The Winter Sale 2023 | Copley Fine Art Auctions

SPECIALISTS

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

Colin S. McNair Decoy Specialist colin@copleyart.com

Jim Allen Decoy Specialist jim@copleyart.com

Leah Tharpe Fine Art Specialist leah@copleyart.com

Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. Cinnie O’Brien

Colin S. McNair

Leah Tharpe Chelsie Olney

Eileen Steward, Photography & Design Michelle Dwyer

Facebook.com/copleyfineartauction

Notices

The Winter Sale | February 24 | 10AM | Lots 1-337

The Winter Sale | February 25 | 10AM | Lots 338-657

THE WINTER SALE SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

AUCTION: FEBRUARY 24-25

Day 1: Friday, February 24, 10:00AM Lots 1 -337

Day 2: Saturday, February 25, 10:00AM Lots 338-657

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

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS AND AUCTION PREVIEW

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

ABSENTEE & TELEPHONE BIDS

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

ONLINE BIDDING

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

Please review the Terms and Conditions of Sale on page 327 and Important Notices on page 11 of this catalog.

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

2 Buyer’s premium

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

3 Consign to our next sale

Copley Fine Art Auctions, LLC is accepting consignments for our The Sporting Sale 2023. Please contact us by phone at 617.536.0030, or by email at consignments@copleyart.com.

4 Pre-registration

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

5 Absentee and telephone bidding

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

6 Sales tax

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

7 Inspection of items offered at this auction

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

8 Flat art dimensions

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

9 Additional images

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

THE WINTER SALE

IMPORTANT NOTICES

10 Stands

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

11 Condition description of wear or gunning wear

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

12 Fragile decoratives

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

13 Condition description of “As found”

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

14 Auction results

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

15 Pick up and shipping

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

16 Auction day contact information

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

The Stephen B. O'Brien Sr. Collection of Nantucket Decoys

The Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection of Pacific Coast Decoys

PROPERTIES FROM

Harry and Judy Bextel Collection

Michael Boxer Collection

Dave and Jean Campbell Collection

Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale A descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont Russ Fisher Collection

Ted and Judy Harmon Collection

Linda E. Johnson Collection

Kangas Collection of International Folk Art and Decoys Donald Kirson Collection

William C. McMaster M.D. Collection

Stephen B. O’Brien Sr. Collection Estate of A. Michael Prus

Thomas W. Shepperd Collection Estate of Peter H. Tillou

Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection

John R. Wierdsma Collection

Private Collection, California

Private Collection, Connecticut Private Collection, Delaware Private Collection, Florida Private Collection, Northeast Harbor, Maine Private Collection, Maryland

Private Collection, Massachusetts

Private Collection, Cape Cod, Massachusetts Private Collection, Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts Private Collection, Nantucket, Massachusetts Private Collection, Midwest Private Collection, Bozeman, Montana Private Collection, New Hampshire

Private Collection, New York Private Collection, North Carolina Private Collection, Pennsylvania Private Collection, Quebec, Canada Private Collection, Rhode Island Private Collection, Vermont Private Collection, Virginia Private Collection, Middleburg, Virginia Private Collection, Wisconsin

DAY 1 | FEB. 24 | 10AM

Additional images for each lot are available through the online bidding platforms.

1878-1963 | NORTH SCITUATE, RI

1 Miniature Woodcock Family

Allen J. King (1878-1963) North Scituate, RI, c. 1940 2 in. tall, 4 in. wide

An excellent family of “timberdoodle” with two chicks mounted on a burl base which is signed “A. J. King” on the side. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Eve du Pont Remer Collection, purchased at the Crossroads of Sport Private Collection, by descent in the family Private Collection

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

$4,000 - $6,000

2 Miniature Dove Family

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

A fine King carving depicting this highly coveted species. A rare miniature mourning dove family with two raised-wing adults and two chicks in a nest on a branch. The branch bears the maker’s inked inscription and is mounted on a wooden base. Excellent original paint with minimal wear. Lead bird and branch are slightly loose on their mounts.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, purchased from an estate in Connecticut

$5,000 - $8,000

1 2 3

3 Miniature Quail Family

Allen J. King (1878-1963) North Scituate, RI, c. 1940 1 1/2 in. tall

A finely carved and painted family of bobwhite on a burl base signed “A. J. King.” Original paint with light wear.

LITERATURE: Joseph H. Ellis, Birds in Wood and Paint, Lebanon, NH, 2009, p. 108, fig. 11.7, related carving illustrated.

$5,000 - $8,000

A. ELMER CROWELL

1862-1952 | EAST HARWICH, MA 4 5

4 Exceptional Miniature Black-Bellied Plover

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

This early dropped-wing plover is among the maker’s finest miniature carvings. The well-proportioned bird has a plump body with a narrow tail above split wing tips which are tucked beneath. The base displays an inked species inscription on the bottom. Excellent original paint with a tight crack to left side of neck.

PROVENANCE: Nina Fletcher Little Collection

Warren M. Little Collection, by descent from the above Private Collection, acquired from the estate of the above

$3,000 - $4,000

5 Miniature Avocet

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952)

East Harwich, MA, c. 1910 2 3/4 in. tall

An exceptional and rare early avocet in bright breeding plumage bearing the maker’s inked “M’F’R” stamp on the underside. Original paint with light wear and two-thirds of bill is replaced.

PROVENANCE: Nina Fletcher Little Collection

Warren M. Little Collection, by descent from the above Private Collection, acquired from the estate of the above

$3,000 - $4,000

6 7

6 Miniature Ruddy Turnstone

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1930 3 in. long

A popular and colorful shorebird with the maker’s rectangular stamp on the bottom of the base. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Nina Fletcher Little Collection Warren M. Little Collection, by descent from the above Private Collection, acquired from the estate of the above

$2,500 - $3,500

7 Miniature Semi-Palmated Plover

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1910 2 1/4 in. long

An excellent early example with an inked species inscription on the bottom. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Nina Fletcher Little Collection Warren M. Little Collection, by descent from the above Private Collection, acquired from the estate of the above

$3,000 - $4,000

8 Half-Size Ruffed Grouse

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1930 7 in. long

A special seven-inch game bird carving with dropped wings, carved thighs, and a raised crest. The carved base was finished with Crowell’s painted grass motif and is signed with his rectangular stamp. Excellent original paint with light wear and touch-up to foot putty.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Cape Cod

LITERATURE: Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. and Chelsie W. Olney, Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving, Hingham, MA, 2019, p. 15, related example illustrated.

$5,000 - $8,000

9

A. ELMER CROWELL

1862-1952 | EAST HARWICH, MA

8

9 Miniature Grouse

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

The species is written in ink on a sticker on the underside of the base. Original paint with light wear and touch-up to bill.

PROVENANCE: Nina Fletcher Little Collection Warren M. Little Collection, by descent from the above Private Collection, acquired from the estate of the above

$2,500 - $3,500

10 Half-Size Goldeneye Pair

Wendell Gilley (1904-1983)

Southwest Harbor, ME, c. 1960

7 1/2 in. tall

A pair of goldeneye carvings signed on the driftwood bases. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Northeast Harbor, Maine

11 Miniature Canada and Snow Goose

Wendell Gilley (1904-1983)

Southwest Harbor, ME, c. 1960

5 in. tall

Two geese on signed driftwood bases. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Northeast Harbor, Maine

12 Miniature Mallard Pair

Russ P. Burr (1887-1955) Hingham, MA, c. 1940 6 in. tall

A pair of miniature flyers which bear his ink stamp signature “Russ P. Burr, Hingham, Mass.” on the bottom of the driftwood base. Original paint with light wear.

13 Miniature Flying Blue Jay

Russ E. Burr (1887-1955) Hingham, MA, c. 1930 7 1/2 in. tall

A particularly well-executed Burr calling blue jay with the maker’s stamp on the bottom of the driftwood base. Original paint with light wear and minor touch-up to three repaired primary feather tips.

$500 - $1,000

14 Miniature Goldeneye Drake

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1930 4 in. long

The bird displays the maker’s rectangular stamp on the bottom. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Nina Fletcher Little Collection Warren M. Little Collection, by descent from the above Private Collection, acquired from the estate of the above

$1,000 - $2,000

15 Miniature Goldeneye Hen

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

An early example with detailed feathering and the maker’s circular “M’F’R” ink stamp on the bottom. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Nina Fletcher Little Collection

Warren M. Little Collection, by descent from the above Private Collection, acquired from the estate of the above

$1,500 - $2,500

16 Miniature Green-Winged Teal Hen

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

An early example with detailed feathering and the maker’s circular “M’F’R” ink stamp on the bottom. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Nina Fletcher Little Collection

Warren M. Little Collection, by descent from the above Private Collection, acquired from the estate of the above

$1,500 - $2,500

17 Miniature Red-Winged Blackbird

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1910 2 3/4 in. long

A miniature red-winged blackbird with a faint species inscription on the underside. Original paint with light wear and a repair to a bill chip.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, New Hampshire

18 Miniature Wood Duck

Joseph W. Lincoln (1859-1938) Accord, MA, c. 1920 3 1/2 in. long

This rare miniature Lincoln wood duck decoy is stamped with the maker’s “Joe Lincoln, Accord, Massachusetts” ink stamp on the bottom. Original paint with light wear and restoration to lower half of bill.

19 Miniature Goose

Joseph W. Lincoln (1859-1938) Accord, MA, c. 1920 5 in. long

The underside bears the maker’s ink stamp signature. Original paint with wear, ding to tail, and restoration to original head and neck.

WENDELL GILLEY

20 Great Blue Heron with Raised Wings Wendell Gilley (1904-1983) Southwest Harbor, ME, 1966 32 1/2 in. tall

A dramatic and extremely rare half-size heron carving with outstretched wings mounted on a piece of driftwood. The driftwood is mounted on an oval base which signed and dated “Gilley 1966.” The wings and tail display fine incised carving detail. Original paint with light wear including minor flaking to feet.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Northeast Harbor, Maine

$3,000 - $5,000

21 Great Blue Heron with Turned Head Wendell Gilley (1904-1983) Southwest Harbor, ME, c. 1966 28 in. tall

A half-size heron with a turned head mounted on a driftwood base. This grand carving and its mate in the adjacent lot are a rare large pair by this maker known for his smaller carvings. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Northeast Harbor, Maine

$3,000 - $5,000

A. ELMER CROWELL

22 Early Tern

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

An early and rare carving of a life-size tern accurately capturing the attitude of these elegant hunters. The full body is adorned with the painter’s best “wet-on-wet” dry brushed plumage. Subtle details include the crossed primary feathers being separated by an incised line and the long forked tail below showing a gently undulating line on the inside. The bird is perched on a base made to resemble a smoothed rock which has an early crisp oval brand, consistent with the quality of the work.

This early work stands out among the maker’s standing terns. Indeed, it caught the eye of the early and influential Americana authority Nina Fletcher Little (1903-1993), who acquired it for her own collection. From there it was retained by her son in his collection.

While terns were never considered a delicacy, they were shot in great numbers because their beautiful feathers fetched high prices due to the robust millinery trade. The 1897 passage of a Massachusetts law prohibiting the sale of plumes was a monumental first step in the conservation of avian species in America. Excellent original paint with light wear, very minor touchup to small crack in tip of wing on right side, 2/3 bill replacement.

PROVENANCE: Nina Fletcher Little Collection Warren M. Little Collection, by descent from the above Private Collection, acquired from the estate of the above

LITERATURE: Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. and Chelsie W. Olney, Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving, Hingham, MA, 2019, p. 199, related example illustrated.

$20,000 - $30,000

Oval brand on underside of lot 22.

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

A. ELMER CROWELL

1862-1952 | EAST HARWICH, MA

23 Outstanding Kingfisher with Yellow Perch

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952)

East Harwich, MA, 1941 7 1/2 in. long

A rare and exceptional female belted kingfisher mantel carving with its original and notably detailed yellow perch within its bill. The bowed head has a lively saw-tooth crest and the tail has incised feather detail.

The carving is signed, dated, and rectangular-stamped by the maker on the underside of the ornately carved and painted base. Original paint with light wear. Original fish has some wear on

side and has been reset within the open bill.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Cape Cod

LITERATURE: Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. and Chelsie W. Olney, Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving, Hingham, MA, 2019, p. 265, related example illustrated.

$25,000 - $35,000

24 Exquisite Miniature Chickadee on Pine Base

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1930 mount is 4 in. tall

This miniature in a feeding stance was thoughtfully mounted by the maker on a natural wall-mount perch and retains Crowell’s ink signature on the back of the base. Original paint with light wear.

A. ELMER CROWELL

1862-1952 | EAST HARWICH, MA 24

A. ELMER CROWELL

1862-1952 | EAST HARWICH, MA

25 The du Mont Early Hanging Greater Yellowlegs

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1915 16 3/4 in. long

Much of Elmer Crowell’s portfolio references his origins as a young market hunter, but few works do so as directly as this early and elaborate hanging game carving. Incredibly, the young hunter built his first gunning stand in 1876 in order to harvest birds for sale, shipping his quarry by rail to Boston’s famous Faneuil Hall marketplace.

This rare, if not unique, carving from the esteemed du Mont Collection is among the most nuanced carvings that Crowell ever attempted, with applied raised wings, a curved tail, and detailed wooden legs. Each wing received significant carving detail, with scalloped edges, delineated feather groups, and incised secondary feathers. As seen with his more common flying birds and wing-up preeners, the painter showcases his knowledge and ability on every inch of the expanded surfaces. The feather blending throughout is especially fine with the head and interiors of the wings exhibiting notable care.

This carving hails from the distinguished collection of John Sanderson du Mont, a third generation friend and patron of Crowell’s. Du Mont’s great aunt and uncle were Roland C. (1859–1906) and Addie D. Nickerson (1859–1955) and John’s father was Horatio S. du Mont (1886–1970). In a 1987 article introduced by Alan Haid, the younger du Mont recalled, “My father, either at my request or when doing errands, would drop me at Crowell’s where I would sit quietly and watch him carve and paint. He never objected.” He also recounts, “Recognizing Crowell’s ability, my father assembled a collection of 21 shorebird and duck heads, some miniatures, and a series of life-size bird carvings. Mother’s diary indicates that most of these were collected by 1917.” This carving dates to that early period and

may have come down to John from his father and shorebird hunting companion.

Regarding related works, there are few known to have survived in any condition. One later lesser yellowlegs is in the collection of the Shelburne Museum, and another is in private hands. One hanging bobwhite quail is in the Paul Tudor Jones II Collection and is illustrated in Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving Excellent overall condition, original paint with light wear including craquelure to breast. Restoration to 2 1/2 inches of primary feathers of left wing tip, to right corner of tail, and toes of left leg. Right leg is reset.

PROVENANCE: John S. du Mont Collection Private Collection, Cape Cod

LITERATURE: Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. and Chelsie W. Olney, Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving, Hingham, MA, 2019, p. 42, hanging quail carving and related Harry V. Long journal entry illustrated.

A. E. Crowell and Eugene V. Connett, ed., Duck Shooting Along the Atlantic Tidewater, “Cape Cod Memories,” New York, NY, 1947, pp. 56-57, early market hunting discussed by Crowell. Northeast Auctions, The John S. du Mont Collection, Portsmouth, NH, August 19, 2007, p. 13, Brian Cullity quote and lot 709, exact carving illustrated.

$20,000 - $30,000

“When I was shooting for market on shore birds, the yellowlegs (lesser and greater) were the most plentiful. I made many good bags, with a few Jack Curlews and other shore birds.”

— A. Elmer Crowell, “Cape Cod Memories” in Duck Shooting Along the Atlantic Tidewater

A. ELMER CROWELL

1862-1952 | EAST HARWICH, MA 26

26

Rare Lesser Yellowlegs

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1910 9 1/2 in. long

Crowell author and historian Brian Cullity states, “The lesser yellowlegs was a relatively uncommon species to be used as a model for a decoy.” On the pattern for this decoy, Crowell identifies the species as “summer yellow leg.”

A closely related example with a replaced bill was exhibited in Dr. McCleery’s Call to the Sky museum exhibition and accompanying book. It was also held back by the McCleery estate from the 2000 sale, along with four other of his best Crowell shorebirds. Original paint with light gunning wear and a replaced bill.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Cape Cod

LITERATURE: Sotheby’s, Important American Folk Art, Furniture and Silver, New York, NY, May 2005, front cover and lot 104, McCleery example illustrated.

Brian Cullity, The Songless Aviary: The World of A. E. Crowell & Son, Hyannis, MA, 1992, pp. 60 and 114, pl. 116, Crowell’s pattern and related example illustrated.

Robert Shaw, Call to the Sky: The Decoy Collection of James M. McCleery, M.D., Houston, TX, 1992, pp. 14-15, McCleery example illustrated.

$10,000 - $15,000

A. ELMER CROWELL

1862-1952 | EAST HARWICH, MA

27

27

Outstanding Two-Third-Size Mallard Pair

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1930 12 1/2 in. long

This pair was made together and has been consigned by the family who acquired them from Crowell. As a keeper of live decoys and call ducks, these carvings are approximately the size of the mallards Crowell would have been most accustomed to handling. The hen is signed with the rectangular stamp. Original paint with light wear including minor putty flake to hen’s neck.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, acquired from the maker

Private Collection, by descent from the above

$6,000 - $9,000

A. ELMER CROWELL

1862-1952 | EAST HARWICH, MA

28 Early Crossed-Wing Black Duck

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1910 16 3/4 in. long

Black duck decoys were Crowell’s signature species. When The Magazine Antiques chose a Crowell raised-wing example for their September 1989 cover, it cemented the iconic status of the maker’s black duck.

This carving has a refined plump body, proud breast, and detailed carving that relates to the birds Crowell made for his renowned patron Dr. John C. Phillips. It was finished with the crossed and incised primaries and tail feathers.

This early pre-brand example has until recently resided with the New England family who hunted over it. It remains in dry, untouched gunning condition. Original paint with gunning wear to the wood in places.

LITERATURE: Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. and Chelsie W. Olney, Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving, Hingham, MA, 2019, pp. 232-233, black ducks illustrated.

MARK S. MCNAIR

B. 1950 | CRADDOCKVILLE, VA 29 30

29 Calling Crow

Mark S. McNair (b. 1950)

Craddockville, VA, c. 2010 14 in. tall, 22 in. long

This rare and grand carving has a hollow body, raised wings, and animated pose with an open bill. The legs are made of heavy wire with wrapped wax cord. The underside bears an incised “McNAIR.” Original paint with minimal wear.

$3,000 - $5,000

30 Merganser Pair

Mark S. McNair (b. 1950) Craddockville, VA, c. 1990 14 in. long

A pair of hollow Cape-May-style mergansers featuring nicely carved bills, eyes, and crests. Both are rigged and the bottoms are incised “McNAIR.” Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Bernie Roob Collection Jim Kappler Collection Donald Kirson Collection

$2,500 - $4,500

MARK S. MCNAIR

31 Early Merganser Pair

Mark S. McNair (b. 1950)

Craddockville, VA, c. 1975 18 3/4 in. long

A very early pair of mergansers by Mark McNair in swimming postures. Each is finished with inserted leather crests and tails. The undersides were recently incised by the maker with a signature and date of 1975. Original paint with wear and original hairline crack in hen’s neck.

PROVENANCE: William K. du Pont Collection Private Collection

32 Early Pintail Pair

Mark S. McNair (b. 1950)

Craddockville, VA, c. 1980 drake is 21 in. long

This hollow pintail pair is incised “McNair” on the undersides. The drake has a long inlaid oak tail and fine vermiculation. Original paint with light wear and drake has touch-up to a reset neck.

PROVENANCE: Estate of Peter H. Tillou

33 Blue Winged-Teal Pair

Mark S. McNair (b. 1950)

Craddockville, VA, c. 1980 10 1/2 in. long

A rare and early pair of turned-head teal, gracefully carved and painted. Both bear an incised “McNAIR” signature on underside. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Estate of Peter H. Tillou

34 Preening Pintail

Mark S. McNair (b. 1950)

Craddockville, VA, c. 1980 18 in. long

An early hollow decoy with a preening head, inlaid oak tail, and the maker’s incised signature on the bottom. Original paint with moderate wear including some craquelure on breast.

PROVENANCE: Estate of Peter H. Tillou

MARK S. MCNAIR

35 American Egret

Mark S. McNair (b. 1950)

Craddockville, VA, c. 2000 29 in. long

A rare McNair species, this American egret bears the maker’s incised signature on the underside. Original paint with light wear.

$2,500 - $3,500

36 Sperm Whale Weathervane

Mark S. McNair (b. 1950) Craddockville, VA, c. 2000 30 in. long, 22 1/2 in. tall

A sperm whale weathervane displaying inserted teeth and carved pectoral fins and eyes. On this special example, the tail has canted flukes that spin in a breeze. It also has a copper spout. The underside is marked with the maker’s incised signature. Few whales were fashioned in this manner by the maker, with a notable example residing in a prominent Ohio decoy collection. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, acquired from the artist

$3,000 - $5,000

37 Early Preening Swan

Mark S. McNair (b. 1950) Craddockville, VA, 1975 28 in. long

B. 1950 | CRADDOCKVILLE, VA 35 36 37

A rare and exceedingly early McNair decoy in a preening pose. This grand carving has a three-piece hollow body and a two-piece head. The underside bears an incised “M” signature. Original paint with wear.

PROVENANCE: John R. Wierdsma Collection

FRANK S. FINNEY

B. 1947 | CAPEVILLE, VA

38 Owl and Crow Tree

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

To date, the two most highly-coveted carvings by this American folk legend have been related bird trees. This exceptional bird tree by Finney presents the storied relationship between a flock of crows and a great horned owl. The owl on top is flanked by fourteen dynamic and expressive crows carved in a number of positions. The base is finished with elaborate carving and decorative painting. The underside is incised with the maker’s Spencerian script “F.” Original paint with light wear.

LITERATURE: Copley Fine Art Auctions, The Sporting Sale 2022, July 1415, 2022, lot 547, related world record bird tree illustrated.

$6,000 - $9,000

FRANK S. FINNEY

B. 1947 | CAPEVILLE, VA

FRANK S. FINNEY

B. 1947 | CAPEVILLE, VA 39

39 Waterfowling Santa Claus

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, 1983 28 in. tall

This carving depicts legendary 20th-century decoy collector and dealer Bud Ward as Santa Claus laden with treasures.

The smiling figure holds out a Ward Brothers 1936 bluewinged teal hen, and is wearing five duck calls. His pockets contain a bottle of spirits and a box of Winchester shotgun shells. The sack on the back shows portions of a signed Ward 1936 pintail drake, a Cobb hissing goose, and a Caines snakey-neck mallard hen, as well as what appears to be a Browning A-5 shotgun.

The entire surface is finished with a lightly antiqued finish. The grain-painted base wishes a painted “Seasons Greetings.” An applied wooden placard reads, “Bud Ward as Santa” and the maker’s “Frank Finney” incised signature. The underside is also signed and dated. Excellent original paint with some wear. Teal has a reset bill and has been reset to hand.

$10,000 - $20,000

FRANK S. FINNEY

B. 1947 | CAPEVILLE, VA

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40

Flying Woodcock Pair

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 1990 24 in. tall

A rare pair of flying woodcock mounted on a wooden base. Signed in ink by the maker on the underside. Original paint with light wear.

$6,000 - $9,000

41 Wigeon

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 2000 15 in. long

A hollow decoy with a turned and tucked head and raised and incised primaries. The underside has an incised “Royland S. Finney” and an incised half moon, along with a pencil signature by the maker. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Ron Davis Collection

Private Collection

FRANK S. FINNEY

B. 1947 | CAPEVILLE, VA

43

42 Rooster

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 2000 10 in. long

The underside of the base is incised “F” twice. Original paint with light wear.

$400 - $600

43 Snowy Owl

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 1990 17 in. tall

A snowy owl with the maker’s “Frank Smith Finney” ink stamp signature and incised “F” on the underside of the base. Original paint with light wear.

44 Life-Size Scarlet Tanager

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 2020 6 in. long

Signed with the maker’s incised “F” on the bottom of the base. Original paint with light wear.

45 Life-Size Yellow-Breasted Chat

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 2020 6 in. long

A carving with a rare turned head with a leaf-in-bill presentation. Signed with the maker’s incised “F” on the bottom of the base. Original paint with light wear.

46 Life-Size Blue Grosbeak

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 2020 6 in. long

A grosbeak carving signed with the maker’s incised “F” on the bottom of the base. Original paint with light wear.

47 Life-Size American Redstart

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 2020 5 in. long

Signed with the maker’s incised “F” on the bottom of the base. Original paint with light wear.

FRANK S. FINNEY

B. 1947 | CAPEVILLE, VA 48 49

50 51

48 Life-Size Calling Robin

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 2020 6 1/2 in. long

A nearly life-size robin with extensive incised feather detail. Signed with the maker’s incised “F” on the bottom of the base. Original paint with light wear.

49 Life-Size Eastern Towhee

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 2020 5 1/2 in. long

A carving with dramatically raised tail detail and a green seed in its beak. Signed with the maker’s incised “F” on the bottom of the base. Original paint with light wear.

50 Life-Size Lazuli Bunting

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 2020 5 1/2 in. long

Signed with the maker’s incised “F” on the bottom of the base. Original paint with light wear.

51 Life-Size Eastern Meadowlark

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

A nearly life-size meadowlark, signed with the maker’s incised “F” on the bottom of the base. Original paint with light wear.

52 Phoebe and Sparrow

Peter Peltz (1915-2001) Sandwich, MA, c. 1970 both are 5 in. long

Peter Peltz (1915-2001) carved his first bird while at sea serving as a lieutenant in the Navy during World War II. After seeing action in both the Mediterranean and Pacific theatres, Peltz returned to the States, married, and moved to Cape Cod where he began carving in earnest. One of his works graced the Oval Office during John F. Kennedy’s tenure. The president was given the carving by his wife, Jacqueline, who owned at least three Peltz carvings.

The phoebe exhibits the species identification and “P Peltz” signature on the bottom. The sparrow is signed “Peter Peltz.” Original paint with moderate wear.

53 Goldfinch and Sparrow

Peter Peltz (1915-2001)

Sandwich, MA, c. 1970 sparrow is 4 1/2 in. long

The goldfinch exhibits the species identification and “Peter Peltz.” signature on the bottom. The sparrow is signed “P. Peltz.” Original paint with moderate wear and slightly blunted bill tips.

54 Warbler and Cedar Waxwing

Peter Peltz (1915-2001) Sandwich, MA, c. 1970 waxwing is 5 1/4 in. long

Two raised-wing songbirds signed “P Peltz” and identified on the bottoms. Original paint with light wear.

55 Junco and Tufted Titmouse

Peter Peltz (1915-2001) Sandwich, MA, c. 1970 titmouse is 5 1/4 in. long

Both exhibit the species identification and a “P Peltz” signature on the bottom. Original paint with moderate wear.

56 David A. Maass (b. 1929)

Alighting Woodcock signed “Maass” lower right oil on board, 24 by 32 in.

An avid sportsman and ardent contributor to conservation organizations, David Maass has been actively painting game birds for more than fifty years. Over the decades, Maass has designed more than thirty conservation stamps and prints, a distinction few artists can claim. Ducks Unlimited, the National Wild Turkey Federation, and the Minnesota Wildlife Heritage Foundation have each named David Maass their Artist of the Year. Maass’ original paintings and limited edition prints have

been exhibited in galleries and shows throughout the country, including the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C. and the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum in Wausau, Wisconsin.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Wisconsin

$5,000 - $10,000

57 Walter Matia (b. 1953) Covey Rise, Bobwhite Quail, 2007 signed, dated, and numbered “Matia 07 25/48” on base bronze, 20 by 31 1/2 by 10 in. edition 25 of 48

Walter Matia is known for the remarkable amount of surface detail in his bronzes. He studied both biology and art design, the influence of which is apparent in his balanced and anatomically correct works. His subjects run the gamut of wildlife from eagles, to bulls, to sporting dogs. 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.”

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

$5,000 - $8,000

58 Julie Jeppsen (b. 1960)

Scent on the Side signed “Julie Jeppsen ©” lower right oil on canvas, 30 by 40 in.

Julie Jeppsen is one of the top dog painters today. Following in the footsteps of Rosseau, Osthaus, and Abbett, she is a contemporary artist who continues to impress the Sporting art world. She was selected by English pointer breeder and art collector Robert G. Wehle to illustrate the cover of his famous

book, Snakefoot, the Making of a Champion, in 1996. Scent on the Side is one of the artist’s finest bird dog portraits.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, North Carolina

$15,000 - $25,000

PERCIVAL ROSSEAU

59 Percival Rosseau (1859-1937)

Pair of Aces, 1921 signed and dated “Rosseau 1921” lower right oil on canvas, 12 1/2 by 19 1/2 in.

Percival Rosseau was born near Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in 1859. Although considered a premier painter of sporting dogs, he did not pick up a paintbrush until the age of thirty-five. After leaving an eclectic business career, including stints as a cowboy and a lumberjack, he sailed to Paris to attend the Académie Julian. His entry at the 1904 Paris Salon, a painting of a pair of Irish wolfhounds, gained him pivotal acclaim. He returned to the United States where he found a ready market for his work among wealthy sportsmen and received many commissions from first-rate breeders of pointers and setters. Rosseau’s best works capture the tense action of hunting dogs and depict them in romantic landscapes.

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

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

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

Rosseau’s debt to the Barbizon tradition is apparent in Pair of Aces with its softly defined brushstrokes, rich colors, and pastoral setting. This exceptional, small work is one of the artist’s true gems.

$30,000 - $50,000

60 Arthur Fitzwilliam Tait (1819-1905)

On the Qui Vive!, 1871 signed and dated “A.F. Tait N.Y. 1871” lower right oil on panel, 12 by 16 in. numbered, titled, signed, and inscribed on back

“On the Qui Vive” is old slang for “on the alert,” another common title for Tait’s deer paintings. Depicting four deer with flying mallards behind on the shore of Racquette Lake in the Adirondacks, this bright and lively jewel of a painting reveals the artist at the peak of his painting abilities.

This important work is titled and described in Tait’s 1871 register entry as No. 19. It is illustrated in Cadbury and Marsh’s text on the artist: “[No.] 19. Deer. on the qui vive! Buck & 3 Does. 16 x 12. Mr. Dorman, 109 E 27th St. Del’d to him March 17th & paid same time [$125.00] in his own frame by [blank].”

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

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

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

With this liberation and experience of the outdoors, Tait’s artistic career flourished. In 1852, only two years after Tait arrived in New York, Nathaniel Currier (1813-1888) and James Merritt Ives (1824-1895) purchased the first of many works from the budding artist. In that same year, Tait was asked to hang a half-dozen works at the National Academy of Design’s annual exhibition. By 1854 he had achieved an associate membership and four years later he became a full member. Editions of Tait’s works for Currier and Ives were reproduced by the thousands and formed some of America’s most iconic images of the Victorian era. The exceptionally popular American Field Sports series showcased Tait’s abilities as an 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.

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.

PROVENANCE: Dorman Collection Mrs. J. Augustus Barnard Collection The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1979 Private Collection

LITERATURE: Warder H. Cadbury and Henry F. Marsh, Arthur Fitzwilliam Tait: Artist in the Adirondacks, Newark, DE, 1986, pp. 215-16, no. 71.10, illustrated.

$50,000 - $70,000

WALTER MATIA

61

62 Walter Matia (b. 1953)

A Sure Thing signed “Matia” on side of base bronze, 12 by 16 1/4 by 8 in. edition 5 of 24

This captivating depiction of a setter dog on point is classic Matia.

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61 Walter Matia (b. 1953)

Pine Spirits II signed “Matia” lower left bronze, 18 1/4 by 15 3/4 by 6 1/2 in. edition 5 of 36

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.”

Two quail in flight with a pine branch behind.

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

$5,000 - $7,000

63 Luke Frazier (b. 1970)

The Quickening, 2022 signed “l. frazier” lower right oil on board, 24 by 36 in.

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.

In The Quickening, Frazier beautifully captures the anticipation and poised readiness of the two setters with his expressive brushstrokes and atmospheric light.

$18,000 - $24,000

64 Chet Reneson (b. 1934)

A Long Cast signed “Reneson” lower left acrylic on board, 21 by 35 in.

$5,000 - $7,000

65 Chet Reneson (b. 1934)

First Light signed “Reneson” lower left acrylic on board, 21 by 35 in.

This classic duck hunting scene captures two hunters and their black Labrador retriever setting out decoys at the break of morning.

$5,000 - $7,000

66 Chet Reneson (b. 1934) Apple Tree signed “Reneson” lower left acrylic on board, 21 by 35 in.

$5,000 - $7,000

67

67 Chet Reneson (b. 1934)

On Point signed “Reneson” lower right watercolor, 17 1/2 by 27 1/2 in.

68

68 Chet Reneson (b. 1934)

White-Winged Scoter, 1988 signed “Reneson” lower left watercolor, 17 3/4 by 28 in.

This important Reneson watercolor was reproduced as a print for Ducks Unlimited Canada. It is Plate No. XXXVII from Waterfowl of North America Collection, 1988.

70 Frank Vining Smith (1879-1967)

Startled Ducks signed “Frank Vining Smith” lower right oil on board, 17 1/2 by 24 in. titled on back

Born and raised in South Abington, Massachusetts, Frank Vining Smith grew up sailing and loved other New England outdoor pursuits as well. After graduating from high school, Smith attended the Boston School of the Museum of Fine Arts, where he studied under such notable artists as American Impressionist Frank W. Benson (1862-1951), Phillip L. Hale (1865-1931), and Edmund C. Tarbell (1862-1938). After graduating he worked as an illustrator for several newspapers in New York City and Boston, in addition to painting covers for national publications, such as National Sportsman. After working as a staff artist for the Boston Herald for nearly fifteen years, Smith quit his post to focus on his painting career. He was ultimately rewarded with several oneman shows across the United States and a painting career spanning four decades.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, New Hampshire Private Collection, Virginia

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69

Hugh C.C. Monahan (1914-1970)

Teal signed “H Monahan” lower right oil on canvas, 20 1/4 by 24 in.

Hugh Monahan was born in 1914 in Dublin, Ireland, but largely grew up in India before attending boarding school in England and studying history at Cambridge and art at the Royal Hibernian Academy in Dublin. He joined the Ghurka Brigade in the Indian Army and saw significant action during World War II, for which he was awarded the Military Cross. After the war, he studied at the Slade School of Art and sought solace in nature.

Monahan moved to Vancouver, Canada, with his wife, Agnes, and children in 1956, where he painted full-time and was a staunch supporter of Ducks Unlimited and other conservation groups, including the British Columbia Waterfowl Society, among others. Monahan died in 1970 while painting on the Fraser River, near the George Reifel Waterfowl Sanctuary, which he helped found, with his loyal yellow Labrador retriever “Happy” by his side.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Wisconsin

$600 - $900

OWEN GROMME

71 Owen Gromme (1896-1991)

Passenger Pigeon, 1986 signed and dated “© O.J. Gromme.’86.” lower left oil on canvas, 16 by 20 in.

Owen Gromme was born in Wisconsin in 1896 and spent much of his childhood hunting in the wetlands and forests near his home. Gromme made his career as the curator of birds and mammals at the Milwaukee Public Museum, staying in this position for over four decades. In this capacity, he traveled across the United States and to Africa documenting the wildlife he encountered. Although he was a high school

dropout, by the time of his death in 1991 Owen Gromme had received five honorary doctorates. He also wrote and illustrated Birds of Wisconsin. Known for his conservation ethos, Gromme’s paintings reflect his love of the outdoors.

$5,000 - $8,000

72 Important Pintail Drake

Andrew A. Tull (1840-1915) Philadelphia, PA, c. 1856 17 1/2 in. long

An exceptional Delaware River pintail drake, this example is a regional archetype quite distinct in form from other celebrated and later Delaware River pintail peers. This decoy is debuting in the modern decoy market after having resided in the Alberta Wingate family of Philadelphia for generations. Dating back to 1856 or prior, it is one of the earliest Philadelphia decoys known to exist.

The maker of this decoy has been inaccurately identified as John Blair by Henry Fleckenstein Jr. in his New Jersey Decoys book and by Harrison Huster and Doug Knight in Floating Sculpture

However, early decoy historians Bob White and Hal Sorenson were on the right trail when they discussed a closely related A Tull pintail in the 1977 Decoy Collector’s Guide, captioning, “This beautiful pintail drake from the lower Delaware River has “1856” stamped in the weight. It would well be a fore-runner to the “Blair” style.” Fellow Delaware River decoy legend Kenneth Gosner in 1985 gravitated towards White and Sorenson’s assessment when discussing an “A Tull” branded pintail in his Delaware River decoy treatise, writing, “obviously related to the Blair tradition and possibly predating the classic style.” Research by noted Delaware River decoy collector Jeff Martinides follows White, Sorenson, and Gosner’s beliefs as he points out that John Blair does not appear to land on the shores of America until 1865 — almost a decade after an “A Tull 1856” decoy was stamped.

In 2014 Russ Allen lifted the veil on the Tull mystery when he researched a pattern-making family from the Kensington section of Philadelphia. Andrew J. Tull was the son of John P. Tull. The 1860 U.S. Federal Census Report lists Andrew as following in his father’s footsteps as a pattern designer. Tull’s occupation as a pattern maker explains the beautiful lines and exacting construction of this decoy.

Though research on Andrew Tull is still ongoing, we know that on January 18th, 1863, Andrew married Emma Mathews, also of Philadelphia. Shortly thereafter, on April 1, 1864, at the age of twenty-two, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served aboard the vessel “Chicopee” as a firefighter.

In reviewing this Tull pintail lot, its sleek, hollow body draws to a long and sharply pointed tail which resolves with crisp chines on both the top and sides. The raised neck seat secures a slightly forward-reaching head with refined bill and eye groove carving. The underside is fitted with two small lead weights, one with the region’s classic chamfers. The body is finished with exceptional and dynamic feather painting with a tight

craquelure patina. The lively and well-executed feather painting technique stands out in a city known for its fine plumage representations. The paint on this bird is by far the best found on any Tull.

L-shaped cut nails revealed in this decoy circa 1860 are rare, and typically only found in the finest and earliest decoys, including the dove-tailed decoys and Osgood geese. Exceptional early gunning paint with even wear and a minor chip under the bill tip.

PROVENANCE: Alberta Wingate Collection, Philadelphia Robert Brown, Philadelphia Private Collection by descent from the above

LITERATURE: Hal Sorensen, “The Blair Mystery,” Decoy Collector’s Guide, 1977, p. 74, Tull pintail illustrated.

Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., Decoys of the Mid-Atlantic Region, Exton, PA, 1979, p. 59, Tull decoy illustrated.

H. Harrison Huster and Doug Knight, Floating Sculptures: The Decoys of the Delaware River, Spanish Fork, UT, 1982, pp. 38-39, Tull decoys illustrated.

Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., New Jersey Decoys, Exton, PA, 1983, p. 231, related Tull decoy illustrated.

Russ Allen, “Arthur Bartholomew Vance and the ‘Philadelphia School’,” Decoy Magazine, May/June 2014, pp. 2431, related Tull decoys illustrated.

Hal Sorenson, Decoy Collector’s Guide, 1977, pp. 74-78, related Tull decoys illustrated.

Kenneth L. Gosner, Working Decoys of the Jersey Coast and Delaware Valley, Cranbury, NJ, 1985, p. 84, related Tull carvings illustrated.

$40,000 - $60,000

Related Tull pintail from Bob White Collection (bottom) and “Classic” Blair pintail (top) illustrated in Decoy Collector’s Guide, 1977.

73 Important Biddle-Rig Green-Winged Teal Drake

Jess Heisler (1891-1943) Burlington, NJ, c. 1920 12 1/4 in. long

This early Biddle rig decoy is exceedingly rare and possibly unique with no Heisler teal in original condition apparent at auction for at least twenty-five years. Only a single bluewinged hen with a repaired bill surfaced in 2010. In 2001 Decoy Magazine hinted at their possible existence, writing that Heisler’s teal pattern remained in the family “so possibly he produced those as well.”

This bird hails from the esteemed rig of Charles Biddle, a wealthy sportsman from Andelusia, Pennsylvania, who hunted with his cousin, Mercer. In a cover article on Heisler, Decoy Magazine reports that the Biddles “both owned Heisler scull boats and decoys, often employing his services.” The Biddles were known to hunt over some the finest decoys on the river, including choice examples by John Blair Sr. (1843-1929). The article also states that “Reportedly the Biddles, who owned or rented a railroad car, would hire a train to pull it to a spur in Maryland where they would use it for a duck camp.” The cousins were also members of the Philadelphia Gun Club on the Chesapeake Bay, which hosted the likes of Annie Oakley, Earnest Hemingway, and Gen. John Pershing.

The hollow body shows Heisler’s best early carving with dramatically lifted wing tips and flairing tail, each finished with incised feathering. The underside has a partial brand reading “Biddl.” Original paint with even gunning wear and slight crack below left neck seam.

PROVENANCE: Charles Biddle Rig The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

LITERATURE: H. Harrison Huster and Doug Knight, Floating Sculptures: The Decoys of the Delaware River, Spanish Fork, UT, 1982, no Heisler teal listed or illustrated.

Allen Linkchorst, “Jess Heisler: Builder of Quality Boats and Decoys,” Decoy Magazine, Lewes, DE, March/April 2001, front cover and pp. 8-11, Heisler and Biddle discussed, teal pattern listed.

$7,000 - $10,000

JESS HEISLER

1891-1943 | BURLINGTON, NJ 74

74 Sleeping Black Duck

Jess Heisler (1891-1943) Burlington, NJ, c. 1920 14 in. long

An excellent and important sleeping decoy 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 rose to the top and is believed to have introduced the sleeper to the region, with some later makers following his lead, to the delight of collectors.

Along with its rarity, this well-executed carving is among the maker’s finest with thin carved tail feathers, and crisp primaries. The head and bill are carefully inlaid into the three-piece hollow body. Further separating this decoy from its few peers is the special attention paid to the stylized feather paint adorning every facet of the plumage with patterns of loops, dots, and dashes.

The underside is marked with a “BP-6” for the collection of Bob and Pauline White. When the Whites sold this decoy, it was

conveyed that the bird has been exhibited at the Burlington County Museum and the Mercer Museum. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Private Rig, Florence, New Jersey and Odessa, California Bob White Collection Kangas Collection of International Folk Art and Decoys

LITERATURE: Decoy Magazine, May/June 2019, p. 28, exact decoy illustrated.

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

EXHIBITED: Doylestown, PA, Ducks, Decoys and the Delaware: A Regional Hunting Tradition, The Mercer Museum, 2004

$25,000 - $35,000

75 The Madara Merganser Pair

Clark C. Madara (1883-1953) Pitman, NJ, c. 1930 17 3/4 in. long

This outstanding pair represent the only known examples of their kind by this highly skilled carver and professional painter. The Campbells acquired the pair directly from the Madara family.

The drake features an incredible two-tined carved wooden crest and a high, thin neck. The hen has the same sleek and hollow body, but in a slightly smaller build than her mate. Her crest has one excellent carved tine. The delicate bills, crests, necks, and tails have survived in remarkably good condition. The undersides are marked with the Campbell’s “DSC” collection stamp. Original paint with light gunning wear. Working touch-up to very tip of hen’s crest.

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CLARK C. MADARA

1883-1953 | PITMAN, NJ

PROVENANCE: Dave and Jean Campbell Collection, acquired from the Madara Family

LITERATURE: James R. Doherty, Classic New Jersey Decoys, Louisville, KY, 2011, pp. 160-163, no mergansers illustrated. Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., New Jersey Decoys, Exton, PA, 1983, p. 257, merganser of a different model illustrated.

