North American Decoys at Auction | July 23 & 24, 2018

Page 1

Guyette & Deeter, Inc. North American Decoys At Auction July 23 & 24, 2018


346

340

237

154

96A


Guyette & Deeter, Inc.

North American Decoys At Auction Sheraton Harborside Hotel 250 Market Street Portsmouth, New Hampshire 603-431-2300 50 Table Dealer Show July 22, 23 & 24

Sunday, July 22, 2018

Preview 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM Join us for complimentary cocktails and hors d’oeuvres

Monday, July 23, 2018 Preview 8:00 AM - 10:45 AM Auction 11:00 AM

Tuesday, July 24, 2018 Preview 8:00 AM - 9:45 AM Auction 10:00 AM

Tuesday, July 24, 2018

November Auction Preview

1:00 pm - 2:00 pm | River Watch Room Complimentary Cocktails

For questions during the auction call 410-745-0485

Catalog $45. Out of Country $54 Absentee, Phone & Online Bidding accepted call 410-745-0485 for arrangements For Free Decoy Appraisal Contact: Gary Guyette | decoys@guyetteanddeeter.com | 410-745-0485 Jon Deeter | jdeeter@guyetteanddeeter.com | 440-543-1416


Important Notices: ■ Unofficial prices realized information will be available five business days after the auction. Official prices realized list will be available online approximately two weeks after the auction. ■ If you would like to consign decoys to our next auction, please contact; Gary Guyette 410-745-0485 decoys@guyetteanddeeter.com or Jon Deeter 440-543-1416 jdeeter@guyetteanddeeter.com. Free appraisals are available with no obligation to consign, and all correspondences are strictly confidential. ■ Under no circumstances will we be responsible for damage to frames or glass, or damages caused by them. Under no circumstances will we be responsible for damage to fragile decoratives. These items are marked in the catalog with an *. ■ Auctioneer James D. Julia, Fairfield, Maine. ■ Stands are not included with the decoys or weathervanes unless specified in catalog. Plexiglass cases are not included with shotgun shell boxes. ■ NO SALES TAX. ■ All duck calls have condition reports, but are sold “As Is”. ■ Trade Up Program - A limited numer of decoys purchased may be paid

for by consigning decoys to the next Guyette & Deeter. auction. Ask Gary or Jon for Details. Guyette & Deeter Harbor Cruise

Portsmouth Harbor Cruises - July 23 at 5:15 pm Guyette & Deeter will be hosting a harbor cruise for auction attendees who are staying at the Sheraton. The cruise departs at 5:15 and returns at 6:30. Cash bar will be provided. Space is limited! Only 49 passenger capacity. Call Guyette & Deeter at 410-745-0485 and reserve your complimentary ticket.

UPCOMING GUYETTE & DEETER, INC. DECOY AUCTIONS November 7 & 8, 2018

Talbot County Community Center Easton, Maryland

In Conjunction with the Easton Waterfowl Festival Featuring the collection of Sam Dyke 50 Dealer Show

April 2019

Pheasant Run Resort St. Charles, Illinois

In Conjunction with Midwest Decoy Collectors’ Show To consign, Contact: Gary Guyette | decoys@guyetteanddeeter.com | 410-745-0485 Jon Deeter | jdeeter@guyetteanddeeter.com | 440-543-1416

We are fortunate to have Robert J. Koenke on staff as our Sporting & Wildlife Art expert. Feel free to contact him for an appraisal or consignment to one of our auctions: 410-758-1644, rjkoenke@verizon.net


Guyette & Deeter, Inc.

Dale & Gary Guyette PO Box 1170 St. Michaels, MD 21663 Tel: 410-745-0485 Fax: 410-745-0487 decoys@guyetteanddeeter.com

Jon & Leigh Ann Deeter 7980 Darbys Run Chagrin Falls, OH 44023 Tel: 440-543-1416 Cell: 440-610-1768 Fax: 440-543-5405 jdeeter@guyetteanddeeter.com

Zac Cote Online Auction Manager Freeport, Maine Tel: 207-321-8091 zcote@guyetteanddeeter.com

Mike Stevenson Graphic Designer & Photography St. Michaels, Maryland Tel: 410-745-0485 michael@guyetteanddeeter.com

Ed Kenney Merchandise Manager & Shipping St. Michaels, Maryland Tel: 410-745-0485 shipping@guyetteanddeeter.com

Lynda Brooks Office Manager St. Michaels, Maryland Tel: 410-745-0485 lynda@guyetteanddeeter.com

Denise Jarrell

Bookkeeper St. Michaels, Maryland Tel: 410-745-0485 billing@guyetteanddeeter.com


©Ducks unlimiteD canaDa

This is the last section of the Peter Brown Collection

Above: Ducks Unlimited Canada’s (DUC) former national planned giving manager Lloyd Derry with Peter Brown (right), who donated a portion of his extensive antique decoy collection to DUC.

The tale of a consummate collector

P

eter Brown will never forget the first time he opened a box of antique Canadian waterfowl decoys. They’d been sent to him by decoy collector Bruce Malcolm, who, along with renowned carver Ron Gruber, thought Brown might be interested in a collection of his own as an investment. That was back in the 1980s. Brown, a Vancouver, B.C., businessman, had already acquired important artwork by Group of Seven and Haida artists. He had other collections, too. But hand carved decoys were different. “I’d never seen a great decoy before, and I thought: these are really something,” says Brown. “There’s no question they were works of art.” Brown was hooked. “As I got more interested, I thought it would be fun to put together the definitive collection of Canadian birds, pursue each of the great carvers and try to get

as many of the species that they made that I could. We ended up with a few thousand birds.” Drawing from sheds, boat houses, duck clubs and collections across Canada, over time, Brown would work with Malcolm and others to amass the remarkable collection of decoys ranging from mint condition to gunning repaints. “Peter liked all decoys, not just the best ones,” says Malcolm. “He had a passion for them. It was not about investment and money. He would interrupt a board meeting or stock trading session to take my call about a possible new acquisition.” “He had a powerful, positive influence on Canadian decoy collecting in the 1980s.”

ZZZ Now, at the age of 75, Brown has taken the unprecedented step of divesting his decades-long pursuit. In May, he donated 1,000 antique duck, geese and


“This is a rare opportunity for DU supporters, waterfowlers, folk art collectors and decoy enthusiasts to acquire a historical, important waterfowl hunting artifact while supporting DUC and its mission.” – bruce malcolm

From Ducks Unlimited Canada’s conservator magazine, fall 2016.

shorebird decoys, appraised at $1.5 million, to Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC). In turn, DUC is offering the majority of the collection to the public through auction by Guyette & Deeter, Inc., the world’s largest decoy auction firm based in Maryland. DUC will be the beneficiary of net proceeds from the sale. The majority of the decoys will be sold beginning April 2017, however, some are now being offered on Guyette & Deeter’s weekly online auctions at decoys forsale.com. Most of the birds are working decoys carved in the late 1800s and early 1900s, including a pair of Fernland pintails appraised at $260,000. “This is a rare opportunity for DU supporters, waterfowlers, folk art collectors and decoy enthusiasts to acquire a historical, important waterfowl hunting artifact while supporting DUC and its mission,” says Malcolm. “There are wonderful core decoys in the Brown/DUC collection: high value, sought-after decoys by all of the important Canadian makers. In addition, there are a large number of lesser known, well-carved decoys that are very collectible and offer great value.” “They’re beautiful things,” says Brown. “I was happy to have them. A collection like that will likely never happen again.”

