, Leonard “Len” Carnaghi (b. 1941) is one Michigan’s earliest and foremost decoy collectors and contemporary decoy carvers. His collection of old decoys contains examples by many of the region’s top makers, including Ben Schmidt, Tom Schroeder, Tobin Meldrum, and, of course, his beloved Masons.

According to Carnaghi, making the acquaintance of regionally renowned carvers Nick Purdo, John Zachmann, Larry Hayden, and Jim Foote was the impetus for beginning his carving career in 1969. Carnaghi learned the art under Purdo’s expert tutelage. Carnaghi would go on to become a decorated competition carver in his own right.

His considerable carving talent has resulted in him being referenced in two noted decoy books: Saginaw Bay Waterfowl Hunting and Decoy Carvers by Bill Stout and Loy S. Harrell Jr.’s book, Decoys: Sixty Living and Outstanding North American Carvers. Harrell notes that Len’s “carving career has been a ‘storybook’ event.” Indeed, over the decades, Carnaghi’s carvings have earned one hundred “Professional Class” blue ribbons and three “Best-inShow” designations. At the 1972 World Championship Wildfowl Carving Competition in Salisbury, Maryland, he was honored as the top amateur winner. The following year at the same competition, Carnaghi’s Canada goose, canvasback, and goldeneye carvings all received podium accolades. A longtime member of the Midwest Decoy Collectors Association, Carnaghi is a vital part of the Michigan decoy carving community.

Discussing Len Carnaghi, Copley owner writes: “I have known Len for almost thirty years. What strikes me most about Len is not only his consistency as a carver over a

Ralph Reghi, Nick Purdo, and Len Carnaghi with their respective carvings.

long period of time, but more importantly, his consistency as a person. When I was a “newbie” in the decoy field, Len was always willing to help me out with decoy identification and information, and he still does today! He is a true ambassador of the field and his Michigan decoy collection runs deep. He is a devout family man and meeting his three granddaughters who helped me identify and pack up decoys from the collection was really refreshing. Here were three young women who took a genuine interest in decoys. I have little doubt that they will become collectors in their own right. The apple does not fall far from the tree in the Carnaghi clan, and their love for their grandfather is readily apparent. Looking at his wall lined with trophy smallmouth bass and photos of his grand-daughters holding them, one can see why.”

Copley is honored to offer selections from The Carnaghi Decoy Collection, built by one of the greatest Midwest collectors of all time.

Sources: Harrell Jr., Loy S. Decoys: Sixty Living and Outstanding North American Carvers. East Petersburg, PA: Fox Chapel Publishing Company, Inc., 2007.

Stout, William A. Saginaw Bay Waterfowl Hunting and Decoy Carvers. Michigan: Fanfair Press, 2007.

104

RALPH REGHI

1910-1995 | DETROIT, MI

126

126 Important Rig of Eight Canvasback Drakes Ralph Reghi (1910-1995) Detroit, MI, c. 1945

“Birds of a feather flock together,” literally; the very concept of a decoy’s functionality imparts that the carvings were made to be seen socially and used en masse. The early primary-source collectors routinely acquired entire rigs. These rigs gave acquisitors trade assets as they diversified their decoy portfolios. Over the years, the rigs were often whittled down into singles or pairs. An exception to this decoy diaspora is seen in the Donal C. O’Brien Jr. Collection. O’Brien source-collected and kept together large groupings of Nantucket shorebird decoy rigs; conversely he reconstructed his own rig of Ward ‘36 canvasbacks.

This raft of Reghi canvasback drakes from the Carnaghi collection, each with an individual head pose, presents a rare opportunity for the modern day collector to acquire one of the most important hand carved decoy rigs from Michigan to ever to ever be offered to the collecting

market. Each decoy stands well on its own merits and is finished with elaborate feather carving with “gun stock” cross hatching in the balsa body, original weighted keels, and exceptionally well carved heads.

Len Carnaghi authored the Regi chapter in Waterfowl Decoys of Michigan and the Lake St. Clair Region. True to Reghi’s adage: “the higher the head the thinner the neck,” each birds head and neck design follows Reghi’s saying.

Original paint with light gunning wear and a few have working touch-up to bills.

PROVENANCE: Len Carnaghi Collection, acquired from the original owner on Harsens Island, c. 1965.

LITERATURE: Clune Walsh Jr. and Lowell Jackson, Waterfowl Decoys of Michigan and the Lake St. Clair Region, Detroit, MI, 1983, pl. 8, related decoy illustrated in Reghi chapter by Carnaghi.

105

127

128

127 Tucked Head Bluebill Drake

128 Hollow Black Duck

A tucked-head model with an “LST” brand on the thin bottom board.

A graceful Michigan black duck with a ridged tail, and tight feathering on the head on body. A very closely related decoy was chosen to span a 2 page spread in Lowell and Walsh’s book. Original paint with gunning wear exposing some wood on body, small tail chips and varnish drip on bill tip.

Nathaniel “Nate” Quillen (1839-1908) Rockwood, MI, c. 1890 13 1/4 in. long

Quillen was a well-respected punter, or guide, at the prestigious Pointe Mouillee Shooting Club at the mouth of the Huron River. A 1922 history of the club refers to their talented punter as “an artist as well as an artisan.”

During the off-season, Quillen was a cabinetmaker and locksmith and his fastidious craftsmanship is evident in the decoys he created.

In mix of original and working paint with gunning wear and a faint age line on the right side.

PROVENANCE: Len Carnaghi Collection LITERATURE: Bernard Crandall, “Nate Quillen Decoys,” North American Decoys Magazine, Spring 1972, front cover and pp.

2-11, related decoys illustrated.

Bernard W. Crandall, Decoying: St. Clair to the St. Lawrence, Erin, ON, 1988, pp. 56-57.

106

Zeke McDonald McDonald Island, St. Clair Flats, MI, c. 1910 17 1/2 in. long

PROVENANCE: From an Agonac rig Bill Roser Collection Len Carnaghi Collection LITERATURE: Clune Walsh Jr. and Lowell G. Jackson, Waterfowl Decoys of Michigan and the Lake St. Clair Region, Detroit, MI, 1983, pp. 132-133, rigmate ilustrated.

BENJAMIN SCHMIDT 1884-1968 | CENTERLINE, MI

129

129 Mallard Hen

Benjamin J. Schmidt (1884-1968) Centerline, MI, c. 1930 15 1/2 in. long

Many believe Ben Schmidt hen mallards to be amongst the maker’s finest carvings. Lowell Jackson, the leading authority on the maker, chose a closely related later hen for the cover of his publication, Benjamin J. Schmidt: A Michigan Decoy Carver, (1884-1968).

LITERATURE: Clune Walsh Jr. and Lowell G. Jackson, Waterfowl Decoys of Michigan and the Lake St. Clair Region, Detroit, MI, 1983, pp. 80-83, Schmidt discussed and related mallards illustrated.

Lowell Jackson, ed., Ben J. Schimdt: A Michigan Decoy Carver, 1884-1968, Birmingham, MI, 1970, front cover, related decoy illustrated.

Waterfowl Decoys of Michigan and the St. Clair Region includes a chapter dedicated to Schmidt. In the opening spread across from a full-page detail of mallard hen, William J. Mackey Jr. writes the following: “Ben Schmidt made a virile, husky, working decoy; the kind a knowing hunter felt confident to be shooting over...Two dimensional pictures simply do not do justice to his decoys... the overall effectiveness of his skill gave duck hunters just about the closest thing to the all-American working decoy...His work has earned a place in the annals of American folk art.” This elegant Schmidt has a slightly turned head and refined bill carving. Original paint with even gunning wear, minor gunning touch-up to rubs on top of head.

PROVENANCE: Len Carnaghi Collection

Benjamin Schmidt image from North American Decoys Magazine, Summer 1972.

107

BENJAMIN SCHMIDT 1884-1968 | CENTERLINE, MI

130

130 Exceedingly Rare Preening Mallard Hen Benjamin Schmidt (1884-1968) Centerline, MI, c. 1930 16 in. long

Preening decoys by Schmidt are seldom seen; this is one of his few preening puddle ducks to have surfaced at auction in recent history. Original paint with gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Len Carnaghi Collection LITERATURE: Lowell Jackson, ed., Ben J. Schimdt: A Michigan Decoy Carver, 1884-1968, Birmingham, MI, 1970, p. 20, closely related decoy illustrated.

A closely related mallard hen on the cover of The Decoy Hunter, 1981.

108

BENJAMIN SCHMIDT 1884-1968 | CENTERLINE, MI

131

131 Important Preening Black Duck Benjamin Schmidt (1884-1968) Centerline, MI, c. 1920 16 in. long

This important preening black duck is featured prominently in Waterfowl Decoys of Michigan and the Lake St. Clair Region, in which a detail of the head covers a full page. This early preener is not only rare, but also one of the most animated and stylish Michigan decoys known.

Original paint with even gunning wear and a crack along right side, age line and ding in breast, a knot hole in left side of bill, head is slightly loose.

PROVENANCE: Len Carnaghi Collection LITERATURE: Clune Walsh Jr. and Lowell G. Jackson, Waterfowl Decoys of Michigan and the Lake St. Clair Region, Detroit, MI, 1983, p. 129, pl. 169, exact decoy illustrated.

109

132

132 Featherweight Hollow Mallard Detroit, MI, c. 1900 18 in. long

This mallard was painted by the Mason Decoy Factory and the hollow body was likely carved by a talented Ontario maker.

It is conceivable that the body was also created by Mason as they were known to fill special orders. Mason factory paint with gunning wear, a crack along right side.

PROVENANCE: Len Carnaghi Collection

133

133 Folky Redhead Michigan, c. 1920 12 in. long

A redhead drake with deep eye grooves in a drawn-back head. The form and size of this decoy conjure up the work of the great Southern master Lee Dudley (1860-1942).

The back paint is finished with vermiculated combing and the underside is branded for the “W. H. FOOT� rig. Original paint with even gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Len Carnaghi Collection

134

134 Goldeneye Pair

J. N. Dodge Decoy Factory (1883-1893) Detroit, MI, c. 1885 15 in. long A rare and stylish whistler pair by this early factory maker. As found.

PROVENANCE: Len Carnaghi Collection

110

135 Canvasback Drake

Walter M. Strubing (1897-1967) Marine City, MI, c. 1930 20 in. long

135

The telltale paint that Strubing applied with his thick perfect swirls is amongst the most recognizable of any decoy maker.

Original paint with even gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Len Carnaghi Collection, acquired from the maker LITERATURE: Clune Walsh Jr. and Lowell G. Jackson, Waterfowl Decoys of Michigan and the Lake St. Clair Region, Detroit, MI, 1983, pp. 8 and 106, related example illustrated.

136 High-Head Canvasback Pair Michigan, c. 1900 16 1/2 in. long

136

This bobtail pair was constructed with inletted heads, which are rare in the region.

Each has a refined high head. The hen is featured in Waterfowl Decoys of Michigan and the Lake St. Clair Region. In mix of original and repaint with gunning wear, age lines, and neck cracks.

PROVENANCE: Len Carnaghi Collection LITERATURE: Clune Walsh Jr. and Lowell G. Jackson, Waterfowl Decoys of Michigan and the Lake St. Clair Region, Detroit, MI, 1983, p. 123, pl. 161, exact decoy illustrated.

137 Canvasback Drake Dan Scrivens Detroit, MI, c. 1920 16 1/2 in. long

137

A well-conceived bobtail canvasback with an “E. J. PLANT� brand on the underside by an underrated Michigan carver. Original paint with even gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Len Carnaghi Collection LITERATURE: Clune Walsh Jr. and Lowell G. Jackson, Waterfowl Decoys of Michigan and the Lake St. Clair Region, Detroit, MI, 1983, p. 135, Scrivens goldeneye illustrated.

111

TOBIN MELDRUM PEARL BEACH, MI

138

139

138 Hollow Canvasback Tobin Meldrum Pearl Beach, MI, c. 1890 16 1/4 in. long

A featherweight decoy with a high and uplifted head turned to the left. Old working paint with gunning wear, neck is loose, and chips to underside of bill.

PROVENANCE: Len Carnaghi Collection

of Belford, New Jersey, Hyannis, MA, 1974, Sessions V & VI, lot 116, 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, 1973, Sessions I & II, lot 305, rigmate illustrated.

139 Hollow Redhead Pair Tobin Meldrum Pearl Beach, MI, c. 1890 16 in. long

LITERATURE: Clune Walsh Jr. and Lowell G. Jackson, Water-

fowl Decoys of Michigan and the Lake St. Clair Region, Detroit, MI, 1983, pp. 7, 147, and front and back end papers, related decoys illustrated.

Richard A. Bourne Co., Inc., Very Rare and Important American Bird Decoys from the Collection of the late William J. Mackey Jr.

112

An alert high-head pair with hollow bodies. In appealing working paint by the maker with gunning wear and touch-up to cracks in drake’s neck.

PROVENANCE: Len Carnaghi Collection

JOSEPH SHIMON 1916-1989 | DETROIT, MI

140 Green-Winged Teal Pair Joseph Shimon (1916-1989) Detroit, MI, c. 1950 13 1/2 in. long

140

An outstanding animated teal pair by Shimon.

This rare pair has strong feather carving in the Detroit style. The drake’s head is turned forty-five degrees and the hen is preening.

Shimon’s total decoy output was limited to just a few dozen decoys for his own personal use, including these fine teal, pintails, mallards, bluebills, and at least one Canada goose. Original paint with minimal gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Len Carnaghi Collection LITERATURE: Len Carnaghi, “Joseph Shimon: Another Ben Schmidt protege emerges,” Decoy Magazine, January/February 2020, p. 38, similar pair illustrated.

141 Pintail Pair

141

Joseph Shimon (1916-1989) Detroit, MI, c. 1950 16 in. long

An outstanding pair of high-head pintails

by Shimon. This rare pair has strong feather carving in the Detroit style. Original paint with minimal gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Len Carnaghi Collection

113

142

143

142 Black Duck

143 Black Duck

In Waterfowl Decoys of Michigan and the Lake St. Clair Region, a closely related Miles Pirnie wigeon with comparable wing carving was chosen to lead the book as plate number one. The author relates that Dr. Pirnie was fittingly “a waterfowl expert from Michigan State University.� Original paint with even gunning wear, faint crack in neck, and a knot showing in left side of breast.

An elaborately finished carving with fine feather detail from the breast to the tail of the balsa body.

In old working paint with even gunning wear.

Dr. Miles D. Pirnie (1898-1976) East Lansing, MI, c. 1930 17 in. long

PROVENANCE: Len Carnaghi Collection LITERATURE: Clune Walsh Jr. and Lowell G. Jackson, Waterfowl Decoys of Michigan and the St. Clair Region, Detroit, MI, 1983, pl. 1, related wigeon illustrated.

114

Leo Pashpatel Harsens Island, c. 1950 16 in. long

PROVENANCE: Len Carnaghi Collection LITERATURE: Clune Walsh Jr. and Lowell G. Jackson, Waterfowl Decoys of Michigan and the Lake St. Clair Region, Detroit, MI, 1983, p. 132, closely related example illustrated.

CAPT. JOHN C. SCHWEIKART

1870-1954 | DETROIT AND STRAWBERRY ISLAND, MI

144

145

144 Canvasback Drake

Capt. John C. Schweikart (1870-1954) Detroit and Strawberry Island, MI, c. 1910 16 1/2 in. long

A hollow decoy exhibiting the maker’s “signature” rearedback bull neck, aluminum wing tips and primaries, and a thin paddle tail. In gunning repaint with gunning wear, partially taken down.

145 Redhead Hen

Capt. John C. Schweikart (1870-1954) Detroit and Strawberry Island, MI, c. 1910 17 in. long

As found.

PROVENANCE: Len Carnaghi Collection

PROVENANCE: Len Carnaghi Collection

115

BENJAMIN SCHMIDT 1884-1968 | CENTERLINE, MI

146

146 Rare Oversized Black Duck Benjamin Schmidt (1884-1968) Centerline, MI, c. 1930 21 in. long

A grand black duck with excellent textured feathering and a thin paddle tail. Original paint with even gunning wear and faint age line in left side of head.

PROVENANCE: Len Carnaghi Collection

147

147 Black Duck

Benjamin Schmidt (1884-1968) Centerline, MI, c. 1930 18 in. long

Original paint with even gunning wear, and a few age lines along back.

PROVENANCE: Len Carnaghi Collection

116

148

149

148 Canvasback Pair Paul Radamach Wyandotte, MI, c. 1930 17 1/4 in. long

A folky pair of canvasbacks by this Detroit River duck hunter and carver. The drake has a slightly turned head.

Each is in a second coat of paint with wear.

PROVENANCE: Len Carnaghi Collection

149 Bluebill Drake Toronto, c. 1880 14 in. long

A fine feather-light hollow Ontario bird with a flared thin bill, nice cheeks, a slightly turned head, and a thin paddle tail. Old working paint with gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Len Carnaghi Collection

117

150

151

150 High-Head Redhead Drake Tobin Meldrum Pearl Beach, MI, c. 1890 16 in. long

A featherweight decoy with a high and uplifted head. The underside of the bill is marked with an incised “A.” Old working paint with gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Len Carnaghi Collection LITERATURE: Clune Walsh Jr. and Lowell G. Jackson, Waterfowl Decoys of Michigan and the Lake St. Clair Region, Detroit, MI, 1983, p. 147 and front and back end papers, related decoys illustrated.

Richard A. Bourne Co., Inc., Very Rare and Important American Bird Decoys from the Collection of the late William J. Mackey Jr.

118

of Belford, New Jersey, Hyannis, MA, 1974, Sessions V & VI, lot 118, related example illustrated.

151 Canvasback Hen

John F. Zachmann (1929-2017) Detroit, MI, 1970 15 in. long

An award-winning hollow decorative with “1st place canvasback class Midwest Decoy Contest Pointe, Mouille, Mich 1970” inscribed on the underside. It is also signed and bears the maker’s label. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Len Carnaghi Collection

MASON DECOY FACTORY

1896-1924 | DETROIT, MI

152 Challenge-Grade Redhead Pair Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924) Detroit, MI, c. 1910 14 1/2 in. long

152

Original paint with even gunning wear, hen has some discoloration on left shoulder.

PROVENANCE: Len Carnaghi Collection

153 Challenge-Grade Mallard Pair Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924) Detroit, MI, c. 1910 17 in. long

153

Original paint with even gunning wear, hen has restoration around tail edge and minor touch-up to neck seam.

PROVENANCE: Len Carnaghi Collection

154 Challenge-Grade Bluebill Pair Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924) Detroit, MI, c. 1910 14 3/4 in. long

154

The hen is hollow. Original paint with even gunning wear, glue in crack on underside of drake, and age line on top of drake’s tail, hen has some flaking.

PROVENANCE: Len Carnaghi Collection

119

MASON DECOY FACTORY 1896-1924 | DETROIT, MI

155

155 Seneca Lake Canvasback Pair Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924) Detroit, MI, c. 1910 17 in. long

A nice pair of high-head canvasbacks.

Original paint with gunning wear, a few age lines in necks and heads. Drake has two spots of touch-up to back. Hen has some white stippling along left side on to tail.

PROVENANCE: Len Carnaghi Collection

156

156 Premier-Grade Canvasback Hen Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924) Detroit, MI, c. 1915 16 in. long

A stylish hollow canvasback hen with a nice long bill, branded “J.B.F.” and “WRL.” Original paint with even gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Len Carnaghi Collection

157

157 Premier-Grade Broadbill Pair Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924) Detroit, MI 13 1/2 in. long

A hollow pair of divers with true broad bills. Original paint with minor gunning wear, hen has faint age line in head, and drake has a one-half bill repair and some flaking.

PROVENANCE: Len Carnaghi Collection

120

MASON DECOY FACTORY

1896-1924 | DETROIT, MI

158

160

159

161

158 Standard-Grade Wigeon Drake

160 Standard-Grade Mallard Pair

A glass-eye model with a slightly uplifted head attitude.

Original paint with even gunning wear, some age lines and flaking, especially in breast, and some touch-up to neck filler.

A glass-eyed pair. Original paint with even gunning wear.

Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924) Detroit, MI, c. 1915 13 3/4 in. long

PROVENANCE: Len Carnaghi Collection

159 Standard-Grade Pintails

Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924) Detroit, MI, c. 1900 17 in. long

Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924) Detroit, MI, c. 1915 16 1/2 in. long

PROVENANCE: Len Carnaghi Collection

161 Standard-Grade Redhead Pair Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924) Detroit, MI, c. 1915

As found.

PROVENANCE: Len Carnaghi Collection

An early pair of glass-eyed sprigtail. Original paint with even gunning wear, neck filler has been restored on hen, drake’s neck has some touch-up.

PROVENANCE: Len Carnaghi Collection

121

THE WARD BROTHERS

1896-1984 AND 1895-1976 | CRISFIELD, MD

162 Goldeneye Drake

The Ward Brothers Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976) Crisfield, MD, c. 1930 15 1/2 in. long

An excellent and early wooden sculpture, Steve’s carving and Lem’s paint have created a bird that perfectly captures the species. Often in motion on the water, goldeneye are an animated bird when afloat. This decoy accurately conveys the appearance of a whistler drake looking over its shoulder as it swims away. The form of the bird’s head is artistically rendered with a full crown which tapers to a chine on the nape. The pronounced humped back arches and sweeps to the extended concave “beaver-tail.” This highly breakable tail was later eliminated as the Ward Brothers’ gunning decoys evolved into more durable designs. Signed “L. T. Ward Bro., Crisfield, MD., -1936-” on the bottom. Original paint with gunning wear, age cracks along the bottom, and minor darkening.

PROVENANCE: Vance Strausberg Collection Private Collection, New Jersey Private Collection, Montana LITERATURE: Robert Shaw, Bird Decoys of North America, New York, NY, 2010, pp. 16-17 and 58, related example illustrated.

Ronald J. Gard and Brian J. McGrath, The Ward Brothers’ Decoys: A Collector’s Guide, Plano, TX, 1989, p. 34, related example illustrated.

$12,000 - $18,000

122

The Ward Brothers in front of their Crisfield workshop with some later goldeneye drakes.

162

123

THE WARD BROTHERS

1896-1984 AND 1895-1976 | CRISFIELD, MD

163

163 Rare Bluebill Hen

The Ward Brothers Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976) Crisfield, MD, 1936 14 1/2 in. long

This classic 1936 broadbill hen was acquired by Davison Hawthorne and subsequently went on loan to the Ward Museum of Waterfowl Art beginning in 1991.

Early collectors often preserved pinnacle decoys as lamps for their dens, as was the case with this fine hen. The full body echoes the earlier humpback design and has a fine paddle tail. The alert head is turned to the left and features a wide flared bill. The underside is signed and dated by the makers over the filled lamp hole and also bears two impressions of the Hawthorne Collection ink stamp. Original paint with even gunning wear, worn chip to left edge of tail, 3/4 inch touch-up to lamp hole in center of back and on underside.

124

PROVENANCE: Davison Hawthorne Collection Herb Wetanson Collection LITERATURE: Glenn Lawson, The Story of Lem Ward, West Chester, PA, 1984, p. 27, related decoy illustrated.

Eugene V. Connett, ed., Duck Shooting Along the Atlantic Tidewater, New York, NY, 1947, p. 129, related decoy illustrated.

Ronald J. Gard and Brian J. McGrath, The Ward Brothers’ Decoys: A Collector’s Guide, Wolfe City, TX, 1989, pl. 38, p. 46, related example illustrated.

EXHIBITED: Salisbury, Maryland, Ward Museum of Wildfowl

Art, beginning in 1991. $6,000 - $8,000

THE WARD BROTHERS

1896-1984 AND 1895-1976 | CRISFIELD, MD

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164 Classic 1936 Black Duck

The Ward Brothers Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976) Crisfield, MD, c. 1936 17 3/4 in. long

A fine sculpture, this black duck has a forty-five degree turn to the head with full cheeks and eye grooves.

The racy body perfectly captures the attitude of a swimming black duck finishing with a rare uplifted tail.

Lem’s masterful feather-painting brushwork is on full display from head to tail with a suite of techniques layered to represent this challenging species. Original paint with even gunning wear, professional touch-up to

bill, around neck seam and crack on left side. Minor white spotting on back removed.

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

71 and 79.

$5,000 - $7,000

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LEE DUDLEY

1860-1942 | KNOTTS ISLAND, NC

165 Bluebill

Lee Dudley (1860-1942) Knotts Island, NC, c. 1890 13 1/4 in. long

Dudley decoys have been held in the highest regard since the earliest days of collecting. In fact, two seminal books, Joel Barber’s Wild Fowl Decoys and William J. Mackey’s American Bird Decoys, both begin their first chapter with stories of Dudley decoys and the authors’ reverence for them. Barber’s particular love of Dudleys is illustrated in the first three plates of his 1934 book; the first of which depicts two Dudley decoys prominently displayed top and center on a collection wall. In 1981 a panel of experts reviewing the decoy collection at the Shelburne Museum declared a Dudley decoy of Barber’s to be the best of the museum’s outstanding collection.

manner in which the bill fits into the lower cheeks, the cut of the neck-base, sweeping powerful chest, and smooth, curved body combine into one of the finer sculptural solutions in the decoy world...The Dudley carving style consistently depicts both the head and body forms as a totality, resulting in a fine sculptural portrait…”

This decoy is one of the finest Dudley carvings ever to be offered at auction and one is hard pressed to find a more refined or elegant example. The artist’s special treatment of the wing separation and pinch-breast carving sets it apart from most of the maker’s forms. In his book American Bird Decoys, William J. Mackey was so impressed with Dudley’s work that he wrote, “the heads on Dudley’s decoys are the finest the writer has ever seen.”

PROVENANCE: Edward L. Maher Rig, Pocahontas Fowling Club George and Hope Wick Collection Private Collection, Texas, acquired from the above, c. 1985 Private Collection, Georgia

This rare example carries excellent provenance and is in very good condition by Dudley standards. These points cannot be overstated. The provenance leads back to the early and important collection of George and Hope Wick.

The underside retains the original weight, a paper label with “66,” and an “E.L.M.” rig marking. A double stamp of this marking appears on the back as well. This known rig was owned by Pocahontas Fowling Club member Edward L. Maher. Most recently this decoy was selected to represent its region in Wings of Wonder.

The Dudley decoy has always been known for its bold, singular form and this carving exemplifies all of the desirable attributes one looks for. To draw from Decoys: A North American Survey, “A visual study of the complete Dudley bird form, whatever the species, reveals an uninterrupted flow from bill tip to tail’s end. The successful

The form, execution, rarity, condition, and provenance of this sculpture place it among the finest Carolina decoys to have survived. Old, possibly original, paint with gunning wear, age line in bill, putty applied to worn tail edges, original weight. In exceptional condition by Dudley standards.

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

177, exact decoy illustrated.

William J. Mackey Jr., American Bird Decoys, New York, 1965, pp. 13-14, pl. 1, Dudley decoys discussed, pp. 168-170, head carving discussed.

Joel Barber, Wild Fowl Decoys, New York, NY, 1954, pp. 1-5, pl. 1-3.

Gene and Linda Kangas, Decoys: A North American Survey, Spanish Fork, UT, 1983, pp. 3-4, Dudley form discussed.

Henry A Fleckenstein Jr., Southern Decoys of Virginia and the Carolinas, Exton, PA, 1983, p. 218, drake rigmate illustrated.

Kroghie Andresen, Gunnin’ Birds, Charlotte, NC, 2008, p. 80, drake rigmate illustrated.

Joe Engers, ed., “1996 Year In Review,” Decoy Magazine, 1996, p. 33, drake rigmate illustrated.

Dick McIntyre, “The Dudley Decoy,” Decoy Magazine, March/April 1994, cover story, pp. 8-14.

Copley Fine Art Auctions, The Sporting Sale 2011, Plymouth, MA, July 2011, lot 629, related example illustrated.

Copley Fine Art Auctions, The Winter Sale 2011, New York, NY, January 2011, lot 331, related example illustrated.

Sotheby’s and Guyette and Schmidt, American Waterfowl Decoys: The Distinguished Collection of Dr. James M. McCleery, New York, NY, January 22–23, 2000, p. 82, lot 172, related redhead illustrated.

$50,000 - $70,000

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165

127

166 Red Knot

Eli Doughty (1844-1923) Hog Island, VA, c. 1870 7 in. long

A full-bodied little robin snipe from Hog Island. Eli Doughty, while less prolific than his Cobb Island neighbors, is considered among the region’s most important makers. Indeed, a related curlew can be seen on the front dust-jacket cover of Fleckenstein’s Shorebird Decoys.

A closely related red knot is held in the Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art. The Mackey collection stamp is faintly visible on the underside. Original paint with original stabilization to wood flake on left side and gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: William J. Mackey Jr. Collection Dwight D. Miller Collection

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LITERATURE: Richard A. Bourne Co., Inc., Very Rare and Important American Bird Decoys from the Collection of the late William J. Mackey Jr. of Belford, New Jersey, Hyannis, MA, 1973, Session I & II, lot 423, exact decoy illustrated.

Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., Shore Bird Decoys, Exton, PA, 1980, front cover (in basket), related example illustrated.

$5,000 - $8,000

167 Robin Snipe

Accomack County, VA, c. 1890 8 1/4 in. long

The Eastern Shore of Virginia is known for developing a rich portfolio of bold shorebird forms from its northern barrier islands of Assateague, Chincoteague, and Assawoman, down to its southern isles of Cobb, Hog, and Smith. Collectors of early Virginia decoys have long placed a strong emphasis on form. This is no surprise as harsh gunning conditions and collaborative carving efforts make mint surfaces and clear attributions a luxury not often available.

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This decoy helps to illustrate the breadth of sculptural quality from the region with a bold pattern and graceful refinements. The broad body supports a tucked head on a thin neck, complimenting a thin dropped tail. Framing the full features, a soft ridge runs along the top of the back, throat, under the tail, and on the top of the wing tips. These raised tips are also notable for their concave carving.

Elements of Dave “Umbrella” Watson and Charles Clark, among other unnamed Matthews Rig makers, help to place this great unknown’s origin in the vicinity of Assawoman. In old working paint with gunning wear, touch-up on left shoulder, and a replaced bill.

PROVENANCE: Dwight D. Miller Collection, acquired from Collectable Old Decoys

$4,500 - $6,500

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W. BAILY BARCO

1870-1947 | POPLAR BRANCH, NC

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168 Ruddy Duck Drake

W. Baily Barco (1870-1947) Poplar Branch, NC, c. 1900 10 1/2 in. long

An early documented ruddy duck drake with fat cheeks that flow to a sharp chine along the crown. The body has a raised neck seat and humped back.

This decoy’s provenance leads back to the early collections of Dilworth and Butler, the latter lent birds from his collection to the Philadelphia Waterfowl Exposition.

The underside is marked with this early exposition’s ink stamp circa 1979. Traces of old paint worn to pleasing wood surface, replaced bill.

PROVENANCE: Collection of John Dilworth

William Butler Collection Dwight D. Miller Collection

LITERATURE: Richard A. Bourne Co., Inc., Rare American Decoys and Bird Carvings from the Collection of John Dilworth, Salem, New Jersey, Hyannis, MA, October 23, 1981, lot 419, exact decoy illustrated.

The Decoy Hunter, Clinton, IA, March-April 1982, p. 19, exact decoy illustrated.

Kroghie Andresen, Gunnin’ Birds, Charlotte, NC, 2008, pp.6265, rigmates illustrated.

Adele Earnest, The Art of The Decoy: American Bird Carvings, New York, NY, 1965, pp. 69 and 123, rigmates illustrated.

EXHIBITED: Philadelphia, PA, Philadelphia Wildfowl Exposition,

The Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, c. 1979. $3,500 - $4,500

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169

169 Bluebill Drake

Clark C. Madara (1883-1953) Pitman, NJ, c. 1920 13 1/2 in. long

A rare hollow bluebill by one of New Jersey’s finest makers, exhibiting a thin neck, full cheeks, and a refined tail. The underside is stamped with a collector’s “709.” Original paint with even gunning wear, black paint has thin black wash.

PROVENANCE: Bud Ward Collection Dwight D. Miller Collection, acquired from the above

$2,000 - $3,000

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170 Hollow Canada Goose Loveland Family Point Pleasant, NJ, c. 1900 22 1/2 in. long

A hollow Canada goose decoy with distinctive angular head carving. Original paint with even gunning wear and old touch-up to flaking nail holes.

PROVENANCE: Herb Wetanson Collection

$800 - $1,200

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171 Rig of Three Black Ducks John McLaughlin (1911-1985) Bordentown, NJ, 1950 18 in. long

Three gunning birds displaying three different poses: preening, straight, and snuggle head. All three exhibit the maker’s matte-finish paint to reduce glare. Original paint with minor wear.

PROVENANCE: Herb Wetanson Collection

$1,500 - $2,500

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172

174

173

175

172 Early Reaching Yellowlegs

Richard A. Bourne Co., Inc., Very Rare and Important American Bird Decoys from the Collection of the late William J. Mackey Jr. of Belford, New Jersey, Hyannis, MA, 1974, Sessions VII & VIII, lots 87 & 95, related decoys illustrated.

A long and sleek decoy with a slightly turned head. The thin tapered tail is fit with a stringing hole for carrying. Appears to be original paint with some working touch-up mostly to underside of belly and where an second stick hole was filled. The bill is an old replacement. Gunning wear with some shot scars.

$1,200 - $1,800

Frank Kellum (1858-1940) Babylon, Long Island, NY, c. 1900 11 1/4 in. long

PROVENANCE: Dwight D. Miller Collection LITERATURE: Joel Barber, Wild Fowl Decoys, New York, NY, 1954,

pl. 53, related example illustrated.

Richard A. Bourne, Inc., Auction Catalog, Hyannis, MA, July 11th-12th 1989, lot 495, exact bird illustrated. $1,000 - $1,500

173 Running Peep

Smith Island, VA, c. 1890 9 1/2 in. long

This fully extended peep appears to be among the most refined examples of this popular running pattern. The Life Saving Service members on Smith Island, including Robert Andrews, made a number of variations that relate closely to those of their neighbors on Cobb Island. Appears to be original paint with gunning wear, some touch-up including to tail chip, and replaced bill.

PROVENANCE: Schiller Martin Collection Dwight D. Miller Collection LITERATURE: Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., Southern Decoys of Virginia

and The Carolinas, Exton, PA, 1983, pp. 166-167 and back cover, related decoys illustrated.

174 Golden Plover

Capt. Jonas Sprague (1880-1956) Beach Haven, NJ, c. 1880 10 3/4 in. long

An early plover with the species’ distinctive plumage represented by a green back with light dots. Original paint with even gunning wear, old stabilizing nail to age line on right side, chip to bill tip, possible second wash to black paint.

PROVENANCE: Dwight D. Miller Collection

$500 - $700

175 Lesser Yellowlegs Coffin Family Nantucket, MA, c. 1870 10 in. long

A delicately-carved, tack-eyed shorebird decoy with an applied head. A curlew made with this Coffin design holds the record price for any Nantucket decoy. In repaint with light wear, imperfection to wood on underside, and a replaced bill.

PROVENANCE: Dwight D. Miller Collection

$1,000 - $1,500 131

176

178

177

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176 Mackey “Beach Bird” Long Island, NY, c. 1880 7 1/4 in. long

William Mackey selected this exact decoy for his American Bird Decoys book, in which he identifies it as a rare pectoral sandpiper. It shows clean lines, a diamond-shaped bill, and strong stippled paint. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: William J. Mackey Jr. Collection Dwight D. Miller Collection LITERATURE: William J. Mackey Jr., American Bird Decoys, New York, NY, 1965, p. 50, pl. 29, exact bird illustrated.

$3,000 - $5,000

177 Yellowlegs

New Jersey, c. 1880 10 in. long

A well-crafted shorebird displaying a metal bill, raised carved wings, a downward-angled split tail, and a faint Mackey Collection stamp on the underside. A mixture of original paint and old in-use repaint on the underside with gunning wear.

Quintina Colio, American Decoys, Ephrata, PA, 1972, p. 61, rigmate decoy illustrated. $800 - $1,200

178 Robin Snipe

Chris T. Sprague (1887-1983) Beach Haven, NJ, c. 1915 7 3/4 in. long

A rare and plump red knot with deep eye grooves and chip carving. The underside is signed by Sprague and bears the McCleery Collection ink stamp. Excellent original paint with light gunning wear, age line in top of head. McCleery’s stand is affixed into the stick hole.

PROVENANCE: Dr. James McCleery Collection Dwight D. Miller Collection LITERATURE: Sotheby’s and Guyette and Schmidt, American Waterfowl Decoys: The Distinguished Collection of Dr. James M. McCleery, New York, NY, January 22–23, 2000, p. 221, lot 609, exact decoy illustrated.