$14,000 - $18,000

LEWIS A. CRANMER

1845-1920 | CEDAR RUN, NJ

76 Early Curlew Pair

Lewis A. Cranmer (1845-1920) Cedar Run, NJ, c. 1890 14 in. long

76

A pair of curlew with pronounced cheeks. As North America’s largest shorebird, curlew are recognizable by their signature curved bill shaped somewhat like a crescent moon. In fact, the scientific name for the long-billed curlew, Numenius americanus, comes from the Greek word “noumenios” meaning “new moon.”

Each has a stringing hole through the tail. The underside of each is stamped with a “T” above the stick hole. One is in

original paint with gunning wear with a reset neck. The other has working scratch paint and gunning wear. Each has a replaced bill.

LITERATURE: Christie’s, Important American Furniture, Folk Art, Prints And Decoys, New York, NY, January 17th, 2008, lot 364, exact pair illustrated.

Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., New Jersey Decoys, Exton, PA, 1983, p. 155, pl. 363, related example illustrated.

$5,000 - $8,000

77 78

79 80

MASON DECOY FACTORY

1896-1924 | DETROIT, MI

77 Rare Bufflehead Hen

Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924) Detroit, MI, c. 1910 12 1/2 in. long

A rare premier-grade bufflehead hen in its untouched hunting condition. Original paint with gunning wear, including age line along right side of body seam, flaked area on back of head, and tight age line in top of bill.

PROVENANCE: Estate of A. Michael Prus

$2,000 - $3,000

78 Premier-Grade Goldeneye Hen

Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924) Detroit, MI, c. 1920 15 in. long

Goldeneye hens outnumber their mates by a wide margin. Finding Mason females in good original paint is exceedingly difficult. This stellar example shows the factory’s classic form and strong swirl paint. Original paint with even wear and two age lines at base of neck. Some overpaint successfully removed mostly from white areas. Touch-up to bill and area on head and breast.

$2,000 - $3,000

79 Blue-Winged Teal

Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924) Detroit, MI, c. 1910 12 in. long

A standard-grade decoy believed to be from the Princeton Gun Club with a stylized “SW” brand on the underside. Original paint with moderate gunning wear, including neck filler loss.

PROVENANCE: Estate of A. Michael Prus

$800 - $1,200

80 Premier-Grade Mallard Pair

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

Old and mostly original paint with heavy gunning wear.

MASON DECOY FACTORY

1896-1924 | DETROIT, MI

81 Blue-Winged Teal Pair with “Double Blues”

Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924) Detroit, MI, c. 1905 12 1/4 in. long

An early rigmate pair of premier-grade teal. Each has classic early Mason form with snakey heads and long bills. The high impact plumage patterns include the drake’s bright “doubleblues” on his back. The underside of each hollow body has a faint painted “EM” rig marking. Original paint with even gunning wear with areas of touch-up. Drake has a few age lines and a reset neck.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, California

LITERATURE: Russ J. Goldberger and Alan Haid, Mason Decoys: A Pictorial Guide, Updated Edition, Lewes, DE, 2014, p. 57, related pair illustrated.

Richard A. Bourne Co., Inc., Very Rare and Important American Bird Decoys from the Collection of the late William J. Mackey, Jr. of Belford, New Jersey, Hyannis, MA, Session I & II, 1973, lot 23, related drake illustrated.

$15,000 - $25,000

MASON DECOY FACTORY

1896-1924 | DETROIT, MI 82

82 Rare Premier-Grade Wigeon Hen Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924) Detroit, MI, c. 1910 15 in. long

This exceedingly rare premier-grade decoy recently surfaced on the island of Martha’s Vineyard. Illustrating its rarity, in the 2014 edition of Mason Decoys, the only premier-grade wigeon illustrated are a single drake and a well-worn early pair. The microclimate on Martha’s Vineyard provided early gunners with excellent waterfowling opportunities, which included a relative density of wigeon. In addition to this Midwestern factory model, baldpate from the Ward Brothers have also surfaced on the Vineyard. Famously, A. Elmer Crowell and islander Henry Keyes Chadwick successfully collaborated on

this species. This recent discovery is one of the rarer Mason finds to surface in some time. Original paint with even gunning wear, a small tail-tip chip, and an early working wash of grey on the bill. Slight loss to neck filler and factory fill on right shoulder.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts

LITERATURE: Russ J. Goldberger and Alan Haid, Mason Decoys: A Pictorial Guide, Updated Edition, Lewes, DE, 2014, pp. 68-69, early worn wigeon pair illustrated.

$5,000 - $8,000

83 Early Canada Goose

J.N. Dodge Factory (1883-1893) Detroit, MI, c. 1890 19 in. long

A rare Canada goose from this early factory showing terrific form. This stately decoy retains good paint as it was never gunned, having spent the majority of its life on a lamp base. The decoy exhibits a rocked-back head, blended feathering with painted primaries, and barred tail detail. Original paint with even wear, including some craquelure and flaking at neck seams and on left side. Touch-up to one filled hole in back and one under tail, weight added to bottom.

$4,000 - $6,000

J.N. DODGE FACTORY

1883-1893 | DETROIT, MI 83

LITERATURE: Ron Sharp and Bill Dodge, Detroit Decoy Dynasty: The Factory Decoys of Petersen, Dodge, and Mason, Lawsonville, NC, 2009, p. 169, similar decoy illustrated.

MASON DECOY FACTORY

1896-1924 | DETROIT, MI

84

Rare Whimbrel

Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924) Detroit, MI, c. 1910 16 1/2 in. long

A rare Mason Factory shorebird decoy with excellent form. In reference to this special model, which they call a Hudsonian Curlew or whimbrel, Goldberger and Haid write In Mason Decoys, “It was only made in the glass-eye grade and has exquisite feathering on the back. They are the rarest of the four types of curlew Mason made.” Regarding Mason curlews, William J. Mackey Jr. wrote that they “were the finest factory shore bird from every viewpoint.”

This coveted model has a distinct form among Mason curlew with a reared-back head on a thin neck. It is finished with glass eyes and fine paint. Original paint with light gunning wear. Front

of head restored by Ken DeLong.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, acquired from Alan Haid

LITERATURE: Russ J. Goldberger and Alan Haid, Mason Decoys: A Pictorial Guide, Lewes, DE, 2003, p. 111, related decoy illustrated. Quintina Colio, American Decoys, Ephrata, PA, 1972, pp. 64-65, related decoy illustrated.

William J. Mackey Jr., American Bird Decoys, New York, NY, 1965, pl. 178, similar decoy illustrated.

$12,000 - $18,000

Front cover of North American Decoys, Fall 1979, showing a variety of Mason curlews.

CHARLES H. PERDEW

1874-1963 | HENRY, IL

85

85 Outstanding Mallard Pair

Charles H. Perdew (1874-1963) Henry, IL, c. 1940 15 3/4 in. long

An excellent rigmate pair with a slightly turned-head drake. Both birds feature Charlie Perdew’s best paint with nice warm patina. The hen has an “HH” rig stamp on the underside. Original paint with light gunning wear, including minor flakes at back of hen’s neck and wear at drake’s waterline.

LITERATURE: Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. and Julie Carlson, Masterworks of the Illinois River, Boston, MA, 2005, pp. 68-72, related examples illustrated.

$5,000 - $8,000

86

86 Cohen Rig Sleeping Hen Mallard Bert Graves (1880-1956) Peoria, IL, c. 1920 14 1/2 in. long

Graves built the Graves Decoy Company out of the workshop behind his home. Upon the death of Robert Elliston in 1915, Graves purchased Elliston’s entire business, including wood, patterns, tools, and commissioned rigs. He also astutely hired Catherine Elliston to continue painting decoys for his company. Along with fellow Illinois River masters Elliston and Perdew, Graves produced preeners and this graceful form is their most coveted by collectors today.

Graves sold decoys to affluent hunters and to sporting goods stores for the handsome sum of $75-100 per dozen and his decoys today continue to demand a premium among collectors.

This hollow decoy shows the maker’s best form with full cheeks and a delicate bill. The underside is fitted with a “B

GRAVES DECOY CO” weight and bears the “LBC” brand for Louis Cohen of Peoria. Original paint with gunning wear and touch-up to flaked areas, including back, sides, and head.

PROVENANCE: Louis B. Cohen Rig Kangas Collection of International Folk Art and Decoys

LITERATURE: Stephen O’Brien Jr. and Julie Carlson, Masterworks of the Illinois River, Boston, MA, 2005, p. 98, related decoy illustrated.

Donna Tonelli, Fish and Fowl of the Great Lakes, Atglen, PA, 2002, p. 120, related decoy illustrated.

Joe Engers, ed., The Great Book of Wildfowl Decoys, San Diego, CA, 1990, p. 232, related decoy illustrated.

$8,000 - $12,000

87 Redhead Hen

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

A premier-grade Mason Decoy Factory hen. Original paint with moderate gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Estate of A. Michael Prus

$600 - $900

88 Premier-Grade Black Duck & Mallard Hen

Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924) Detroit, MI, c. 1900 17 3/4 in. long

The hen bears an incised “S.P.S.N.” marking on the underside. Both appear to be original paint with heavy gunning wear.

89 Two Starr Collection Brant 20 in. long

Two brant from the collection of Dr. George Ross Starr Jr. with his fan stamp and inscriptions on the undersides. One is by the Mason factory and the other is attributed to J. G. Downs from the Barnegat Bay area of New Jersey, circa 1880. As found.

PROVENANCE: Dr. George Ross Starr Jr. Collection Private Collection

90 Blue-Winged Teal

Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924) Detroit, MI, c. 1920 12 1/4 in. long

The underside is stamped twice with a “7.” Original paint with light gunning wear, including some neck filler loss and an age line along lower left side.

PROVENANCE: Estate of A. Michael Prus

$800 - $1,200

91 Blue-Winged Teal Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924) Detroit, MI, c. 1920 12 in. long

Original paint with moderate gunning wear, including shot and some loss to neck filler.

PROVENANCE: Estate of A. Michael Prus

$800 - $1,200

92 Mallard Drake Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924) Detroit, MI, c. 1915 16 in. long

A standard-grade decoy with painted eyes. Original paint with light gunning wear, some age lines, and minor neck filler loss.

PROVENANCE: Estate of A. Michael Prus

The Richard & Dorothy Wheeler Collection of Pacific Coast Decoys

By Chelsie Olney

Richard Wheeler developed a passion to collect Pacific Coast decoys in the 1960s and would go on to become a cornerstone of California decoy collecting history. A native of Petaluma, Richard began hunting canvasbacks on the Petaluma River with his father at an early age. However, of all the great migrations that pass over the Pacific Coast, Richard perhaps loved shooting Pacific black brant the most. He recalls being sixteen and driving his 1949 Ford out to Tomales Bay where he shot his first brant from shore with his dog. Wheeler explains, "Rebel, my black lab, swam out and retrieved it. I was enamored with everything about those birds.” He followed his quarry from Humboldt Bay to Bodega Bay, Tomales Bay, Limantour Bay, and all the way down to Bahia de San Quintin in Baja, Mexico.

Over the decades of hunting, Wheeler developed an informed admiration and respect for local and professional

carvers. He collected his first decoy in 1964 while earning a master’s degree in wildlife management at Humboldt State College in Arcata, CA. He explains that collecting decoys “kept him busy during the hunting off-season.” Little did he know then that he would proceed to collect more than 400 decoys over a span of almost sixty years!

Along with Bill Mori, August Sebastiani, Jim Keegan, Lew Clingan, Mike Miller, Dick Troon, among others, Wheeler was one of the earliest Pacific Coast source decoy collectors. A tribute to his insight and legacy, he was one of the founders of the Pacific Flyway Decoy Association, which formed in 1971 with its inaugural competitive show in Berkeley. The annual show, known as the Pacific Flyway Decoy Association Classic, moved to Santa Rosa and then Sacramento, where it still takes place each year.

Richard and Dorothy Wheeler at the first Pacific Flyway Decoy Association’s gathering and decoy contest in Berkeley, September 1971.

The decoy collecting community is fortunate that Richard meticulously cataloged his acquisitions over the decades; his knowledge of West Coast decoys is vast. After tracking down and making the acquaintance of renowned California carver Bill McLellan (1897–1987) in 1975, Wheeler documented the assembly process of the maker’s unique flying brant, which were designed to display motion in the wind. Thus, he preserved a rare piece of decoy carving history that might otherwise have been lost.

In 1989 he shared that knowledge, penning an article for Decoy Magazine entitled “Bill McLellan’s wonderful flying brant.” In the piece, Wheeler shares the maker’s recollection that on several occasions hunters “had slipped up and fired at his rig, with much embarrassment.” Those mistaken gunshots were probably the highest compliment the maker could have received. Wheeler also reports on the desirability of these iconic brant, recounting how McLellan traded one decoy to Lew Clingan in exchange for a new 20-gauge shotgun. Eventually, Wheeler would come to own two of McLellan’s nine flying brant, along with the maker’s patterns.

Richard Wheeler and collector Bill Mori discussing a pintail drake at the PFDA decoy show in Santa Rosa, 1975.

Wine mogul August Sebastiani (middle) with Alice and Peter Vale, 1974. Richard and August were good friends who hunted together in a floating blind on Tomales Bay just north of Hog Island. Richard brought the gear and August brought lunch.

Maker Bill McLellan explaining the intricacies of the flying brant’s construction to Richard Wheeler in Eureka, 1975.

Patterns from McLellan’s famous flying brant rig (Lot 94), including a wing-frame construction.

When Wheeler identified a pinnacle work, he went after it with dogged determination and, as a result, he and his wife, Dorothy, have collected some of the best carvings by West Coast makers. Many of the works in their collection are featured in the definitive books about the region, Wildfowl Decoys of California published in 2015 and Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast published in 1989.

The Wheelers eventually retired to Montana where Richard shot mallards and Canada geese and fished the Beaverhead River for brown and rainbow trout. Copley is honored to present this important collection of Pacific Coast bird carvings curated by one of the region’s most respected collectors.

Sources:

Richard Wheeler. “Bill McLellan's wonderful flying brant." Decoy Magazine, March/April 1989.

Michael R. Miller and Frederick W. Hanson. Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast. Portland, OR: MBF Publishing, 1989.

Michael R. Miller. Wildfowl Decoys of California. Spokane, WA: Triple-D Publishing, 2015.

The Pacific Flyway Decoy Association website, http:// pacificflyway.org/history-of-pfda/, accessed on October 25, 2022.

Copley Fine Art Auctions would like to thank Dorothy Wheeler for sharing their album of beautifully labeled photographs and Richard Wheeler for graciously allowing us to interview him for this biography. Special thanks Hugh Chatham for providing early histories on West Coast collectors.

Richard and his black lab, Midnight, hunting on the eastern shore of Bahia de San Quintin “in the shadow of extinct volcano Mount Cinesa,” 2006.

Bill McLellan with his flying brant, 1971.

— Michael Miller, Wildfowl Decoys of California, 2015

“Supplementing the many floating brant decoys, McLellan made nine extraordinary flying brant decoys that are brilliant innovative achievements in artistry, workmanship, and construction.”

GEORGE WILLIAM MCLELLAN

1897-1987 | EUREKA, CA

93 Flying Brant

George William McLellan (1897-1987) Eureka, CA, c. 1941 24 in. long, 41 in. wingspan

One of only nine flying decoys originally created for this legendary rig. Few would argue that Bill McLellan’s famous rig of brant are the finest flyer decoys ever created. This rig was meticulously constructed in 1941 with the assistance of his wife, Olga (1902-1980). McLellan only used the carefully protected patterns about a dozen times over the next twenty years. Since then these peerless birds have been highly celebrated and prized by collectors, authors, and curators from coast to coast. In addition to the numerous books and articles featuring this exact decoy a rigmate holds the world auction record for any decoy from the Golden State.

In 1989 Richard Wheeler wrote a feature article for Decoy Magazine entitled “Bill McLellan’s wonderful flying brant,” discussing not only the rig, but his and Dorothy’s experiences with McLellan a half a century ago and how they obtained this decoy numbered “8.” When the Wheelers arrived, the carver still had eight of the original nine, though one had “ruined body paint” from a friend’s attempt to mold it, bringing the rig to seven fine examples. While Wheeler was not able to acquire this flyer on that occasion, he was highly motivated and soon made arrangements to get his pick of the rig, “number 8.”

The same year Wheeler published his story, West Coast decoy authorities, Michael Miller and Frederick Hanson illustrated this exact decoy, describing these famous flyers as “masterpieces of precision” in their book Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast: Carving Traditions of British Columbia, Washington, Oregon and California. McLellan, even during his lifetime, recognized the important value of these decoys “for he made a special box for them that contained separate compartments for wings, pins, dowel, bodies, etc.”

The authors continue, “The redwood bodies, measuring about 24 inches in length, were fashioned from old telephone poles found in the alley behind his home. Bill created nicely detailed

patterns to trace the top and side views on the redwood blocks before he started carving. Unlike the floaters, Bill did not equip these flyers with bills made of hardwood doweling. The wings were constructed in much the same manner as those on good model airplanes. McLellan used fine spruce for the frames, after first designing and preparing explicit patterns. When the frames were completed, stiff butcher paper was laid on followed by muslin. The fabric was then coated with airplane dope. The wing patterns were taken from the tracing of an actual brant wing – ‘a big fella’ according to McLellan. Each of the nine flying brant was numbered on the body and matching wings. The latter fit into the bodies with intricate, brass wing-locking mechanisms that allow quick removal or attachment. The wing-lock is hinged to allow the wings, rigged with heavy rubber bands, to waver in the wind. A copper pin secures the wings to the hinges. The flyers were deployed by means of telescoping 2-piece galvanized steel poles. Each of the nine poles, with each decoy at a different height, was attached to a floating wooden frame that was pulled over the sand into the water as the tide rose and fell.”

McLellan did not stop with the form and construction, as the paint is perhaps the finest seen on any Pacific brant. Both the top and bottom sides of the stretched canvas wings are finished with excellent feathering. This decoy is particularly notable within the rig for its strong swirl paint towards the tail.

The Wheelers also acquired McLellan’s incredible patterns which help to confirm that this is perhaps the most intricately made rig of decoys ever constructed. The bird’s refinement and function would have made an unrivaled sight on the choppy waters of Humboldt Bay. Indeed, McLellan recounted that on multiple occasions this vexed other hunters. Today, thanks to the Wheelers and other specialists, we have a robust understanding of this extraordinary rig.

Maker Bill McLellan showing Richard Wheeler how to assemble his magical flying brant decoy.

93 Original paint with light gunning wear. Working touch-up to two small tears on top of right wing and one across the underside of the wing.

PROVENANCE: George W. McLellan Rig Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection, acquired from the maker, circa 1973

LITERATURE: Richard Wheeler, “Bill McLellan’s Wonderful Flying Brant” Decoy Magazine, Lewes, DE, March/April 1989, pp. 36-41, rigmates illustrated.

Michael R. Miller and Frederick W. Hanson, Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast: Carving Traditions of British Columbia, Washington, Oregon and California, Davis, CA, 1989, pp. 129-133, exact decoy illustrated multiple times.

Joe Engers, ed., The Great Book of Wildfowl Decoys, San Diego, CA,

1990, pp. 269-270, rigmate illustrated.

Michael R. Miller, Wildfowl Decoys of California, Spokane, WA, 2015, back cover and pp. 58-65, rigmates illustrated.

Loy S. Harrell Jr., Decoys: North America’s One Hundred Greatest, Iola, WI, 2000, pp. 148-9, rigmate illustrated.

Linda and Gene Kangas, Decoys, Paducah, KY, 1992, p. 125, pl. 191, related example illustrated.

Robert Shaw, Bird Decoys of North America, New York, NY, 2010, p. 270, rigmate illustrated.

Gene and Linda Kangas, Decoys: A North American Survey, Spanish Fork, UT, 1983, p. 275, top bird, rigmate illustrated.

$35,000 - $55,000

95 Duck and Brant Patterns

94 95

George William McLellan (1897-1987) Eureka, CA

McLellan’s duck and floating brant patterns, including some highly intricate head patterns and design and construction notes and dates. This lot consists of over 40 pieces from McLellan’s shop. As found.

PROVENANCE: Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection, acquired from the maker

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller and Frederick W. Hanson, Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast: Carving Traditions of British Columbia, Washington, Oregon and California, Davis, CA, 1989, p. 133, some exact patterns illustrated.

Michael R. Miller, Wildfowl Decoys of California, Spokane, WA, 2015, pp. 63-69, some exact patterns illustrated.

94 Flying Brant Patterns

George William McLellan (1897-1987) Eureka, CA, c. 1940 23 1/2 in. long

A lot of intricate patterns from McLellan’s famous flying brant rig, including a wing-frame construction. As found.

PROVENANCE: Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection, acquired from the maker

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller and Frederick W. Hanson, Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast: Carving Traditions of British Columbia, Washington, Oregon and California, Davis, CA, 1989, p. 131, some exact patterns illustrated.

Michael R. Miller, Wildfowl Decoys of California, Spokane, WA, 2015, p. 61, some exact patterns illustrated.

96 Los Banos Pintail Drake

Los Banos, CA, c. 1925 17 1/2 in. long

This decoy hails from an elite group by a highly celebrated, yet unknown maker. They have been referred to as the “Los Banos Unknowns” nodding to the original location of their discovery. More flatteringly, they are known as “West Coast Dudleys.”

West Coast author Michael Miller introduces this exact decoy and others like it as “... some of the finest duck decoys ever made in California...” This decoy was found with only four other drakes. Though he states that “the white areas have been repainted,” this example is in 100% original paint from bill tip to tail tip.

A bold carving with pronounced incised feather and tail detail. The drawn back head features full cheeks and a thin neck with elaborate paint. Original paint with light gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection Michael R. Miller, Wildfowl Decoys of California, Spokane, WA, 2015, p. 568, exact decoy illustrated twice.

$5,000 - $7,000

ART JENSEN HAYWARD, CA

97 98

97 Cinnamon Teal Art Jensen Hayward, CA, c. 1950 12 in. long

A refined teal with a turned head, raised wings, and a pleasing carved wing and feather design. Jensen was a painter as well as a hunter and a decoy carver. He used salvaged life rafts to source balsa for his decoys.

“Jensen’s cinnamon teal are very nicely done,” Miller and Hanson relay in their book featuring this exact decoy, which is also illustrated in Miller’s California volume. Original paint with light gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection, acquired from the maker

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller and Frederick W. Hanson, Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast, Portland, OR, 1989, p. 232, exact decoy illustrated.

Michael R. Miller, Wildfowl Decoys of California, Spokane, WA, 2015, p. 275, exact decoy illustrated.

$4,000 - $6,000

98 Mallard Drake Art Jensen Hayward, CA, c. 1952 14 in. long

A distinctly Jensen mallard with a turned head, raised wings, and a pleasing carved wing and feather design in its balsa body. This drake is illustrated in both of the region’s volumes. Original paint with even gunning wear, including a ding in right side of breast.

PROVENANCE: Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection, acquired from the maker

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller and Frederick W. Hanson, Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast, Portland, OR, 1989, p. 232, exact decoy illustrated.

Michael R. Miller, Wildfowl Decoys of California, Spokane, WA, 2015, p. 275, exact decoy illustrated.

Mike Miller, Richard Wheeler, and Art Fizer at the Monterey Decoy Show, 1985, Wheeler holding an Art Jensen teal.

1922-1991 | PITTSBURG, CA

99

99 Canada Goose

Ed Vidmar (1922-1991) Pittsburg, CA, c. 1951 25 in. long

Early collectible Canada geese by named makers from California are difficult to source. This classic Vidmar goose displays fine paint and a grand body made lighter by a hollow in the underside. The bottom of this gunning decoy was also signed by the maker. Vidmar sourced this head from another one of his decoys. “The classic Vidmar decoys,” writes Miller, “hold places of honor with California collectors.” Original paint with even gunning wear, reset neck seat, and touch-up to reset line in neck.

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller and Frederick W. Hanson, Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast, Portland, OR, 1989, p. 304, rigmate goose illustrated.

Michael R. Miller, Wildfowl Decoys of California, Spokane, WA, 2015, p. 450, related goose illustrated.

PROVENANCE: Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection

Richard Wheeler receiving a prized Ed Vidmar Canada goose from the maker at a decoy show in 1980.

Richard Wheeler and Lew Clingan with the Mastin goose at the Monterey Decoy Show, 1983

Richard Wheeler at the Monterey Decoy Show in 1983 showing off a Mastin goose to local news reporters.

JERRY MASTIN

1880-1959 | PORTLAND, OR

100 Standing Canada Goose

Jerry Mastin (1880-1959)

Portland, OR, 1937 26 in. long

This iconic and peerless rig of geese was initiated by the request of Mastin’s hunting partner, Roger Eaton, for use in harvested wheat fields. The exceedingly refined construction of this rig took too much of Mastin’s time for him to complete the planned dozen in time for hunting season, so the rig began with nine. The numbers dwindled by the time collectors found the rig in 1972. One whole bird and the only feeding head were lost and another neck has been replaced. This attrition brings the maximum known whole birds down to only six. All of the birds were found in repaint with lamp black. This survivor and its handful of rigmates have found new fields of plenty in the eyes of authors, curators, and collectors.

The scarcity of these birds aside, Gerald Rosenthal in the Great Book writes, “…the Jerry Mastin Canada geese are among those that stand out, not because of their rarity, but because of the special qualities transferred to the wood by the artistic decoy carver.” It is no wonder Mastin never completed his original concept of a dozen geese as the workmanship in this decoy is among the finest seen in any decoy. The body circumference is thirty inches and it’s hollowed as thin as any Nantucket, Delaware River, or Ontario masterwork with no apparent body seam visible. Slight wing separation down the back leads to a raised neck seat for the removable head. A mortise-and-tenon joint is numbered “3” on both sides and is faced in copper. Lastly, two small wooden pegs under the neck

slip into the body for secure alignment. The thin neck raises in a sentinel position and flares out an exceptionally well-carved head.

The product of Mastin’s efforts is “Unquestionably, the finest Canada goose decoys made in the west,” write Miller and Hanson, “and perhaps all of North America...” Like many of the history’s greatest makers, including Crowell, Cobb, Schoenheider, and the Dovetailed Maker, Mastin not only rose to the unique challenges of the goose, but also elevated the decoy making craft to a premier level in doing so. Mix of original and repaint with the rig’s black having been removed and even wear. Approximately one inch of mounting flange on underside is reset.

PROVENANCE: Roger Eaton Rig Lew Clingan Collection Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection, acquired from the above

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller and Frederick W. Hanson, Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast, Portland, OR, 1989, pp. 70, 103-104, and 108, exact decoy and rigmates illustrated. Joe Engers, ed., The Great Book of Wildfowl Decoys, San Diego, CA, 1990, pp. 261-265, rigmate illustrated.

Robert Shaw, Bird Decoys of North America, New York, NY, 2010, p. 264 and back cover, rigmate illustrated.

Gene and Linda Kangas, Decoys: A North American Survey, Spanish Fork, UT, 1983, p. 280, top bird, rigmate illustrated.

$30,000 - $40,000

“Unquestionably, the finest Canada goose decoys made in the west, and perhaps all of North America, are the nine field geese carved by Jerry Mastin of Portland, Oregon in 1937.”

— Miller and Hanson, Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast

The rig of eight surviving Mastin geese shown prior to having the lamp black removed.

1892-1969 | WESTWOOD, CA

101 The Crandall Sleepy-Eyed Mallard Horace “Hi” Crandall (1892-1969) Westwood, CA, c. 1935 15 in. long

One of California’s best decoy carvers, Crandall is also considered by some to be its best painter. Born in Rhode Island, the maker originally learned about duck hunting on the Atlantic Coast from his father, who was a market hunter. Crandall was an outdoorsman, a taxidermist, and a talented painter all at a young age.

After moving to California in 1917 in his mid-20s, he found himself in a position to hunt and fish from his own property. Additionally, he had easy access to excellent wood for decoy making. He built his first decoys using the redwood railroad ties that washed ashore near his home.

This rare, and perhaps unique, decoy was made early in Crandall’s long carving career and slightly before he was selected to exhibit his carvings on Treasure Island at the World’s Fair in 1938.

The head is in a tucked, resting position and the eyes are carefully painted as thin “sleepy-eyed” ovals. The refined Crandall decoy features are highly articulated from head to tail. The pinched breast draws up to a sharp ridge behind the head before the body flares out to broad hips. The back is adorned with sharp raised wing tips and soft feather detail. The upswept tail is formed with a Crisfield-like chine which continues along the front edge of the underside as well. Exceptional in its totality, this fine Crandall carving distinguishes itself from other examples by the maker with its unique form, early carving style, royal provenance, and fine gunning patina. Original paint with light gunning wear. Head is slightly loose.

PROVENANCE: Jim Keegan Collection Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection, acquired from the above

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller and Frederick W. Hanson, Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast, Portland, OR, 1989, p. 364, exact decoy illustrated.

Michael R. Miller, Wildfowl Decoys of California, Spokane, WA, 2015, p. 580, exact carving illustrated.

Robert Shaw, Bird Decoys of North America, New York, NY, 2010, p. 266, related “McCleery” teal illustrated.

$15,000 - $20,000

DEAN BROWN

1913-1978 | ALAMEDA, CA 102

102 Standing Green-Winged Teal Pair

Dean Brown (1913-1978) Alameda, CA, c. 1940 11 1/2 in. long

The decoys and rare decoratives of “Mr. Brown from Alameda’’ were “One of our most exciting and frustrating discoveries” during the research of the first West Coast book as reported by the authors. “Exciting because the birds exhibit fine craftsmanship and beauty, and frustrating because we have not been able, even with dedicated help to fully identify the carver.” This teal pair were the only decoratives illustrated in the pages dedicated to “Mr. Brown’’ in the definitive 1989 publication.

This folky pair appears again in Michael Miller’s California book in 2015, once again as the only decoratives illustrated, but presented with new information on this important Golden State carver and Depression-era waterfowling bandit. Copley is excited to debut the work of Dean Brown to the decoy auction market nearly a century after he began carving.

A man of many applied talents in addition to decoy making and gunning, Brown was a taxidermist and a boatbuilder, among other occupations. He gave up his outlaw market gunning in 1938 as legal perils closed in around him; fortuitously, he turned to professional decoy carving.

This turned-head standing decorative pair balance on poured-lead feet similar to that seen in the works of Ira Hudson. Each of the balsa bodies are finished with fanned tail feathers and extensive feather painting. This well-documented and historically important pair is among the Pacific’s finest vintage decorative bird carvings. Original paint with even wear and some flaking around putty at legs. Some fill at hen’s legs.

PROVENANCE: Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller, Wildfowl Decoys of California, Spokane, WA, 2015, p. 239, exact carvings illustrated. Michael R. Miller and Frederick W. Hanson, Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast, Portland, OR, 1989, p. 214, exact carvings illustrated.

$20,000 - $30,000

Ira D. Hudson (1873-1949) Standing decorative black duck, c. 1930.

Charles E. “Shang” Wheeler (1872-1949) Standing decorative gull, c. 1930.

103 Swimming Cinnamon Teal

Unknown Maker

California, c. 1920 13 1/2 in. long

An exceedingly rare and possibly unique swimming cinnamon teal in a fully extended position with a long, thin neck. Both the posture and species of this red dart are noteworthy for their rarity. The decoy was chosen for the California book, where it is prominently illustrated as one of the state’s best unknowns. Original paint with moderate gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller, Wildfowl Decoys of California, Spokane, WA, 2015, p. 650, exact decoy illustrated.

$3,000 - $5,000

104

Feeding

Brant Wesley Batterson (b. 1909) Batterson, OR, c. 1950 22 in. long

According to Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast, Wes “...is the most important, and certainly the most famous, brant hunter in the state of Oregon.” He was prominently featured, as were his decoys, by authors and artists of his era. Brant hunters on both coasts are indebted to Batterson for perfecting and disseminating his trilling “Kr-r-r-r-ruck, Kr-r-r-r-ruck, Kr-r-r-rruck” brant mouth-calling technique.

A 1950s photo of this salty legend shows his small brant rig behind him with three decoys that may likely include this exact hollow feeder. Old paint with heavy gunning wear and some darkening to wood.

PROVENANCE: Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller and Frederick W. Hanson, Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast, Portland, OR, 1989, p. 117, related carvings illustrated.

1918-1970 | EUREKA, CA 105

105 Snakey-Head Brant

Larry Kirack (1918-1970) Eureka, CA, c. 1945 15 in. long

The wonderful serpentine form and published history of this decoy have rightfully made it an icon of the Northwest and, along with the brant by Wes Batterson and Capt. Olsen’s rig, it is among the most sculptural and recognizable of the Pacific’s floating brant decoys.

A boatbuilder and a brant hunter on Humboldt Bay, Kirack was a skilled craftsman. The neck is inletted through the entire height of the body, down to the bottom of the breast. Iterating this emphasis on structural integrity, the bill is inlaid through the entire head. As testament to his craft, this well-used decoy did not break. Old working paint with gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: August Sebastiani Collection Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection, acquired from the above

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller and Frederick W. Hanson, Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast, Portland, OR, 1989, p. 126, exact carving illustrated.

Michael R. Miller, Wildfowl Decoys of California, Spokane, WA, 2015, p. 44, related carvings illustrated.

$5,000 - $7,000

106 107 108

106

Pintail Drake

Emil Peterson (1880-1947) Russian Island, OR, c. 1920 20 in. long

A carpenter and a boatbuilder, Petersen worked for a company that built Alaskan salmon fishing boats and he also built duck boats for his own use near Russian Island on the Columbia River. Original paint with even gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller and Frederick W. Hanson, Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast, Portland, OR, 1989, p. 91, related decoy illustrated.

$3,500 - $4,500

107 Swimming Brant

Paul F. Keeney (1897-1965) Oakland, CA, c. 1935 20 1/2 in. long

Keeney hunted brant in Humboldt County and possibly Tomales Bay. This swimmer was made with seven-piece body construction and is outfitted with elaborate custom rigging. His “PFK” brand can be found on the underside of this carving. Original paint with gunning wear, including a ding to upper right side.

PROVENANCE: Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection, acquired from the maker

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller and Frederick W. Hanson, Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast, Portland, OR, 1989, p. 235, exact decoy and brand illustrated.

Michael R. Miller, Wildfowl Decoys of California, Spokane, WA, 2015, p. 42, rigmate carving illustrated.

108

Rare Green-Winged Teal

John Vitalie (1912-1986) Collinsville, CA, c. 1945 12 1/2 in. long

Vitalie was a market hunter and commercial salmon fisherman, as well as a decoy carver. He grew up on the edge of Suisun Marsh, though he died in Pittsburg, California, where a bronze fisherman sculpture was erected near the marina in his memory. The underside of the high-head’s bill bears an incised “V,” the maker’s signature. Another “V” is under the tail. Original paint with moderate gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller, Wildfowl Decoys of California, Spokane, WA, 2015, p. 429, exact carving illustrated.

109 Rare Swan

William “Bill” Neal (1924-2014) Black Point, CA, c. 1976 31 in. long

“Bill Neal,” writes Miller, “...was one of California’s great decoy carvers.” Carving augmented his income as a house painter. Before heading overseas to serve in World War II as a B-17 gunner, Bill sold his decoy collection not knowing if he would ever return. When he returned Stateside in 1946, he picked up his decoy carving tools and did not set them down again until shortly before his death in 2014. He made only three swan decoys; two of which reside in the Wheeler collection, and the location of the third is unknown. Excellent original paint with light wear and touch-up to a cleanly reset neck crack.

PROVENANCE: Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection, acquired directly the maker, circa 1976

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller, Wildfowl Decoys of California, Spokane, WA, 2015, p. 154, duck decoys illustrated.

WILLIAM "BILL" NEAL

1924-2014 | BLACK POINT, CA 109

Richard Wheeler with a trio of Bill Neal swans, 1983.

"HI"

110 Pintail Hen

Horace “Hi” Crandall (1892-1969) Westwood, CA, c. 1935 15 in. long

Crandall was an outdoorsman, a taxidermist, and a talented watercolor painter at a young age. After moving California in 1917, Crandall was an engineer on a ferry which shuttled trains across Carquinez Straits before the bridge was built. He built his first decoys using the redwood railroad ties that washed ashore near his home. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Les Vache Collection, acquired from the Crandall family Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection, acquired from the above

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller and Frederick W. Hanson, Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast, Portland, OR, 1989, p. 362, related carvings illustrated.

Michael R. Miller, Wildfowl Decoys of California, Spokane, WA, 2015, p. 585, related drake illustrated.

$3,000 - $4,000

HORACE "HI" CRANDALL

1892-1969 | WESTWOOD, CA

111

111 Mallard Pair

Horace “Hi” Crandall (1892-1969) Westwood, CA, c. 1935 16 1/2 in. long

A slightly turned-head rigmate pair. The hen has a slightly uplifted head. Original paint with light gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Les Vache Collection, acquired from the Crandall family

Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection, acquired from the above

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller and Frederick W. Hanson, Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast, Portland, OR, 1989, p. 363, related drake illustrated.

Michael R. Miller, Wildfowl Decoys of California, Spokane, WA, 2015, p. 581, exact decoys illustrated.

$6,000 - $9,000

Richard Wheeler and Les Vache with decoys by Hi Crandall, 1978.

112 Early Hollow Coot

Fred Cutting (1858-1936) Sacramento, CA, c. 1880 9 in. long

This plump little decoy has a hollow body, a thin neck, and a chip-carved head. A competitive shotgun shooter, Fred also used his Winchester for market hunting. He was not a commercial decoy carver, but simply made the decoys he needed to earn his livelihood. Original paint with light gunning wear and a neck crack.

PROVENANCE: Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller, Wildfowl Decoys of California, Spokane, WA, 2015, p. 516, rigmate illustrated.

113 Early Pintail Drake

Charles Bergman (1856-1946) Astoria, OR, c. 1925 21 in. long

Charles Bergman is perhaps the best known decoy carver in the Astoria area. A Finn by birth, he immigrated to the United States by jumping ship in San Francisco when he was a first mate on a clipper. He carved decoys for his own use as well as professionally. This long and hollow decoy features highly stylized feathering on the back. Original paint with moderate gunning wear, a tight neck crack, and traces of working touch-up to white neck stripe.

PROVENANCE: Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection

p. 79, related carving illustrated.

114 Pintail Hen

“Artie” Azevedo (1921-2005) Rio Vista, CA, c. 1950 14 3/4 in. long

A classic collaborative Azevedo-Snyder balsa pintail hen with pronounced and animated features finished with Ed Snyder’s (1928-2011) excellent painted feathering. Original paint with gunning wear and some touch-up to flaked areas.

PROVENANCE: Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller, Wildfowl Decoys of California, Spokane, WA, 2015, p. 392, closely related decoys illustrated and discussed.

115 Green-Winged Teal William “Bill” Pinches (1944-2017) Humboldt, CA, c. 1980 12 in. long

A lifelong outdoorsman and hunter, Pinches made scull boats as well as decoys. His carvings have earned the maker many ribbons over the years, including first place in the brant category at the Ward Foundation World Decoy Championships in Ocean City, Maryland, two years in a row. His carvings have graced the collections of members of the Bohemian Club,

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller and Frederick W. Hanson, Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast, Portland, OR, 1989,

Hollywood screenwriters, and members of Congress. Original paint with light gunning wear and tight age line by neck seam.

PROVENANCE: Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection

116 Canvasback Drake

Jim Titus Sr. (1879-1956) Burnside, OR, c. 1930 16 in. long

The son of pioneering homesteaders, Jim trapped on the lower Columbia River and was an avid duck hunter. In addition to decoys, Titus also made duck boats. This carving has S-carved wings and the underside is marked with the maker’s signature, an incised “T.” Old working paint with darkening to line-wrap marks and moderate gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller and Frederick W. Hanson, Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast, Portland, OR, 1989, p. 97, related carvings illustrated.

117 High-Head Black Brant

Vancouver Islands, BC, Canada, c. 1930 17 in. long

A Pacific brant with a high head that can be pointed in any direction and removed. The head and breast are stamped with a “3.” The bottom has a swinging lead keel. In working paint with moderate gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection

118 Two Black Brant

Pacific Northwest, c. 1930 16 1/2 in. long

Two black brant, one is from Humboldt Bay and has a look-down head on a high neck. The other may be the work of Jim Jensen from Astoria, Oregon. Both are in working paint with gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller and Frederick W. Hanson, Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast, Portland, OR, 1989, pp. 87-88, Jensen ducks illustrated.

119 Pacific Black Brant

Vancouver Islands, BC, Canada, c. 1920 19 1/2 in. long

Interestingly, the global population of Pacific black brant can be found feeding on eel grass, their favorite food, at the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska’s smallest national wildlife refuge. This stopover occurs every spring and fall when the Pacific brant migrate between the Arctic and Baja. This high-head decoy features an extreme design with sharp chines and a pointed tail. Old paint with gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection

HAROLD "PAPPY" KIDWELL

120 Feeding Pintail Pair

Harold “Pappy” Kidwell (1895-1982) Berkeley, CA, c. 1980 20 in. long

This well-documented pair of rare feeding pintails in two poses were made by one of California’s more colorful characters, who eventually earned his name as the elder statesman among fellow gunners. “Pappy” was an intricate craftsman outfitting his well-oiled cork bodies with not only wooden heads, but also bill supports, wing tips, and tails. A testament to his thoroughness, these well-used decoys have worn soundly and were chosen for both of the West Coast decoy books. Original paint with gunning wear, including some flaking around age lines in drake’s neck.

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller and Frederick W. Hanson, Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast, Portland, OR, 1989, pp. 206 and 238, exact carvings illustrated.

Michael R. Miller, Wildfowl Decoys of California, Spokane, WA, 2015, p. 281, exact carvings illustrated.

Pappy Kidwell, Richard Wheeler, Lew Clingan, and Jack Amato at the Santa Rosa Decoy Show in 1975.

PROVENANCE: Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection

1904-1989 | OAKLAND, CA

121

122

121 Pintail Pair

Leo Tocchini (1904-1989) Oakland, CA, c. 1950 17 in. long

Leo lived in Oakland, but enjoyed hunting on Suisun Marsh at the Rich Island Duck Club. An accomplished carver, Leo sold his decoys to fellow club members and other hunters. The weights on this pair are stamped “Pete-Forman.” Original paint with gunning wear, the drake has some repaint to grey and darkening to tail rub, and the hen has a reset neck.

PROVENANCE: Pete Forman Rig Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller, Wildfowl Decoys of California, Spokane, WA, 2015, p. 322, related carvings illustrated.

122 Canvasback Pair

Leo Tocchini (1904-1989) Oakland, CA, c. 1945 17 in. long

A magnum pair of balsa canvasbacks. The hen bears the maker’s “LT” signature brand, while the drake has a “V” or “L” brand on the underside. Drake is in original paint, hen has a grey wash and reset neck, both have gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller, Wildfowl Decoys of California, Spokane, WA, 2015, p. 324, related pair illustrated.

Michael R. Miller and Frederick W. Hanson, Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast, Portland, OR, 1989, p. 261, related pair illustrated.