ZZZ At Brown’s request, a portion of the collection will remain in Canada and displayed periodically at the Oak Hammock Marsh Interpretive Centre in Manitoba, site of DUC’s national office. That display

will be dedicated to Brown’s late long-time friend and best man,William McLallen Jr., who was a “phenomenal duck hunter and outdoorsman,” says Brown. “It took three days for DUC and Guyette & Deeter staff to pack, appraise and photograph the donated decoys at Mr. Brown’s home.” says DUC’s former national manager of planned giving Lloyd Derry, who spent months working on the logistics of acquiring and selling the collection. Derry, who retired in December 2016, adds “It was a nice but challenging way to end my career.”

ZZZ Malcolm, a DUC supporter, avid waterfowl hunter and decoy collector who lives on the north shore of Lake Erie in Norfolk County, Ont., says Brown’s generous gift is a perfect tribute to Canada’s – and DUC’s – waterfowling heritage. “Many extensive DUC projects exist where these decoys were used over the years,” says Malcolm. “Places like Ontario’s Lake St. Clair, Rondeau Bay, Turkey Point and Long Point and Prince Edward County and throughout Quebec, the Maritimes and B.C.’s Fraser Delta.” “I find it ironic that a group of decoys collected from coast to coast arrive in Vancouver, stay for 25-plus years, migrate en masse to Manitoba, ‘stage’ and are now about to redistribute throughout North America to people who will again admire and cherish them. Many will no doubt end up in homes in Canadian waterfowling areas where they were originally created and used, thanks to DUC and Peter Brown.”


Featuring Decoys From The Collections Of: Bokelman Estate Peter Brown Jonathan & Virginia Chua Arnold & Lillian Colodny Dr. Lloyd Griffith Paul Tudor Jones II Senator Eugene McCarthy Mitch McKay

David & Lynn Meyer Doug & Ellen Miller W.R. Rowe, Jr. Enrique Sajor Frank Svoboda Doug & Carol Whittington Yawkey/Gaston Family

Dr. Lloyd Griffith Lloyd Griffith had the “eye of the angel.” He could discern the best of any group of decoys with a mere glance. No one was more rabid in their approach to acquiring the most artful examples. He may not have always had the heaviest war chest, but he more than made up for it with determination and nerve. Early on I tagged him with the nickname “Moby Dick”…don’t let the line on the harpoon tangle your ankle should you become engaged in a bidding war with Lloyd, as he would absolutely take you to depths only Moby Dick could navigate. Over the years, Lloyd didn’t win every auction battle, but he always caused a bit of “limping” to those he lost to. Lloyd was the most profoundly stylish personality to ever grace a decoy event. Emerging at an auction preview in his pink madras-plaid trousers, an electric green puffy-sleeve “Douglas Fairbanks Jr.” custom shirt and his trademark yellow kidskin driving gloves, Lloyd was the intimidator. Ed Johnston once remarked that it cost about a hundred grand a year extra just to be Lloyd. I have burned into my brain his most profound quote: “If you aren’t living on the edge, you’re taking up way too much space!” Dick McIntyre


Dick Stephenson A truly good guy The decoy community lost one of the truly good guys of our hobby when Richard S. Stephenson passed away on April 19, 2018. I first met Dick in the early 1990s at his restaurant, the Skilligalee in Richmond. From that first encounter I knew immediately that I was going to like this fellow and, subsequently, we became friends. Dick, along with his wife Jeanne, was a regular attendee and participant in our auctions. He was particularly fond of Ward brothers decoys and through the years was able to assemble some very good examples of their work. While that was his primary collecting focus, he had a keen appreciation for decoys from other regions and, ultimately, was able to build an eclectic collection. I rarely saw Dick without a smile on his face. While he hadn’t been active recently, his interest and love of old decoys never waned. For those of us fortunate enough to have known him, he will be sadly missed. Frank Schmidt

Doug and Ellen Miller Doug and Ellen Miller rapidly fell in love with the art form of decorative bird carving. Collecting the bird sculptures became their passion and obsession. For over forty years they have continued to support artists and events, all the while watching the art of decorative bird carving grow in popularity and complexity. The Millers have collected over 3,000 works by over two hundred of the most successful and talented bird carvers working in the United States. Mostly acquired during the last quarter of the twentieth century, their collection is an excellent document or study of the development of an art form over five decades. Kenneth A. Basile, First and now retired Director of the Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University, Salisbury, MD


Online Bidding Available for All Guyette & Deeter Auctions Through Invaluable.com Bidding through Invaluable.com features real time competitive bidding straight from the auction.

To bid using Invaluable: • Go to the Guyette & Deeter website and click on the Invaluable link below upcoming auctions. • Once on Invaluable’s website, click on the Create Account button on the top right navigation bar. It’s free and only takes a few minutes. • Create your own username and password, along with your email address so Invaluable can send you important information. • Input your information. On the following page, Invaluable will ask you for your interests. • Now that you are a member of Invaluable, not only can you browse and bid on our auctions, but you have access to all of Invaluable’s other auctions.

* TIP: Enable Flash on your internet browser during the sale to view Live Streaming Video from the auction

Guyette & Deeter Online Auctions

*Winning bids will be subject to a 5% Invaluable fee

We e k ly O nline Au c t ions End ing E ve r y T hu r sd ay N ig ht G u a r a nt eed co n d i t i o n re p o r t s , m ul t i p l e p hot os , q u i ck s h i p p i n g , g reat d eal s o n q ual i t y i t e m s Sold $1782.50 – Henry Lockard

Sold $3507.50 – Straiter & Sohier Sold $2604.75 – Mason Decoy Factory

For questions, contact: 207-321-8091

Sold $956.80 – Oscar Peterson

zcote@guyetteanddeeter.com

PO Box 159, Freeport, Maine 04032 www.decoysforsale.com

Recent Sales


Session One

Miniatures by Elmer Crowell 1 - 14 15 - 22 Pacific Coast 23 - 32 New York 33 - 41 Contemporary Fish Decoys 42 - 58 Ontario 59 - 64 65 Caines Brothers 66 - 71 Ward Brothers Decoratives 73 - 84 Factory 85 - 96 New England Shorebirds 97 - 106 Canada Caines Brothers 107 Miniatures by Elmer Crowell 108 - 119 North Carolina 120 - 127 Contemporary 128 - 133 Ward Brothers 134 - 141 Sporting Art 142 - 146 Fish 147 - 153 Shorebirds 154 - 162 Illinois River 163 - 190 New York 191 - 195 Decoratives 196 - 200 New England 201 - 219 Virginia 220 - 231 Shorebirds 232 - 238 Factory 239 - 245 New Jersey Shorebirds 246 - 252 Sporting Art 253 - 260 Maryland 361 - 271 Bronze Sculptures 271A - 271F Etchings 272 - 276 Contemporary 277 - 295