$2,000 - $4,000

179 Exceedingly Rare Baird’s Sandpiper

PROVENANCE: William J. Mackey Jr. Collection

Long Island, c. 1900 7 in. long

LITERATURE: Richard A. Bourne Co., Inc., Very Rare and Important American Bird Decoys from the Collection of the late William J. Mackey Jr. of Belford, New Jersey, Hyannis, MA, 1973, Session I & II, lot 597, exact decoy illustrated.

This small beach bird has S-shaped raised wing carving and a petite dropped tail. The form is finished with rich paint, including stippled and dotted feathering on the back. This bird was attributed to Thomas Hewlett by George Combs. Old repaint, surface was professionally cleaned and new varnish applied, replaced bill.

Milton C. Weiler Collection By descent in the Weiler family Dwight D. Miller Collection

PROVENANCE: Schiller Martin Collection Dwight D. Miller Collection

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gunning wear, a replaced bill, numerous shot scars, and a chip on the top of the head.

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PROVENANCE: William H. Purnell Collection Private Collection Dwight D. Miller Collection LITERATURE: Timothy R. Sieger and Dr. Cynthia Byrd, The Decoys of Long Island, Water Mill, NY, 2010, p. 35, related decoy illustrated.

$2,500 - $4,500

181 Ruddy Turnstone

Obediah Verity (1813-1901) Seaford, Long Island, NY, c. 1880 7 1/2 in. long

This bird is “extremely scarce...only three or four turnstones by Verity are known,” reported Henry Fleckenstein in 1980. The prolific author and historian illustrated a rigmate to this decoy twice in his book on shorebirds.

This old Seaford warrior showcases exceptional Verity form and traces of the maker’s imaginative paint pattern.

Mostly worn to the wood with heavy gunning wear and a replaced bill.

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PROVENANCE: Dwight D. Miller Collection LITERATURE: Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., Shore Bird Decoys, Exton, PA, 1980, pp. 32-35, rigmates illustrated.

$2,000 - $3,000

182 Sanderling

Obediah Verity (1813-1901) Seaford, Long Island, NY, c. 1870 8 in. long

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These small gunning decoys have captured the imaginations of collectors for almost a century. This plump Long Island peep displays Verity’s signature deeply carved heart-shaped wings. In original paint with even gunning wear to wood in places.

PROVENANCE: Adele Earnest, Stony Point Art Gallery, c. 1960 Private Collection, Florida, acquired from the above Private Collection, Georgia LITERATURE: Tools of the Trade: Art of Deception exhibition cat-

180 Ruddy Turnstone

Obediah Verity (1813-1901) Seaford, Long Island, NY, c. 1860 8 1/2 in. long

An exceedingly rare tucked-head ruddy turnstone. This bird was first marked in the line of fire with shot throughout, it was next hit by the “P” brand designating the Purnell Collection. In early Verity gunning paint with heavy

alog, Charleston, SC: SEWE and The Palmetto State Decoy Collectors Association, February 2020, p. 18, exact decoy illustrated.

EXHIBITED: Charleston, South Carolina, Tools of the Trade: Art

of Deception, SEWE and The Palmetto State Decoy Collectors Association, February 2020. $3,000 - $4,000

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183 Black-Bellied Plover

Obediah Verity (1813-1901) Seaford, Long Island, NY, c. 1880 11 in. long

A classic Seaford beetle-head with refined form and tight stippling. In old working Verity paint with gunning wear, including some flaking, mostly on breast and top of tail.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, New York Private Collection, from the above LITERATURE: The Ward Museum, The Decoys of Long Island, Salisbury, MD, 2010, p. 31, related example illustrated.

Robert Shaw, Call to the Sky: The Decoy Collection of James M. McCleery, M.D., Houston, TX, 1992, p. 43, related examples illustrated.

William J. Mackey Jr., American Bird Decoys, New York, NY, 1965, p. 102, pl. 85, related decoys illustrated.

$4,000 - $6,000

184 Dowitcher with Turned Tail

Thomas Hewlett Hewlett Harbor, Long Island, NY, c. 1900 9 1/4 in. long

A plump dowitcher with unusually turned wing and tail tips. The underside bears the Donal C. O’Brien Jr. auction stamp. Original paint with light gunning wear, minor touch-up to wing and tail tips, and a reset bill.

PROVENANCE: Bud Ward Collection Donal C. O’Brien Jr. Collection, acquired from the above Dwight D. Miller Collection, acquired at the sale of the above.

LITERATURE: Laurence Sheehan, The Birding Life, New York, NY, 2011, p. 95, exact decoy illustrated.

Copley Fine Art Auctions, The Sporting Sale 2018, Plymouth, MA, July 2018, lot 78, exact decoy illustrated.

$4,000 - $6,000

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184

185

187

186

188

185 Robin Snipe

187 Yellowlegs

A rare species for this distinct rig. Taken down to mix of original and working paint, and gunning wear.

A refined Seaford stick-up with good proportions. In old Verity paint with gunning wear, 2/3rds bill repair, some damage to tail.

Theodore Rogers Rig Jamacia Bay, Long Island, NY, c. 1870 8 3/4 in. long

PROVENANCE: Dwight D. Miller Collection

$600 - $900

186 Black-Bellied Plover Pair Atlantic Coast, c. 1880 10 in. long

Two folky plover with dry surfaces and applied heads on raised neck shelves. Original paint with gunning wear, one has a replaced bill and one has a replaced head.

Verity Family Seaford, NY, c. 1880 10 in. long

188 Root-Head Shorebird c. 1900 12 1/2 in. long

This two-piece shorebird features a mortise-and-tenon joint affixing the root-head into the long body. This may be from North Carolina. Original paint with traces of a white wash on the underside and heavy gunning wear. Bill is replaced.

PROVENANCE: Samuel Wakeman Collection Private Collection, by descent in the family Dwight D. Miller Collection LITERATURE: Copley Fine Art Auctions, LCC, The Sporting Sale 2009, Plymouth, MA, July 15-16, 2009, p. 11, lot 2, exact decoys illustrated.

$1,000 - $1,500

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“...one of the best gunning rigs ever made.”

— Dixon Merkt discussing Rathmell’s 1941 rig

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LOUIS C. RATHMELL 1889-1974 | DANBURY, CT

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189 Turned-Head Black Duck Louis C. Rathmell (1898-1974) Danbury, CT, 1941 15 in. long

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.”

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.

$6,000 - $9,000

This black duck, with its turned head and exquisite paint, reveals Rathmell at the height of his abilities. The cork body holds a poured weight with the maker’s stamped “1941 L C RATHMELL.” Original paint with light gunning wear, minor fill and touch-up to very tip of bill, possible touch-up to tail, and a ding on back left.

PROVENANCE: Louis Rathmell Rig William H. Purnell Jr. Collection John Dillon Collection

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ALBERT DAVIDS LAING 1811-1886 | NEW YORK, NY

190 Tucked-Head Goldeneye

Albert Davids Laing (1811-1886) New York, NY, c. 1850 14 in. long

Albert Laing was raised and began waterfowling in New York City during the early 19th century, placing him as one of the earliest known decoy makers. He spent time on the Chesapeake Bay and Delaware River before settling in Connecticut, where his decoys would set the template for the region’s style. There is no evidence that Laing ever sold decoys commercially, and it is believed that at the time of his death the 111 decoys from his gunning rig constituted the majority of his entire output.

Laing’s early, yet refined carvings are coveted today and few opportunities arise for collectors to own them. According to Chitwood, Laing’s entire hunting rig was sold upon his death in 1886 for $45 (about 40 cents each).

Well ahead of his time, Laing’s innovative carving style incorporated several design insights into his craft, including positioning the seam line of his hollow carved decoys above the waterline to prevent water from seeping into the hollow body. His decoys are carved with a full proud breast. Perhaps his greatest contribution was adding a lifelike quality to his decoys utilizing a variety of head positions.

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Many of the birds from Laing’s gunning rig were acquired by none other than Charles E. “Shang” Wheeler (18721949). This decoy was hunted by Wheeler until the 1940s. Thomas Marshall found this Laing decoy to be of significant historical and aesthetic value and decided to retire it from gunning. The underside of this early decoy bears a white Marshall Collection label and the O’Brien Collection ink stamp. In old working repaint with gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Albert D. Laing Rig Charles E. “Shang” Wheeler Rig Thomas C. Marshall, acquired from the above c. 1945 Donal C. O’Brien Jr. Collection, acquired from the above John Dillon Collection, acquired from the sale of the above LITERATURE: Henry C. Chitwood, Connecticut Decoys, West Chester, PA, 1987, p. 29, related decoy illustrated.

Peter Johnson and Alf Wannenburgh, The World of Shooting, Lausanne, Switzerland, 1987, pp. 259-261, exact decoy illustrated.

Copley Fine Art Auctions, The Sporting Sale 2017, Plymouth, MA, July 2017, lot 33, exact decoy illustrated.

$10,000 - $14,000

“...no name is held in higher esteem than Albert Laing.”

— Henry Chitwood

190

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191 Sleeping Black Duck Long Island Sound, c. 1850 13 1/2 in. long

An exceptional and refined hollow and early sleeper. The form of this bird is similar to the work of Albert D. Laing (1811-1886) and his cousin Richard Wistar Davids (18251863), two early pioneers of American decoy carving.

The head, neck, and bill carving is as well executed as the best of Laing’s work. The two-piece body has a carved shoulder groove designed to accommodate the neck and flows to a gently curved tail. Original paint with some working touch-up and light gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Virginia Private Collection, Texas John Dillon Collection LITERATURE: Richard A. Bourne Jr., Waterfowl Decoys and Related Items, Hyannis, MA, June 1998, p. 88, lot 522, exact decoy illustrated.

Copley Fine Art Auctions, The Winter Sale 2013, Boston, MA, January, 2013, lot 306, exact decoy illustrated.

$6,000 - $9,000

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191

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ALBERT DAVIDS LAING 1811-1886 | NEW YORK, NY

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192 Early Tucked-Head Black Duck Albert Davids Laing (1811-1886) New York, NY, c. 1835 14 in. long

In 1918, the Laing family moved from Rathaway, New Jersey, to a residence they named Laingside in New York City on the East River. Albert Laing’s father, a merchant, opened a shop at 250 Pearl Street adjacent to the Fulton Fish Market. With direct access to this prime trading post, the young Laing became a market hunter.

“Considering functional design,” writes Laing authority Ronald S. Swanson, “Laing’s decoys are extremely successful. Minimum weight, compactness and durability are combined with accuracy of species and an attitude of quiet repose to create a highly effective working decoy.

The quality of Laing’s designs accounts for his influence of the makers of the Stratford school and the lower Delaware River and perhaps other areas…”

In 1863 Laing purchased a house in Stratford, Connecticut, where he lived as a gentleman farmer. His decoy rig went north with him where it had a tremendous impact on the next generation of the areas decoy makers and hunters. His rig totaling over one hundred decoys was hunted over for many decades after his passing and the carvings became the template for the Stratford School of

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decoy making. Notably, Charles E. “Shang” Wheeler and Louis Rathmell are perhaps the only two early followers of Laing who approached the high bar that Laing set. His stylistic influence also appears to have extended to the Delaware River, as directly seen in the rig of his cousins, Richard Wistar Davids (1825–1863) and Caspar W. Morris (1806-1877).

This elegant early Laing has a head that is deeply tucked into the sleek thin body which has slight wing separation in the back. Old working paint with gunning wear and roughness to tail.

PROVENANCE: John Dillon Collection LITERATURE: Ronald S. Swanson, “Albert D. Laing: A decoy maker unequaled in his time,” Decoy Magazine, Burtonsville, MD, July/August 1995, front cover, pp. 8-16, related decoys illustrated and discussed.

Copley Fine Art Auctions, The Sporting Sale 2006, July 26-27, 2006, lot 358, exact decoy illustrated.

$6,500 - $8,500

193 Canada Goose

Roswell E. Bliss (1887-1967) Stratford, CT, c. 1950 22 1/4 in. long

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A classic Stratford school goose with a thin paddle tail. In restored paint with even wear.

PROVENANCE: Herb Wetanson Collection

$3,000 - $4,000

194 Broadbill Pair

Long Island, NY, c. 1920 hen 13 3/4 in. long, drake 13 1/2 in. long

194

Accomplished representations of Long Island floating sculpture with thin tails which have concave undersides, and elaborate head carving. The slightly inlayed heads have distinct broad cheeks, eye grooves, and flared broad bills. In original paint with even gunning wear and some traces of working paint on the drake. $1,000 - $1,500

195 Sleeping Canvasback 12 1/2 in. long

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A contemporary hollow sleeping canvasback drake. As found.

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CHARLES E. “SHANG” WHEELER 1872-1949 | STRATFORD, CT

196 Rare Surf Scoter

Charles E. “Shang” Wheeler (1872-1949) Stratford, CT, c. 1935 14 in. long

A hollow, turned-head decoy with elaborate carving that handsomely captures this distinct species. This sterling example that represents Wheeler at his finest. Scoter decoys by any maker are quite rare, with the vast majority of representations of the species stemming from Maine, Massachusetts, and Connecticut.

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

Author Dixon Merkt comments on Wheeler’s life: “Wheeler’s concern with the conservation of nature eventually led him into politics. Over the years he had come to know and admire Teddy Roosevelt, and as a politician he adopted Roosevelt’s brand of progressive Republicanism. Himself a skilled ornithologist, former cowboy, and avid sportsman, Roosevelt had made conservation one cornerstone of his political platform.

Wheeler followed in his footsteps. During several terms in the Connecticut General Assembly, he led the campaign to pass anti-pollution and wildlife conservation legislation. “...[Wheelers] His ties to Roosevelt and later to Herbert Hoover might have lead him to high government office, if that had been his goal. But Wheeler was satisfied with

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the life he had built for himself around Stratford. He had many good friends; his work kept him outdoors; and each year he had time for hunting and fishing trips.”

In 1923 Wheeler arrived on the competition carving scene with a bang. Public concern over the popular and devastating practice of dusking (hunting after dark) had started to take shape. Led by conservationists, including early historian, author, and collector Joel Barber, along with Paul Bigelow and John Boyle, the group started the Anti-Duskers Society. The Anti-Duskers sponsored one of the first decoy shows in North America on August 23rd at the public library in Bellport, Long Island. A carving competition held at the event was aimed at hunters in attendance to further advance the concept of shooting over decoys. The inaugural event attracted amateur and professional carvers from near and far; however, it was Wheeler who took home top amateur honors with his dynamic turned-head mallard drake. Joel Barber gave the winning decoy the highest praise possible, lauding that it represented “the highest development yet reached in the American art of decoy carving.” As stated by Merkt, “Wheeler carted off first prize at Bellport because he had introduced a new style to decoy painting.” Outstanding original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, New York LITERATURE: Decoy Magazine, Spring 1982, p. 14, exact decoy illustrated.

Dixon MacD. Merkt, Shang. A Biography of Charles E. Wheeler, Spanish Fork, UT, 1984, p. 80, Wheeler discussed, pp. 174-5, scoter decoys illustrated.

$20,000 - $30,000

196

145

JOEL D. BARBER 1876-1952 | WILTON, CT

"The simple plumage patterns and streamlined forms of this canvasback and bluebill are excellent examples of Joel Barber’s second attempt to design the perfect 'Modern Decoy.' They are a fusion of Barber’s broad knowledge of decoy history and his personal modernist aesthetics."

—Kory Rogers, Chief Curator and Francie and John Downing

Curator of American Art, Shelburne Museum

197 The Modern Canvasback Drake Joel D. Barber (1876-1952) Wilton, CT, c. 1940 16 in. long

The legendary Joel Barber Collection and archives is held in the Shelburne Museum in Vermont. In 2019, Chief Curator, and Barber specialist, Kory Rogers presented, and Copley Fine Art Auctions supported, a special exhibition titled Joel Barber & The Modern Decoy. In addition to his legendary writing and collecting, Barber dedicated much time and effort to creating the ideal modern decoy.

He believed that “no matter how good a whittler you are, you can’t forge the duck decoys of the old masters.” This decoy and the bluebill in this sale illustrates a part of his ambitious pursuit.

LITERATURE: Kory W. Rogers, Birds of a Feather, Shelburne, VT, 2017, pp. 12, related decoys illustrated, p. 16 related diagram illustrated. p. 61, related pair illustrated.

Ralf Coykendall, Modern Decoys by Joel Barber, patterns illustrated.

Henry C. Chitwood, Connecticut Decoys, West Chester, PA, 1987, p. 70, related decoy illustrated.

Joel Barber, Wild Fowl Decoys, New York, NY, 1954, p. 149, pl.

117, similar decoy illustrated.

$2,000 - $3,000

Barber only produced approximately fifty decoys in his lifetime. The underside is branded “BARBER DECOYS” and bears a white-paper label with the inscription “Given to E. L. Voorhees by Joel Barber 1942.”

Included with this lot is a 1st edition copy of Barber’s 1934 Wild Fowl Decoys book. It is from the library of George Thompson who has inscribed the book and included a copy of Barber’s “visiting card.” Also included is a copy of the 1931 Abercrombie & Fitch exhibition catalog which features a Barber illustration of a canvasback ridging a wave. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Joel Barber Collection

E. L. Voorhees Collection, gifted from the above, c. 1942 Private Collection, Massachusetts, acquired from the family of the above

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SEPTEMBER 26- 28- 29- 30 1931

Abercrombie & Fitch decoy exhibition catalog with Barber’s modern canvasback.

146

THE MODERN DECOY

197

198

198 The Modern Broadbill Drake Joel D. Barber (1876-1952) Wilton, CT, c. 1940 15 in. long

Barber’s “modern” broadbill drake with a turned head, glass eyes. The underside is branded “BARBER DECOYS” and retains a white-paper label with the inscription “Given to E. L. Voorhees by Joel Barber 1942.” Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Joel Barber Collection E. L. Voorhees Collection, gifted from the above, c. 1942 Private Collection, Massachusetts, acquired from the family of the above

LITERATURE: Kory W. Rogers, Birds of a Feather, Shelburne, VT, 2017, pp. 12, related decoys illustrated, p. 16 related diagram illustrated. p. 61, related canvasback pair illustrated.

Henry C. Chitwood, Connecticut Decoys, West Chester, PA, 1987, pp. 70 and 165, related decoys illustrated.

Joel Barber, Wild Fowl Decoys, New York, NY, 1954, p. 149, pl.

117, similar decoy illustrated.

$1,500 - $2,500

147

199

200

199 Swimming Merganser

200 Hollow Black Duck

An early racy swimming merganser with clean lines and a hollow body. The plumage is represented with subtly blended paint. Original paint with even gunning wear.

An intricately built hollow black duck with an inlayed head and tail and an elaborate bottom board construction. Original paint with heavy gunning wear, including chips to tail, age lines, wear to the wood, and a possible second coat of paint on bill.

Massachusetts, c. 1880 16 3/4 in. long

PROVENANCE: Dwight D. Miller Collection LITERATURE: David A. Schorsch, American Decoys II: A Folk Art Tradition, New York, NY, 1998, p. 61, pl. 30, exact decoy illustrated in reverse.

$3,000 - $5,000

148

Long Island Sound, c. 1900 15 1/2 in. long

$1,000 - $1,500

201

149

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

201

201 Black-Bellied Plover

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1910 10 1/4 in. long

In Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving, authors Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. and Chelsie W. Olney write, “In addition to being an artist and craftsman, Crowell was an innovator and businessman, able to carve birds at different price points. To this end, he created works with a high degree of variation, as demonstrated by his black-bellied plover carvings.” In this case, Crowell took tremendous care in carving his early shorebird rigs for his most affluent patrons, and this example would certainly be placed in that high-ranking group.

This decoy and a small number of others are closely linked to the maker’s dust-jacket plover. Illustrating this connection is a highly comparable decoy in the collection of the American Folk Art Museum which has also been exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The obvious variation of the museum decoy is its incised raised primary carving. This offering’s refined form and exceptional paint application demonstrate the carver’s

150

mastery of his trade. It was finished with bead glass eyes and Elmer Crowell’s exceptional wet-on-wet feather blending which is particularly well represented on the head and neck. Original paint with light gunning wear, approximately two inches of touch-up to wood chip on bottom behind stick hole.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Cambridge Massachusetts LITERATURE: Jeff Waingrow, American Wildfowl Decoys, New York, NY, 1985, p. 91 and back cover, closely related example with carved wing tips illustrated.

Gary Guyette and Frank Schmidt, Inc., Important Waterfowl Decoys & Bird Carvings at Auction, July 29 & 30, 1994, Ogunquit, ME, lot 428, exact decoy illustrated.

Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. and Chelsie W. Olney, Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving, Hingham, MA, 2019, p. 218, Crowell plover comparisons illustrated and discussed.

$14,000 - $18,000

Cap Vinal published segments of Herbert Hatch’s diary and the latter documented some of the birds referenced

by Hatch’s record. A review of these materials not only connects Hatch with his fine carvings, it also documents his close relationship with Joseph W. Lincoln (18591938). Indeed an August 31st 1898 entry illustrates one exciting day where Hatch reports “Went down river with Joe Lincoln got 51 summers, 13 winters, 7 peeps. Hand is lame and stiff.” Excellent original paint with light gunning wear and 2⁄3rds bill replacement.

PROVENANCE: Herbert F. Hatch Rig Dwight D. Miller Collection, acquired from Alan and Elaine Haid

202

LITERATURE: Cap Vinal, Joseph W. Lincoln, Rockland, MA, 2002, pp. 58-59, rigmate illustrated.

William J. Mackey Jr., American Bird Decoys, New York, NY, 1965, pp. 86-87.

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 225, rigmate illustrated.

$2,000 - $3,000

203 Early Golden Plover

Franklin Pierce Chadwick (1854-1939) Rig Nantucket, MA, c. 1870 9 1/2 in. long

A well-fed golden plover form with distinct upright posture, and a split tail. The underside is fitted with one standard stick hole and two smaller holes for a pair of wire legs. Two of this decoy’s rigmates were gifted by the Chadwick family to the Nantucket Historical Association and are currently on display in its prestigious Nantucket Whaling Museum. Original paint with some working touchup mostly to shot hole areas, gunning wear and a replaced bill.

203

PROVENANCE: F. P. Chadwick Rig Dwight D. Miller Collection

$2,000 - $3,000

204 Eskimo Curlew

W. S. Morton (1809-1871) Rig Quincy and Nantucket, MA, c. 1850 11 1/2 in. long

204

202 Early Golden Plover

Herbert F. Hatch (1877-1951) Marshfield, MA, c. 1898 10 in. long

Rarely do historians have access to first hand records connecting decoys with their 19th century craftsmen and gunners. In the instance of this bird and its rigmates the efforts of several inquisitive collectors over the course of decades has shed light on a brilliant facet of New England shorebird history. Fortunately, William Mackey and

The decoys carved by Morton are identifiable with their distinct forms, most noticeably their sharp chines along their lower wing edges and flat bottoms. This elegant Eskimo curlew would have seen most its use on the Island of Nantucket where Morton also employed his golden plover rig. Original paint with even gunning wear, appears to have a working wash of white on the breast.

PROVENANCE: Dwight D. Miller Collection

$2,000 - $3,000 151

FRANKLIN PIERCE WRIGHT 1854-1939 | WEST BARNSTABLE, MA

205 Swimming Black Duck

Franklin Pierce Wright (1854-1939) West Barnstable, MA, c. 1890 20 1/2 in. long

Finding Wright decoys with their original heads, bills, and tails intact is nearly impossible. This black duck, displaying a racy attitude with pronounced raised wing carving, is one of the maker’s best examples. The carving has a meticulously designed and hollowed-out weighted underside. This design, the head attachment, and the inletted pad weight all relate to the goldeneye drake shown on page 85 of Massachusetts Masterpieces.

LITERATURE: Gwladys Hopkins, Massachusetts Masterpieces: The Decoy as Art, Lincoln, MA, 2016, pp. 26 and 85, related decoys illustrated.

$12,000 - $18,000

Discussing the small handful of examples Gigi Hopkins writes, “Only three, perhaps four, other decoys are known by this maker. One is the snakiest, raciest merganser ever found.” This black duck’s form and surface compares well to the swimming merganser discussed above. In an appealing second coat of paint with even wear.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Denver

“Franklin Pierce Wright, the son of sea captain Zenas Weeks and Sarah Handy Wright, grew up in the village of Sandwich on Cape Cod: he was one of four boys. As a young man he worked on the railroad out of his hometown, but by the time he was married in 1885 (his new bride was Dulcina “Elsie” Crocker) he had moved north across the Cape to West Barnstable.

This was very likely because it abutted the Barnstable Great Marsh.

He was a seasonal market gunner and the marsh provided a wealth of waterfowl and shorebird habitat.”

-Gwladys Hopkins, Massachusetts Masterpieces

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205

153

THOMAS H. GELSTON

1850-1924 | QUOGUE, LONG ISLAND, NY

206 Running Yellowlegs

Thomas H. Gelston (1850-1924) Quogue, Long Island, NY, c. 1890 14 in. long

An iconic Long Island form with excellent provenance.

The Gelston running pattern was chosen by the Long Island Decoy Collectors Association as the basis for their logo. Gelston’s larger animated sandpipers, the curlew, have been among the top performing shorebirds of all time at auction. The underside bears the Lloyd Johnson’s black-ink inscription “Thomas Gelston / Quogue / L. I.” Original paint with gunning wear, considerable touch-up to gray on back and sides, and touch-up at insertion of replaced bill, chip under tail.

LITERATURE: Robert Shaw, Bird Decoys of North America, New York, NY, 2010, pp. 74 and 182, rigmates illustrated.

Quintina Colio, American Decoys, Ephrata, PA, 1972, front cover, related curlew illustrated.

Sotheby’s and Guyette and Schmidt, American Waterfowl Decoys: The Distinguished Collection of Dr. James M. McCleery, New York, NY, January 22–23, 2000, p. 104, lot 219, related example illustrated.

The Ward Museum, The Decoys of Long Island, Salisbury, MD, 2010, p. 30, lower right, related example illustrated.

$6,000 - $9,000

PROVENANCE: Lloyd Johnson Collection David Schorsch

206

154

FRANK W. BENSON 1862-1951

207 Frank W. Benson (1862-1951) Duck Hunter, 1914 signed “Frank W Benson.” lower left etching, 6 by 7 7⁄8 in.

Paff #27, edition of 50

207

$1,000 - $2,000

208

208 Frank W. Benson (1862-1951) Pointer Dog, 1925 signed “Frank W. Benson” lower left etching, 5 7⁄8 by 7 1/4 in.

Paff #251, edition of 150 $1,000 - $2,000

209 Frank W. Benson (1862-1951)

209

Four Mallards, 1931 signed “Frank W. Benson” lower left stone lithograph, 11 1/2 by 15 1/4 in. inscribed “To Fitzroy Carrington 1931” lower center Paff #IV, edition of less than 50 $1,000 - $1,500

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210 Carl Rungius (1869-1959) Scanning the Horizon signed “C. Rungius” lower right etching, 6 1/4 by 8 in.

210

PROVENANCE: Estate of Alfred F. King III

211 George Catlin (1796-1872)

211

The Snow-Shoe Dance, c. 1844 hand-colored lithograph, 12 by 18 in. published by Day & Haghe, from the first edition of Catlin’s North American Indian Portfolio Kennedy Galleries, Inc., New York label on back

Catlin writes, “This picturesque scene is called by them the ‘Snow-Shoe Dance’ as it is danced with the snow-shoes on their feet, around an ornamented pair of the same, which are elevated, with the appropriate flags and spears of the band.”

PROVENANCE: John Dillon Collection

$800 - $1,200

212 Terrell O’Brien (20th-21st Centuries) High Country Legend, 2003 signed and dated “t. o’brien 2003” on base bronze, 17 1/2 by 20 1/2 by 9 in. edition 1153 of 2400 titled on base

156

212

213

213 William J. Koelpin (1938-1996) Damn the Wind, 1976 signed “©Wm J. Koelpin” on base bronze, 24 by 10 by 9 in. titled on base edition 2 of 24

214

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 in 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, and being named “One of America’s Premier Artists” by the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum in Wausau, Wisconsin. $5,000 - $7,000

214 Dave Hodges (b. 1949)

Rocky Mountain Royal titled and signed “Dave Hodges” on base bronze, 17 1/2 by 11 by 7 in. $1,200 - $1,800

157

MARK S. MCNAIR B. 1950 | CRADDOCKVILLE, VA

“Smew or White Nun” by John James Audubon, plate CCCXLVII.

158

MARK S. MCNAIR B. 1950 | CRADDOCKVILLE, VA

215

215 Smew or “White Nun” Decoy Mark S. McNair (b. 1950) Craddockville, VA, 2020 15 1/2 in. long

This decoy is one of two of carved by McNair and is the first of the species by any carver that we have seen.

While some smew find there way to the New England coastline and Great Lakes, this handsome white merganser is less common than even the Harlequin duck.

John James Audubon recorded taking one specimen near New Orleans and included the species in his epic Birds Of America folio, as plate 347.

This drake’s tucked-head is inlayed into the body with pronounced breast. The head’s raised crest was finished with rasp, a technique also employed by A. Elmer Crowell to portray the texture of this area of plumage. McNair,

like Audubon, seems to have enjoyed relaying the paint design of this striking species.

The underside is rigged and includes two star-nails in the leather tie. The beveled weight is stamped “1” and “2020” and the wood is incised with a “McNair” signature. Original paint with minimal wear.

LITERATURE: John James Audubon, Birds of America, pl. 347, species and inspiration illustrated.

$3,000 - $4,000

159

MARK S. MCNAIR B. 1950 | CRADDOCKVILLE, VA

216

217

216 Early Oversized Eider with Mussel in Mouth

217 Canvasback Pair

A grand eider drake dining on a mussel with a slightly turned head. The head and sides of the body exhibit the maker’s coveted and early spoke-shave finish. The inletted head displays finely carved bill detail around the carved mussel. This decoy exemplifies the maker’s high standards of sculptural form as well as his command of surface. Rigged with a weight and leather thong. Incised “McNAIR” on the underside. Original paint with even wear and some age lines.

A canvasback pair exhibiting dowel-through-head construction, incised primaries, and fine bill carving.

The undersides are incised “McNair.” Original paint with minimal wear.

Mark S. McNair (b. 1950) Craddockville, VA, c. 1985 25 1/2 in. long

$3,000 - $4,000 160

Mark S. McNair (b. 1950) Craddockville, VA, c. 1990 15 in. long

$3,000 - $4,000

MARK S. MCNAIR B. 1950 | CRADDOCKVILLE, VA

218 Root-Head American Egret Mark S. McNair (b. 1950) Craddockville, VA, c. 1990 32 in. long

A grand egret decoy with a hollow body and root-head. It is clear the maker enjoyed creating this bird. The head is removable and fits into the body with a mortise-and-tenon joint. The oak branch used for the head was finished with stylized incised and embossed details. The hollow cedar body is vertically laminated and the halves are held together with wooden pegs and sealed twine wraps at

the body seam. Keeping the emphasis on the wood and construction, the bird was painted in a wash. The incised “McNAIR� signature is found on the underside. An original base is included with this lot. Original paint with minimal wear. $2,000 - $3,000

218

216

218

161

MARK S. MCNAIR B. 1950 | CRADDOCKVILLE, VA

219

219 Long-Billed Curlew Mark S. McNair (b. 1950) Craddockville, VA, c. 2010 19 1/2 in. long

One of the largest McNair curlews we have handled, measuring over nineteen inches from tip to tail. This carving features raised wings, a slightly turned head, tack eyes, and the maker’s incised signature on the underside.

The bill was fashioned from a vintage pitchfork tine with the sharp tip safely bent inward.

Original paint with minimal wear.

LITERATURE: Zac Zetterburg, ed., American Decoy: The Invention, Peoria, IL, 2020, p. 109, McNair shorebirds illustrated.

$800 - $1,200

220

220 Golden Plover with Wire Legs Mark S. McNair (b. 1950) Craddockville, VA, c. 1990 13 3/4 in. tall by 11 in. long

This elaborately painted plover stands on a pair of fence-wire legs fixed into an original hardwood base. The body has raised wings and “McNair” incised on the underside.

Original paint with minimal wear. $600 - $900

221

221 Early Reaching Curlew Mark S. McNair (b. 1950) Craddockville, VA, c. 1980 17 in. long

An outstretched feeding curlew displaying a slight turn of the head, split and raised wing tips, incised wing detail, and an incised “McNAIR” on the underside. Original paint with minimal wear. $1,500 - $2,000

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MARK S. MCNAIR B. 1950 | CRADDOCKVILLE, VA

222 Running Sandpiper Mark S. McNair (b. 1950) Craddockville, VA, c. 1975 12 1/4 in. long

222

A early running sandpiper with an incised “MSM” on the underside.

Original paint with minimal wear and original lifted grain by stick hole. $600 - $900

223 New Jersey-Style Curlew

223

Mark S. McNair (b. 1950) Craddockville, VA, c. 1980 15 3/4 in. long

The incised “McNAIR” signature is on the underside. Original paint with minimal wear and check on right side. $600 - $900

224 Red Knot

Mark S. McNair (b. 1950) Craddockville, VA, c. 1980 12 in. long

224

A robin snipe decoy featuring split and raised wing tips and an incised “McNAIR” on bottom. Original paint with minimal wear. $600 - $900

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MARK S. MCNAIR B. 1950 | CRADDOCKVILLE, VA

225

227

226

228

225 Whimbrel

227 Long-Billed Dowitcher

A traditional Eastern Shore style curlew decoy featuring carved eyes, raised wings, and a split tail. Incised “McNAIR” on bottom. Original paint with minimal wear.

A long-billed dowitcher shorebird decoy with a spokeshave-finish, and the maker’s incised “McNAIR” signature on the underside. Original paint with minimal wear.

$600 - $900

$600 - $900

226 Virginia Curlew

228 Black-Bellied Plover

This large curlew features raised wings, an applied head with a thin neck,, and the maker’s incised “McNAIR” signature on the underside. Original paint, wear, and age line in head.

A black-bellied plover with carved wings, a split tail, an early knife finish, and the maker’s incised “McNAIR” signature on the bottom. Original paint with minimal wear, original bill reset at joint.

$600 - $900

$600 - $900

Mark S. McNair (b. 1950) Craddockville, VA, c. 1980 14 1/2 in. long

Mark S. McNair (b. 1950) Craddockville, VA, c. 1985 16 in. long

164

Mark S. McNair (b. 1950) Craddockville, VA, c. 1980 14 1/4 in. long

Mark S. McNair (b. 1950) Craddockville, VA, c. 1980 12 1/2 in. long

MARK S. MCNAIR B. 1950 | CRADDOCKVILLE, VA

229 Miniature Curlew

229

Mark S. McNair (b. 1950) Craddockville, VA, c. 2015 4 1/2 in. long

A miniature curlew in the Cobb Island style. Signed with incised “M” on the underside. Mounted on a finial base.

Original paint with minimal wear.

230 Gargatha-Style Merganser Drake Mark S. McNair (b. 1950) Craddockville, VA, c. 1983 14 1/4 in. long

Ira Hudson’s (1873-1949) famous “Gargatha” mergansers were discovered by collectors at a country auction in the eponymous Eastern Shore town of Gargatha in 1983, nearly 80 years after they were created. At the historic sale the auctioneer enlisted McNair to assist him with the sale of the now famous rig. This hands-on experience informed this folky homage.

Incised “J BEETS” and “M” signature on the underside.

Original paint with minimal wear.

LITERATURE: Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., Southern Decoys of Virginia and The Carolinas, Exton, PA, 1983, pp. 11-15, Gargatha discovery discussed.

$1,500 - $2,500

230

165

231 Flying Curlew Plaque Reggie Birch (b. 1953) Chincoteague, VA, 1992 37 in. tall

231

A full-bodied carved curlew in flight with good incised detail mounted on a trade-sign-style plaque. The piece is titled “Birds by the Barrel” and is signed by the maker in the lower right “R. Birch ‘92.” Original paint with minimal wear. $1,000 - $1,500

232

232 Covey of Bob White Quail Carvings John Vulcani LaSalle, IL, 2020 7 in. long

Six life-size carved and painted bobwhite quail with turned heads. The underside of each bears the carver’s incised signature. This group represents one of the artist’s finest efforts to date. All six feature delicate raised wing and tail carving. Original paint with minimal wear.

233

233 Pintail Hen

William C. Gibian (b. 1946) Onancock, VA, c. 1990 16 1/2 in. long

A pintail with a slightly turned head, raised primaries, and Gibian’s incised signature on the underside. Original paint with some craquelure to grain in breast. $1,000 - $1,500

166

234 Greg Beecham (b. 1954)

234

Canada Geese signed “Beecham” lower left oil on board, 21 by 28 in.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Illinois

$1,500 - $2,500

235 Douglas Allen (b. 1935)

Group of Geese signed “Douglas Allen” lower right watercolor and gouache, 9 by 13 1/4 in.