LUIGI ANDREUCCETTI

1898-1978 | VORDEN, CA

123 124

123 Pintail Pair

Luigi Andreuccetti (1898-1978) Vorden, CA, 1948 17 1/2 in. long

In the The Great Book of Waterfowl Decoys, the West Coast contributor Gerald Rosenthal introduces Andreuccetti as “the Sacramento stylist.” In addition to being credited with minting a distinct style, the Italian-born carver scorned patterns, creating variety within his portfolio. According to Wildfowl Decoys of California author Michael Miller, the carver would hunt for pintails in cornfields under a full moon. His favorite hunting locale was Snodgrass Slough, where he hunted for most of his life.

A classic pair of Andreuccetti pintail made with his highergrade balsa-on-board body construction and his signature textured surface. They have strong feather paint, incised wing detail, and the maker’s signature and date on the undersides. Original paint with even gunning wear. Drake has spot of working touch-up to left shoulder and hen has scattered spots, mostly to shot holes.

PROVENANCE: Jim Keegan Collection Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection, acquired from the above

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller and Frederick W. Hanson, Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast, Portland, OR, 1989, pp. 339 and 349, exact pair illustrated twice (captions do not match birds). Michael R. Miller, Wildfowl Decoys of California, Spokane, WA, 2015, pp. 507-8, related decoys illustrated. Joe Engers, ed., The Great Book of Wildfowl Decoys, San Diego, CA, 1990, pp. 271-273, maker discussed.

$4,000 - $6,000

124 Coot Luigi Andreuccetti (1898-1978) Vorden, CA, c. 1940 9 1/2 in. long

A well-documented coot decoy with a large body and slightly turned head. It appears to have the maker’s signature affixed to the underside along with collector notes. Original paint with even gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller, Wildfowl Decoys of California, Spokane, WA, 2015, p. 512, exact decoy illustrated. Michael R. Miller and Frederick W. Hanson, Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast, Portland, OR, 1989, p. 338, related decoys illustrated.

Luigi Andreuccetti and Richard Wheeler, 1976.

“He was a charming man who carved charming decoys.” — The Great Book of Waterfowl Decoys

125 Pintail Pair

“Fresh Air Dick” Janson (1872-1951) Sonoma, CA, c. 1930 17 in. long

Recognized as one of California’s greatest decoy carvers, Janson was also a commercial fisherman, a ship carpenter, and a professional hunter. Janson set the standard for California decoys over a forty-year career. He got his nickname, “Fresh Air,” because he preferred to sleep on deck regardless of the weather while working on the Star of Iceland, a three-masted salmon fishing vessel. The hen has a “AM” stamp on the bottom. Original paint, working touch-up mostly to white, and gunning wear. Hen has a neck crack.

PROVENANCE: Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller and Frederick W. Hanson, Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast, Portland, OR, 1989, p. 148, related carvings illustrated.

Michael R. Miller, Wildfowl Decoys of California, Spokane, WA, 2015, p. 107, related carvings illustrated.

$2,000 - $3,000

126

Pintail

“Fresh Air Dick” Janson (1872-1951) Sonoma, CA, c. 1915 18 in. long

A classic early Janson decoy with raised wing tips and a flat bottom. This decoy may have been used in Janson’s early market-gunning rig prior to the passing of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. In repaint with moderate gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller and Frederick W. Hanson, Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast, Portland, OR, 1989, p. 142, related carvings illustrated.

Michael R. Miller, Wildfowl Decoys of California, Spokane, WA, 2015, p. 107, related carvings illustrated.

127 Early Canvasback

“Fresh Air Dick” Janson (1872-1951) Sonoma, CA, c. 1910 15 in. long

An early carving by the Pacific Coast’s premier carver showing Janson’s thin raised wing-tip carving and no aft-keel. In repaint with light gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection

LITERATURE: Wallace Lourdeaux, Richard ‘Fresh Air Dick’ Janson, 2019, pp. 84-89, related examples illustrated.

"FRESH AIR DICK" JANSON

1872-1951 | SONOMA, CA

125 126 127

129

128 Mallard Drake

San Francisco, CA, c. 1940

15 in. long

This gouge-carved decoy relates to the work of John Tornberg (1902-1971) and may very well be the carver’s later work. Tornberg lived in the Marina district of San Francisco and carved some of the San Francisco Bay region’s most collectible decoys. He used a chip-carving technique which gave his decoys a life-like appearance. This carving also exhibits raised wing tips similar to that seen on his shoveler hen illustrated on page 199 of the Pacific Coast book. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: August Sebastiani Collection

Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection, acquired from the above

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller and Frederick W. Hanson, Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast, Portland, OR, 1989, p. 199, related carving illustrated.

Michael R. Miller, Wildfowl Decoys of California, Spokane, WA, 2015, p. 369, related carvings illustrated.

129 Green-Winged Teal Ray Baliel (1910-1979) Rio Vista, CA, c. 1935 11 1/2 in. long

“The dramatic swept-back heads and very life-like appearances have few equals in California,” writes California decoy historian Michael Miller. He continues, “Baliel carved nearly all decoy bodies from life raft balsawood...Baliel engaged the services of Ed Snyder and Eastman Young...to paint his decoys.” This well-published decoy shows Young’s original paint, which even Snyder would copy. The finely carved head has especial broad cheeks. Original paint with gunning wear, including some roughness to tail. Neck seam is reset, minor darkening to wood on back.

PROVENANCE: Harry Cook Collection

Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection, acquired from the above

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller, Wildfowl Decoys of California, Spokane, WA, 2015, p. 395, exact decoy illustrated.

Michael R. Miller and Frederick W. Hanson, Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast, Portland, OR, 1989, p. 271, exact decoy illustrated twice.

130 Bluebill Pair

Harry L. Cook (1909-1993) Vallejo, CA, c. 1930 11 3/4 in. long

A well-documented turned-head pair by Harry Cook. A lifelong resident of Vallejo, California, he worked for his father’s painting business starting as a teenager and throughout his life. His father was also a market hunter in San Francisco Bay and taught his son the craft. Cook’s painting skills are apparent in the scratch-comb feather detail on the drake’s back. The undersides are branded “COOK” and signed and dated by the maker. Both birds are in early gunning paint by the maker.

PROVENANCE: Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection, acquired directly from the maker

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller and Frederick W. Hanson, Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast, Portland, OR, 1989, p. 201, exact pair illustrated. Michael R. Miller, Wildfowl Decoys of California, Spokane, WA, 2015, p. 192, exact pair illustrated.

131 Canvasback Drake

“Dick” Allen (1891-1971) Vallejo, CA, c. 1925 14 1/2 in. long

Allen hunted San Francisco Bay and the Delta for over fifty years, carving decoys for his own use. Under the fine form is a flushpoured weight which ingeniously doubles as a streamlined line tie. This decoy is featured in both West Coast books; the latter of which confirms that the paint is by the original maker. “Classic repaint by Allen...” and light gunning wear and old chip to underside of bill tip.

PROVENANCE: Dave Hillendahl Collection Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection, acquired from the above

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller and Frederick W. Hanson, Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast, Portland, OR, 1989, p. 153, exact carving illustrated. Michael R. Miller, Wildfowl Decoys of California, Spokane, WA, 2015, p. 174, exact carving illustrated.

132 Canvasback Drake Joseph Carolus Roesling (1862-1944) Alameda, CA, c. 1910 15 in. long

Born in Wisconsin, Roesling brought his Midwest carving sensibilities to the Bay Area when he moved there in 1906. He carved mostly canvasbacks and pintails and is renowned for the “snake” position of his carved heads. This well-documented carving’s head is inletted into the body. Old working paint with moderate gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Richard Radigonda Collection Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection, acquired from the above

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller and Frederick W. Hanson, Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast, Portland, OR, 1989, p. 247, exact decoy illustrated. Michael R. Miller, Wildfowl Decoys of California, Spokane, WA, 2015, p. 298, exact decoy illustrated.

133 Canvasback Drake Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924) Detroit, MI, c. 1905 15 1/2 in. long

An early premier-grade decoy with a pronounced crown, long bill, and strong swirl paint. Original paint with moderate gunning wear, minor chews to bill tip, and age line to right side of neck, and minor darkening to chip at top left corner of bill.

PROVENANCE: Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection

$2,000 - $3,000

134

Pintail Pair

Wright Decoy Company Berkeley, CA, c. 1935 15 in. long

Linley A. Wright (1889-1946) was a machinist who ran a decoy manufacturing company from his home. The decoys were made using five pieces of redwood and were finished with energetic scratch feather painting. This published pair bears the Wright Company stamp on the undersides. Original paint with even gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller and Frederick W. Hanson, Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast, Portland, OR, 1989, p. 262, closely related carvings illustrated. Michael R. Miller, Wildfowl Decoys of California, Spokane, WA, 2015, p. 330, exact pair illustrated.

135 Mallard Drake

Tule Lake Decoy Co. Sacramento, CA, c. 1925 15 in. long

Operated by Hugh Woodward (1889-1948), Tule Lake was the most renowned decoy factory on the Pacific Coast. Woodward put his previous building skills to use as he fabricated decoys out of redwood in three grades: solid, semi-hollow, and hollow. This mallard drake bears the company’s “Tule Lake SemiHollow” ink stamp on the underside. Original paint with gunning wear and touch-up to neck.

PROVENANCE: Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller and Frederick W. Hanson, Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast, Portland, OR, 1989, p. 355, related carvings illustrated.

136 Green-Winged Teal Hen

J.N. Dodge Factory (1883-1893)(attr.) Detroit, MI, c. 1885 13 in. long

Original paint with light gunning wear, touch-up to neck seam and right eye.

PROVENANCE: Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection

$1,000 - $2,000

137 Canvas Cackling Goose

Burley Earl Russell (1891-1984) Stockton, CA c. 1935 22 in. long

Russell was one of the first to create the canvas-kapok decoys and was also the most accomplished. A talented carpenter and well-known sportsman, the maker was reported to have actively hunted well into his eighth decade of life.

This rare little cackling goose has raised wing tips and a flat bottom insert with a hole for use as a stickup or sitting field decoy. Original and early working paint with gunning wear and a tear in the tail.

PROVENANCE: Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller and Frederick W. Hanson, Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast, Portland, OR, 1989, p. 309, related decoys illustrated.

Michael R. Miller, Wildfowl Decoys of California, Spokane, WA, 2015, p. 479, related decoys illustrated.

138 Mallard Pair

Scott Cork Decoy Company (1927-1954) Oakland, CA, c. 1930 15 in. long

Reece Scott (1871-1955) founded this company in Oakland. This influential California establishment specialized in the fabrication of cork-stuffed canvas decoys. Scott advanced the stuffed decoy and patented his design. The drake bears a branded patent stamp on the underside. Original paint with moderate gunning wear, most notably at hen’s soft neck.

PROVENANCE: Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller and Frederick W. Hanson, Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast, Portland, OR, 1989, p. 249, related carvings illustrated.

Michael R. Miller, Wildfowl Decoys of California, Spokane, WA, 2015, p. 302, related carvings illustrated.

139 Pintail Pair

John B. Winter (1905-1981) Burlingame, CA, c. 1945 16 in. long

Winter made waterfowl decoys for his hunting in the Sacramento Valley. Balsa-bodied decoys, such as this pair, were carved from decommissioned military life rafts. His carvings are sometimes attributed to the Cleveland Wrecking Company; however, that was just his place of employment as the office manager. Original paint with light gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller and Frederick W. Hanson, Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast, Portland, OR, 1989, p. 191, rigmates illustrated.

Michael R. Miller, Wildfowl Decoys of California, Spokane, WA, 2015, p. 376, related decoys illustrated.

140 Black Duck Pair California, c. 1930 19 1/2 in. long

Two cork-bodied black ducks with incised bill detail and elaborate paint. The undersides have fancy brass rigging and partial paint stamps. These yellow stamps likely source the material’s origin to Armstrong’s Cork Company, which was established in 1860. Original paint with even gunning wear and on a reset bill.

PROVENANCE: Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection

1911-1996 | SAN FRANCISCO, CA

141

141 High-Head Pintail Ed Castagnetto (1911-1996) San Francisco, CA, 1989 17 1/2 in. long

Taught by California carving legend, “Fresh Air Dick” Janson, Ed learned to carve as a young man. He was also a sharp shooter who enjoyed hunting pintails in the San Joaquin Valley. This pintail is signed and dated on the underside. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection, acquired directly from the maker, 1989

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller and Frederick W. Hanson, Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast, Portland, OR, 1989, p. 188, related carvings illustrated.

Michael R. Miller, Wildfowl Decoys of California, Spokane, WA, 2015, p. 340, related carvings illustrated.

$2,500 - $3,500

Richard Wheeler with Ed Castagnetto, 1989.

Richard Wheeler, Ed Snyder, and friend with the pintail pair, 1987.

1928-2011 | RIO VISTA, CA

142 Sleeping Pintail Pair

Ed Snyder (1928-2011) Rio Vista, CA, c. 1970 16 in. long

This hollow pair has fine painted feather detail and the maker’s signature on the inlayed bottom boards. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection, acquired from the maker

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller and Frederick W. Hanson, Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast, Portland, OR, 1989, p. 291, related carvings illustrated.

Michael R. Miller, Wildfowl Decoys of California, Spokane, WA, 2015, p. 420, related carvings illustrated.

143 Coot Ed Snyder (1928-2011) Rio Vista, CA, c. 1970 11 in. long

An excellent decorative by one of the Golden State’s premier decoy makers. This hollow coot has finely incised wing detail, a super thin tail, and the maker’s signature on the underside. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller and Frederick W. Hanson, Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast, Portland, OR, 1989, p. 293, related carving illustrated.

Michael R. Miller, Wildfowl Decoys of California, Spokane, WA, 2015, p. 423, related carvings illustrated.

144 Rare Plover Ed Snyder (1928-2011) Rio Vista, CA, c. 1945 11 in. long, 9 1/2 in. tall

This black-bellied plover has finely painted feather detail, incised primaries, and the maker’s signature on the underside. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller, Wildfowl Decoys of California, Spokane, WA, 2015, no plover illustrated.

148

145 Miniature Flying Brant

William “Bill” Neal (1924-2014) Black Point, CA, 1977 9 1/2 in. long

A McLellan-style brant with an eighteen-inch-long wingspan. This decorative has movable wings and is signed and dated on the underside of the base. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection, acquired from the maker

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller and Frederick W. Hanson, Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast, Portland, OR, 1989, p. 175, related carvings illustrated.

Michael R. Miller, Wildfowl Decoys of California, Spokane, WA, 2015, p. 154, related carvings illustrated.

146 Miniature Mallard Pair

Horace “Hi” Crandall (1892-1969) Westwood, CA, c. 1930 7 in. long

A miniature pair displaying turned heads, deep bodies, and raised wing tips by one of California’s most celebrated decoy carvers. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller and Frederick W. Hanson, Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast, Portland, OR, 1989, p. 367, related carvings illustrated.

Michael R. Miller, Wildfowl Decoys of California, Spokane, WA, 2015, p. 588, related carvings illustrated.

147 Miniature Sleeping Mallard Pair Ed Snyder (1928-2011) Rio Vista, CA, 1990 4 in. long

This pair displays the maker’s signature on the underside. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection, acquired from the maker

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller, Wildfowl Decoys of California, Spokane, WA, 2015, p. 426, related carvings illustrated.

148 Miniature Sleeping Pintail Pair Ed Snyder (1928-2011) Rio Vista, CA, 1990 5 in. long

Both of these sleeping pintails bear the maker’s signature and date on the underside. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection, acquired from the maker

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller and Frederick W. Hanson, Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast, Portland, OR, 1989, p. 291, related carving illustrated.

Michael R. Miller, Wildfowl Decoys of California, Spokane, WA, 2015, p. 423, related carving illustrated.

WILLIAM "BILL" NEAL

1924-2014 | BLACK POINT, CA

149 150

149 Cinnamon Teal Pair

William “Bill” Neal (1924-2014) Black Point, CA, c. 1985 13 1/2 in. long

The undersides of the tails bear Neal’s “WN” brand. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller and Frederick W. Hanson, Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast, Portland, OR, 1989, p. 175, related carvings illustrated.

Michael R. Miller, Wildfowl Decoys of California, Spokane, WA, 2015, p. 154, related carvings illustrated.

150 Preening Mallard Pair

William “Bill” Neal (1924-2014) Black Point, CA, 1976 14 in. long

Two preeners signed by the maker on the underside and dated. The undersides of the ducks’ tails bear Neal’s “WN” brand. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Richard and Dorothy Wheeler Collection

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller and Frederick W. Hanson, Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast, Portland, OR, 1989, p. 175, related carvings illustrated.

Michael R. Miller, Wildfowl Decoys of California, Spokane, WA, 2015, p. 154, related carvings illustrated.

151 Early Preening Green-Winged Teal

Chase Littlejohn (1853-1943)

Redwood City, CA, c. 1885 10 in. long

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

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

The maker’s avocations as a naturalist and a taxidermist clearly gave him the anatomical knowledge necessary to accurately carve this preening green-winged teal. The bird is in a deep preening pose with a refined bill resting back on the right wing.

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

PROVENANCE: William C. McMaster M.D. Collection

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

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

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

$15,000 - $20,000

RICHARD E. BISHOP

152 Richard E. Bishop (1887-1975)

Prairie Wings, 1945 signed and dated “Richard E Bishop ‘45 ©” lower left oil on canvas, 30 by 25 in. signed, titled, and dated on back

An edition of Prairie Wings by Edgar M. Queeny, published by Ducks Unlimited in 1946 accompanies the lot.

In 1946, Edgar Queeny published Prairie Wings through Ducks Unlimited. It is now one of the most important books on waterfowl ever written. He studied the landing patterns of birds over Wingmead, his 14,000 acre property in Arkansas, which had three named green tree reservoirs: Wingmead, Paddlefoot, and Greenwood. Queeny was an active patron of Bishop’s and partnered with the artist for the many illustrations throughout the book, including the color frontispiece.

Queeny wrote, “Dick’s paintings and etchings of wildfowl are outstanding because he is not only a superb artist but a topnotch engineer! As a result of his engineering training and his understanding of aerodynamics, mechanics of flight and the anatomy of birds came as second nature to him…the results are portraits of birds as they really fly!”

Bishop’s original drawings and Queeny’s photographs from Prairie Wings were donated by Thomas K. Figge to the John L. Wehle Gallery of Sporting Art at the Genesee Country Village

& Museum in 1986, where they remain in the permanent collection.

This famous frontispiece for Prairie Wings comes from the collection of Joseph N. Pew Jr., the Sun Oil heir, philanthropist, and avid sportsman. He hunted and fished in Nova Scotia, started the Pew Charitable Trusts, and likely encountered Edgar M. Queeny in New York’s Links Club, where both were members.

PROVENANCE: Joseph N. Pew Jr. Collection Alberta Hensel Pew Baker Collection, Chester, Nova Scotia Private Collection

LITERATURE: Edgar M. Queeny, Prairie Wings: Pen and Camera Flight Studies, New York, NY, 1946, frontispiece, XIII, p. 225.

$10,000 - $15,000

Lot 152 is the frontispiece for Prairie Wings by Edgar M. Queeny.

HARRY CURIEUX ADAMSON

153

Harry Curieux Adamson

(1916-2012) Cloud Canyon - Mountain Enchantment

signed “Harry Curieux Adamson” lower left oil on canvas, 22 by 34 in. also titled “Geese and Mountains”

Harry Adamson was one of the premier waterfowl painters of the last fifty years. Born in Seattle in 1916, he studied under Paul J. Fair who is best known for his wildlife photography.

Adamson began painting after serving in World War II, selling a painting to the president of Mexico within the first decade of his career. His success continued and he was honored as the first California Waterfowl Association Artist of the Year, as well as the 1979 Ducks Unlimited Artist of the Year. His works have been included in shows at the Smithsonian American

Art Museum, the British Museum, and the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. Admired by his fellow artists, Adamson had a knack for capturing birds in their natural habitats. His thoroughly detailed landscapes are the perfect backdrop for his accurately painted waterfowl.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Midwest $10,000 - $15,000

154 Lynn Bogue Hunt (1878-1960)

Pheasant Pair signed “Lynn Bogue Hunt” lower right oil on canvas, 12 by 15 in.

Lynn Bogue Hunt was born in rural Honeoye Falls, New York, into a family that ran a small sawmill operation. He grew up with modest means, but spent hours outside exploring the natural surroundings in the woods near his home. He often collected birds and practiced taxidermy, a hobby that led to his accurate portrayal of his wildlife subjects. Hunt contributed illustrations to his own articles as well as cover illustrations to magazines, such as Field & Stream, Sports Afield, and Free Press. During his lifetime, Hunt painted for private collectors and companies such as DuPont, illustrated over forty books,

and produced roughly 250 magazine covers. Though he spent much of his life far from nature in New York City, Hunt had a strong foundation as a knowledgeable outdoorsman, bird hunter, and fisherman, enabling him to accurately capture the essence of the outdoors.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Pennsylvania $7,000 - $10,000

AIDEN LASSELL RIPLEY

155 Aiden Lassell Ripley (1896-1969) Grouse and Vines, 1917 signed and dated “A. Lassell Ripley 1917” lower right watercolor, 17 1/2 by 24 3/4 in.

PROVENANCE: Estate of Anne C. Allen Private Collection, Florida, acquired from Copley Fine Art Auctions, The Sporting Sale 2015, lot 346

$10,000 - $15,000

AIDEN LASSELL RIPLEY

156 Aiden Lassell Ripley (1896-1969)

Two Snipe in Flight, 1937 signed and dated “A. Lassell Ripley 1937” lower left watercolor, 13 by 17 in.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Vermont $3,000 - $5,000

DAVID A. HAGERBAUMER

157 David A. Hagerbaumer (1921-2014)

158

Black Ducks and Mallards Over Marsh, 1964 signed and dated “David Hagerbaumer 1964” lower right watercolor, 26 by 35 in.

157 158

Dropping In - Wood Ducks, 1979 signed and dated “David Hagerbaumer 1979” lower left watercolor, 25 1/2 by 35 in.

This important full-sheet watercolor depicts the majestic fast flying duck of the timber.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Wisconsin $2,000 - $3,000

David A. Hagerbaumer (1921-2014)

J. Millard Tawes (1894-1979), the original owner of this work, was the fifty-fourth governor of Maryland, serving from 19591967. Among his conservationist accomplishments, he expanded the state park system, enhanced clean water efforts, and protected oysters in Chesapeake Bay. He served as Maryland’s first Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources and died in 1979 in Crisfield.

PROVENANCE: The Estate of J. Millard Tawes, Crisfield, Maryland Private Collection, Delaware

$2,000 - $4,000

159

161

160 David A. Hagerbaumer (1921-2014)

Ducks in Flight, 1951

signed and dated “David Hagerbaumer 1951” lower left watercolor on paper, 13 by 17 in. titled and dated on Quester Gallery label on back

160

DAVID A. HAGERBAUMER

159 David A. Hagerbaumer (1921-2014) Mallards in Timber signed “David Hagerbaumer” lower left watercolor, 21 1/2 by 29 1/2 in.

$2,000 - $3,000

161 David A. Hagerbaumer (1921-2014)

Grouse in Flight signed “David Hagerbaumer” lower right watercolor, 8 by 9 3/4 in.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Wisconsin

$1,000 - $1,500

162 Ewoud de Groot (b. 1969)

Great Gray Owl, 2022 signed “Ewoud” lower right oil on linen, 28 by 56 in.

Ewoud de Groot lives and works in Egmond aan Zee, a coastal village in the Northern Netherlands. After receiving a degree in illustration and painting from the Minerva Academy of Art, he began illustrating nature books for a period before pursuing painting full time in 1999. Today, de Groot is recognized as a rising star in wildlife painting, bringing a truly unique perspective to the genre. His work strives to find both a balance and a tension between the representational and the

abstract, the 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

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

— William J. Mackey Jr., discussing a Cobb curlew in American Bird Decoys, plate VII

163 The Harmon Running Cobb Curlew

Nathan F. Cobb Jr. (1825-1905)

Cobb Island, VA, c. 1880 15 1/2 in. long

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

A dynamic, yet well-balanced decoy, this curlew exhibits pleasing proportions. The reaching and gracefully rounded head is cocked ever so slightly to the right with an inquisitive gaze and is finished with full cheeks topped by deep eye grooves and German bead-glass eyes. Under the thin neck, the grand body resolves with a precise Cobb Island tail cut. This confident carving, featuring the Cobb’s laconic feathering, represents the pinnacle of the Southern standard.

This curlew, with its original paint, crisp clean lines, and original bill, is among the very finest shorebirds that survived the remote island’s storm-wrecked history. Cobb curlews in any pose are highly sought after, and the running models have been among the most coveted decoys of all time. Indeed, on three occasions they have posted auction results over $200,000, more showings than any other maker’s curlew.

The closest known comparable to this lot was acquired by Dr. Lloyd T. Griffith at auction in 2006 for $390,000, a record for any Southern decoy at the time. This lot is surfacing for the first time in the modern collecting era after residing quietly in private collections, including most recently the distinguished collection of Ted and Judy Harmon, who are heralded for collecting some of the finest Massachusetts shorebird decoys. Excellent original paint with even gunning wear. Original bill has minute traces of black overpaint.

PROVENANCE: Ted and Judy Harmon Collection

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. 166, initials discussed, p. 168, closely related record-setting decoy illustrated, pp. 248249, related curlew illustrated.

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

Robert Shaw, Bird Decoys of North America, New York, NY, 2010, p. 214, McCleery’s Cobb curlew illustrated.

Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., Southern Decoys of Virginia and The Carolinas, Exton, PA, 1983, pp. 206-211, Cobb curlews illustrated.

Kory W. Rogers, Birds of a Feather, Shelburne, VT, 2017, p. 130, related examples illustrated.

$80,000 - $120,000

An illustration of a closely related curlew in Classic Shorebird Decoys: a Portfolio of Paintings, 1971.

The Harmon Running Cobb Curlew, lot 163, may in fact be the running curlew on the right. Photo by A. Radclyffe Dugmore, Country Life In America, September 1903.

THE WARD BROTHERS

1896-1984 AND 1895-1976 | CRISFIELD, MD

164 Early Humpback Black Duck

The Ward Brothers Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976) Crisfield, MD, 1921 17 in. long

Decoy author and historian Henry Fleckenstein stated, “When one thinks of Crisfield decoys, flat bottomed birds, wide at the hips and narrow breasted, come to mind. Almost all were made solid and slightly oversized, because a lot of the hunting in the Tangier Sound area is done on big open water.” This early low-head black duck is the manifestation of Fleckenstein’s brief summary. That said, this decoy pushed far beyond the Crisfield archetype.

The brothers, just in their mid-twenties at the time, demonstrate here how they would innovate with exaggeration and animation all while raising the quality standards of the region. This specific model with its extreme humped back, flared paddle tail, and very low and turned head with an expressive upswept bill, is distinct from any models known to predate it. The surface is finished with Lem’s confident scratch feather paint. The underside is signed in pen “Lem Ward -1921.”

Very few of this celebrated model were made as the Wards evolved their patterns constantly in the decades to come. Fewer of these humpbacked black ducks survive today and only a very small number with good original paint have come to light.

One of this decoy’s only comparables set a world record in 1985 for any Ward decoy when it was purchased by a prominent Midwestern collector. Discussing that bird in his Ward book, Ron Gard conveys, “This exquisite black duck is one of the best Ward decoys known.” This lot, along with the aforementioned decoy, are believed to be the finest early Crisfield black ducks. The rarity, surface, condition, and history of this sculpture place it among the region’s greatest waterfowl. Original paint with light gunning wear, including a chip to right tip of bill, and a tight age line by neck seam.

PROVENANCE: Larry Laramy Collection Kangas Collection of International Folk Art and Decoys

LITERATURE: Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., Decoys of the Mid-Atlantic Region, Exton, PA, 1979, p. 176, exact decoy illustrated.

Ronald J. Gard and Brian J. McGrath, The Ward Brothers’ Decoys: A Collector’s Guide, Plano, TX, 1989, pp. 72 and 77, related decoys illustrated.

Joe Engers, ed., The Great Book of Wildfowl Decoys, Lewes, DE, 1990, p. 314, exact decoy listed.

Linda and Gene Kangas, Decoys, Paducah, KY, 1992, p. 114, pl. 166, related example illustrated.

$70,000 - $90,000

THE WARD BROTHERS

1896-1984 AND 1895-1976 | CRISFIELD, MD

THE WARD BROTHERS

1896-1984 AND 1895-1976 | CRISFIELD, MD

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

— Robert Shaw, Bird Decoys of North America

THE WARD BROTHERS

1896-1984 AND 1895-1976 | CRISFIELD, MD 165

165 Resting Hen Mallard

The Ward Brothers Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976) Crisfield, MD, c. 1948 14 1/2 in. long

“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.” Joel Barber was also a judge. The Wards’ aforementioned winning decoy was a closely related balsa-bodied sleeping mallard drake. Both of these birds are illustrated in Gard and McGrath’s book on the Wards.

The authors, in addition to noting it is “finely carved,” write, “The paint scheme is exceptional in the choice of colors and the extraordinary detail of the feather painting.” This balsabodied bird also has a rarely seen wing tip treatment. The

underside has the maker’s painted signature and Headley Collection stamps. Original paint with light wear and touch-up to wing tips.

PROVENANCE: Somers G. Headley Collection Kangas Collection of International Folk Art and Decoys

LITERATURE: Ronald J. Gard and Brian J. McGrath, The Ward Brothers’ Decoys: A Collector’s Guide, Plano, TX, 1989, p. 84, related sleeper illustrated, p. 87, exact decoy illustrated. Quintina Colio, American Decoys, Ephrata, PA, 1972, front pages.

$10,000 - $14,000

THE WARD BROTHERS

1896-1984 AND 1895-1976 | CRISFIELD, MD

166 The Ward Bobwhite Quail

Lemuel T. Ward (1896-1984)

Crisfield, MD, 1966 8 1/2 in. tall, 8 in. wide

This carving of a preening bobwhite quail is unique and may be the only standing quail done by the Wards. It is part of his premier decorative “Sunbathing” series of titled birds which includes some of his finest.

The eponymous Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art in Salisbury, Maryland, has one other known quail by Lem. However, that quail is an accessory to one of the greatest and most innovative early American bird of prey carvings ever executed, as it is held limp in the talons of a peregrine falcon.

The rarity of refined early bobwhite carvings by any maker cannot be overstated. Indeed, among the leading decoy makers only Elmer Crowell’s few quail notably preceded this work. They are among the Cape Codder’s most sought-after carvings, yet none of Crowell’s are known to be in a preening position.

The carving is mounted on a fourteen-inch-long driftwood base. The side of the base is signed and titled “Sunbathing L.T. WARD 1966.” Excellent original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Dr. Morton D. Kramer Collection, acquired from the maker Private Collection

LITERATURE: Glenn Lawson and Ida Ward Linton, The Story of Lem Ward, Exton, PA 1984, p. 44, exact carving illustrated.

$40,000 - $60,000

CAPTAIN EDWARD PHILLIPS

1901-1964 | CAMBRIDGE, MD

167

167 Exceedingly Rare Wigeon Capt. Ed Phillips (1901-1964) Cambridge, MD, c. 1930 15 1/2 in. long

An exceedingly rare and important Cambridge decoy. One of the few times Phillips birds of this species have surfaced was during the Dr. McCleery sale in 2000 when a pair set the auction record of $34,500. Strong original paint with gunning wear. Some brown stippling on the underside.

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, lot 203, related pair illustrated.

168

168 High-Head Canvasback

Capt. Ed Phillips (1901-1964) Cambridge, MD, c. 1930 15 1/2 in. long

Original paint with even gunning wear, some flaking, thin neck crack and partial loss to end of bill. Age line and some discoloration along left side

$2,000 - $3,000

169 Miniature Canvasback

Capt. Ed Phillips (1901-1964) Cambridge, MD, c. 1930 base is 6 3/4 in. long

A rare early miniature decoy mounted on its original beveled-edge base. Original paint with even wear, some craquelure, and neck seam is loose.

169

CAPTAIN EDWARD PHILLIPS

1901-1964 | CAMBRIDGE, MD

172 174

170

Miniature Goose

William Paul Riggin Jr. (1925-2006)

Crisfield, MD, c. 1960 6 1/4 in. long

A raised-wing goose with fine paint detail and a signed underside. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Maryland

$500 - $800

171 Miniature Black Duck

Oliver “Tuts” Lawson (b. 1938)

Crisfield, MD, c. 1960 8 in. long

A turned head mini with fine paint and remnants of a paper label on the balsa underside. Original paint with some wear and a reset tail chip.

172 Miniature Mallard Pair

Joe King (1909-2003)

Edgely, PA, c. 1950 7 1/2 in. long

A rare miniature decoy pair exhibiting incised wing-tip detail and bears the Morris collection stamp on the underside. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Jack Morris Collection Private Collection

173 Miniature Flying Goose

William Paul Riggin Jr. (1925-2006)

Crisfield, MD, 1964 15 in. wingspan

A well-executed one-third-size calling goose on the wing with the maker’s name and date signed on the underside. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Maryland

$800 - $1,200

174 Miniature Goose

Oliver “Tuts” Lawson (b. 1938)

Crisfield, MD, c. 1960 10 1/2 in. long

A balsa body with wooden tail insert and fine paint. Original paint with some wear and restoration to half of bill and neck putty area, touch-up to flakes above tail. Age line in right side and ding in left.

175 Miniature Blue-Winged Teal

Oliver “Tuts” Lawson (b. 1938)

Crisfield, MD, c. 1970 6 in. long

A balsa-bodied teal with remnants of a paper label on the underside. Original paint with wear mostly to back and tail edge.

176 Miniature Quail Pair

Jack & Bette Holt

Wilmington, DE, 1974 7 in. tall

A well-executed decorative miniature bobwhite pair. Signed and dated on the underside. Original paint with light wear.

CHAUNCEY "CHANCE" WHEELER

1888-1945 | ALEXANDRIA BAY, NY

177 Exceptional Mallard Drake

Chauncey “Chance” Wheeler (1888-1945) Alexandria Bay, NY, c. 1920 17 3/4 in. long

This highly refined mallard is understood by many to be not only the finest Chauncey Wheeler decoy, but also the best from the entire region. Beyond the region, it stands among the most important mallard drakes by any maker. Like some of A. Elmer Crowell’s best carvings, it was rigged for use as a decoy, yet it shows the refinement and effort the maker exhibited in his best decorative works. The gouged detail is reminiscent of the flourishes seen in the most highly prized works of the Caines Brothers from South Carolina. A view from above this Wheeler carving shows the coveted “Heart Pattern” of the wings and back. The paint is deftly applied with combed, stippled, and wet-on-wet techniques on display.

While the mallard is an ubiquitous species in North America today, wild native mallards, and subsequently their decoys, were scarce in the East during Wheeler’s era. This decoy is the finest of its kind; illustrating its rarity, only one other example is remotely comparable. The other bird is illustrated and discussed in the 2002 monograph on “Chance” in a dedicated chapter titled “New Found Species and Style.” This lot was widely unknown until its public offering in 2012, when it set the record for any Wheeler decoy or decorative. Since then it has been toured and illustrated broadly. The underside retains Kirson Collection markings and a Ward Museum exhibition label. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Robert Billingsly Private Collection, New York Donald Kirson Collection

LITERATURE: “The Year in Review 2012,” Decoy Magazine, 2012, front cover, exact decoy illustrated. “48th annual Decoy & Wildlife Art Show,” Decoy Magazine, 2012, July/August 2016, p. 19, exact decoy illustrated. Decoy Magazine, March/April 2019, p. 19, exact decoy illustrated.

$50,000 - $70,000

CHARLES SUMNER BUNN

1865-1952 | SHINNECOCK, NY

178 Grand Curlew

Charles Sumner Bunn (1865-1952) Shinnecock, NY, c. 1900 17 1/2 in. long

In 1971 Milton Weiler’s Classic Shorebird Decoys portfolio was published with text by William J. Mackey Jr. Across from Weiler’s Plate No. 3, illustrating a closely related curlew, Mackey writes, “In hand [the maker’s] decoys have the feel of real birds. His knowledge and study of the live bird and his skill with a knife transferred the feel of the wishbone, the unfolded wings, and the modeling of the bone structure to blocks of wood. His was a unique talent not given to any other decoy maker.” Mackey also states, “Nothing finer has been found ever since.”

This newly discovered and exceptionally rare Long Island shorebird now joins a small and elite group of curlew by this celebrated carver and guide. It has been passed down through a prominent New York family who lived in the city and escaped to Long Island and specifically the Hamptons. The family had a strong sporting heritage dating back to at least the 19th century and played host to figures, including Ogden M. Pleissner. This decoy, along with one rigmate, was retired from gunning to be displayed in their Upper East Side apartment. The bird is now making its debut to the decoy community on the heels of its mate, capping one of the greatest shorebird decoy discoveries in recent memory.

Very few decoys of this coveted model have surfaced, with fewer still held in private collections. One example from the William J. Mackey Collection was acquired by Dr. James McCleery in the 1970s, setting a record price for any decoy at the time. After that bird traded again in the McCleery auction decades later, it rejoined the ranks of the top decoys ever sold. The second comparable in private hands recently reached the market from the estate of Dr. Lloyd Griffith. And, lastly, this decoy’s rigmate reached the auction block in the Sporting

Sale 2022. Condition reports provided for the aforementioned private collection examples suggest that all four have survived in fairly comparable condition.

Rounding out his monumental curlew model, two related examples from the rig of T.F. Norton have been held in the Long Island Museum at Stony Brook since they were gifted in 1966. One of these two appears to be the model for Weiler’s illustration. This survey makes this lot the sixth of this model to surface publicly, and only the fourth to come to auction.

The grand body is larger than some waterfowl and accordingly was made with two-piece construction, held together by wooden pegs. “The shorebirds are ‘sui generis,’” writes historian and curator Bob Shaw, “carved to suggest nuances of body forms and underlying bone and muscle that no other carver even attempted.” Regarding his best works, Shaw states, “[They] transcend the decoy genre to rank among the finest bird portraits created by an American artist.” Original paint with moderate gunning wear and a replaced bill. Shallow flat area around stick hole has been restored.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, by descent in a prominent New York City family

LITERATURE: Robert Shaw, Bird Decoys of North America, New York, NY, 2010, pp. 180-181, related example illustrated.

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

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

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

E. Jane Townsend, Gunners Paradise: Wildfowling and Decoys on Long Island, Stony Brook, NY, 1979, p. 106, Norton rig pair illustrated. Sotheby’s and Guyette and Schmidt, American Waterfowl Decoys: The Distinguished Collection of Dr. James M. McCleery, New York, NY, January 22–23, 2000, lot 207, related example illustrated.

Quintina Colio, American Decoys, Ephrata, PA, 1972, p. 69, related examples illustrated (image reversed).

$50,000 - $80,000

An illustration of a closely related curlew in Classic Shorebird Decoys: A Portfolio of Paintings, 1971.

CHARLES E. "SHANG" WHEELER

1872-1949 | STRATFORD, CT

179 Mackey-Wheeler Black Duck

Charles E. “Shang” Wheeler (1872-1949) Stratford, CT, c. 1940 17 1/4 in. long

This Connecticut classic features a refined hollow pine body, turned head, and Shang’s signature scratch feather paint on the head. Beyond the excellent form and condition of the carving, its history is remarkable. Much of which is referenced on its underside of this decoy.

One painted inscription by its first owner after Wheeler reads, “Given by ‘Shang’ to his friend Chas. Disbrow 1940.” Dixon Merkt describes Disbrow as “one of Shang’s most accomplished disciples.” Disbrow also notes the transfer “From C.D. 3/27/54” to Bill Mackey. “From Bill Mackey 1955” is written in pencil noting the transfer to fellow collector Frank Ashe. A brass tag numbered “222” is attributed to the Ashe Collection. After passing through the Ashe family, the bird settled in the Donald Kirson Collection and bears his sticker. Like many of Kirson’s best birds, this decoy was exhibited at the Ward

Museum in Salisbury, Maryland, and is marked as such. Lastly, the underside bears a large debossed “WHEELER.” Excellent original paint with light gunning wear. Tight hairline crack in bill has been perfectly reset with a minute spot of touch-up.

PROVENANCE: Charles Disbrow Collection, acquired from the maker William J. Mackey Collection, acquired from the above Frank Ashe Collection

Private Collection, by descent from the above Donald Kirson Collection

LITERATURE: The Ward Museum, Masters of Decoy and Wildfowl Carvings: The Kirson Collection, Salisbury, MD, 2011, p. 4, exact decoy illustrated.

$18,000 - $24,000

KEITH MUELLER

180 Decorative Merganser Drake and Hen Decoy

Keith Mueller (b. 1956)

Killingworth, CT, c. 1980 24 by 17 1/2 by 14 in.

A red-breasted merganser pair on an elaborate oval base representing an icy shoreline scene after the tide has ebbed. The decorative drake displays intricate feather carving and paint along with a bold crest. The hollow preening hen is carved as a weathered decoy continuing to demonstrate her magnetism, having lured in the drake.

This commissioned work represents the scope of Keith Mueller’s career as a highly accomplished, award-winning carver at the top tiers of both the decoy and decorative fields.

In addition to being a seven-time World Champion decoy and bird carver, Mueller was honored as a Ward Foundation Living Legend and named as a Living Legend in decoy carving by the National Endowment for the Arts. Original paint with some wear and drake has reset legs.

$8,000 - $12,000

“The Massachusetts region, which includes coastal New Hampshire, Cape Cod, the islands of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard, and the state of Rhode Island, arguably produced more first-quality decoys than any other area of the country and was home to a number of the decoy’s greatest artists, including such masters as Elmer Crowell, Joe Lincoln, Lothrop Holmes, and George Boyd. Massachusetts also produced several of the greatest as yet unidentified carvers.”

— Robert Shaw, Bird Decoys of North America

181 Exceptional Swimming Merganser

North Shore, MA, c. 1890 17 1/2 in. long

This hollow swimming merganser is among the finest decoys discovered in decades. As this Massachusetts masterpiece makes its public debut, no other decoys from this rig are known to have surfaced in any auction to date. Like the goose, the red-breasted merganser has been a muse for many of the great known and unknown Atlantic carvers. A thorough review of the finest mergansers confirms that this carving stands on its own as one of the greatest extant, and it is certainly second to none among all hollow examples of this species.

The sleek body stretches forward to a raised neck seat topped by a highly refined reaching head, turned slightly to the left. The delicate bill is trimmed with incised mandible carving. Topping the head is a ridged crest running from the crown to the nape with a rasp finish capturing the texture of the wet shaggy feathers after a dive. The lightweight body features refined raised wing tip carving and a thin tail. A round beveled weight and thin bottom board complete the underside of the decoy and it appears to have had a wooden keel at one time. The surface is finished with softly blended paint and sharp wing patches. Given its fragile features, the decoy has survived in remarkably good condition. It is being offered here in its discovered state with no touch-up or repairs.