Session Two

Decoratives 296 - 311 Miniatures 312 - 325 Enoch Reindahl 326 New England 327 - 339 Shorebirds 340 - 347 New Jersey 348 - 352 Ontario 353 - 365 Maine 366 - 383 Miniatures by A.J. King 384 - 395 Ward Brothers 396 - 405 Decoratives 406 - 423 New England 424 - 434 Items of Interest 435 - 449 Delaware River 450 - 467 Miniatures 468 - 480 Decoratives 481 - 486 Shorebirds 486A - 486K Canada 487 - 495 Duck Calls 496 - 506 Louisiana 507 - 516 Delbert “Cigar� Daisey 517 - 525

Monday, July 23, 2018 11:00 AM Lots 1 - 295

Tuesday, July 24, 2018 10:00 AM Lots 296 - 525

Please read conditions of sale in the back of catalog


SESSION ONE

Monday, July 23, 2018 - 11:00 am

Miniatures by Elmer Crowell 1862 - 1952 East Harwich, Massachusetts

1.

Extremely rare miniature loon, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Crowell’s blue paper label “AE Crowell and Son” with word, “loon” written on it under the base. Extremely fine feather paint detail. Bird is a little over 5 1/4” from bill to tail.

Provenance: Colodny collection. (3,500 - 4,500)

Elmer Crowell in his worship with a selection of fine miniatures

1 Detail

1

10


2.

2

3

4

5

Rare miniature herring gull, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Crowell’s rectangular stamp is under the base. Also identified with the number 5. A fairly large bird, approximately 5 3/8” long. Very good and original with good patina.

Provenance: Colodny collection. 3.

(2,500 - 3,500)

Miniature laughing gull, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Crowell’s rectangular stamp is on underside of base. Very good and original. (2,000 - 2,500)

4.

Larger than typical miniature skunk head scoter, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Crowell’s round ink stamp is under the base. Approximately 5 1/4” from bill to tail. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Colodny collection.

5.

Larger than typical miniature feeding canvasback drake, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Crowell’s round ink stamp is under the base. Carving measures 6” from tail to bill. Tiny chip missing from underside of tail, otherwise excellent and original.

Provenance: Colodny collection.

(2,000 - 3,000)

(1,500 - 2,000)

11


5A

5B

6

7

8

9

5A. Miniature Canada goose, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Crowell’s rectangular stamp is in the underside. Very good and original. (2,000 - 3,000) 5B. Miniature fairly large gull with extended wingtips, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Crowell’s round ink stamp is on the underside of the base. Approximately 5 3/4” long. Near mint original paint; long thin chip missing from one edge of underside of bill.

Provenance: Colodny collection.

6.

Larger than typical miniature eider hen, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Crowell’s round ink stamp is under the base. Approximately 5 1/2” from bill to tail. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Colodny collection.

12

(800 - 1,200)

(2,000 - 3,000)

7.

Larger than typical miniature redhead hen, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Crowell’s round ink stamp is under the base. Bird measures 5” from tail to bill. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Colodny collection.

8.

Miniature quail, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Unsigned. Very good and original. (1,750 - 2,250)

9.

Miniature ring neck pheasant drake, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Approximately 4 7/8” long. Touchup on bill, otherwise very good and original. (1,750 - 2,250)

(1,500 - 2,000)


10.

Pair of miniature mergansers, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. No marking under the bases. Very good and original.

Provenance: Colodny collection. (2,500 - 3,500)

10

11

12

13

14

11.

Pair of miniature pintails, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Each has Crowell’s rectangular stamp on underside of base. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Colodny collection.

12.

Miniature wood duck drake, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Crowell’s rectangular stamp on underside of base. Very wide body. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Colodny collection.

(2,500 - 3,500)

(2,000 - 2,500)

13. Miniature widgeon drake, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Crowell’s rectangular stamp and signature are on the underside. Very good and original. (1,500 - 2,000) 14.

Pair of miniature mallards, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Crowell’s rectangular stamp is under the base. Each has an old paper label on the underside as well. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Colodny collection.

(2,500 - 3,500)

13


Pacific Coast William McClellan 1897 - 1987 Eureka, California

McLellan with floater and flying brant c. 1975

Waterfowl hunters have long recognized the fact that the more realistic their rigs, the better their chances for a successful hunt. Form and paint were the first aspects of decoy construction to be improved upon, followed by carvers altering the head position and pose of the wooden counterparts. Tip ups for puddle ducks added spice to the setup. The ultimate quest however was how to impart life or movement to the rig. Over time a number of attempts were made, most of which turned out to be basically experimental or cumbersome at best. Charlie Hart’s flapping wing black duck and Tuveson’s “flyers” would be a few typical examples. One man however, managed to produce a workable solution that was effective, simple, and an artistic success. “Bill” McLellan was born in, and became a life-long resident of, Eureka, California. He gunned the Humboldt Bay area – a locale renowned for its Pacific black brant shooting. A plumber by trade, he carved decoys only for his personal use. Although he did make a relatively small number of duck decoys (mostly redheads, widgeon, and pintails) it is his wonderful brant decoys that have brought him into high esteem among decoy and folk art collectors. Made of solid redwood, his rendering of this species are works of exciting sculpture. He made his first rig of 40 with long necks in 1933 and carved an additional 25 with shorter necks and in various lifelike poses in 1938. In 1941, however, with the help of his wife Olga, he produced 9 decoy masterpieces. These were his flyers, each one individually numbered with matching, cloth over frame wings that were fastened to the corresponding body with attached hinges and pins. These were set out on the marsh atop telescoping galvanized poles set at various heights. The “coup de grace” was the addition of rubber bands to the wings which would allow

14


them to flap slightly in the wind or they could also be set in a fixed pre-determined position if so desired. Set out on South Spit in Humboldt Bay, it is easy to envision how McLellan’s brant rig would have caught the attention of any approaching brant and be the envy of every other hunter in the vicinity. The quest for realistic movement had been achieved by Bill McLellan. References: 1. Miller, Michael R. 2015. “Wildfowl Decoys of California – Vintage Carving Traditions of the Golden State.” Triple-D Book Publishing. 2. Wheeler, Rich. 1989. “Bill McLellan’s Wonderful Flying Brant.” March/

McLellan and wife Olga with flyer

April, 1989, Decoy Magazine.

15.

Rare flying brant, William McClellan, Eureka, California. Made with flapping detachable canvas over wooden frame wings. One of a set of nine, this one is numbered I. Good feather paint detail on wings. Custom iron stand is included. Original paint with very minor wear.

Provenance: Meyer collection. Literature: “Wildfowl Decoys of California,” Michael Miller.

(22,500 - 27,500)

15

15


16.

Pintail drake, “Fresh Air” Dick Janson, Sonoma Creek, California. Near mint original paint; unrigged; structurally excellent.

Provenance: Meyer collection.