Kennedy Galleries, Inc., New York label on back

235

LITERATURE: Leonard Lee Rue III, “Game Birds of North America,” Outdoor Life, 1973, pp.

34-35, illustrated.

236 Thomas Aquinas Daly (b. 1937) 236

Hayfield at Dusk signed “tADaly” lower left watercolor, 11 by 16 in. $800 - $1,200

167

ARTHUR FITZWILLIAM TAIT 1819-1905

237.2

237.1

237 Arthur Fitzwilliam Tait (1819-1905) Two Paintings each oil on canvas, 10 by 12 in.

Five Chicks and Cecropia Moth signed “AF Tait” lower left Four Ducklings signed “AF Tait” lower right PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Weston, Massachusetts

$5,000 - $8,000

238 Arthur Fitzwilliam Tait (1819-1905)

Ducks, 1883 signed and dated “AF. Tait NY 83” lower right oil on panel, 5 1/2 by 8 in. inscribed “Drew from Uncle Will May 1924” on label on back PROVENANCE: Christie’s East, New York, October 7, 1997, lot 52 Private Collection, Weston, Massachusetts LITERATURE: Warder H. Cadbury and Henry F. Marsh, Arthur Fitzwilliam Tait: Artist in the Adirondacks, Newark, DE, 1986, p.

266, no. 83.26.

$3,000 - $5,000

238

168

CARL JUNTZ 1838-1916

239.1

239.2

239 Carl Jutz (German, 1838-1916) Two Genre Scenes, 1861 each oil on canvas, 12 1/2 by 16 in.

Ducks Beside a Garden Pond signed and dated “Carl Jutz. 1861” lower left Ducks and Ducklings by a Barnyard Water Trough signed, dated, and inscribed “Carl Jutz. Munchen. 1861” lower right PROVENANCE: Skinner, Inc., American & European Paintings & Prints, March 12, 1999, Sale 1907, lot 214.

Private Collection, Weston, Massachusetts

169

HERMAN PALMER 1894-1946

240.1

240.2

241.2

241.1

242.2

241.3

242.3

242.1

240 Herman Palmer (1894-1946)

241 Herman Palmer (1894-1946)

Stalking Tiger signed “Herman Palmer” lower right pastel, 7 3/4 by 13 in.

Polar Bear ink and watercolor, 9 by 13 in.

Two Tiger Drawings Tiger signed “Herman Palmer” lower left ink and watercolor, 8 by 11 1/2 in.

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.

170

Three Drawings each signed “Herman Palmer” lower right Leopard Feeding pencil and watercolor, 6 1/4 by 10 3/4 in.

Cat Feeding black crayon and gouache, 8 by 11 in.

242 Herman Palmer (1894-1946)

Three Drawings two signed “Herman Palmer” lower right, one signed “Herman Palmer” lower center Impala crayon and watercolor, 8 1/4 by 11 in.

Pronghorn pencil and gouache, 10 1/2 by 16 1/2 in.

Kudu ink and watercolor, 8 by 9 in.

171

Lots 243-292 are part of

The Walter L. Bush Collection Walter L. Bush was one of the preeminent pioneering decoy collectors in the New York/New Jersey area. A discerning and varied acquisitor, Bush’s personal stationery reveals that he was an auctioneer, a dealer, and an appraiser in the field of rare books and antiques.

Museum records further ascribe Bush to be “a collector whose business as an appraiser has given him a discriminating taste in antiques...” He was good friends with early decoy collectors Joel Barber (1876–1952) and William J. Mackey Jr. (1902–1972) and, as such, many parallels exist between the Bush, Mackey, and Barber collections.

“The Bush-Barber connection is of little surprise,” states Kory Rogers, Shelburne Museum’s Chief Curator and Francie and John Downing Curator of American Art, “as Barber used Bush’s decoys for several of his illustrations.”

Bush and Barber also both employed the same distinctive stacked wooden base design to display their carvings.

Many Bush carvings are closely linked to decoys in the

Bush working on a few of his own carvings.

Shelburne Museum collection. The Bush Collection carvings were models for illustrations in Barber’s 1934

The close network formed by the forward-thinking trio

book, Wild Fowl Decoys, his 1950 article in The New York

of Barber, Mackey, and Bush is readily seen as they each

State Conservationist magazine, and his unpublished

owned decoys from the same gunning rigs. Most notably,

Decoys of North America. Included in this group are the

all three owned North Carolina swans identical in form,

early preening Shang Wheeler black duck (lot 256), the

see The Walter L. Bush Hollow Swan (lot 245).

goldeneye (lot 278), the Holly Redhead Drake (lot 279),

Additionally, Mackey owned rigmates to Bush’s turned-

the preening Canvasback Drake from Connecticut (lot

head pintail hen (lot 265), his Oversize American

257), the early Stevens bufflehead drake (lot 244), the

Merganser Drake (lot 258), which is illustrated in

O’Neal ruddy duck (lot 268), and the Pratt green-winged

Quintina Colio’s American Decoys, and The Greene-Bush

teal (lot 289).

Dovetailed Yellowlegs (lot 283).

The decoy-collecting community in its infancy consisted

Upon his passing in 1953, Walter’s wife, Barbara, honored

of a small number of participants, and Barber’s Wild Fowl

her husband’s request and donated his decoy collection

Decoys was the sole reference available on the subject.

to a New York City museum. The ducks were all fastened

Sources: Barber, Joel. Wild Fowl Decoys, New York, NY: Windward House, 1934.

Barber, Joel. “The Decoy in Conservation.” The New York State Conservationist, October/November 1950.

French, Joe. “Walter Bush and the Greene Collection.” Decoy Magazine, May/June 2001.

French, Joe. “Early Decoy Days: Happy hunting grounds and the ones that got away.” Decoy Magazine, July/August 2004.

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THE WALTER L. BUSH COLLECTION

The Bush Long-Tailed Hen, lot 247.

to custom wooden bases, with Bush’s hand-painted notes

Joe French weighs in on the importance of the Bush

on the bottom. The bases were created to perfectly cradle

Collection in his 2004 article for Decoy Magazine:

each carving, a trademark of the Bush collection.

“It’s hard for me to describe how important this find was then, and just as important at this very minute.

Over the years, a number of important decoys from the

It was the greatest find I made back east, possibly for

Bush Collection have anonymously risen to the top of the

all time.” Copley is honored to have been chosen by

market, including his now-famous pair of Holly canvas-

the New York City museum to sell The Walter L. Bush

backs. In 2009 the Bush Holly Canvasback Pair set the

Decoy Collection.

world record for any Holly lot at auction when Copley sold the duo for $155,250, a record which still stands

Waterfowl decoys from the Bush collection that come

today.

mounted on wooden bases are easily removable by simply unfastening a single screw from the base’s underside.

173

IRA D. HUDSON

1873-1949 | CHINCOTEAGUE, VA

Ira Hudson, photograph courtesy of Henry Stansbury.

Walter L. Bush employed the same double stacked wooden bases utilized by Joel Barber.

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243

243 Bufflehead Pair

Ira D. Hudson (1873-1949) Chincoteague, VA, c. 1940 10 1/2 in. long

These Hudson butterballs are an exceedingly rare find.

Acquiring the maker’s buffleheads in untouched, original paint is nearly impossible. These slightly turned-head decoys were never rigged and remain in exceptionally fine condition, having been in museum storage for over sixty years.

The undersides of the bases bear the painted inscription “Bufflehead / Made by Ira N. [sic] Hudson Cincoteague [sic], Virginia / Balsawood.”

Excellent original paint with minimal wear, a ding to drake’s bill and hen’s tail.

PROVENANCE: Walter L. Bush Collection Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953 LITERATURE: Henry H. Stansbury, Ira D. Hudson and Family, Lewes, DE, 2002, pp. 81-83, related decoys illustrated.

$5,000 - $8,000

175

HARVEY STEVENS 1847-1894 | WEEDSPORT, NY

244 Early Bufflehead Drake Harvey Stevens (1847-1894) Weedsport, NY, c. 1880 12 1/2 in. long

A rare and early bufflehead with tack eyes, a sharp crest, and a dynamic underside. In addition to the brands listed below, a portion of the maker’s paper label has survived over 130 years, having been protected by an applied weight and then the collection stand. Prior to the discovery of this decoy, Stevens specialist Shane Newell documents a closely related example as an “outstanding and perhaps one of a kind original tackeye bufflehead...”

A separate wooden base bears the inscription: “Bufflehead - Male / Made by Stevens Decoy Factory / Weedsport, N.Y. / A portion of original factory label still adhering to bottom of decoy. Currituck Shooting Club / Poplar

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Branch, NC.” The underside of the carving is branded “T.H. BARBER, N.Y. / S. RUSSELL / S. RUSSELL.”Original paint with gunning wear and a tight age line in the neck.

PROVENANCE: Walter L. Bush Collection Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953 LITERATURE: Shane A. Newell, The Essential Guide to Stevens Decoys: Volume One, New York, NY, 2004, front cover, similar decoy illustrated, pp. 58-59, related example illustrated and discussed.

$4,500 - $6,500

244

177

THE WALTER L. BUSH COLLECTION

178

MONKEY ISLAND HOLLOW SWAN

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245 The Walter L. Bush Collection Monkey Island Swan

Monkey Island, NC, c. 1880 23 1/2 in. long, 15 1/4 in. tall, and 10 3/4 in. wide

This early swan decoy is as rare as it is hollow. The rarity of hollow North Carolina swans is demonstrated by the fact that only two such well-known rigs are known to exist. The eggshell-thin construction is particularly noteworthy as this grand decoy weighs less than some duck decoys. In addition to its interior refinements, it showcases graceful flowing lines. The body measures nearly eleven inches in width and has a gentle sweep from the raised neck seat, through the humped back, to the upswept tail. The high neck is drawn back and flows to an uplifted head. It displays full cheeks and is finished with a mortise-and-tenon bill.

This rare hollow design has been highly sought after by collectors and institutions over the decades. Related examples in varying conditions have been acquired by William J. Mackey Jr., Carter Smith, Paul Tudor Jones II, Collectable Old Decoys, and the Shelburne Museum, among others.

As per the inscription, this decoy hails from the Monkey Island Club which is located in the middle of Currituck Sound in North Carolina. Monkey Island was named for the Pamunkey Indians who once inhabited the seven -acre island. In 1869 the island was purchased for $15

by Norfolk investors who formed a private hunting club there. In 1919 tobacco executives purchased the club and surrounding land. As a result, the Monkey Island Club consisted of one thousand acres, an eight-bedroom clubhouse, a boat house, and a three-bedroom cottage. The initial stock price of a membership share was $5,000.

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Its membership represented some of the wealthiest and most powerful figures of the day, including George Hill, president of the American Tobacco Company. Renowned artist Roland Clark (1874-1957) was a recurring Monkey Island Club guest who was said to have frequented the club armed with his sketch pad and pen as well as his gun.

In 1931 the vice-president of the American Tobacco Company, Charles A. Penn, bought out the rest of the members’ shares. Forty-three years later, the Penn family sold the club to the Monkey Island Investment Venture Corp. for three million dollars. The island is now part of the Currituck National Wildlife Refuge.

The swan’s right side bears a museum identification code “A51.62” and the underside has an inscription which reads, “Whistling Swan from Monkey Island Club / Currituck Sound / North Carolina.” This decoy retains some of the finest paint to be found on any North Carolina swan. In very good old working paint with even gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Walter L. Bush Collection Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953 LITERATURE: Donna Tonelli, Top of the Line Hunting Collectibles, Atglen, PA, 1998, related example illustrated.

$40,000 - $60,000

MONKEY ISLAND HOLLOW SWAN

245

181

THE BUSH PASSENGER PIGEON PAIR

246

246 Exceedingly Rare Passenger Pigeon Pair New Jersey, c. 1880 12 1/2 in. long

In Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving, authors O’Brien and Olney write, “It is estimated that the passenger pigeon was once the most abundant land bird species in North America...Less than fifty years later, in 1914, Martha, the world’s last living passenger pigeon, died in the Cincinnati Zoo.” As a result of this species’ extinction due to human pressures, passenger pigeons are among the rarest of all decoy species.

The only known rigmate to this pair is featured in a dedicated “Authentic Passenger Pigeon Decoy” page in Classic New Jersey Decoys. In addition to three photos of the bird, the text includes “This is the only one of these that I have ever handled. Joe French’s note on bottom of decoy reads; ‘Only Old Pas Pig I own.’” That rigmate was obtained by Joe French after Bush’s passing and it was subsequently acquired by legendary author and collector James R. Doherty.

The Bush pair exhibit two poses with long flowing tails and distinctive almond-shaped eyes. The undersides bear museum identification codes in red paint.

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A caption on the back dust jacket of Mackey’s American Bird Decoys notes that real passenger pigeon decoys “are today almost as rare as these extinct birds themselves.”

Original paint with gunning wear, some dings, and age lines.

PROVENANCE: Walter L. Bush Collection Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953 LITERATURE: James R. Doherty, Classic New Jersey Decoys, Louisville, KY, 2011, p. 185, pl. 422-424, Doherty-French rigmate illustrated.

Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. and Chelsie W. Olney, Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving, Hingham, MA, 2019, p. 161, passenger pigeons discussed.

William J. Mackey, William J. Mackey Jr., American Bird Decoys, New York, NY, 1965, pp. 60-61 and back dust jacket, related pair illustrated and discussed.

$4,500 - $6,500

THE BUSH LONG-TAILED HEN

247

247 The Bush Long-Tailed Hen New Jersey, c. 1890 13 1/2 in. long

Occasionally, decoys come to light that are complete unknowns, as was the case with appearance of the now famous Kankakee pintail rig that surfaced over a decade ago. This elegant high-head long tail invokes the same visceral sense of wonder, standing as a virtually undocumented form.

The exceptional qualities and distinctive features of this carving are immediately evident. The high head on the raised neck seat is among the most stately seen on any long-tail or sea duck. It features full cheeks which taper up past the counter-sunk eyes to a sharp ridge along the crown. On the opposite end, the maker has carved an exceedingly thin, uplifted tail with a spade shape tip, remarkable for it’s survival. The two-piece body is held together with two dowels providing evidence of it’s early New Jersey origin. The unknown maker has creatively reduced the weight of the bird by hollowing the bottom half of the decoy.

It is a particular standout for the species south of Accord, Massachusetts home of master long tail carver

Joseph Lincoln. Very few early Long-tail decoys carved along the Mid-Atlantic region survive today.

Copley is pleased to present this documented example for the first time.

The carving’s right side displays the museum identification code “A51-98” in red paint. Very early working paint with even gunning wear and a partial neck crack.

PROVENANCE: Walter L. Bush Collection Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953 LITERATURE: Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., Decoy of the Mid-At-

lantic Region, Exton, PA, 1979, p. 20, Shourds long-tail pair illustrated.

H. Harrison Huster and Doug Knight, Floating Sculptures: The Decoys of the Delaware River, Spanish Fork, UT, 1982, p. 55, English long-tailed drake illustrated. $25,000 - $35,000

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248

250

249

251

248 Early Turned-Head Canvasback Drake Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924) Detroit, MI, c. 1900 15 in. long

An early drake with strong swirl paint and a “WHW” brand on the underside. The head is turned slightly to the right. It bears the following inscription on the underside of its wooden base: “Canvasback Male / “Factory” Decoy From Currituck Shooting Club / Poplar Beach, NC.” The carving’s base displays the museum identification code “A51-45” in red paint. Original paint with some patches of flaked paint and paint rubs.

PROVENANCE: Currituck Shooting Club Walter L. Bush Collection Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953

$2,000 - $3,000

Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953 $2,000 - $3,000

250 Black Duck

Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924) Detroit, MI, c. 1910 17 in. long

A challenge-grade black duck carving mounted on a wooden base which bears a red museum code on the side. The underside of base reads, “Black duck / Mason Decoy Factory / Detroit, Mich. / From Currituck Shooting Club, Poplar Branch, NC.” Original paint with some gunning wear, a small tail chip, missing right eye, and neck filler loss.

PROVENANCE: Currituck Shooting Club Walter L. Bush Collection Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953

249 Early Redhead Drake

Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924) Detroit, MI c. 1900 14 in. long

This premier-grade decoy displays the museum identification code “A51-102” in red paint on its right side. It also bears the following inscription on its wooden base: “Redhead - Male From Currituck Shooting Club / Poplar Beach, NC.” The underside of the decoy is branded “WHW.” Original paint with gunning wear, including flaking mostly around neck, an age line on left side, and some paint rubs from stacking.

PROVENANCE: Currituck Shooting Club

Walter L. Bush Collection 184

251 Mallard Pair

Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924) Detroit, MI, c. 1915 16 3/4 in. long

A pair of mallards mounted on wooden bases with the following inscription: “Mallard / Made by Mason Decoy Factory Detroit, Mich. / From the Currituck Shooting Club, Poplar Branch, NC.” The underside of each decoy is branded “CASS.” Original paint with heavy gunning wear, including large tail chips.

PROVENANCE: Walter L. Bush Collection Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953

MASON DECOY FACTORY

1896-1924 | DETROIT, MI

252

252 Early Special Order Canada Goose Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924) Detroit, MI, c. 1900 24 in. long

This is perhaps Mason’s earliest goose model and features special head and neck construction. This carving displays a bill section inlaid down through the top of the head. The head is removable and set on an angled dowel.

Goldberger and Haid discuss a closely related carving, noting, “This one has a unique special-order, take-apart head.” Making this decoy perhaps only the second known example of this special model. On the subject of the rarity of goose decoys made by the factory, the authors also point out that “Mason discontinued making goose decoys in 1913 and suggested that customers buy their brant decoys instead. Good wood for the large bodies was just too hard to find!”

PROVENANCE: Walter L. Bush Collection Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953 LITERATURE: Russ J. Goldberger and Alan Haid, Mason Decoys: A Pictorial Guide, Updated Edition, Lewes, DE, 2003, p. 80, closely related decoy illustrated.

$10,000 - $14,000

In addition to the bird’s special construction, it features the best qualities of the more common Mason geese, including a grand body with strong swirl paint and fine premier-grade head carving. The underside bears “LH BEERS” and “FHM” brands, and the museum code “A51.59” is painted in red on the rear left flank. Original paint with gunning wear including some flaking, checks along lower left side, small chip to top left corner of special bill joint.

185

WILLIAM STILES TUCKERTON, NJ

253

253 Ruddy Turnstone

254 Curlew

An exceedingly rare, if not unique, turnstone with strong paint. This decoy, along with the Bush Stiles curlew in this sale, represent the best of this maker’s work. The museum code in red paint on the underside reads, “A51.162.” Original paint with even gunning wear, a few tight age lines, and an original knot cavity on right side of tail.

A rare Tuckerton curlew with a thin tail, eye grooves, and the maker’s signature bill tip. The museum code “A51.152” is in red paint on the underside. Original paint with light gunning wear.

William Stiles Tuckerton, NJ, c. 1900 10 1/4 in. long

PROVENANCE: Walter L. Bush Collection Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953

$1,500 - $2,500

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254

William Stiles Tuckerton, NJ, c. 1900 13 in. long

PROVENANCE: Walter L. Bush Collection Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953 LITERATURE: E. Jane Townsend, Gunners Paradise; Wildfowling and Decoys on Long Island, Stony Brook, NY, 1979, p. 111, related example illustrated.

$1,500 - $2,500

THE BUSH RUNNING GOLDEN PLOVER

255

255 The Bush Running Golden Plover c. 1900 11 1/2 in. long and 13 in. long

An elaborately carved and painted golden plover with raised wings that lead into an exceptionally long, thin tail and split wing tips. The possibly unique form is accentuated by a grand white S-curve which sweeps from head to elegant, arching tail. The museum identification code “A51-151” is in red paint on the carving’s left flank. Excellent original paint with gunning wear including some shot.

PROVENANCE: Walter L. Bush Collection Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953

$6,000 - $9,000

187

CHARLES E. “SHANG” WHEELER 1872-1949 | STRATFORD, CT

256

256 Early Preening Black Duck

Charles E. “Shang” Wheeler (1872-1949) Stratford, CT, c. 1910 15 in. long

A classic Connecticut black duck decoy with exceptional carving and fine paint by the region’s most revered maker.

The underside bears the white-paint inscription “Black Duck Preening / From the personal rig of Chas E. (Shang) Wheeler, Stratford Conn.” and a flat teardrop-shaped weight. A rigmate was in the collection of early collector Joel Barber, was pictured in Chitwood’s “Connecticut Decoys,” and now resides at the Shelburne Museum. In a second coat of Wheeler gunning paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Shang Wheeler Rig Walter L. Bush Collection Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953

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LITERATURE: Dixon MacD. Merkt, Shang: A Biography of Charles E. Wheeler, Spanish Fork, UT, 1984, dust-jacket cover, p. 139, related early preening black duck illustrated.

Henry C. Chitwood, Connecticut Decoys, West Chester, PA, 1987, p. 49, Shelburne Museum rigmate illustrated.

$3,000 - $5,000

257

257 Early Preening Canvasback Drake Stratford School, CT, c. 1880 13 in. long

The discovery of this preening canvasback is an exciting early addition to the already-impressive portfolio of the Stratford School of decoy carvers. This decoy was sourced from the Currituck Shooting Club and bears a distinctive F.B.A. brand which has been found on several early and important Connecticut decoys, including a closely related and extensively illustrated preening goose which has been featured two dust-jacket covers, including the front and center of Shang by Dixon Merkt.

This famous goose was also owned by Walter Bush a one time. Decoys from this rig and a Joel Barber drawing of closely related preening teal are held in the Shelburne Museum. This Bush Barber connection was of little surprise to Shelburne Museum curator and Barber authority Kory Rogers, given his knowledge of the early collectors’ close relationship. One other related canvasback has been held for many years in a premier New England collection.

This early decoy was confidently executed with bold form and fine features. The base of the neck transitions perfectly from the body and the preening head wraps around and is inlaid into the right wing. Each wing is raised in the front, a successful embellishment not seen elsewhere in this carving school. The raised primaries along the sides and back are a feature that Wheeler used in his canvasbacks and geese. The fashion in which the bird was hollowed, seems entirely unique to the maker during this period—an inlaid central bottom board finished with chamfered edges. The imprint of a teardrop

weight on this shallow keel can be seen on the bottom as a fingerprint of the region.

The duck’s right side bears the museum identification code “A51.73” in red paint. This carving is not attached to the collector’s base and the underside bears the painted inscription “Canvasback = Male = ‘Sleeper’ From Currituck Shooting Club, Poplar Branch, NC.” The underside of the accompanying base also displays the inscription “Canvasback - Male / Head in Sleeping or Preening Position / From Currituck Shooting Club, Poplar Branch, NC.” A mix of original and early gunning paint with some shot scars, including on the left side of head.

PROVENANCE: Currituck Shooting Club Walter L. Bush Collection Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953 LITERATURE: Dixon MacD. Merkt, Shang: A Biography of Charles E. Wheeler, Spanish Fork, UT, 1984, front dust-jacket cover and p. 66, closely related rigmate sleeping goose illustrated.

Gene and Linda Kangas, Decoys: A North American Survey, Spanish Fork, UT, 1983, back dust jacket cover and p. 84, closely related rigmate sleeping goose illustrated.

Old Sate House, Shang Wheeler and the Housatonic Decoy, exhibition catalog, Hartford, CT, 1983, closely related rigmate sleeping goose illustrated.

Henry C. Chitwood, Connecticut Decoys, West Chester, PA, 1987, p. 43, F.B.A. rigmates illustrated.

$5,000 - $8,000 189

258

258 Oversize American Merganser Drake J. Taylor Johnson (1853-1929) Point Pleasant, NJ, c. 1890 21 in. long

There is not a bad line on this grand American Merganser decoy. It bears a penciled inscription on underside of the wooden base which reads, “American Merganser Drake made & used by the Cavalier Family, Wading River, N.J. Made 1870-1880.” The underside of the bird is also inscribed with a species identification and “Updike Collection.” In early working paint with gunning wear, flaking mostly to breast, chips out of tail and bottom of crest. Some old putty fill to neck cracks and top of bill.

PROVENANCE: John Updike Collection Walter L. Bush Collection Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953

259

LITERATURE: Quintina Colio, American Decoys, Ephrata, PA, 1972, p. 19, 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, 1973, Sessions I & II, lot 457, rigmate illustrated.

$2,500 - $3,500

259 Goldeneye Hen

Harry Shourds (1861-1920) Tuckerton, NJ, c. 1900 13 1/4 in. long

A goldeneye displaying a painted inscription on underside of base which reads, “Goldeneye - Female / Harry Shourds / Tuckerton, NJ / Circa 1900 / Updike Collection.” A round metal tag under the tail has an embossed “7.” In fine working repaint by Chris Sprague with minimal wear.

260

PROVENANCE: John Updike Collection Walter L. Bush Collection Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953 LITERATURE: Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., New Jersey Decoys, Exton, PA, 1983, p. 138, related example illustrated.

James R. Doherty, Classic New Jersey Decoys, Louisville, KY, 2011, p. 113, fig. 11, related example illustrated.

260 Early Canada Goose Lloyd Parker (1859-1921) Parkertown, NJ, c. 1890 24 in. long

An excellent, hollow Canada goose by one of Barnegat Bay’s finest carvers. Legendary Jersey collector John Hillman owned an example which was very closely related in form, paint, and condition. He described his carving as the “Best Lloyd Parker I’ve ever owned.” This lot exhibits a painted inscription “Canada Goose From Tuckerton, N.J.” and a “C. CRAN” brand on the underside. The carving’s 190

JAKE BARRETT SOMERS POINT, NJ

261

right side displays the museum identification code “A5156” in red paint. Excellent second coat of Parker paint with light gunning wear and some flaking to head and neck.

PROVENANCE: Walter L. Bush Collection Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953 LITERATURE: Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., Decoys of the Mid-Atlantic Region, Exton, PA, 1979, p. 52, Hillman example illustrated.

Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., New Jersey Decoys, Exton, PA, 1983, p. 115, Hillman example illustrated (image reversed).

261 Red-Breasted Merganser Pair Jake Barrett Somers Point, NJ, c. 1890 15 1/2 in. long

A hollow pair of merganser decoys with refined and delicate carving, including thin crests, bills, and tails. Each also has a gentle shoulder carving, not often seen in this region. They are attached to wooden bases. The inscriptions on undersides of both bases has an early misattribution. It reads “American Merganser / Made by Harry

Shourds Tuckerton, N.J.” The drake’s right side bears a museum identification code “A51.77” in red paint. The hen’s right side bears a museum identification code “A51.78” in red paint. Two of the best Barrett decoys to ever be offered for sale. In nice dry early gunning paint with light wear. The hen has a crack in the thin crest and drake has three paint flakes to the head.

PROVENANCE: Walter L. Bush Collection Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953 LITERATURE: Eugene Connett, ed., Duck Shooting Along the Atlantic Tidewater, New York, NY, 1947, p. 111, bottom row, related decoys illustrated.

James R. Doherty, Classic New Jersey Decoys, Louisville, KY, 2011, p. 159, pl. 331, related Canada goose illustrated.

Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., New Jersey Decoys, Exton, PA, 1983, p. 147, related bufflehead pairs illustrated.

Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., Decoys of the Mid-Atlantic Region, Exton, PA, 1979, p. 27, related bufflehead pair illustrated.

Kenneth L. Gosner, Working Decoys of the Jersey Coast and Delaware Valley, Cranbury, NJ, 1985, p. 146, related bluebill illustrated.

$3,500 - $5,500

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262

263

262 Green-Winged Teal Drake

263 Pintail Drake

A hollow teal with elaborate paint mounted on a wooden base inscribed “Greenwing Teal = Male / From Port Republic, N.J. Probably from Delaware River.” Original paint with even gunning wear.

An early Philadelphia-School pintail drake with a down-turned head and eye-groove carving. The long and hollow body is finished with elaborate plumage. It has been mounted on a wooden base inscribed “Pintail = Male / From Port Republic, N.J. Probably from Delaware River.” Original paint with even gunning wear.

Delaware River, c. 1900 11 1/2 in. long

PROVENANCE: Walter L. Bush Collection Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953 LITERATURE: Kenneth L. Gosner, Working Decoys of the Jersey Coast and Delaware Valley, Cranbury, NJ, 1985, pp. 136-137, exact decoy illustrated.

$1,500 - $2,500

Delaware River, c. 1900 17 in. long

PROVENANCE: Walter L. Bush Collection Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953 LITERATURE: Kenneth L. Gosner, Working Decoys of the Jersey Coast and Delaware Valley, Cranbury, NJ, 1985, pp. 136-137, rigmate teal illustrated.

$1,500 - $2,500

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264 Canvasback Drake Ohio, c. 1880 17 1/2 in. long

264

This decoy is by the same maker as birds from the “WMD” rig in Decoy Magazine.

Branded “F.A. SCHERMERHORN” and “BECKWITH,” this decoy was likely owned by Frederick Augustus Schermerhorn (d. 1919). The famous capitalist, philanthropist, and sailor passed away while giving a patriotic speech at The Union Club in New York. He is also noted for gifting his yacht “Free Lance” to the U.S. Navy in 1898.

Bush’s inscription on bottom of the base reads: “Canvasback = Male / ‘Wing Duck’ used on wings of floating battery / Very old specimen Antedating the use of cast iron decoys / From the Currituck Shooting Club, Poplar Branch, NC.” The carving’s right side displays the museum identification code “A51-115” in red paint.

Original paint with even gunning wear, chip to back of neck seam, an age line along back, paint rub on front right side, and a knot on left wing.

265

PROVENANCE: Walter L. Bush Collection Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953

Columbia Daily Spectator, vol. XLIII, no. 19, March 26, 1919. Linda and Gene Kangas, “WMD: The missing link,” Decoy Magazine, July/August 2012, p. 25, related mallard illustrated.

LITERATURE:

265 Turned-Head Pintail Hen Delaware River, c. 1900 12 1/4 in. long

A hollow pintail with heart-shaped wing carving. It has been mounted on a wooden base inscribed “From Port Republic, N.J. Probably from Delaware River.”

Gosner describes this bird in his book, identifying it as a teal; however, the size and plumage more likely distinguish it as a pintail hen. Original paint with even gunning wear, rubs to bill tip and tail.

PROVENANCE: Walter L. Bush Collection Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953 LITERATURE: Kenneth L. Gosner, Working Decoys of the Jersey Coast and Delaware Valley, Cranbury, NJ, 1985, pp. 136-137, rigmate illustrated and exact bird discussed.

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, Sessions I & II, lot 298, rigmate illustrated.

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266

267

266 Pintail Hen

267 Currituck Shooting Club Swimming Bluebill

A pintail mounted on a wooden base bearing the inscription “Pintail / From Currituck Shooting Club, Poplar Branch, N.C.” on the underside. In old paint with light gunning wear.

A snakey-neck decoy with full cheek carving and a wide body with humped back and upswept tail. It has been mounted on a wooden base which bears the inscription “Ruddy Duck From Currituck Shooting Club, Poplar Branch, N.C.” The carving’s right side displays the museum identification code “A51-89” in red paint. While this pert model closely resembles a ruddy duck, the white patch behind the bill and the black bill tip identify it as a scaup hen. Original paint with even gunning wear and neck seam is slightly loose.

North Carolina, c. 1930 16 3/4 in. long

PROVENANCE: Currituck Shooting Club Walter L. Bush Collection Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953

$1,000 - $1,500

North Carolina, c. 1920 13 in. long

PROVENANCE: Currituck Shooting Club Walter L. Bush Collection Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953

$6,000 - $9,000

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Illustration of this exact decoy by Joel D. Barber, Duck Swimming, 1950. Watercolor and graphite on paper, 13 1/4 x 15 7⁄16 in. Collection of Shelburne Museum, gift of J. Watson, Jr., Harry H., and Samuel B. Webb. 1952192.532. Photography by Andy Duback.

268 Ruddy Duck Drake

Wallace O’Neal II (1896-1976) Waterlilly, NC, c. 1920 12 in. long

Discussing a closely related example in Gunnin’ Decoys, author Andresen reports, “Wallace O’Neal II didn’t make many ruddy ducks, but this one has great form. The upswept tail and flat bottom set it apart from other ruddy decoys carved in the area.”

This decoy bears the following inscription on the underside of its wooden base: “Ruddy Duck / Very old and crude specimen. From Currituck Sound, NC.” The carving’s base displays the museum identification code in

red paint. Old working paint with gunning wear and several neck cracks.

PROVENANCE: Walter L. Bush Collection Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953 LITERATURE: Kroghie Andresen, Gunnin’ Birds, Charlotte, NC, 2008, p. 193, closely related ruddy illustrated and discussed.

$3,000 - $5,000

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IRA D. HUDSON

1873-1949 | CHINCOTEAGUE, VA

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269 Broadbill Drake

Ira D. Hudson (1873-1949) Chincoteague, VA, c. 1935 13 in. long

A bold gunning decoy with a grand body, lively paint, and deeply fluted banjo tail. The excellent condition of this decoy suggests that it was never hunted, and it is possible that Bush collected it as a contemporary decoy from the maker.

The unattached wooden base bears the painted inscription “Broad-Bill (Scaup) Male / Made by Ira N. [sic] Hudson Cincoteague [sic] Virginia.” Original paint with minimal wear, some crazing mostly around wing tips and on front sides, crack along top right side.

PROVENANCE: Walter L. Bush Collection Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953 LITERATURE: Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., Decoys of the Mid-At-

lantic Region, Exton, PA, 1979, p. 195, closely related decoy illustrated. $1,000 - $2,000

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270 Wigeon Drake c. 1900 12 in. long

The carving is mounted on a wooden base which bears the inscription “Widgeon - Male / From Currituck Shooting Club, Poplar Branch, N.C.” Original paint with gunning wear and some putty to neck cracks.

PROVENANCE: Currituck Shooting Club Walter L. Bush Collection Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953

271 Turned-Head Canada Goose H. Blanton Saunders (1910-1982) Poplar Branch, NC, c. 1940 22 1/2 in. long

An early, turned-head, canvas-over-wire Canada goose decoy. An inscription on underside reads, “Canada Goose / Made by H. Blanton Saunders / Poplar Branch (Currituck Sound) North Carolina.” The museum code “A51-117” is painted in red on the right side of the bottom board. Original paint with gunning wear and working coats of white and black.

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PROVENANCE: Walter L. Bush Collection Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953 LITERATURE: Kroghie Andresen, Gunnin’ Birds, Charlotte, NC, 2008, pp. 197-198, related goose illustrated, and old photos of the maker with similar decoy floating after a hunt.

272 Blue-Winged Teal Drake Gideon Lipincott (1817-1889) Wading River, NJ, c. 1860 13 1/2 in. long

This carving is mounted on a wooden base with the following painted inscription on the underside: “Bluewing Teal Male Made by Gideon Lipincott / Wading River, NJ.” The carving’s base displays the museum identification code in red paint. In repaint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Walter L. Bush Collection Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953

273 Early Mallard Drake

Gideon Lipincott (1817-1889) Wading River, NJ, c. 1860 18 in. long

A mallard drake by this early and influential New Jersey maker. The bird’s former owner John Updike was known to bring mallards to Chris Sprague for painting as can be seen here. The carving is mounted on a wooden base with the following painted inscription on underside of base: “Mallard Male Made by Gideon Lipincott / Wading River, NJ / Said to have been made circa 1858 / Updike Collection.” The carving’s right side displays the museum identification code “A51-68” in red paint. In working Chris Sprague paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: John Updike Collection Walter L. Bush Collection Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953

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274 Eskimo Curlew

Alonzo Foster Hampton Bays, NY, c. 1880 10 1/4 in.

A rare curlew carving with the maker’s celebrated green plumage and blended paint. It bears a museum code “A51.158” in red paint on the underside. Original paint with light gunning wear, replaced bill is broken off.

PROVENANCE: Walter L. Bush Collection Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953 LITERATURE: Timothy Sieger, The Decoys of Long Island, Water Mills, NY, 2010, p. 57, closely related curlew illustrated.

275 Thorn Rig Running Sandpiper Jamaica Bay, Long Island, NY, c. 1900 8 1/2 in.

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A large running peep with black and umber stippled feathering. The carving’s underside bears a museum identification code “A51.160” in red paint. Original paint with minimal gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: William Thorn Rig Walter L. Bush Collection Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953 LITERATURE: Decoys Unlimited Auctions, Rare and Important Decoys, Related Artifacts & Americana, July 22 & 23, 2001, lot 107A and color spread, related example illustrated.

$2,000 - $3,000

276 Curlew or Godwit c. 1880 15 3/4 in. long 276

A roothead carving with an exceptionally long bill bearing a museum code “A51.155” in red paint on the underside.

While a curlew was likely the target species for the carver, the upswept curve of the bill does illustrate the possibility that this represents an exceedingly rare godwit decoy. Appears to be in original paint with heavy gunning wear, tight crack in bill, and neck seam is loose.