Bob Shaw demonstrates in the opening salvo to his Massachusetts chapter, one cannot discuss the unrivaled region’s great decoys without embracing the unknowns. As he

makes clear, masterworks such as this easily rise above the trivia of attributions. That said, naturally this swimmer’s origin is being explored. Only two other decoys from this rig are known and all are in the same plumage. The other two are in upright positions, but no raised wing carving. One is in a prestigious private collection where it shares space with exceptional works from the North Shore, Massachusetts, rigs of Capt. Samuel A. Fabens, Fred M. Nichols, and Capt. Charles Osgood. The features of this lot place it firmly in that region, and some believe it is in fact a Nichols decoy as the style relates closely to works identified from his rig. While more sleek and detailed than an Osgood or even a Fabens merganser, the form and construction appear to have a common origin with the latter. Gigi Hopkins reveals that Fabens and Nichols were both guests at the prestigious Ives Camp in Rowley, Massachusetts, which was co-founded in 1853 by none other than Capt. Charles C. Osgood (1820-1886). Excellent original paint with light gunning wear, some chipping to tail edge, and head is slightly loose.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Massachusetts

LITERATURE: Gwladys Hopkins, Massachusetts Masterpieces: The Decoy As Art, Lincoln, MA, 2016, pp. 76-77, Osgood, Fabens and Nichols discussed and Osgood merganser illustrated. Robert Shaw, Bird Decoys of North America, New York, NY, 2010, pp. 150-151, lost Fabens merganser illustrated and Massachusetts discussed.

$80,000 - $120,000

Ives Camp Mergansers

Decoys

from the rigs of Ives Camp gunners Capts. Fabens and Osgood.

Capt. Fabens rig merganser.

Capt. Osgood rig merganser.

182 Manfred Schatz (1925-2004)

Mallard Flying signed “m schatz” upper left oil on canvas, 16 by 22 in.

Born in 1925 in Stettin, Germany, Schatz is known for his ability to capture motion, and in particular the elusive movement of ducks in flight. His works are held in the permanent collections of the Genesee Country Museum in Mumford, New York, the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum in Wausau, Wisconsin, and the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson, Wyoming.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Wisconsin

$1,000 - $3,000

183

PROVENANCE: The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

EXHIBITED: New York, Coe Kerr Gallery, December 2 - January 8, 1982, item 35.

$5,000 - $8,000

183 Aiden Lassell Ripley (1896-1969) Turkey at Sunrise watercolor, 8 3/4 by 11 in. Coe Kerr Gallery, New York, label on back estate stamped on back

Wildlife Art from the Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

Ann Dickinson Dale, known as Polly, was born and raised in Princeton, New Jersey. She studied history at Bryn Mawr College and worked as a publicist for American Heritage Publishing. Among her many pursuits, Dale was a dedicated and avid amateur horticulturist, and the Smithsonian Archives of American Gardens documented “Grey Shutters,” her garden. Additionally, she was a supporter of the Historical Society of Princeton, a member of the

Nassau Club, and the Pretty Brook Tennis Club, among other local organizations. Her husband, G. Ernest Dale Jr., known as Ernie, was “an enthusiastic sportsman” and “was happiest in the great outdoors — skiing, hunting, shooting, playing tennis, and riding,” according to his 2007 Princeton Alumni Weekly obituary. Polly and Ernie worked to put together this delightful collection of wildlife illustrations and artwork over many years.

184 William J. Schaldach (1896-1982)

Showing His Colors - Rainbow Trout, 1937 signed and dated “W. J. Schaldach ‘37” lower right watercolor, 17 3/4 by 13 1/2 in. titled on The Sporting Gallery and Bookshop label on back The Ganley Gallery label on back

PROVENANCE: The Sporting Gallery and Bookshop The Ganley Gallery The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

LITERATURE: William J. Schaldach, Fish by Schaldach, Plate 17, illustrated.

$1,500 - $2,500

184

185 William J. Schaldach (1896-1982)

Small Brook Trout #2 signed “W.J. Schaldach” lower right watercolor, 7 by 9 in. titled on Harlow, McDonald, and Co. label on back

PROVENANCE: The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale $1,500 - $2,000

186 Francis Lee Jaques (1887-1969) Wood Creepers signed “F. L. Jaques” lower right oil on board, 16 by 11 1/2 in. The Old Print Shop, Inc., New York label on back

PROVENANCE: The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale $2,000 - $4,000

187 Walter Brackett (1823-1919) Brook Trout, 1878 signed and dated “W. M Brackett 1878” lower left oil on canvas, 12 1/2 by 20 1/2 in.

A classic creekside scene with a brook trout on the bank and rod and fly visible.

PROVENANCE: The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale $1,500 - $2,500

188 George Luther Schelling (b. 1938)

Leaping Rainbow Trout, 1980 signed “Schelling” lower left pastel, 15 by 24 1/4 in.

The artist writes, “The sea-run rainbow is a beautiful fish with its subtle color changes and variations and I enjoy using this specie for my experiments with the ‘leaping’ concept.”

PROVENANCE: The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

189.2

189.1

189 David A. Hagerbaumer (1921-2014)

Two Watercolors, Grouse and Woodcock each watercolor, 7 by 9 in. each signed “David Hagerbaumer” lower right

PROVENANCE: The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

$1,000 - $2,000

FROST

193

190 Arthur Burdett Frost (1851-1928)

With One Final Puff He Rolled Into the Trench, 1917 estate stamp “A B Frost” lower right ink wash, 17 1/2 by 12 1/2 in.

Arthur B. Frost was born in Philadelphia in 1851, but spent his most prolific years in New Jersey. Considered one of the great illustrators of the Golden Age of American Illustration, he illustrated more than ninety books and produced thousands of illustrations for Harper’s Weekly, Scribner’s, and Life magazines. Frost’s illustrative work chronicles the mood and details of the daily life of farmers, hunters, and fishermen, as well as barnyards and pastoral motifs. By 1876, he was on Harper’s staff working on many books, including Tom Sawyer, Uncle Remus, and Mr. Dooley. He also illustrated Theodore Roosevelt’s sporting book, Hunting Trips of a Ranchman. Frost was an ardent sportsman who spent his summers and autumns fishing, rowing, and hunting ducks and snipe. He completed hundreds of watercolors and oils of the New Jersey seaside. Frost is best known for his hunting and shooting prints which capture the drama of sport in realistic, detailed settings. Frost lived at his estate, Moneysunk, in Convent Station, New Jersey.

A.B. Frost created this drawing as an illustration for the story “Wamble: His Day Out,” which appeared in Collier’s Weekly in 1917.

PROVENANCE: The Estate of the Artist Sotheby Parke Bernet, New York, Sale 3834, item 405, January 29, 1976 The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

LITERATURE: Samuel Hopkins Adams, “Wamble: His Day Out,” Collier’s Weekly, January 13, 1917, pp. 16-18, illustrated.

$3,000 - $5,000

191 Arthur Burdett Frost (1851-1928) Vignette of A Bear, 1916 estate stamp “A.B. Frost.” lower left ink wash and gouache, 8 by 71/2 in.

A.B. Frost created this drawing as an illustration for the story “Hen’s Friend the Bear,” which appeared in American Magazine in 1916.

PROVENANCE: The Estate of the Artist Sotheby Parke Bernet, Sale 3834, Lot 405, January 29, 1976 The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

LITERATURE: Hugh S. Fullerton, “Hen’s Friend the Bear,” American Magazine, July 1916, p. 19, illustrated.

192 Arthur Burdett Frost (1851-1928) Hen Talking to the Bear, 1916 estate stamp “A.B. Frost.” lower left ink wash, gouache, 11 1/2 by 9 3/4 in.

“Hen...whispered a few words into the upstanding ears of Absalom”

PROVENANCE: The Estate of the Artist Sotheby Parke Bernet, Sale 3834, Lot 405, January 29, 1976 The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

LITERATURE: Hugh S. Fullerton, “Hen’s Friend the Bear,” American Magazine, July 1916, p. 21, illustrated.

193 Arthur Burdett Frost (1851-1928) Hen’s Friend, the Bear, 1916 signed “A B Frost” lower right watercolor and gouache, 15 1/4 by 13 1/4

“Every day Absalom strove to hibernate, and each time Henry found his hiding place and yanked him out.” A.B. Frost created this drawing as an illustration for the story “Hen’s Friend the Bear,” which appeared in American Magazine in 1916.

PROVENANCE: The Estate of the Artist Sotheby Parke Bernet, Sale 3834, lot 405, January 29, 1976 The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

LITERATURE: Hugh S. Fullerton, “Hen’s Friend the Bear,” American Magazine, July 1916, p. 22, illustrated.

194 Newbold Hough Trotter (1827-1898)

Three Dogs on Point signed “N.H. Trotter” lower right oil on canvas, 18 by 24 in.

Depicting a pointer, Irish setter, and Gordon setter with haystacks in the background. An excellent example of the artist’s work, Three Dogs on Point represents one of the artist’s master dog works.

PROVENANCE: Collection of Geraldine Rockefeller Dodge, Sotheby Parke Bernet, October 31, 1975, Sale 3802, Lot 40

The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

$3,000 - $5,000

195

NEWBOLD HOUGH TROTTER

1827-1898

194

195 Newbold Hough Trotter (1827-1898)

Abandoned, 1885 signed “N H Trotter” lower right oil on board, 7 by 10 1/2 in. titled on back

PROVENANCE: The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

JOHN MCAULIFFE

IRISH/AMERICAN, 1830-1900

196 197

197 John McAuliffe (Irish/American, 1830-1900)

Horse with Driver signed “J McAuliffe” lower right oil on canvas, 24 by 32 in.

PROVENANCE: The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

$2,000 - $3,000

196 John McAuliffe (Irish/American, 1830-1900)

Col. Jim Douglass & His Trotters, c. 1890 signed “J McAuliffe” lower right oil on canvas, 26 by 40 in.

“Depicted on the Harlem River Speedway, New York with the river, High Bridge Aqueduct, Water Tower and Madame Jumel’s mansion in the background.” on label on back

A related painting is in the collection of the Butler Museum of American Art, Youngstown, Ohio.

PROVENANCE: The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

$2,000 - $4,000

198.1 199.1

198.2 199.2

JOHN MCAULIFFE

IRISH/AMERICAN, 1830-1900

198 John McAuliffe (Irish/American, 1830-1900)

Two Paintings of Horses each oil on canvas, 22 by 27 in.

Alice Oates signed “J. McAuliffe” lower right titled center right

Queen Wilkes signed “J. McAuliffe” lower left titled lower center

PROVENANCE: The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

$2,000 - $3,000

199 John McAuliffe (Irish/American, 1830-1900)

Two Paintings of Horses each oil on canvas, 22 by 27 in.

Flora Huff signed “J McAuliffe” lower right titled lower left

Sallie Brass signed “J McAuliffe” lower left titled lower right

PROVENANCE: The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

$2,000 - $3,000

200 Charles Livingston Bull (1874-1932) Two Works (one shown)

Two Cats Fighting Against the Silhouette of the Moon signed “Charles Livingston Bull” lower left ink and watercolor, 11 1/2 by 8 3/4 in. titled on Graham Gallery, New York label on back with two cat face drawings on back

The Seasons Greetings from Mr and Mrs Charles Livingston Bull mixed media, 7 1/2 by 9 1/4 in.

PROVENANCE: The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

201 Charles Livingston Bull (1874-1932) Fox in Snow watercolor and ink, 16 1/4 by 13 1/2 in.

PROVENANCE: The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

202 Charles Livingston Bull (1874-1932) Moose, 1905 signed “Charles Livingston Bull” lower right ink, graphite on board, 11 3/4 by 16 3/4 inscribed “Was off through the underbrush in ignominious flight”

Bull created this drawing for the 1905 story, “The King of the Mamozekel,” about a bull moose running from the scent of a bear.

PROVENANCE: The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

LITERATURE: Charles G.D. Roberts, The Kindred of the Wild, Stitt Publishing Co., New York, 1905, p. 335, illustrated.

203 Charles Livingston Bull (1874-1932) Mountain Lion and Wolf signed “Charles Livingston Bull” lower left watercolor, 17 by 26 in.

The Old Print Shop, New York label on back inscribed “Mountain Lion. ‘Here you,’ growled the Mountain Lion Person, ‘What are you doing in my lodge?’” on back

PROVENANCE: The Old Print Shop, New York The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

204 Charles Livingston Bull (1874-1932) Two Wildcat Drawings (one shown)

Mounted the Carcass with an Air of Lordship, 1902 signed “Charles Livingston Bull” lower right ink, charcoal, watercolor, gouache, 18 1/4 by 11 1/2 in.

titled on back

LITERATURE: Charles G.D. Roberts, The Kindred of the Wild, New York, 1902, p. 229, illustrated.

Leaping Wild-cat, 1903 signed and dated “Charles Livingston Bull 1903” lower right watercolor and india ink, 27 by 19 1/2 in. titled on Graham Gallery, New York label on back

“The wild-cat crossed the Guimic by great leaps from rock to rock”

LITERATURE: Charles G.D. Roberts, “The Rivals of Ringwaak” in Metropolitan Magazine, February 1904, pp. 892-901, illustrated.

PROVENANCE: Graham Gallery, New York, New York

G. Ernest Dale Jr. Collection The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

205 Charles Livingston Bull (1874-1932)

Jaguar Leaping for Muscovy Ducks signed “Charles Livingston Bull” lower right watercolor and ink, 22 1/4 by 14 in.

“He Sprang into the Air. Both Forepaws Outstretched”

PROVENANCE: Pierce Galleries The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

LITERATURE: Charles Livingston Bull, Under the Roof of the Jungle, L.C. Page & Co., Boston, MA, 1911, p. 15, illustrated.

206 Charles Livingston Bull (1874-1932) Dog Sledding signed “Charles Livingston Bull.” lower right ink and charcoal on board, 14 1/2 by 22 in.

PROVENANCE: The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

207 Charles Livingston Bull (1874-1932) & William Schaldach Two Works (one shown) Deer Mouse, c. 1929 signed “Charles Livingston Bull” lower left ink and charcoal, 4 by 8 in. titled on Egon and Joan Teichert label on back

LITERATURE: The Youth’s Companion, September 1929 pp. 484-485, illustrated.

Merry Christmas from the Schaldachs drypoint, 2 1/2 by 2 in.

PROVENANCE: The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

208 Louis Rhead (1857-1926)

A Woodcock Whistled Through the Alder Brushes, 1907 signed “Louis Rhead” lower left gouache and ink, 16 3/4 by 12 3/4 in.

A work depicting a raccoon and a woodcock.

PROVENANCE: The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

LITERATURE: Clarence Hawkes, Tenants of the Trees, L.C. Page and Co., 1907, p. 93, illustrated.

210 Ernest Thompson Seton (1860-1946)

Two Gouaches each signed “Ernest Thompson Seton” lower right

Silvergray scrambled up again, c. 1922 gouache, 11 by 8 in. titled “With an angry ‘Quare!’ Silvergray scrambled up again” on label on back

This charming drawing of squirrels was created in 1922 for the artist’s children’s book, Bannertail.

LITERATURE: Ernest Thompson Seton, Bannertail: The Story of Gray Squirrel, New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1922, p. 130, illustrated.

LITERATURE: Ernest Thompson Seton, Wild Animals I Have Known, New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1898, p. 126, illustrated.

PROVENANCE: The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

211 Paul Branson (1885-1979)

The Exile. 1915 signed “Paul Branson” lower left watercolor, 8 1/4 by 7 1/4 in. titled, signed, and dated on back

This charming depiction of a polar bear was painted at the Bronx Zoo.

Charles George Copeland (1858-1945)

209

Fox, 1907 signed “Charles Copeland” lower right charcoal and pencil, 15 1/2 by 10 3/4 in titled “Standing with One Forefoot Raised, Listening Intently” on label on back

PROVENANCE: The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

LITERATURE: William J. Long, Whose Home in the Wilderness, Boston: Ginn & Co., 1907, p. 127, illustrated.

PROVENANCE: The artist Normal Jones Steelsmith Collection, 1928 The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

The Hound Came Sniffing Along the Log 11 1/2 by 10 in. titled on label on back

This wintry forest scene of a dog sniffing out a rabbit was created in 1898 for another of Seton’s classic books, Wild Animals I Have Known.

PROVENANCE: The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

212 Paul Branson (1885-1979)

Puma and Mountain Goat signed “PB” lower right crayon, 5 1/4 by 8 in.

PROVENANCE: The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

213.3 216 217

213 Howard Russell Butler (1856-1934) Three Works

Coastal scene of waves hitting rocks, 1932 signed and dated “H.R. Butler Sept. 9 ‘32 7:30 A.M” lower right pastel, 8 3/4 by 11 3/4 in.

The Maine signed “H R Butler” lower right watercolor and gouache, 7 1/2 by 10 1/2 in. titled on The Drawing Room, Princeton, New Jersey label on back

Wave Washed Rocks- Maine Coast signed “H R Butler” lower left pastel, 7 1/2 by 9 3/4 in. titled on The Drawing Room, Princeton, New Jersey label on back

PROVENANCE: The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

$2,000 - $4,000

214 Rhett W. Sturman (b. 1946)

Looking to Mt. Mansfield, 1988 signed and dated “Rhett Sturman May 9, 1988” lower left oil on board, 9 1/2 by 16 in. “View looking west across Stage Coach Road to Mt. Mansfield, Vt. south of Morristown” on label on back

PROVENANCE: The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

215 Oliver Hazard Perry (b. 1846)

Two Paintings of New Jersey Sand Dunes each oil on cardboard, 7 1/2 by 12 1/2 in. each titled “Sand Dunes at Bay Head, N.J.,” 1902 each initialed “O.H.P.” lower left or right

216 Harold Broadfield Warren (1859-1934)

Coastal Landscape, 1900 signed and dated “Harold B Warren 1900” lower right watercolor, 6 3/4 by 9 1/2 in.

This work was included in the Smithsonian Institution’s Bicentennial Inventory of American Paintings Executed Before 1914 as item #106.

PROVENANCE: The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

217 Harold Broadfield Warren (1859-1934)

Mullein Plant, 1900 signed and dated “Harold B Warren 1900” lower left watercolor, 11 3/4 by 8 in.

This work was included in the Smithsonian Institution’s Bicentennial Inventory of American Paintings Executed Before 1914 as item #107.

PROVENANCE: The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

218

Two Floral Paintings

Carin Moore Laughlin (d. 1998)

Frog Hollow signed “Carin M. Laughlin” lower left gouache, 19 1/4 by 15 1/2 in.

Edith Allen Lowell (20th Century) Garden of Judge John Adams Aiken Gunhill Road, Greenfield, Mass., c. 1905-10 watercolor, 25 1/4 by 21 1/4 in. inscribed lower left

PROVENANCE: The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

219 Thomas Aquinas Daly (b. 1937) Three Watercolors

Boated Salmon, 1982 signed “tadaly” lower right watercolor, 9 1/2 by 6 1/2 in. titled on Grand Central Art Galleries, New York label on back

Two Atlantic Salmon signed “t a daly” lower right watercolor, 6 1/4 by 4 1/2 in. Grand Central Art Galleries, New York label on back

Hunter Poling His Boat also titled “Poling in the Marsh” signed “t a daly” lower right watercolor, 3 1/4 by 4 3/4 in. Grand Central Art Galleries, New York label on back

PROVENANCE: The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

$1,000 - $2,000

220.1 220.2 221.1 221.2 221.3 222.1 222.2 222.3

220 Marguerite Kirmse (1885-1954)

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

Three of the Finest, c. 1935 7 1/4 by 9 3/4 in. edition of 100

Abercrombie & Fitch, New York label on back Egon & Joan Teichert label on back Steady, Now!, c. 1935 9 1/4 by 6 3/4 in. edition of 100

PROVENANCE: The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

$1,000 -$2,000

221 Three Etchings of Dogs and Santa

Edwin Mergargee (1883-1958)

Merry Christmas signed “Edwin Mergargee” lower right etching, 4 by 2 3/4 in. inscribed “Merry Christmas” lower center

Marguerite Kirmse (1885-1954) The Reception Committee signed “Marguerite Kirmse” lower right etching, 6 1/2 by 9 in.

Marguerite Kirmse (1885-1954) Bon Voyage, 1931 signed “Marguerite Kirmse” lower right etching, 8 by 5 1/2 in. numbered “15 -” lower right

PROVENANCE: The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

222 Churchill Ettinger (1903-1984)

Three Prints of Dogs, Rabbits, and Fish each signed “Churchill Ettinger” lower right each titled lower left

Fighting Mad, c. 1940 drypoint, 7 3/4 by 8 3/4 in. edition of 100

Associated American Artists label on back

Homeward Bound etching, 9 1/4 by 7 in. edition of 100

Associated American Artists label on back

Nailed Down etching, 7 3/4 by 9 in. edition of 100

PROVENANCE: The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

223 William J. Schaldach (1896-1982) Two Drypoints of Woodcocks (one shown)

Flight Woodcock, 1940 signed “W.J. Schaldach” lower right drypoint, 9 by 7 in. edition of 50

October Flight, 1928 signed “W. J. Schaldach” lower right drypoint, 9 3/4 by 6 3/4 in. edition of 50

PROVENANCE: The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

224 Four Prints of Cats

Sheridan Oman (1926-1995) Siamese Cat, c. 1965 etching, 5 1/4 by 7 3/4 in.

Ann M. Milton (1926-2017) Solitude, 1979 signed and dated “© A.Milton ‘79” lower right

stone lithograph, 9 by 13 in. titled lower center numbered “12/58” lower left Society of Animal Artists, Inc. label on back

Victor Becker (20th Century) Oh Ye--ah!, 1931 signed and dated “Victor G. Becker ‘31” lower right lithograph, 10 by 6 3/4 in. titled lower left

Sez You, 1931 signed and dated “Victor G. Becker ‘31” lower right lithograph, 9 1/2 by 14 in. titled and numbered “26/50” lower left

PROVENANCE: The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

225 William J. Schaldach (1896-1982) Two Drypoints of Game Fish (one shown)

Spring Note, 1937 signed “W J Schaldach” lower right drypoint, 7 by 9 in. titled, dated, and inscribed “Plate #24 Brook Trout” on back edition of 50

The Fast Rush, 1928 initialed “WJS” in plate lower left drypoint, 4 1/2 by 5 1/4 in. edition of 50 titled, dated, and inscribed “Plate #22 Fish - Salmon” on back

PROVENANCE: The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

226 Carroll Sargent Tyson Jr. (1877-1956) Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo Platypterus) with Red Squirrel, 1918 color print, 28 by 21 in. from the portfolio Twenty Birds of Mt. Desert Island

PROVENANCE: The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

227 Richard E. Bishop (1887-1975) Three Etchings (one shown) each signed “Richard E. Bishop” lower right

For Victory Theo Coates 6 by 4 in.

Merry Christmas from Theo and Ben Coates, 1938 6 by 4 in.

Merry Christmas from Theo Coates “Pass along your books new Servicemen in all parts of the world appreciate your thought for their pleasure (Call Adrmore 1047)” 4 by 6 in.

PROVENANCE: The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

228 John Taylor Arms (1887-1953) Four Prints and Two Posters (one shown)

Chartres, The Magnificent, 1948 signed and dated “John Taylor Arms 1948” lower right etching, 3 1/2 by 3 1/4 in. inscribed “TH” lower left OR IS IT II edition of 150, estate #422

Associated American Artists Certificate of Authenticity

Dawn, Lake Como, 1920 etching and aquatint, 7 1/4 by 5 in. signed “John Taylor Arms” lower right

edition of 75, estate #52

Associated American Artists Certificate of Authenticity

The Old Order, 1948 signed and dated “John Taylor Arms 1948” lower right etching, 5 1/4 by 7 3/4 in. inscribed “II” lower left edition of 150 with Print Club of Albany cover sheet

Sarah Jane, 1920 signed and dated “John Taylor Arms 1920” lower right etching, 10 1/4 by 7 1/4 in. numbered “40/78” lower left titled on Pittsfield Art Exhibit label on back

Two posters from a 1988 exhibition of prints by John Taylor Arms at the Princeton University Library, each 24 by 17 in.

PROVENANCE: The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale $500 - $700

229 John James Audubon (1785-1851) Gold-winged Woodpecker, 1828 hand-colored engraving, 37 1/2 by 25 3/4 in. sheet “Gold-winged Woodpecker (No. 8, Plate 37)” “Gold-winged Woodpecker Male 1. F.2. Picus Auratus” lower right “Drawn from Nature and Published by John J. Audubon F.R.S.E.F.L.S. M.W.S.” lower right “Engraved by Robt Havell, Junr Printed & Coloured by R Havell Senr London, 1828” lower right on J. Whatman Turkey Mill watermarked paper

PROVENANCE: The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

230 Richard E. Bishop (1887-1975) Five Waterfowl Etchings (one shown)

Merry Christmas- Theo Coates, 1945 signed “Richard E Bishop” lower right etching, 6 by 4 in.

Merry Christmas-Theo Coates, 1944 signed “Richard E Bishop” lower right etching, 6 by 4 in.

Merry Christmas from Theo Coates, 1941 signed “Richard E Bishop” lower right etching, 4 by 6 in.

Merry Christmas- Theo Coates, 1946 signed “Richard E Bishop” lower left etching, 6 by 4 in.

Merry Christmas from Theo Coates, 1937 signed “Richard E Bishop” lower right etching, 6 by 4 in.

PROVENANCE: The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

231 John James Audubon (1785-1851)

Hermit Thrush, 1829 hand-colored engraving, sheet size 38 3/4 by 25 1/2 in. by Robert Havell “Hermit Thrush (No. 12, Plate 58)” “Hermit Thrush, Male 1. F. 2. Turdus Solitarius.” lower center

“Engraved by Robt Havell, Junr Printed & Coloured by R Havell Senr London, 1829” lower left

“Drawn from Nature and Published by John J. Audubon F.R.S.E.F.L.S. M.W.S.” lower right on J. Whatman Turkey Mill watermarked paper

PROVENANCE: The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

232 Walter Francis Kuhn (1877-1949) The Ariel signed “Walt Kuhn” lower right pen, ink and pencil, 11 1/2 by 8 1/2 in. also titled “Why So Grouchy Today, Mr. Janitor?”

Childs Gallery, Boston label on back inscribed “Why so grouchy today, Mr. Janitor? Who wouldn’t be grouchy - the martin is keeping folks awake with his song, the sparrows are constantly fighting, the woodpecker is ruining the woodwork, and the squirrel family are making a store-house of their flat!” below drawing under mat

PROVENANCE: The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

234 Howard Hill (d. 1870)

Ducks oil on canvas, 6 1/2 by 10 in.

PROVENANCE: Rev. J. Wolcott Collection, acquired from P. Levy, New York, 1872 Private Collection, Massachusetts Private Collection, Massachusetts

233 William H. Machen (1832-1911)

Hanging Woodcock signed “Machen” lower right watercolor on paper on canvas, 22 by 15 1/4 in.

235 Arthur W. Kade (1890-1952)

Speckled Brook Trout, 1922 signed “Art Kade” lower right watercolor and gouache, 11 3/4 by 20 3/4 in. inscribed “Speckled Brook Trout (Salvelinus Fontinalis) Original painting by Arthur W. Kade. Sheboygan, Wisconsin. December 11th 1922. Weber Tackle Co. Stevens Point, WI” on back

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Wisconsin

$2,000 - $4,000

FREDERICK WILLIAM WETZEL

236 Frederick William Wetzel (20th-21st Centuries) Three Gamebird Watercolors

Woodcock, 1976 signed “F W Wetzel” lower right 12 by 16 1/2 in. titled, signed, and dated on back

Loon, 1979 signed and dated “Frederick William Wetzel 1979 ©” lower right 17 by 23 1/2 in.

Eider, or Sea Scoter signed “F W Wetzel” lower left 5 by 7 in. titled on back

Frederick Wetzel studied biology as an undergraduate and worked as Natural History Curator for the Lehigh County Cultural Center. He was a life-long supporter of the Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in Kempton, Pennsylvania, on the Appalachian flyway, and his observations and activism helped pass

the Model Hawk Law in 1970. Wetzel’s art training came under Conrad Roland, with the strong influence of Louis Agassiz Fuertes. In addition to creating his own ornithological art, he taught painting and exhibited at the Hawk Mountain Sanctuary.

237 Frederick William Wetzel (20th-21st Centuries) Three Raptor Watercolors

Lanner Falcon, 1974 signed and dated “F W Wetzel 1974 ©” lower left 23 1/2 by 17 3/4 in.

Gyrfalcon signed “F W Wetzel ©” lower right 16 3/4 by 12 3/4 in.

Grey-Headed Fish Eagle, 1974 signed and dated “F W Wetzel 1974” lower right 9 by 13 in.

FREDERICK WILLIAM WETZEL

20th-21st Centuries

238.1 238.2 239.1 239.3 239.2

240.1 240.2

238 Frederick William Wetzel (20th-21st Centuries)

Two Owl Watercolors each signed “F W Wetzel” lower right

Barred Owl 19 1/4 by 14 1/4 in.

Snowy Owl with Prey 17 by 22 3/4 in.

239 Frederick William Wetzel (20th-21st Centuries) Three Watercolors

Red-headed Woodpeckers signed “F W Wetzel” lower left 23 by 17 3/4 in.

Red-breasted Nuthatch, 1979 signed and dated “Frederick William Wetzel 1979 ©” lower right 15 by 12 in.

Meadowlark, 1979 signed and dated “F W Wetzel 1979 ©” lower right 15 1/2 by 12 3/4 in.

240 Frederick William Wetzel (20th-21st Centuries) Two Songbird Watercolors

Black-throated Green Warbler, 1976 signed and dated “Frederick William Wetzel 1976 ©” lower left 13 1/4 by 10 3/4 in

White-crowned Sparrows signed “F W Wetzel” lower right 12 3/4 by 11 1/2 in.

241 John P. O’Neill (b. 1942)

Green Honeycreeper and other birds, 1972 signed and dated “O’Neill 72” lower right watercolor, 18 1/2 by 14 1/2 in.

John P. O’Neill began painting bird illustrations as a graduate student in Zoology at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge in the 1970s. In 1973 he co-illustrated A Guide to the Birds of Trinidad and Tobago with Don Eckelberry, and he had an exhibition of his paintings at LSU in 1979. As an artist, O’Neill went on to be Artist of the Year for Mass Audubon and participated in the Birds in Art exhibit at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Museum. In his career as a zoologist, he described fourteen new species of birds and published The Birds of Peru in 2007, the culmination of over forty years of research. He directed the LSU Museum of Natural Science and regularly took groups of ornithologists on expeditions. O’Neill’s was the focus of the book A Parrot Without a Name, written in 1990 by Don Stap.

242 John P. O’Neill (b. 1942) Seedeaters and Finches, 1972 signed and dated “O’Neill 72” lower right watercolor, 21 1/2 by 14 3/4 in.

243 John P. O’Neill (b. 1942) Seedeaters and Grassquits, 1972 signed and dated “O’Neill 72” lower left watercolor, 21 1/4 by 14 3/4 in.

244 John P. O’Neill (b. 1942)

Two Bird Watercolors

Toucan, Woodpeckers, Ibis, and others, 1991 signed and dated “© John P. O’Neill 1991” lower right 25 1/4 by 18 1/4 in.

inscribed “color plate for ffrench’s Birds of Trinidad and Tobago Return to John P. O’Neill 569 Maxine Dr Baton Rouge, LA 70808 @28% for plate 29 top (Toucan) @ 35 % for jacket/cover mid left (scarlet Ibis @ 50 % for jacket/cover” on back

LITERATURE: Ffrench, Richard. A Guide to the Birds of Trinidad and Tobago, Ithaca, 1991, second edition, illustrated.

Doves, 1972 signed and dated “O’Neill 72” lower left 28 1/2 by 20 in.

inscribed “plate #6” on back

245 John P. O’Neill (b. 1942) Two Bird Watercolors

Rails and Coot, 1972 signed and dated “O’Neill 72” lower right 28 by 20 1/4 in.

inscribed “plate #4” and “Gruson Wanta” on back

Edward S. Gruson published Words for Birds in 1972, among other bird books.

Ani, Cuckoos, Pigeons, 1972 signed and dated “O’Neill 72” lower left 30 by 20 in.

inscribed “plate #5” and “Allan” on back

246 Carolina Wren Family

Ernie F. Muehlmett (1927-2016) Salisbury, MD, 1975 12 1/2 in. tall

A family of Carolina wrens on a driftwood base with the two hungry young below. Signed and dated on the bottom. Original paint with light wear and a chipped bill tip of top bird.

247 Life-Size Resting Quail

Eddie Wozny (b. 1959) Cambridge, MD, c. 2015 bird is 8 in. long

A well-executed bobwhite carving with carved raised wings, tail, and feathers. Retains a makers sticker on the bottom. Original paint with minimal wear.

$1,500 - $2,500

248 John Sudy (1880-1960) Quail Shooting signed “J. Sudy” lower right watercolor, 17 3/4 by 23 1/2 in. titled on label on back

Excerpts from Sudy’s obituary reveal that he was born just outside Prague and began his art studies in Berlin at the age of 9. At the outbreak of World War I he was painting in Rome, when Bohemia, as part of the Austrian empire, went to war against Russia. Sudy would go on to become a captain in the infantry, but when his outfit was captured in the early fighting his unit was shipped to an internment camp in Siberia. As the only officer in the camp, he led a mass escape of 2,300 prisoners. From Siberia the group marched westward and two years later Sudy and four other survivors of the original group arrived in Turkey. There, Sudy painted pictures of veiled dancing girls for British sailors and eventually made enough money to finance a trip to the United States in 1921. Settling on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, he began studying and painting wildlife. His works are now held in private collections throughout the US and in Europe. He counted among his close friends such financial greats as J. Pierpont Morgan, John J. Raskob, and George M. Offett.

This well-executed watercolor is perhaps the artist’s finest work to ever come to auction.

249 Miniature Woodcock Steve Weaver (b. 1950) Sandwich, MA, 2009 7 1/2 in. tall, 5 in. wide

A miniature woodcock decorative with incised feather detail. Signed, dated, and titled “Busting from Cover” on the underside of the base. Initialed on the side of branch. Original paint with minimal wear.

250 Turned-Head Yellowlegs Steve Weaver (b. 1950) Sandwich, MA, c. 2010 10 in. long

A turned-head yellowlegs signed “Steven Weaver Cape Cod” on the underside. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Estate of Paul W. Masengarb

Private Collection, Virginia

251 Miniature Godwit Steve Weaver (b. 1950) Sandwich, MA, c. 2021 4 1/2 in. tall

A miniature marbled godwit identified and signed by the maker on the underside of the base. Original paint with minimal wear.

252 Miniature Sanderling Steve Weaver (b. 1950) Sandwich, MA, 2021 2 1/4 in. tall

A miniature sanderling dated, titled “Beach Comber” and signed by the maker on the underside of the base. Original paint with minimal wear.

ROBERT G. KERR

253 Rare Hummingbird Pair

Robert G. Kerr (b. 1935)

Smith Falls, Ontario, Canada, c. 1960 8 in. tall, 10 in. wide

A feeding and nesting set of hummingbirds mounted on a beveled oval base. Original paint with light wear.

254 Green-Winged Teal

Robert G. Kerr (b. 1935)

Smith Falls, Ontario, Canada, c. 1970 10 in. long

A hollow snuggle-head decorative teal decoy with feather carving and strong paint detail. Original paint with light wear and slight stain on breast.

255 Green-Winged Teal Pair

Robert G. Kerr (b. 1935)

Smith Falls, Ontario, Canada, c. 1960 11 1/4 in. long

The female displays a deeply preening posture. The undersides bear the maker’s branded signature. Original paint with light wear.

256 Bufflehead Pair

Robert G. Kerr (b. 1935)

Smith Falls, Ontario, Canada, c. 1975 10 1/2 in. long

This Kerr pair features nicely blended paint by the award-winning maker. Both are branded with the maker’s “Kerr, Smith Falls, Ontario” signature on the bottom. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: John R. Wierdsma Collection

257 Cinnamon Teal Pair

Jim Sprankle (b. 1934) Sanibel Island, FL, 1983 13 1/2 in. long

Once a pitcher for the Brooklyn Dodgers and Cincinnati Reds, in 1992 Sprankle became one of the eight original inductees into the Waterfowl Festival’s Hall of Fame for his numerous accomplishments and contributions to the decorative carving field.

An intricately carved and painted teal pair signed “Jim Sprankle” and dated “1983.”

Original paint with light wear, chips to drake’s primary tips.

PROVENANCE: Estate of Peter H. Tillou

258 Redhead Drake

Jim Sprankle (b. 1934)

Sanibel Island, FL, 1980 14 in. long

A turned-head redhead with intricately carved and painted feathers. The underside bears an incised “Jim Sprankle” and is dated “1980” in his handwriting. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Estate of Peter H. Tillou

259 Paddling Long-Tailed Drake

John Berner

Vineland, NJ, c. 1985 10 1/2 in. tall, base is 13 in. long

A decorative diver with a removable tail resting on a wooden stand with its feet down. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Estate of Peter H. Tillou

260 Green-Winged Teal Hen Bob Bell 1984 11 in. long

A competition-grade carving signed and dated on the underside by the maker. Original paint with light wear, including a hairline crack at neck seam.

PROVENANCE: Estate of Peter H. Tillou

261 Green-Winged Teal Drake Leo H. McIntosh (1953-2007) Woodville, NY, c. 1990 10 1/2 in. long

A slightly turned-head carving with “Leo H. McIntosh” written in script on the bottom along with a drawing of a flying teal. This teal showcases not only McIntosh’s high level of decoy design, but also his exceptional painting abilities. Original paint with light wear, a small tail chip, and some brown spotting on top.

PROVENANCE: Estate of Peter H. Tillou

262 Calling Wigeon Pair W. J. Badeaux (b. 1943) Bayou Gauche, LA, 1984 15 1/2 in. long

One of the 1983 and 1985 winners of the Best in Gulf South contest at the Louisiana Wildfowl Carvers Festival, Badeaux demonstrated his carving and fine paint detail with this animated pair. The undersides are incised with his signature and date. Original paint with light wear, including very minor chipping to feather tips.

PROVENANCE: Estate of Peter H. Tillou

264

Snowy Egret

William Gibian (b. 1946)

Onancock, VA, c. 1991 15 1/4 in. tall, 17 1/2 in. long

A striding egret on a signed and dated base. Original paint with light wear and some restoration to thigh putty.

264

263 American Kestrel Bruce Lepper Millbrook, Ontario, Canada, c. 2002 28 1/2 in. tall

A turned-head kestrel with raised wing tips and exquisite textured feather detail perched on a piece of driftwood mounted on a base.

Before turning to carving full-time, Lepper had a distinguished career as a graphic artist in advertising and an art director. The master woodcarver has many accolades to his name, including the first purchase award at the 2013 Canadian National Wildfowl Carving Championship. The Ward Museum reports, “Since he began competing in 1987, he has won numerous ribbons, including many Best in Shows in Canada, and in the U.S. ... In 2003 he won a Best in Masters Decorative Life-size Wildfowl, and second in World Decorative Miniature Wildfowl. Noted primarily for his songbirds, he is also recognized for his raptors.” As found.

$6,000 - $9,000

265 266

266 Heron Head Gene Kangas Concord, OH 25 in. tall

A reaching heron head with “C” incised at the base of the neck. Original paint with light wear.

$600 - $900

GENE KANGAS CONCORD, OH

265 Reaching Great Blue Heron Gene Kangas Concord, OH 55 in. long

A full-size carving on a custom stand. Original paint with light wear.

$2,000 - $3,000

FRANK W. BENSON

267

267 Frank W. Benson (1862-1951)

Old Tom, 1926 signed “Frank W. Benson” lower left etching, 14 3/4 by 9 3/4 in.

Paff #246, edition of 150

Along with The Gunner, Winter Wildfowler, and Marsh Gunner, Old Tom is considered one of Benson’s “Big Four” hunting portraits. The original watercolor for this important Benson subject hangs in Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Florida

$2,000 - $3,000

268 Frank W. Benson (1862-1951)

Deer Hunter, 1924 signed “Frank W. Benson” lower left etching, 7 3/4 by 10 3/4 in. Paff #229, edition of 150

$800 - $1,200

269 Frank W. Benson (1862-1951)

Setting Decoys, 1923 signed “Frank W Benson” lower left etching, 7 3/4 by 10 3/4 in. Paff #228, edition of 150

Kennedy & Co., New York label on back

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Middleburg, Virginia

270 Frank W. Benson (1862-1951)

Winter Yellowlegs, 1918 signed “Frank W Benson” lower left drypoint, 6 3/4 by 10 3/4 in. Paff #142, edition 81 of 150

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Middleburg, Virginia

271 Frank W. Benson (1862-1951)

Two Canoes, 1927 signed “Frank W Benson” lower left etching, 5 3/4 by 7 3/4 in. Paff #266, edition of 150

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Middleburg, Virginia

272 Frank W. Benson (1862-1951)

Flying Brant, 1925 signed “Frank W Benson” lower left drypoint, 4 3/4 by 7 in. Paff #241, edition of 150

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Middleburg, Virginia

273 Frank W. Benson (1862-1951)

The Gunners’ Blind, 1921 signed “Frank W Benson” lower left etching, 7 3/4 by 9 3/4 in. Paff #204, edition of 150

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Middleburg, Virginia

274 Frank W. Benson (1862-1951)

On Ipswich River, 1916 signed “Frank W Benson” lower left drypoint, 4 by 5 in. Paff #100, edition 12 of 50 inscribed “To Frederick G Hall” lower left numbered “12” lower right

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Middleburg, Virginia

275 Frank W. Benson (1862-1951) Wild Geese Resting, 1915 signed “Frank W Benson” lower left drypoint, 6 by 8 1/2 in. Paff #56, edition of 35, trial proof

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Middleburg, Virginia

FRANK W. BENSON

276 Frank W. Benson (1862-1951)

Moose Caller, 1915 signed “Frank W Benson” lower left etching, 13 by 10 1/2 in.

Paff #65, edition 39 of 50

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Middleburg, Virginia

277 Frank W. Benson (1862-1951)

Black Ducks at Dusk, 1924 signed “Frank W Benson” lower left etching, 5 by 6 3/4 in.