Literature: “Wildfowl Decoys of California,” Michael Miller. (1,500 - 2,000) 17.

Pintail hen, Fresh Air Dick Janson, Sonoma Creek, California. Original paint with very slight wear; minor wear on bill; a couple of shallow flaws in wood in one side of head and neck. (1,750 - 2,250)

18.

Pintail drake, Fresh Air Dick Janson, Sonoma Creek, California. Old in use repaint on white areas; thin crack through neck. (750 - 950)

19.

Pintail drake, Tule Lake Decoy Factory, Tule Lake, California. Stamped “Woodwards Tule Lake Semi Hollow”. Very good and original.

16

17

Literature: “Wildfowl Decoys of California,” Michael Miller. (600 - 900) 20. Pintail hen, Seth Barry, Broderick, California, circa 1930’s. Original paint with minor to moderate wear; tack eyes are missing. (400 - 600) 21. Pair of greenwing teal, Sam Esperson. Balsa bodies. Original paint with minor wear; cracks in underside of hen; a couple spots of old touchup. (500 - 800)

18

19 16

20

21


21A. Pair of coot, Luigi Andreuccetti, Sacremento, California. Both have slightly turned heads and relief wing carving. Both have “LA” punched in to the underside with a nail.

Literature: “Wildfowl Decoys of California,” Michael Miller. (2,000 - 3,000)

21A

21B. Two ring neck drakes, Luigi Andreuccetti, Sacramento, California. Both are signed and dated 1936 by the maker. Both have relief wing carving and very slightly turned heads. Excellent and original. (2,000 - 3,000)

21B

22. Pair of greenwing teal, Luigi Andreuccetti, Sacramento, California. Both have a large “LA” carved in the underside. Both have cork bodies, wooden heads, and wooden bottom boards. Very good and original. (1,750 - 2,250)

22 17


New York State Stevens Brothers Weedsport, New York

From the introduction of “The Stevens Brothers” by Dr. Peter J. Muller & Peggy Lane Muller. Some states have claimed at least one great 19th century maker of duck decoys. In Massachusetts, there was Elmer Crowell, and in New Jersey, Harry V. Shourds. Albert David Laing of Connecticut, Nathan Cobb, Jr. of Virginia, and Robert Elliston of Illinois were others. Until now, New York has not laid claim to such a great 19th century carver, but, without question, Stevens Brothers have earned that title. The Stevens’ decoys were created over a century ago, all handmade throughout. In the past, Stevens’ decoys have often been placed or cataloged among the factory decoys, compared with those made by Peterson, Dodge, and Mason. Yet Stevens’ decoys were individually handmade, just as were those by the great 19th century carvers listed above. Perhaps Harvey’s unique method of making these decoys, advertising in periodicals a “manufacturer” of duck decoys, led to this misclassification. The hunters who bought Stevens’ decoys no doubt felt their rigs had been individually made for them and few other available decoys could compare. In reality this is true, because no two Stevens decoys are exactly alike, since they were handmade “throughout,” made in a “different style,” and finished with only the “best paint.” They were crafted from original patterns by skilled hands.

18


23.

Very rare bluewing teal drake, George Stevens, Weedsport, New York, last quarter 19th century. Tack eyes. Original paint with good patina and very minor wear; several tiny dents.

Provenance: Colodny collection.

Literature: “Stevens Brothers Decoys,” Peter and Peggy Mueller. “Stevens Decoys,” Shane Newell. (14,000 - 18,000)

23

23 Detail

23 Detail

19


24

24 Detail

20

24.

Bufflehead drake, George Stevens, Weedsport, New York, last quarter 19th century. Original paint with good patina and minor wear; moderate wear on underside and in center section of one side; small crack in breast; lightly hit by shot.

Literature: “Stevens Brothers Decoys,” Peter and Peggy Mueller. (6,000 - 9,000)


25 Detail

25 Detail

25 25.

Very rare mallard drake, Harvey Stevens, Weedsport, New York, last quarter 19th century. Goiter neck style. Exceptionally fine comb paint detail. Original paint with minor flaking and wear; structurally excellent.

Provenance: Colodny collection. Purchased from Russ Goldberger in 1988. Literature: “Stevens Brothers Decoys,” Peter and Peggy Mueller. “Stevens Decoys,” Shane Newell, p. 5, 6, 65, exact decoy pictured. (14,000 - 18,000)

21


26. Working brant decoy from Alexandria Bay, New York. Glass eyes. Original paint with minor wear; a few tiny dents. (3,500 - 4,500)

26

27

27.

Goldeneye hen, Chauncey Wheeler, Alexandria Bay, New York. Original piant with very minor wear; structurally good.

Provenance: Formerly in the collection of Harold Haertel, Haertel collection stamp on underside. Formerly in collection of Hal Evans, signed and dated 2/20/66 by Evans

Literature: “American Bird Decoys,” William Mackey, Jr., p. 107. (1,750 - 2,250)

28.

28 22

Pair of canvasbacks, Chett Shute, Finger Lakes, New York. Original paint with moderate wear; thin crack partway through hen’s neck. (650 - 950)


Chauncey Wheeler

1862 - 1937 Alexandria Bay, New York

29

29. Rare brant, Chauncey Wheeler, Alexandria Bay, New York. Branded “WFB” for William F. Beale, Long Island, New York. Fine incised feather carving. Original paint with very minor wear; small worn spot on top of tip of tail; neck crack repair; small amount of touchup on one side of the head. Provenance: Meyer collection. Literature: “Chance,” Hal Reiser. (6,500 - 9,500)

29 Detail 23


30.

Black duck, Harvey Stevens, Weedsport, New York, last quarter 19th century. Retains “Harvey Stevens” stencil on underside. Original paint with very slight wear; several tiny spots of touchup on upper neck; very lightly hit by shot.

Provenance: Colodny collection. Purchased at the November 1993 Doyle auction. (7,500 - 10,000)

30

30 Detail

31.

31 24

Very rare 1/4 size decoy, Stevens Brothers, Weedsport, New York, last quarter 19th century. Approximately 8” long. Most of the paint is missing; thin cracks and dents. (650 - 950)


32 Detail

32

32.

Very rare redhead drake, Harvey Stevens, Weedsport, New York, last quarter 19th century. Good comb paint detail. Signed by “H.A. Stevens maker Weedsport New York” on the underside. Original paint with very minor wear; small shot scar where tail joins back; small amount of in painting on sides of head.

Provenance: Colodny collection. Purchased at the July 1987 Bourne decoy auction. (12,000 - 15,000)

25


Contemporary

33

34

35

36

33.

34.

26

Three Seaford, Long Island style Seaford shorebirds, Cameron McIntyre, New Church, Virginia. “CTM” carved in underside of each. Curlew, yellowlegs, and sandpiper. Relief wing carving, applied heads with carved eyes. Original paint that has been aged; lightly hit by shot. (1,600 - 2,000) Merganser drake carved in the style of Elmer Crowell, Frank Finney, Cape Charles, Virginia. Signed. In swimming pose with slightly turned and lifted head. Raised crossed wingtips and fluted tail. Original paint that has been aged; structurally very good. (1,250 - 1,750)

37

35.

