New York State 471. Black duck, Sam Denny, Clayton, New York. Original paint with only slight wear; good feather detail; a few tiny dents.
471
Provenance: From the hunting rig of Bill Massey. (2,000 - 3,000)
472. Black duck Stevens Brothers, Weedsport, New York, last quarter 19th century. Original paint shows moderate wear; structurally sound. Provenance: Bartlett collection. (2,500 - 3,500)
472
473. Black duck, Harvey Stevens, Weedsport, New York, circa 1890s. Original paint with moderate flaking and wear; slight separation at body seam; small cracks and dents; large filled defect in wood in center of back from when the decoy was made.
Literature: “The Stevens Brothers, Their Lives, the Times and Their Decoys,” Dr. Peter J. Muller & Peggy Lane Muller. (2,000 - 3,000)
473
474. Very early and rare redhead drake, Harvey Stevens, Weedsport, New York, circa 1870s. Referring to Dr. Peter Muller’s book on the Stevens Brothers, Dr. Muller indicates that this bird “….was likely an experimental, discontinued design.” Strong original paint shows average wear; very thin crack at the extreme lower breast, overall excellent structurally. Provenance: Bartlett collection.
474
166
Literature: “The Stevens Brothers, Their Lives, the Times and Their Decoys,” Dr. Peter J. Muller & Peggy Lane Muller, p. 163, exact decoy pictured. (1,800 - 2,200)