Paff #239, edition of 150

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Middleburg, Virginia

278 Frank W. Benson (1862-1951)

Migrating Geese, 1916 signed “Frank W Benson” lower right drypoint, 9 3/4 by 8 in. Paff #106, edition of 160 inscribed “R-31” lower right

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Middleburg, Virginia

279 Frank W. Benson (1862-1951)

Lone Pintail, 1930 signed “Frank W Benson” lower left drypoint, 4 1/2 by 6 in. Paff #303, edition of 150

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Middleburg, Virginia

280 Frank W. Benson (1862-1951) Nascaupee Indian, 1921 signed “Frank W Benson” lower left etching, 7 3/4 by 6 in. Paff #210, edition of 150

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Middleburg, Virginia

281 Frank W. Benson (1862-1951)

Over the Tree-tops, 1915 signed “Frank W Benson” lower left etching, 5 by 8 in. Paff #84, edition 39 of 54

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Middleburg, Virginia

282 Frank W. Benson (1862-1951)

Springing Teal, 1930 signed “Frank W Benson” lower left drypoint, 13 3/4 by 9 3/4 in. Paff #306, edition of 150

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Middleburg, Virginia

283 Frank W. Benson (1862-1951)

Mallards at Evening, 1927 signed “Frank W Benson” lower left drypoint, 13 1/2 by 11 1/2 in.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Wisconsin

284 Three Books by Burton L. Spiller published by The Derrydale Press

More Grouse Feathers, 1938 illustrated by Lynn Bogue Hunt edition 659/950 label “Ex Libris Robert G Kerr”

Thoroughbred, 1936 illustrated by Lynn Bogue Hunt editon 86/950 label “Ex Libris Robert G Kerr”

Firelight, 1937 illustrated by Lynn Bogue Hunt edition 457/950 label “Ex Libris Robert G Kerr”

285 Two Books by Charles H. Baker Jr. published by the Derrydale Press, 1939

The Gentleman’s Companion An Exotic Drinking Book

edition 406/1250 inscribed “To Patty Paine with many happy memories of the frosted glass....” signed by Baker “Christmas 1939”

The Gentleman’s Companion An Exotic Cookery Book edition 406/1250

Inscribed “To Patty Paine with an earnest hope that nothing in this volume may cause my gastric emergencies..” signed by Baker “Christmas 1939”

286 Two Books by Nash Buckingham published by the Derrydale Press

De Shootinest Gent’Man, 1934 introduction by Col. Harold P. Sheldon edition 165/950 inscribed “To Mr Jay Cooke with sincere best wishes Nash Buckingham” label “Ex Libris.... Robert G. Kerr” label “Jay Cooke Ex Libris”

Blood Lines Tales of Shooting and Fishing, 1938 foreword by Henry P. Davis label “Ex Libris Robert G Kerr” label “Ex Libris Jay Cooke” in pencil “from Aunt Bess Xmas 1958” edition 1250/1075

287 A Monograph of the Pheasants by William Beebe four volumes published by H F & G Witherby, London, England, 1918-1922, under the auspices of the New York Zoological Society edition 422/600 Volume 1 inscribed “Inscribed with pleasure

for Dr William Seward Webb by William Beebe May 28th 1923.” and second inscription “To Dr William Seward Webb Shelburne House With kind regards and best wishes Anthony R Kuser Bernardsville NJ May 30th 1923”

288 Four Books

1st edition Wild Fowl Decoy by Joel Barber, Decoys of the Atlantic Flyway by George Ross Starr Jr. M.D., American Decoys by Quintina Colio, The Rare Decoy Collection of George Ross Starr Jr. MD

289 Nine Books

The Classic Decoy Series by Milton C. Weiler, Classic Shorebird Decoys by Milton C. Weiler, Artist of the Wilderness World by Francis Lee Jaques, The Shape of Things: The Art of Francis Lee Jaques by Patricia Condon Johnston, The Great Book of Wildfowl Decoys by Joe Engers, The Original Watercolor Paintings by John James Audubon for the Birds of America, Volume 1 and 2, The Great American Shooting Prints by Robert Elman, Salmon of the World by Ernest Schwiebert, Outdoor Life’s Gallery of North American Game with paintings by Francis Lee Jaques.

PROVENANCE: The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

RICHARD E. BISHOP

290 Richard E. Bishop (1887-1975)

Two oil-on-canvas landscapes with birds painted on plastic overlay sheet each mixed media, 6 by 8 in. Pintails Canada Geese inscribed “Can Geese” lower left

PROVENANCE: Estate of the artist Private Collection, North Carolina

291 Richard E. Bishop (1887-1975)

Two Bird Maps each color print, 30 3/4 by 26 1/2 in.

Map of the Diving Ducks, Eiders, and Mergansers of North America, 1937 edition 730 of 1000

Map of the Surface Feeding Ducks, Swans, and Geese of North America, 1937 edition 573 of 1000

292 Richard E. Bishop (1887-1975)

Two Prints and One Book (one shown)

Timberdoodle (Woodcock), 1942 drypoint, 7 1/2 by 5 1/2 in. signed and dated “Richard E Bishop ‘42” in plate lower right

Two Woodcocks print, 5 by 8 1/2 in.

Bishop’s Wildfowl, 1948, first edition, signed by author.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, North Carolina

293 Richard E. Bishop (1887-1975) Two Works on Paper (one shown)

In the Bag, 1940 signed “Richard E. Bishop” in plate lower left drypoint, 7 1/2 by 5 1/2 in. Bishop # 92

Holiday Greetings card print, 7 1/2 by 6 in. with “In the Bag” on front interior illustration of framed ducks, gun sleeve, wrapped present, and Christmas tree

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, North Carolina

294 Richard E. Bishop (1887-1975)

Two Pointer Works etching, 7 1/4 by 9 in. drawing, 8 1/2 by 12 3/4 in.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, North Carolina

295 Richard E. Bishop (1887-1975) Glass Bowl with Dog Designs 5 in. tall, 6 1/2 in. wide

A silver-rimmed glass bowl adorned with six hunting dog etchings.

296 Richard E. Bishop (1887-1975)

Christmas Card with Plate and Drawing

Christmas Card from Dinks and Brannan, 1947 signed “Richard E. Bishop” lower left

etching, 4 by 5 1/2 in.

copper plate, 4 by 5 3/4 in. drawing, 5 by 7 in.

297 Richard E. Bishop (1887-1975) Etching and Copper Plate Merry Christmas from Dinks and Brannan, 1957 signed “Richard E Bishop” lower left each 5 3/4 by 3 3/4 in.

298 Richard E. Bishop (1887-1975) Three Drypoints (one shown)

In the Stooks, 1945 signed “Richard E Bishop” lower right 9 3/4 by 11 3/4 in. titled lower left edition of 100

Whitebacks, 1948 signed “Richard E Bishop” lower right 10 by 11 3/4 in. titled lower left edition of 100

They’re Coming Back, 1936 10 by 13 3/4 in.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Wisconsin

299 Ogden M. Pleissner (1905-1983) Down’s Gulch, 1957 signed “Ogden Pleissner N.A.” lower right color print, 20 1/2 by 24 1/4 in. published and copyrighted by the Anglers’ Club of New York in an edition of 300 embossed with Anglers’ Club stamp lower right

LITERATURE: Peter Bergh, The Art of Ogden M. Pleissner, Boston, MA, 1984, p. 108, illustrated.

300 William J. Schaldach (1896-1982)

The Covey Flush, 1928 signed “W J Schaldach” lower right drypoint, 8 3/4 by 12 in. edition of 50

“It is impossible to show a covey of birds with all the detail of their color pattern right up in front of you, and the dog--finely modeled and standing like a statue--a few feet away...But artistic license is a fine thing now and then, and in this case it came to our aid nobly.” —William J. Schaldach

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Wisconsin

LITERATURE: John T. Ordeman, William J. Schaldach: Artist Author Sportsman, 1988, p. 83, illustrated.

301 Roland H. Clark (1874-1957)

Two Derrydale Prints (one shown) each hand-colored aquatint, 20 by 15 1/2 in. each published and copyrighted by The Derrydale Press, New York

The Scout - Mallard Drake, 1938 edition of 250

Down Wind - Pintail Drake signed “Roland Clark” lower right edition 70 of 250

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Wisconsin

302 Ogden M. Pleissner (1905-1983)

Woodcock Cover, 1977 signed “Ogden M. Pleissner” lower right color print, 15 by 24 in. published and copyrighted by the Crossroads of Sport, New York, NY, in an edition of 270

303 Ogden M. Pleissner (1905-1983)

Rising Salmon, 1961 signed “Ogden M. Pleissner” lower right color print, 17 1/2 by 26 3/4 in. inscribed “To Clifford Fitzgerald a guest, friend, and sportsman Ogden PleissnerChristmas 1961” lower left published by Sportsmans Gallery & Bookshelf in an edition of 300

LITERATURE: Peter Bergh, The Art of Ogden M. Pleissner, Boston, MA, 1984, p. 108, illustrated.

304 Ogden M. Pleissner (1905-1983)

Blue Boat on the St. Anne, 1959 signed “Ogden Pleissner N.A.” lower right color print, 16 1/2 by 24 1/2 in. published and copyrighted by the Anglers’ Club of New York in an edition of 300

Considered by many to be the most desirable of Pleissner’s prints, the original Blue Boat on the St. Anne resides at the Shelburne Museum in Vermont.

LITERATURE: Peter Bergh, The Art of Ogden M. Pleissner, Boston, MA, 1984, p. 108, illustrated.

305 Ogden M. Pleissner (1905-1983)

October Snow, 1959 signed “Ogden M Pleissner N.A.” lower right color print, 16 3/4 by 24 1/2 in. published and copyrighted by the Anglers’ Club of New York in an edition of 350

LITERATURE: Peter M. Bergh, The Art of Ogden M. Pleissner, Boston, MA, 1984, p. 108, illustrated.

306 Ogden M. Pleissner (1905-1983)

The Battenkill at Benedict’s Crossing, 1978 signed “Ogden M Pleissner” lower right color print, 17 1/2 by 23 in. published and copyrighted by the Crossroads of Sport and Orvis in an edition of 290

LITERATURE: Peter Bergh, The Art of Ogden M. Pleissner, Boston, MA, 1984, p. 109, illustrated.

307 Ogden M. Pleissner (1905-1983)

Rising Mist, 1983 lithograph, 16 3/4 by 25 1/2 in.

LITERATURE: Peter Bergh, The Art of Ogden M. Pleissner, Boston, MA, 1984, p. 110, illustrated.

308 Robert W. Hines (1912-1994)

Pair of Wood Ducks signed “Bob Hines” lower right oil on canvas, 20 by 24 in.

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.

309 Joyce Hagerbaumer Reed (b. 1945)

Pheasant Head, 1972 signed and dated “Joyce Hagerbaumer Reed 1972” lower left watercolor, 7 3/4 by 7 3/4 in. Haley & Steele, Boston label on back

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Northeast Harbor, Maine

310 D. Haskell Chhuy (20th Century)

Hunt Scene, 2005 signed and dated “D. Haskell Chhuy © 2005” lower right watercolor, 13 1/2 by 18 in.

HAROLD RICKERT

311 The “Hooked On Fish” Green Sunfish

Harold E. “Rick” Rickert (1923-1990) Mt. Clemens, MI, c. 1955 8 1/2 in. long

Rickert hails from the fish decoy capital of Mt. Clemens, Michigan, where he began to learn the local art form from his uncle Hans Janner Sr. and the Vandenbossche brothers, Dan and Ted. In their article on the maker, the Kangas’ go in depth chronicling the extraordinary and inventive efforts Rickert exerted to produce the very finest decoys in the tradition of his family and townsfolk.

This decoy was chosen for not only the Hooked on Fish museum exhibition, but also the cover feature in the accompanying catalog. This large cedar-bodied panfish is finished with Rickert’s tight stamped scales, hammered metal fins, and detailed glass eyes. The underside of the right pectoral fin is signed with a stamped “R.” This decoy is from Rickert’s special set of his best carvings. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Rickert Collection Kangas Collection of International Folk Art and Decoys

LITERATURE: Gene and Linda Kangas, “Harold E. Rickert: Building a legacy of excellence in a set of spearing decoys,” Decoy Magazine, March/April 2009.

Hooked on Wood: The Allure of the Fish Decoy, The Center for Art in Wood Exhibition Catalog, 2012, front cover and p. 25, exact carving illustrated.

EXHIBITED: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Hooked on Wood: The Allure of the Fish Decoy, The Center for Art in Wood, May 18–July 21, 2012.

$1,500 - $2,500

312 Red-Spotted Bass

Harold E. “Rick” Rickert (1923-1990) Mt. Clemens, MI, c. 1945 10 1/2 in. long

This early bass was one of Rickert’s favorite working fish decoys as the wear suggests. It is seen as a transitional piece

showing glimpses of his eventual masterworks. It has textile-stenciled painting across the plump body and neatly corrugated fins, one of which is signed with his stamped “R.” Original paint with fishing wear and a reset caudal fin with chips.

PROVENANCE: Rickert Collection

Kangas Collection of International Folk Art and Decoys

LITERATURE: Gene and Linda Kangas, “Harold E. Rickert: Building a legacy of excellence in a set of spearing decoys,” Decoy Magazine, March/April 2009, p. 10, exact fish illustrated.

$1,500 - $2,500

313

Musky

Harold E. “Rick” Rickert (1923-1990)

Mt. Clemens, MI, c. 1955 14 1/4 in. long

A stylish muskellunge showing the carver’s best work and his “R” stamped under one fin. This decoy is from Rickert’s special set of his best carvings. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Rickert Collection

Kangas Collection of International Folk Art and Decoys

$1,500 - $2,500

314

Red-Tailed Sucker

Harold E. “Rick” Rickert (1923-1990)

Mt. Clemens, MI, c. 1955 15 in. long

This grand fish is among the carver’s largest spear fishing decoys. The underside of one fin is stamped with his “R” signature. This decoy is from Rickert’s special set of his best carvings. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Rickert Collection Kangas Collection of International Folk Art and Decoys

LITERATURE: Gene and Linda Kangas, Great Lakes Interpretations, Concord, OH, 2011, p. 264, exact decoy illustrated.

Hooked on Wood: The Allure of the Fish Decoy, The Center for Art in Wood Exhibition Catalog, 2012, p. 25, exact carving illustrated.

Gene and Linda Kangas, “Harold E. Rickert: Building a legacy of excellence in a set of spearing decoys,” Decoy Magazine, March/April 2009, p. 11, exact fish illustrated.

EXHIBITED: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Hooked on Wood: The Allure of the Fish Decoy, The Center for Art in Wood, May 18–July 21, 2012.

$1,500 - $2,500

MT. CLEMENS, MI

315 Brook Trout

Harold E. “Rick” Rickert (1923-1990) Mt. Clemens, MI c. 1955 5 3/4 in. long

A bright little trout with a sleek finish and the maker’s stamped “R” signature under one fin. This decoy is from Rickert’s special set of his best carvings. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Rickert Collection Kangas Collection of International Folk Art and Decoys

LITERATURE: Gene and Linda Kangas, “Harold E. Rickert: Building a legacy of excellence in a set of spearing decoys,” Decoy Magazine, March/April 2009, p. 12, exact decoy illustrated.

$1,500 - $2,500

316 Brown Trout

Harold E. “Rick” Rickert (1923-1990) Mt. Clemens, MI, c. 1955 11 in. long

This trout is among the maker’s finest works and, accordingly, it has been published on at least three occasions. The openmouth carving has tight stamped scales and hammered fins. This decoy is from Rickert’s special set of his best carvings. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Rickert Collection Kangas Collection of International Folk Art and Decoys

LITERATURE: Gene and Linda Kangas, Great Lakes Interpretations, Concord, OH, 2011, p. 2,. exact decoy illustrated.

Hooked on Wood: The Allure of the Fish Decoy, The Center for Art in Wood Exhibition Catalog, 2012, p. 25, exact carving illustrated.

Gene and Linda Kangas, “Harold E. Rickert: Building a legacy of excellence in a set of spearing decoys,” Decoy Magazine, March/ April 2009, p. 10, exact fish illustrated.

EXHIBITED: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Hooked on Wood: The Allure of the Fish Decoy, The Center for Art in Wood, May 18–July 21, 2012.

$1,500 - $2,500

Lot 311 on front cover of exhibition catalog.

317 Trophy Steelhead Carving

Stephen Smith (b. 1942) Jamestown, NY, 2006 plaque is 20 by 47 in.

A trophy thirty-six-and-one-half-pound steelhead carving of a fish caught by J. McHenry Nielsen M.D. on the Babine River, Canada, October 2006. The maker’s inlaid signature plaque appears lower left. The fish is 28 3/4 inches long. As found.

318 Wakeman Holberton (1839-1898) Standard American Trout Flies, 1894 signed and dated “Wakeman Holberton 1894” lower right hand-colored lithograph, 18 3/4 by 16 in edition 47 of 50

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Quebec, Canada

$800 - $1,200

319 Stan Bogdan (1918-2011) Reel approximately 3 1/2 in. diameter

A left-hand wind reel with a “S.E Bogdan, Nashua, N.H.” plate and “No 50” on foot, suede case included. As found.

PROVENANCE: Thomas W. Shepperd Collection Private Collection, Massachusetts, by descent from the above

320 Vom Hofe 2/0 Salmon Reel

Edward Vom Hofe (1846-1920) New York, NY, 1902 approximately 3 1/2 in. diameter

Right-handed fly reel with an “EDWARD vom HOFE, MAKER, -N.Y.-, PAT, May 20, 02” plate, includes leather case.

This reel belonged to John M. Olin who fished it at the Moisie Salmon Club where he was a member. Russ Fisher continued to fish it on the Moisie as well as in British Columbia for steelhead. As found, with some dings and scratches.

PROVENANCE: John M. Olin Russ Fisher Collection, acquired c. 2005

$2,000 - $3,000

321 Winston Fly Reel R.L Winston approximately 3 1/4 in. diameter

A left-handed trout reel with extra spool in wooden box. As found.

PROVENANCE: Thomas W. Sheppard Collection Private Collection, Massachusetts, by descent from the above

322 Muskie Trade Sign Michigan, c. 1950 36 in. long

This large sign was purchased from a fishing shop in Michigan. As found.

$600 - $900

323 Fishing Bobbers largest is 8 1/2 in. long

Box of approximately thirty-eight fishing bobbers and several line winders. As found.

324 Falconer Carving Europe 15 3/4 in. tall

Falconry was widespread in medieval Europe. During the reign of King Edward VIII (1327-1377), the theft of a trained raptor was punishable by death. The growing popularity of firearms during the 1800s resulted in a plummet in the popularity of falconry. As found.

325 Eagle Doorstop 4 in. tall

As found.

326 Miniature Snook with Lure 4 in. long

A full-bodied miniature wood carving with a red-headed lure. It is fashioned as a wearable pin. Original paint with light wear.

327 Spinning Lark Mirror Decoy France, 19th Century 20 in. tall by 10 in. wide

This rare and refined European hunting artifact features a finely crafted stake fitted with a spinning top embedded with mirrors. These were used to attract larks which have been popular table fare in Europe. A French name for these devices is “miroir aux alouettes.” As found.

328 David Yellow Horse Knife

Winchester Repeating Arms Co., 1991 3 1/2 in. long

A sterling silver 125th-anniversary Winchester pocket knife with images of a gun, Oliver Winchester, and the New Haven factory incised on the side. The second knife is smaller with only a single blade.

329 Pair of Purdey Duck Cufflinks James Purdey & Sons London, England

A pair of duck head cufflinks by James Purdey & Sons. Founded in 1814, this British gun-making firm specializes in high-end shotguns and rifles.

330

330 W. Stanley “Sandy” Proctor (b. 1939)

Vanity, 1990 stone, 16 in. long

Proctor was an accomplished stone and bronze carver as well as a painter whose work has been displayed at museums and has received national and international recognition. The artist was inducted into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame in 2006. He has been the Featured Master Sculptor at the Southeastern

Wildlife Exposition in South Carolina, the Plantation Wildlife Arts Festival in Georgia, and the Easton Waterfowl Festival in Maryland.

This tucked-head stone carving is mounted on a stone base which bears a plaque with the name of the artist, the title, and the year of the work.

331 Georges Gardet (French, 1863-1939)

Tiger in the Ruins signed “G. Gardet” on base bronze, 11 by 24 by 7 1/2 in.

As a student at the École des Beaux-Arts, Gardet was trained in the studios of Aimé Millet and Emmanuel Fremiet. In 1900 Gardet’s work was exhibited at the Parisian Exposition Universelle and he was made an Officer of the Legion of Honor. Gardet was also a member of the Académie des BeauxArts and the Society of French Artists.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Bozeman, Montana

332 Jamaica Turtle Decoy 31 in. long

This exact turtle decoy is listed as lot 671 in the 1986 Bourne auction catalog featuring the collection of Dr. George Ross Starr Jr. The underside bears a penned inscription with this information. As found.

PROVENANCE: Collection of Dr. George Ross Starr Jr. Private Collection

LITERATURE: Richard A. Bourne Co., Inc., The Rare Decoy Collection of George Ross Starr Jr., M.D., May 2 & 3, 1986, lot 671, exact decoy referenced.

333 Two Swan Heads Currituck Sound, NC, c. 1920 14 1/2 in. tall

The brighter of the two heads is a rare and authentic swan decoy head that saw little to no gunning action. The darker head on the wooden base is a contemporary reproduction made in the same style. Original paint with light wear.

334 Miniature Puffins D.G. Mills Thomaston, ME, c. 1960 4 in. tall

An animated pair of puffin mounted on a driftwood base. The underside is signed by the maker. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Northeast Harbor, Maine

335 Owl Carving c. 1920 11 in. tall

A screech owl on a carved branch with ornate carved detail throughout. This early detailed work may have been made as a pattern for castings. Original paint with wear and a chipped ear.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Connecticut

$1,000 - $2,000

336 Pheasant Pair c. 1930 12 3/4 in. long

A pair of foot-long pheasants with appealing craquelure. Original paint with light wear and some damage to leg putty and bill tips.

337 Cast Iron Duck 13 in. long

As found.

338 Chet Reneson (b. 1934)

Too Hot to Handle, 2022 signed “Reneson” lower left acrylic on board, 21 by 35 in.

Chet Reneson graduated from the University of Hartford, Connecticut, in 1960. Reneson’s art teacher, Henrik Mayer, emphasized the importance of simplicity and taught the values of light, dark, and strong. This laid the foundation for Reneson’s unmistakable style. For the past fifty years, Reneson’s painting has remained true to his early mentor’s teaching, encompassing many subjects, including wildlife, duck hunting, upland bird shooting, big game fishing, fly fishing, and Bahamian scenes. Reneson’s work has graced the covers of Sporting Classics, Gray’s Sporting Journal, and Sports Afield, among others. He is a past member of the Connecticut Watercolor Association and the Old Lyme Art Association. He was the Ducks Unlimited 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

Chet Reneson is the 2023 Featured Artist for the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust. 50% of the proceeds from the sale of Too Hot to Handle 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.

$5,000 - $7,000

339 Chet Reneson (b. 1934)

Sailboats signed “Reneson” lower right watercolor, 19 1/2 by 28 in.

339

340 Chet Reneson (b. 1934)

340 341

Bahamian Woman in Front of Gate watercolor, 14 by 21 1/2 in. titled on back

341 Chet Reneson (b. 1934)

Bahamian Woman by Stone Wall signed “Reneson” lower left watercolor, 13 3/4 by 20 in.

342

342 Chet Reneson (b. 1934)

Winter Grouse signed “Reneson” lower right watercolor, 19 3/4 by 28 in.

343 Chet Reneson (b. 1934)

Surfcasting signed “Reneson” lower left watercolor, 21 by 29 in. signed and titled on back

343 344

344 Chet Reneson (b. 1934) Bass Fishing signed “Reneson” lower left watercolor, 21 by 29 in.

345 Thomas Aquinas Daly (b. 1937)

Tundra Storm Clouds, 2022 signed “ta daly” lower left oil on board, 18 by 24 in. signed and titled on back

After training as a graphic artist at the University of Buffalo and working in the commercial printing world, Tom Daly turned to fine art full time in 1981. His distinctive watercolors and oils capture the light and moods of hunting and fishing landscapes with sensitivity and lyricism. Two books are dedicated to his body of work: Painting Nature’s Quiet Places and The Art of Thomas Aquinas Daly, and his paintings have appeared in many magazines and sporting art publications, including Sporting Classics and Gray’s Sporting Journal, among others.

Daly crafted this atmospheric wildlife painting over time, finally satisfying his vision by creating “a more dramatic sky with the addition of threatening storm clouds. I also opened up the landscape to make it recede deep into the distance, making the tundra appear more vast.”

Two of the top three Daly paintings ever sold were big game oils of close proximity in scope and size to Tundra Storm Clouds Vintage Daly, this work vividly captures the stormy day’s mood and energy.

$8,000 - $12,000

346 Ken Carlson (b. 1937) Bull Elk signed “Ken Carlson” lower right oil on board, 12 1/4 by 18 in.

Born in 1937, Ken Carlson spent his early life in Minnesota, where he developed a love of nature and art. His artistic training took place at the Minneapolis School of Art. Today, Carlson is among the leading wildlife art painters. His works have been featured at exhibitions and in the collections of the National Wildlife Art Museum in Jackson, Wyoming, the Steamboat Art Museum in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, and the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Museum in Wausau, Wisconsin. Among other honors, he was granted the Bob Kuhn Wildlife

Award from the Autry Museum of the American West in Los Angeles in 2008 and the Prix de West in 1999. He is a regular supporter of wildlife conservation organizations, such as Ducks Unlimited and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

$5,000 - $8,000

347 Ken Carlson (b. 1937) Monarchs on the Plain signed “Ken Carlson ©” lower left oil on canvas, 9 by 18 in.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Bozeman, Montana

$5,000 - $7,000

348 Bob Kuhn (1920-2007)

Close but No Cigar, 2003 signed and dated “Kuhn 03” lower left acrylic on board, 13 3/4 by 23 1/4 in.

Born and raised in Buffalo, New York, Bob Kuhn enjoyed visiting the Buffalo Zoo and sketching its inhabitants as a child. After studying design, anatomy, and life drawing at the Pratt Institute in New York City, Kuhn made his living working as an illustrator for various wildlife and outdoor magazines. In the early 1970s, Kuhn switched to painting full time. Kuhn’s work is featured in the permanent collections of the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson, Wyoming; the National Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and the John L. Wehle

Gallery of Sporting Art at the Genesee Country Village and Museum in Mumford, New York.

Kuhn’s most notable works capture the twisting and turning of predators in pursuit of their prey. In this painting, a pouncing bobcat attempts to seize a flying grouse in a snowy, winter landscape. It relates closely to his famous and widely published work Survival Tactics, depicting the same species.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Bozeman, Montana

LITERATURE: Wild Harvest: The Animal Art of Bob Kuhn, 1997, p. 85.

$70,000 - $80,000

349 Bob Kuhn (1920-2007) Rams Along Rock Ridge signed “Kuhn” lower right acrylic on board, 12 by 18 in.

Kuhn writes, “Wild sheep inhabit some pretty awesome sweeps of high country.” He continues, “To paint mountain sheep one must portray the lofty reaches of their habitat...I’m only a painter of mountains when my animal subjects haul me up...to their otherwise inaccessible crags and alpine meadows.”

Kuhn returned to the subject of bighorn sheep over his illustrious career, and several depictions of the species were selected for Wild Harvest, including the frontispiece, Mating Madness, and Big Horn Rams Up High

PROVENANCE: Leanin’ Tree Museum of Western Art, Boulder, Colorado

Private Collection, Bozeman, Montana

LITERATURE: Wild Harvest: The Animal Art of Bob Kuhn, 1997, frontispiece, pp. 45, 51.

$75,000 - $95,000

351 David Charles Wade (1952-2019)

350 351

Early September Morning signed “Wade” lower left oil on board, 24 by 36 in.

David Wade studied art at the University of Utah and the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles before embarking on a successful career as a wildlife artist. He counted Robert Abbett, Bob Kuhn, and Ken Carlson among his influences and worked from his studio in western Wyoming. This well-executed oil depicts an adult moose in an adeptly painted landscape.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Bozeman, Montana

$5,000 - $7,000

350 Robert Elmer Lougheed (1910-1982) Buck, Doe, and Fawn signed “R.E. Lougheed” lower right oil on canvas, 32 by 24 in.

Robert Lougheed was born in 1910 and raised on a farm in Ontario, Canada, where he spent hours sketching wildlife as a boy. He studied at the Ontario College of Art in Toronto and the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Montreal. He worked as a newspaper illustrator, and then moved to New York at the suggestion of his artist friend John Clymer (1907-1989). Lougheed, like Pleissner, studied with Frank Dumond (1865-1951) at the Arts Students League.

Lougheed lived in Westport, Connecticut, for twenty years, where, among other commissions, he painted the Annual National Field Dog Champions for DuPont, like Osthaus had earlier. After decades of extensive travel in the West, Lougheed and his wife, Cordy, moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he died in 1982.

The artist followed in the esteemed wildlife art tradition of painters like Carl Rungius (1869-1959) and Bob Kuhn (1920-2007).

$3,000 - $5,000

352

352 Friedrich Wilhelm Kuhnert (1865-1926) Lion signed “Willy Kuhnert” lower right etching, 13 by 20 in. inscribed “59-60” lower left

A technically gifted artist from a young age, Wilhelm Kuhnert was an important German wildlife painter who sought out big game in the wild rather than drawing animals at the zoo. African lions were his favorite subject, and Kuhnert went onto influence later wildlife painters, such as Bob Kuhn and

Ken Carlson. The large-scale etching is one of Kuhnert’s most iconic prints.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Bozeman, Montana

$8,000 - $10,000

354 Carl Rungius (1869-1959)

White Flag, 1928 signed “C Rungius” lower right etching, 7 3/4 by 10 3/4 in.

353 Bob Kuhn (1920-2007)

Bighorn Ram signed “Kuhn” lower right conte crayon on paper, 9 1/4 by 8 1/2 in

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Bozeman, Montana

$3,000 - $5,000

355 Herman Palmer (1894-1946) Tiger signed “Herman Palmer” lower center ink wash, 8 1/2 by 14 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). 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.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Bozeman, Montana

357 Frank D. Hagel (b. 1933) The Post on the Musselshell, 1992 signed and dated “Hagel 1992” lower left oil on board, 17 by 23 in. titled on Mongerson Wunderlich, Chicago label on back

“Hagel was active in logging, ranching and rodeoing, returning to Kalispell in 1972 and was featured in Southwest Art in 1977 and has designed and sculpted medals and designed murals. He is a first rate artist.” on label on back

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Wisconsin

$2,000 - $3,000

356 357

356 Gary Niblett (b. 1943) Mountain Traveler, 1978 signed and dated “© Gary Niblett ‘78 CA” lower right oil on canvas, 20 by 30 in. titled on back

A member of the Cowboy Artists of America, this highly decorated artist paints in the tradition of Frederic Remington and Charles Russell.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Wisconsin

$3,000 - $5,000

359 Dale A. Weiler (b. 1947)

Aerial Dancer - Trout signed and numbered “D. A. Weiler #12/50” under tail bronze, 12 1/4 by 10 by 11 1/2 in. edition 12 of 50

“I created this bronze not just for the sake of the chunky brook trout, but to capture the movement of water as it broke free of its common bond. I’m always fascinated with understanding how species connect and relate to their environment. I love the fluidity and freedom in this piece.”

— Dale Weiler

359

358 Henry Sumner “Hy” Watson (1868-1933)

Netting a Trout signed “HY Watson” lower left oil on canvas, 30 by 21 in.

Known for his illustrations of fishing and hunting, Watson was an editor at Field & Stream. He studied at the Académie Julian in Paris and also under Thomas Eakins at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Wisconsin $2,000 - $4,000

360

361 John Newton Howitt (1885-1958)

Bass Fishing signed “John Newton Howitt” lower left oil on canvas, 29 1/2 by 23 1/2 in.

Howitt was born in White Plains, New York, in 1885. As a young boy with polio, he was encouraged to draw by his father, and went on to study at the Art Students League. He created many covers and illustrations for magazines such as Liberty, Colliers, and The Saturday Evening Post during the Golden Age of Illustration between 1910 and 1930, in addition to advertisement work. During the Depression, he painted covers for pulp magazines such as Horror Stories, Dime Detective, and Terror Tails, which he signed only with “H,” but which garnered him fame today. In the 1940s, he returned to mainstream magazine illustration. Howitt died in Port Jervis, New York, in 1958 after a long, successful career as a working artist.

$3,000 - $5,000

360 Ralph Crosby Smith (1907-1962)

Fisherman and Bears signed “Ralph Crosby Smith” lower right oil on board, 19 1/2 by 25 1/2 in.

Born in Sacramento, California, Smith went on to study at the Wilmington Academy of Art in Delaware. In 1993 he moved to New Jersey where he illustrated works for Western Pulps magazine. After World War II, he moved to Connecticut where he contributed works to Outdoor Life and Brown & Bigelow.

$3,000 - $5,000

361

The Stephen B. O’Brien Sr. Collection of Nantucket Decoys

Stephen B. O’Brien Sr. grew up enjoying many of the same pursuits as his grandfather Henry, father, Donal Sr., and older brothers, Donal, David, and Jon O’Brien. Growing up in Manhattan, the family’s sporting passions flourished during their sojourns to Westhampton Beach on Long Island.

Decoy collecting came easy to the youngest O’Brien, as did hunting and fishing. Furthermore, he states, “It also fit right in with my love of history, paintings, and American folk art.” He acquired his first decoy in 1968, between deployments while serving as an officer in the Navy. Making the most of shore leave in Norfolk, Virginia, he crossed the newly constructed Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel and made the journey up the Delmarva Peninsula to visit the famous Ward Brothers. They weren’t home, but he did not leave Crisfield empty-handed, acquiring a Ward drake canvasback (lot 376) from a “collectables” shop in town, and, thus, kicking off over a half-century of decoy collecting. In 1971, after taking a position in Manhattan, one of his greatest sourced discoveries was made on an antiquing trip to his childhood stomping grounds on Long Island where he discovered an exceedingly early 19thcentury roothead red knot (lot 380).

Stephen O’Brien Sr. moved to Duxbury, Massachusetts, in the mid-1970s, where Dr. George Ross Starr Jr. and his son Robin were early influencers, introducing the young O’Brien to the fledgling tailgate and buy-sell-swap events, including those surrounding the Bourne auctions on Cape Cod.

While O’Brien has owned decoys from up and down the Atlantic over the years, he acknowledges, “Early on I realized I must specialize. Nantucket’s early and unique bird hunting and decoy making history along with my passion for the island made it an ideal region to focus on.” By the mid-1970s, both Donal and Stephen had made Nantucket their summer destination of choice. Prior to their arrival,

only a small handful of collectors preceded the O’Briens’ focus on sourcing and preserving Nantucket decoys.

Franklin Folger Webster (1895–1980) may have been the island’s first great decoy collector, possessing premier rigs from not only his Folger and Webster lineage (lots 363, 364, and 366), but also examples associated with historic names, including Coffin, Bigelow, and Winslow. The wildlife artist H. Emerson Tuttle (1890–1946) and banker-sportman Alfred Ely (1884–1959) are also known to be among the island’s first documented shorebird decoy collectors and chroniclers.

Other mid-century visionaries included Robert D. Congdon (1905–1989) and Allan Jewett Royal (1931–1986). After Congdon’s passing, a selection of his collection was sold at auction in 1999, in what up until now is likely the single greatest public offering of Nantucket decoys.

Allan “Rocket” Royal was a “beloved character” on Nantucket, a social regular at Congdon’s Pharmacy on Main Street, and nicknamed for his blazing speed as a student athlete. Hailing from an island family reaching back generations, Rocket was perfectly positioned as a field

Brant decoy collector Ken Gleason and Stephen B. O’Brien Sr. after a successful hunt, c. 1975.

assessor with virtually untethered access to private homes and estates. While he found birds far and wide and on occasions at the town dump, his most notable acquisitions were from Franklin F. Webster.

The youngest O’Brien bought the Royal Collection in 1975 (see lots 363, 364, and 366). He kept some of his favorites

and continued to source and collect with a passion, as the hollow Coffin curlew from The Henry Coffin House and a reassembled rig of plover illustrate (lots 362 and 365). This collection was displayed for over forty years in Susan and Stephen O’Brien’s home called The Duck Blind, overlooking the historic shooting grounds of Hummock Pond.

The Stephen B. O’Brien Sr. Collection of Nantucket Decoys (continued)

Nantucket Decoys

Most would agree that Scrimshaw and decoys are Nantucket’s premier and localized artforms. While the illustrations etched by sailors on whales’ teeth have long been prized on the island, only recently have wooden bird carvings begun to find greater appreciation.

When considering the aesthetic appeal, age, rarity, and fine construction of Nantucket’s best decoys, it is somewhat surprising that they have lagged slightly behind Long Island and Cobb Island decoys as far as top billing goes. This, until fairly recently, has been mainly due to the grip on the birds that Tuttle, Congdon, and the O’Brien brothers have held. That dynamic appears to be shifting; however, as choice Nantucket decoys have recently found their way into the market from the Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr., Grant Nelson, Ted and Judy Harmon, and Thomas K. Figge Collections. Indeed, the Nantucket decoy auction record has been set and reset four times in the past three years, most recently reaching $228,000.

Nantucket decoys are very distinct in regards to their refined and hollow construction. A broad review shows that hollow waterfowl decoys are found throughout North America; yet, hollow shorebirds are virtually a Nantucket anomaly. While the carved-out bodies were no doubt easier to carry into the field, their hollow construction provided other advantages and can be seen as a marker of quality. Their often refined construction fit with Nantucket’s rich history of craftsmanship including scrimshaw, lightship baskets, and Windsor chairs.

The extremely early and unique history of Nantucket shorebird hunting has presented exciting challenges in understanding the gunning decoys of the region. The

vestige of golden plover and Eskimo curlew decoys are far and away the leading species left behind by island makers. Ongoing research is revealing that many of the decoys from Nantucket are even earlier than most first thought. Multiple rigs are now known to have been made in the first half of the 19th century. Both of these migratory species were becoming more scarce on the island by the end of that century. Accordingly, their decoys were becoming obsolete in that early period.

Ornithologist and hunter George Henry Mackay (1843–1937) left us with valuable accounts of his in-depth observations of the curlew and plover migratory stopovers on the island. In an 1891 publication, he addresses the overall decline of plover visits to the island: “I have been many times disappointed on driving over the Plover ground at daylight on the following morning to find that no birds had stopped. In other words, it is a most difficult matter to ‘hit the flight,’ for it requires a combination of circumstances and weather which rarely happens, to enable one to obtain any number of these birds on the Atlantic coast.” Over 130 years later, a similar statement could convey the experience of collectors of Nantucket’s exceptional decoys.

Copley is honored to present buyers with the opportunity to acquire exemplary carvings from this historic Nantucket shorebird decoy collection.

“Nantucket, most easterly of the Massachusetts islands, was the spot to offer consistent success to the seeker of the Golden Plover as well as the Eskimo Curlew. The southern migration of that prodigious traveler, the Golden Plover, was usually over the Atlantic Ocean far from our shores. But when easterly storms come late in August, as they often do, numbers of Golden Plover seek rest and food on the Eastern extremity of the northeast coast. Their most favored haven seems to have been Nantucket, and from the year 1850 plover-hunting enthusiasts made hunting history on that island. Contemporary accounts describe days when the Golden or “Green Plover” were everywhere in evidence, gorging themselves on the grasshoppers and then vanishing overnight into the vastness of the Atlantic.”

CHARLES F. COFFIN

1835-1919 | NANTUCKET, MA

362 Hollow Coffin Curlew

Charles F. Coffin (1835-1919) Nantucket, MA, c. 1870 15 in. long

Many of Nantucket’s very finest decoy rigs can be linked to a triumvirate of attributed makers, C. F. Coffin, The Folgers, and Mr. Webster. This stately and very early three-piece hollow curlew decoy demonstrates the apex of Charles Fredrick Coffin’s rig.

This grand decoy emanating from the famous Coffin rig has only two known peers. The Donal C. O’Brien Jr. Collection possesses one which was chosen for Dr. Paul Johnsgard’s 1970s book and exhibition The Bird Decoy: An American Art Form. The only other known example was held in the premier shorebird decoy collection of Grant Nelson, and in 2020 that closely related example achieved a world-record result for any Nantucket decoy at auction. The striking features of this decoy and its two rigmates are distinct from other Nantucket curlew, most notably their featherlight construction and tight stippled paint.

This decoy has remained on Nantucket since it was made one hundred and fifty years ago. Prior to being sourced by O’Brien Sr. it resided downtown on Main Street in the historic Henry Coffin (1807-1900) House, so named for Charles’ father. Other decoys from this house are now owned by the Nantucket Historical Association, and are exhibited at the NHA’s flagship Whaling Museum. Original paint with light gunning wear, touch-up to bill insert and replaced bill.

PROVENANCE: Coffin Family Rig and Collection, Nantucket The Stephen B. O’Brien Sr. Collection

LITERATURE: Copley Fine Art Auctions, The Sporting Sale 2020, Hingham, MA, lot 191, Nelson Collection rigmate illustrated. Paul A. Johnsgard, The Bird Decoy: An American Art Form, Lincoln, NE, 1976, p. 157, pl. 179, Donal O’Brien Collection rigmate illustrated.

$80,000 - $120,000

“Nantucket decoys are hard to come by and historically they are of great interest. Since they were used for relatively short periods of time each year, they were handed down from generation to generation.”

—

William J. Mackey Jr., American Bird Decoys

363 Early Hollow Folger Golden Plover

Folger Family

Nantucket, MA, c. 1840 11 in. long

“To me,” wrote Donal C. O’Brien Jr., “these are the greatest of all the Nantucket Golden Plovers; very early 1800s.” Indeed, this decoy and the very small number of birds by the maker are among the island’s most coveted decoys. Donal O’Brien collected two rigmates and a few related examples with raised wing tips (see lot 366). Donal acquired some of his directly from Franklin Folger Webster (1895-1980), one of which was his first pick from the Webster Collection. Only one example of these early Folgers has surfaced outside of the O’Brien Collections.

Beyond the rarity at auction and provenance of this feather-weight carving, Donal O’Brien noted his belief that the Nantucket makers influenced A. Elmer Crowell and that Adele Earnest thought so as well. This stands the test of reason as a vast majority of the Nantucket decoys predate the work of Crowell and we know of at least one rig of Nantucket decoys that Crowell repainted prior to 1900. Earlier than Cobbs, the shorebirds of Nantucket rank up there with the top carvings of all time.

This hollowed decoy has refined lines, a full breast, and carved raised wings which resolve alongside the thin tail. It was finished with high-contrast plumage, including colorful red spots on the back.

Given their age, provenance, and style, the best attributions are to Franklin Folger Webster’s forefathers three and four generations prior: William Folger (1785-1865) or his son, Franklin Folger Sr. (1815-1865). Two birds by this Folger maker can be seen in the Nantucket Island No. 2 plate of Mackey and Weiler’s Classic Shorebird Decoys. In the No. 1 Nantucket spread, Weiler illustrates and Mackey discusses a Folger rig “...bandolier of sorts that protected [the hunter’s] cherished stools as he toted them to and from his shooting grounds.” The well-preserved condition of this 19th-century carvings can in part be attributed to the Folger family’s protective measures. Original paint with light gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Franklin Folger Webster Collection Allan “Rocket” Royal Collection, acquired from the above Stephen B. O’Brien Sr. Collection, acquired from the above in 1975

LITERATURE: Milton C. Weiler and William J. Mackey Jr., Classic Shorebird Decoys: A Portfolio of Paintings, New York, NY, 1971, pl. 16, related examples illustrated.

William J. Mackey Jr., American Bird Decoys, New York, NY, 1965, p. 76, Nantucket decoys discussed.

Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. and Chelsie W. Olney, Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving, Hingham, MA, 2019, pp. 218-219, early Crowell plover illustrated.

$30,000 - $40,000

364 Golden Plover Mr. Webster

Nantucket, MA, c. 1850 10 in. long

This early plover with a sharp tail cut is among the best of its kind from the iconic Webster rig. It has resided on the island since it was made over a century and a half ago. Created in an upright posture, the swooping lines of this alert siren are on full display.

Early collectors Donal C. O’Brien Jr., William J. Mackey Jr., Adele Earnest, and Dr. Peter Muller all believed that the plover from this rig were some of the finest works of American folk art they had ever come across.

Indeed, Mackey and Donal O’Brien hunted down and acquired fifteen of the seventeen examples that surfaced. The majority continue to reside in the Donal O’Brien Collection and one can be seen in Mackey and Weiler’s Classic Shorebird Decoys portfolio.

The rig is consistent in paint, depicted in bold breeding plumage; however, each bird’s form is slightly different and the maker’s free-hand approach produced a lively flock with no two birds exactly alike.

No survey of Nantucket shorebirds would be complete without an example of Webster’s contributions to American folk art. Original paint with light gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Franklin Folger Webster Collection

Allan “Rocket” Royal Collection, acquired from the above Stephen B. O’Brien Sr. Collection, acquired from the above in 1975

LITERATURE: Milton C. Weiler, The Classic Decoy Series: A Portfolio of Paintings, New York, NY, 1969, pl. 2, rigmate illustrated.

William Doyle Galleries, Waterfowl and Shorebird Decoys, New York, NY, April 15, 1981, back cover and p. 61, lot 76, rigmate illustrated twice.