Hollow carved sleeping black duck, William Gibian, Onancock, Virginia. Signed. A one of a kind carving styled after a Jess Heisler decoy. Excellent and original. (1,000 - 1,400)

36.

Pair of pintails, Bill Gibian, Onancock, Virginia. Signed. Drake is in preening pose. Both have fine paint detail. Very good and original. (1,500 - 2,000)

37.

Large hollow carved eider drake, Marty Hanson, Hayward, Wisconsin. “MH” carved in underside. Very good and original. (1,750 - 2,250)


38

39

38.

41.

40

Great grey heron, Cameron McIntyre, New Church, Virginia. Base is included. Carving is approximately 3’ long with removable head and relief wing carving. Signed “CTM”. Original paint that has been aged; a few small dents. (2,000 - 3,000)

39.

Pair of canvasbacks, Leo McIntosh, Adams, New York. Signed. Both have slightly turned heads. Very good and original.

Provenance: Bokelman estate.

40.

Hollow carved Canada goose carved in the style of Walter Brady, Mark McNair, Craddockville, Virginia. Signed and dated 2001. Original paint that has been artificially aged; structurally good.

Provenance: Bokelman estate.

(1,750 - 2,250)

(1,750 - 2,250)

Stylized carving of a Mason Factory premier grade widgeon, Cameron McIntyre, New Church, Virginia. Signed. Hollow carved. Excellent and original. (2,000 - 2,500)

41

27


Oscar Peterson 1887 - 1951 Cadillac, Michigan

42

42.

Very rare and exceptionally well carved fish plaque of a rainbow or cutthroat trout, Oscar Peterson, Cadillac, Michigan. Approximately 42 1/2” x 11”. Carved exhibits fine detail in the fins, tail, and gills. Several small and shallow dents near center of body, otherwise excellend and original.

Provenance: Dr. Lloyd Grifith colleciton. Lot 124 in our November 2002 decoy auction. Plaque originally came from a lakeside cabin near Grayling, Michigan.

Literature: “Beneath the Ice,” Ben Apfelbaum, Eli Gottlieb, and Steven J. Michaan, p. 63. “Michigan’s Master Carver, Oscar W. Peterson 1887 - 1951,” Ronald J. Fritz, p. 80. (17,500 - 22,500)

42 Detail

28


42 Detail 29


43. Perch fish decoy, Oscar Peterson, Cadillac, Michigan. 9 1/2” long x 1” wide x 1 3/4” tall. Tack eyes. Strong original paint protected by a coat of varnish; small areas of flaking at one gill, fins, and both eyes. (2,500 - 3,500)

43

44. Brown trout fish decoy, Oscar Peterson, Cadillac, Michigan. 7” long x 5/8” wide x 1” tall. Tack eyes. Very good and original. (1,500 - 2,500)

44

45. Unusual pike fish decoy, Oscar Peterson, Cadillac, Michigan. 6” long x 1/2” wide x 3/4” tall. Tack eyes. Very unusual paint pattern, with a peach color that is blended in from the top. Strong original paint protected by a coat of varnish; two small scars at top of back; flaking on fins and underside; worn at tail and mouth. (1,800 - 2,200)

45

46. Brook trout fish decoy, Oscar Peterson, Cadillac, Michigan. 6 1/4” long x 1/2” wide x 3/4” tall. Painted eyes. Strong original paint; flaking on underside and small areas on fins. (1,800 - 2,200)

46

30


47

47.

Extremely rare and important walleye fish decoy, Oscar Peterson, Cadillac, Michigan. Carved eyes. 12” in length x 3/4” wide x 1 1/2” tall. Strong original paint; small areas of flaking on metal fins; a spearing scar at top of one side of head; a few small areas of paint flaking. (5,000 - 7,000)

47

48

48.

Early and important brook trout fish decoy, Oscar Peterson, Cadillac, Michigan. 8 1/2” long x 3/4” wide x 1 3/4” tall. Painted eyes with deeply carved gills. One of the earliest brook trout we have handled. Strong original paint; protected by an old coat of varnish; small areas of paint missing from underside; metal fins and tiny flakes. (4,000 - 6,000)

48 Detail 31


49. Fish decoy, Ernie Newman, Minnesota. 8” in length. Very good and original. (800 - 1,000)

49 50.

Fish decoy, Otto Faue, Hanover, Minnesota. Art Deco style coloration and pattern. 6 3/4”. Tiny bead eyes. Strong original paint; light wear on fins and small areas of body. (800 - 1,200)

51.

Fish decoy, Otto Faue, Hanover, Minnesota. 6 1/2” in length. Stylish paint pattern. Original paint with moderate wear. (800 - 1,000)

50

51 52. Leroy Howell fish decoy, Minnesota. Flower fish, green with red and white flowers. 6 1/2” long. Very good and original. (800 - 1,000)

52 53.

Rare fish decoy, Ernie Newman, Minnesota. 9” in length. Strong original paint with some red flaking off of the aluminum or chrome sides of the body. (800 - 1,000)

54.

Excellent fish decoy, Fred Lexow, Minnesota. 7 1/2” long. A near perfect example, almost mint condition. (2,500 - 3,500)

53

54 32


55. Rare muskie fish decoy, Oscar Peterson, Cadillac, Michigan. Carved eyes. 9” long x 3/4” wide x 1 1/4” tall. Strong original paint protected by a coat of varnish; a few small areas of flaking mostly on the top. (3,000 - 4,000)

55

56. Rare rainbow trout fish decoy, Oscar Peterson, Cadillac, Michigan. 9” long x 5/8” wide x 1 1/4’ tall. Tack eyes. Strong original paint protected by an old coat of varnish; areas of flaking on fins. (3,000 - 4,000)

56

57. Pike fish decoy, Oscar Peterson, Cadillac, Michigan, 1st half 20th century. 9” in length x 5/8” width x 1 1/4” tall. Tack eyes. Strong original paint with an old coat of varnish; some flaking on fins. (2,500 - 3,500)

57

58. Early perch fish decoy, Oscar Peterson, Cadillac, Michigan, 1st quarter 20th century. 8” in length x 1” wide. Glass eyes. Coat of paint has been removed to expose an original pattern that was natural sided. (1,800 - 2,200)

58

33


Ontario

59

60

59.

Long body style canvasback drake, Tom Chambers, Toronto, Ontario. Branded “Geo. M. Hendrie” for 1889 St. Clair Flats member George Hendrie. Original paint with minor wear; crack through neck; very lightly hit by shot; a few small dents on top of bill.

Provenance: Peter Brown collection.

Literature: “Ontario Decoys,” Bernie Gates, p. 14. 60.

60 Detail 34

(3,500 - 4,500)

Very rare pair of goldeneye, John R. Wells, Toronto, Ontario, 1st quarter 19th century. Hollow carved with “JRW maker” brand in the underside. Original paint; minor discoloration and wear; lightly hit by shot; hen has a professional bill chip repair with touchup in that area.