PROVENANCE: Walter L. Bush Collection Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953

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277 Shorebird Trio

Cape May, NJ, c. 1890 10 in. long

Three rigmate shorebirds consisting of a ruddy turnstone and a plover pair. Each has a museum identification code in red paint on its underside. Original paint with gunning wear to all three. The plover in spring plumage and turnstone have some reddish discoloration. The plover in winter plumage has flaking and possible gunning touch-up to right side.

PROVENANCE: Walter L. Bush Collection Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953 LITERATURE: John M. Levinson and Somers G. Headley, Shorebirds: The Birds, The Hunters, The Decoys, Centreville, MD, 1991, p. 86, rigmate turnstone illustrated.

$1,800 - $2,400

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278 Early Raised-Wing Goldeneye Drake New Jersey, c. 1880 14 1/2 in. long

This raised-wing decoy was immortalized by Joel Barber in 1950. The architect borrowed the decoy from John Updike and recorded it with his iconic drawings and paintings. The final watercolor image he produced was immediately published as the lead image in one of his last articles, titled “The Decoy in conservation.”

A hollow goldeneye displaying dramatic raised and split wing tips. A painted inscription on underside of base reads, “Goldeneye - Male / Maker Unknown / Barnegat Bay / Updike Collection / John Updike.” The carving’s right side displays the museum identification code “A51-76” in red paint. The bird appears to be branded “W. T. BAILEY.” In working paint with minimal wear and an early replaced head.

PROVENANCE: John Updike Collection

Walter L. Bush Collection Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953 LITERATURE: Joel Barber, “The Decoy in Conservation,” The New York State Conservationist, October/November 1950, p.

20, exact decoy illustrated in Barber’s watercolor.

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Illustration of this exact decoy by Joel D. Barber, Whistler with Raised Wings, 1950. Watercolor and ink on paper, 11 7⁄16 x 14 1⁄16 in. Collection of Shelburne Museum, gift of J. Watson, Jr., Harry H., and Samuel B. Webb. 1952-192.560.

Photography by Andy Duback.

279 Redhead Drake

John “Daddy” Holly (1818-1892) and James T. Holly (18551935) Havre de Grace, MD, c. 1880 13 in. long

A rare redhead carving exhibiting “T. DOWS” and “D.G. ELLIOT” brands on the bottom. Daniel Giraud Elliot authored “Wildfowl of North America.” The underside also bears an inlaid lead-strip weight. This decoy bears the following inscription on its wooden base: “Redhead -

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Male From Currituck Shooting Club / Poplar Beach, NC.” The carving’s right side displays the museum identification code “A51-110” in red paint. This decoy, like others

by John Holly was refitted with head by his son James T. Holly.

This famous rig contains some of the best Holly duck decoys known, two of which can be seen in the Shelburne Museum, with one example in the museum’s 1961 publication. Original paint with even gunning wear, replaced head by James Holly has a neck crack. Flaking to bottom.

PROVENANCE: T. Dows Rig Daniel G. Elliot Rig Currituck Shooting Club Walter L. Bush Collection Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953 LITERATURE: David S. Webster and William Kehoe, Decoys

at Shelburne Museum, Burlington, VT, 1961, p. 57, rigmate canvasback illustrated.

PROVENANCE: Walter L. Bush Collection Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953

281 Wigeon Drake

Verity Family Long Island, NY, c. 1890 13 1/2 in. long

A high-head baldpate with a “HIDDEN” brand on the underside. The carving’s right side displays the museum identification code “A51-93” in red paint. This decoy also bears the following inscription on its wooden base: “Widgeon - Male From Currituck Shooting Club / Poplar Beach, NC.” Original paint is mostly worn to wood with heavy gunning wear, a crack in neck.

PROVENANCE: Currituck Shooting Club Walter L. Bush Collection Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953

280 Canvasback Drake

282 Redhead Drake

Upper Chesapeake Bay, c. 1870 15 1/2 in. long

Freeport, NY, c. 1890 12 1/2 in. long

A large canvasback decoy with a slight ridge down the tail. The underside for tail bears an incised “H” and the body has a second head by James T. Holly (1855-1935).

The underside of the base bears an inscription which reads “Canvasback - Male / From Chesapeake Bay, Md. Said to have been used in rig shot over by President Grover Cleveland.” The Upper Chesapeake’s “Cleveland Rig” is named for famed waterfowling enthusiast, and 22nd president of the United States, Grover Cleveland (1837-1908). The carving also bears a red-paint “A5195” museum identification code on its right side. As found in old paint.

A flat-bottomed decoy with an oak keel. The carving’s right side displays the museum identification code “A51101” in red paint. This decoy also bears the following inscription on its wooden base: “Redhead - Male From Currituck Shooting Club / Poplar Beach, NC.” A later note attributes it to Freeport, Long Island. The underside of the decoy is branded “HIDDEN.” Original paint with working grey paint across the back and sides.

PROVENANCE: Currituck Shooting Club Walter L. Bush Collection Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953

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DR. GILBERT E. WALLACE 1873-1917 | FORKED RIVER, NJ

283 Greene-Bush Dovetailed Yellowlegs 283

Dr. Gilbert E. Wallace (1873-1917) Forked River, NJ, c. 1900 9 1/4 in. long

A rare yellowlegs carving with a removable dovetailed head. The vertically laminated hollow body is finished with raised wings and split and raised wing tips.

The maker used an ingenious method to construct this elaborately designed decoy. The vertical lamination allowed the maker to not only hollow the body, but also more easily carve out the dovetail cavity. Additionally, the dovetail keystone was applied to the underside of the head rather than carved out of the neck. The underside has the rig numeral “VIII” and the museum code “A51.149” in red paint.

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An extensive biography on Wallace is available in James Doherty’s Classic New Jersey Decoys book, along with the author’s fixed-head yellowlegs. Original paint with even gunning wear. Dovetail keystone is replaced.

PROVENANCE: Greene Collection Walter L. Bush Collection Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953 LITERATURE: James R. Doherty, Classic New Jersey Decoys, Louisville, KY, 2011, p. 172, fixed-head examples illustrated, Appendix C, xx-xxii, Wallace biography.

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, Sessions I & II, lot 340, rigmate illustrated.

$8,000 - $12,000

284 Four Yellowlegs Silhouettes Dr. Gilbert E. Wallace (1873-1917) Forked River, NJ, c. 1900 10 in. long

Four rigmate decoys with carved separated wing tips, an unusual feature in a flattie. Each has a unique Roman numeral rig marking and museum code on the underside.

Original paint with gunning wear. Bird heavily hit by shot has replaced bill, some chipping at bill insertions.

PROVENANCE: Walter L. Bush Collection Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953

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285 Curlew

New Jersey, c. 1880 13 1/2 in. long A salty old marsh warrior with a high head, deep eye grooves, and a finely carved bill. The carving’s underside displays the museum identification code “A51-139” in red paint. As found.

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288 Important “Red-backed Sandpiper” J. N. Dodge Decoy Factory (1883-1893) Detroit, MI, c. 1885 12 1/2 in. long

This flattie yellowlegs with fine paint is paired with an unfinished block of the same form. The decoy is in original paint with minimal gunning wear.

A Dodge shorebird preserved in remarkable condition retaining its original long tail and bill. Mackey illustrates two closely related examples in his American Bird Decoys book and remarks, “Conformation and paint patterns make identification difficult.” Mackey suggests his related decoy may be a red-backed sandpiper, also know as a dunlin, in winter plumage. Detroit Decoy Dynasty authors Dodge and Sharp illustrate a closely related example leaning towards a red knot identification. The contemporary authors also discuss the upswept underside of the bill and suggest it may have been how the bird left the factory. This is one of the finest Dodge shorebirds to ever be offered at public auction. Outstanding dry original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Walter L. Bush Collection Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953

PROVENANCE: Walter L. Bush Collection Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953

PROVENANCE: Walter L. Bush Collection Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953

286 Yellowlegs Silhouettes Long Island, NY, c. 1900 11 1/4 in. long

287 Robin Snipe

Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924) Detroit, MI, c. 1910 10 1/2 in. long

This carving bears a museum code “A51.146” in red paint on the underside. Original paint with gunning wear and a crack along right side.

LITERATURE: Decoys Unlimited Inc., Spectacular Summer Decoy Auction July 15th & 16th, 2012, front catalog cover and p. 124, lot 555, closely related example illustrated Ron Sharp and Bill Dodge, Detroit Decoy Dynasty, Lawsonville, NC, 2009, p. 187, closely related example illustrated and discussed.

William J. Mackey Jr., American Bird Decoys, New York, NY, 1965, p. 213, closely related decoys illustrated and discussed.

$2,500 - $3,500

PROVENANCE: Walter L. Bush Collection Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953

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289 Green-Winged Teal Drake

William E. Pratt Mfg Co. (1893-1936) Joliet, IL, c. 1925 13 in. long

A teal drake with a two-piece body joined on a vertical seam. This decoy bears the following inscription on the underside of its wooden base: “Greenwing Teal / ‘Factory’ Decoy.” The carving’s base displays the museum identification code in red paint.

The probable rigmate to this decoy is held by the Shelburne Museum, having come through the Barber Collection. Original paint with gunning wear including rubs to head and slight neck seam separation.

PROVENANCE: Walter L. Bush Collection

Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953

290 Wigeon Drake

Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924) Detroit, MI, c. 1910

A tack-eye wigeon drake mounted on a wooden base inscribed “Widgeon - Male / ‘Factory’ Decoy / From the Currituck Shooting Club, Poplar Branch, NC.” Original paint with gunning wear, an age line in back, and flaking to head and neck seam.

PROVENANCE: Currituck Shooting Club Walter L. Bush Collection Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953

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291 Redhead Drake c. 1900

A redhead mounted on a wooden base with the following inscription: “Redhead = Male / Origin Unknown.” Appears to be mostly repaint with some neck restoration.

PROVENANCE: Walter L. Bush Collection Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953

292 Redhead Drake

John Updike (1886-1955) Green Bank, NJ, c. 1940

Inscription on underside of wooden base reads “Redhead - Male / Made by John E. Updike / Green Bank, N.J.” The carving’s base also displays the museum identification code “A51-124” in red paint. Original paint with minor wear.

PROVENANCE: John Updike Collection Walter L. Bush Collection Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953

THE WINTER SALE 2021 LOTS 293-596 DAY 2 | FEBRUARY 20 | 10AM

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Lots 293-373 are part of

The William K. du Pont Collection of Decoys, Bird Carvings, and Waterfowling Artifacts Winding up Bill du Pont’s driveway to meet him for the first time, I’ll admit I was a bit nervous. My good friend and Crowell book collaborator, Gavin Ashworth, had set up the meeting. Bill’s reputation as one of the top collectors of Americana preceded him. Indeed, Winterthur, the former residence of his relative Henry Francis du Pont (1880—1969), houses one of the most important collections of Americana in the United States.

As I turned up his wooded lane, I immediately knew I was entering the grounds of a passionate hunter. Deer stands, duck blinds, and goose pits were in abundance all around. Apple groves, corn fields, and thickets had been integrally woven together, creating a tapestry of wild game habitat. I would learn that this was no accident; Bill was not only a student of land management, he was one of Delaware’s leading advocates and voices in the conservation of wetlands and habitat. He was instrumental in bringing Ducks

William K. du Pont (1938-2020) in his happy place - the duck blind.

Unlimited to Delaware and also served as the

Greeted by Bill at the front door, I was immediately put at

organization’s vice president for many years. He was also

ease. Dressed in hunting garb, Bill welcomed me into his

a past Board Director at Delaware Wild Lands where he

exceptional home. Highboys, tea tables, paintings, and

also served for many years. A testament to Bill’s

decoys were on full display, but there was no sense of

dedication, in 1971 he was appointed Chairman of the

any airs. He lived with them as a part of the fabric of his

National Advisory Board for Sport Fisheries and Wildlife

daily life.

by the Secretary of the Interior.

He complimented me on my Aiden Lassell Ripley and He was an avid hunter for decades, owning waterfowling

Elmer Crowell books and I am not embarrassed to say I

properties on the Eastern Shore of Maryland in addition

felt honored that he had read them. I quickly changed the

to Bombay Hook in Delaware. As his daughter Sabrina

subject and we started talking about hunting. He gave

would later relay to me, “He lived and breathed for duck

me the full house tour, showing me his preening Crowell

season and was in heaven on the marsh.”

curlew in the den, my mind immediately racing through the du Pont-Crowell connections I’d come across in my

As I approached the final stretch of Bill’s compound, it

Crowell book research. We moved to his Ira Hudsons in

was all too fitting that a flock of fifty Canada geese idled

the study, and the Ward Brothers geese on the highboy in

next to his 1800s home.

the bedroom. He told me the story of bringing a book of poetry down to Lem Ward. Meanwhile, the quality of his

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Ward decoratives told the story of how Lem felt about his

given me more insight into him as a collector. I will always

patron from Delaware. We talked about the book he was

cherish my afternoon spent with Bill, a man whose love of

working on and, before we knew it, hours had passed.

American antiques and passion for the outdoors were always on full view. Copley is honored to serve as a conduit

I checked my watch and realized that I needed to hit the

and offer Bill’s treasures to the world.

road. That was the first and only time I would ever spend with Bill.

—Stephen B. O’Brien Jr.

We always want more time spent with those whom we share common passions and purposes; however, we do not always get to choose the lengths of time we spend with our kindred spirits. Delving deeper into Bill’s collection of decoys, carvings, punt guns, and artwork has

William K. du Pont’s first hunting license, procured from his father at age 2.

William K. du Pont’s beloved Rocky Hill, a waterfowling paradise.

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THE DU PONT 1936 CANVASBACKS

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THE WARD BROTHERS

1896-1984 AND 1895-1976 | CRISFIELD, MD

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293 The du Pont 1936 Canvasback Hen

The Ward Brothers Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976) Crisfield, MD, 1936 16 1/2 in. long

The Ward 1936 Canvasback is an iconic American bird decoy. Finding hens with their original bills and tails is quite rare. The du Pont example features a well-executed crowned head that flows into a wide flared bill with Steve’s best dropped nail carving.

The underside bears both of the Ward brothers’ signatures and Lem’s inked “ L. T. Ward - Bro. -1936-” inscription. Outstanding original paint with even gunning wear, chip out of left bill tip edge, 1/4 in. ding to top of back.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont 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.

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.

$15,000 - $25,000

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THE DU PONT 1936 CANVASBACKS

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294 The du Pont 1936 Canvasback Drake

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

The Ward brothers captured the “likeness of species” in their carvings as well as any maker before or after their remarkable careers. This superb example has a forty-five degree turned head, nostril carving through the bill and subtle nail carving at the tip. Of the highly coveted 1936 model canvasbacks the Wards produced it is rare to find one with its original bill and tail intact as they were prone to breakage.

The underside bears both of the Ward brothers’ signatures and Lem’s inked inscription “1936 L. T. Ward - Bros Crisfield, MD.” Original paint with even gunning wear, some dark spotting on back and minor sap bleed above right primary, some glue to tight age line in underside.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont 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. 113, lot 42, 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.

$15,000 - $25,000

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THE WARD BROTHERS

1896-1984 AND 1895-1976 | CRISFIELD, MD

295 Humpback Pintail Drake

The Ward Brothers Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976) Crisfield, MD, c. 1925 17 1/2 in. long

The Ward brothers were among the very few carvers who derived commercial success from both hunters and collectors during their lifetimes. In the 1920s, they quickly found local notoriety with carvings such as this pintail. By the 1930s, they were shipping birds to Chicago and California. “The famous decoy contest in 1948,” writes Quintina Colio on the heritage of decoys, “was held in the Grand Central Palace, New York City, sponsored by Schaefer Brewing Company and the winner was the Ward Brothers, from Crisfield, Maryland. Renowned judges included Wm J. Mackey, Jr., Lynn Bogue Hunt and Dr. Edgar Burke.” At the Mackey auctions in the 1970s, a related humpback drake was cataloged as “one of the top birds in the Mackey Collection,” and bidders agreed.

The Ward humpback pintail has been coveted by collectors for decades with the few remaining examples seen in the nation’s top museums, collections, and publications.

Ward authorities Gard and McGrath note that “the pintail was Lem’s favorite bird...” This partiality was supported by their early experiences with the species. In Colio’s American Decoys, Southern historian, collector, and friend of the Wards William H. Purnell Jr. recounted that in their early days “the Wards were avid duck hunters, gunning the Cedar Island Marsh in Somerset County, Maryland.

Steve recalls that they would pole out to their duck blind, shoot all day then they would pole back…a journey of four miles. He said that when he and Lem would approach the sand bar the pintails and the baldpates would jump up and would resemble a cloud of smoke…they enjoyed some of the best shooting on the Chesapeake Bay.” With these experiences, it is not a surprise that many of the brothers’ best early carvings were of pintails and wigeon.

A nearly identical rigmate to this lot was chosen as not only the lead image for an impressive chapter on this species in Gard and McGrath’s book, but also the sole

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feature of the back dust jacket. Discussing this rigmate from the Gard collection, the authors write, “This decoy is the epitome of the Wards’ Hump Back design, with the head set back and almost touching the back of the bird.

The body is rotund but elongated, with a magnificent accent of an exaggerated upward sweeping tail...This decoy is extremely desirable.”

The carving’s underside bears an inked inscription “1934 L. T. Ward - Bros.” The paint and form more accurately date it to the mid-to-late 1920s. The underside retains three links of chain used for ballast. Original paint with gunning wear, working repaint to white on front and back and the brown on head. Old worn chip to top of tail, neck seam separation, missing right eye, age line in neck, breast, and bottom.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection LITERATURE: Ronald J. Gard and Brian J. McGrath, The Ward Brothers’ Decoys: A Collector’s Guide, Plano, TX, 1989, pp. 57, 61, pl. 51 and back dust-jacket cover, rigmate illustrated and discussed.

Loy S. Harrell Jr., Decoys: North America’s One Hundred Greatest, Iola, WI, 2000, p. 9, related drake illustrated.

Quintina Colio, American Decoys, Ephrata, PA, 1972, p. 2, related decoy illustrated.

Richard A. Bourne Co., Inc., Very Rare and Important American Bird Decoys from the Collection of the late William J. Mackey Jr. of Belford, New Jersey, Hyannis, MA, 1974, Sessions V & VI, lot 583, rigmate illustrated.

Adele Earnest, Folk Art in America, Exton, PA, 1984, p. 127, related decoy illustrated.

Jeff Waingrow, American Wildfowl Decoys, New York, NY, 1985, frontispiece and p. 29, related decoy from American Folk Museum illustrated.

$12,000 - $18,000

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“Stephen W. Ward (1895-1976) and his brother Lemuel Travis Ward (1896-1984) of Crisfield, Maryland would eventually go on to become 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…Lem, a natural lefty who was born with a deformed left hand, taught himself to paint with his good hand, while Steve exhibited strong carving skills early on, creating dynamic forms for Lem to paint.”

— Robert Shaw, Bird Decoys of North America: Nature, History, and Art

The Ward World Championship logo featuring the iconic goose held in the permanent collection of the Ward Museum.

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THE DU PONT CANADA GOOSE PAIR

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THE WARD BROTHERS

1896-1984 AND 1895-1976 | CRISFIELD, MD

296 The du Pont Canada Goose Pair

The Ward Brothers Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976) Crisfield, MD, 1971 24 in. long

An animated full-size pair of hollow Canada geese with Crisfield’s finest decorative carving and paint on full display. These birds were commissioned by Mr. du Pont and Lem seems to have been intent on impressing his patron from Delaware. Indeed, an impression was made and Lem’s extraordinary efforts were set atop a chest of drawers at Rocky Hill, du Pont’s home and waterfowl paradise.

species’ common and Latin names.

This du Pont pair is considered to be one of the Wards’ crowning decorative achievements. Original paint with minimal wear and minor craquelure. Each has an age line on bottom.

This celebrated pair immediately draws a parallel to the famous A. Elmer Crowell geese commissioned and prominently displayed by patron Harry V. Long sixty years earlier.

LITERATURE: Glenn Lawson, The Story of Lem Ward, West Chester, PA, 1984, pp. 62-63, and back dust-jacket cover, closely related example illustrated, Kenneth Basile and Cynthia Doerzbach, American Decorative Bird Carving, Ward Museum exhibition catalog, Baltimore, MD, 1981, front cover, closely related example illustrated.

Velma Barry and Richard Berkey, Pioneer Decoy Carvers: A Biography of Lemuel and Stephen Ward, Cambridge, MD, 1977, front cover, related carving illustrated.

Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. and Chelsie W. Olney, Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving, Hingham, MA, 2019, p. 72, related Crowell carvings illustrated.

Ronald J. Gard and Brian J. McGrath, The Ward Brothers’ Decoys: A Collector’s Guide, Plano, TX, 1989, p. 130, Ward Foundation goose illustrated.

One of the pair is the single-most iconic decorative form by the maker. It is in a relaxed head position with raised wing tips. A goose in this content pose was chosen as the logo for the Ward Foundation when it was founded over a half century ago. The foundation’s mission was “to create and maintain a memorial to Lem and Steve Ward and any other persons deemed to be outstanding in the field of wildfowl carving, art, and the conservation of natural resources and wildlife.”

The Ward Foundation has been a huge success, building the Ward Museum in Salisbury, Maryland, and hosting the Ward World Championship Wildfowl Carving Competition & Art Festival. A tribute to this form, the premier competition and museum have both adopted this goose pattern in their logos.

The content bird’s mate is an even more ambitious form in an elaborate preening pose with both wings lifted from the body. The drawn-back and preening head virtually completes a figure-eight as the bill rests on the left shoulder. Lem Ward’s daughter, Ida, selected a very closely related example of this pattern as the sole decoy featured on the dust jacket of her 1984 book on her father.

In addition to their grand poses, each carving features carved feather detail throughout the wings and fanned tails. These intricate forms provided Lem a tremendous canvas to integrate and exhibit his exceptional feather painting ability Each is signed “Lem Ward,” inscribed “Made for the William K. du Pont Collection,” dated, and bears the 216

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection, acquired directly from the maker

$35,000 - $45,000

The Ward Museum logo featuring the iconic goose held in the permanent collection of the Ward Museum.

A closely related preening example featured on the catalog cover of an exhibition presented by the North American Wildfowl Art Museum of the Ward Foundation at the Maryland Historical Society Museum, 1982.

THE DU PONT CANADA GOOSE PAIR

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217

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THE WARD BROTHERS

1896-1984 AND 1895-1976 | CRISFIELD, MD

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297 Preening Snow Goose

The Ward Brothers Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976) Crisfield, MD, 1971 17 in. long

A decorative snow goose featuring a shoulder-preening pose with raised and crossed carved wings. The hollow body is signed “Lem Ward,” inscribed “Made for the William K. du Pont Collection,” dated, and bears the species’ common and Latin names on the underside. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection, acquired directly from the maker

$6,000 - $9,000

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THE WARD BROTHERS

1896-1984 AND 1895-1976 | CRISFIELD, MD

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298 Brant Pair

The Ward Brothers Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976) Crisfield, MD, 1971 15 in. long

A pair of decorative brant displaying uplifted wing tips, turned heads, and incised wing, tail, and bill detail. The hollow bodies are signed “Lem Ward,” inscribed “Made for the William K. du Pont Collection,” dated, and bear the species’ common and Latin names on the undersides.

Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection, acquired directly from the maker

$5,000 - $8,000

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THE WARD BROTHERS

1896-1984 AND 1895-1976 | CRISFIELD, MD

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299 Canvasback Pair

The Ward Brothers Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976) Crisfield, MD, 1971 15 in. long

300

Lem was exceptionally fond of his decorative canvasbacks and described a closely related carving as “the best my hands has [sic] ever accomplished after 51 years of carving.”

The drake has a slightly turned head and fine tail-feather detail. The hen is in a preening posture with incised wing treatment and raised crossed wing tips.

Both hollow bodies are signed “Lem Ward,” inscribed “Made for the William K. du Pont Collection,” dated, and bear the species’ common and Latin names. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection, acquired directly

from the maker

LITERATURE: Byron Cheever, L.T. Ward and Bro., Wildfowl Counterfeiters, Spanish Fork, UT, 1981, pl. 62-63.

$4,000 - $5,000

300 Ruddy Duck Pair

The Ward Brothers Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976) Crisfield, MD, 1971 12 in. long

The slightly turned-head hollow pair displays intricate carved bills, detailed feather painting, and Lem’s stippled paint across the backs. They are signed “Lem Ward,” inscribed “Made for the William K. du Pont Collection,” dated 1971, and bear the species’ common and Latin names. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection, acquired directly from the maker LITERATURE: Glenn Lawson, The Story of Lem Ward, West Chester, PA, 1984, p. 66, similar pair illustrated.

$4,000 - $5,000 222

THE DU PONT PREENING CURLEW

301

223

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

301 The du Pont Preening Curlew A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, 1941 9 in. long, 11 in. tall

Works like this curlew have been celebrated since their creation, with examples from Crowell’s studio going to the mantles of the du Pont, Ford, Forbes, and Rockefeller families, among others. His decorative shorebirds were wildly popular among these early patrons of the arts and curlew took the lead. Today, the two top prices ever paid for decorative shorebirds at auction are both Crowell running curlew. The species, posture, execution, condition, rarity, and provenance of this du Pont Collection carving place it as one of the best decoratives to enter the market in some time.

This represents an exceedingly rare species in an exceptional pose by the “Father of American Bird Carving.” A study of the maker’s portfolio reveals that the preening posture is found in many of Crowell’s most collectable pieces. Requiring a level of craftsmanship that few carvers have demonstrated, Crowell relished the challenges presented in both form and paint. In Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving, authors O’Brien and Olney cite the carver’s friend Joseph C. Lincoln who explains how the maker first began carving this posture: “...in filling one order from a wealthy customer, he let himself go. He made ducks with their heads turned backward, as ducks do turn their heads, when preening their feathers...”

This life-size mantle carving exhibits a graceful arching head accentuated by the perfectly curved bill.

This feature spans high across the body to hover its bill just off of the primary feathers. The finest imported glass eyes are set within eye grooves above full cheeks, a feature not often seen in the maker’s work. Crowell’s attention to detail is remarkable with an incised mandible, nostrils, and tail feathers.

The bird’s paint, gently blended, is an accurate portrayal of a curlew, also known as a whimbrel, exhibiting intricate

224

feather detail with excellent wet-on-wet blending. While the final layer of paint was still wet, the maker applied contrasting-color delineations. Once the contrasting paint became tacky, he took a clean, dry brush and gently feathered the two colors together, producing his noteworthy blended effect. The maker’s ability, coupled with his patience and high personal standards, enabled him to create the blended paint which subsequently became known as the “Crowell style.”

This base retains Crowell’s elegant cursive signature on the underside reading “A. E. Crowell Cape Cod 1941.” It is also marked with his rectangular stamp. Excellent original paint with minimal wear, some touch-up to thigh putty and belly around thighs, a paint flake under the neck has been darkened, left foot is missing back toe.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection LITERATURE: Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. and Chelsie W. Olney, Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving, Hingham, MA, 2019, pp. 144 and 148 and inside back cover, related carvings illustrated.

Richard A. Bourne Co. Inc., Rare American Decoys and Bird Carvings, July 13 and 14, 1982, lot 529, front cover, similar example illustrated.

$60,000 - $90,000

THE DU PONT PREENING CURLEW

301

225

Related Crowell carvings featured on past auction catalog covers.

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227

IRA D. HUDSON

1873-1949 | CHINCOTEAGUE, VA

302

302 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 PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

$2,000 - $4,000

The Mackey Hudson Flying Mergasner above Mackey’s mantle.

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THE MACKEY HUDSON FLYING MERGANSER

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303 The Mackey Hudson Flying Merganser Ira D. Hudson (1873-1949) Chincoteague, VA, c. 1935 17 1/2 in. long, 22 in. wingspan

A testament of his fondness for this carving, William J. Mackey Jr. hung it alongside a black duck and pintail above a fireplace mantle in his Belford, New Jersey, home.

Referencing this carving in her 1974 book, American Decoys, Quintina Colio writes, “Ira Hudson, the great decoy maker of Chincoteague, was the most prolific carver from Virginia. Despite his working steadily to fill orders to support his wonderful family, he took time to make these fanciful decorations. His record stands that he always produced a most collectible work of art.”

This widely published Hudson example, with its open bill with fish, stylish crest, turning motion, and stylish paint, is among the maker’s best flyers. While all of Ira Hudson’s children were involved in the family’s carving business, his sons Norman and Delbert (1928-1981) were the most involved. Showing the Hudsons’ most lively paint, this merganser was likely painted by Delbert.

The bird is marked with the Mackey Collection ink stamp.

Excellent original paint with minor wear, the original mandible has been reset. Chip at back side of neck seam, minimal chipping at untouched wing seams.

PROVENANCE: William J. Mackey Jr. Collection William K. du Pont Collection LITERATURE: Quintina Colio, American Decoys, Ephrata, PA, 1972, p. 95, exact decoy illustrated in reverse.

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, Sessions I & II, lot 573, exact decoy illustrated.

William H. Purnell Jr., “Back East In the Midwest Out West,” Decoy Magazine, September/October 1991, p. 9, exact decoy above mantel.

Anne Small, Masters of Decorative Bird Carving, Tulsa, OK, 1981, p. 65, exact decoy illustrated.

$10,000 - $15,000

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304

304 Swimming Merganser Pair

305 Early Black Duck Pair

Two mirror-image mergansers carved in graceful swimming postures with elevated heads. The well-executed ridged backs, tail carving, wing patch treatment, and high heads are similar to elements employed by Point Pleasant carvers Taylor Johnson (1863-1924) and John Lott Dorsett (1830-1910). The birds are in remarkable condition for their age, with nice cord wraps as a reminder of their use in the field. Excellent original paint with even gunning wear.

A pair of hollow and racy black ducks with shoulder carving and inletted heads. They relate closely to birds from the Winous Point Shooting Club in Port Clinton, Ohio. Appealing old working paint with gunning wear, including chipping to tail edges and neck cracks.

New Jersey, c. 1890 17 1/2 in. long

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

$4,500 - $6,500

Ohio, c. 1860 18 1/2 in. long

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection LITERATURE: Jeff and Joyce Hay, Ohio Decoys, St. Charles, IL, 2015, front cover and pp. 5 and 30, related Winous Point Shooting Club black duck illustrated twice.

$2,000 - $4,000

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305

306

306 Hollow Swimming Brant Pair Birdsall Ridgeway (1880-1952) Barnegat, NJ, 1935 21 in. long

A rare swimming brant pair by this Barnegat carver, whose works relate stylistically to those of Sam Soper (1863-1943). 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 sponsored by the U.S. Government in South America.

Typical for the rig, original feathering on back, working re-

paint mostly to black and white, gunning wear. Second heads by the maker also typical for the rig.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection LITERATURE: David S. Webster and William Kehoe, Decoys at Shelburne Museum, Shelburne, VT, 1961, p. 95, related example illustrated.

$3,000 - $5,000

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307

308

309

310

307 Large Punt Gun c. 1890 124 in. long

Named for the type of boat they were typically mounted upon, punt guns are large-bore guns used by market hunters who were looking to maximize their harvest numbers per shot. A single oar was typically used to sneak up on flocks by silently sculling. Author John M. Leavens describes this pursuit as a “painstaking water-borne hunt that culminates in a single shot being fired.” That one shoot had the potential for massive devastation, however. An 1860 account reports 30 punt gunners firing in unison to bring down a record bag for punt-gun shooting: 704 brant. Often hunting occurred at night when waterfowl commonly rafted up together on the water and were easy targets.

These highly effective hunting machines fell out of use

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once commercial hunting was outlawed by Congress with the passage of the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act in 1918. Finding hunting artifacts, such as this one-to-two gauge punt gun, is quite rare as they have been virtually obsolete for over one hundred years. As found.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection LITERATURE: Frank Schmidt and Gary Guyette, The Art of Deception: Waterfowl Decoys from the Collection of Paul Tudor Jones II, St. Michaels, MD, 2006, p. 99, related example illustrated.

John M. Leavens, “Punt Guns on the Chesapeake,” North American Decoys Magazine, Summer 1971, p. 26, punt guns discussed.

Harry Walsh, The Outlaw Gunner, 1971, punt guns illustrated and discussed.

$5,000 - $8,000

Related punt gun shown on the dust jacket cover of The Outlaw Gunner

by Harry M. Walsh, Tidewater Publishers, 1971.

308 White Punt Gun c. 1890 93 in. long

A very rare one-to-two gauge punt gun used for winter market hunting prior to the passage of the 1918 Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The white paint acted as camouflage in the snow and ice. As found.

309 J. E. Evans Waterfowl Gun Philadelphia, PA, c. 1850 65 in. long

A refined muzzle-loading, 7-gauge, double-barrel fowling piece with Damascus steel barrels. “J. E. EVANS PHILLAD� is stamped between the barrels. As found.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

$2,000 - $3,000

LITERATURE: Harry Walsh, The Outlaw Gunner, 1971, front

dust jacket cover, hunter with snow camouflage and closely related white punt gun illustrated. $3,000 - $5,000

310 Waterfowl Gun 19th Century 48 in. long

A side-by-side, 7-gauge, break-barrel shotgun with a rare pivoting action. As found.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

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311

311 Iron Wing Redhead

Capt. Benjamin F. Dye (1832-1896) c. 1870 13 3/4 in. long

Iron decoys were used as stabilizing weights on the wings of sinkboxes. The practice of sinkbox shooting was outlawed in the United States in 1936, though many locations outlawed this dangerous, yet effective concealment method far earlier.

A superb cast-iron redhead wing duck decoy with a hole drilled through the tail. As found.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

A pair of high-head iron wing brant in the style of John Welsh. Mackey relays that brant like these were used at the Gooseville Gun Club. As found.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection LITERATURE: William J. Mackey Jr., American Bird Decoys, New York, NY, 1965, pl. 12, related decoy illustrated and discussed.

314 Three Iron Wing Scoter c. 1900 15 in. long

A trio of wing scoter made of cast iron. As found.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

312 Iron Wing Ruddy Duck North Carolina, c. 1900 10 1/2 in. long

An exceedingly rare high-headed iron ruddy duck decoy.

Iron ruddies are virtually never seen. As found.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

313 Swimming Iron Wing Brant Pair Elizabeth City Foundry Elizabeth City, NC, c. 1900 17 in. long

A.B. Frost print Duck Shooting From A Battery showing the use of iron wing divers c. 1895 (detail).

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312

315

313

316

314

317

315 Iron Wing Brant Pair

McAvity’s Foundry New Brunswick, Canada, c. 1900 16 1/4 in. long

A pair of cast-iron wing brant decoys. As found.

An rare cast-iron Canada goose decoy in a swimming pose with a hollow underside. As found.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection LITERATURE: William J. Mackey Jr., American Bird Decoys, New York, NY, 1965, p. 34, pl. 13, related decoy illustrated.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection LITERATURE: Patricia Fleming, ed., Traditions in Wood, Ontario, Canada, 1987, p. 25, closely related brant illustrated.

316 Swimming Iron Wing Goose c. 1910 24 in. long

317 Three Iron Wing Ducks 14 1/2 in. long

A trio of cast-iron wing ducks. One exhibits finely incised bill detail. As found.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

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318

318 Four Powder Kegs largest is 13 1/2 in. tall

Two Kentucky Rifle Gunpowder, one Sea Shooting Powder, and one Hamilton Powder Company. As found.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

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319 Three Powder Tins 7 in. tall

Kentucky Rifle Gunpowder, Sporting Powder, and Oriental Powder Mills. As found.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

320

320 Three Powder Tins 7 in. tall

Choke Bore Powder, Hazard Smokeless Powder, and Duck Shooting Powder. As found.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

321

321 Two Powder Tins 7 in. tall

Duck Shooting Gunpowder. As found.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

322

322 Five Powder Tins largest is 6 in. tall

Two Choke Bore, two Seas Shooting, and one Sporting Powder Powder Tins. As found.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

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323

324

325

323 Five Powder Tins

325 Five Powder Tins

Three Deadshot, one Snap Shot , and one Laflin & Rand Powder Tins. As found.

Two Kentucky Rifle, one Oriental, one Far-Killing Duck, and one Caribou Powder Tins. As found.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

largest is 6 1/2 in. tall

largest is 6 in. tall

324 Five Powder Tins largest is 7 1/2 in. tall

Two Wing Shot, one Hercules, one Indian Rifle, and one Hazard Smokeless Powder Tins. As found.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

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326

327

328

328

326 Five Powder Tins

328 Five Powder Containers

Eagle, Kentucky Rifle, Hazard Electrical, Dead Shot, and Golden Pheasant Powder Tins. As found.

Hazard Electrical, Seas Shooting, Wing Shot, Canadian Explosives, and DuPont Powder Tins and bottle. As found.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

largest is 6 in. tall

327 Five Powder Tins largest is 6 in. tall

Two Deadshot, one Eagle, one Sporting Powder, and one Duck Shooting Powder Tins. As found.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

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largest is 9 1/2 in. tall

329

331

330

332

329 Two Upper Bay Canvasback Drakes 16 in. long

One is by Scott Jackson of Charlestown, MD, with a “L. PENNOCK” brand and appealing working paint with gunning wear. The other is by John Glenn of Rock Hall, Maryland, and appears to be in original paint with gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

features lightly incised eye and bill detail and full cheeks.