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

Robert Shaw, Call to the Sky: The Decoy Collection of James M. McCleery, M.D., Houston, TX, 1992, p. 13, 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, Session III, lot 320, rigmate illustrated.

Jeff Waingrow, “The American Decoy: Folk Sculpture from the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Donal C. O’Brien Jr.,” The Clarion: America’s Folk Art Magazine, Fall 1981, p. 30, rigmate illustrated.

Jackson Parker, “O’Brien Classic Decoys on Display at Museum of American Folk Art,” North American Decoys Magazine, Spring/Summer 1982, p. 34, rigmate illustrated.

Laurence Sheehan, The Sporting Life, New York, NY, 1992, p. 79, two rigmates illustrated.

Copley Fine Art Auctions, The Donal C. O’Brien Jr. Collection of Important American Sporting Art and Decoys, Sessions I-II, July 27, 2017, inside front cover, six rigmates illustrated in Donal O’Brien’s living room.

$10,000 - $20,000

365 Rig of Seven Golden Plover

Coffin Family Nantucket, MA, c. 1870 9 1/4 in. long

“Birds of a feather flock together.” An important aspect of a decoy’s functionality is that they were made to be seen socially and used en masse. The early primary-source collectors acquired entire rigs from the context of utility and placed them on their shelves in their newly defined context as art. These rigs gave acquisitors trade material as they diversified their portfolios. Over the years, the rigs were often whittled down into singles or pairs. An exception to this decoy diaspora is seen in the Paul Tudor Jones II, Thomas K. Figge, and Donal C. O’Brien Jr. Collections, which notably hold rigs together. While some rigs continue to be broken up, a growing number of astute collectors are reassembling historic rigs and groupings.

This lot represents a unique opportunity in the modern era to obtain a Nantucket rig of this size. It consists of several variations of the maker’s golden plover. All have a variation of the Coffin-type body and green stippling on the backs and sides, white headbands, and mortise-and-tenon bills. Two have hollow bodies with thin bottom boards in breeding plumage. Two have solid bodies with dark adult plumage. The final three

are in juvenile “pale belly” plumage with two-piece head construction; two of these had been painted in breeding plumage with the solid white bellies added over the white dots. This is logical as the old and young birds would typically arrive on Nantucket in entirely separate flights.

Included are seven vintage Nantucket gunning sticks for use in the meadows and one homemade shell box. Original paint with gunning wear. One solid adult has an original imperfection above the tail, the other solid adult has a reset neck and half of bill replaced. A solid-white-bellied bird has wear to top of head and flaking around knot in breast. One of the hollow birds has a replaced bottom board.

PROVENANCE: Stephen B. O’Brien Sr. Collection

$12,000 - $18,000

366

Early Hollow Golden Plover With Raised Wing Tips

Folger Family Nantucket, MA, c. 1840 9 in. long

“To me,” wrote Donal C. O’Brien Jr. “...these are the greatest of all the Nantucket Golden Plovers; very early 1800s.” Indeed, this decoy and the very small number of birds by the maker are among the island’s most coveted decoys. Donal O’Brien collected four rigmates and two more similar to lot 363. Donal acquired some of his early Folgers directly from Franklin Folger Webster (1895-1980), one of which was his first pick from the Webster collection. Only one example of these early Folgers has surfaced outside of the O’Brien Collections.

Beyond the rarity and provenance of this feather-weight carving Donal O’Brien noted his belief that these Folgers influenced A. Elmer Crowell and that Adele Earnest thought so as well. Donal O’Brien noted his belief that the Nantucket makers influenced A. Elmer Crowell and that Adele Earnest thought so as well. This stands the test of reason as a vast majority of the Nantucket decoys predate the work of Crowell and we know of at least one rig of Nantucket decoys that Crowell repainted prior to 1900. Earlier than Cobbs, the shorebirds of Nantucket rank up there with the top carvings of all time.

This hollowed calling form has refined lines, a full breast, and

carved raised wings which are raised and separated above the tail. The complex form was finished with high-contrast plumage with a white headband, a mottled breast, and white stippling on the back.

Given their age, provenance and style the best attributions are to Franklin Folger Webster’s forefathers three or four generations prior, these being William Folger (1785-1865) or his son Franklin Folger Sr. (1815-1895). One of Donal O’Brien’s birds of this model can be seen in the Nantucket Island No. 2 plate of Mackey and Weiler’s Classic Shorebird Decoys Original paint with moderate gunning wear, including rubs to brows, a maker’s patch is original to the carving.

PROVENANCE: Franklin Folger Webster Collection Allan “Rocket” Royal Collection, acquired from the above Stephen B. O’Brien Sr. Collection, acquired from the above in 1975

LITERATURE: Milton C. Weiler and William J. Mackey Jr., Classic Shorebird Decoys: A Portfolio of Paintings, New York, NY, 1971, pl. 16, rigmate illustrated.

William J. Mackey Jr., American Bird Decoys, New York, NY, 1965, p. 76, Nantucket decoys discussed.

$18,000 - $24,000

“Golden Plovers visited the island of Nantucket, Massachusetts, with predictable regularity late in August. Most of the decoys used for them are both old and choice.”

— William J. Mackey Jr., American Bird Decoys

367 Wyer Golden Plover

Capt. William J. Wyer (1822-1913) Nantucket, MA, c. 1870 10 1/2 in. long

A classic split-tailed black-bellied plover from the renowned Capt. Wyer known for his crisp lines, bold stippling, and hunting prowess. The underside has some small collector markings. Original paint with gunning wear and a possible bill replacement.

PROVENANCE: Donal C. O’Brien Jr. Collection

Schiller Martin Collection

Ronald S. Swanson Collection Stephen B. O’Brien Sr. Collection

$2,500 - $3,500

368 Golden Plover Coffin Family Nantucket, MA, c. 1870 9 3/4 in. long

A golden plover with two-piece construction, a bold bull neck, and a teardrop-shaped body. The dark breeding plumage is finished with tight white and yellow stippling. Mix of original and old working paint by the maker with even gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Stephen B. O’Brien Sr. Collection

$2,000 - $4,000

369 Golden Plover Massachusetts, c. 1900 10 in. long

A classic Massachusetts plover with a split tail, carved from a oneand-three-quarter-inch board. Original and old working paint with heavy gunning wear, reset bill appears to be original.

PROVENANCE: Stephen B. O’Brien Sr. Collection

370 Golden Plover Nantucket, MA, c. 1880 9 3/4 in. long

A delicate golden plover with a thin split tail and a pinched breast. Original paint with light wear and bill appears to be replaced.

PROVENANCE: Stephen B. O’Brien Sr. Collection

$3,000 - $4,000

371 Rare Canvas Yellowlegs Nantucket, MA, c. 1900 10 in. long

A rare stuffed-canvas yellowlegs decoy with an attached bill. The scarcity of this shorebird construction cannot be overstated. Original paint with even wear and a broken bill tip.

PROVENANCE: Stephen B. O’Brien Sr. Collection

369 370 371

373

372 Swimming Broadbill

Al Pitman and Ned Chase Nantucket, MA, c. 1920 10 3/4 in. long

A large and stylish swimmer made for use at “The Cedars” gunning camp at Second Point on Coatue inside Nantucket Harbor. The underside has a poured circular weight and a plugged neck-fastener hole like a Martha’s Vineyard decoy. Waterfowl decoys from the island are extremely rare and this Pitman bluebill rig is considered by many to contain the best waterfowl decoys to ever surface on the island. Original paint with moderate gunning wear and a second coat of black.

PROVENANCE: Stephen B. O’Brien Sr. Collection

LITERATURE: Osona & O’Brien, Important Waterfowl and Shorebird Decoys, July 19, 1993, back cover, rigmate illustrated.

$6,000 - $9,000

373 Rare Red-Breasted Merganser

Charles Morey Lewis (1878-1949) Nantucket, MA, c. 1900 17 3/4 in. long

A merganser with “C. M. Lewis” branded on the underside. Lewis is also known for his lightship baskets and hollow plover, one of which resides in the Nantucket Whaling Museum’s collection. Original paint with moderate gunning wear and two stabilized neck cracks, working grey wash to worn areas on head and sides.

PROVENANCE: Charles Morey Lewis Rig Stephen B. O’Brien Sr. Collection

374

Goose Pair

Gardner Family Nantucket, MA, c. 1900 23 1/2 in. long

A rare Nantucket goose pair made with two-piece heads. Islanders were known to hunt geese in the fields and both of these floaters have holes for use as stick-ups. One is in original paint with heavy gunning wear with original imperfections to wood and some repair to bill tip. The brighter bird is in repaint.

PROVENANCE: Stephen B. O’Brien Sr. Collection

375

Black Duck

Charles R. Welles (1895-1979) Stratford, CT, c. 1940 16 3/4 in. long

This hollow decoy was carved by a contemporary of Shang Wheeler. The underside bears the maker’s “CRW” brand. In working paint with moderate gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Stephen B. O’Brien Sr. Collection

376 Canvasback

The Ward Brothers Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976) Crisfield, MD, c. 1948 15 3/4 in. long

A balsa-bodied decoy signed and dated by the Wards on the underside. This is the first decoy collected by O’Brien, who reports that he “drove there to meet the Ward Brothers, but they were not home.” Making the most of the adventure, he “bought it in 1968 from a shop selling collectables’ in Crisfield.” Original paint with moderate gunning wear, some dings, and some touch-up at right side of tail base.

PROVENANCE: Stephen B. O’Brien Sr. Collection, acquired in Crisfield, Maryland, in 1968

377.2 224

377.3 377.4

378

Miniature Bufflehead Pair

Mark Holland and Cindy Lewis Brewster, MA, c. 1970 5 in. long

A turned-head pair of decorative and signed miniatures. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Stephen B. O’Brien Sr. Collection

$600 - $900

377 Four Nantucket Waterfowl Silhouettes Nantucket, MA largest is 32 1/2 in. long

Four decoys consisting of two geese, one brant, and one merganser. The merganser and brant are by Al Pitman. The geese have rotating heads and are most likely of island origin. As found.

PROVENANCE: Stephen B. O’Brien Sr. Collection

379 Semipalmated Plover Trio

Mark Holland Brewster, MA, 1978 19 1/2 in. long

Three split-tail plover in different stances on a driftwood base, signed and dated on the underside by the maker. Original paint with light wear, including some paint shrinkage.

PROVENANCE: Stephen B. O’Brien Sr. Collection

380 Early Root-Head Robin Snipe Roger Williams (1784-1851)(attr.)

Long Island, NY, c. 1820 6 3/4 in. long

This decoy was one of O’Brien’s earliest sourced decoys. In 1971 while working in New York City, he escaped to Long Island in pursuit of decoys and Americana. After knocking on the door of an old farm house, he was directed to the barn loft where the family’s rig was thought to be stored. After digging through a barrel of uninspiring ducks, he found this little gem in the bottom and purchased it from the owner. Over a half century after this discovery, it is being offered at auction for the first time.

Williams holds the distinction of being the earliest attributed decoy maker. According to decoy historians Gene and Linda Kangas, “The South Shore [of Long Island] is likely where the rebirth of North American Decoy making by non-Natives began. In fact, commercial market hunting there was so rampant during the first quarter of the 19th century that it triggered New York prohibitions on sink box use for market gunning in 1838.”

Approximately a dozen decoys have been attributed to Williams, all of which have been root-head mergansers. The root-head, flat bottom, tail chine, age, and location of this lot relate closely to the ducks attributed to Williams. Old paint with gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Stephen B. O’Brien Sr. Collection, sourced in East Quogue, New York, in 1971

LITERATURE: Gene Kangas, “Rootheads and Knotheads,” North American Decoys, Spanish Fork, UT, Winter 1976, p. 28, merganser illustrated.

Gene and Linda Kangas, “Older Than Methuselah,” Decoy Magazine, March/April, 2017, pp. 24-32, merganser illustrated.

Gene and Linda Kangas, “Roger Williams: Unraveling a long-standing mystery,” Decoy Magazine, July/August 2022.

$18,000 - $24,000

A. ELMER CROWELL

1862-1952 | EAST HARWICH, MA 381

381 Mallard Drake

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1930 17 1/4 in. long

When this decoy was made, mallards were not as prevalent along the Atlantic Flyway, as is evidenced by their scarce representation as decoys along the East Coast. This turnedhead drake with a pronounced breast and carved tail detail is a refined example of a rare species for Crowell. The underside bears the maker’s rectangular stamp. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

LITERATURE: Richard A. Bourne Co., Public Auction, Hyannis, MA, August, 4, 1970, lot 210, exact bird illustrated.

$5,000 - $8,000

A. ELMER CROWELL

1862-1952 | EAST HARWICH, MA 382

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

A black duck bearing the maker’s oval brand on the bottom. Original paint with moderate gunning wear and very tip of bill is replaced.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

LITERATURE: Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. and Chelsie W. Olney, Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving, Hingham, MA, 2019, pp. 232-233, black ducks illustrated.

A. ELMER CROWELL

1862-1952 | EAST HARWICH, MA

383 384 385 386

383 Three-Quarter-Size Mallard Drake

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952)

East Harwich, MA, c. 1950 13 in. long

This turned-head drake, finished with the maker’s signature rasp marks on the breast, retains the Crowell rectangular stamp on the underside. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

384 Rare Miniature Mallard Drake Decoy

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952)

East Harwich, MA, c. 1930 4 1/2 in. long

A resting drake carving with the maker’s inked inscription “AE Crowell Maker East Harwich Mass” under a coat of glue on the bottom. Original paint with light wear and minimal touch-up to a hairline neck crack.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

385 Miniature Canada Goose

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1930 6 in. long

A miniature goose carving with the maker’s rectangular stamp executed twice and the pencilled inscription “25” on the bottom. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

386 Miniature Mallard Pair on Base

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1930 drake is 5 in. long

An alert drake and a resting hen, signed “A.E. Crowell, Cape Cod” on the bottom above the maker’s rectangular stamp. This is among the best Crowell double-mount miniatures to come on the market. Excellent original paint with minimal wear.

387 388

389 390

A. ELMER CROWELL

1862-1952 | EAST HARWICH, MA

387 Miniature Redhead

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1940 4 1/2 in. long

This underside of the base bears the maker’s rectangle stamp. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

388 Miniature Red-Breasted Merganser Hen

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1930 5 in. long

A miniature reaching red-breasted merganser hen with the maker’s blue-paper label on the underside. Original paint with light wear and a restored bill.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

389 Miniature Mallard Drake

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1940 5 in. long

Crowell’s rectangular stamp is on the bottom. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

390 Miniature Red-Breasted Merganser Drake

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1940 6 in. long

The maker’s rectangular stamp is on the underside. Original paint with light wear and touch-up to bill tip.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

391 Miniature Bluebill Drake

Allen J. King (1878-1963) North Scituate, RI, c. 1940 2 1/4 in. tall

A raised-wing scaup mounted on a base which is signed “A. J. King” on the side. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

392 Miniature Mallard Pair

Albert J. Dittman (1884-1974) Williamstown, MA, c. 1940 4 3/4 in. long

A miniature pair by this Abercrombie & Fitch and Brooks Brothers featured carver displaying the maker’s stylized signature on the side of the chip-carved bases. Original paint with light wear, a break in drake’s bill, and lower left cheek has been reset.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

393 Exceedingly Rare Miniature Wigeon George H. Boyd (1873-1941) Seabrook, NH, c. 1920 4 in. long

Original paint with moderate wear, some touch-up and craquelure.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

394 Miniature Mallard Joseph W. Lincoln (1859-1938) Accord, MA, c. 1920 4 in. long

The underside bears the maker’s ink stamp signature. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

1904-1983 | SOUTHWEST HARBOR, ME

395 396

395 Miniature Heron Wendell Gilley (1904-1983) Southwest Harbor, ME, 1957 6 1/4 in. tall

A great blue heron carving signed and dated on the driftwood base, “Gilley ‘57.” Original paint with light wear and a reset neck.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

396 Miniature Goose and Pintail Wendell Gilley (1904-1983) Southwest Harbor, ME, c. 1965 pintail is 6 3/4 in. long

A refined pintail and a turned-head goose, both are mounted on wooden bases signed by the maker on the topsides. Original paint with light wear and restoration to goose’s tail chips.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

RUSS P. BURR

1887-1955 | HINGHAM, MA 397 398

397 Miniature Black Duck

Russ P. Burr (1887-1955) Hingham, MA, c. 1940 4 1/2 in. long

A reaching black duck carving with the maker’s ink stamp signature on the bottom. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

398 Miniature Flying Goldeneye

Russ P. Burr (1887-1955) Hingham, MA, c. 1940 4 1/2 in. tall

A lively flying goldeneye carving with the maker’s ink stamp signature on the bottom. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

399 400

399 Miniature Flying Goose

Russ P. Burr (1887-1955) Hingham, MA, 1947 7 1/4 in. tall

An alighting Canada goose carving with the maker’s signature and date on the bottom. Original paint with light wear. Touch-up to reset bill and wing tips.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

400 Miniature Great Blue Heron

Russ P. Burr (1887-1955) Hingham, MA, c. 1930 5 3/4 in. tall

A dynamic heron showcasing Burr’s best work. The underside of the base bears the maker’s ink stamp. Original paint with light wear and a reset bill.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

401 Four Miniature Carvings

Jess Blackstone (1909-1988) Melrose, MA, c. 1960 goose is 5 in. long

A redhead, a wood duck, a feeding Canada goose, and a nuthatch, all with undersides bearing the maker’s conjoined “JB” initial signature and the species’ names. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

402 Four Miniature Waterfowl

James Lapham (1909-1987) Dennisport, MA, c. 1960 goose is 5 in. long

Four raised-wing carvings with the maker’s signature and “Dennisport, Mass” written in ink on the bottom of the bases. Included is a wood duck pair, a mallard, and a preening goose. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

403 Five Miniature Divers

Robert “Bob” McGaw (1879-1958) Havre de Grace, MD, c. 1930 6 in. long

A redhead pair, a bluebill pair, and a canvasback drake. Original paint with light wear, redhead drake and bluebill hen have neck cracks and redhead hen has touch-up to reset neck crack.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

404 Four Miniature Waterfowl

Robert “Bob” McGaw (1879-1958) Havre de Grace, MD, c. 1930 swan is 8 in. long

A miniature redhead pair, swan, and Canada goose. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

405 406 407

408 409 410

408 Three Miniature Carvings

Harold N. Gibbs (1886-1970) Barrington, RI, c. 1965 black duck is 4 in. tall

Three miniatures, including a wood duck, black duck, and a woodcock. All are signed on underside of bases and the black duck is dated 1965. Original paint with light wear and black duck has reset thighs.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

409 Miniature Canvasback

Dr. Lewis Webb Hill (1889-1968) Boston, MA, c. 1930 7 1/2 in. long

A seven-and-one-half-inch swimming canvasback carving on a weighted wooden rectangular base. The carving displays glass eyes, a detailed bill, and raised wing carving with an impressed oval “Hill” stamp on the top of the base. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

LITERATURE: Joseph H. Ellis, Birds in Wood and Paint, Lebanon, NH, 2009, p. 163, similar carving illustrated.

410 Miniature Great-Horned Owl

Gary Eigenberger (b. 1960) Green Bay, WI, 2013 14 in. tall

405 Miniature Green-Winged Teal Pair

Harry M. Vreeland (1908-1982) Greenlawn, NY, c. 1945 base is 3 3/4 in. long

A pair of raised-wing teal carvings signed “VREELAND” on the side of the base. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

406 Miniature Rail and Chickadee

Helen Lay Strong (1915-1995) Seneca Falls, NY, c. 1980 rail is 4 in. tall

The king rail is signed, dated, and identified by the maker on the underside of the base. The

very small chickadee is identified and signed. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

407 Miniature Puffin

Robert “Bob” Guge (1952-2013) Sleepy Hollow, IL, 1994 8 1/4 in. tall

A five-time Best-in-World winner, Guge was a highly accomplished decorative bird carver. He displays his knowledge of puffin anatomy and their habitat with this carving. The underside is signed and dated by the maker. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

Eigenberger is among the most accomplished championship carvers alive today with seven Best-in-World titles among his many blue ribbons. This decorative turnedhead owl is mounted on a carved branch upon a beveled-wood base. The underside of the base displays the maker’s signature, species identification, date, and “Alive in Wood.” Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

GEORGE STRUNK

411 Two Miniature Preening Waterfowl

George Strunk (b. 1958) Glendora, NJ, c. 2000 9 in. long

Two hollow miniature decoys, a canvasback, and an openbilled mallard, with raised primaries, carved tail feathers, and refined paint. The undersides are signed with stamped weights. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

B. 1958 | GLENDORA, NJ 411 412.1 412.2

412.3 412.4

412 Twenty Miniature Waterfowl

George Strunk (b. 1958) Glendora, NJ, c. 1990 pintail is 10 1/4 in. long

This lot represents an opportunity to own a cohesive set of well-made and finely painted miniatures. The undersides of these hollow little carvings are signed and stamped on the bottoms. Included are pairs of mallard, wood duck, hooded merganser, wigeon, harlequin, canvasback with a preening hen,

black duck with a preening hen, and tucked-head pintail. Single species include a green-wing teal, Canada goose, shoveler, and eider. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

THE WARD BROTHERS

1896-1984 AND 1895-1976 | CRISFIELD, MD

413 413 Miniature Mallard Pair

The Ward Brothers Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976) Crisfield, MD, 1963 9 in. long

A turned-head pair that has been signed, dated, and identified by the makers on the undersides of the bodies. The hen has Lem’s particularly fine paint and is dated 1963; the drake is dated 1964. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

THE WARD BROTHERS

1896-1984 AND 1895-1976 | CRISFIELD, MD

414

414 “Sunbathing” Blue-Winged Teal

The Ward Brothers Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976) Crisfield, MD, 1967 10 3/4 in. long

This titled work with exceptional composition, paint, and provenance is prominently featured in The Story of Lem Ward book. This singular work was kept by the Ward family, having been owned by Lem’s daughter, Ida Ward Linton.

An area painted on the burl base reads, “SUNBATHING, LEM WARD, WILDFOWL COUNTERFITTER IN WOOD, 1967.” Original paint with minor wear.

PROVENANCE: Ida Ward Linton Collection Private Collection, Maryland Michael Boxer Collection

LITERATURE: Glenn Lawson and Ida Ward Linton, The Story of Lem Ward, Exton, PA 1984, p. 71, exact bird illustrated.

$14,000 - $18,000

415 Miniature Merganser and Eider Pairs

Reggie Birch (b. 1953) Chincoteague, VA, 2009 merganser is 8 in. long

Four hollow carvings, merganser and eider pairs, that all bear the maker’s signature on the undersides. The merganser pair displays the date as well. Original paint with wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

416 Five Miniature Southern Waterfowl

Reggie Birch (b. 1953) Chincoteague, VA, c. 2010 reaching pintail is 7 1/2 in. long

Two pintail drakes, one pintail pair, and a wood duck drake. All but the smaller humpback pintail exhibit the maker’s incised signature on the bottoms. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

417 Four Miniature Southern Waterfowl

Reggie Birch (b. 1953) Chincoteague, VA, c. 2000 goose is 9 in. long

Three Hudson-style carvings and one Cainesstyle mallard. All four bear the maker’s incised signature on the underside. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

B. 1953 | CHINCOTEAGUE, VA

418

418 Turned-Head Pintail Pair

Reggie Birch (b. 1953) Chincoteague, VA, c. 2015 drake is 17 in. long

A pair of raised-wing pintails in highly animated postures. “R. Birch” is incised on the undersides of both carvings. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

REED

419 Hooded Merganser

James “Corb” Reed (1897-1987) Chincoteague, VA, 1978 13 1/2 in. long

This hooded merganser displays a sharply turned head, a rasp-finished crest, and incised wing, nostril, and foot detail. The underside bears the maker’s stamped “Corb Reed” signature along with an inked signature and date. Original paint with light wear and touch-up to reset neck crack.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

420 Canvasback Pair

James “Corb” Reed (1897-1987) Chincoteague, VA, c. 1960 drake is 16 in. long

The preening hen represents an example of the maker’s finest carving efforts and exhibits Reed’s inked signature on the underside. The drake bears the maker’s stamped “J C Reed” signature. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

421 Full-Size Hen and Miniature Drake Canvasback

James “Corb” Reed (1897-1987) Chincoteague, VA, 1974 hen is 16 in. long

Both bear the maker’s stamped “J C Reed” signature. The miniature is dated 1974 and measures just over ten inches long. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

422 Shoveler

James “Corb” Reed (1897-1987) Chincoteague, VA, c. 1960 16 in. long

A rare species, this hollow spoonbill bears the maker’s stamped “JC Reed” signature. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

423 424

425 426

423 Ruddy Duck Pair

Delbert “Cigar” Daisey (b. 1924) Chincoteague, VA, c. 1970 11 in. long

Two gunning models bearing the maker’s “Cigar” brand on undersides. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

424 Three Duck Decoys

Delbert “Cigar” Daisey (b. 1924) Chincoteague, VA, c. 1990 18 in. long

A mallard pair and a black duck with cork bodies. Each has the maker’s inscription and is branded “Cigar.” Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

425 Shoveler

Davison B. Hawthorne (1924-2018) Seaford, DE, 1966 13 in. long

An early decorative with a tucked-and-turned-head posture. The body has carved feather detail and superb paint, mounted on a driftwood base. The underside bears the date and the maker’s signature. Original paint with light wear and some shrinkage mostly to end grain.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

426 Bluebill Hen

Victor Paroyan Stouffville, Ontario, Canada, 2013 11 in. long

A three-time World Champion for decorative wildfowl and a five-time World Champion for decorative “smoothies,” Paroyan’s abilities are on full display with this hen. The underside bears the maker’s burnt signature, species, and the date. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

427 Pintail Hen

Ken Harris (1905-1981) Woodville, NY, c. 1960 14 1/2 in. long

A turned-head carving bearing the marker’s branded “Ken Harris Decoys, Woodville, NY.” signature on the underside. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

428 Mallard Drake

Ken Harris (1905-1981) Woodville, NY, c. 1975 17 in. long

A decorative decoy with the maker’s white paint stamp on the underside reading “Ken Harris, Woodville, NY.” Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

429 Goldeneye Pair

Sean Sutton (b. 1967) Paulsboro, NJ, c. 2005 14 in. long

A turned-head pair of goldeneye with hollow bodies, both are signed on the bottom by the maker. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

430 Canvasback

Leo H. McIntosh (1953-2007) Woodville, NY, c. 1990 14 in. long

A slightly turned-head carving with “Leo. H. McIntosh” debossed in the bottom. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

431 Mallard

Leo H. McIntosh (1953-2007) Woodville, NY, 1984 17 in. long

433 434

435 436

A slightly turned-head carving with McIntosh’s “Shootin’ Stool” ink stamp on the bottom. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

432 Redhead Drake Henry Lockard (1868-1944) Elk Neck, MD, c. 1900 14 in. long

An old Chesapeake Bay decoy with an “F” brand for the Fleckenstein Collection. Original paint with working paint to head, moderate gunning wear, and original plug in back.

PROVENANCE: Henry Fleckenstein Collection Michael Boxer Collection

433 Canvasback Drake James A. “Jim” Currier (1886-1969) Havre de Grace, MD, c. 1960 16 1/2 in. long

Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

434 Mallard Drake Robert “Bob” White (b. 1939) Tullytown, PA, c. 1990 16 in. long

This mallard features some of the maker’s best carving and paint. It retains his triangular bobwhite-quail lead weight and is signed twice on the bottom. Original paint with light gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

435 Canvasback Pair R. Madison Mitchell (1901-1993) Havre de Grace, MD, c. 1950 15 in. long

Original paint with moderate gunning wear and an age line along hen’s underside.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

436 Tack-Eye Blue-Winged Teal Pair Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924) Detroit, MI, c. 1910 11 in. long

A pair of tack-eye Mason teal with oval stickers denoting the Jim Goodman Collection visible on the bottom of each. Original paint with moderate wear and touch-up to neck filler. Drake has very minor touch-up to factory fill on back. Hen has more wear, crack along underside, and minor chip to bill tip.

PROVENANCE: Jim Goodman Collection Michael Boxer Collection

437 Preening Gadwall Hen

Ben A. Heinemann (b. 1954) Durham, NC, 2014 13 in. long

A bold, hollow carving with a cranked-head posture, dramatically raised wing tips, and strong paint detail. The carving is signed, identified, and dated on the underside. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

438 Ring-Necked Pair

Ben A. Heinemann (b. 1954) Durham, NC, 2014 13 in. long

A hollow pair of ring-necked ducks with the maker’s marks, including a signature and rig markings, on the undersides. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Ben Heinemann Rig Michael Boxer Collection

439 Loon with Brook Trout

Keith Mueller (b. 1956) Killingworth, CT, 1986 25 in. long

A full-bodied great northern diver dining on a bright brook trout. The carving bears the maker’s “Mueller” signature brand and an inked notation which includes the species name, signature, and date. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

440 Oversize Black Duck Pair

George Strunk (b. 1958) Glendora, NJ, c. 2000 20 in. long

An elaborate pair of Strunks with grand bodies and postures, carved primary and tail feathers, and exceptional paint. Stamped “G STRUNK” on the weights and signed. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

441 Preening Canvasback

George Strunk (b. 1958) Glendora, NJ, c. 2000 17 in. long

A slightly oversize hollow decoy with raised primaries, carved tail feathers, and fine paint. Stamped “G STRUNK” on the weight and signed. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

442 Merganser Pair

Tom Matus (b. 1962) Waterford, CT, 2002 19 in. long

An oversize pair of cork-bodied carvings with flocked paint bearing the maker’s brand, signature, and date on the undersides. Original paint with light wear and hen has crack at top of tail base.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

443 Miniature Goose

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 2000 6 in. tall

A Canada goose carving with the maker’s “F. Finney” stamp on the bottom of the base. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

444 Miniature Wood Ducks

Charlie “Speed” Joiner (1921-2015) Chestertown, MD, 2001 9 in. long

Signed and dated 2001. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

445 Two Miniatures Miles Hancock (1888-1974) Chincoteague, VA, 1968 6 1/4 in. long

The Canada goose and mallard are signed on the bottom by the maker and the gander is dated 1968. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

446 Miniature Wigeon and Mallard

Davison B. Hawthorne (1924-2018) Seaford, DE, c. 1990 5 3/4 in. long

Both are signed on the bottom by the maker. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

447 Miniature Merganser Pair

Davison B. Hawthorne (1924-2018) Seaford, DE, c. 1985 5 1/4 in. long

Each is signed on the bottom by the maker and bears the species names. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

448 Four Contemporary Miniature Waterfowl mallard is 4 1/4 in. tall

A quartet of refined contemporary miniatures, including a black duck by Marty Hanson, a Canada goose by Eddie Wozny, a black duck by Martin D. Collins, and a mallard on a seven-inch-long driftwood base by Robert Guqe. Each is signed by the maker. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Michael Boxer Collection

THE WARD BROTHERS

1896-1984 AND 1895-1976 | CRISFIELD, MD

THE WARD BROTHERS

1896-1984 AND 1895-1976 | CRISFIELD, MD

449

Exceptional Mallard Hen

The Ward Brothers Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976) Crisfield, MD, 1938 17 1/4 in. long

The Ward brothers were known to have made very few early mallards. It was not until the 1940s that mallard populations began to proliferate along the Atlantic Flyway. For this reason, mallard decoys by famous East Coast carvers, like Joseph Lincoln (1859-1938) and Harry V. Shourds (1861-1920), are almost non-existent. Beyond the overall rarity of early Ward mallards, the form, paint, and condition of this decoy place it as second to none among the species by the Wards or any decoy maker.

Illustrating the rarity of this exemplary hen, Ron Gard and Brian McGrath’s thorough Ward Brothers Collector’s Guide illustrates seventeen mallard decoys with no comparable hen. The closest hen is part of a very fine balsa pair from the Vance Strausburg Collection with slightly more modest paint described as follows: “The paint scheme could only be considered fancy and the extra time spent in painting is obvious.” Lem took great pride in painting his hens, which routinely surpass their drake rigmates in regards to attention and detail.

A review of premier collections, including those of top Ward collectors Donal C. O’Brien Jr. and Dr. James M. McCleery, shows scores of Wards, including exceptional 1936-era drakes, with no hens.

Lem’s ability to paint hens separates him from almost all of the other decoy painters to precede him. The paint application on the decoy reveals Lem’s intricate feather patterns from the bill to the tail, with especially notable feathering on the head, two-tone ticking on the breast, and finely ticked feathers across the back.

The form of this decoy shows the height of refinement from the brothers’ 1936-model era. In describing a closely related male from the Dr. Lloyd Griffith collection, Ward author Ronald

Gard details the nuance of the makers’ progression to that “Classic Mallard Drake.” “This wonderful decoy,” Gard states, “has all the ingredients of a 1936 classic but seems to be a slightly more proportioned bird…the Wards have moved the design up one notch.”

This lot features Steve’s excellent carving with a turned head, full cheeks, and a flared and razor-thin bill. The sleek body has a high back and a thin, rounded tail.

The underside of the tail has a painted “L.T. WARD BROTHER 1938” inscription. The underside of this unused decoy has Kirson Collection markings and a Ward Museum exhibition sticker. It is making its auction debut as it was acquired privately by Kirson in 2009 from Vance Strausburg, who sourced it from the family of a Ward patron on the Delmarva Peninsula. A descendant of the Ward patron explained that its virtually flawless condition is a result of the decoy having been pulled from the rig by the gunner’s wife who, recognizing its excellence, chose to put it on display in her home. Excellent original paint with light wear, some craquelure to the end grain, mostly under the tail. One small dark spot on right flank.

PROVENANCE: Private Delmarva Rig-Collection, acquired from the Ward Brothers Donald Kirson Collection, acquired from Vance Strausburg in 2009

LITERATURE: The Ward Museum, Masters of Decoy and Wildfowl Carvings: The Kirson Collection, Salisbury, MD, 2011, p. 4, exact decoy illustrated. Ronald J. Gard and Brian J. McGrath, The Ward Brothers’ Decoys: A Collector’s Guide, Plano, TX, 1989, pp. 82-86, no related hens illustrated, related drakes and balsa hen illustrated and discussed.

EXHIBITED: Salisbury, Maryland, Masters of Decoy and Wildfowl Carvings: The Kirson Collection, The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, July 2011 - February 2012.

$60,000 - $90,000

WILLIAM PAUL RIGGIN JR.

1925-2006 | CRISFIELD, MD

450

451 Black Duck Landing

William Paul Riggin Jr. (1925-2006) Crisfield, MD, c. 1970 14 in. tall

A full-size black duck landing, this carving boasts a twenty-eight-inch wingspan and finely incised feather and bill detail. The underside of the tail bears the maker’s painted signature. Original paint with light wear, some craquelure to end grain, and a chip to one primary feather.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Maryland

451

450 Black Duck Taking Flight

William Paul Riggin Jr. (1925-2006) Crisfield, MD, c. 1970 20 in. tall

A full-size black duck in the process of taking off, this carving boasts a twenty-five-inch wingspan and finely incised feather and bill detail. This carving and the landing mate, lot 451 in this auction, place Riggin among Crisfield’s finest decorative bird carvers. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Maryland

$4,000 - $6,000

WILLIAM PAUL RIGGIN JR.

1925-2006 | CRISFIELD, MD

452 Mallard Hen

William Paul Riggin Jr. (1925-2006) Crisfield, MD, c. 1970 14 1/2 in. tall

A full-size standing mallard hen with raised wings and incised bill and wing detail. A painted signature is under the tail. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Maryland

452

453

453 Mallard Pair Bookends

William Paul Riggin Jr. (1925-2006) Crisfield, MD, c. 1970 7 1/2 in. tall

Snuggle-head carvings with incised feather and bill details. Each is signed on the undersides. Original paint with light wear and some craquelure to end grain.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Maryland

$600 - $900

HENRY KEYES CHADWICK

1865-1958 | OAK BLUFFS, MARTHA'S VINEYARD, MA

454 Early Redhead Pair

Henry Keyes Chadwick (1865-1958) Oak Bluffs, Martha’s Vineyard, MA, c. 1890 15 1/4 in. long

This very rare and early pair displays the maker’s earliest and most desirable form with highly refined head, neck, and tail carving and animated postures. The undersides retain the maker’s circular inset weights. This pair was selected for one of the Ward Museum’s greatest exhibitions and accompanying book, Massachusetts Masters, in which the special guest curator John Clayton clearly conveyed that “Many collectors consider this early pair to be his best.”

Indeed, collectors have prized Chadwick’s earliest work for decades. These turn-of-the-century models ran parallel to his friend Capt. Benjamin Smith, with the former admitting that he couldn’t always tell their decoys apart. William Mackey is among Chadwick’s great admirers. So taken was he by one heavily weathered decoy with a comparable form, he stated, “The conformation of this piece cannot be faulted.” Original paint with even gunning wear. Drake has hairline crack in neck and touch-up to edges of tail. Hen has repaint under tail and on breast.

PROVENANCE: Donald Kirson Collection

LITERATURE: Stanley Murphy, Martha’s Vineyard Decoys, Boston, MA, 1978, pp. 26-57, Chadwick discussed.

William J. Mackey Jr., American Bird Decoys, New York, NY, 1965, pp. 73-75, 85, and 250, Chadwick discussed.

Paul A. Johnsgard, The Bird Decoy: An American Art Form, Lincoln, NE, 1976, pp. 5 and 52, related drake illustrated.

Jackson Parker, “Auction News,” Decoy Magazine, September/ October 2003, p. 33, exact drake illustrated.

John and Shirley Delph, New England Decoys, Exton, PA, 1990, pp. 67 and 70, related pair illustrated.

John Clayton, “Massachusetts Masters: Decoys, Shorebirds, and Decorative Carvings Exhibition Catalog,” The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University, 2010, p. 66, exact pair illustrated.

Decoys Unlimited, Inc. Theodore S. Harmon, Our Annual Cape Cod Decoy Auction, West Barnstable, MA, July 2003, lot 159 and front cover, exact decoy illustrated.

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

$20,000 - $30,000

“Many collectors consider this early pair to be his best.”

— John Clayton, Massachusetts Masters, discussing this exact redhead pair

ROBERT W. MEANS

1886-1971 | BEVERLY FARMS, MA

455

455 Phillips Collection Decorative Hooded Merganser

Robert W. Means (1886-1971) Beverly Farms, MA, 1930 11 in. tall, 12 in. long

A turned-head merganser with an underside bearing an inked inscription that reads, “To John C. Phillips, made from a piece cut on his estate, Wenham. Robert W. Means 1930.” Dr. Phillips (1876–1938) was a renowned conservationist, author, and early top patron of Elmer Crowell (1852–1962).

Robert Whitman Means (1886-1971) was a friend, neighbor, and hunting companion of Phillips. He was also a carver, a naturalist, and a founding member of the Essex County Ornithological Club since its inception in 1916.

This highly sophisticated early decorative carving accurately depicts the species. It is rare, especially given the era in which it was made when A. E. Crowell was one of the few decorative

bird carvers. Clearly, Means was familiar with the work of Phillips’ famous gunning camp manager as this carving displays crossed raised wing tips similar to the Harwich master.

Included with this lot are three books, Shooting Stands of Eastern Massachusetts (signed) by John C. Phillips, and My Bird Dogs and Hounds, and My Guns (signed) by Gordon Means. Original and restored paint, mostly to flaked areas, including wings, thighs, and head. Reset tail chip.

PROVENANCE: John C. Phillips Collection, acquired from the maker Private Collection, Massachusetts

$6,000 - $9,000

456

456 Mackey Great Blue Heron Decoy Mid-Atlantic, c. 1880 36 in. long

This Mackey Collection decoy is a rare authentic root-head heron with a grand body measuring over two feet from the breast to the tail. The head was fashioned from a single branch which naturally curves to the bird’s form.

Acquiring real vintage great blue heron decoys is tremendously challenging. This lot was presented with a photograph in the sparsely illustrated 1974 Mackey catalog. The auctioneers, recognizing its rarity, placed it in a “Special Interest Decoys” feature. Old, possibly original paint with heavy gunning wear, including a chip to bill tip and a four-and-one-half-inch section of the lower neck section is a Mackey-era restoration

PROVENANCE: William J. Mackey Collection John R. Wierdsma Collection

LITERATURE: Richard A. Bourne Co. Inc., Very Rare and Important American Bird Decoys, from the Collection of the late William J. Mackey, Jr. of Belford, New Jersey, Hyannis, MA, Session V-VI, July 9-10, 1974, lot 439, exact decoy illustrated.

FERDINAND BACH

457 Rare and Early Sleeping Black Duck

Ferdinand Bach (1888-1967)

Detroit, MI, c. 1926 16 in. long

This decoy and its rigmate, lot 458, represent half of the known black ducks by Bach. These rare and highly distinct birds were made for the rig of John “Buck” Bockhausen Sr. They have both been widely featured with appearances in Johnsgard’s The Bird Decoy book and exhibition, Walsh and Jackson’s Michigan book, and at least twice in, and once on the cover of, Decoy Magazine. Bach was a professional draftsman in the automotive industry and expertly applied his talents and creative designs to decoy making.

The turned resting head and wide body feature intricate carving, including a detailed bill and crossed and raised wing tips. The underside has “Buck” and “Detroit” painted on either side of the weighted wedge keel. Original paint with even gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: John “Buck” Bockhausen Sr. Rig, acquired from the carver Jerry J. Catana Collection Kangas Collection of International Folk Art and Decoys

LITERATURE: Paul A. Johnsgard, The Bird Decoy: An American Art Form, Lincoln, NE, 1976, p. 94, fig. 98, exact decoy illustrated. Decoy Magazine, May/June 2019, p. 28, exact decoy illustrated. Gene Kangas, “Bach: The Beginning,” Decoy Magazine, July/August 2014, p. 24 and front cover, exact decoy illustrated. Clune Walsh Jr. and Lowell Jackson, Waterfowl Decoys of Michigan and the Lake St. Clair Region, Detroit, MI, 1983, pl. 59, exact decoy illustrated.

$6,000 - $9,000

458

458 Rare and Early Tucked-Head Black Duck Ferdinand Bach (1888-1967) Detroit, MI, c. 1926 19 in. long

This decoy and its rigmate, lot 457, represent half of the known black ducks by Bach. These rare and highly distinct birds were made for the rig of John “Buck” Bockhausen Sr. They have both been widely featured, with appearances in Johnsgard’s The Bird Decoy book and exhibition, Walsh and Jackson’s Michigan book, and at least twice in, and once on the cover of Decoy Magazine Bach was a professional draftsman in the automotive industry and expertly applied his talents and creative designs.

The tucked head and wide body feature intricate carving, including a detailed bill and crossed and lifted wing tips. The underside has “Buck” and “Detroit” painted on either side of the weighted wedge keel and a “F. BACH” signature. Original paint with even gunning wear. Restoration to chipped wing tip and touch-up to rub on left shoulder.

PROVENANCE: Johh “Buck” Bockhausen Sr. Rig, acquired from the carver Jerry J. Catana Collection Kangas Collection of International Folk Art and Decoys

LITERATURE: Paul A. Johnsgard, The Bird Decoy: An American Art Form, Lincoln, NE, 1976, p. 94, fig. 98, exact decoy illustrated.

Clune Walsh Jr. and Lowell Jackson, Waterfowl Decoys of Michigan and the Lake St. Clair Region, Detroit, MI, 1983, pl. 58, exact decoy illustrated.

Decoy Magazine, May/June 2019, p. 28, exact decoy illustrated.