Provenance: Peter Brown collection.

(4,000 - 6,000)


61. Hollow carved canvasback drake, John R. Wells, Toronto, Ontario, circa 1900. Branded “Geo. M. Hendrie” for George Hendrie, 1889 St. Clair Flats Shooting Company member. Original paint with minor shrinkage and wear; a few tiny dents. Provenance: Peter Brown collection. Purchased in Winnipeg by Peter Stanley. Literature: “Ontario Decoys,” Bernie Gates, p. 71. (3,000 - 4,000)

61

62. Solid body style redhead drake, George Warin, Toronto, Ontario, last quarter 19th century. Raised neck seat and subtle feather paint detail. Branded “Gillup” and “J.G. Riordon”. Original paint that is somewhat darkened with age; hit by shot; small chip missing from head behind one eye.

Provenance: Peter Brown collection.

Literature: “Ontario Decoys,” Bernie Gates, p. 43. “Ontario Decoys II,” Bernie Gates, p. 64. (1,750 - 2,250) 63.

62

Hollow carved redhead drake, John R. Wells, Toronto, Ontario. Branded “TH Newberry”. Newberry was a St. Clair Flats Shooting Company member, 1900-1914. He was a U.S. Senator and Secretary of the Navy. Original paint with minor wear; heavily hit by shot on one side.

Provenance: Peter Brown collection. (2,000 - 3,000)

63

64.

Black duck, Bud Tully, Peterborough, Ontario. Relief wing carving and slightly turned head. Original paint with minor wear; thin crack through bill; tiny chip missing from wingtips.

Provenance: Peter Brown collection. Literature: “Ontario Decoys,” Bernie Gates, p. 76. (1,250 - 1,750)

64 35


Caines Brothers

Georgetown, South Carolina

South Island Plantation Georgetown County, South Carolina Since colonial times, South Island, was the location of one of the many coastal plantations, all with vast acreage, devoted to the production of rice. After the Civil War, left uncultivated, these would evolve into an outstanding wetland habitat that attracted huge numbers of migratory waterfowl. Many of the largest of these plantations became the private retreats of a few wealthy and prominent sportsmen. It would be only logical that these affluent owners would want to acquire the best equipment they could – and this would include decoys produced by the Caines Brothers. Edward Porter Alexander (1835 - 1911) was an early landowner in Georgetown County when, in 1868, he purchased North Island. He later expanded his holdings with the acquisition of land on both South and Cat Islands.

Location of early rice plantations

Alexander was born in Washington, Georgia and entered West Point during Robert E. Lee’s tenure as the Academy’s superintendent. At the beginning of the Civil War, in 1861, upon learning of his home state’s secession, Alexander resigned from the Federal Army and accepted a commission as Captain of the Confederate Engineers. He was one of only three Confederate officers to rise to the rank of general in the artillery branch. Respected by some of the Confederacy’s most important commanders, Alexander would participate in nearly every major campaign in the eastern theatre, contributing substantially to the army’s greatest successes and sharing in its most bitter defeats.

At South Island 1906. An unidentified staff member, Confederate General Edward Porter Alexander

General and Mrs. Alexander, and Admiral Benjamin Peffer Lamberton

36


65 Detail

37


65.

Extremely rare and important oversize preening mallard hen, Caines Brothers, Georgetown, South Carolina, 1st quarter 20th century. Rigmate to lot 107 in this auction. One of only seven of the highest grade Caines Brothers decoys known to exist. Sharply cut, deep relief wing carving and fluted tail. Finely detailed notch and line carving mostly on wings and neck. Wax eyes. Original paint with good patina and very minor wear; minor roughness to edges of tail; several shot holes filled and touched up a very long time ago, paint appears to be by the same hand as original; one eye is missing.

Provenance: Yawkey/Gaston Family. This decoy has been in the family’s possession for over 90 years. Yawkey family history indicates that the two Caines Brothers decoys in this auction and two decoys sold at auction in the early 1990s were given to Tom Yawkey by his friend and neighbor Bernard Baruch.

Literature: “Call to the Sky,” Robert Shaw. Guyette & Schmidt /Sotheby’s, January 2000 auction catalog, lot 171, similar decoy. “Southern Decoys,” Henry Fleckenstein, Jr. p. 7. (300,000 - 400,000)

65


Decoy photo is just under actual size. Decoy is 16 1/2� long.


Due to health issues, Alexander put these properties up for sale in 1909, and they were purchased in that same year by Joseph L. Wheeler. The real estate brochure for the sale of the property states: “The furnished residence, along with livestock, horses, mules, tools, implements, vehicles, and all decoys, and duck boats in the various waters.” Wheeler then proceeded to form the “South Island Club” with fifteen shareholders of which William Hover Yawkey (former owner of the Detroit Tigers) was one of the majority shareholders. When William Yawkey died in 1919, his share passed to his adopted son (his brother’s son), Tom. The South Island Club operated until 1925 when its assets, in their entirety, were sold to Tom Yawkey. Tom Yawkey (1903 – 1976) was an American sportsman who purchased the Boston Red Sox baseball franchise in 1933. He was a man of immense wealth and was an avid outdoorsman. While in South Carolina, Mr. Yawkey carried out extensive development efforts to provide feeding and resting grounds for migratory birds and other wildlife working in cooperation with the Fish and Wildlife Service, Ducks Unlimited, and the Jack Miner Migratory Bird Foundation. He and his wife, Jean, would spend many winters at South Island. Upon Tom Yawkey’s death, he bequeathed 31 square miles of land, including South Island, to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources which created the Tom Yawkey Wildlife Center Heritage Preserve.

65 Detail

40


65 Detail

In his obituary he is quoted as having said - “In baseball just like hunting, you have to be patient and take the good with the bad. There’s a lot of luck involved. After all, it’s only a game.”

65 Detail

Some research indicates that the most stylish and highest quality decoys made by the Caines Brothers were found on South Island. It is believed that these were made for General Alexander around the turn of the century and then were acquired by the Yawkey family as they assumed ownership of the property. Other research indicates that the decoys were made for Bernard Baruch whose Hobcaw Barony was just across the river.

Tom Yawkey and Boston Red Sox slugger Ted Williams

41


Decoratives by the Ward Brothers Crisfield, Maryland

66

66.

Exceptional decorative preening black duck, Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Signed “Hollow cedar LT Ward 1961, Ward Brothers Personal Collection.” In preening pose with tip of bill under one slightly lifted wing. Extended wing with feather carving fluted tail. Fine paint detail. Excellent and original. (6,000 - 9,000)

66 Detail

42


67.

Very rare pair of 3/4 size pintails, Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Both have very slightly turned heads. Both are signed and dated 1938. Good feather paint detail and good patina. Near mint original paint; hen has a tiny spot of touchup on one side of bill; drake has a small dent in one side. (6,500 - 9,500)

67

67 Detail

43


This important full body standing bluewing teal drake was likely carved nearly ten years earlier than most examples of full body teal that have been sold at auction. The shape of the head, roundness of the body, and the simplicity in which the paint pattern was applied help to date it in the 1930’s.