The thin, sleek body has slight wing separation in the back.

Raised in Philadelphia in a Quaker family, the carver, Capt. Richard W. Davids, met his end at The Wheatfield in the Battle of Gettysburg while fighting for the Union Army. Old paint mostly worn to wood with heavy gunning wear, some old fill to neck.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

330 Canvasback Trio

John B. Graham (1822-1912) Charlestown, MD, c. 1870 16 in. long

Three exceptionally well-carved Upper Bay birds, including two drakes and a hen. In old working paint with heavy gunning wear, including two reset neck cracks.

PROVENANCE: George Cooper Rig William K. du Pont Collection

331 Early Sleeping Teal

Capt. Richard W. Davids (1825-1863) Philadelphia, PA, c. 1850 10 in. long

This hollow antebellum teal decoy’s head curves around to the left and lies across its back. The resting pose has protected the bill for well over a century. The head

LITERATURE: Pete Lesher, “New additions to the R. W. Davids Rig,” Decoy Magazine, November/December 2016, pp. 32-33, related decoys illustrated.

332 Hollow Preening Goose Birdsall Ridgeway (1880-1952) Barnegat, NJ, c. 1935 22 in. long

A sleek, hollow goose with bill grazing the decoy’s back.

In working repaint with gunning wear, fitted with a second head by the maker.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection LITERATURE: David S. Webster and William Kehoe, Decoys at Shelburne Museum, Shelburne, VT, 1961, p. 90, related bird illustrated.

239

JAMES JOSEPH AHEARN 1904-1963 | STAMFORD, CT

333

334

335

333 Miniature Flying Swan

James Joseph Ahearn (1904-1963) Stamford, CT, c. 1950 13 1/2 in. long

A rare and graceful Ahearn species. A related example was part of the Dave Gallaher Collection.

336

In the 1930s, “Joe” Ahearn lived in the New York City area. He was a salesman for the National Cash Register Company, and was known to have whittled small birds while on the road. At the onset of World War II, he and his wife moved to Stamford, Connecticut. During the war, Ahearn began to carve birds for the Sporting Gallery and Bookshop in New York City. After the war, he started carving for Crossroads of Sport in New York City as well.

His carvings remain highly collectable and are among the finest miniature flyers ever created. As found.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

334 Two Miniature Geese

336 Three Miniature Diving Ducks

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

James Joseph Ahearn (1904-1963) Stamford, CT, c. 1950 5 1/2 in. long

As found, one missing wing.

As found.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

335 Two Miniature Wood Ducks James Joseph Ahearn (1904-1963) Stamford, CT, c. 1950 5 in. wingspan

As found.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

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337

337 Miniature Ruffed Grouse

James Joseph Ahearn (1904-1963) Stamford, CT, c. 1950 5 in. wingspan

As found.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

338

338 Two Miniature Passenger Pigeons James Joseph Ahearn (1904-1963) Stamford, CT, c. 1950 7 in. wingspan

A rare species for the maker. As found.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

339

339 Ten Miniature Quail

James Joseph Ahearn (1904-1963) Stamford, CT, c. 1950 3 1/4 in. wingspan

A very fine, large covey of this upland game bird. As found.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

340

340 Four Miniature Snipe

James Joseph Ahearn (1904-1963) Stamford, CT, c. 1950 4 in. long

As found.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

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JOHN JAMES AUDUBON 1785-1851

341

341 John James Audubon (1785-1851)

Passenger Pigeon (No. 13, Plate LXII) hand-colored engraving, 34 1/4 by 25 in. (sheet) “Drawn from nature and published by John J. Audubon F.R.S.F.L.S” lower left “Engraved by R. Havell Jr., printed and colored by R. Havell, Sr., London, 1829” lower right on J. Whatman watermarked paper

Attesting to the importance of this iconic American image, Joel Oppenheimer, Inc. selected a Havell-edition passenger pigeon for the cover of its 40th Anniversary catalog.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection LITERATURE: Robert Shaw, Bird Decoys of North America, New York, NY, 2010, p. 103, related example illustrated.

Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. and Chelsie W. Olney, Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving, Hingham, MA, 2019, p. 161, related example illustrated.

$5,000 - $8,000

242

342 June Harrah Lord (1910-1977)

Miniature Labrador Retriever, 1936 signed and dated “© 1936 June Harrah” on base bronze, 4 1/2 by 5 by 2 1/2 in.

A rare early representation of a Labrador retriever. The back edge of the bronze base has the foundry mark “GARGANI FDRY. N.Y.” In 1936 June Harrah was commissioned by Anton Roth, a dog show judge, to create miniature bronzes of the fifty top dog breeds. Harrah created bronzes for many leading collectors, including Lawrence Rockefeller, Paul Mellon, and Richard S. du Pont. She was a founding member of the American Academy of Equine Art and a National Sculpture Society member.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

344

342

345

343

343 Two Chesapeake Bay Hunting Boat Models H. S. Rogers Bay Built Ship Models 20th Century 19 in. long

Built plank-on-frame like the Chesapeake Bay craft they represent. One is a “Battery Gun” model and the other a “Pipe Gun Rig,” also known as a punt gun. As found.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

344 Three Wood Boxes

Red Painted “SHOT” crate: 3 1/2 by 20 by 11 in.

DuPont Black Pellet Powder Crate with Red Base: 17 1/2 by 27 1/4 by 11 in.

Blue Painted Powder Shot with Lid: 8 1/2 by 48 1/2 by 8 1/4 in.

345 Mourning Dove Jack and Betty Holt Wilmington, DE, 1988 10 1/4 in. long

A mourning dove with raised wing tips dated and signed by the makers on the underside of the removable base.

Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

346 Six Shorebirds (not shown) c. 1900 10 in. long

As found.

A Massachusetts shorebird without bill, a New Jersey ruddy turnstone with a “BENNETT” brand, and four Strater & Sohier tin plover. As found.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

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347 Waterfowl Head Cane 347

31 1/2 in. long

As found.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

348 Cane With a Frog Handle 37 1/4 in. long 348

As found.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

349 Cane with Bird Handle 36 1/2 in. long 349

Carvings of horse, flower, stag, bird, tulip, and heart on shaft. As found.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

350 Dog and Waterfowl Handle Cane 350

40 in. long

As found.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

351 Bird Handle Cane 36 in. long 351

As found.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

352 Squirrel Handle Cane 27 1/2 in. long 352

Carvings of squirrel hunter motifs and leaves on shaft. As found.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

353 Farm Animal Handle Cane 36 in. long 353

As found.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

354 Nude Female Figure Handle Cane 354

35 in. long

Carvings of grape vines on shaft. As found. Portions of both legs missing.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

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355

357

356

358

355 D. M. Henry (1919-1977)

Red-Legged Partridges signed “D.M. Henry” lower left watercolor, 10 by 15 1/4 in. titled on Rowland Ward Ltd, London label on back PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

356 Peter Markham Scott (1909-1989)

359

357 Roland H. Clark (1874-1957)

Duck Stamp Design, 1938 signed “Roland Clark” lower right drypoint, 6 3/4 by 10 3/4 in. titled and dated lower left framed with 1939 Federal Duck Stamp PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

Mallards Leaving at Dawn, 1945 signed “Peter Scott” lower right oil on board, 7 by 10 in. titled on Rowland Ward, London label and 1945 exhibition label on back

358 Richard Bishop (1887-1975)

Sir Peter Scott was described by David Attenborough as the “patron saint” of conservation in the UK. He founded the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, co-founded the World Wildlife Fund, and designed its iconic panda logo. As the son of Antarctic explorer Robert Falcon Scott, Sir Peter continued in his father’s footsteps by conducting an expedition to Iceland in search of the breeding ground of the pink-footed goose. In 1975 Scott gave a scientific name to the Loch Ness Monster so it could be registered as an endangered species; the name turned out to be an anagram of “Monster Hoax by Sir Peter S.” He was the host of a BBC television series on natural history, and wrote and illustrated many books on birds and other subjects. He won a bronze medal in sailing at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. In addition to these many pursuits, Sir Peter Scott had his first art exhibition in London in 1933 and continued to paint throughout his life.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

Bullducks signed “Richard E Bishop” lower right etching, 10 3/4 by 15 1/4 in. titled lower left

359 Roland H. Clark (1874-1957)

Two Etchings each signed “Roland Clark” lower right Snipe (not shown) 7 by 11 in.

Sky High 13 1/4 by 10 3/4 in.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

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360

362

364

361

363

365

360 DuPont Gun Powder Poster

363 DuPont Advertising Tin Poster

As found.

Depicting Osthaus himself as the grandfather, teaching his grandson to hunt. Printed “’Generations Have Used DuPont Powders’ A-2078-made in USA.” As found.

after Louis Maurer (1832-1932) print, 22 by 26 in.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

361 DuPont Advertising Poster

after Howard Pyle (1853-1911) print, 30 by 20 in.

Centennial of the Use of DuPont Explosives in an American War, 1911 PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

after Edmund H. Osthaus (1858-1928) print, 32 1/2 by 23 in.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

364 DuPont Advertising Print print, 9 3/4 by 11 3/4 in.

As found.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

362 DuPont Gun Powder Advertising Poster after Louis Maurer (1832-1932) print, 17 3/4 by 22 in.

As found.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

365 DuPont Explosives 1950/51 Calendar after Hy Hintermeister 31 by 15 in.

Depicting Shore’s Brownie Doone, a pointer who was the 1950 National Bird Dog Champion, among other field trial triumphs. As found.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

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366

367

370 Six Derrydale Press Books (not shown)

Roland Clark, Stray Shots, 1931.

Nash Buckingham, ed., Mark Right! 690 of 1250, 1936.

Nash Buckingham, ed., Ole Miss’, 1158 of 1250, 1937.

Roland Clark, Gunners Dawn, ed. 860 of 950, 1937.

Burton L. Spiller, Thoroughbred, ed. 303 of 950, 1936.

Colonel Harold P. Sheldon, Tranquility Revisited, ed. 148 of 485, 1940.

366 DuPont Advertising Poster Two Boys Hunting print, 19 1/2 by 13 1/2 in.

PROVENANCE: The William K. du Pont Collection

371 Four Books (not shown)

Herbert L. Stoddard, The Bobwhite Quail, 1931.

Rachel Carson, Silent Spring, 1962.

A.W. Schorger, Passenger Pigeon, 1955.

James Fenimore Cooper, The Deerslayer, 1925.

Crawford H. Greenewalt, Hummingbirds, ed. 313 of 500, 1960.

PROVENANCE: The William K. du Pont Collection

PROVENANCE: The William K. du Pont Collection

368 Two Roland Clark Books (not shown)

372 Six Books on Hunting and Dogs (not shown)

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection

367 The Bobwhite Quail

Roland Clark, Stray Shots, 1931.

Roland Clark, Pot Luck, 1945, numbered 30/150 copies.

Signed by the author.

PROVENANCE: The William K. du Pont Collection

369 Four Books on Pheasants (not shown)

W.L. McAtee, ed., The Ring-Necked Pheasant, 1945.

Durward L. Allen, ed., Pheasants in North America, 1956.

William Beebe, Pheasants: Their Lives and Homes, Vols. I & II, 1926.

PROVENANCE: The William K. du Pont Collection

Ray P. Holland, Shotgunning in the Uplands. ed. 72 of 250, 1944.

Ray P. Holland, Shotgunning in the Lowlands, ed. 172 of 350, signed by the author and artist, 1945.Gun Dogs by Patrick Chalmers, 1931 William Leffingwell, Wild Fowl Shooting, 1888.

William F. Brown, Retriever Gun Dogs, ed. 287 of 375 signed by the author and artist, 1945.

William Leffingwell, Shooting on Upland, Marsh and Stream, 1890.

PROVENANCE: The William K. du Pont Collection

373 Four Books about Hunting Expeditions (not shown)

J.H. Eagle, Adventures of an Amateur Hunter in Africa, 1915.

R.R.M. Carpenter, Game Trails, 1940.

Isak Dinesen, Out of Africa, 1937 (two copies).

PROVENANCE: The William K. du Pont Collection

247

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

374 Reaching Greater Yellowlegs on a Clamshell Base A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1915 8 1/2 in. tall

Measuring thirteen inches from tip of bill to end of tail, this greater yellowlegs exhibits the maker’s finest paint details and his best wet-on-wet technique. The special flourish of rarely seen auricular feathers have been neatly blended under each eye. This lavish treatment is only seen in a small number of his premier early decoratives.

The breast, sides, and flanks are finished with early pure white feathering strokes which retain their impasto for a lively effect. A fine section of blended paint between the nape and the coverts is another impressive detail not often seen.

As Crowell’s Harwich neighbor Dorothea Setzer observes, he was masterful at using the base to place his decorative shorebirds in their appropriate setting. In this example, the yellowlegs strides atop an exceptionally well-carved and painted clamshell, which imbues the bird with a sense of the maker’s native Cape Cod. The coveted oval hot brand is found on the underside of the base.

This is one of the Harwich artisan’s finest yellowlegs carvings. A closely related example was displayed in the Songless Aviary exhibition and now can been seen in the 2019 Crowell book as part of The Thomas M. Evans Jr.

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Collection. Overall outstanding untouched condition with excellent original paint and wear to bill, wing, and tail tips.

Some typical flaking to leg putty.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, acquired from the artist Rich Merrill 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. 197, closely related example illustrated, p. 229, plover with auricular detail illustrated, p. 189 and inside back boards, curlew with auricular detail illustrated.

Brian Cullity, The Songless Aviary: The World of A. E. Crowell & Son, Hyannis, MA, 1992, p. 77, closely related carving illustrated.

Copley Fine Art Auctions, LCC, The Winter Sale 2018, Charleston, SC, February 16, 2018, p. 108, lot 191, closely related decoy illustrated.

Rob Moir and Jackson Parker, “Massachusetts Waterfowl Decoys,” The Magazine Antiques, September 1989, p. 525, pl.

XV, closely related example illustrated.

$35,000 - $45,000

374

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

374

250

375

375 Rare Willet

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

The rarity of Crowell’s willet decoys cannot be overstated and only a handful of decoys from this rig have ever surfaced. It is finished with Crowell’s well-executed blended paint and a two-tone painted tack eye. A rigmate resided in one of the nation’s top Crowell collections. Excellent original paint with light gunning wear, a replaced bill, minute nick to very tip of wing.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Cambridge, Massachusetts Private Collection, Massachusetts

Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. and Chelsie W. Olney, Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving, Hingham, MA, 2019, p.

164, related yellowlegs decoy illustrated, no willet decoys illustrated. $18,000 - $24,000

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

376 Sherer Rig Golden Plover

377 Sherer Rig Black-Bellied Plover

Born in East Harwich, Massachusetts, Elmer Crowell possessed an early fascination with ornithology and hunting. These passions led to a career as a market gunner in the late 1800s. In 1898 Dr. John C. Phillips Jr. (1876-1938), a sportsman who was also a prominent member of Boston society and a prolific author, asked Crowell to manage his Wenham Lake hunting camp.

Upon seeing Crowell’s masterful carvings, Phillips and the camp’s affluent guests persuaded Crowell to make decoys for them. The resulting decoys from this early period are some of the most desirable bird carvings ever made.

This well-fed working black-belled plover decoy features Elmer Crowell’s plump and upright pose and impeccable provenance. It was finished with the maker’s crisp brushwork portraying full breeding plumage. This decoy emanates from the rig of Joseph Sherer, a patron and hunting companion of Crowell’s. It has remained in the family for over a century since it was acquired from Crowell. A rigmate to the previous lot, it is also in pristine condition.

Original paint in near-mint condition with minimal wear.

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1910 10 in. long

This golden plover is a testament to the quality of Crowell’s early workmanship. The provenance of this carving is exceptional having resided in one family since its creation. Concerning Joseph F. Sherer, Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving authors O’Brien and Olney write, “In the early 1900s, Joseph F. Sherer hunted with Crowell and George D. Flynn, the largest landowner on Martha’s Vineyard at the time.” Through this relationship as hunting compatriots, Mr. Sherer acquired Crowell carvings directly from the Harwich maker, including this pristine golden plover in vibrant breeding plumage.

Birds from the Sherer rig are known for their exceptional quality and condition. This shorebird has a seldom seen upright posture and proud breast. Original paint in nearmint condition with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Joseph F. Sherer Rig, acquired from the maker 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. 164, rigmate yellowlegs illustrated.

$9,000 - $12,000

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A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1910 10 in. long

PROVENANCE: Joseph F. Sherer Rig, acquired from the maker 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. 164, rigmate yellowlegs illustrated.

$9,000 - $12,000

376

377

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378

379

378 Black Duck

379 Early Oversize White-Winged Scoter

A classic working Crowell decoy with a slightly turned head. The underside is struck with two rectangular Crowell stamps. One of the finest examples from Crowell’s middle period that we have handled. Outstanding original paint with even gunning wear.

A massive hollow scoter decoy used at Cohasset. A collector inscription on the bottom board calls this an “Oversize Storm Coot” and relays “1879 Joe Lincoln White-Wing Scoter Made for My Grandfather, Benjamin Cutler Clark of Cohasset. Note typical Lincoln weight, rawhide, close-set nails. — Ellery H. Clark, Jr.” Old working paint with even gunning wear, including a neck crack.

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1930 15 in. long

PROVENANCE: John Dillon Collection LITERATURE: Adele Earnest, The Art of The Decoy: American Bird Carvings, New York, NY, 1965, p. 171, related example illustrated.

Brian Cullity, The Songless Aviary: The World of A. E. Crowell & Son, Hyannis, MA, 1992, p. 64, related example illustrated.

$2,500 - $3,500

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Joseph Lincoln (1859-1938) Accord, MA, c. 1890 18 in. long 11 1/2 in. wide

PROVENANCE: Benjamin Cutler Clark Rig Ellery Clark Collection Private Collection

$1,000 - $1,500

GEORGE H. BOYD

1873-1941 | SEABROOK, NH

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GEORGE H. BOYD 1873-1941 | SEABROOK, NH

380 Exceedingly Rare Green-Winged Teal

George H. Boyd (1873-1941) Seabrook, NH, c. 1938 11 1/2 in. long

One of the rarest of George Boyd’s species, the maker’s teal are more difficult to find than his canvas swimming Canada geese; only one other drake green-winged teal is known to exist.

from their sale be directed toward the enhancement and management of waterfowl habitat and they were sold at auction for that purpose. Original paint with some typical Boyd tight and even craquelure, some discoloration, and minimal wear.

This bold little sculpture showcases the maker’s signature form. The carving has excellent lines with a well-rounded back and slightly upswept tail. The head has a thin crest capped with the maker’s distinctive black tip. The surface brings together tight stippling and crisply painted feather delineations. Jim Cullen, the author of the definitive monograph on the carver, selected a detail of this lot’s only known comparable for the back dust jacket of his book.

The underside bears the maker’s penciled signature and “Seabrook, NH” as well as the first owner’s burnt in “J.F.”

PROVENANCE: Josiah Fisher Collection, acquired directly from the maker, 1938 David Schorsch

Fisher marked each decoy “J.F.” and George Boyd’s signature is also on the bottom of each. In 1992 Mr. Fisher donated both decoys to the New Hampshire Chapter of the Nature Conservancy with the condition that funds

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LITERATURE: Jim Cullen, Finely Carved & Nicely Painted: The Life, Art and Decoys of George H. Boyd, Rye, NH, 2009, pp. 40-41, and 96, closely related example illustrated, back dust-jacket cover, detail highlighting craquelure on a teal illustrated.

Guyette & Deeter, North American Decoys at Auction July 23 & 24, 2018, Portsmouth, NH, lot 428, exact decoy illustrated.

Joe Engers, The Great Book of Wildfowl Decoys, San Diego, CA, 1990, p. 65, related example illustrated.

Olivers, Important American Waterfowl Decoys, July 11 and 12, 1992, lots 458 and 459, exact decoy and blue-winged mate illustrated.

$20,000 - $30,000

380

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"Crowell quickly discovered that miniatures were highly profitable since their small size made them easy to transport, and they were thus coveted by Cape Cod summer visitors. The proximity of Harwich to bustling Chatham further helped sales. The miniatures also appealed to a broader audience than his working decoys…”

—Chelsie Olney and Stephen B. O’Brien Jr.,

Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving

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A. ELMER CROWELL

1862-1952 | EAST HARWICH, MA

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

381 Early Miniature Waterfowl Set A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1915 goose is 5 3/4 in. long

Crowell created three varieties of miniature bird carving sets, each with twenty-five pieces. These sets were of either waterfowl, shorebirds, or songbirds, which he sold to not only his decoy buyers and seasonal tourists, but also schools and museums around the nation for species identification purposes.

This important, newly-discovered group of miniatures represents a full Crowell waterfowl set, numbered one through twenty-five on the underside of each carving.

Each bird is original to this set. The vast majority of the original Crowell sets have been broken up over the years, making this a rare opportunity to acquire a single flock with remarkable consistency from bird to bird.

This is one of the earliest complete sets known to exist. This lot includes the following birds listed by their assigned number. Crowell’s names are included in parentheses.

1. Mallard drake 2. Mallard hen 3. Pintail drake 4. Pintail hen 5. Redhead drake 6. Redhead hen 7. Bufflehead drake 8. Bufflehead hen 9. Bluebill drake 10. Bluebill hen 11. Red-Breasted Merganser drake 12. Red-Breasted Merganser hen 13. Canvasback drake 14. Canvasback hen 15. Green-Winged Teal drake 16. Brant 17. American merganser drake (gooseander) 18. Blue-Winged Teal drake 19. Hooded Merganser drake 20. Black Duck 21. Goldeneye drake 22. Long-Tailed Duck drake (old squaw) 23. Wood Duck drake 24. Ruddy Duck drake 25. Canada Goose

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The set as a whole is in excellent original paint with minor wear and rubs. Ruddy duck, canvasback drake, and hooded merganser have very minor chips to bill tips. Bufflehead hen and goldeneye drake have partial bill replacements.

Red-breasted merganser hen has a crack in bill. Canada goose has an age line in neck with minor flaking. Canvasback hen is missing its bill. Bluebill hen has chip to tail.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Philadelphia, acquired from the maker and by descent in the family LITERATURE: A. E. Crowell, “Cape Cod Memories,” in Duck Shooting Along the Atlantic Tidewater, Eugene V. Connett, ed., New York, NY, 1947, pp. 59-60.

Brian Cullity, The Songless Aviary, Hyannis, MA, 1992, pp. 9099, similar birds illustrated.

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

240-241, similar set illustrated.

$40,000 - $60,000

Elmer Crowell showing off a later set of his miniature waterfowl, c. 1940.

EARLY MINIATURE WATERFOWL SET

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

These early and exceptional miniature songbirds by A. Elmer Crowell were made for the maker’s patron and hunting companion Joseph F. Sherer. They have remained in the family for over a century. Each carving is marked with Crowell’s circular ink stamp.

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384

383

385

386

and a paper label with the species’ name inked upon it. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Joseph F. Sherer Collection, acquired from the maker Private Collection, by descent LITERATURE: Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. and Chelsie W. Olney, Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving, Hingham, MA, 2019, p. 238, related examples illustrated.

382 Miniature Bluebird

383 Miniature Golden-Winged Warbler A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1910 1 3/4 in. tall

$600 - $900

This lot and the following Sherer Collection miniature lots represent some of the earliest and best condition songbirds we have ever seen.

A superb early miniature golden-winged warbler with the maker’s circular stamp on the underside and a paper label with the species’ name inked upon it. Original paint with minimal wear.

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1910 2 in. tall

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1910 1 3/4 in. tall

A superb early miniature bluebird with the maker’s circular ink stamp on the underside and a paper label with the species’ name inked upon it. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Joseph F. Sherer Collection, ac-

quired from the maker Private Collection, by descent

LITERATURE: Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. and Chelsie

W. Olney, Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving, Hingham, MA, 2019, p. 238, related examples illustrated. $600 - $900

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PROVENANCE: Joseph F. Sherer Collection, acquired

from the maker Private Collection, by descent

LITERATURE: Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. and Chelsie W. Olney, Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving, Hingham, MA, 2019, p. 238, related examples illustrated.

$600 - $900

384 Miniature Song Sparrow A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1910 2 1/4 in. tall

A superb early miniature song sparrow with the maker’s circular stamp on the underside

385 Miniature Purple Finch

A superb early miniature purple finch with the maker’s circular stamp on the underside and a paper label with the species’ name inked upon it. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Joseph F. Sherer Collection, acquired from the maker Private Collection, by descent LITERATURE: Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. and Chelsie W. Olney, Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving, Hingham, MA, 2019, p. 238, related examples illustrated.

$600 - $900

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388

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386 Miniature Scarlet Tanager A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1910 2 1/4 in. tall

A superb early miniature standing scarlet tanager with the maker’s circular stamp on the underside and a paper label with the species’ name inked upon it. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Joseph F. Sherer Collection, acquired from

the maker Private Collection, by descent

LITERATURE: Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. and Chelsie W.

Olney, Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving, Hingham, MA, 2019, p. 238, related examples illustrated. $600 - $900

carving was sold in 1972 out of the S. Prescott Fay Collection. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: S. Prescott Fay Collection John Dillon Collection

$800 - $1,200

389 Miniature Brant

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1915 6 in. long

An outstanding carving in a reaching position.

Its long thin neck, graceful body, and exceptional feather blending, demonstrate Crowell’s fine craftsmanship. Excellent original paint with minimal wear. $1,200 - $1,800

387 Early Miniature Bobwhite Quail A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1905 2 1/4 in. long

One of the earliest quail carvings by any maker we have come across. Excellent original paint with minimal wear and some touch-up to edge of base. $3,000 - $5,000

390 Miniature Mallard

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1935 5 in. long

A finely detailed miniature with Crowell’s rectangular stamp on the bottom of the base.

Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: John Dillon Collection

388 Miniature Black Duck A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1935 5 in. long

$800 - $1,200

A finely detailed miniature with Crowell’s rectangular stamp on the bottom of the base. This

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THE WARD BROTHERS

1896-1984 AND 1895-1976 | CRISFIELD, MD

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391 The Bishops Head Black Duck Pair

The Ward Brothers Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976) Crisfield, MD, c. 1930

The Bishops Head Fish and Gun Club was a luxury two-story lodge founded by Col. Albanus Phillips and W. Grason Winterbottom around 1923. It was a grand club which included land on a peninsula thirty miles south of Cambridge, MD, which included a man-made tidal pool.

The club also included Bloodsworth Island across Hooper Strait. The lodge had a large great room with a fireplace, a locker room, and bedrooms on the second level. The caretakers had their own house, live decoy pens, and kennels. The boat dock was also used by members of the Cambridge Yacht Club, which Phillips founded as well.

An avid hunter, this camp provided Phillips and Winterbottom a place of respite from their booming food-canning business. Phillips was widely known throughout the Eastern Shore and U.S. Presidents Grover Cleveland, Teddy Roosevelt, and Franklin Roosevelt were known to have been guests at his lodge. During its heyday, Bishops Head was considered one of the Eastern Shore’s great hunting clubs.

The reputation of Lem and Steve Ward “spread throughout the Chesapeake region, and they produced decoys for gunners in the Upper Bay as well,” reports Maryland decoy historian and author of a book on the club C. John Sullivan. He continues, “A few of the gunning clubs ordered Ward decoys, and in some cases a particular Ward style became associated with a specific club.”

The Bishops Head style is one such example. Known for their pronounced crowns, paddle tails, detailed body paint, high heads, and full cheeks, this black duck pair showcases all the traits associated with the club. While

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this distinctive design is most commonly found in geese, it is also seen in a small number of mallards, wigeon, and black ducks.

Of the numerous patterns designed by the Ward brothers over a fifty-plus-year career as decoy makers, Humpback, Pinch-Breast, and Bishops Head models have been the most highly sought after by the nation’s top decoy and folk art collectors. Approximately a half-dozen premier Bishops Head black duck examples are known to have surfaced, with perhaps none finer than this pair’s drake.

Three of these going to important collections in Maryland, New Jersey, and Minnesota. Indeed, a single closely related hen with a slightly turned head set the record for a Ward black duck at auction, selling for over $97,000 in 2010. This male, with a thinner neck and head turned forty-five degrees, displays a nearly identical paint pattern.

Additionally, this drake has an extended long, thin paddle tail, separating it from most other Bishops Head models.

Lem’s ability to expertly apply feather paint is on full display across both birds from head to tail. While early decoy makers did not typically differentiate between the hens and drakes of this wary species, Lem communicates each sex through the color of their bills, a blended yellow for the drake and a green shade for the hen.

THE BISHOPS HEAD BLACK DUCK PAIR

391

The drake is considered one of the finest black ducks from the Eastern Shore. Along with works by Elmer Crowell and “Shang” Wheeler, they stand as two of the finest black duck carvings known by any maker. Together they are one of the most important pairs of gunning black ducks known. Outstanding original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, acquired from the North Shore of Massachusetts LITERATURE: C. John Sullivan, Bishops Head Fish and Gun Club, Bel Air, MD, 2018, club history, gunning logs, and related decoys discussed and illustrated.

C. John Sullivan, Waterfowling on the Chesapeake, 1819-1936,

Baltimore, MD, 2003.

R. H. Richardson, Chesapeake Bay Decoys, Cambridge, MD, 1991, p. 167, Strausburg collection rigmate illustrated.

Ronald J. Gard and Brian J. McGrath, The Ward Brothers’ Decoys: A Collector’s Guide, Plano, TX, 1989, pp. 75-79, Purnell collection example illustrated.

Joe Engers. “Year In Review 2010,” Decoy Magazine, front cover and p. 9, closely related example illustrated.

Copley Fine Art Auctions, The Winter Sale 2019, Charleston, SC, February 2019, front cover and lot 169, The Bishops Head wigeon pair illustrated.

Loy S. Harrell, Jr., Decoys: North America’s One Hundred Greatest, Iola, WI, 2000, pp. 160-161, Bishops Head wigeon drake illustrated. $50,000 - $70,000

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Detail from the Bishops Head Fish and Gun Club log, opening day, November 1, 1923. Eight guns totaled 43 waterfowl and 2 yellowlegs.

Black ducks topped the day at 23. Image courtesy of C. John Sullivan.

Winterbottom, automobile magnate Walter P. Chrysler, and Col. Albanus Phillips at the club after a shoot in 1936. Photo courtesy of C. John Sullivan.

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The Mackey-McCleery Ward Bishops Head Canada Goose. Sold for $69,000 in Copley’s Winter Sale 2016.

The Cook Ward Bishops Head Black Duck Hen. Sold for $97,750 by Decoys Unlimited, July 2010.

The Ward Bishops Head Wigeon Pair. Sold for $228,000 in Copley’s Winter Sale 2019.

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THE WARD BROTHERS

1896-1984 AND 1895-1976 | CRISFIELD, MD

392 Standing Blue-Winged Teal Pair

The Ward Brothers Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976) Crisfield, MD, c. 1945 hen is 10 1/4 in. tall

An exceedingly rare pair of standing blue-winged teal with “peach basket� wings. A similar pair is held by the Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art at Salisbury University, located in Salisbury, Maryland.

This pair displays applied wings, glass eyes, and feet mounted on half-round bases. This lot, along with a closely related pair sold by this firm in 2008, is among the finest Ward teal pairs known to exist. Both birds have been professionally mounted on contemporary wooden bases for stabilization and display. Outstanding original paint, some touch-up to legs and feet.

PROVENANCE: Herb Wetanson Collection LITERATURE: Velma Barry and Richard Berkey, Pioneer Decoy Carvers: A Biography of Lemuel and Stephen Ward, Cambridge, MD, 1977, front cover and p. 55, related carvings illustrated.

$30,000 - $40,000

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392

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THE WARD BROTHERS

1896-1984 AND 1895-1976 | CRISFIELD, MD

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

—Gard and McGrath, Ward Brothers’ Decoys 393 The Earnest Pinch-Breast Pintail

The Ward Brothers Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976) Crisfield, MD, c. 1932 16 1/2 in. long

This rare and distinctive style is associated with the 1932 model year, and is named for Steve’s stylish carving of a pronounced breast that dramatically flares into the broad wings and high back. Steve’s extreme articulation of the head and neck of this decoy stands out, even in the context of his incredible pinch-breast models. The body is long and angular with a ridge running the length of the back to the tip of the lifted tail. The turned and tilted head with high crown highlights the species’ long and thin neck. The underside is marked with the grande dame of

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decoy collecting “ADELE EARNEST COLLECTION” ink stamp. Mix of original and repaint with heavy gunning wear with some age lines including lower right side.

PROVENANCE: Adele Earnest Collection Herb Wetanson Collection LITERATURE: Ronald J. Gard and Brian J. McGrath, The Ward Brothers’ Decoys: A Collector’s Guide, Plano, TX, 1989, pp. 4, 57-63, related examples illustrated.

$18,000 - $24,000

THE EARNEST PINCH-BREAST PINTAIL

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THE WARD BROTHERS

1896-1984 AND 1895-1976 | CRISFIELD, MD

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394 Canada Goose

The Ward Brothers Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976) Crisfield, MD, c. 1947 21 in. long

This classic Ward Brothers Canada goose demonstrates an attitude and sophistication that few balsa birds carved during this era possess. The bill and head carving are amongst Steve’s best and he imparted added flair with a forty-five-degree turned head and an inset uplifted tail. The large body was expertly finished by Lem with a precise and rhythmic paint pattern. The underside is inscribed “Made by Steve Ward, Crisfield, MD, 1947, Painted by Lem Ward.” Original paint with light even gunning wear, professional touch-up to neck seam, and a few spots of touch-up to flaking.

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PROVENANCE: Herb Wetanson Collection LITERATURE: Richard A. Bourne Co., Inc., Rare American Decoys and Bird Carvings, Hyannis, MA, May 21, 1976, lot 136, related example illustrated.

$5,000 - $7,000

THE WARD BROTHERS

1896-1984 AND 1895-1976 | CRISFIELD, MD

395

395 Rare Long-Tailed Drake

The Ward Brothers Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976) Crisfield, MD, 1970 14 1/2 in. long A rare and exceptionally well-documented long-tail carving with a turned head and upswept tail. This decoy has been illustrated in no less than three books on the Wards. The carving is finished with excellent Lem Ward paint, especially on the head. The underside is marked with a Richardson collection stamp.

“The bird shows fine detail carving and is well proportioned.

The paint has a deep texture and beautiful muted colors. The bird is painted in its winter plumage and is quite elegant in its presentation of from and color,” write Ron Gard and Brian McGrath in The Ward Brothers’ Decoys: A Collector’s Guide.

Original paint with light wear and restoration to tail feather.

PROVENANCE: Collection of R. H. Richardson Private Collection LITERATURE: Ronald J. Gard and Brian J. McGrath, The Ward Brothers’ Decoys: A Collector’s Guide, Plano, TX, 1989, pp. 52 an 56, exact decoy illustrated and discussed.

Barry, Velma, and Richard Berkey, Pioneer Decoy Carvers: A Biography of Lemuel and Stephen Ward, Cambridge, MD, 1977, p. 94, exact decoy illustrated.

Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., Decoys of the Mid-Atlantic Region, Exton, PA, 1979, p. 182, exact bird illustrated.

$8,000 - $12,000

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Lots 396-415 are part of

The Eddie Woodin Collection of Bird Art Eddie Woodin is one of North America’s top bird art collectors and historians. His extensive collection is made up of important works that cover a wide range of historic and contemporary bird artists, including Roger Tory Peterson, Allan Brooks, Roger Verity Clem, Louis Agassiz Fuertes, and other leading ornithological artists.

Journalist Bob Keyes reports, “[The Woodin Collection] focuses on art that helped educate the American public about birds and bird conservation.”

In 2017 Historic New England honored Woodin with its Prize for Collecting Works on Paper, and in 2014 the Museum of American Bird Art in Canton, Massachusetts, included many of the works in its exhibition, Painting Birds to Save Them: The Critical Role of Art in the Bird Conservation Movement. Keyes writes in a 2017 Portland Press Herald article, “Gerard Bertrand, president emeritus of Mass Audubon, said Woodin’s art collection is especially important because of its focus on artists

founder of Citizens for a Green Scarborough and a mem-

whose work gave rise to America’s conservation

ber of the Scarborough Land Trust, Friends of Casco Bay,

movement...His first major purchase was a 1914 painting

and Maine Audubon. In recognition of his efforts, he

of a kingbird by Bruce Horsfall. ‘Then I bought my first

received the 2012 Eco-Excellence Award from Eco

Allan Brooks, then my first Louis Agassiz Fuertes, and

Maine. A man of varied interests, Woodin received the

beyond,’ he said. “I was excited, and became committed

2015 Sonny Noel President’s Award from the Maine

to create a focused, historic collection.’”