Gene Kangas, “Bach: The Beginning,” Decoy Magazine, July/August 2014, p. 24 and front cover, exact decoy illustrated.

$6,000 - $9,000

ORLANDO "OS" BIBBER

1882-1970 | SOUTH HARPSWELL, ME

459

Red-Breasted Merganser Pair

Orlando “Os” Bibber (1882-1970) South Harpswell, ME, c. 1910 19 3/4 in. long

An exceptional and exceedingly rare rigmate merganser duo with turned heads and original horsehair crests. A well-documented pair, each of the elegant hollow bodies is fitted with its original chamfered bottom board. According to John Dinan, author of the Maine chapter in The Great Book of Wildfowl Decoys, Bibber only made decoys for his own use. He goes on to write that this maritime chief engineer’s “birds are the best carvings on the coast.” Original paint with even gunning wear. Each has some old glue residue and age lines around neck seams. Drake has a replaced bill. Hen has tight age lines and two drips marks on breast. Original crests.

PROVENANCE: Frank Schmidt Collection Michael and Julie Hall Collection, acquired from the above Linda E. Johnson Collection, acquired from the above

LITERATURE: Ronald S. Swanson, “The Decoy as Folk Sculpture,” Cranbrook Academy of Art Exhibition Catalog, January 1987, p. 12, fig. 13, exact carvings illustrated.

EXHIBITED: Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, The Decoy as Folk Sculpture, Cranbrook Academy of Art, January 27–February 22, 1987.

$15,000 - $25,000

460 461

460 Rare Black Duck

Leigh F. Witherspoon (1889-1971) North Haven, ME, c. 1920 16 1/2 in. long

A sleek and refined decoy with subtle raised wing tip carving. Witherspoon’s head attachments were not typical; this one has its head applied to an inlaid base. The surface has a lightly stippled finish.

A lifelong resident of the island of North Haven, Witherspoon learned how to carve decoys from his uncle around the turn of the 20th century. He was also a skilled carpenter, a boatbuilder, and a commercial herring fisherman. Original paint with light gunning wear and small tail chips with some working touch-up.

PROVENANCE: Kangas Collection of International Folk Art and Decoys

LITERATURE: Gene Kangas, “Leigh Witherspoon: Independence was in his blood,” Decoy Magazine, Mar/April 2022, p. 27, exact carving illustrated three times.

$3,000 - $5,000

461 Great Black-Backed Gull Amateur “Mat” Savoie (1896-1983) Neguac, New Brunswick, Canada, c. 1960 23 3/4 in. long

A nearly identical decoy is featured in front of Savoie in a workshop photo seen in Decoys of Maritime Canada There the authors, Dale and Gary Guyette, introduce Savoie as “New Brunswick’s most interesting and well known carver...” This bold gull captures the great black backed gull with grand form including pronounced shoulder carving. This decoy is in exceptional condition and was never rigged. Original paint with light wear, chip to underside of bill tip and age line in back.

PROVENANCE: Kangas Collection of International Folk Art and Decoys

LITERATURE: Dale and Gary Guyette, Decoys of Maritime Canada, Exton, PA, 1983, p. 161, closely related decoy illustrated.

$3,000 - $5,000

JOSEPH W. LINCOLN

1859-1938 | ACCORD, MA 462

462 Exceedingly Rare Eskimo Curlew Joseph W. Lincoln (1859-1938) Accord, MA, c. 1890 12 3/4 in. long

Donal C. O’Brien Jr. discovered this plump decoy and its only two related rigmates on the Island of Nantucket in the 1960s. The other two have since been collected by Dr. James McCleery, Cap Vinal, and Peter Berg. Carvings of this now-extinct species rarely surface, making this example by one of Massachusetts’ most famed makers all the more alluring. Lincoln’s choice to carve a full belly accurately references this species’ plump condition when on Nantucket, where they were known as dough-birds. Early gunning paint with even wear and a chip to underside of wing tips, replaced bill, touch-up to neck cracks.

PROVENANCE: Donal C. O’Brien Jr. Collection, discovered on Nantucket in 1960s Private Collection, Nantucket

LITERATURE: Sotheby’s and Guyette & Schmidt, American Waterfowl Decoys: The Distinguished Collection of Dr. James M. McCleery, New York, NY, 2000, p. 212, lot 566, rigmate illustrated.

John M. Levinson and Somers G. Headley, Shorebirds, Centreville, MD, 1991, p. 56, exact decoy illustrated.

$6,000 - $9,000

ELISHA BURR

1839-1909 | HINGHAM, MA 463

463 Rare Golden Plover Elisha Burr (1839-1909)

Hingham, MA, c. 1870 8 3/4 in. long

This diminutive Burr decoy is one of only two like it; the other of which resides in a prominent Cape Cod collection. These two gems are distinctive with their petite form with highly refined and delicate features from tip to tail. The paint features lively and bright gold and white stippling across the wings and fine ticking on the breast. Original paint with even gunning wear, tight cracks in wing tips, touch-up to neck crack, forehead, and filled shallow flat spot by stick hole. Small black smudge removed from right side.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Cape Cod

LITERATURE: William J. Mackey Jr., American Bird Decoys, New York, NY, 1965, p. 88, pl. 69, running plover illustrated.

$6,500 - $8,500

464 Yellowlegs

Joseph W. Lincoln (1859-1938) Accord, MA, c. 1890 11 in. long

A particularly fine Lincoln yellowlegs with good form and tight stippling found in a well preserved condition. Original paint with light wear.

$1,400 - $1,800

465 Golden Plover

Joseph W. Lincoln (1859-1938) Accord, MA, c. 1890 10 in. long

A rare “greenhead” decoy with split-tail carving. Original paint with even gunning wear and slight discoloration on right side of breast.

LITERATURE: Cap Vinal, Joseph W. Lincoln, Rockland, MA, 2002, p. 66, related example illustrated.

$1,000 - $2,000

466 Curlew with Removable Head

North River, MA, c. 1880 15 1/2 in. long

A split-tail curlew in a reaching position with a removable head on a mortise-and-tenon joint. Working paint with gunning wear, bill appears to be a replacement.

$1,000 - $3,000

467 Yellowlegs

George H. Boyd (1873-1941) Seabrook, NH, c. 1910 11 in. long

A classic Boyd yellowlegs decoy with tight stippled paint. In original paint with moderate gunning wear, including age lines in breast, touch-up to age line in head and neck, and a replaced bill.

$1,000 - $1,500

468 The Ely-Norcross

Nantucket, MA, c. 1840 10 in. long

Golden Plover Pair

A fine and important pair of Nantucket golden plover. This pair represents two of the most well-documented Nantucket shorebirds known. A letter from Nicholas Norcross to Alfred Ely in 1946 states that these birds were hunted over by Sidney Chase, George H. Mackay (1865-1922), Capt. Wyer (1822-1913), and Norcross himself. At that time, Norcross stated, “They must be at least 100 yrs old for I have had them over 50 yrs.” The Ely-Norcross correspondence provides us with a rare glimpse into the age of these Nantucket carvings and gunners who used them. Outstanding dry original paint with even gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Captain Wyer Rig Nicholas G. Norcross Rig, gifted from the above, circa 1895 Alfred Ely Collection, purchased from the above in 1946 Private Collection, by descent from the above Private Collection

LITERATURE: Copley Fine Art Auctions, The Winter Sale 2019, Charleston, SC, February 16, 2019, lot 255, exact pair illustrated.

$10,000 - $20,000

Chase

— Nicholas G. Norcross, August 5, 1946

“The wooden ones are of Ancient Vintage nearly 100 years old and if only they could talk what Tales they could tell. Capt. Wyer and Sidney

shot over 100 Doe Birds with them years ago. Capt. Wyer sent his share to Boston and got what was New then a Breach [sic] loading double gun.”

469 470

471 472

469 Golden Plover Coffin Family Nantucket, MA, c. 1870 9 1/2 in. long

A two-piece Coffin golden plover in transitional plumage. Original paint with moderate gunning wear and uneven varnish.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Nantucket

$600 - $900

470 Running Golden and Black-Bellied Plovers Nantucket, MA, c. 1880 11 in. long

A plover pair that show similar characteristics to the carvings attributed to Captain James Wyer (1816-1899) of Nantucket, MA. The black-bellied plover has an “X” rig mark on the underside. The golden has original paint with moderate wear and some uneven varnish. The black-bellied has gunning wear mostly to the left side and a replaced bill.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Nantucket

$2,000 - $3,000

471 Curlew Coffin Family Nantucket, MA, c. 1880 14 in. long

A grand two-piece shorebird decoy measuring fourteen inches in length. The head is fit to the teardrop body with a removable mortise-and-tenon joint. Old working paint with heavy gunning wear and a replaced bill.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Nantucket $2,000 - $3,000

472 Plover and Yellowlegs Massachusetts, c. 1900 10 in. long

A split-tail yellowlegs with painted oval eyes and a “X” rig marking on the underside. The small golden plover was carved from a one-and-one-eighth-inch board. The yellowlegs is in original paint with uneven varnish. The plover appears to be in original paint with a replaced bill. Both have gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Nantucket

473

Red-Breasted Merganser

Marblehead, MA, c. 1860 15 in. long

A pert sheldrake with refined articulation and stylish paint. The uplifted head retains its thin original crest. The body has a pinched breast, defined wing carving, and an uplifted tail.

The quality of craftsmanship as well as the attitude of this decoy are reminiscent of fellow North Shore Massachusetts mergansers from the rigs of Captains Samuel Augustus Fabens (1814-1899) and Charles C. Osgood (1820-1886). Diverting from the aforementioned North Shore masterworks, this bird has more articulated carving detail. Original paint with moderate gunning wear, including rub to top of crest and reset hairline crack in bill.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Midwest

LITERATURE: Gwladys Hopkins, Massachusetts Masterpieces: The Decoy As Art, Lincoln, MA, 2016, p. 76, Osgood merganser drake illustrated.

Copley Fine Art Auctions, The Sporting Sale 2012, Plymouth, MA, July 13, 2012, lot 366, Fabens merganser illustrated.

$7,000 - $10,000

474

Swimming Merganser Pair

Port Clyde, ME, c. 1890 20 in. long

A classic pair or Port Clyde decoys, each has sex-specific crests and the drake has a two-piece head. Original paint with even gunning wear, a chip to top of drake’s crest, working touch-up to white, and touch-up to filled body cracks

475

475 Swimming Red-Throated Loon Long Island, NY, c. 1880 19 in. long

An early and exceedingly rare decoy of this small loon species. The feather-weight hollow body is topped with a lightly inlaid reaching head. An illegible ink collection stamp is on the bottom. Old working paint with even gunning wear and an old scar under head.

PROVENANCE: Kangas Collection of International Folk Art and Decoys $6,000 - $8,000

LEVI RHODES TRUEX

1860-1934 | ATLANTIC CITY, NJ 476

476 Early Merganser Drake

Levi Rhodes Truex (1860-1934) Atlantic City, NJ, c. 1890 17 1/2 in. long

Jim Doherty sought out a rigmate to this decoy for inclusion in his Classic New Jersey Decoys book. Of that nearly identical example, the legendary collector and historian noted, “This is the earliest and finest known example of a Rhodes Truex Decoy. Possibly made in his early years when he worked in Tuckerton. World record price for this maker - $37,375.” This example is making its auction debut having resided in a private collection.

The hollow body has a high back and thin paddle tail. The refined head has subtle cheeks and a delicate sweeping crest. The underside bears a small “WGG” collector brand and the weight has a rig marking of “EWS.”

Very few Truex mergansers exist, making this example with its original crest, bill, and tail all the more desirable. Original paint with moderate gunning wear, and a possible working wash of white on the underside.

LITERATURE: James R. Doherty, Classic New Jersey Decoys, Louisville, KY, 2011, pp. 156-157, rigmate illustrated twice.

John Clayton, “Levi Rhodes Truex,” Decoy Magazine, Sept/Oct 2012, front cover and p. 25, rigmate illustrated and discussed.

Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr. New Jersey Decoys, Exton, PA, 1983, p. 131, related examples illustrated.

$10,000 - $15,000

CAPT. CLARENCE I. BAILEY

1882-1952 | KINGSTON, MA 478

477

477 Mammoth Goose

Capt. Clarence I. Bailey (1882-1952) Kingston, MA, c. 1910 28 in. long

A very rare oversize goose decoy made by Capt. Bailey who lived near fellow Kingston makers Lothrop Holmes (1824-1899) and Clinton Keith (1887-1975). This solid decoy with Bailey’s undulating back carving was likely used on a rig triangle and left out for the season. Old paint with heavy gunning wear, touch-up, and a check along left side has been filled. Original head and neck have restoration and repairs.

PROVENANCE: Kangas Collection of International Folk Art and Decoys

LITERATURE: Gene Kangas, “Man of the Sea,” Decoy Magazine, Jan/Feb 2021, p. 26, rigmate illustrated.

$2,500 - $4,500

478 Rare Black Duck

Capt. Clarence I. Bailey (1882-1952) Kingston, MA, c. 1910 22 in. long

A rarely seen, oversize hollow black duck decoy with a thin bottom board. This form shows his high and wide hip design with a pronounced spine along the top. Bailey was a contemporary of Lothrop Holmes (1824-1899) and Clinton Keith (1887- 1975), both noted Kingston makers. The distinct copper and leather anchor tie on the underside is modeled after his elder neighbor. Original paint with light gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Kangas Collection of International Folk Art and Decoys

LITERATURE: Gene Kangas, “Man of the Sea,” Decoy Magazine, Jan/Feb 2021, p. 27, exact decoy illustrated twice.

$8,000 - $10,000

479 Long-Tailed Drake

Capt. Abe Smith Freeport, NY, c. 1890 12 in. long

A rare diver drake with a clean and stylish paint similar to that of Joseph Lincoln. Carved by a Long Island oyster house owner, a related example was selected for The Great Book of Wildfowl Decoys. Original paint with light gunning wear, replaced eyes, and a restored bill.

LITERATURE: Joe Engers, ed., The Great Book of Wildfowl Decoys, Lewes, DE, 1990, p. 109, related decoys illustrated.

480

Bufflehead Pair

Nantucket, MA, c. 1900 10 in. long

A little pair of snuggle-headed hens with proud breasts and thin tails. Old working paint with heavy gunning wear, including a cracked bill and missing eye.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Nantucket

481

Preening Bluebill Pair

Thomas “Tom” Marshall (1903 - 1983) Fairfield, CT, c. 1935 13 in. long

In addition to being an accomplished carver, Marshall was “the” expert on Connecticut decoys. Indeed, Marshall was both a contributor and prominent feature of Henry Chitwood’s Connecticut Decoys book. The book was published four years after his passing; renowned decoy expert Adele Earnest opens the volume with a dedication to this shoreline legend. This pair was made in the Albert Laing style. The hen appears to be in original paint and the drake is in working repaint, both with gunning wear.

482

Black Duck

Georges Guyon Vercheres, Quebec, Canada, 1936 16 in. long

A turned-head black duck with incised feather detail. Stamped 1936 and branded “E. Varney” on the underside. Original paint with light gunning wear.

483 Mike Stidham (b. 1954) Permit on the Flats, 2022 signed “M. Stidham” lower left oil on canvas, 25 by 40 in.

Mike Stidham spent his early years in Palm Desert, California, where he dreamed of becoming a desert painter. As a young teen, he began trout fishing in Colorado, selling his early watercolors through local fly shops, and he worked as a fishing guide in Idaho. Among his honors and accomplishments, in 1992 the artist produced the Saltwater Sportfishing Stamp for Texas and, for a time, held the IGFA record for a hammerhead shark taken on a fly rod. He says, “To me the painting is about the sense of place, the feeling of being there, the various colors of the rocks and rhythm and movement of the gravel bed.”

Today, Stidham paints from his Sandy, Utah, studio as well as on the many fishing trips he takes to see, study, and pursue his subjects in their natural environment.

LITERATURE: Norman Kolpas, “Artist Spotlight: Mike Stidham,” Western Art and Architecture, December 2022-January 2023.

$7,000 - $10,000

484

Leaping Tarpon signed “Wm. Goadby Lawrence” lower left oil on canvas, 22 by 36 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.

Not only a top work by the artist, this large-scale oil represents one of the earliest and finest tarpon illustrations.

$10,000 - $20,000

William Goadby Lawrence (1913-2002)

485.2

486.1

485.1 486.2

485 Lynn Bogue Hunt (1878-1960)

Two pen and ink drawings, c. 1953 each paired with the published page from S. Kip Farrington’s book, Fishing The Pacific

Black Marlin Headed North Off Cabo Blanco with Dorsal Fin Down pen and ink, 5 3/4 by 11 1/4 in. signed “Lynn Bogue Hunt” lower right Chapter 2 header

Yellowfin Tuna Jumping pen and ink, 5 by 10 3/4 in. Chapter 10 header

Farrington was the saltwater editor for Field & Stream for nearly two decades and one of Hunt’s prominent patrons and friends. “Together, Farrington and Hunt wrote and illustrated eight books... the two were an odd pair...but they had two things in common: they both loved duck hunting and bluewater fishing.”

LITERATURE: Kevin C. Shelly, Lynn Bogue Hunt: A Sporting Life, New York, NY, 2003, p. 30. S. Kip Farrington, Fishing the Pacific, Offshore and On, New York, NY, 1953, pp. 54, 130, illustrated.

486 Lynn Bogue Hunt (1878-1960)

Two pen and ink drawings, c. 1953 each paired with the published page from S. Kip Farrington’s book Fishing The Pacific

Wahoo After Feather pen and ink, 5 by 11 in. Chapter 15 header

Roosterfish Feeding and Playing on the Surface pen and ink, 6 by 11 1/4 in. signed “Lynn Bogue Hunt” lower right Chapter 3 header

LITERATURE: S. Kip Farrington, Fishing the Pacific, Offshore and On, New York, NY, 1953, pp. 106, 202, illustrated.

487

487 John Edward Lawrence (b. 1959)

Twist and Shout, Leaping Tarpon signed “John Edward Lawrence” lower left oil on canvas, 20 by 16 in.

An impressionistic representation of the leaping “Silver King,” Lawrence delights in capturing the bright colors and movement of game fish.

488 Brett James Smith (b. 1958)

Flathead Camp signed “Brett J. Smith ©” lower right oil on canvas, 24 by 40 in. signed and titled on back

Brett J. Smith was born on March 19, 1958, in New Orleans, Louisiana. His early introduction to sporting art came from his father who worked professionally as an illustrator and moonlighted as a fine artist, contributing paintings for covers of the early outdoor and western magazines. Sportsmen nationwide collect Smith’s work because it is not only visually exciting, but also authentic and brings to bear his intimate knowledge of his sporting experience. His work has been featured in such publications as Gray’s Sporting Journal, Ducks

Unlimited Magazine, Sporting Classics, Shooting Sportsman, and Double Gun Journal. He has also been recognized for his work with such organizations as Gulf Coast Conservation Association, Atlantic Salmon Federation, Ruffed Grouse Society, Ducks Unlimited, and many others.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Rhode Island

$6,000 - $9,000

489

490

490 Thomas Aquinas Daly (b. 1937)

Upstream signed “TAdaly” lower left watercolor, 10 3/4 by 15 3/4 in. titled on artist’s label on the back

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, New York

$2,000 - $3,000

THOMAS AQUINAS DALY

489 Thomas Aquinas Daly (b. 1937)

Twenty Five Pounder signed “TAdaly” lower right watercolor, 10 1/4 by 14 1/2 in. titled on artist’s label on back

A classic Daly salmon scene, this work reveals the artist at his very best.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, New York

$2,000 - $3,000

491 Peter Corbin (b. 1945)

October Afternoon, 1992 signed and dated “Peter Corbin 1992” lower right acrylic on canvas, 20 by 30 in. titled on label on back

Peter Corbin, born in 1945, is among the leading contemporary sporting artists. He studied and trained at Wesleyan University and the California College of Arts and Crafts. He aims for asymmetrical balance and to capture the landscape as well as the essence of the hunting or fishing experience in his work.

This work, October Afternoon, was published in a signed and limited edition of 300. Of it, Corbin writes, “If we could trade

in March for another October, most of us would gladly apply. The woodcock is the harbinger of fall. When the flight comes in the popple thickets, there is nowhere else I’d rather be. My good friend, Tom Davis, writer and dog man extraordinaire, is featured in this print with his wonderful setter, Emmy Lou.”

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Florida $2,000 - $4,000 492

492 Cameron T. McIntyre (b. 1968) Old Friends signed “Cameron McIntyre” lower left oil on board, 9 by 12 in. titled, dated, and signed on back

A renowned decoy carver, Cameron’s passion for art and the natural environment extends to his landscape paintings as well. He studied life drawing, figure, and landscape painting at the University of South Carolina and the Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, SC. He moved to Virginia’s Eastern Shore in 1989 where he enjoys painting in quiet seclusion, studying, absorbing, and interpreting the surrounding natural landscape.

493

493 Milton C. Weiler (1910-1974)

Pick Up Time, Barnegat Bay, 1969 signed “M C Weiler” lower right watercolor, 19 by 26 3/4 in.

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

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

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

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

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

PROVENANCE: Charles S. Hunter, III, acquired from Stephen O’Brien Jr. Fine Arts Private Collection, New York

LITERATURE: John T. Ordeman & M. C. ‘Bud’ Weiler Jr., The Art of Milton C. Weiler: A Sportsman’s World, Sugar Hill, NH, 2001, pp. 60-61, illustrated.

$14,000 - $18, 000

494 Dave Hodges (b. 1949)

The Nose Knows, 1997 signed and dated “Hodges © 1997” on base bronze, 8 3/4 by 16 by 6 in. edition 15 of 30

Dave Hodges became interested in artwork at a young age. He began his professional career as a bronze sculptor in 1982 after graduating with a BS degree from Montana State University in Bozeman. Since then, Hodges has created sculptures of a wide array of subjects in a multitude of sizes, from miniatures to monuments. He also authored Book of Bronze: Creating Sculptures from Clay to Bronze

$700 - $900

495

495 Dave Hodges (b. 1949)

Setter Magic, 1998 signed and dated “© 1998 Hodges” on base bronze, 7 by 5 1/2 by 3 in. edition 13 of 50

$500 - $700

496 498

497

Peregrine and Mallard signed “D.A. Scott ©” lower right gouache, 14 1/2 by 18 in.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Bozeman, Montana

$1,500 - $3,000

497

496 Morten E. Solberg (b. 1935) Along the Firehole (Osprey) signed “Morten E Solberg” lower right oil on board, 11 by 16 in. titled on label on back

$1,500 - $2,500

498 Terrill Knaack (b. 1950) Loon signed “© Terrill Knaack” lower right oil on canvas, 24 by 36 in.

“Art for me is a process of organizing materials and elements to awaken the senses and emotions in a way that inspires contemplation, healing and wholeness...My paintings are evidence of what has been significant to me. They are bookmarks as to the places I’ve been and the feelings I had when I was there. Landscape, nature and the community of birds and animals that surround us are part of what we all are.”

— Terrill Knaack

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Wisconsin

David A. Scott (20th-21st century)

Lots 499-516

The Harry and Judy Bextel Collection

Over the course of forty-four years, architect Harry Bextel worked for the renowned firm of Kevin Roche, John Dinkeloo and Associates. The groundbreaking company pioneered the integration of indoor and outdoor spaces through innovative design. The firm spent forty years remodeling The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Bextel worked extensively on that high-profile project.

In 1988 Bextel began collecting carvings by Mark McNair. He explains that he decided to focus solely on that maker “because of his innate ability and keen eye to

499

499 Merganser Pair with Leather Crests

Mark S. McNair (b. 1950)

Craddockville, VA, c. 1999 21 1/2 in. long

Two hollow mergansers with incised raised wings, inlaid leather crests, and inletted heads. Signed with incised “McNAIR” on the bottoms. The drake has starhead nails in the line-tie. Original paint with light wear.

capture the ‘spirit of the bird.’” Harry and Judy have become good friends of Mark and Martha and their family over the years.

Bottom of lot 503.

PROVENANCE: Harry and Judy Bextel Collection

$4,000 - $6,000

B. 1950 | CRADDOCKVILLE, VA

500

Exceptional Wood Duck

Mark S. McNair (b. 1950)

Craddockville, VA, c. 2000 13 1/2 in. long

A hollow round-bottom wood duck drake with a crest that joins into the back. The underside bears the incised “McNair” signature. This particularly fine example illustrates the extra efforts made within this artist-patron relationship. Excellent original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Harry and Judy Bextel Collection

$2,500 - $3,500

501 Eider with Mussel

Mark S. McNair (b. 1950) Craddockville, VA, 1990 13 1/2 in. long

A grand eider drake dining on a mussel with an uplifted head. The hollow body is finished with incised eye and bill detail and the maker’s incised “McNair” on the underside. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Harry and Judy Bextel Collection

$2,500 - $3,500

502 Loon

Mark S. McNair (b. 1950)

Craddockville, VA, 2004 23 in. long

A loon decoy with a snuggle head, raised wing tips, and excellent paint. The head has a lightly incised bill and eyes. Incised “M. S. McNair” on the bottom. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Harry and Judy Bextel Collection

500 501 502

MARK S. MCNAIR

B. 1950 | CRADDOCKVILLE, VA

503 503 Gull

Mark S. McNair (b. 1950) Craddockville, VA, 2001 18 in. long

This herring gull confidence decoy with a streamlined weighted keel exhibits incised raised-wing carving with carved and painted eye detail. The bottom is incised with the “McNAIR” signature and the side of the keel has an incised “H. BEXTEL.” Original paint with moderate wear.

PROVENANCE: Harry and Judy Bextel Collection

$2,500 - $3,500

504 “Poverty Island” Yellowlegs Pair

Mark S. McNair (b. 1950) Craddockville, VA, 2009 15 1/2 in. tall

A pair of wading yellowlegs with turned heads, wire legs in wooden bases, and raised wings with incised primaries. The maker’s incised signature is on the underside of the birds. The undersides of the bases bear the inked inscription “Poverty Island Yellowlegs 2009 Mark S McNair.” So named after McNair took an inspirational trip to the Old Lyme’s Poverty Island at the mouth of the Connecticut River. The island has been renamed Great Island and hosts the Roger Tory Peterson Natural Area Preserve. Original paint with minimal wear.

PROVENANCE: Harry and Judy Bextel Collection

$2,000 - $3,000

504

MARK S. MCNAIR

B. 1950 | CRADDOCKVILLE, VA

505 506

507 508

505 Turned-Head Golden Plover

Mark S. McNair (b. 1950)

Craddockville, VA, 2000 10 in. long

A hollow shorebird decoy with a split tail and a removable dove-tailed head. McNair’s precision and attention to detail shines as the head snaps tight upon insertion and makes a distinct clicking sound when connected to the body. A stamped “10” is revealed on both components within the joint. The underside of the bird has an inlaid bone bushing around the stick hole and the artist’s incised “McNair” signature. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Harry and Judy Bextel Collection

$1,500 - $2,500

506 Hollow Golden Plover

Mark S. McNair (b. 1950) Craddockville, VA, 1988 12 in. long

An eggshell-thin hollow golden plover with an inlaid stick-hole, raised wings, and the maker’s incised signature on the underside. This highly refined decoy is the number one item in the Bextel’s chronological collection booklet, in which it is dated 4/17/1988.” Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Harry and Judy Bextel Collection

$1,000 - $1,500

507 Golden Plover with Raised Wings Mark S. McNair (b. 1950) Craddockville, VA, 2013 10 in. long

A golden plover with inserted oak wing tips, glass eyes, and the maker’s incised signature on the underside. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Harry and Judy Bextel Collection

$800 - $1,200

508 Feeding Verity-Style Peep Mark S. McNair (b. 1950) Craddockville, VA, 2013 8 in. long

A distinctly plump Verity-style shorebird with the maker’s incised signature on the underside. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Harry and Judy Bextel Collection

$800 - $1,200

509 510

511 512

509 Tern

Colin S. McNair (b. 1986) Craddockville, VA, 2001 15 1/2 in. long

A graceful tern carving with incised wing detail and the maker’s early embossed initials and stamped date on the underside. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Harry and Judy Bextel Collection

$500 - $800

510 Yellowlegs

Ian T. McNair (b. 1981) Belle Haven, VA, c. 2010 13 in. long

A split-tail example with carved raised wings and an incised “I McNair” signature along the bottom. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Harry and Judy Bextel Collection

$500 - $800

511 Curlew

Eddie Wozny (b. 1959) Cambridge, MD, c. 1980 16 in. long

A life-size shorebird carving with raised wings, carved primaries, and the maker’s underlined incised “W.” Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Harry and Judy Bextel Collection

$800 - $1,200

512 Merganser

Frank J. Dobbins (1907-1990) Jonesport, ME, c. 1980 17 in. long

A turned-head merganser decoy with the maker’s etched signature on the bottom. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Harry and Judy Bextel Collection

513

Six Miniatures

William S. “Bill” Johnson (1938-2009) Virginia Beach, VA, c. 2000 curlew is 10 1/2 in. long

Two black ducks, an English-Dawson-style pintail, a Phillips-Rig-style running curlew, a feeding yellowlegs, and a godwit. All bear either the maker’s incised or ink signature on the undersides and many are dated. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Harry and Judy Bextel Collection

514

Seven Miniatures

William S. “Bill” Johnson (1938-2009) Virginia Beach, VA, c. 2000 plover base is 11 in. wide

Three Verity-style plover on base, a Bunn-style curlew, two Lothrop Holmes-style mergansers, and a Dudley-style canvasback. All bear either the maker’s incised or ink signature on the undersides and many are dated. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Harry and Judy Bextel Collection

515

Half-Size Ruddy Turnstone and Print

William S. “Bill” Johnson (1938-2009) Virginia Beach, VA, c. 1980 6 1/2 in. long

A miniature ruddy turnstone carving and accompanying print by the maker. Signed and incised on the bottom by this past director of the Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum in Virginia Beach, VA. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Harry and Judy Bextel Collection

516

Double Sailor Valentine

Harry Bextel New Haven, Connecticut 11 in. wide

A handcrafted sailor’s seashell valentine in a double octagonal display case composed of mahogany and glass. Each octagon measures 11 inches wide by 11 inches high by 2 inches deep. Originally made in the late 19th century, these valentines were made at sea, brought home from a sailor’s voyage, and given to a loved one.

PROVENANCE: Harry and Judy Bextel Collection

$1,000 - $1,400

517

518

518 Thomas A. Nelson (b. 1956)

Two Doves, 2022 signed and dated “TAN 2022” on back woodcut inlay, 11 1/2 by 22 in.

$3,000 - $5,000

517 Thomas A. Nelson (b. 1956) Landing Dove, 2022 signed and dated “TAN 2022” on back woodcut inlay, 13 1/2 by 10 in.

Tom Nelson was born in Hawaii and now lives in Louisiana. The son of an avid duck hunter and carver, Nelson attributes his talent and passion for carving and birds to his father, Dr. Thomas H. Nelson, a contributing writer to Ducks Unlimited Magazine

Nelson uses a sand-blending wood inlay technique to create the intricate shading on these unique works. He heats and shapes up to ten different types of wood to create the patterns and depth.

$3,000 - $5,000

FRANK S. FINNEY

B. 1947 | CAPEVILLE, VA

519

519 Atlantic Salmon Model

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

37 in. long, 11 1/2 in. tall

520 Carved Owl Pair

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 1990 taller owl is 10 in. tall on base

Two turned-head chip-carved owls with raised wings and incised eye detail. Both bear the maker’s signature on the bottom of the bases. The dropped-tail bird displays the Finney stamp on the underside of the base as well. Original paint with light wear and a ding on left side of one breast.

$4,000 - $6,000

FRANK S. FINNEY

B. 1947 | CAPEVILLE, VA

521 Two Song Birds

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 1990 turned-head bird is 7 in. long

Two chip-carved birds with raised wings and incised eye detail. The upright bird bears the Finney stamp on the underside, while the other displays the maker’s signature on the bottom. Original paint with light wear.

522 Virginia Dowitcher

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 1990 12 in. long

A dowitcher carving with the maker’s “Frank Finney” inked signature on the bottom of the base. Original paint with light wear.

523 Turned-Head Bird

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

A chip-carved bird with the maker’s inked signature on the bottom of the base. Original paint with light wear.

524 Labrador Retriever Duck Call

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 2000 4 1/4 in. tall

An original tag included with the call reads “Duck Call by FINNEY Functional Art for the Discerning Sportsman.” The resin-cast call is marked with the artist’s stylized “F” signature. Original paint with light wear.

525 Two Duck Calls

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA 5 3/4 in. long

One resin-cast call is a shotgun shell with an incised “F” on the brass and the other resin-cast call reveals duck hunting images and a “F” signature. As found.

FRANK S. FINNEY

526 Rooster

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 1990 7 1/2 in. long

Signed with the maker’s stamp on the bottom of the base. Original paint with light wear.

527 Miniature Northern Mockingbird

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 2020 5 1/2 in. long

A calling songbird signed with the maker’s incised “F” on the bottom of the base. Original paint with light wear.

528 Spot-Breasted Oriole

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 2020 8 1/4 in. long

This turned-head oriole has a carved mulberry in its mouth and extensive carved feathering. Signed with the maker’s incised “F” on the bottom of the base. Original paint with light wear.

529 Miniature Wire-Hair Terrier

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 2020 7 3/4 in. long

A rare Finney dog carving with an incised signature on the underside. Original paint with light wear.

FRANK S. FINNEY

B. 1947

CAPEVILLE, VA

530 Miniature Preening Swan

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

A preening swan carving modeled after John James Audubon’s classic image. Signed with the maker’s stamp and incised “F” on the bottom of the base. Original paint with light wear.

531 Miniature Great Hornbill

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 2020 10 in. long

An exceedingly rare great hornbill carving with extensive incised feather detail. The bird holds a green morsel within its bill tip. Signed with the maker’s ink stamp on the bottom of the decorative base. Original paint with light wear.

532 Miniature Parrot

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 2020 6 1/2 in. long

A rare parrot carving with raised wing detail. Signed with the maker’s brand on the bottom of the base. Original paint with light wear.

533 Miniature Pileated Woodpecker

Frank S. Finney (b. 1947) Capeville, VA, c. 2020 5 1/2 in. long

Signed with the maker’s incised “F” on the bottom of the base. Original paint with light wear.

534 Miniature Yellowlegs

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

A refined miniature with raised wings and carved primaries. Twice signed with the maker’s incised “F” on the bottom of the base and a scratch-painted signature on the top of the base. Original paint with light wear.

535 Miniature Sperm Whale

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

A whale carving signed with the maker’s ink stamp on the bottom of the base. Original surface with light wear.

OBEDIAH VERITY

1813-1901 | SEAFORD, LONG ISLAND, NY 536

536 O’Brien Verity Peep Obediah Verity (1813-1901) Seaford, Long Island, NY, c. 1870 8 in. long

An excellent Verity runner with strong provenance and stippling, which includes red-phase plumage. The underside bears the serifed “J.B.” brand. Original paint with light gunning wear. Three small areas of touch-up in front of wing and a one-inch spot of touch-up to left wing.

PROVENANCE: Donal C. O’Brien Jr. Collection Linda E. Johnson Collection, acquired from the above, 2005

LITERATURE: Adele Earnest, The Art of The Decoy: American Bird Carvings, New York, NY, 1965, pp. 48 & 53.

William J. Mackey Jr., American Bird Decoys, New York, NY, 1965, pp. 102-103.

$6,500 - $8,500

NATHAN ROWLEY HORNER

1882-1942 | WEST CREEK, NJ 537

537 Rare Dowitcher

Nathan Rowley Horner (1882-1942) West Creek, NJ, c. 1915 10 1/2 in. long

An exceedingly rare shorebird by this New Jersey master showing the clean lines and stippled paint common in his waterfowl decoys. Widely recognized as New Jersey’s master carver, Horner is believed to have only made a single rig of dowitchers. Original paint with light gunning wear, some restoration to head, and a patch of wax fill on lower right side.

PROVENANCE: Fred Ellenberg Collection Linda E. Johnson Collection Private Collection

LITERATURE: Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., New Jersey Decoys, Exton, PA, 1983, p. 168, pl. 403 (top bird), exact decoy illustrated.

Joe Engers, ed., “Jim Allen: A Champion for New Jersey Decoys,” Decoy Magazine, May/June 2017, p. 9, rigmate illustrated.

$5,000 - $7,000

HARRY V. SHOURDS

1861-1920 | TUCKERTON, NJ 538

538 The Johnson Nelson Shourds Robin Snipe

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

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

PROVENANCE: Lloyd Johnson Collection Grant Nelson Collection

Private Collection, Florida

LITERATURE: John M. Levinson and Somers G. Headley, Shorebirds, Centreville, MD, 1991, p. 82, pl. 6-15, similar decoy illustrated.

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

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

$5,000 - $7,000

539 Black-Bellied Plover

Daniel Lake Leeds (1852-1922) Pleasantville, NJ, c. 1890 9 1/2 in. long

Describing a rigmate and its maker in Classic Shorebird Decoys: A Portfolio of Paintings, William J. Mackey Jr. writes, “Jeremiah Leeds, keeper of the salt flats, left one descendant, Dan Lake Leeds, who carved bird decoys including sanderling, plover, yellowlegs, turnstones, and curlew. His own rig, numbering over fifty snipe, came to light a few years ago. It was probably the greatest single find of its kind in New Jersey decoy history. The Dan Leeds birds have a stylized exaggeration that has an artistic appeal. The black-bellied plover have heads that indicate their local name, ‘bull heads,’ the sanderling have a slimness that suggests their speed before the advancing waves. Paint patterns are bright and adequate, and the technique is unusual; Dan used thick oily paint and laid it on instead of brushing it out. This viscous coating made a durable finish, and the rig was found in mint condition. The old gentleman lavished great care on his decoys during their years of service. They stand on their own merit and have little in common with their New Jersey contemporaries.”

A raised-wing beetle-head carving displaying Leed’s signature wet lively paint with tight stippled mottling. This decoy has been in the collections of Lloyd Johnson and Linda E. Johnson, with the former’s notes written under the tail. Original paint with light gunning wear, minor working touch-up to white patches on front, and a replaced bill.

PROVENANCE: Lloyd Johnson Collection Linda E. Johnson Collection Private Collection

LITERATURE: Richard A. Bourne Co. Inc., Very Rare and Important American Bird Decoys, from the Collection of the late William J. Mackey, Jr. of Belford, New Jersey, Hyannis, MA, Session V-VI, July 9-10, 1974, lot 49, rigmate illustrated.

Robert Shaw, Bird Decoys of North America, New York, NY, 2010, p. 190, similar decoy illustrated.

$3,500 - $4,500 540 Thorne-Rig Peep

Edwin Thorne (1861-1935) Rig Jamaica Bay, Long Island, NY, c. 1900 7 3/4 in. long

This decoy descended through the Thorne family to the past executive director of Ducks Unlimited, William Thorne, in 1950.

This sandpiper reveals lively paint with black and burnt umber brush strokes crossing to create the illusion of textured feathering. Excellent original paint with minimal gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Edwin Thorne Rig William Thorne Collection Collectable Old Decoys Dr. Morton D. Kramer Collection Private Collection

LITERATURE: Decoys Unlimited Auctions, Rare and Important Decoys, Related Artifacts & Americana, July 22 & 23, 2001, lot 107A and color spread, exact decoy illustrated.

$1,000 - $2,000

541 Ruddy Turnstone

New Jersey, c. 1890 8 1/2 in. long

A rare decoy species with two stick-up holes from the historic George Bird Evans Collection, which included prime New Jersey shorebird examples. Evans (1906–1998) was a writer, artist, dog breeder, and sportsman. Stamped and written collector inventory numbers are on the underside. Original paint with light gunning wear and a possible bill replacement.

539

540

541

PROVENANCE: George Bird Evans Collection Private Collection

LITERATURE: Kenneth L. Gosner, Working Decoys of the Jersey Coast and Delaware Valley, Cranbury, NJ, 1985, p. 96, related decoy illustrated.

$1,000 - $2,000

542 Root-Head Shorebird

Atlantic Coast, c. 1870 9 3/4 in. long

An early sandpiper carved from a single bent piece of wood. Old working paint with moderate gunning wear, fill to crack in head, and the bill tip has some damage and loss.

543 Black-Bellied Plover

John McAnney (1866-1949) New Gretna, NJ, c. 1910 11 in. long

A plump plover decoy with pronounced head carving. Original paint with moderate gunning wear and filled chip to underside of bill.

PROVENANCE: Dr. Morton D. Kramer Collection Private Collection

$600 - $900

544 Yellowlegs

Levi Rhodes Truex (1860-1934) Atlantic City, NJ, c. 1910 10 1/2 in. long

A yellowlegs displaying glass-bead eyes and a through-splined bill by this well-known New Jersey maker. There is a partial brand showing a “B.” on the belly. Original paint with light wear and a blood drip on back left side.

PROVENANCE: Linda E. Johnson Collection Private Collection

$1,000 - $2,000

545 Shorebird

Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924) Detroit, MI, c. 1910 10 1/2 in. long

A tack-eye shorebird with a wire bill. Original paint with light wear and flaking to bill.

PROVENANCE: Estate of A. Michael Prus

546 Semipalmated Plover Atlantic Coast, c. 1900 6 in. long

These very small plover are an exceedingly rare decoy species. Original paint with even wear and a cut-through stick hole.

$2,000 - $3,000

547 Golden Plover Massachusetts, c. 1880 10 in. long

A split-tail carving with an incised identifying mark on the underside. In working repaint with gunning wear and replaced bill.

548 Running Yellowlegs Mid-Atlantic, c. 1900 11 in. long

A two-inch-wide yellowlegs in a running position with lead eyes. Original paint with a two-thirds bill replacement.

549 Birch-King Curlew Charles Birch (1867-1956) Willis Wharf, VA, c. 1910 14 1/2 in. long

Joe King’s (1835-1913) 19th-century decoys have been found all along Virginia’s Eastern Shore and their stylistic influence can also been seen in the region. Birch reclaimed a worn old King curlew body and refitted it with his own head and distinctive scratch feather paint. Birch curlews of any construction are rare. Original Birch paint with moderate gunning wear, and old imperfections to body.

LITERATURE: Oliver’s and The Ward Museum, Auction of Waterfowl Decoys and Related Items, Salisbury, MD, October 1-2, 1994, front cover and lot 283, Birch curlew illustrated.

LLOYD JOHNSON

1910-1965 | BAY HEAD, NJ 551

550

550 Early Wigeon Drake

Lloyd Johnson (1910-1965) Bay Head, NJ, c. 1955 14 1/2 in. long

A fine gunning decoy by this New Jersey collecting and carving legend. Retains its original rigging and the maker’s branded signature on the underside. Original paint with light gunning wear.

$1,500 - $2,500

551 Black Duck

Lloyd Johnson (1910-1965) Bay Head, NJ, 1961 18 in. long

This hollow turned-head decoy features intricate feather ticking and the maker’s inked signature, brand, and date on the underside. A virtually identical decoy from this same year was photographed with Johnson as an award winner at the National Decoy Show. Original paint with light wear.

$1,500 - $2,500

553

Bluebill Pair

John Dawson (1889-1959) Duck Island, NJ, c. 1930 14 1/2 in. long

A pair of Delaware River decoys by one of the region’s most celebrated makers. They both have tight feather paint and bear the maker’s “JD” stamp and a “DSC” collection stamp on the underside. Original paint with even gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Dave and Jean Campbell Collection

LITERATURE: H. Harrison Huster and Doug Knight, Floating Sculptures: The Decoys of the Delaware River, Spanish Fork, UT, 1982, p. 46, related decoy illustrated.