70 Detail

70

44

70.

Standing bluewing teal drake, Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Signed and identified under the tail. Turned head. Raised primaries and secondaries made from peach basket staves. Original paint with very minor wear; areas of discoloration on one lower side; structurally good.

Literature: “Ward Brothers Decoys,” Brian McGrath and Ron Gard. (15,000 - 20,000)


71

71.

Decorative preening mallard hen, Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Signed and dated 1960. In preening pose with bill partly under one wing. Raised, crossed wingtips with detailed feather carving and fluted tail. Fine paint detail. Near mint original paint; short thin crack at lower breast and under the tail. (4,000 - 6,000)

71 Detail

45


Factory Decoys

73

73.

Exceptional and very rare dunlin, Dodge Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan, last quarter 19th century. Tack eye model with wooden bill. The roman numerals “XXIX” are stamped in the underside. Exceptional feather paint detail. Near mint original paint; structurally excellent.

Provenance: Meyer collection. Ex Mackey family collction, by descent through the Mackey family. Guyette & Schmidt, Inc. November 2006 auction, lot 331, exact decoy.

Literature: “Dodge Decoy Dynasty,” Bill Dodge and Ron Sharp. (10,000 - 15,000)

73 Detail

46


74

74.

Important dowitcher in fall plumage, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan. Glass eye model, circa 1910. Marked “Dowitcher $7.50 DZ.” under tail. Very rare salesman sample. Near mint original paint; structurally excellent.

75

76

74 Detail

Provenance: Colodny collection. (Purchased at the July 1993 Guyette & Schmidt auction). Formerly in collection of Paul Tudor Jones II and the collection of Mort Hanson, Sr. Literature: “Mason Factory Decoys,” Russ Goldberger and Alan Haid. (4,500 - 7,500) 75.

Exceptional black bellied plover, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan. Glass eye model, circa 1910. Near mint original paint with good patina; in factory filled crack in lower side.

Provenance: Colodny collection. Purchased from Russ Goldberger in 1994. (4,500 - 7,500) 76.

Exceptional robin snipe, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan. Glass eye model, circa 1910. Near mint original paint with very good patina; structurally excellent.

Provenance: Colodny collection.

(4,000 - 6,000)

47


77

77. Exceptional pair of mallards, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan. Premier grade. Stamped “A J Davis” several times in undersides. Original paint with minor wear; very small rough spot on one edge of drake’s tail; in factory hairline crack in drake’s back.

77 Detail

48

Literature: “Mason Factory Decoys,” Russ Goldberger and Alan Haid. (7,000 - 9,000)


78

78 Detail

78.

Fine bluewing teal drake, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan, 1st quarter 20th century. Premier grade. Good form with slightly lifted head. Fine feather paint detail. Near mint original paint; several very tiny dents in back.

Provenance: Colodny collection. (8,000 - 12,000)

49


79.

Canvasback drake, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan. Premier grade. Original paint; minor discoloration and wear; hit by shot. (1,200 - 1,500)

79

80.

Bluewing teal drake, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan. Standard grade with tack eyes. Very slightly turned head. Original paint with almost no wear; about half of neck filler is missing; crack in underside.

Provenance: Colody collection. Formerly in the collection of William J. Mackey, Mackey collection stamp on underside. (1,500 - 2,000)

80

81. Pair of mallards, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit Michigan. Premier grade. Original paint with minor wear; each has a small amount of touchup at neck seam; a few small dents; each has a tail chip repair. (2,000 - 3,000)

81

82. Rigmate pair of redheads, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan. Challenge grade. Original paint with minor discoloration and wear; each has a crack in the underside; drake has been lightly hit by shot.

Provenance: McCarthy collection. (2,000 - 3,000)

82 50


83

84

83. Pintail drake, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan. Premier grade. Original paint with minor wear; small shot mark on one side of breast; small amount of filler and paint missing at small knot in other side of breast. (4,000 - 6,000)

84. Classic brant, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan. Challenge grade. Branded “Barron” twice. From the hunting rig of George B. Barron, Rye, New York who hunted near Willis Wharf, Virginia. Original paint with good patina; very minor wear; structurally good.

Provenance: Colodny collection. Formerly in collection of Bernie Gicolleto. (3,500 - 5,500)

51


New England Shorebirds Elmer Crowell

1862 - 1952 East Harwich, Massachusetts

85

85.

Rare golden plover in winter plumage, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Exceptional paint detail and coloration. Tack eyes. Tiny shot mark on one edge of tail otherwise, excellent and original.

Provenance: Colodny collection. Purchased at 1986 Bourne decoy auction in Monterey, California.

Literature: “New England Decoys,” John and Shirley Delph. (17,500 - 22,500) 52


85 Detail

85 Detail

53


86

87

86 Detail

86.

54

Golden plover from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, last quarter 19th century. Original paint; minor wear; moderate wear on underside; thin crack through bill, otherwise structurally good. (1,500 - 2,000)

87 Detail

87.

Black bellied plover with two wooden legs, Nantucket, Massachusetts, last quarter 19th century. Wide beetle head. Body is chined at the underside. Original paint with good detail and very little wear; structurally very good. (3,500 - 4,500)


88 Detail

88

88.

Running yellowlegs, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Approximately 12 1/2” long. Good paint detail and tack eyes. Original paint with very slight shrinkage and wear; structurally good.

Provenance: Colodny collection. Literature: “New England Shorebirds,” John and Shirley Delph. (17,500 - 22,500)

55


89

90

91

92

93

94

89.

“Flattie” Morton style golden plover from Nantucket, Massachusetts. last quarter 19th century. Fine paint detail. Very good and original.

Provenance: Meyer collection.

90.

Golden plover from the South Shore of Massachusetts, last quarter 19th century. Hillman collection stamp under the tail. Original paint with minor wear; lightly hit by shot; small shot scar on top of head.

Provenance: McCarthy collection. Formerly in the collection of John Hillman, Seagirt, New Jersey. (900 - 1,200)

(800 - 1,200)

91. Feeding yellowlegs, Clarence Hinkley, Beverly, Massachusetts. Tack eyes. Original paint with minor to moderate wear on most of the decoy; the white area was repainted and someone has taken most of the repaint off; structurally very good. (950 - 1,250)

56

92.

Yellowlegs, Elijah Burr, Hingham, Massachusetts, last quarter 19th century. Tack eyes and raised carved wingtips. Weathered and worn; traces of original paint on breast and under tail. (950 - 1,250)

93. Black bellied plover, Elijah Burr, Hingham, Massachusetts. In running pose with raised split wingtips. Tack eyes. Carved wing detail extends through tips. Strong shoulder carving and slightly dropped tail. Paint on back is original; white and black areas on underside have been repainted; one wingtip is a professional replacement; both have been repainted. (1,700 - 2,200) 94.

Lincoln type yellowlegs, Hingham, Massachusetts, 1st quarter 20th century. Tack eyes. Original paint with minor wear; lightly hit by shot.

Literature: “Joseph Lincoln,” Cap Vinal.

(1,750 - 2,250)


95

96

95.