Baseball Hall of Fame as well. He played catcher at Colby College and today supports youth baseball in Maine.

Woodin also became a staunch pesticide control advocate, as it affects birds and entire native ecosystems.

His prized garden, which he opens each year for tours in August, is pesticide-free, and with his leadership the town of Scarborough updated its pesticide policy for its parks and open spaces. Woodin has been an avid supporter of conservation causes for decades, as a

Source: Bob Keyes, “A feather in his cap: Scarborough man to be honored for collection of bird art,” Portland Press Herald, November 13, 2017.

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DAVID A. HAGERBAUMER

1921-2014

396

396 David A. Hagerbaumer (1921-2014)

Beech Grove - Passenger Pigeon, 1978 signed and dated “David Hagerbaumer (c) 1978” lower left watercolor, 21 by 29 1/2 in. inscribed “No. 2442 original [illustration] for a limited edition of 350 signed and numbered prints, historical series no. 6 of 6” on back

This painting was reproduced in 1978 in an edition of 350, the final work of a series of six watercolors issued as prints. In it, Hagerbaumer highlights the amazing passenger pigeon, which filled the skies of early America until the species was rendered extinct in 1914. Historical ornithologists, such as John James Audubon, reported a single flock passing overhead for three days.

PROVENANCE: Eddie Woodin Collection

$5,000 - $7,000

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ALLAN BROOKS 1869-1945

397

397 Allan Brooks (1869-1945)

Deer in Fall, 1940 signed and dated “Allan Brooks 1940” lower left watercolor, 12 1/2 by 18 1/4 in.

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, and after being encouraged to pursue his art by William Brewster, 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. Brooks ran a bird sanctuary at his home on Okanagan Lake in British

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Columbia. His New York Times obituary notes, “Major Brooks spent most of his career, when not painting birds, in big-game hunting and the study of ornithology and natural history in general. He was a Fellow of the American Ornithologists’ Union and a Colonial Member of the British Ornithologists’ Union.” Brooks died in 1946.

PROVENANCE: Eddie Woodin Collection LITERATURE: “Maj. Allan Brooks, Noted Illustrator of Bird Books

Served in First World War,” The New York Times, Saturday, January 5, 1946. $3,000 - $5,000

ALLAN BROOKS 1869-1945

398

399

398 Allan Brooks (1869-1945)

Wood Ducks, 1944 signed and dated “Allan Brooks 1944” lower right watercolor, 10 1/2 by 14 in.

PROVENANCE: William B. Webster III Collection Eddie Woodin Collection

$3,000 - $5,000

399 Allan Brooks (1869-1945)

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

The Sporting Gallery and Bookshop, Inc., New York, NY label on back American Wildlife Art Galleries, Minneapolis, MN stamp on back PROVENANCE: William B. Webster III Collection Eddie Woodin Collection

$3,000 - $5,000 279

ROBERT VERITY CLEM 1933-2010

400

400 Robert Verity Clem (1933-2010)

Woodcock, 1967 signed and dated “Robert Verity Clem 1967” lower left gouache, 15 1/2 by 23 in.

Robert Verity Clem was a New England artist based in Chatham, Massachusetts. He was self-taught but heavily influenced by the work of Louis Agassiz Fuertes (18741927). He published his definitive work, The Shorebirds of North America, in 1967. He is known for the exactitude of his detail and the sparseness of his pallet.

Clem was a trustee of the Chatham Conservation Foundation and had multiple shows at the Mass Audubon Visual Arts Center in Canton, Massachusetts. He died in 2010. Amy Montague of Mass Audubon notes, “If there were a pantheon of bird artists, Robert Verity Clem would be there.” She continues, “He is almost universally acknowledged as ranking among the greatest artists to focus on birds.”

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This is a rare work of a sporting bird by the artist, who typically focused on shorebirds, songbirds, raptors, and crows. It is one of the few upland game bird paintings Clem is known to have painted.

PROVENANCE: Eddie Woodin Collection

$7,000 - $10,000

ROBERT VERITY CLEM

1933-2010

401

401 Robert Verity Clem (1933-2010) Ravens signed “Robert Verity Clem” lower left watercolor and gouache, 16 by 26 in.

PROVENANCE: Eddie Woodin Collection

$4,000 - $6,000

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REGINALD BOLLES 1877-1967

402 Reginald Bolles (1877-1967) Snow Geese signed “R. Fairfax Bolles” lower left oil on canvas, 38 by 28 in.

Reginald Bolles was a well-known illustrator celebrated for his fine paintings of waterfowl. His grandfather was a founder of the Boston Stock Exchange, and Bolles was a 1900 graduate of Harvard College, where he was known as a prankster, polo player, and a member of the Hasty Pudding Club. Rebelling from his Boston banking family, Bolles pursued a career as an artist and illustrator. His artwork was featured on many magazine covers, including Collier’s and Field & Stream. He lived in Cotuit on Cape Cod for many years until passing in 1967.

PROVENANCE: Eddie Woodin Collection

$4,000 - $6,000

403 Reginald Bolles (1877-1967)

Three Teal in Flight, 1947 signed and dated “R. Bolles 47” lower right oil on board, 17 1/4 by 29 1/4 in.

PROVENANCE: Eddie Woodin Collection

$3,500 - $4,500

403

282

402

WALTER A. WEBER

1906-1979

404

404 Walter A. Weber (1906-1979) Deer in Snow signed “Walter A. Weber” lower right oil on canvas, 24 by 18 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 1944-45 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

$2,000 - $4,000 405 406

405 Walter A. Weber (1906-1979)

406 Walter A. Weber (1906-1979)

PROVENANCE: Eddie Woodin Collection

PROVENANCE: Eddie Woodin Collection

$2,000 - $4,000

$2,000 - $4,000

White Tail Deer signed “Walter A. Weber” lower left oil on canvas, 24 1/2 by 18 in.

Black Duck signed “Walter A. Weber” lower right oil on canvas, 34 by 27 3/4 in.

283

ROGER TORY PETERSON 1908-1996

407

407 Roger Tory Peterson (1908-1996) Ducks, 1993 watercolor and gouache, 15 by 9 in. with key to species on back

Roger Tory Peterson was born in 1908 in Jamestown, New York. After a childhood spent reading and fascinated with birds, he studied art at the Art Students League and National Academy of Design in New York. Inspired by naturalist bird artists such as John James Audubon, Edward Lear, and Louis Agassiz Fuertes, in 1934 Peterson published his innovative and influential A Field Guide to the Birds of Eastern and Central North America, which went into multiple editions and is still in print. The Peterson Field Guides imprint remains a popular resource.

Peterson said, “In 1934 there was nothing remotely like the Field Guide in print...My special contribution was the visual element within a carefully chosen context. Other ornithologists, both noted and nameless, had worked out the field marks of most birds. I combined their knowledge with my visual presentation and, at the urging of two friends in particular, carried the idea through. Their encouragement, my native interest in birds, and my professional training as an artist enabled me to create something that appeared new, though it was really a kind of fertile hybrid.�

408

Among his many honors, the artist-naturalist received multiple honorary degrees and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Today, the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History continues to educate the public on art and nature in his honor in his hometown of Jamestown.

PROVENANCE: Eddie Woodin Collection LITERATURE: Roger T. Peterson, Birds of Great Britain and Europe, Boston, MA, 1993, pl. 19, illustrated.

$2,000 - $4,000

408 Roger Tory Peterson (1908-1996) Hawk Silhouettes, 1980 ink on paper, 12 1/4 by 10 1/2 in. inscribed with names of hawks in margins PROVENANCE: Eddie Woodin Collection LITERATURE: Roger T. Peterson, Field Guide to Eastern Birds, 1980, p. 164, illustrated.

$1,500 - $2,500

284

ROBERT W. HINES 1912-1994

409

409 Robert W. Hines (1912-1994) Northern Goshawk and Ruffed Grouse signed “Bob Hines” lower right oil on canvas, 22 by 29 3/4 in.

410

Bob Hines was born in Ohio in 1912. After a childhood spent sketching and drawing, and after learning taxidermy as a young man, he became a staff artist for the Ohio Division of Wildlife. His drawing of redheads was chosen for the 1946 Federal Duck Stamp. The next year, he joined the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, where he oversaw the duck stamp contest for thirty years. In his capacity as staff artist-illustrator, Hines illustrated many important conservation books, publications, and even created large wildlife scenes that hang in the Department of the Interior. Hines was given the title of “National Wildlife Artist,” and died in 1994.

PROVENANCE: Eddie Woodin Collection

$700 - $1,000

410 Robert W. Hines (1912-1994)

Great Horned Owl, 1974 signed and dated “Bob Hines 1974” lower right oil on canvas, 19 by 15 in.

PROVENANCE: Eddie Woodin Collection

$700 - $1,000

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411 Art LaMay (b. 1938)

411

Woodducks signed “Art LaMay ©” lower right watercolor and gouache, 19 3/4 by 22 in.

A vibrant and very well-executed example of the artist’s work.

PROVENANCE: Eddie Woodin Collection

$600 - $900

412

412 William Redd Taylor (1938-2018) Pintails signed “Wm Redd Taylor” lower right watercolor, 20 3/4 by 28 3/4 in.

The colors and composition of these majestic birds combine in this Taylor work to form one of his best efforts.

PROVENANCE: Eddie Woodin Collection

$600 - $900

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414

413

415

413 Peregrine Falcon and Bobwhite Quail Wendell Gilley (1904-1983) Southwest Harbor, ME, 1981 15 in. tall by 20 in. wide

The 1968 Decoy Collector’s Guide described Gilley’s craftsmanship: “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.

This carving depicts a life-size peregrine pursuing a quail in flight. The underside of the base is signed, identified, dated, and ink stamped by the maker. Original condition with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Eddie Woodin Collection

$3,000 - $5,000

414 Ruddy Turnstone Pair New Jersey, c. 1900 9 in. long

Two rigmate turnstone with wire bills. Old paint with heavy gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Eddie Woodin Collection

415 Yellowlegs

New Jersey, c. 1880 10 in. long

A well-crafted shorebird displaying a metal bill, raised carved wings, a downward-angled split tail, and a Mackey collection stamp on the underside. A mixture of original paint and old in-use repaint on the underside, gunning wear and old fill with touch-up to tail and head chips. Age line on underside.

PROVENANCE: William J. Mackey Collection Eddie Woodin Collection LITERATURE: Richard A. Bourne Co., Inc., Very Rare and Important American Bird Decoys from the Collection of the late William J. Mackey Jr. of Belford, New Jersey, Hyannis, MA, 1974, Sessions V & VI, lot 415, exact decoy illustrated.

Quintina Colio, American Decoys, Ephrata, PA, 1972, p. 61, rigmate decoy illustrated.

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RODGER MCPHAIL B. 1953

416

416 Rodger McPhail (British, b. 1953) Birds in Flight signed “R. McPhail” lower right oil on canvas, 24 by 36 in.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Colorado

$4,000 - $6,000

288

OGDEN M. PLEISSNER

1905-1983

417

417 Ogden M. Pleissner (1905-1983) Fishing on the Battenkill signed “Pleissner” lower left watercolor, 14 by 20 1/2 in.

Ogden Minton Pleissner was born in Brooklyn, New York, and studied figure painting and portraiture with Frank DuMond and Frederick J. Boston 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. In later years, Pleissner and his first wife, Mary, were regular guests at the CM Ranch in Dubois, Wyoming.

Pleissner wanted to be classified primarily as a landscape painter, who also loved to hunt and fish. During World War II, Pleissner painted for the United States Air Force and Life magazine. During his years in the service, he primarily completed watercolors as the portability and immediacy of that medium accommodated working in the field.

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

Pleissner’s subjects range from the landscapes of Europe to salmon fishing in Quebec and his style is informed by the classical traditions. He is quoted as saying, “A fine painting is not just the subject...It is the feeling conveyed of form, bulk, space, dimensionality, and sensitivity. The mood of the picture, that is most important.”

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Vermont

$18,000 - $24,000

Pleissner’s work is included in more than thirty public collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art,

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ANTONIO JACOBSEN 1850-1921

418

418 Antonio Jacobsen (1850-1921)

El Dorado, 1893 signed and dated “A Jacobsen 1893” lower right oil on canvas, 22 1/4 by 36 1/4 in.

Antonio Jacobsen was born in Denmark in 1850, trained at the Royal Academy of Design in Copenhagen, and moved to New York as a young man. He often painted commissions for sea captains and shipping companies, and was known for the accuracy of his details. His works can be found in the Shelburne Museum, the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts, and the New York Historical Society, among others.

The subject of this work was likely El Dorado, a steamship in the famed White Star Line.

PROVENANCE: The Estate of Mary Jane Kuehn

$6,000 - $9,000

419 John Charles Terelak (b. 1942) Dory Fisherman off the Grand Banks, 1978 signed and dated “JC Terelak © 78” oil on canvas, 86 by 74 in.

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This Terelak masterwork hung in Boston’s State Street Bank.

The Grand Banks, southeast of Newfoundland, are a series of shallow, underwater plateaus on the North American continental shelf, 50 to 300 feet deep. Here the cold Labrador Current mixes with the warm waters of the Gulf Stream, lifting nutrients from the bottom of the ocean to the surface and creating one of the richest fishing grounds in the world. It is home to Atlantic cod, swordfish, haddock, as well as colonies of seabirds and sea mammals.

In Dory Fishermen off the Grand Banks, Terelak captures a fishing schooner becalmed in the early morning with three long-line dories returning with their catch. While seemingly from a bygone era, such schooners remained fishing into the 1980s on the Banks, as they had for centuries.

John Charles Terelak is an American Impressionist who was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and received formal art instruction at the Vesper George School of Fine Art. Terelak established a studio in Rockport, Massachusetts, and founded the Gloucester Academy of Fine Art, which he headed for many years. He has been

JOHN CHARLES TERELAK B. 1942

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an active member of the Guild of Boston Artists and President of the New England Watercolor Society. His paintings capture the nobility of the Gloucester fisherman, the tranquility of spring mornings in the Vermont, life on the beaches of Cape Cod, and a snowfall in Times Square. His works can be found in many top private and public collections throughout the United States, including the Andrew Mellon Foundation, Sheraton Corporation, Winthrop Financial Corporation, Prudential Insurance

Company, Bank of Boston, Shawmut Bank, State Street Bank, Boston, and Sterling-Regal Publishing Company.

PROVENANCE: Collection of the Artist, Rockport, Massachusetts Oui Gallery, Boston State Street Bank, Boston Estate of a Collector, San Francisco

$7,000 - $10,000

291

Pat Godin B. 1953 | PARIS, ONTARIO, CANADA

Pat Godin has been carving for over a half century. He

“Some of these carvings have been awarded ‘Best in

won his first of many titles in the 1976 World Champi-

World’ titles at the Ward World Championship Wildfowl

onships, despite being a relative newcomer to carving

Carving Competition. Also, a number of these will be

competitions at that time. Pat exhibited at the Waterfowl

featured in the book I am working on entitled ‘The

Festival in Easton, Maryland, for thirty years and, in 1984,

Artistry of Pat Godin – Art, Science, and Inspiration.’”

he was inducted into the Festival’s Hall of Fame. During the 2015 Ward World Championship in Ocean City,

In addition to Godin’s many and obvious carving and

Maryland, Pat was honored as a Living Legend. At last

painting talents, this unique grouping showcases his

count his World Champion win total had reached seven-

ability to artistically present the aesthetic harmonies

teen, after the 2019 Ward World Championships with his

between a bird and its natural environment. Subtle

Best-in-World mallard rig.

pairings, such the spruce grouse’s auburn tail tips and the surrounding spruce cones of the same tone, are not by

In regards to this group of miniatures, Pat Godin writes:

chance. Godin’s interplay of form, color, and texture can

“This series of North American species of grouse created

be felt and found throughout this flock.

in a reduced-scale format (miniature at 1/3 life-size) is indeed a legacy for me and my career. The concept of

Each bird can be easily detached from its base for trans-

creating an entire series featuring the grouse species of

port in a custom crate made by the maker. The underside

North America evolved in my mind. This was a group of

of each wooden base is finished with a solid brass plate

birds that fascinated me a lot. I could imagine end-

which also serves as a ballast.

less creative designs that would work with the various species. However, I did want to narrow the target of the basic concept for this series. So, the theme I would focus on was to present the males of these species performing their breeding displays.

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“This man, Pat Godin, has already accomplished more than most of us dream of in the world of wildfowl carving...My advice is this: when you have a chance to question Pat Godin about carving, do a lot of listening. I do!”

— Tan Brunet (b. 1938) Five-Time World Champion, Decorative Decoy Pairs

420

420 Pintail Drake

Pat Godin (b. 1953) Paris, Ontario, Canada, 1994 19 in. long

A turned-head drake with raised primaries, finely carved feather and bill detail, and an intricate paint treatment on the back and sides. The underside bears the maker’s signature and the inscription “Pintail Drake

1994 An Original Creation by Pat Godin.” Original paint with minimal wear, one tail feather has 3/8” chip and the other a smaller chip.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Pennsylvania, acquired directly from the artist

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PAT GODIN

B. 1953 | PARIS, ONTARIO, CANADA

423 Miniature Blue Grouse on Wildcat

421

Pat Godin (b. 1953) Paris, Ontario, Canada, 2003 7 1/2 in. tall, 6 by 5 in. base

An expertly rendered blue grouse on a lichenand-moss-covered rock. The attention to detail given to both the bird and the landscape are emblematic of this exceptional maker, referred to in Traditions in Wood as “one of Canada’s best contemporary decorative carvers.” Of particular note are the grouse’s two red sacs surrounded by white feathers which indicate that the bird hails from the Rocky Mountains as grouse from other regions typically have yellow sacs.

The underside of the base is inscribed by the artist “Blue Grouse on Wildcat / 2003 / by Pat Godin.” and signed “Patrick R. Godin.” Original condition with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Pennsylvania, acquired directly from the artist

421 Miniature Ruffed Grouse Pat Godin (b. 1953) Paris, Ontario, Canada, 2001 6 1/4 in. tall, 6 by 5 in. base

This ruffed grouse in a courtship display is a truly exceptional work by a master of decorative bird carving. The bird, the leaves, and the log are carved and painted wood. The realistic shaping of the layered feathers and detailed paint patterns of this species reflects the artist’s deep knowledge of and respect for the ruffed grouse.

Indeed, the world auction record for the maker was set by a life-size ruffed grouse in the Copley’s Winter Sale 2020. The base exhibits the bird’s footprints to facilitate properly replacing the grouse on stand. The underside of the base is inscribed by the artist “Birch Run Grouse / 2001 / by Pat Godin / Eight-Time World Champion” and signed “Patrick R. Godin.” Original condition with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Pennsylvania, acquired directly from the artist

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422 Miniature Arctic Spring Willow Ptarmigan Pat Godin (b. 1953) Paris, Ontario, Canada, 2013 11 1/2 in. tall, 6 by 5 in. base

The Decorative Miniature class of the annual Ward World Championship Wildfowl Carving Competition is always highly competitive. This lot was named Best-in-World in this elite group in 2013.

A detailed carving of a ptarmigan beside a carved budding willow branch. The work is complete with the species’ telltale red eyebrows and feather-covered feet, which protect the bird from the cold and act as snowshoes in the deep snows of winter in the sub-arctic tundra.

The underside of the base is inscribed by the artist “Arctic Spring Willow Ptarmigan / 2013 / by Pat Godin” and signed “Patrick R. Godin” Original condition with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Best in World Decorative Miniature, 2013 Private Collection, Pennsylvania, acquired directly from the artist

LITERATURE: Patricia Fleming, ed., Traditions in Wood, Ontario, Canada, 1987, p. 29.

424 Miniature Columbian Sharp-Tailed Grouse Pat Godin (b. 1953) Paris, Ontario, Canada, 2005 9 3/4 in. tall, 6 1/4 by 5 in. base

A native to the Western United States and British Columbia, the male Columbian sharptailed grouse has a highly distinguishable white wedge-shaped tail and a complex feather pattern. With this carving, Godin deftly renders this species and its natural prairie habitat.

The maker once remarked, “There is hardly a day goes by that I don’t appreciate the opportunity I have had to spend my life so intimately with my amazing avian subjects in their natural world.” The anatomical accuracy of Godin’s carvings are a direct result of his longtime intimacy with bird species, his keen observation skills, and his attention to detail.

The underside of the base is inscribed by the artist “Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse / 2005 / by Pat Godin and signed “Patrick R. Godin.”

422

424

426

423

425

427

Original condition with minimal wear.

Private Collection, Pennsylvania, acquired directly from the artist

425 Miniature Orion Sage Grouse Pat Godin (b. 1953) Paris, Ontario, Canada, 2004 9 1/2 in. tall, 5 1/2 by 7 in. base

A majestic sage grouse in full courtship display.

Both the bird and the vegetation are meticulously carved and painted. The grouse’s head exhibits a finely carved black crest.

Godin’s meticulous work. The habitat the maker designed is well-suited to this species as the spruce grouse is among the most arboreal of all grouse species. The bird exhibits true-tospecies red eyebrows and mottled coloring. The underside of the base is inscribed by the artist “Spruce Grouse on the Vermilion River / 2006 /

by Pat Godin” and signed “Patrick R. Godin.”

This carving was named Third-in-World in the Ward World Championship Wildfowl Carving Competition’s highly competitive Decorative Miniature class. Original condition with minimal wear.

The underside of the base is inscribed by the artist “Orion Sage Grouse / 2004 / Original creation by Pat Godin” and signed “Patrick R. Godin.” Original condition with minimal wear.

2006 Private Collection, Pennsylvania, acquired directly from the artist

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Pennsylvania, acquired directly from the artist

427 Miniature Greater Prairie Chicken

426 Miniature Spruce Grouse on the Vermilion River Pat Godin (b. 1953) Paris, Ontario, Canada, 2006 9 in. tall, 7 by 4 in. base

Mounted on a spruce limb complete with spruce needles, buds, and lichen on the bark, this carving displays all the trademarks of

PROVENANCE: 2nd Runner-up Decorative Miniature,

Pat Godin (b. 1953) Paris, Ontario, Canada, 2011 9 3/4 in. tall, 6 1/4 by 5 in. base

In the 2011 Ward World Championship Wildfowl Carving Competition, this carving won Best-in-World in the highly competitive Decorative Miniature class. This greater prairie chicken in midair is a truly exceptional, award-winning work by a living legend of decorative bird carving.

Both the bird and the prairie vegetation are carved and painted wood. The shaping of the primary feathers and accuracy in achieving the realistic and complex patterns of this bird reflects the artist’s thorough knowledge of the species. While the bird is the centerpiece of this carving, the grasses over which the chicken hovers are a critical element of the presentation. Of note is the masterful suspension of the prairie chicken over the base which gives the impression of actual flight. The standing grasses under the bird are metal with a single blade supporting the bird.

The underside of the base is inscribed by the artist “’Battle on the Lek’ / Greater Prairie Chicken by Pat Godin” and is signed “Patrick R. Godin.” The name and signature retain the masking tape from its anonymous entry in the Worlds competition. A lek is a gathering that involves competitive displays and courtship rituals by the males to impress the females who will subsequently select their mating partners.

Original condition with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Best-in-World Decorative Miniature, 2011 Private Collection, Pennsylvania, acquired directly from the artist

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Lots 429-468 are part of

The Dr. Leonard O. Oden Collection of Bird Carvings Dr. Leonard O. Oden, was known as Doc, Thumper, or Left-footer by his friends. Although he lived with his family in Norfolk, Virginia, his passion was across the Chesapeake Bay on the Eastern Shore. He loved its wideopen spaces for fishing and hunting.

After graduating from his orthodontic residency at Columbia University in 1956, Dr. Oden began his miniature bird carving collection with a purchase from Crossroads of Sport in New York City. Many of his treasured A. J. King carvings were from that iconic store.

Each fall, Doc and his wife drove up to Easton, Maryland, for the Waterfowl Festival. Oliver “Tuts” Lawson remembers first meeting him in 1961, recalling Doc as a true Southern gentleman with an easygoing way about him and a good sense of humor. For over forty years, the Odens enjoyed visiting with the festival’s skilled bird carvers, many of whose works Doc also collected, including Melbye, deGavre, Gibbs, the Holts, Sjoholm,

Dr. Oden fishing on his favorite waters with a double-header on the line.

and Vreeland.

For Doc, experiencing and sharing these bird carvings Doc fished and hunted all of his life and shared this

was personal and he saw them as a conduit for building

passion with his family and the young men he mentored.

relationships. Today, those who knew Doc Oden can’t

On fishing trips, he always targeted a “Double Header”

visit the Eastern Shore or spy a quality bird carving with-

on a high-low rig, knowing it was a surefire way to hook

out thinking of him and smiling.

newcomers to the sport. For him, it was easy to see the beauty of God’s creation on the Eastern Shore and he wanted others to experience it as well.

Copley Fine Art Auctions would like to thank Doc Oden’s daughters: Judy, Cathy, Liz, Hayden, Carolyn, and Jackie,

Guests who entered the Oden home were often shown Doc’s miniature bird carving collection as it brought great pleasure to him. He would point out a carving’s finer details and describe the qualities and style of the artist.

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for their contributions to this biography.

ALLEN J. KING

1878-1963 | NORTH SCITUATE, RI

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428 Miniature Turkey Pair Allen J. King (1878-1963) North Scituate, RI, c. 1940 5 1/2 in. tall

A. J. King was a pioneer in the field of decorative miniature carving. To this day, his work is held in the highest esteem and few would argue about his place among the greatest miniature carvers of all time. During his lifetime, King sold his works through the Crossroads of Sport in New York City.

A pair of wild turkeys on a wooden base. The tom is standing and the hen is resting; both exhibit raised wings and intricately carved details specific to the species. A

closely related pair is in the prized King collection at the Mass Audubon Visual Arts Center. The base bears the maker’s signature. Excellent original paint with minimal wear, including flaking at tom’s feet.

PROVENANCE: Dr. Leonard O. Oden Collection LITERATURE: Joseph Ellis, Birds in Wood and Paint, Hanover, NH, 2009, p. 108, closely related carvings illustrated.

$3,000 - $4,000

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ALLEN J. KING

1878-1963 | NORTH SCITUATE, RI

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429 Miniature Woodcock Pair Allen J. King (1878-1963) North Scituate, RI, c. 1940 1 1/2 in. tall

A pair of woodcock mounted on a threeinch wooden base with the maker’s signature. Both birds display fine paint detail.

Excellent original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Dr. Leonard O. Oden Collection

$2,000 - $3,000

430 Miniature Pheasant Pair Allen J. King (1878-1963) North Scituate, RI, c. 1940 3 1/4 in. tall

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A pair of pheasants with incised wings and detailed feather paint treatment. The male stands and the hen sits on a wooden base.

A related pair is in the prized King collection at the Mass Audubon Visual Arts Center. Signed by the maker on the back of wooden base. Excellent original paint with minimal wear, including minor chip to tip of hen’s tail feather, and flake on cock’s crest.

PROVENANCE: Dr. Leonard O. Oden Collection LITERATURE: Joseph Ellis, Birds in Wood and Paint, Hanover, NH, 2009, p. 110, related carvings illustrated.

$2,000 - $3,000

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431 Miniature High-Head Pintail Pair Allen J. King (1878-1963) North Scituate, RI, c. 1940 2 1/2 in. tall

A pair of miniature pintails on a wooden base signed by the maker. The carvings display raised wing tips and fine paint detail. Excellent original paint minor wear.

PROVENANCE: Dr. Leonard O. Oden Collection

$1,000 - $2,000

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ALLEN J. KING

1878-1963 | NORTH SCITUATE, RI

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432 Miniature Mallard Pair Allen J. King (1878-1963) North Scituate, RI, c. 1940 2 3/4 in. tall

A mallard pair with raised wings, signed by the maker on the side of the base. Excellent original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Dr. Leonard O. Oden Collection

$800 - $1,200

433 Miniature Redhead Pair Allen J. King (1878-1963) North Scituate, RI, c. 1940 2 in. tall

434 Miniature Wild Turkey Bust Allen J. King (1878-1963) North Scituate, RI, c. 1940 3 1/2 in. tall plaque

Exceptionally rare, if not unique, miniature wild turkey bust mounted on a beveled oval plaque. The turkey exhibits bold paint. The plaque bears a leather loop for hanging.

Signed by the maker on the edge of the plaque. Excellent original paint with minimal wear and some minor glue visible at snood seam.

PROVENANCE: Dr. Leonard O. Oden Collection

$1,000 - $2,000

A pair of redheads mounted on a base signed “A. J. King” on the side. Excellent original paint with minimal wear.

435 Miniature Bluebill Pair

PROVENANCE: Dr. Leonard O. Oden Collection

A fine pair of scaup mounted on a base which is signed “A. J. King” on the side. Excellent original paint with minimal wear.

$800 - $1,200

Allen J. King (1878-1963) North Scituate, RI, c. 1940 2 1/4 in. tall

PROVENANCE: Dr. Leonard O. Oden Collection

$800 - $1,200

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ALLEN J. KING

1878-1963 | NORTH SCITUATE, RI

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436 Miniature Ring-Necked Pair Allen J. King (1878-1963) North Scituate, RI, c. 1940 2 1/2 in. tall

A pair of decorative ring-necked ducks with detailed carving and painting. The birds are mounted on a wooden burl base which is signed “A. J. King” on the side. Excellent original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Dr. Leonard O. Oden Collection

$800 - $1,200

437 Profile of a Beagle

James A. King (1905-1959) 3 1/2 in. tall plaque

A miniature carving of the profile of a beagle’s head on a beveled oval plaque. The dog exhibits exceptional detailed carving and depth. The plaque bears a leather loop for hanging and is incised with the maker’s name

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on the edge. James is the accomplished carving son of A. J. King.

Excellent original paint minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Dr. Leonard O. Oden Collection

$300 - $600

438 Miniature Mourning Dove Pair Allen J. King (1878-1963) North Scituare, RI, c. 1940 5 3/4 in. long

A pair of mourning doves perched on a wooden branch mounted on a circular beveled base. The exceptional carvings display raised wing tips and the branch bears the maker’s white signature. Excellent original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Dr. Leonard O. Oden Collection

$1,000 - $2,000

ARNOLD T. MELBYE (1909-2000 | SOUTH YARMOUTH, MA,

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439 Sandpiper Trio

440 Chickadee

Three decorative sandpipers mounted on a driftwood base. The birds exhibit exceptional paint, raised wing tips, and realistic attitudes, including one sandpiper with a raised foot. Each bird is signed by the maker on the underside. Excellent original paint minimal wear.

A chickadee perched on a wooden base with a carved sunflower seed. Melbye, a builder by trade, followed in Elmer Crowell’s footsteps as one of Cape Cod’s best decorative bird carvers. Incised signature on underside of bird by maker. Excellent original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Dr. Leonard O. Oden Collection

PROVENANCE: Dr. Leonard O. Oden Collection

$2,000 - $3,000

$1,200 - $1,800

Arnold T. Melbye (1909-2000) South Yarmouth, MA, c. 1970 base is 14 in. long and 5 1/2 in. wide

Arnold T. Melbye (1909-2000) South Yarmouth, MA, c. 1970 3 1/4 in. tall

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OLIVER “TUTS” LAWSON B. 1938 | CRISFIELD, MD

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441 Quail Pair

Oliver “Tuts” Lawson (b. 1938) Crisfield, MD, 1971 6 in. long, 8 1/4 in. tall

This wooden quail pair is striking for their anatomy as well as paint detail. Each quail rests on natural wood which has been mounted on a beveled wooden base.

This duo stands among the best Lawson upland carvings ever to come to market. Each base is signed and dated by the maker. Excellent original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Dr. Leonard O. Oden Collection

$4,000 - $6,000

442 Mourning Dove

Oliver “Tuts” Lawson (b. 1938) Crisfield, MD, 1968 13 in. tall

A decorative mourning dove, in a dramatic alighting position. This bird features incised wing and tail carving and is perched on a branch mounted on a circular wooden base. Signed and dated by the maker on the base. Excellent original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Dr. Leonard O. Oden Collection

$2,000 - $3,000 302

OLIVER “TUTS” LAWSON B. 1938 | CRISFIELD, MD

443 Cardinal Pair

Oliver “Tuts” Lawson (b. 1938) Crisfield, MD, 1968 14 1/4 in. tall

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A pair of cardinals perched on a branch mounted on to a wooden base. The trunk is signed and dated by the maker. The male carving exhibits a slightly turned head, dropped wings, and an uplifted tail. The female bird is perched on a low branch with wings outspread as if just alighting or else preparing to depart. Original paint with minimal wear and minuscule chip to fifth feather on top of male’s crest.

PROVENANCE: Dr. Leonard O. Oden Collection

$2,000 - $3,000

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444 Half-Size Canada Goose Pair

Oliver “Tuts” Lawson (b. 1938) Crisfield, MD, 1971 goose is 10 3/4 in. tall by 11 in. long, base is 5 1/4 in. by 10 3/4 in. feeding goose is 7 3/4 in. tall by 10 in. long, base is 5 1/4 in. by 10 3/4 in.

Two decorative Canada goose carvings, each with incised wing and tail detail, mounted on wooden bases. The feeding goose represents a challenging, rarely seen, posture and features a fine combination of delicately carved and painted detail. Each is signed and dated on the base.

Original paint with minor wear, including slight rub to heads and chip and crack to reacher’s wingtips. Some flaking to legs and feet.

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PROVENANCE: Dr. Leonard O. Oden Collection

$1,000 - $20,00

445 Wood Ducklings in a Tree Oliver “Tuts” Lawson (b. 1938) Crisfield, MD, 1991 9 1/2 in. tall

Two baby wood ducks set inside a carved wooden wall mount. The base bears the maker’s signature and “’91” on the bottom; the back has a hollowed-out portion and a metal bracket for hanging purposes. Excellent original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Dr. Leonard O. Oden Collection

$800 - $1,200

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446 Miniature Pintail Pair

Brig. Gen. Chester deGavre (1908-1993) Onancock, VA, c. 1960 2 3/4 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 pintail pair. Inscribed on the underside “Pintails Ducks by deGavre.” Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Dr. Leonard O. Oden Collection

$200 - $400

447 Miniature Black Duck Pair

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

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

PROVENANCE: Dr. Leonard O. Oden Collection

$200 - $400

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

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

PROVENANCE: Dr. Leonard O. Oden Collection

$200 - $400

449 Miniature Wood Duck Pair

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

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A pair of decorative wood ducks with turned heads and raised wings. The birds are mounted on a wooden burl base which is signed “deGavre” on the underside. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Dr. Leonard O. Oden Collection

$200 - $400

450 Miniature Redhead Pair

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

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

PROVENANCE: Dr. Leonard O. Oden Collection

$200 - $400

451 Miniature Gadwall Pair

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

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

PROVENANCE: Dr. Leonard O. Oden Collection

$200 - $400

452 Miniature Feeding Blue Goose

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

A decorative blue goose mounted on a base signed by the maker on the underside. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Dr. Leonard O. Oden Collection

$100 - $300

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

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

PROVENANCE: Dr. Leonard O. Oden Collection

$200 - $400

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454 Miniature Ruddy Duck Pair

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

The female features an upswept tail. Both are mounted on a wooden base with the maker’s signature on the underside. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Dr. Leonard O. Oden Collection

$200 - $400

455 Miniature American Merganser Pair Brig. Gen. Chester deGavre (1908-1993) Onancock, VA c. 1960 3 in. tall

A pair of decorative American mergansers with raised wings and the painted inscription “American Mergansers by deGavre” on the underside of the base. Original paint with minimal wear.

456 Miniature Bluebill Pair

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

A bluebill pair with a painted inscription “Lesser Scaup by deGavre” on the underside. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Dr. Leonard O. Oden Collection

$200 - $400

PROVENANCE: Dr. Leonard O. Oden Collection

$200 - $400 305

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457 Half-Size Bobwhite Quail Pair Jack and Bette Holt Wilmington, DE, 1976 11 in. tall

A pair of diminutive decorative bobwhite quail with incised crown, wing, and tail carving. The male is standing and calling, while the female rests on the lower portion of the wooden burl base. “Bob White Quail / Jack & Bette Holt / Wilm, Del. 1976” inked on the underside of the base. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Dr. Leonard O. Oden Collection

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459 Carolina Wren

461 White-Throated Sparrow

A slightly turned-head Carolina wren with incised wing and tail carving. The bird is mounted on a wooden base with “Jack & Bette Holt / Carolina Wren” inked on the underside of the base. Original paint with minimal wear.

A white-throated sparrow with a turned head and incised wing and tail carving. The bird is mounted on a wooden burl base.

“White-Throated Sparrow / Jack & Bette Holt / Wilm, Del.” inked on the underside of the base.

Original paint with minimal wear.