$2,000 - $3,000

552 Goose

Stanley Grant (1877-1953) Barnegat, NJ, c. 1925 23 1/2 in. long

Photographed in Doherty’s Classic New Jersey Decoys book, this hollow decoy represents one of Grant’s finest decoys with great form, paint, and condition. This goose was lightly, if ever, hunted. The underside has an inlaid pad weight and Dave Campbell’s stamped “DSC.” Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Dave and Jean Campbell Collection

LITERATURE: James R. Doherty, Classic New Jersey Decoys, Louisville, KY, 2011, p. 146, pl. 293, exact decoy illustrated.

$3,500 - $5,500

552 553

554 American Merganser Hen Donal C. O’Brien Jr. (1934-2013) New Canaan, CT, c. 1975 19 in. long

Connecticut decoy collector, historian, and carver Donal C. O’Brien Jr. twice won the US National Carving Championship. This turned-head merganser displays raised wing tips and incised tail carving. The underside bears the maker’s inked signature and “Gov Rock,” a reference to his employer New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller (1908-1979). Original paint with light wear.

$2,000 - $3,000

555 Wigeon Drake William H. Cranmer (1917-2008) Beach Haven, NJ, 1953 14 in. long

One of the earliest and best Cranmer decoys we have come across. A hollow, turned-head wigeon with raised incised primaries and fine tail feather and bill carving. This carving’s underside bears the maker’s brand, indicating that it was from Cranmer’s own rig. The decoy was “secured” by renowned decoy collector Somers G. Headley in 1953 three months after

it was made, as noted in pencil on the underside. Original paint with light even wear and a small ding below left speculum.

PROVENANCE: William H. Cranmer’s Personal Gunning Rig Somers Headley Collection Richard and Lynn Gove Collection Private Collection

556 Black Duck and Mallard Hen c. 1970 18 in. long

Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: John R. Wierdsma Collection

557 Green-Winged Teal Marty Hanson (b. 1965) Prior Lake, MN, c. 1990 11 1/2 in. long

A hollow, slightly turned-head decoy. The bottom bears the maker’s signature in gold ink along with his stamp. Original paint with light wear.

558 Red-Breasted Merganser Drake

Massachusetts, c. 1900 18 in. long

An exceptional merganser drake with a low-profile body featuring deep wing separation. The forward-reaching head has a thin neck, incised almond-shaped eyes, mandible separation, and the original horsehair crest. Adding even more character to this distinct form is a careful gunning repair featuring a line wrapping to a reset neck crack.

Peter Tillou’s role in shaping the current perspective on American folk art is well documented and this decoy from his own collection offers a view into his shared passion for decoys and folk art. Original paint with light gunning wear, an old crack in neck, and working wash on black on body.

PROVENANCE: Estate of Peter H. Tillou

$3,000 - $5,000

559 Black Duck Dan English (1883-1962) Florence, NJ, c. 1920 16 in. long

This Delaware River classic was acquired in the historic American Heritage Society Auction of Americana at Sotheby Parke Bernet in 1975. The underside retains its maker marking and the “SPB” lot sticker. Excellent Dan English paint with light gunning wear and some loss to a reset tail chip.

PROVENANCE: The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

LITERATURE: Sotheby Parke Bernet Inc., The American Heritage Society Auction of Americana, November 6-8, 1975, lot 402, exact decoy illustrated.

560

558 559

560 Miniature Wood Duck Ken Harris (1905-1981) Woodville, NY, c. 1960 7 1/2 in.

Stamped on bottom “Made by Ken Harris, Woodville, N.Y.” Original paint with light wear.

561 Hooded Merganser Drake Atlantic Coast, c. 1920 12 in. long

A rare hooded merganser with sleek form and a bold head capturing the distinct bill and crest features of this charming species. Original paint with light wear.

PROVENANCE: Estate of Peter H. Tillou

562 Ruddy Duck North Carolina 11 1/2 in. long

North Carolina was known for its ruddies, also known as “Dollar Ducks” for their value in the game market. Appears to be a mix of original and repaint with heavy gunning wear. Replaced bill.

563 Brant

Nathan Rowley Horner (1882-1942) West Creek, NJ, c. 1920 17 1/4 in. long

A classic New Jersey hollow brant decoy with the Starr fan stamp on the underside. Working repaint with moderate gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Dr. George Ross Starr Collection

564 Mackey Goldeneye Hen Quebec, Canada, c. 1900 13 in. long

A goldeneye with sharply incised feather detail, bottom-hollowed construction covere d with a thin lead pad, and the Mackey Collection stamp on the underside. The lightweight body also has pinch-breast form. Appears to be a mix of original and old working paint with moderate gunning wear. Neck is loose with a chip on left side and some glue residue visible.

PROVENANCE: William J. Mackey Jr. Collection Estate of Peter H. Tillou

565 Two Bluebill Drakes Upstate New York, c. 1930 14 in. long

Original paint with light gunning wear and tight age lines in necks.

PROVENANCE: Estate of Peter H. Tillou

566 Pintail Drake Crisfield, MD, c. 1930 19 in. long

Working repaint with moderate gunning wear, including reset bill and neck cracks.

567 Tucked-Head Pintail

Harold “Pappy” Kidwell (1895-1982) Berkeley, CA, c. 1980 21 in. long

A market gunner who hunted in Sonoma County, Pappy then turned to making decoys and selling them to fellow hunters beginning in 1922. The underside of this pintail bears a “K” signature. The cork body is fitted with seven pieces of wood from tip to tail. Original paint with light wear.

LITERATURE: Michael R. Miller and Frederick W. Hanson, Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast, Portland, OR, 1989, p. 206, related carvings illustrated. Michael R. Miller, Wildfowl Decoys of California, Spokane, WA, 2015, p. 282, related decoy illustrated.

568 Canvasback Bill Goenne King City, CA, c. 1970 18 in. long

In repaint with gunning wear and a cracked neck.

569 Pintail Drake

Benjamin S. Schmidt (1884-1968) (attr.) Centerline, MI, c. 1930 15 in. long

The turned-head carving displays incised feather detail and a rasp-finished. Original paint with even gunning wear, including a hairline crack at top of bill and a tail chip which has been darkened.

PROVENANCE: Estate of A. Michael Prus

$800 - $1,200

570 Sleeping Redhead

Ted Van den Bossche (1887-1953) Detroit, MI, c. 1910 13 in. long

A tucked-head decoy with a “E. J. Plant” brand and a wedge keel on the underside. Original paint with moderate gunning wear.

PROVENANCE: Estate of A. Michael Prus

LITERATURE: Gene and Linda Kangas, Great Lakes Interpretations, Concord, OH, 2011, p. 163, related pair illustrated.

$400 - $600

571 Cashwell-Rig Mallard Peoria, IL, c. 1920 17 1/2 in. long

An Illinois River mallard from the famous Cashwell rig and so branded with the “CJC.” This bird features strong Perdew paint. Original Perdew paint with light gunning wear. Working paint to breast and head and lower third of bill is restored.

PROVENANCE: Chester J. Cashwell Rig Private Collection

LITERATURE: Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. and Julie Carlson, Masterworks of the Illinois River, Boston, MA, 2005, pp. 96-105, rigmates illustrated.

572 Redhead Thomas Chambers (1860-1948) Wallaceburg, Ontario, Canada, c. 1910 16 in. long

A hollow decoy with an attached baseboard with a “Thos. Chambers Maker” brand and a “J. T. McMillan” brand for the rig of James T. McMillan, a member of the St. Clair Flats Shooting Company from 1913-1946. Original paint with even wear showing some wood and a knot hole by right shoulder.

PROVENANCE: Estate of A. Michael Prus

$600 - $900

573 Preening Canvasback

Harry Holub Tustin, WI, c. 1940 14 in. long

A rare preener from this famous decoy town with a sharply turned and cocked head. Original paint with light gunning wear.

$700 - $1,000

574 Mallard Drake Henry Holmes (1870-1940) Bureau, IL, c. 1900 15 1/2 in. long

A rare and refined mallard drake by this early Bureau carver. This decoy features the strong swirl paint for which Holmes is revered, which has developed an appealing craquelure typical of the painter’s brush work. This hollow decoy remains in good condition having never been rigged. Original paint with even wear.

$1,000 - $1,500

ROBERT ELLISTON

1847-1925 | BUREAU, IL 575 575 Trego-Rig Blue-Winged Teal Robert Elliston (1847-1925) Bureau, IL, c. 1890 12 1/4 in. long

An exceedingly rare and early teal decoy. Widely regarded as the “Dean” of the Illinois River carving tradition, Robert Elliston’s carving was as exceptional as his wife’s paint. The underside of this hollow teal retains “THE ‘ELLISTON’ DECOY” weight and a “TREGO” brand. Charles Trego was a prominent member of the Nee-Pee-Nauk Club and a grain broker from Chicago. The Nee-Pee-Nauk clubhouse sat at the head of Lake Puckaway in Montello, Wisconsin. This duck hunting club was first organized in 1882 by A. H. Sellers, President of Chicago Guaranty Trust Company. Original paint with even gunning wear.

A small patch of old green overpaint has been successfully removed from the speculums. Touch-up around replaced left eye and some varnish has been removed. Tight age line in front of neck.

PROVENANCE: Peter and Janet Van Trigt Collection Private Collection

LITERATURE: Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. and Julie Carlson, Masterworks of the Illinois River, Boston, MA, 2005, pp. 29-37, related teal illustrated.

$6,000 - $9,000

577 Black-Bellied Plover

576 577

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1915 9 1/4 in. long

An early split-tail gunning decoy of this popular species. Original paint with even wear, a few rubs to bare wood along one side and top of head, slight chip on the bottom edge of the wing tip, knot in the breast, bill is a professional replacement by Gigi Hopkins.

PROVENANCE: Peter Brams Collection Private Collection, Massachusetts

LITERATURE: Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. and Chelsie W. Olney, Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving, Hingham, MA, 2019, pp. 218219, related plover illustrated.

$3,000 - $5,000

A. ELMER CROWELL

1862-1952 | EAST HARWICH, MA

576 Hudsonian Curlew

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA c. 1910 13 3/4 in. long

An early Crowell shorebird decoy with writing on the underside that appears to be by William Mackey and Lloyd Johnson, identifying this as a Hudsonian curlew. Since the bill is replaced, this bird may have begun as a willet decoy. An incised “M” rig marking can be seen behind the stick hole. Original paint with heavy gunning wear to wood and some darkening. Replaced bill and restored wing tip chip.

LITERATURE: Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. and Chelsie W. Olney, Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving, Hingham, MA, 2019, p. 141, related decoy illustrated.

$3,000 - $5,000

A. ELMER CROWELL

1862-1952 | EAST HARWICH, MA

578 Wigeon

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1930 15 1/4 in. long

A baldpate drake signed with the maker’s rectangular stamp on the bottom. Restored paint with light wear.

579 Black Duck

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1910 17 in. long

An early pre-brand era decoy with a large body and plump breast. Original paint with heavy gunning wear, age line in underside, tail chip, two-thirds bill restoration, and reset neck crack.

580 Early Goldeneye

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952) East Harwich, MA, c. 1910 13 3/4 in. long

An early pre-brand Crowell with a turned head and fluted tail carving. Mix of original and old working paint with gunning wear.

$2,000 - $3,000

581 Swan

R. Madison Mitchell (1901-1993) Havre de Grace, MD, 1979 28 in. long

A full-body swan decoy from the workshop of Mitchell. The underside has Mitchell’s name and a date of 1979. Original paint with light wear.

582 Tucked-Head

Canvasback

The Ward Brothers Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976) Crisfield, MD, c. 1950 16 in. long

A rare tucked-head Ward with a balsa body. The underside is inscribed by Lem Ward and Dr. Starr. It also bears an “MBL” brand and Starr Collection fan stamp. Original paint with light gunning wear and some flaking.

PROVENANCE: Ann Q. West Collection

Dr. George Ross Starr Collection Private Collection

583 Turned-Head Willet

Lloyd J. Tyler (1898-1970) Crisfield, MD, 1948 10 in. tall, 14 in. wide

An alert willet carving with raised wings on a driftwood base by Crisfield’s self-titled “Coy Duck King.” This exact Tyler carving is prominently illustrated in Henry Stansbury’s monograph on the maker. As the book attests, Tyler was a storied individual who is contemporarily known for decoy making and antique trading, That said, Stansbury predicted, “... he will be best remembered as a truly great folk artist and painter.”

This grand work has fully raised wings, a turned head, and excellent Tyler paint. It is pencil signed and dated on the underside of the base. This early date precedes many of the Ward Brothers’ decoratives. Original paint with light wear and slight neck seam separation.

PROVENANCE: Henry Stansbury Collection Private Collection, acquired from the above

LITERATURE: Henry H. Stansbury, Lloyd Tyler: Folk Artist, Decoy Maker, Lewes, DE, 1955, p. 106, exact carving illustrated.

$1,500 - $2,500

584 Life-Size Greater Yellowlegs Jack Franco

Assonet, MA, 1997 13 1/2 in. tall

A raised-leg decorative shorebird with raised wing tips and fine painted detail by revered carver Jack Franco. It is on a fifteen-inch-long driftwood base. Signed “Jack Franco 1997” on the underside. Original paint with light wear.

591

585 Miniature Mallard Drake

Levi W. Witham (1853-1939) Lynn, MA, c.1900 2 3/4 in. tall

This lot and the five others by the maker represent an important rediscovery of this accomplished North Shore carver. Other miniatures by Witham had recently been attributed to the younger Tom Wilson (18631940) of nearby Ipswich, Massachusetts. This attribution was based on the striking resemblance between the two men’s distinct plover carvings.

This miniature decorative was part of an apparent set sold by Sotheby Parke Bernet in their major 1975 Auction of Americana sale as “Property of a Private Collector.” It was this early catalog that revealed Witham as the maker.

The species is written in pencil on the underside of the base. Original paint with light wear.

LITERATURE: Sotheby Parke Bernet Inc., Auction of Americana, New York, NY, November 6, 7, & 8, 1975, lot 236, exact carving illustrated.

586 Miniature Canada Goose

Levi W. Witham (1853-1939) Lynn, MA, c. 1900 3 1/2 in. tall

The species is written in pencil on the underside of the base. It also retains its Sotheby Parke Bernet lot label. Original paint with light wear and some craquelure.

LITERATURE: Sotheby Parke Bernet Inc., Auction of Americana, New York, NY, November 6, 7, & 8, 1975, lot 242, exact carving illustrated.

587 Miniature Surf Scoter

Levi W. Witham (1853-1939) Lynn, MA, c. 1900 2 3/4 in. tall

The base retains its Sotheby Parke Bernet lot label. Original paint with light wear, restored lower portion of bill, touch-up to legs.

LITERATURE: Sotheby Parke Bernet Inc., Auction of Americana, New York, NY, November 6, 7, & 8, 1975, lot 234, exact carving illustrated.

588 Miniature Snow Goose

Levi W. Witham (1853-1939) Lynn, MA, c. 1900 3 1/4 in. tall

The species is written in pencil on the underside of the base. It also retains its Sotheby Parke Bernet lot label. Original paint with light wear, edges of base may have been darkened.

LITERATURE: Sotheby Parke Bernet Inc., Auction of Americana, New York, NY, November 6, 7, & 8, 1975, lot 239, exact carving listed.

589 Miniature Bufflehead

Levi W. Witham (1853-1939) Lynn, MA, c. 1900 2 1/2 in. tall

It retains its Sotheby Parke Bernet lot label on the underside. Original paint with light wear.

LITERATURE: Sotheby Parke Bernet Inc., Auction of Americana, New York, NY, November 6, 7, & 8, 1975, lot 233, exact carving illustrated.

590 Miniature White-Fronted Goose

Levi W. Witham (1853-1939) Lynn, MA, c. 1900 3 in. tall

The white-fronted goose is often referred to as a “specklebelly goose” by waterfowl hunters because of the black markings on its cream-colored breast. The species is written in pencil on the underside of the base. It also retains its Sotheby Parke Bernet lot label. This is among the earliest carvings of this species known by any maker. Original paint with light wear.

LITERATURE: Sotheby Parke Bernet Inc., Auction of Americana, New York, NY, November 6, 7, & 8, 1975, lot 239, exact carving illustrated.

591 Four Miniature Waterfowl

8 1/2 in. long

The larger Detroit black duck has touch-up to a reset bill. The smaller black duck has a tail-tip chip. The Ken Harris mallard is signed with an ink stamp and has a reset neck. The redhead has an obscured signature from Texas and a tail chip.

PROVENANCE: Estate of A. Michael Prus

592 Heron Carving

Cape Cod, MA, 20th Century 29 in. long

A heron carved from two-inch boards with a weather-obscured signature on the underside which may include “HM” or “WH.” Original paint with wear from weather and lichen.

593

Five Ducks and Six Heads

Included is a St. Clair Flats bluebill with a “WHA” brand and an Ontario canvasback drake, among others. As found.

PROVENANCE: Estate of Peter H. Tillou

597 598

594

Seven Shorebird Decoys

Seven old working shorebird decoys, including a cork Gelston yellowlegs, two papier-mâché Massachusetts decoys, a high-head plover, a Mid-Atlantic plover, and two flat-sided birds. As found.

PROVENANCE: Estate of Peter H. Tillou

595 Bird Tree

Ken Kirby (b. 1946) Little Egg Harbor, NJ, c. 2020 26 in. tall

A sculpture of seven different species of North American songbirds mounted on a natural tree branch with a turned and beveled edge base. Signed on the bottom. As found.

596

One Dozen Decoys

Included is a Crisfield pintail drake, a Crisfield black duck, two New Jersey brant, a New Jersey merganser, a Delaware River black duck, a Wildfowler bufflehead, Wildfowler

black duck, a canvasback, a contemporary shorebird, a silhouette shorebird, and an Upper Bay miniature sinkbox canvasback. As found.

PROVENANCE: The Estate of Ann Dickinson Dale

597 Ruddy Turnstone

Strater & Sohier (1874-1910) Boston, MA, c. 1880 9 in. long

A rare folding tin turnstone with the manufacturer’s patent stamp on the inside. Original paint with light wear.

598 Peep Strater & Sohier (1874-1910) Boston, MA, c. 1880 7 in. long

A folding tin shorebird with the manufacturer’s 1874 patent stamp on the inside. Peeps in original paint are among the rarest of the S&S tinnies. Original paint with light wear.

An Important Collection of du Pont and Related Powder Tins

from a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont (1863-1930)

The rarity and scope of the following fifty-nine lots makes this offering of antique gunpowder tins an unprecedented opportunity for discerning Americana collectors. Dating back to the turn of the 20th century and before, the collection features major American gun powder manufacturers, such as duPont, Laflin & Rand, American Powder, and King and Hazard.

Although there were several powder manufacturers in the US at the beginning of the 19th century, the vast majority of the government’s gunpowder supply orders were awarded to du Pont. The Parisborn founder, Éluthère Irénée du Pont de Nemours (1771–1834), worked at a French powder mill before immigrating to the US during the French Revolution. The high cost and low quality of American gunpowder in 1800 gave du Pont the idea of going

into business. The knowledge he acquired in France enabled him to create a superior product and the orders soon flooded in. During the War of 1812, the US government ordered 750,000 pounds of du Pont gunpowder, thereby assuring the company’s success.

Over the course of the next century, securing these coveted large orders gave du Pont the capital necessary to buy out competing companies and then “dissolve or absorb” the competition. As a result, a large proportion of antique powder tins hail from a du Pont company.

The consignor is the great grandson of Thomas Coleman du Pont (1863–1930), who was the great grandson of the company’s founder. Along with his cousins, Thomas bought out the family’s explosives business and then served as the firm’s president

from 1902 until 1915. During his tenure, the company acquired over one hundred competitors. This effective business strategy eventually drew the ire of the US government, which sued the firm for violating the Sherman Antitrust Act in 1907.

A member of a family of collectors, the consignor’s childhood home was decorated with Philadelphia Chippendale furniture alongside paintings by Winslow Homer (1836–1910), Frederick Childe Hassam (1859–1935), and Maurice Prendergast (1858–1924). As a young boy, the consignor began collecting a myriad of different objects, from Steiff stuffed animals to

Chinese export porcelain. He has been collecting power tins for a half a century. A lifetime in the art world has endowed him with a fine eye and discriminating taste. Several tins in this collection are featured in the two-volume treatise Gun Powder Cans & Kegs by Ted and David Bacyk. Copley is honored to present this important collection of historic powder tins in the Winter Sale 2023.

Source: Ted and David Bacyk. Gun Powder Cans & Kegs Lincoln, RI: Andrew Mowbray Publishers, Inc., 1998. 599 600 601

599 One Rare Du Pont Paper Can 4 1/2 in. tall

A rare Du Pont Black Sporting Powder paper can with battleship and cannons on top label. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

600 One Indian Powder Flask 5 3/4 in. tall

One red powder flask with a “Polvora Para Cazar Marca Indio” paper label. The front label image depicts an American Indian with a rifle in the jungle. “F.F.F.” appears on the back paper label. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

601 One Indian Powder Tin 3 1/2 in. tall

One red powder flask with a “Polvora Para Cazar Marca Indio” paper label. The front label image depicts an American Indian with a rifle in the jungle. “F.F.F.” appears on the back paper label. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

602 603

604 605

606 607

602 One W-A Powder Tin 5 3/4 in. tall

A W-A smokeless powder tin from the American Smokeless Powder Company for hard-grain shotguns. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

603 Two Hercules Powder Tins largest is 6 in. tall

Two “Black Sporting” tins from Hercules Powder Co. One is orange and the other is yellow. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

604 One Gold Dust Smokeless Shotgun Powder 7 1/2 in. tall

A rectangular yellow tin with a red label depicting a shield with strips and U.S.S.P.C. Co. on top. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

605 One Robin Hood Powder Tin 4 1/2 in. tall

An oval tin with a front label depicting an archer which reads, “Half Bulk Pound Robin Hood Smokeless for Shot Guns Manufactured by The Robin Hood Ammunition Co. Swanton, Vt.” As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont 606 One Du Pont Life Saving Service Powder Tin 6 1/4 in. tall

A red metal tin from E. I. Du Pont De Nemours & Co. located in Wilmington, Delaware, with a paper label with an image depicting men rowing in a boat. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

607 One Hercules Smokeless Rifle Powder Tin 5 1/2 in. tall

A circular tin with a tan label and a picture of a rifle. The label reads, “canister lot # 134, Ringuette Sporting Goods Grants Pass, Oregon.” As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

608 609 610

611 612 613

608 Two Golden Pheasant Powder Tins largest is 6 1/4 in. tall

Two Du Pont Golden Pheasant gunpowder tins, both have circular paper labels. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

609 Two Hazard Powder Company Tins largest is 5 in. tall

Two Hazard Powder Co. tins. Both are black with circular labels; one label has an image depicting an Indian and the other label has a hunter and a black dog. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

LITERATURE: Ted and David Bacyk, Gun Powder Cans & Kegs, Lincoln, RI, 1998, p. 156, related tin illustrated.

610 Three Du Pont Powder Tins largest is 5 3/4 in. tall

Three rectangular tins, each with a circular “Rifle Smokeless Powder” label depicting an eagle emblem. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

611 Two Round Imperial Powder Tins 5 in. tall

Two round tins with the same label “Imperial Powder for Rifle and Percussion Guns B.W. Thayer & Co. Lith. Boston” with a dog’s head illustration. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

612 Two Du Pont Powder Tins largest is 6 in. tall

Two Du Pont Superfine gunpowder tins. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

613 One Oriental Powder Mills Tin Portland, ME 5 3/4 in. tall

One rare oval Wing Shot Powder tin from Portland, Maine. A circular paper label on the front has images depicting hunters and dogs. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

614 Three du Pont Powder Tins largest is 6 1/4 in.

Three oval tins with three different labels. The black tin has a “Du Pont HF Superfine Gunpowder” label with four corner vignettes: stag head, dog head, Native American on horseback, and buffalo. The silver tin with a “Du Pont Schuetzen Smokeless” green label includes a depiction of a man holding a gun.

The red tin with label “Du Pont Superfine Fg Gunpowder Wilmington, DE” features four corner vignettes: stag head, dog head, Native American on horseback, and buffalo. The date “July 1924” and other information is printed on small inset rectangle. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

615 One Robin Hood Powder Tin 6 in. tall

An oval tin with a front label depicting an archer which reads, “Half Bulk Pound Robin Hood Smokeless for Shot Guns Manufactured by The Robin Hood Ammunition Co. Swanton, Vt.” As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

616 One Laflin & Rand Powder Tin 5 1/2 in. tall

One Troisdorf powder tin from Laflin & Rand with an image of a tiger on the label. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

617 Three Indian Rifle Powder Tins largest is 6 1/4 in. tall

Three red oval Indian Rifle Powder tins manufactured by Du Pont. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

618 Three Laflin & Rand Powder Tins largest is 5 1/2 in. tall

Three rectangular tins with labels: “New Schultze Gunpowder Manufactured by Laflin & Rand Powder Company New York; Schultze Gunpowder Manufactured by E. I. Du Pont De Nemours & Co (INC) Wilmington, Del. USA” ; “New Schultze Gunpowder American ‘E.C.’ & ‘Schultze’ Gunpowder Co Ltd works Oakland Bergen Co NJ offices 318 Broadway New York.” All three front labels depict a fist holding three lightning bolts with ‘Inter fulming securus” below. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

619 Four Powder Flasks largest is 6 3/4 in. tall

Two Hazard and two Du Pont powder flasks. All have brass labels. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

620 One Smith & Rand Lightning Powder Tin 5 1/2 in. tall

A very rare Smith & Rand Lightning Powder red tin with a diamond-shaped label that reads, “Smith & Rand Powder Co. NY” depicting a dead hare lying on a dead deer. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

621 One Picouwilks Laurence Powder Tin 6 in. tall

A rectangular tin with label reading “Picouwilks Laurence (Limited) Alliance Trade Mark Compello Tellis Gunpowder Dartford & Battle.” As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

622 One English Powder Tin 8 in. tall

A large green English powder can with a label that reads “W. Parker, Gun Maker, to His Royal Highness Prince Edward.” The label has images depicting hunters, dogs, and lions with crown crest. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

623 One Laflin & Rand Powder Tin 7 1/4 in. tall

One gold rectangular tin from Laflin & Rand Powder Company for shotguns. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

624 Four Hazard Powder Tins largest 6 1/2 in. tall

Four Hazard Kentucky Rifle Gunpowder tins. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

625 One Du Pont Smokeless Powder Tin 7 1/4 in. tall

One large rectangular green E. I. Du Pont De Nemours & Co. smokeless shotgun powder tin. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

626 Two Smokeless Rifle Powder Tins largest is 6 1/4 in. tall

Two rectangular tins from Hercules and Du Pont. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

627 Three Smokeless Tins largest is 6 in. tall

Three rectangular powder tins, two are Du Pont Rifle (green) and Revolver (red)

and the other is a Hercules Revolver (yellow). They all have a circular label with an eagle on the corner of a wreath. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

628 One Black Sporting Powder Can 5 1/2 in. tall

A circular green metal can from Du Pont Co., Wilmington, Delaware, with a paper label depicting a half-cocked gun. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

629 Five Laflin & Rand Powder Tins largest is 6 1/4 in. tall

Five Laflin & Rand powder tins. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

630 Two Hazard Salesman’s Sample Tins largest is 2 1/4 in. tall

Two Miniature Hazard Powder Co. salesman’s sample unopened metal tins. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

631 Three Du Pont Powder Cans largest is 4 in. tall

Three black Du Pont powder cans with circular labels on the tops. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

632 One Hazard Kentucky Duck Shooting Powder Tin 7 1/2 in. tall

Large circular red can from Hazard Powder Co. with a paper label on top with an image depicting a mallard standing in a marsh. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

633 One Hazard Powder Tin 9 in. tall

One large Hazard Smokeless powder tin with a paper label on top depicting an image of a hunter shooting ducks. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

634 One Hazard Kentucky Rifle Gunpowder Can 7 1/4 in. tall

A circular large green metal can with a “Hazard Kentucky Rifle Gunpowder, E. I. Du Pont De Nemours & Co., Wilmington,

Delaware” label on top with image of hunter with a rifle, dog, and horse. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont 635 Four Powder Kegs largest is 9 in. tall (four shown)

One Du Pont Eagle Gunpowder Keg (label is a reproduction), one Triple-Refined Deadshot Gunpowder Keg, one Oriental Powder Co. Keg, and one Star Sporting Powder Keg. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

636 One Du Pont New Formula Trap Powder Can 7 1/2 in. tall

One circular red metal large can with a label on top that reads “E. I. Du Pont De Newmours & Co, Wilmington, Delaware, New Formula Trap Powder” with a small image of a cocked rifle. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

637 Three Laflin & Rand Powder Tins largest is 11 1/4 in. tall

Three Laflin and Rand “Orange” powder tins of various sizes. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

638 One Du Pont Eagle Gunpowder Can 7 in. tall

One large red metal can from Du Pont with a label on top that reads, “Eagle Gun Powder Duck Shooting.” It also has an image depicting an eagle, hunters, dog, and flying ducks. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

639 One Kentucky Rifle Gunpowder Keg 8 1/2 in. tall

Wooden circular keg with “Kentucky Rifle Gunpowder from Hazard Powder Co.” label with image of a hunter with a rifle, dog, horse, and birds. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

640 E.l. Du Pont de Nemours Powder Keg 11 in. tall

A large circular can from Du Pont with a paper label on top with an image depicting a military ship. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

641 Three Wooden Powder Kegs largest is 6 3/4 in. tall

Three unmarked wooden powder kegs. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

642 643 644

645 646 647

648 649 650

642 One Audubon Powder Tin 5 3/4 in. tall

One Audubon red rectangular powder tin. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

643 Two Hercules Powder Company Tins largest is 6 1/2 in. tall

Two orange tins from Hercules Powder Company. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

644 One Kings Black Powder Tin 3 1/2 in. tall

One small maroon rectangular tin with a painted circular yellow label on the front and small paper label on top. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

645 Two King’s Powder Tins largest is 5 3/4 in. tall

Two King’s light green semi-smokeless powder tins from Cincinnati for shotguns and rifles. One label is painted on and the other has a paper label over a painted one. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont 646 One American Wood Powder Tin 4 1/2 in. tall

A small square green decorative tin. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

647 Two Powder Tins largest is 7 in. tall

A rectangular Mathewson’s powder tin and an “Imperial” Eureka powder tin. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

648 One Dittmar’s New Sporting Powder Tin 5 1/2 in. tall

A rare tin from Dittmar’s Sporting Powder Company. A red rectangular tin with a green paper label on the front and back. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

649 Three Powder Tins largest is 5 1/4 in. tall

Two Laflin & Rand powder tins and one E. I. Du Pont Ballistite powder tin. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

650 One Laflin & Rand Power Tin 6 1/4 in. tall

Orange Ducking Powder tin with a circular label with an image depicting a duck in the high grass. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

651 Two Powder Tins largest is 6 in. tall

Two red gunpowder tins, one from Eagle Sporting Gunpowder Company from Schaghticoke, New York, having a paper label with an image of an eagle. The second label has an Eagle carrying a “Duck Shooting” banner. The bottom of this label’s image is an eagle with hunters shooting ducks with a rifle. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

652 Ten Atlas Blasting Cap Containers round tins are 2 3/4 in. in diameter

As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

653 Five Du Pont Blasting Cap Containers largest is 3 1/2 in. long

As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

654 Four Du Pont Powder Tins largest is 6 in. tall

Four Du Pont Superfine Gunpowder tins. One is dated July 1924 on the label. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

655 Four Du Pont Powder Tins largest is 6 1/2 in. tall

Four Du Pont Superfine gunpowder tins varying in sizes. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

656 Twelve Hercules Blasting Cap Containers

largest tin is 2 3/4 in. in diameter

As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

657 One Hazard’s Gunpowder Tin 5 3/4 in. tall

A rectangular red metal tin with paper label “Hazard’s Electric Gunpowder” with corner images depicting hunters, dogs, an American Indian, and deer. The back has a circular paper label. As found.

PROVENANCE: Private Collection, a descendant of Thomas Coleman du Pont

Adamson, Harry Curieux: 153

Allen, “Dick”: 131

Andreuccetti, Luigi: 123, 124

Arms, John Taylor: 228

Audubon, John James: 229, 231

Azevedo, “Artie”: 114

Bach, Ferdinand: 457

Badeaux, W. J.: 262

Bailey, Capt. Clarence I.: 477, 478 Baker Jr., Charles H.: 285

Baliel, Ray: 129

Batterson, Wesley: 104

Beebe, William: 287

Bell, Bob: 260

Benson, Frank W.: 267-283

Bergman, Charles: 113

Berner, John: 259

Bextel, Harry: 516

Bibber, Orlando “Os”: 459

Birch, Charles: 549

Birch, Reggie: 415-418

Bishop, Richard E.: 152, 227, 230, 290-298

Blackstone, Jess: 401

Bogdan, Stan: 319

Boyd, George H.: 393, 467

Brackett, Walter: 187

Branson, Paul: 211, 212

Brown, Dean: 102 Buckingham, Nash: 286 Bull, Charles Livingston: 200-207

Bunn, Charles Sumner: 178

Burr, Elisha: 463

Burr, Russ: 12, 13, 397-400

Butler, Howard Russell: 213

Carlson, Ken: 346, 347

Castagnetto, Ed: 141

Chadwick, Henry Keyes: 454

Chambers, Thomas: 572

Chhuy, D. Haskell: 310

Clark, Roland H.: 301

Cobb Jr., Nathan F.: 163

Coffin Family: 365, 368, 469, 471

Coffin Rig, Charles F.: 362

Cook, Harry L.: 130

Copeland, Charles George: 209

Corbin, Peter: 491

Crandall, Horace “Hi”: 101, 110, 111, 146

Cranmer, Lewis A.: 76

Cranmer, William H.: 555

Crowell, A. Elmer: 4-9, 14-17, 22-28, 381390, 576-580

Currier, James A. “Jim”: 433

Cutting, Fred: 112 Daisey, Delbert “Cigar”: 423, 424 Daly, Thomas Aquinas: 219, 345, 489, 490

Dawson, John: 553 de Groot, Ewoud: 162 Dittman, Albert J.: 392 Dobbins, Frank J.: 512 Eigenberger, Gary: 410 Elliston, Robert: 575 English, Dan: 559 Ettinger, Churchill: 222 Finney, Frank S.: 38-51, 443, 519535

Folger Family: 363, 366 Franco, Jack: 584 Frazier, Luke: 63

Frost, Arthur Burdett: 190-193 Gardet, Georges: 331 Gardner Family: 374 Gibbs, Harold N.: 408 Gibian, William: 264 Gilley, Wendell: 10, 11, 20, 21, 395, 396

Goenne, Bill: 568 Grant, Stanley: 552 Graves, Bert: 86 Gromme, Owen: 71 Guge, Robert “Bob”: 407 Guyon, Georges: 482 Hagel, Frank D.: 357 Hagerbaumer, David A.: 157-161, 189 Hancock, Miles: 445 Hanson, Marty: 557 Harris, Ken: 427, 428, 560 Hawthorne, Davison B.: 425, 446, 447

Heinemann, Ben A.: 437, 438 Heisler, Jess: 73, 74 Hill, Dr. Lewis Webb: 409 Hill, Howard: 234 Hines, Robert W.: 308 Hodges, Dave: 494, 495 Holberton, Wakeman: 318 Holland, Mark: 378, 379 Holmes, Henry: 574 Holt, Jack & Bette: 176 Holub, Harry: 573 Horner, Nathan Rowley: 537, 563 Howitt, John Newton: 361 Hunt, Lynn Bogue: 154, 485, 486

J.N. Dodge Factory: 83, 136 James Purdey & Sons: 329 Janson, “Fresh Air Dick”: 125, 126 Jaques, Francis Lee: 186 Jensen, Art: 97, 98 Jeppsen, Julie: 58 Johnson, Lloyd: 550, 551 Johnson, William S. “Bill”: 513-515 Joiner, Charlie “Speed”: 444 Kade, Arthur W.: 235 Kangas, Gene: 265, 266 Keeney, Paul F.: 107 Kerr, Robert G.: 253-256 Kidwell, Harold “Pappy”: 120, 567 King, Allen J.: 1-3, 391 King, Joe: 172 Kirack, Larry: 105 Kirby, Ken: 595 Kirmse, Marguerite: 220 Knaack, Terrill: 498 Kuhn, Bob: 348, 349, 353 Kuhn, Walter Francis: 232 Kuhnert, Friedrich Wilhelm: 352 Lapham, James: 402 Lawrence, John Edward: 487 Lawrence, William Goadby: 484 Lawson, Oliver “Tuts”: 171, 174, 175 Leeds, Daniel Lake: 539 Lepper, Bruce: 263 Lewis, Charles Morey: 373 Lincoln, Joseph W.: 18, 19, 394, 462, 464, 465

Littlejohn, Chase: 151 Lockard, Henry: 432 Lougheed, Robert Elmer: 350 Maass, David A.: 56

Machen, William H.: 233 Madara, Clark C.: 75

Marshall, Thomas “Tom”: 481

Mason Decoy Factory: 77-82, 84, 87, 88, 90-92, 133, 436, 545

Mastin, Jerry: 100

Matia, Walter: 57, 61, 62

Matus, Tom: 442

McAnney, John: 543

McAuliffe, John: 196-199

McGaw, Robert “Bob”: 403, 404 McIntosh, Leo H.: 261, 430, 431

McIntyre, Cameron T.: 492

McLellan, George William: 93-95

McNair, Colin S.: 509

McNair, Ian T.: 510

McNair, Mark S.: 29-37, 499-508

Means, Robert W.: 455

Mills, D.G.: 334

Mitchell, R. Madison: 435, 581

Monahan, Hugh C.C.: 69

Muehlmett, Ernie F.: 246

Mueller, Keith: 180

Neal, William “Bill”: 109, 145, 149, 150

Nelson, Thomas A.: 517, 518

Niblett, Gary: 356

O’Brien Jr., Donal C.: 554

O’Neill, John P.: 241-245

Palmer, Herman: 355

Paroyan, Victor: 426

Peltz, Peter: 52-55

Perdew, Charles H.: 85

Perry, Oliver Hazard: 215

Peterson, Emil: 106

Phillips, Capt. Ed: 167-169

Pinches, William “Bill”: 115

Pitman, Al and Ned Chase: 372

Pleissner, Ogden M.: 299, 302-307

Powder Tins: 599-657

Proctor, W. Stanley “Sandy”: 330

Reed, James “Corb”: 419-422

Reed, Joyce Hagerbaumer: 309

Reneson, Chet: 64-68, 338-344

Rhead, Louis: 208

Rickert, Harold E. “Rick”: 311-316

Riggin Jr., William Paul:170, 173, 450-453

Ripley, Aiden Lassell: 155, 156, 183

Roesling, Joseph Carolus: 132

Rosseau, Percival: 59

Rungius, Carl: 354 Russell, Burley Earl: 137

Savoie, Amateur “Mat”: 461

Schaldach, William J.: 184, 185, 223, 225, 300 Schatz, Manfred: 182

Schelling, George Luther: 188

Schmidt, Benjamin S. (attr.): 569 Scott Cork Decoy Company: 138

Scott, David A.: 497

Seton, Ernest Thompson: 210

Shourds, Harry V.: 538

Smith, Brett James: 488 Smith, Capt. Abe: 479 Smith, Frank Vining: 70 Smith, Ralph Crosby: 360 Smith, Stephen: 317 Snyder, Ed: 142-144, 147, 148 Solberg, Morten E.: 496 Spiller, Burton L.: 284

Sprankle, Jim: 257, 258

Stidham, Mike: 483 Strater & Sohier: 597-598 Strong, Helen Lay: 406

Strunk, George: 411, 412, 440, 441

Sturman, Rhett W.: 214

Sudy, John: 248 Sutton, Sean: 429

Tait, Arthur Fitzwilliam: 60 Thorne Rig, Edwin: 540 Titus Sr., Jim: 116 Tocchini, Leo: 121, 122 Trotter, Newbold Hough: 194, 195 Truex, Levi Rhodes: 476, 544

Tule Lake Decoy Co.: 135

Tull, Andrew A.: 72 Tyler, Lloyd J.: 583

Tyson Jr., Carroll Sargent: 226

Van den Bossche, Ted: 570 Verity, Obediah: 536

Ward Brothers: 164, 165, 376, 413, 414, 449, 582

Ward, Lemuel T.: 166

Warren, Harold Broadfield: 216, 217

Watson, Henry Sumner “Hy”: 358 Weaver, Steve: 249-252 Webster, Mr.: 364 Weiler, Dale A.: 359

Weiler, Milton C.: 493

Welles, Charles R.: 373

Wetzel, Frederick William: 236-240 Wheeler, Charles E. “Shang”: 179 Wheeler, Chauncey “Chance”: 177 White, Robert “Bob”: 434

Williams, Roger (attr.): 380

Winston: 321

Winter, John B.: 139

Witham, Levi W.: 585-590

Witherspoon, Leigh F.: 460 Wozny, Eddie: 247, 511

ESTATE AND COLLECTION SERVICES

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

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

THE DU PONT CROWELL WOODCOCK

Leah Tharpe Fine Art Specialist leah@copleyart.com

Colin S. McNair Decoy Specialist colin@copleyart.com

Steve O’Brien Jr. , Ow ner D e coy and Fine Art Specialist steve@copleyart.com

Jim Allen Decoy Specialist jim@copleyart.com

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SALE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Estimate Increment

To 950 50 1,000 – 2,400 100 2,500 – 4,750 250 5,000 – 9,500 500 10,000 – 24,000 1,000 25,000 – 47,500 2,500 50,000 – 95,000 5,000 Over 100,000 at auctioneer’s discretion

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

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

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

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

BUYER PRE-REGISTRATION FORM

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

Name: Company Name: Agent acting on behalf of: Invoice Address: City: State: Zip:

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

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

(required)

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

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

FINANCIAL REFERENCES

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

AUCTION REFERENCES

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

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

ABSENTEE/TELEPHONE BID FORM

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

please check one of the following:

ABSENTEE TELEPHONE

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

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

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

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

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

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

DESCRIPTION

Print Name: (required)

Signature: (required)

OUT-OF-STATE DELIVERY AND AUTHORIZED SHIPPING RELEASE FORM

Item(s) will not be released without a signed authorization form from the invoiced Buyer. You may include this form with your payment or fax it to 617.266.4896. Payments of cash, check, or bank transfer must be posted to your account before property is released.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SHIPPING OPTIONS:

The UPS Store #4423

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

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

Boston Pack and Ship 781.849.8696 or 1.800.400.7204 info@bostonpackandship.com U.S. Art* 781.986.6500 or 1.800.872.7826 *Specializing in high-value art, large works, and specialty items

Print name: (as invoiced)

Shipping Address: Phone: Email:

Signature: Internal use only Received by:

Place and Manner of Delivery: To an Interstate Common Carrier for delivery out of state: I authorize: to pick up my items(s) (Please specify Name of Common Carrier) Sale Date: Lot #s :

Signature: Print Name: Date:

For more than 40 years, Charleston has hosted one of the most beloved events in the Southeast. SEWE is a celebration of the great outdoors through fine art, live entertainment, and special events. It is where artists, conservationists, collectors, and sporting enthusiasts come together to enjoy the outdoor lifestyle and connect through a shared passion for wildlife. This Is SEWE.