Jack and Bette Holt Wilmington, DE, c. 1975 4 in. tall

PROVENANCE: Dr. Leonard O. Oden Collection

$400 - $800

Jack and Bette Holt Wilmington, DE, c. 1975 5 1/2 in. tall

PROVENANCE: Dr. Leonard O. Oden Collection

$400 - $800

$1,000 - $1,500

460 Half-Sized Mourning Dove 458 Bluebird

Jack and Bette Holt Wilmington, DE, 1979 4 1/2 in. tall

A turned-head decorative bluebird with raised wings and incised carving. “Bluebird / Jack & Bette Holt / Wilm, Del. 1979” inked on the underside of the base. Original paint with a chip to bill tip and minor flaking to legs.

PROVENANCE: Dr. Leonard O. Oden Collection

$400 - $800

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Jack and Bette Holt Wilmington, DE, 1982 5 1/2 in. tall

A mourning dove with raised primaries and fine feather paint detail perched on a wooden branch mounted on a circular beveled base.

The underside of the base bears the inked inscription “1982 Wilm Del” along with the name of the species and the carvers. Original paint with minimal wear.

462 House Wren

Jack and Bette Holt Wilmington, DE, c. 1975 4 in. tall

A house wren standing on a piece of natural wood. This wren exhibits an upswept tail and fine carving and paint detail. The underside of the base bears the makers’ names, the name of the species, and “Wilm, Del.” Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Dr. Leonard O. Oden Collection

PROVENANCE: Dr. Leonard O. Oden Collection

$600 - $900

$400 - $800

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463 Least Sandpiper Jack and Bette Holt Wilmington, DE, 1978 4 1/4 in. long

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A sandpiper with a turned head, raised foot, and detailed feather carving. The bird is mounted on an actual clamshell base. “Least Sandpiper / Jack & Bette Holt / Wilm, Del. 1978” inked on the underside of the base. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Dr. Leonard O. Oden Collection

$600 - $900

464 Miniature Pheasant

Harold N. Gibbs (1886-1970) Barrington, RI, 1964 3 in. tall

A pheasant with an extremely long tail, signed and dated by the maker on the underside of the base. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Dr. Leonard O. Oden Collection

$300 - $400

465 Miniature Canvasback Drake Harold N. Gibbs (1886-1970) Barrington, RI, 1965 2 3/4 in. tall

The bird displays incised wing carving. It is signed and dated on the bottom of the base by the maker. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Dr. Leonard O. Oden Collection

$200 - $300

466 Miniature Pintail Drake Harold N. Gibbs (1886-1970) Barrington, RI, 1965 3 in. tall

A raised-wing pintail, dated and signed by the maker on the underside of the base. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Dr. Leonard O. Oden Collection

$200 - $300

467 Miniature Quail Pair

Harry W. Vreeland (1908-1982) Centerport, Long Island, NY, 1966 2 1/4 in. tall

A pair of bobwhite quail with incised wings on a natural wooden base. The underside of the base bears the maker’s “VREELAND” signature in white paint. Vreeland, like A. J. King, sold his works through the Crossroads of Sport in New York City. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Dr. Leonard O. Oden Collection

$400 - $600

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468 Miniature Bobwhite Quail Family

470 Three Strong Miniatures (one shown)

A well-executed covey with finely carved and painted detail by this highly regarded miniaturist. Signed on the underside of the base. Original paint with minor flaking to feet and legs.

A canvasback pair on a wooden base with “1980” and the maker’s signature incised and inked on the underside.

A wood duck pair on a wooden base with “1969” and the maker’s signature incised and inked on the underside. A spotted sandpiper mounted on an actual rock bearing a label with “1972” and the maker’s signature. Original paint with some wear and loss to feet.

Helen Lay Strong (1915-1995) Seneca Falls, NY, c. 1970 8 in. tall

469 Decorative Brown Thrasher on a Carved Base Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 1990 10 in. long

A life-size brown thrasher carving with dropped wings, extensive feather detail, and finely rendered leaves on an oval base. Signed on the bottom of the base with the maker’s “Finney” stamp and incised cursive “F.” Original paint with minimal wear. $400 - $600

Helen Lay Strong (1915-1995) Seneca Falls, NY, 1969-1980 biggest is 4 in. tall

471 Soaring Songbird c. 1880 8 1/2 in. tall

A yellow songbird with moveable wings mounted on a metal rod attached to a beveled wooden base. The rod fits into a movable section that allows the bird to rotate in the wind. The underside of the base bears a white “EGAN” collection sticker. Original paint with even wear.

PROVENANCE: Ray Egan Collection David Schorsch

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472 Sandy Scott (b. 1943)

Raven, 2006 signed and dated “©Sandy Scott 06” on back bronze, 21 1/2 by 18 by 17 in. numbered “1/35,” edition 1 of 35

A bronze of an alighting raven atop a Northwest Native American totem depicting the same species. The casting is mounted on a beveled wooden base.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Pennsylvania

$1,000 - $1,500

473 Quail and Thistle Carved Sculpture Ken Newman (b. 1956) Cambridge, ID 41 in. tall, 23 by 15 in. base

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This carved wooden sculpture presents four life-size quail integrated in a thistle plant. There are two males up top with a pair of females emerging from below. The entire carving appears to have been created from a single piece of wood, which has its weathered and twisted character integrated into the refined carving and oil finish. This towering sculpture stands over three feet tall. The lower part of the wooden branch bears the maker’s signature. It is mounted upon a swiveling stone base.

Ken Newman was born in Fort Bragg, California. After a career as a logger and custom home contractor in Truckee, California, he turned to art sculpture full-time. Newman creates his carvings from raw wood forms. He is a member of the National Sculpture Society, the Allied Artists of America, and the Society of Animal Artists. His works can be found in major pubic and private collections across the country. Original condition with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Pennsylvania

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474 Running Sandpiper

476 Tucked-Head Sandpiper

In working paint with heavy gunning wear to bare wood, bill appears to be an old replacement.

A small sandpiper with a humped-back and chip-carved surface. Original paint with even gunning wear and a replaced bill.

Long Island, NY, c. 1870 8 1/4 in. long

PROVENANCE: Bud Ward Collection Dwight D. Miller Collection

$600 - $900

475 Peep

Dave “Umbrella” Watson (1851-1939) Chincoteague, VA, c. 1900 6 in. long

A classic and plump Virginia peep with raised wing tips.

Original paint with heavy gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Dwight D. Miller Collection

$1,000 - $1,500

Cape May, NJ, c. 1900 8 in. long

PROVENANCE: John Hillman Collection Somers Headley Collection Dwight D. Miller Collection LITERATURE: Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., Shore Bird Decoys, Ex-

ton, PA, 1980, p. 94, pl. 6-36, exact decoy illustrated. $1,000 - $2,000

477 Running Plover New Jersey, c. 1900 12 1/2 in. long

This running black-bellied plover carving displays William J. Mackey Jr.’s inked collection stamp on the underside of the carving. Old working paint with gunning wear, a replaced bill, age line in breast and chip at stick hole.

PROVENANCE: William J. Mackey Jr. Collection Private Collection, Michigan

$1,000 - $1,500

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480 Two Shorebirds New Jersey, c. 1900 12 in. long

A black-bellied plover and green tinted shorebird with a wire bill and glass eyes. As found.

481 Red Knot

Virginia, c. 1900 11 in. long

478 Plover

North Shore, MA or NH, c. 1900 11 1/2 in. long

Carved and painted in the same fashion as George Boyd’s plover, this example has a longer and thinner neck and eye grooves. It may be an early example by the maker. Original paint with even gunning wear and ding on right wing.

479 Golden Plover

Joseph W. Lincoln (1859-1938) Accord, MA, c. 1910 10 1/2 in. long

A golden plover in a forward-reaching posture. Mostly original paint on back with working paint and touch-up on belly, back, and top of head. Old chips to wing and tail tips, replaced bill.

This red knot carving displays William J. Mackey Jr.’s inked collection stamp and the Accomac Club brand on the underside. In repaint with gunning wear and a replaced bill.

PROVENANCE: William J. Mackey Jr. Collection Private Collection, Michigan

$600 - $900

482 Ruddy Turnstone New Jersey, c. 1900 8 in. long

William J. Mackey Jr.’s inked collection stamp is prominently displayed on the underside of this ruddy turnstone carving. As found.

PROVENANCE: William J. Mackey Jr. Collection Private Collection, Michigan

$600 - $900

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CHARLES H. PERDEW 1874-1963 | HENRY, IL

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483 Raised-Wing Canvasback Pair Charles H. Perdew (1874-1963) Henry, IL, c. 1945 15 1/4 in. long

These canvasbacks represent a very rare Perdew species, and one of the few matched pairs. They exhibit fine feather paint detail and raised wings. On the drake, Perdew implemented extensive feather-combed painting.

Outstanding original paint with very minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Henry Looyer Collection Jack D. Mitchel Collection, presented by the above in 1952 Herb Wetanson Collection LITERATURE: Stephen O’Brien and Julie Carlson, Masterworks of the Illinois River, Boston, MA, 2005, pp. 84-86, related raised-wing decoys illustrated.

$10,000 - $12,000

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CHARLES H. PERDEW 1874-1963 | HENRY, IL

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484 The Konopasek Perdew Mallard Hen Charles H. Perdew (1874-1963) Henry, IL, c. 1932 16 1/2 in. long

Anne Tandy Lacy, in her thoroughly researched treatise on the Perdews, discusses this exact decoy: “The mallard hen...exhibits some of Edna’s finest paint, similar in style to that found on the Green-winged teal carved for Robert Weeks. The bold and graceful feathers found on the back of the bird, along with the lines of the wings, are carefully outlined with a light gray paint, the same color used to accent the overlapping tips of wing feathers.”

Midwest Decoy Collectors Association. His decoys were known for their quality and included one of the finest preeners to come out of the region, a Bert Graves mallard hen. Outstanding original paint with minimal gunning wear, a few small smudges of green paint, likely from a drake’s head, and very minor working touch-up to a few small flakes mostly on the right shoulder.

PROVENANCE: Gene Konopasek Collection Herb Wetanson Collection

An early Illinois River decoy with Edna Perdew’s most elaborate feather paint and a classic hollow hull by Charlie. Examples of this caliber are highly coveted by collectors and showcase this husband and wife team at the top of their game.

LITERATURE: Ann Tandy Lacy, Perdew: An Illinois Tradition, Muncie, IN, 1993, pp. 138-139, exact decoy illustrated.

Robert Shaw, Call to the Sky: The Decoy Collection of James M. McCleery, M.D., Houston, TX, 1992, p. 107, related drake illustrated.

Stephen O’Brien and Julie Carlson, Masterworks of the Illinois River, Boston, MA, 2005, p. 79, pintail hen with similar paint illustrated, p. 80, Weeks rig teal illustrated.

Gene Konopasek was an important Illinois River decoy collector from Fox Grove and past president of the

$7,000 - $9,000

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ROBERT ELLISTON 1847-1925 | BUREAU, IL

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485 The French Elliston Sleeping Mallard Hen Robert Elliston (1847-1925) Bureau, IL, c. 1890 14 1/2 in. long

A classic early Illinois River form by one of the region’s premier makers. The long hollow body has one of Elliston’s finest preening heads. The bird was finished with Catherine Elliston’s (1849-1953) exceptional paint.

Original paint with gunning wear, working overpaint which was taken down, touch-up to speculums.

PROVENANCE: Joe French Collection Private Collection, acquired from the above 1977 LITERATURE: Stephen O’Brien and Julie Carlson, Masterworks of the Illinois River, Boston, MA, 2005, pp. 28-32, Figge Collection preening hens illustrated.

$6,500 - $8,500

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ROBERT ELLISTON

1847-1925 | BUREAU, IL

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486 G. K. Schmidt Pintail Drake Robert Elliston (1847-1925) Bureau, IL, c. 1920 16 3/4 in. long

This decoy showcases the clean lines of Elliston’s carving and the refined elegance of Edna Perdew’s paint. The underside is branded “G.K. SCHMIDT.” This famous rig was commissioned by George K. Schmidt (1869-1939), the president of the Prudential State Savings Bank in Chicago. For four decades, the Schmidt rig of decoys resided unused in a bank vault. This drake, with its superb condition, beautifully applied paint, and historic provenance, is an Illinois River classic. In excellent second coat of Edna Perdew paint with minimal wear. This meticulous treatment is typical of Ellistons from this rig.

PROVENANCE: G. K. Schmidt Rig Herb Wetanson Collection

$12,000 - $14,000

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ROBERT ELLISTON 1847-1925 | BUREAU, IL

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487 Green-Winged Teal Drake Robert Elliston (1847-1925) Bureau, IL, c. 1890 12 3/4 in. long

A rare hollow carving with raised “V” notched bill carving.

The underside bears “THE ELLISTON DECOY” lead weight. Original paint with wear, traces of some over-paint, and restoration to one-third of bill tip.

LITERATURE: Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. and Julie Carlson, Masterworks of the Illinois River, Boston, MA, 2005, pp. 29-37, related drake and blue-winged pair illustrated.

$5,500 - $6,500

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JIM SCHMIEDLIN

1945-2015 | BRADFORD WOODS, PA

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JIM SCHMIEDLIN

1945-2015 | BRADFORD WOODS, PA

488 High-Head Canada Goose Jim Schmiedlin (1945-2015) Bradford Woods, PA, 1996 26 in. long

A Pittsburgh native, Jim proudly served in the US Navy from 1965 to 1971. He began carving in his spare time while employed at Pittsburgh Brewing (Iron City Beer), where he worked for forty years. Today, Schmiedlin’s work is among the most sought after of any decoy maker who carved in the last 70 years.

Schmiedlin geese are exceedingly rare with only four known to have been carved during his lifetime. Similar to the Harry V. Long Canada goose trio made by Elmer Crowell nearly a century earlier, Schmiedlin geese represent some of the maker’s most coveted and nearly-impossible-to-obtain works.

Of the four that Schmiedlin produced, one is held by the family in Bradford Woods, Pennsylvania. A second example appeared at auction in 2012, setting a world record for any contemporary decoy at that time. This sterling example represents only the second Schmiedlin goose appearance at auction. We have been unable to locate the fourth example at the time of this writing.

The design and lines are grand in concept and execution, with a high turned head reflecting curvature down to the neck muscles and sinew. It was hollowed to lighten the load with even the neck receiving this added treatment in order to reduce rocking on the water. The paint was meticulously applied with the maker’s very best blended feathering. The layered wings and carved tail treatment reflect an adept observer of Elmer Crowell (1862-1952),

who utilized incising, overlapping wing-tips, and blended paint to impart a sense of realism in the rig. Noteworthy in this example is the intricate bill carving which is expertly rendered. Geese have the ability to bring out the best in carvers—Schmiedlin did not miss this opportunity, producing one of his finest decoys for his own personal gunning rig.

In addition to his “REWARD FOR RETURN” and’ “JAS” brands, the underside retains numerous notes on the decoy’s gunning history from 1996 to 2008, including a reference to the Thompson Bay photograph. Outstanding original paint with light gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Jim Schmiedlin Rig Herb Wetanson Collection LITERATURE: David W. Hodgman, “Jim Schmiedlin: Making the best darn gunning decoys in the land,” Decoy Magazine, May/ June 1999, pp. 32-35, information on the carver.

Decoy Magazine, March/April 2012, p. 43, related decoy illustrated.

$50,000 - $60,000

Jim Schmiedlin layout gunning with this exact goose in his rig on Lake Erie’s Thompson Bay in 1996.

318

488

319

HARVEY STEVENS 1847-1894 | WEEDSPORT, NY

489

489 Early Mallard Drake

Harvey Stevens (1847-1894) Weedsport, NY, c. 1870 15 in. long

320

An extremely rare, early style of decoy by this New York carver who supplied decoys to sportsmen visiting nearby Howland Island, the Montezuma Swamp, and the Finger Lakes. By the mid-19th century, Stevens Brothers decoys had gained national acclaim and were shipped across the country from their workshop near Weedsport along the Erie Canal.

age, which is approaching 150 years, and this marks the first time it has been offered at public auction.

Before the discovery of this important mallard, Stevens’ author and historian, Shane Newell, documented only two other early mallard drake tack-eye decoys by this maker. This recently discovered decoy comes directly from the Estate of Herbert Prakelt, who likely sourced the bird in the Weedsport area, where he hunted. The bird exhibits painted tack eyes, an early carved groove separating the wings, and Stevens’ finest scratch-comb paint along the back. It is in outstanding condition for its

PROVENANCE: Estate of Herbert Prakelt

Stevens heads were fixed to the body with a single screw and virtually all Stevens heads have some movement as a result. Excellent original paint with minimal gunning wear, 1/8th inch spot of touch-up to top of head.

LITERATURE: Shane Newell, The Essential Guide to Stevens Decoys, Warrensburg, NY, 2004, pp. 6 and 65, related decoy illustrated.

Adele Earnest, The Art of the Decoy, West Chester, PA, 1965, p. 139, pl. 121, Stevens mallard illustrated.

Copley Fine Art Auctions, The Winter Sale 2017, Charleston, SC, lot 374, closely related decoy illustrated.

$6,000 - $9,000

HARVEY STEVENS 1847-1894 | WEEDSPORT, NY

490 Bluebill Hen

Harvey Stevens (1847-1894) Weedsport, NY, c. 1890 13 1/4 in. long

490

A rare hen with Harvey’s painted stencil on the underside. The presence of this marking is rare and Stevens aficionados may notice the additional rarity of the white paint used, as opposed to the more common black stencil. Only seven bluebill hens by Harvey are known, of which this is among the very best.

Stevens heads were fixed to the body with a single screw and virtually all Stevens heads have some movement as a result. Original paint with even gunning wear.

LITERATURE: Shane A. Newell, The Essential Guide to Stevens Decoys: Volume One, New York, NY, 2004, front cover, similar teal illustrated, p. 73 related decoy illustrated.

$3,000 - $5,000

491

491 Blue-Winged Teal Drake Harvey Stevens (1847-1894) Weedsport, NY, c. 1880 13 1/2 in. long

In Newell’s The Essential Guide to Stevens Decoys: Volume One, the author describes this exact bird as “The only known example of a Harvey Stevens Tackeye from the 1880 period.” The author selected a related teal for the cover.

Stevens heads were fixed to the body with a single screw and virtually all Stevens heads have some movement as a result. Excellent original paint with some gunning wear and some minor, original imperfections to wood on each side.

PROVENANCE: Arnold and Lillian Colodny Collection Shane A. Newell Collection Private Collection LITERATURE: Shane A. Newell, The Essential Guide to Stevens Decoys: Volume One, New York, NY, 2004, front cover, similar decoy illustrated, p. 61, exact decoy illustrated.

Dr. Peter J. Muller and Peggy Lane Muller, The Stevens Brothers, Lewes, DE, 2009, p. 213, related decoy illustrated.

$6,000 - $8,000

321

GEORGE STEVENS 1856-1905 | WEEDSPORT, NY

492

492 Classic Mallard Drake George Stevens (1856-1905) Weedsport, NY, c. 1894 17 1/2 in. long

A rare example by this carver who supplied decoys to sportsmen visiting nearby Howland Island, the Montezuma Swamp, and the Finger Lakes. It is believed to be one of only six mallards by George known.

A very closely related bird appears on the front dust-jacket cover of The Stevens Brothers book by Dr. and Mrs. Muller.

This lot exhibits glass eyes, a paddle tail, and Stevens’ finest scratch-comb paint along the back. “C W. WHITTIER” and “C W W” are branded in the underside of the carving.

Original paint with gunning wear, including minor chip to knot on right edge of tail, and some touch-up around neck seam.

493 LITERATURE: Dr. Peter J. Muller and Peggy Lane Muller, The Stevens Brothers, Lewes, DE, 2009, front dust-jacket cover and p. 267, related example illustrated.

Shane A. Newell, The Essential Guide to Stevens Decoys: Volume One, New York, NY, 2004, front cover and pp. 10 and 65, related decoys illustrated.

$7,000 - $9,000

493 Redhead Drake

George Stevens (1856-1905) Weedsport, NY, c. 1890 15 1/2 in. long

As found.

494

LITERATURE: Guyette and Deeter, North American Decoys at Auction, April 2015, lot 212, exact decoy illustrated.

$2,000 - $3,000

494 Pintail Hen

George Stevens (1856-1905) Weedsport, NY, c. 1900 17 1/2 in. long

A rare pintail hen with a “G W Stevens” ink stamp on the bottom. In original paint with minor wear, some flaking along an original thin age line on back.

PROVENANCE: Arnold and Lillian Colodny Collection Private Collection LITERATURE: Dr. Peter J. Muller and Peggy Lane Muller, The Stevens Brothers, Lewes, DE, 2009, p. 246, related example illustrated.

$6,000 - $8,000

322

19

KEN ANGER

1904-1983 | DUNNVILLE, ON, CANADA

495

495 Early “Humpback” Canada Goose Ken Anger (1904-1983) Dunnville, Ontario, Canada, c. 1930 23 in. long

A rare early Anger decoy with a high paddle tail and hollow construction. One of the finest examples by this maker known to exist. Excellent original paint with light gunning wear and sliver out of right side of tail.

PROVENANCE: Herb Wetanson Collection LITERATURE: North American Decoys: Wildfowl Carvers and Collectors News, Fall 1973, p. 22, related carvings illustrated.

Patricia Fleming, ed., Traditions in Wood, Ontario, Canada, 1987, p. 143, nearly identical rigmate illustrated.

$8,000 - $10,000

JIM SCHMIEDLIN

945-2015 | BRADFORD WOODS, PA

323

457 496

498

497

499

496 Sleeping Blue-Winged Teal Drake

498 Premier-Grade Black Duck

A hollow tucked-head decoy with intricate wing and tail feather detail. Signed and dated by the maker on the bottom. Original paint with minimal wear.

This black duck retains the white “PREMIER” patent stamp on its underside. It has no bill or tail chips and retains virtually all of its neck fill. Original paint with even gunning wear.

Josef “Buckeye Joe” Wooster (1934-2008) Ashley, OH, 1971 9 1/2 in. long

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Montana

Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924) Detroit, MI, c. 1920 17 1/4 in. long

$800 - $1,200

LITERATURE: North American Decoys Magazine, Autumn 1971, p.

27, exact decoy illustrated. $1,800 - $2,400

497 Teal Trio

Davey W. Nichol (1890-1977) Smiths Falls, Ontario, Canada, 1971 11 in. long

The lot includes a blue-winged teal pair and a greenwinged teal hen. The carvings display raised primary wing feathers and incised tail feathers. On the undersides, all three are identified, signed “D.W. Nichol / Smiths Falls, Ont.,” and the blue-winged pair is dated “1971.” Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Estate of Herbert Prakelt

$600 - $900

324

499 Blue-Winged Teal Pair

Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924) Detroit, MI, c. 1900 12 in. long

A rigmate pair of standard-grade blue-winged teal with glass eyes. Original paint with light gunning wear, some loss to neck filler, and some glue in cracks along undersides, some dings along lower flanks.

PROVENANCE: Estate of Herbert Prakelt

$600 - $900

500 White-Winged Scoter Drake

Charles E. “Shang” Wheeler (1872-1949) Stratford, CT, c. 1890 16 1/2 in. long

A cork-bodied decoy with a well-carved wooden head.

Original paint with even gunning wear and reset chip to bill tip.

457 500

502

501

503

PROVENANCE: Anthony Waring Collection Private Collection, acquired from the above c. 1973 LITERATURE: Jeff Waingrow, American Wildfowl Decoys, New York, NY, 1985, p. 55, related example illustrated.

Henry C. Chitwood, Connecticut Decoys, West Chester, PA, 1987, p. 48, exact bird illustrated.

501 Barber’s Centennial Bluebill Pair Joel D. Barber (1876-1952) Wilton, CT, c. 1930 12 3/4 in. long

A pair of classic Stratford School divers that tie together the first two decoy book authors, Barber and Earnest. The drake is inscribed “Pair Bluebill by Joel Barber” followed by the signature of Adele Earnest, an American folk art collector, an author, a historian, and a noted authority on wildfowl decoys. Barber published illustrations of Ben Holmes’ famous “Centennial Broadbill,” the influence of which can be see here. The undersides of the balsa bodies also bear cold-stamped “L. MOORE” rig markings.

Barber historian Shane Newell has published his research on this exact pair in a magazine article and in a book chapter. In original paint with gunning wear and darkening where worn to wood.

PROVENANCE: L. Moore Rig, acquired from the maker Adele Earnest Collection Private Collection, Massachusetts LITERATURE: Gene and Linda Kangas and Donald Kirson, ed., Bonfire of Swans, Concord, OH, 2012, pp. 76-77, exact pair discussed and illustrated.

Shane Newell, “Rare Pair of Barber Decoy ‘rediscovered’ at National Antique Decoy Show,” Decoy Magazine, May/June 2005, pp. 3, 28-29, exact pair discussed and illustrated.

Joel Barber, Wild Fowl Decoys, Brooklyn, NY, 1934, pp. 72-73, construction of decoys discussed.

$800 - $1,200

502 Black Duck

Harry M. Shourds (1890-1943) Ocean City, NJ, c. 1920 16 1/2 in. long

A hollow, tack-eyed decoy with carved bill detail and scratch feather paint.

Restored paint with even wear. $500 - $700

503 Wigeon Drake

Wildfowler Decoys (1939-1957) Old Saybrook, CT, c. 1950 14 in. long

A snuggle-head wigeon with a balsa body. Very good original paint with minimal wear and a tight crack in neck.

325

504

506

505 457

507

504 Bluebill

Benjamin Holmes (1843-1912) Stratford, CT, c. 1880 11 1/2 in. long

508

An early hollow bluebill gunned over on Long Island Sound. Appears to be in original and old working paint with gunning wear, including a crack in neck and small chip to the right side of the head.

PROVENANCE: John Dillon Collection

$300 - $500

505 Three Black Ducks Connecticut, c. 1950 17 1/2 in. long

Three oversized hollow black ducks, the undersides include “BLUM” and “BB” rig stamps. Original and working paint with gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: John Dillon Collection

$1,000 - $1,500

506 Hollow Black Duck Long Island Sound, c. 1890 17 1/2 in. long

A wide-body decoy with a turned head. As found.

507 Black Duck

Benjamin Holmes (1843-1912) Stratford, CT, c. 1880 16 1/2 in. long 326

A hollow Connecticut gunning warrior with good form. As found.

PROVENANCE: John Dillon Collection

508 Preening Black Duck Connecticut, c. 1988 17 in. long

An oversize, cork-bodied black duck in a preening position by a student of contemporary master Keith Muller. Original paint with light gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Thomas Connally Collection Private Collection LITERATURE: Guyette and Schmidt, North American Decoys at Auction, November 12 & 13, 2014, Easton, MD, 2014, lot 352, exact decoy illustrated.

509 Wigeon

North Carolina, c. 1920 15 1/2 in. long

509

In old gunning paint with even wear.

510 Red-Breasted Merganser Pair Harald Thengs (1893-1974) Babylon, NY, c. 1935 18 1/2 in. long

A fine pair of red-breasted mergansers, known as the “Viking Decoys,” made on Long Island by Harald Thengs for his own personal rig. Later in life, he moved to Norway with this rig. A 1990 article in Decoy Magazine on Thengs reports, “Until 1983, Thengs’ extraordinary rig of decoys lay hidden in a dusty sea chest in the attic loft of his family’s 350 year old farmhouse in Tengs, Norway.” The sleek lines of the balsa bodies resemble the low profile of Viking long ships. Each has a “H Thengs” ink stamp on the underside.

Original paint with working touch-up by the maker, even gunning wear, a small chip to hen’s crest, and age lines in both necks.

510

PROVENANCE: Harold Thengs Rig Private Collection LITERATURE: Gene & Linda Kangas and the Thengs family, “Viking Decoys,” Decoy Magazine, Mar/April 1990, cover and p. 12, related examples illustrated.

$3,000 - $5,000

511 Brayton Rig Loon Massachusetts, c. 1910 18 1/4 in. long

511

Honest early loon decoys are few and far between as they were not known as ideal table fare. This example displays a “J BRAYTON” brand on the underside. Jack Brayton hailed from Westport, MA. As found. $2,000 - $4,000

327

512

514

513

515

512 Canvasback

514 Pintail Drake

A high-head canvasback drake exhibiting feather-comb paint along the back and a “H BROS� stamp on the underside. In second coat of paint with light wear.

A pintail drake with reared-back head, similar to the work of Ole Gunderson (1883-1960) of Ashby, Minnesota.

Appears to be original paint with even gunning wear and a crack in neck and along right side. Bill is a restoration. Some repaint to bottom.

Frank Coombs (1882-1958) Alexandria Bay, NY, c. 1920 16 1/2 in. long

PROVENANCE: Estate of Herbert Prakelt

Minnesota, c. 1930 13 in. long

$600 - $900

513 Canvasback Pair

Paul Gibson (1902-1985) Havre de Grace, MD, c. 1940 16 in. long

In original paint with a few age lines.

515 Redhead Hen

Gerald Fitch Port Huron, Michigan, c. 1920 14 in. long

Appears to be original paint with even gunning wear.

328

IRA D. HUDSON

1873-1949 | CHINCOTEAGUE, VA 516

516 Merganser Pair

Ira D. Hudson (1873-1949) Chincoteague, VA, c. 1935 15 1/2 in. long

The quality and personal markings on this pair suggest they may have emanated from Hudson’s own gunning rig. Each decoy retains an original poured-lead ballast weight with the maker’s embossed “I H” initials. Hudson did not typically identify his carvings and the existence of marked Ira Hudson decoy weights is virtually unknown.

This classic merganser pair shows long bodies, fat cheeks, and thin crests and bills. The drake has a more intricate wing paint than Hudson’s standard approach, and it is capped with gold trim.

These masterful works of Virginia folk art show the famous maker at the height of his craft. Original and working paint with gunning wear. The drake has a small repair to chip at bottom of crest and a replaced bill. The hen has a crack along the underside.

PROVENANCE: Herb

Wetanson Collection

LITERATURE: Henry H. Stansbury, Ira D. Hudson and Family, Lewes, DE, 2002, pp. 9 & 115, very closely related pair illustrated.

William J. Mackey Jr., American Bird Decoys, New York, NY, 1965, p. 161, pl. 134, related examples illustrated.

$9,000 - $12,000

329

517

518

517 Brant

518 Rare Goose

Daniels was a fisherman, hunter, guide, and decoy maker who spent most of his life on Roanoke Island. This decoy displays great form and subtly carved and painted wing tips. This exact decoy was selected for Gunnin’ Birds, where it is described as a “finely carved brant.” In original paint with gunning wear. Worn to wood in places, crack in neck.

A rare working Canada goose from the Outer Banks. Linwood carried on his famous family’s tradition of making decoys and running the Dudley Island Shooting Club. His pattern was inspired by his uncle Lee Dudley (1860-1942). This example was selected for inclusion in Gunnin’ Birds and represents the maker’s best carving period. In early Dudley gunning paint with wear, some cracks to head and body.

PROVENANCE: John Althans Collection, by descent from his father Jim Gibson Collection Kroghie Andresen Collection, acquired from the above in 1992

PROVENANCE: Kroghie Andresen Collection, acquired 1991

William “Tucker” Daniels (1879-1953) Wanchese, NC, c. 1910 17 1/2 in. long

LITERATURE: Kroghie Andresen, Gunnin’ Birds, Charlotte, NC, 2008, p. 322, exact decoy illustrated in reverse.

Guyette and Schmidt, North American Decoys Auction, October 2 & 3, 1992, Salisbury, MD, lot 574, exact decoy illustrated.

$2,000 - $3,000 330

Linwood Dudley (1886-1958) Knotts Island, NC, c. 1920 16 1/2 in. long

LITERATURE: Kroghie Andresen, Gunnin’ Birds, Charlotte, NC, 2008, p.

73, exact decoy illustrated in reverse.

$2,000 - $3,000

519 Pintail Drake

Alton “Clay” Tillet (1913-1992) Kitty Hawk, NC, c. 1930 16 1/2 in. long

519

A pintail drake with an upright head by the son of carver Alfonso Tillet. The maker’s “CT” initials are stamped in the underside. In gunning paint with even wear, imperfection to wood on bottom right side.

PROVENANCE: Clay Tillet Rig Phillip Harvey Collection, acquired from the above, c. 1990 Kroghie Andresen Collection, acquired from the above, 2003 LITERATURE: Kroghie Andresen, Gunnin’ Birds, Char-

lotte, NC, 2008, p. 295, related example illustrated. $1,200 - $1,500 520

520 Bluebill Hen

Alfonso “Fonnie” Tillet (1881-1954) Kitty Hawk, NC, c. 1930 13 1/2 in. long

A very rare working bluebill decoy by market gunner, boat builder, and carver Alfonso Tillet.

This high-head decoy was Andresen’s first pick from the rig of Tillet’s son-in-law Harry Hamilton.

In original paint with heavy gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Harry Hamilton Rig Roy Willis Collection, acquired from the widow of the above, c. 1975 Kroghie Andresen Collection, acquired from the above in 2003 LITERATURE: Kroghie Andresen, Gunnin’ Birds, Charlotte, NC, 2008, p. 287, Tillet and Hamilton discussed.

521

$1,000 - $1,200

521 Wigeon Hen

Orville Gaus (1901-1973) Back Bay, NC, c. 1930 16 1/2 in. long Very few Gaus decoys have ever surfaced or come to market. In original paint with gunning wear, crack in neck, wear to tail tip and imperfection to wood along right underside.

PROVENANCE: Kroghie Andresen Collection, acquired from carver’s family in 2003 LITERATURE: Kroghie Andresen, Gunnin’ Birds, Char-

lotte, NC, 2008, p. 48, exact decoy illustrated. $1,200 - $1,500

331

522

522 Humpback Redhead

Robert Wesley Henley (1880-1960) Back Bay, NC, c. 1930 16 in. long

A working redhead decoy by “Beach Boy” Henley showing his rare oversize humpback model. In repaint with gunning wear, cracks along each side, left side has professional restoration to crack.

PROVENANCE: Kroghie Andresen Collection

$700 - $900

523 Canada Goose

Capt. St. Clair Midgett (1894-1965) Rodanthe, NC, c. 1920 18 1/2 in. long

523

This folky Canada goose decoy was selected for Midgett’s chapter in Gunnin’ Decoys. The maker was a professional fishing and hunting guide as well as a carver. In original and working paint with gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: New Inlet Gun Club Rig Don Walston Collection Kroghie Andresen Collection, acquired from the above in 2005 LITERATURE: Kroghie Andresen, Gunnin’ Birds, Charlotte, NC, 2008, p. 342, exact decoy illustrated.

$700 - $900

524 Swimming Brant

George Washington O’Neal (1869-1949) Ocracoke Island, NC, c. 1930 19 in. long 524

An early brant decoy displaying one of the region’s best forms. O’Neal was one of the top makers for the prestigious Gooseville Gun Club, along with Ira Hudson and Charles Birch. As found.

PROVENANCE: Manson Meekins Collection, acquired from his father’s rig Kroghie Andresen Collection, acquired from the above in 1994 LITERATURE: Kroghie Andresen, Gunnin’ Birds, Charlotte, NC, 2008, p. 369, exact decoy illustrated in reverse.

$1,500 - $1,800

332

525 Mallard Drake

Callie O’Neal (1910-1970) Aydlett, Currituck Sound Area, NC, c. 1900 18 in. long

525

This exact decoy is illustrated in Gunnin’ Birds. The author discusses the maker: “Callie O’Neal carved blackduck, widgeon, mallard, pintail, canvasback, and redhead decoys with consistency. They have great form and were in great demand by hunters during his time.” Early O’Neal paint with gunning wear, some flaking, and age crack along underside.

PROVENANCE: Philip Harvey Collection Kroghie Andresen Collection, acquired from the above in 1986 LITERATURE: Kroghie Andresen, Gunnin’ Birds, Charlotte, NC, 2008, p. 177, exact decoy illustrated.

$1,500 - $1,700 526

526 Mallard Hen

Callie O’Neal (1910-1970) Aydlett, Currituck Sound Area, NC, c. 1940 18 1/2 in. long

Working mallard hen with attached keel by a maker whose decoys are known for their flat bottoms and neatly carved heads. Early O’Neal paint with gunning wear, a few age lines mostly along bottom.

PROVENANCE: John Maddox Collection Kroghie Andresen Collection, acquired from the family of the above LITERATURE: Kroghie Andresen, Gunnin’ Birds, Charlotte, NC, 2008, p. 178, related example illustrated.

$1,500 - $1,800

527

527 Redhead Drake

Louis O’Neal (1908-1981) Churches Island, NC, c. 1940 17 1/2 in. long

Louis was a renowned maker of not only decoys and decorative carvings, but also hunting boats. This decoy was selected for inclusion in Gunnin’ Birds. In original paint with gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Jim Scarborough Rig, acquired from the maker Bea Berle Collection, acquired from the above Kroghie Andresen Collection, acquired from the above in 1992 LITERATURE: Kroghie Andresen, Gunnin’ Birds, Charlotte, NC, 2008, p. 147, exact decoy illustrated.

$1,000 - $2,000

333

528

528 High-Head Canvasback Oscar Carroll (1868-1946) Back Bay, VA, c. 1930 16 in. long

A graceful, high-head canvasback drake likely made from cypress wood which was rot resistant and lightened considerably as it dried. Caroll carved decoys for local guides, gunning clubs, and his own use. This decoy’s provenance traces back to Carroll’s son-inlaw Steve Barnes. This exact decoy was selected for Carroll’s chapter in Gunnin’ Birds. In repaint with reset neck and bill with touch-up, and gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Jim Gibson Collection, acquired from Steve Barnes Judge Michael Beale Collection Kroghie Andresen Collection, acquired from the above in 1993

529

LITERATURE: Kroghie Andresen, Gunnin’ Birds, Charlotte, NC, 2008, p. 20, exact decoy illustrated.

$1,000 - $1,200

529 Canvasback

John Austin (1891-1981)(attr.)

Corolla, NC, c. 1910 18 in. long

An oversize working canvasback with a high head. After serving his country in World War I, Austin returned to his home waters to become a waterfowling guide, commercial fisherman, and postmaster. Restored.

PROVENANCE: Kroghie Andresen Collection

530

LITERATURE: Kroghie Andresen, Gunnin’ Birds, Charlotte, NC, 2008, p. 254, related example illustrated.

Joel Barber, Wild Fowl Decoys, New York, NY, 1954, p. 2, pl.

4, watercolor rendition of similar decoy illustrated.

530 Hollow Sleeping Mallard Hen Joe Hayman (1896-1974) Coinjock, NC, c. 1960 13 1/2 in. long

Hayman crafted both canvas-covered and wooden decoys. He carved geese, swans, canvasbacks, redheads, black ducks, scaup, coot, wigeon, and mallards.

Hayman’s decoys were purchased by local guides and gunning clubs on the Back Bay and Currituck Sound. In excellent original paint with gunning wear and slight body seam separation along left side.

PROVENANCE: Neal Conoley Collection Bruce Gomedella Collection, acquired from the above Kroghie Andresen Collection, acquired from the above in 1991

$500 - $600

334

LEROY NEIMAN

1921-2012

531

531 LeRoy Neiman (1921-2012)

Skier, Squaw Valley, California, 1960 signed, dated, and inscribed “Squaw Calif 60 leRoy Neiman” lower right watercolor and gouache, 23 by 17 in.

LeRoy Neiman’s New York Times obituary notes, “Mr. Neiman’s most famous images came from the world of sports. His long association with the Olympics began with the Winter Games in Squaw Valley in 1960.”

PROVENANCE: Franklin Bowles Galleries, San Francisco, California Private Collection, Weston, Massachusetts, acquired from the above c. 1988-95 LITERATURE: William Grimes, “LeRoy Neiman Dies at 91; Artist

of Bold Life and Bright Canvases,” The New York Times, June 20, 2012. $6,000 - $9,000

335

CHET RENESON B. 1934

532

532 Chet Reneson (b. 1934) Back Country signed “Reneson” lower left watercolor, 17 by 27 in. $3,000 - $4,000

533

533 Chet Reneson (b. 1934) Winter Grouse signed “Reneson” lower right watercolor, 13 by 21 in. $2,000 - $4,000 336

CHET RENESON

B. 1934

534

535

534 Chet Reneson (b. 1934)

535 Chet Reneson (b. 1934)

$3,000 - $4,000

$3,000 - $5,000

Driven Grouse, 1993 signed and dated “Reneson 93” lower right watercolor, 17 1/2 by 28 in.

Around the Campfire signed “Reneson” lower left watercolor, 17 1/2 by 28 in.

337

JIM RATACZAK B. 1965

BONEFISH & TARPON TRUST 2021 ARTIST OF THE YEAR 536

Jim Rataczak is the 2021 Featured Artist for the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust. 50% of the proceeds from the sale of this painting will go directly to BTT, whose mission is to conserve and enhance global bonefish, tarpon, and permit fisheries and their environment through

stewardship, research, education, and advocacy. The BTT serves as a repository for information on the life history of these species and works internationally with anglers, guides, scientists, regulators, and the public to nurture and enhance fish populations.

536 Jim Rataczak (b. 1965)

Spanish Angels, Snowy Egrets, 2020 signed “Rataczak” lower right oil on linen on board, 16 by 27 in.

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 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. $2,000 - $4,000

338

537

539

538

540

537 John Cyril Harrison (1898-1985) Lake Nyvatin - Iceland signed “J.C. Harrison” lower right watercolor, 12 1/2 by 18 1/4 in.

Tryon Gallery, London label on back $1,000 - $2,000

538 Pierre A. Lutz (1923-1991)

Wilson’s Water signed “lutz” lower right watercolor, 14 by 21 in. titled, signed, and inscribed “Carroll’s Crossing Miramichi River N.B.” on label on back

539 David A. Hagerbaumer (1921-2014) Brant in Flight signed “David Hagerbaumer” lower left watercolor, 21 by 29 in. $1,000 - $2,000

540 Roger Blum (b. 1950)

Duck Hunting signed “Roger Blum” lower right watercolor, 20 by 29 in.

Roger Blum was born in 1950 in Watsonville, California.

He spent his childhood outdoors, hunting, fishing, and exploring nature. Today he lives and paints near a lake in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado.

339

GEORGE BROWNE 1918-1958

541

541 George Browne (1918-1958) Rain Squalls signed “George Browne� lower left oil on canvas, 20 by 30 in.

542

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 at the age of forty, Browne left behind a limited and highly coveted body of work.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Montana

$3,000 - $5,000

542 George Browne (1918-1958) Goldeneye Pitching In oil on canvas, 16 by 20 in.

Browne estate stamp on back $1,000 - $1,500

340

GEORGE BROWNE 1918-1958

543 George Browne (1918-1958)

543

Misty Mountain Landscape oil on canvasboard, 12 by 16 in. with three small pencil sketches on back Browne estate stamp on back $600 - $900

544 George Browne (1918-1958) Mallard Hen oil on canvas, 12 by 16 in.

Browne estate stamp on back

544

$1,000 - $1,500

545

545 George Browne (1918-1958) Buck oil on canvas, 12 by 16 in.

Browne estate stamp on back $1,000 - $1,500

341

546

547

546 Leaping Pickerel on Birch Bark Lawrence C. Irvine (1918-1998) Winthrop, ME 23 1/2 in. fish, 12 by 24 3/4 in. plaque

Fish is in good overall condition, there is a crack in the birch bark on the right side.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Maine

$1,000 - $1,500

547 Sunfish, Yellow Perch, and White Perch Carving Lawrence C. Irvine (1918-1998) Winthrop, ME sunfish is 8 3/4 in. long yellow perch is 12 in. long white perch is 13 in. long plaque is 24 by 15 3/4 in.

A rare triple mount with birch bark backing by this important fish carver. Each species is identified by the maker.

Good overall condition, white perch is missing a pelvic fin.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Maine

$1,500 - $2,500

548 Atlantic Salmon Carving

Hellum Brothers Norway, c. 1950 42 1/2 in. fish, 15 by 46 1/4 in. plaque

A forty-three-and-one-half-inch trophy model of an Atlantic salmon mounted on a rectangular backboard.

Peter Kriendler, who was presented the carving, was the infamous operator who helped transform the ‘’21 Club’’ from a speakeasy to a world-renowned restaurant. The model exhibits meticulous painting to scales with the fins exhibiting intricate incised and gauged carving.

The brass plaque on the front is inscribed, “Atlantic Salmon, Peter Kreindler, Slinger Pool, Alta River Norway, July 19, 1967, Weight 28 Lbs, Rod - 12 Foot Abu Garcia, Fly - Green Highlander.” Overall very good condition with minor rubs and wear. One drill hole above head in plaque.

342

PROVENANCE: Pete Kreindler Ronald S. Swanson Collection Private Collection, Maine LITERATURE: Ronald S. Swanson, Fish Models, Plaques & Effigies, Far Hills, NJ, 2009, p. 40, fig. 45, exact fish illustrated.

$1,500 - $2,500

549 Brown Trout Model

Peter Duncan Malloch (1853-1921) Perth, Scotland, 1901 13 by 30 in. plaque inscribed “Aug 1901, Loch Ken, 7lbs.” inscribed on a tag on the reverse “P.D. Mallock 7# Trout Loch Ken Scotland.”

A wood-carved and hand-painted brown trout measuring twenty-four and one-half inches long. Excellent original paint with wear from handling, some craquelure, minor touch-up mostly to eye, andipose fin appears to have some restoration.

PROVENANCE: Ronald S. Swanson Collection Private Collection, Maine LITERATURE: Ronald S. Swanson, Fish Models, Plaques & Effigies, Far Hills, NJ, 2009, p. 232, fig. 367, exact fish illustrated.

$3,000 - $5,000

550 Rainbow Trout Model

Stephen R. Smith (b. 1942) Jamestown, NY, c. 1995 28 3/4 in fish, 13 by 33 in. plaque

548

549

550

551

A trophy rainbow trout carving of a fish caught by artist James Prosek, inscribed on plaque “11 lbs. 7 oz., Kenai River, Alaska, 10th August 1995, James Prosek.” Inlaid maker’s signature appears lower left. Excellent original paint, chip out of upper right corner of plaque.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Maine

$3,000 - $5,000

551 Atlantic Salmon Carving George Strunk (b. 1958) Glendora, NJ, c. 2000 44 in. fish, 15 1/2 by 49 in. plaque

A forty-four-inch-long fish carving mounted on a plaque. Good original condition with minor wear.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Maine

343

552

552 Leaping Brook Trout Carving

Ed Towns Yarmouth, ME and possibly MI, c. 1950 18 1/2 in. long

553

Author Ronald S. Swanson describes this exact fish carving in his fish model treatise as “a beautifully painted and carved...brookie.”

This important carving shows exceptional coloration with relief carved mouth and gills, and incised fins and tail. Only a handful of works by this accomplished maker’s works have ever surfaced. The carving reveals the maker’s signature “EST” camouflaged initials behind the dorsal fin. Overall Very good original condition, portion of lower pectoral fin is missing.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Maine

554

LITERATURE: Ronald S. Swanson, Fish Models, Plaques & Effigies, Far Hills, NJ, 2009, p. 72, fig.

100, exact fish illustrated.

$1,200 - $1,600

553 Rare Splake Carving 1890 24 1/4 in. long 555

A very early and folky carving of a splake.

The splake is a brook trout and lake trout hybrid. In original alligatored paint with wear.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Maine

$600 - $900

554 Folky Brook Trout

c. 1930 15 1/2 in. fish, 12 3/4 by 28 in. plaque 556

Good overall condition with minor chipping and flaking to original painted backboard which is mounted on a later mahogany backboard.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Maine

$1,200 - $1,500

557.1

344

557.2

555 Muskie Carving from Upstate New York

26 in. fish, 13 by 28 1/2 in. plaque

A well-executed carving of a muskie. Good overall condition.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Maine

$600 - $900

556 False Albacore Carving Ellen McCaleb Barrington, NH, 2009 30 in. long

This carved and painted pelagic is signed and dated by the artist on the back. Small chip to bottom tail and bottom caudal fin has been reset and also has a chip missing.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Maine

557 Two Folky Trout Carvings Leaping Rainbow Trout On Textured Backboard 14 1/2 in. fish, 10 1/2 by 23 in. plaque Rainbow Trout 19 in. fish, 9 1/2 by 25 in. plaque

As found, a small sliver of the top of the leaping trout’s dorsal fin is missing.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Maine

558.1

559.1

499

558.2

559.2

Relief Carved Trout attr. to Arthur Maxwell (1884-1970) Salisbury, VT 11 in. fish, 14 1/4 by 8 1/2 in. plaque

558.3

As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Maine

559 Two Small Fish Carvings Rainbow Trout Martin D. Collins (b. 1960) East Wareham, MA fish is 7 3/4 in., plaque is 7 3/4 by 14 1/2 in.

558 Three Fish Carvings Relief Carved Salvelinus Fontinalis (Brook Trout) William R. Robinson signed and titled in pencil on back Relief Carved Pickerel William R. Robinson 11 1/2 in. fish, 17 3/4 by 24 in. plaque written on back in pencil, “BY W.R ROBINSON 40’s FOR ED PEARSON”

Perch signed “Albert Mitchell” by the maker on the front signed and dated on the back in pencil, “Albert Mitchell age 15-1940” 15 3/4 in. fish, 9 1/4 by 18 in. plaque

Yellow perch is missing pelvic fine.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Maine

345

560

562

561

560 Boxed Rig of Six Plover and Six Curlew c. 1980

This rig fits inside a box decorated with a half-body decoy fixed to the lid. Inside a removable tray holds the plover and in the bottom there is storage for the curlew. Four of the plover have turned heads and four of the curlew have turned heads. As found.

LITERATURE: Richard Bourne Auction Co., Rare American Decoys and Bird Carvings, Dec. 6-7, 1985, pp. 88-89, exact lot illustrated.

561 Silhouette Black-Bellied Plover Louis Agassiz Fuertes (1874-1927) New York, c. 1900 19 1/2 in. wide, 14 1/2 in. tall

A black-bellied plover silhouette displayed in a frame.

A white-paper label under the carving reads: “Black Breasted Plover Decoys / Painted and shot over in the

346

Magdalena Islands, Canada, by Mr. Louis Agassiz Fuertes, the American Bird Artist,. Presented to Mr. Frederick L. Chase, with the compliments of W. S. Murray.” Louis Agassiz Fuertes (1874-1927) was a preeminent ornithologist, illustrator, and artist. As found.

PROVENANCE: Louis Agassiz Fuertes Rig Frederick L. Chase Collection, gifted from the above Private Collection, Florida

562 Ruddy Turnstone

Strater and Sohier (1874-1910) Boston, MA, c. 1890 9 in. long

A rare folding tin turnstone with the manufacturer’s patent stamp on the inside. Original paint with light even gunning wear.

563

565

564

566

563 Red-Breasted Merganser

565 Wigeon Drake

A drake merganser with a leather crest and slight wing carving behind the breast. Original paint with light wear.

A contemporary Delaware River decoy fashioned and aged in the Blair style. Stamped “After Blair” on the underside. Original paint with wear.

last quarter of 20th Century 18 in. long

$1,000 - $1,500

564 Ruddy Duck

last quarter of 20th Century 12 in. long

The fanned tail is applied leather and the underside is incised “DLF.” In original paint with even wear.

last quarter of 20th Century 15 in. long

566 Four Decoys brant is 17 in. long

A brant by Ira Hudson in working repaint with a neck crack, a repainted Mason-type mallard hen, a St. Clair Flats hollow goldeneye drake with a tail repair in working paint, and an early Wildfowler mallard hen with circular cut-out bottom board. As found.

347

569

572

570

573

571

567 Limited-Edition Shang (not shown) Dixon MacD. Merkt, Shang: a biography of Charles E. Wheeler, Spanish Fork, Utah: The National Sporting Fraternity, 1984. Signed by author and publisher. Bound in blue leather and moire silk. In slipcase.

PROVENANCE: John Dillon Collection

568 The Songless Aviary (not shown) Brian Cullity, The Songless Aviary: The World of A. E. Crowell & Son, Hyannis, MA, 1992.

PROVENANCE: John Dillon Collection

569 Three Glass Shellfish Flasks c. 1920 oyster is 6 1/4 in. long

The trio of containers includes an oyster, scallop, and quahog. As found.

570 Albright Animal Cane c. 1907 34 in. long

The cane is covered with carved objects including animals, a tree, a vase, a gun, a flask, a trumpet, a fish, “Lock City...” embossed on a bottle, and “HEINZ” embossed on a

348

pickle. The top of the cane has a carved “Albright 1907.”

As found.

PROVENANCE: David Schorsch

571 Blackthorn Folk Cane c. 1900 38 1/2 in. long

Blackthorn is a member of the Rose family, Rosaceae. The fruit of the Blackthorn plant is commonly distilled to make sloe gin, while the wood is often used to make walking sticks. As found.

572 Loet Vanderveen (1921-2015) Cheetahs Running signed “Loet © 210/750” bronze, 6 1/2 by 27 1/2 by 7 in. edition of 210 of 750

573 Robert Bateman (b. 1930)

Red-Tailed Hawk Head, 1982 signed and dated “© Robert Bateman 1982” on back of crest bronze, 10 1/4 by 7 by 4 1/2 in. numbered “195/250” on back of crest edition 195 of 250 $700 - $900

574 Mark Hopkins (20th century)

Sunrise, 1989 signed and numbered “Mark Hopkins 296/2500” on base bronze, 12 by 6 1/4 by 3 in. edition 296 of 2500

574

575

576

575 William Goadby Lawrence (1913-2002) Leaping Sailfish signed “W. Goadby Lawrence” lower right oil on canvas, 25 by 28 in.

William Goadby Lawrence was born in Rumson, New Jersey, in 1913. He attended the Art Students League in New York City and had his first show at the outfitters Abercrombie and Fitch. During World War II, he served as a combat artist and chief boatswain’s mate and experienced action in battles in North Africa and Japan.

After the war, Lawrence continued his artistic pursuits.

His illustrations appeared in various magazines, including Field and Stream. On February 28, 1942, the cover of The Post featured a marlin painting by Lawrence. His work was also published in Van Campen Heilner’s Salt Water Fishing and Bob Dunn and Peter Goadby’s Saltwater Game Fishing of the World.

Lawrence’s paintings have been exhibited in the Library of Congress, the Museum of Natural History, and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy Museum. Along with fellow fish painter, Stanley Meltzoff (1917-2006), Lawrence is considered one of the all-time masters of this genre.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Kentucky

$1,000 - $2,000

576 Milton J. Burns (1853-1933)

Halibut Fishing, 1893 signed and dated “M. Burns 93” on back oil on canvas, 16 by 20 in.

Burns began his painting career while working on board the steamship Panther. The captain of the vessel, William Bradford (1823-1892), was a respected painter best known for his depictions of the Arctic. Also on board was Dr. Isaac Hayes (1832-1881), a scientist and explorer, who Burns later cited as influential in his development as an artist.

In the early 1870s, Burns and a group of his peers formed the Salmagundi Sketch Club in New York City. It was around this time he met Winslow Homer (1836-1910), whose work, The Fog Warning, is likely the original painting that served as the inspiration for this piece. The two artists remained friends and steadfast realists at a time when abstract art was growing increasingly popular.

PROVENANCE: John Dillon Collection

$1,800 - $2,400 349

577

577 Richard LaBarre Goodwin (1840-1910) Hanging Yellowlegs signed “R. LaBarre Goodwin” lower right oil on linen, 20 by 16 in.

Born in Albany, New York, Richard LaBarre Goodwin was the son of portrait painter Edwin Weyburn Goodwin (1800-1845). Taking after his father, he painted portraits before turning to the “gibier mort” genre. Most famous for his still-life paintings featuring a variety of hanging game birds, Goodwin worked in a highly realistic style along the lines of Alexander Pope Jr. (1849-1924) and George Cope (1855-1929). Goodwin began painting these trompe l’oeil still lifes during the 1880s, when he spent a decade traveling through rural Western New York State. In 1890 Goodwin began his itinerant life, with a move to Washington D.C. While there he found patronage from California senators Leland Stanford (founder of Stanford University) and George Hearst (millionaire investor who founded the Hearst publishing empire with his son William Randolph Hearst). After D.C., Goodwin went to Chicago for the 1893 World’s Fair and stayed for the next seven years. In 1900 he moved west, spending the remainder of his life in California and the Pacific Northwest. $2,000 - $4,000

578 American School (19th-20th century) Leaping Salmon signed illegibly lower right oil on canvas, 20 by 30 in.

350

578

579

579 Wallace Hughes (20th century)

Covey of Quail, 1951 signed and dated “Wallace Hughes 1951” lower right oil on canvas, 24 3/4 by 30 in.

580 W.J. Holzerman (19th-20th century)

580

Woodcock, Grouse, Quail, 1905 signed and dated “W.J. Holzerman, 1905.” lower right oil on canvas, 21 1/4 by 16 in.

581 William Oliver (1947-2014) Wild Turkey signed “W.M. Oliver ©” lower right oil on canvas, 24 by 36 in.

581

351

582

582 American School (20th century)

583

Grouse signed indistinctly lower right watercolor, 15 1/4 by 11 in.

583 Walter A. Weber (1906-1979) Black Brant Head, 1950 signed “W.A. Weber” lower center watercolor, 10 3/4 by 7 in. inscribed “Black Brant Kashunk River Mouth Alaska. July 20, 1950” and “Nuk-sug-Anur” lower left

584.1

584.2

584 Arthur Fitzwilliam Tait (1819-1905)

Two Watercolors, 1894 each signed and dated “AF. Tait N.Y. 94” lower right Greater Racket-Tailed Drongo and Racket-Tailed Treepie each watercolor and gouache, 8 by 5 in.

352

These bird portraits represent exceedingly rare subjects by the artist, as well as being in a rare medium for Tait, who mainly worked in oils.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Weston, Massachusetts

585 Roland H. Clark (1874-1957)

585

Ducks in Flight signed “Roland Clark” lower left watercolor, 11 by 15 in. with pencil sketch on back $1,200 - $1,800

586

586 Roland H. Clark (1874-1957)

Derrydale Model Print Folio color aquatints, largest plate, Dropping In, measures 19 1/2 by 16 in. some with artist’s color notes

This folio of twenty-two Derrydale Prints was Roland Clark’s personal set, used as a template for coloring on this important set of prints.

Down Wind - Pintail Drake, 1937 Dropping In - Canada Goose, 1941 The Alarm - Black Duck The Raider - Green Wing Teal Long Shore Visitors - Redheads Teal Fair Haven - Black Ducks Mallards Rising, 1942 Journey’s End - Canada Geese Winter Marsh Pintails Coming In, 1942 Open Water - Canvasbacks Rendezvous - Broadbills Sanctuary - Green Wing Teal A Straggler The Scout Taking Off Seclusion Up and Away Dawn Calm Weather PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Weston, Massachusetts

$2,000 - $3,000

353

587

588

589

591

592

593

590

587 Thomas Quinn (b. 1938)

Shire Waters- Pintail Pair, 1982 signed and dated “Thomas Quinn 1982” lower right watercolor on board, 32 by 22 in.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Montana

588 Paul Connor (20th century)

Green-Winged Teal signed “Paul Connor” lower right watercolor and gouache, 16 by 20 1/2 in.

589 Steven Ball (20th-21st centuries) Streamside Creel Art signed “Steven Louis Ball” lower right hand-colored etching, 7 3/4 by 31 1/2 in. titled lower left numbered “142/250” lower center

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Montana

590 Three Sporting Prints

Roland Clark (1874-1957) two etchings, each signed “Roland Clark” lower right

354

Long Tails 2 3/4 by 7 3/4 in.

Squaw 14 1/2 by 11 1/2 in.

Frank W. Benson (1862-1951) Hunter Poling Boat, 1929 lithograph, 11 by 14 3/4 in. signed “F.W. Benson” lower left PROVENANCE: Estate of Herbert Prakelt

591 Don Kloetzke (b. 1951)

Canvasback in Flight, 2004 signed and dated “Kloetzke 04” lower left oil on board, 18 by 24 in.

592 Sears Gallagher (1869-1955) Rowing the Dory signed “Sears Gallagher” lower left etching, 8 3/4 by 12 3/4 in.

PROVENANCE: John Dillon Collection

593 Cynthia Lawson (20th-21st century) Coyote signed “C. Lawson” lower right acrylic on board, 43 1/2 by 26 1/2 in. $2,000 - $3,000

594 James W. Harris (b. 1946) Last Cast signed “J.W. Harris” lower left oil on canvas on board, 20 by 24 in.

594

595 James W. Harris (b. 1946)

‘Big Red’ Red Fish signed “J.W. Harris” lower right oil on canvas, 18 by 24 in. titled and inscribed “original no. 466” on back

596

595

596 Ron Jenkins (b. 1932)

Young’s Point, 1997 signed and dated “r. jenkins © ‘97” lower right acrylic on board, 20 by 30 in.

Private Collection, Montana

355

INDEX Ahearn, James Joseph: 333-340 Allen, Douglas: 235 Allen, Junius: 83 Anger, Ken: 495 Audubon, John James: 341 Ball, Steven: 589 Barber, Joel D.: 197, 198, 501 Barco, W. Baily: 168 Barrett, Jake: 261 Bateman, Robert: 573 Beecham, Greg: 234 Benson, Frank W.: 46, 102, 207-209 Bicknell, Frank Alfred: 86 Birch, Reggie: 231 Bishop, Richard: 358 Bliss, Roswell E.: 193 Blum, Roger: 540 Bolles, Reginald: 402, 403 Boyd, George H.: 380 Brooks, Allan: 397-399 Browne, George: 541-545 Burns, Milton James: 576 Carroll, Oscar: 528 Catlin, George: 211 Chadwick, Franklin Pierce: 203 Clark, Roland H.: 357, 359, 585, 586 Clem, Robert Verity: 400, 401 Coffin Family: 175 Connor, Paul: 588 Coombs, Frank: 512 Crowell, A. Elmer: 44, 45, 75, 76, 201, 301, 374-378, 381-390 Daly, Thomas Aquinas: 236 Daniels, William “Tucker”: 517 Davids, Capt. Richard W.: 331 de Groot, Ewoud: 58, 59 deGavre, Brig. Gen. Chester: 447-456 Dodge Decoy Factory: 134, 288 Doughty, Eli: 166 Dudley, Lee: 165 Dudley, Linwood: 518 DuMond, Frank V.: 54 Elliston, Robert: 485-487 English, John: 123, 124 Enneking, Joseph Eliot: 87 Finney, Frank S.: 69, 70, 469 Fitch, Gerald: 515 Footer, David A.: 79-82 Foster, Alonzo: 274 Frazier, Luke: 114 Fuertes, Louis Agassiz: 561 Gallagher, Sears: 592 Gaus, Orville: 521 Gelston, Thomas H.: 206 Gibbs, Harold N.: 464-466 Gibian, William C.: 233 Gibson, Paul: 513 Gilley, Wendell: 413 Godin, Pat: 420-427 Goodwin, Richard LaBarre: 577 Graham, John B.: 330 Granville-Smith, Walter: 55 Gruppe, Emile Albert: 88 Hagerbaumer, David A.: 396, 539 Harris, James W.: 594, 595 Harrison, John Cyril: 537

356

Hatch, Herbert F.: 202 Hayman, Joe: 530 Heisler, Jess: 121 Hellum Brothers: 548 Henley, Robert Wesley: 522 Henry, D. M.: 355 Herters Manufacturing Inc.: 71 Hewlett, Thomas: 184 Hines, Robert W.: 409, 410 Hodges, Dave: 214 Holmes, Benjamin: 504, 507 Holt, Jack and Bette: 345, 457-463 Holzerman, W.J.: 580 Hopkins, Mark: 574 Hudson, Ira D.: 243, 269, 302, 303, 516 Hughes, Wallace: 579 Hutchins, C.E.: 62 Irvine, Lawrence C.: 546, 547 Jacobsen, Antonio: 418 Jenkins, Ron: 596 Johnson, J. Taylor: 258 Jutz, Carl: 239 Kellum, Frank: 172 Kilbourne, Samuel A.: 66-68 King, Allen J.: 428-436, 438 King, James A.: 437 Kloetzke, Don: 591 Koelpin, William J.: 213 Kuhn, Bob: 113 Laing, Albert Davids: 190, 192 LaMay, Art: 411 Lawrence, William Goadby: 575 Lawson, Cynthia: 593 Lawson, Oliver “Tuts”: 441-445 Lincoln, Joseph W.: 77, 78, 120, 379, 479 Lipincott, Gideon: 272, 273 Lord, June Harrah: 342 Loveland Family: 170 Lutz, Pierre A.: 538 Madara, Clark C.: 169 Malloch, Peter Duncan: 549 Mason Decoy Factory: 72-74, 152-161, 248252, 287, 290, 498, 499 Matia, Walter T.: 112 McCaleb, Ellen: 556 McDonald, Zeke: 128 McLaughlin, John: 171 McNair, Mark S.: 215-230 McPhail, Rodger: 416 Melbye, Arnold T.: 439, 440 Meldrum, Tobin: 138, 139, 150 Midgett, Capt. St. Clair: 523 Morton Rig: 204 Neiman, LeRoy: 531 Newman, Ken: 473 Nichol, Davey W.: 497 O’Brien, Terrell: 212 O’Neal II, Wallace: 268 O’Neal, Callie: 525, 526 O’Neal, George Washington: 524 O’Neal, Louis: 527 Oliver, William: 581 Page, Edward A.: 84, 85 Palmer, Herman: 240-242 Parker, Lloyd: 260 Pashpatel, Leo: 143

Perdew, Charles H.: 483, 484 Peterson, Roger Tory: 407, 408 Pirnie, Dr. Miles D.: 142 Pleissner, Ogden M.: 52, 53, 56, 417 Quillen, Nathaniel “Nate”: 127 Quinn, Thomas: 587 Quinn, William H.: 122, 125 Radamach, Paul: 148 Rataczak, Jim: 536 Rathmell, Louis C.: 189 Reece, Maynard F.: 115, 116 Reghi, Ralph: 126 Remington, Frederic: 50 Reneson, Chet: 117-119, 532-535 Ridgeway, Birdsall: 306, 332 Ripley, Aiden Lassell: 101, 103-109 Rogers Rig: 185 Rogers, H. S.: 343 Rungius, Carl: 210 Saunders, H. Blanton: 271 Schmidt, Benjamin: 129-131, 146, 147 Schmiedlin, Jim: 488 Schweikart, Capt. John C.: 144, 145 Scott, Peter Markham: 356 Scott, Sandy: 472 Scrivens, Dan: 137 Shimon, Joseph: 140, 141 Shourds, Harry: 259 Smith, Stephen R.: 550 Sprague, Capt. Jonas: 174 Sprague, Chris T.: 178 Stevens, George: 492-494 Stevens, Harvey: 244, 489-491 Stiles, William: 253, 254 Strater and Sohier, 562 Strong, Helen Lay: 468, 470 Strubing, Walter M.: 135 Strunk, George: 551 Tait, Arthur Fitzwilliam: 42, 43, 47-49, 51, 237, 238, 584 Taylor, William Redd: 412 Terelak, John Charles: 419 Thengs, Harald: 510 Thieme, Anthony: 89, 110, 111 Tillet, Alfonso “Fonnie”: 520 Tillet, Alton “Clay”: 519 Towns, Ed: 552 Tully, John and Dhuie: 57 Updike, John: 292 Vanderveen, Loet: 572 Verity Family: 187, 281 Verity, Obediah: 180-183 Vreeland, Harry W.: 467 Vulcani, John: 232 Wallace, Dr. Gilbert E.: 283, 284 Ward Brothers: 162-164, 293-300, 391-395 Warren, Asa Coolidge: 61 Watson, Dave “Umbrella”: 475 Weber, Walter A.: 404-406, 583 Wheeler, Charles E. “Shang”: 196, 256, 500 Wildfowler Decoys: 503 William E. Pratt Mfg Co.: 289 Wooster, Josef “Buckeye Joe”: 496 Wright, Franklin Pierce: 205 Zachmann, John F.: 151

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

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

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

6 The Copley decoy team is committed to accurately cataloging all decoys.

To this end, all decoy lots in this catalog carry guaranteed condition reports.

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

Duration of Guarantee: Any request for refund of any decoy lot in the auction must be within 48 hours of receipt of the decoy. It is the purchaser’s responsibility to examine the decoy and identify in writing any flaw or flaws that significantly impact the value of the lot. In order to be eligible for the guarantee, Copley Fine Art Auctions, LLC must receive payment for the decoy within 7 days of the conclusion of the auction.

Receipt of the decoy by the purchaser must take place no more than 21 days after the fall of the gavel. Please note that it is the purchaser’s responsibility to arrange pick-up or shipping of the lot. The guarantee in all cases will end 21 days after the fall of the gavel.

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

If a check fails to clear after the second deposit, the purchaser will be held responsible for any and all fees incurred until we have collected good funds.

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

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9 Condition reports are not included in this catalog. It is the responsibility of prospective bidders to examine lots and decide their level of interest.

Neither the auctioneer, Copley Fine Art Auctions, LLC, nor the consignor is responsible for the accuracy of any printed or verbal descriptions. Copley Fine Art Auctions, LLC strongly encourages clients to personally examine lots prior to the auction so as to best determine condition of lots. Due to the high volume of condition requests, Copley Fine Art Auctions, LLC reserves the right to reject requests at its sole discretion. All weights and measurements are approximate.

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

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

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

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

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

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

16 Bidding increments will normally follow the pattern below, but may vary at the sole discretion of the auctioneer: Estimate To 950 1,000 – 2,400 2,500 – 4,750 5,000 – 9,500 10,000 – 24,000 25,000 – 47,500 50,000 – 95,000 Over 100,000

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

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

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

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

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

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

Name:

Telephone (#1):

Company Name:

Telephone (#2):

Agent acting on behalf of:

Telephone (#3):

Invoice Address: (PO Box not sufficient)

Email:

Signature:

(required)

City:

State:

Zip:

Bids will not be accepted without a completed form, including your signature. Your signature denotes that you have read and agree to be bound by the Terms and Conditions of Sale issued by Copley Fine Art Auctions, LLC for The Winter Sale 2021.

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

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

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

FINANCIAL REFERENCES

AUCTION REFERENCES

Name of Bank(s):

1. Name of Company:

Address of Bank(s):

Contact Name:

Account Number(s):

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

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

Telephone Number:

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ABSENTEE/TELEPHONE BID FORM COPLEY FINE ART AUCTIONS, LLC 65 Sharp Street | Hingham, MA 02043 Tel: 617.536.0030 | Fax: 617.266.4896 | info@copleyart.com please check one of the following:

ABSENTEE

TELEPHONE

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

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

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

LOT #

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

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

CATALOG DESCRIPTION

BID PRICE US$

Print Name:

Signature:

(required)

(required)

OUT-OF-STATE DELIVERY AND AUTHORIZED SHIPPING RELEASE FORM I tem(s) will not be released without a signed authorization form from the invoiced Buyer. You may include this form with your payment or fax it to 617.266.4896. Payments of cash, check, or bank transfer must be posted to your account before property is released.

If Copley Fine Art Auctions, LLC (Copley) is required to deliver the items to a purchaser outside of Massachusetts, the sale is exempt from Massachusetts Sales Tax under MGLA 64H ยง6(b) .

1

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

2

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

3

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

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

5

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

6 At your option, you may contact one of the interstate carriers listed below, or one of your choosing, to arrange for shipping.

Carriers pick up frequently at our offices.

SHIPPING OPTIONS:

The UPS Store #4423 A.J. Yanakakis, Wakefield, MA 781.224.2500 or store4423@theupsstore.com

Boston Pack and Ship 781.849.8696 or 1.800.400.7204 info@bostonpackandship.com

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

Print name:

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

Place and Manner of Delivery:

(as invoiced)

To an Interstate Common Carrier for delivery out of state:

Shipping Address:

I authorize:

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

Lot #s :

Phone: Email:

Signature: (required)

Internal use only Received by: Signature:

Print Name:

Date:

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Copley is pleased to announce that DR. S. LLOYD NEWBERRY’S MONOGRAPH ON THE COBB FAMILY IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR SALE. Thanks to Dr. Newberry, 100% of the book’s royalties will be donated to the Barrier Islands Center, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to “to preserve and perpetuate the unique culture and history of Virginia’s Barrier Islands through education and the collection and interpretation of artifacts.”

Copley principal Stephen B. O’Brien Jr., who penned the book’s foreword, and Copley decoy specialist Colin S. McNair, who authored the chapter on x-raying decoys, were happy to contribute to this project.

Dr. Newberry’s book narrates the thrilling adventures of three Cobb family generations set against the backdrop of their sporting island paradise before a major hurricane put an end to it all. The lifelike decoys they produced are some of the most highly sought after by collectors today. Wings of Wonder features more than 400 full-color photographs of rare duck, goose, and shorebird decoys in addition to many historical photographs of the early carvers. The book is now available in 2 editions: Hardcover $75 and Deluxe $125..

Order online at sportingclassicsstore.com or by calling 800.849.1004 362

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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The Walter L. Bush Collection

The Dale W. Farrell Collection

An Important Collection of A.F. Taits

The William K. du Pont Collection

The Len Carnaghi Collection

The Eddie Woodin Collection

The Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection

The Kroghie Andresen Collection

The Dr. Leonard O. Oden Collection

The John Dillon Collection

The Dr. Leonard O. Oden Collection of Bird Carvings

The Herb Wetanson Collection

The Dwight Miller Collection