Hollow carved curlew, Winslow, Nantucket, Massachusetts, 3rd quarter 19th century. Shoe button eyes. Original paint with minor wear; three piece body construction; end of bill is a professional replacement; lightly hit by shot. (3,000 - 5,000)

96.

Curlew from Nantucket, 3rd quarter 19th century. Hollowed out from the underside for use as a “wind bird.” Shoe button eyes. Original paint with minor wear; a few tiny shot marks.

Provenance: Meyer collection.

(2,500 - 3,500)

95 Detail

57


Canada Orran Hiltz

1901 - 1978 Indian Point, Nova Scotia Early decoy historians such as Dr. Starr and Bill Mackey, undoubtedly due to unfamiliarity with the area, erroneously declared that the Canadian Maritimes had little in the way of quality decoys to share with the collecting community. Time has proven them very wrong and some of the most stylish decoys from the region have been discovered in the area of Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia. Eider, scoter, and merganser decoys are the most common decoys found there. These were the most prevalent species shot, and the fish eating habits of these birds did not make their flesh unappetizing to people in the coastal and island communities where fish is a basic part of their diet. Decoys for mergansers, in particular, with their long graceful lines, obviously appealed to the aesthetic sensitivities of the German craftsmen in the area. The premier carver that emerged was Orran Hiltz. His carving detail and sweeping abstract lines became the virtual stereotype of the much coveted Nova Scotia merganser. Hiltz’s style was influenced by earlier carvers such as Otis Hatt (1871 – 1946) and his work was, in turn, emulated by carvers to follow such as Clarence Ernst (b. 1912). His early and mid-period carvings with their carved wings, flipped tail, and carved crest detail exemplify his work at its peak. In his later years, he simplified his decoys by eliminating much of this detail. To the best of our knowledge, this drake American merganser is the only known drake of this species by Hiltz. References: 1

Guyette, Dale and Gary. 1983. “Decoys of Maritime Canada.” Schiffer Publishing Ltd.

2

Ferguson, Gerald. 1984. “Decoys of Nova Scotia – From the Collection of Gerald Ferguson – Nova Scotia Collects.” Art Gallery of Nova Scotia.

96A Detail 58


96A. Important American merganser drake, Orran Hiltz, Indian Point, Nova Scotia. An extremely rare example of Hiltz’s work. He is most known for red breasted mergansers. This decoy features boldly pronounced wings, raised tail, and narrow but rounded raised breast. Excellent and original with good patina never rigged. Literature: “Decoys of the Atlantic Flyway,” George Ross Starr, p. 209. “Traditions in Wood,” Patsy Fleming editor, p. 46. “The Bird Decoys,” Paul Johnsgard, p. 84. “Decoys of Maritime Canada,” Dale and Gary Guyette, color plate 64. “A Bit Racey,” article by Gene and Linda Kangas, Decoy Magazine May/June 2007 issue p. exact decoy. (17,500 - 22,500)

96A

96A Detail 59


97.

Pair of old squaw, Lindsey Levy, Little Tancook Island, Nova Scotia, 2nd quarter 20th century. Bodies are a little thinner than Levy’s typical work. Original paint with moderate wear; thin cracks in bodies; crack through drake’s neck.

Provenance: Peter Brown collection.

97

98

Literature: “Decoys of Maritime Canada,” Dale and Gary Guyette, p. 18. (1,500 - 2,000)

98.

Rigmate pair of mergansers, John Stanley Sawler, Eastern Shore, Nova Scotia, near Mahone Bay, circa 1930s. Original paint with minor wear; parts of horse hair crest is missing; hen has a crack in breast; drake has a crack in the back.

Provenance: Peter Brown collection.

Literature: “Decoys of Maritime Canada,” Dale and Gary Guyette. (1,750 - 2,250)

99.

Rigmate pair of American mergansers, D.W. Nichol, Smiths Falls, Ontario. Hunting decoys that were weighted with line ties. Strong original paint that has mellowed on white areas; a few small rubs, otherwise very good and original. (1,200 - 1,500)

99 100. Solid body bluebill drake, Buck Crawford, Smiths Falls, Ontario, 1st quarter 20th century. Branded “WJC”. Raised wing carving and feather carving at tail. Comb paint detail. Original paint with minor wear, mostly on the head and edge of tail; several tiny dents; thin coat of clear varnish; a few tiny dents.

100 60

Provenance: Peter Brown collection.

Literature: “Ontario Decoys II,” Bernie Gates, p. 149. (1,250 - 1,750)


101

102

103

104

105

106

101. Pair of goldeneye from Valleyfield, Quebec. Both have highly detailed feather carving and slightly turned heads. Good old paint with minor shrinkage and wear; hen has a neck chip repair. Provenance: Peter Brown collection. Purchased from a Quebec hunter years ago by Bernie Gates. (1,500 - 2,500) 102. Hollow carved black duck from Quebec, 2nd quarter 20th century. Detailed wing carving. Original paint with minor wear; small dents. (1,000 - 1,400) 103. Rare black duck, Orel Leboeuf, St. Anicet, Quebec, circa 1930. Good feather carving detail. Original paint with minor wear; two small cracks in back; small defect in wood in one side of tail; several small chips missing from feather carving; lightly hit by shot.

Provenance: Peter Brown collection.

(1,250 - 1,750)

104. Very rare mallard, Orel Lebouf, St. Anicet, Quebec, circa 1920s. Good feather carving detail. Worn old paint;

a few small rough spots on feather carving.

Provenance: Peter Brown collection.

(1,250 - 1,750)

105. Pair of goldeneye, Orel Lebouf, St. Anicet, Quebec, circa 1920. Original paint with minor wear; drake has a crack in the underside that extends a short way up breast and under tail; as well as thin crack in back; each has a few small chips missing from feather carving.

Provenance: Peter Brown collection.

(2,000 - 3,000)

106. Pair of bluebills, Orel Lebouf, St. Anicet, Quebec, circa 1925. Detailed feather carving. Subtle comb paint on back. Scalloped paint on breasts. Each has one tiny chip missing from the wing carving on back, otherwise very good and original.

Provenance: Peter Brown collection.

Literature: “Decoys: A North American Survey,” Gene and Linda Kangas, p. 129. (2,000 - 3,000) 61


Caines Brothers

Georgetown, South Carolina

Until the 1980s, most collectors generally accepted the idea that there were no examples of handmade, quality decoys from South Carolina. This ultimately proved to be a myth when, in fact, it became known that a small group of exquisitely sculptured birds was known, and all of these seemed to have originated from an area in the vicinity of Georgetown. The existence of these birds was known to very few and was a closely guarded local secret. Eventually it became known that these decoys were made by a group of brothers who were raised in the marshes north of Georgetown – “Ball” (1849 – 1914), “Sawney” (1859 – 1938), “Pluty” (1869 – 1911), “Hucks” (1876 – 1944) and “Bob” (1879 – 1923) – the Caines brothers. They lived in an area that was originally settled by their grandparents, known as Caines Village, a locale fronting on Muddy Bay facing Pumpkinseed Island. They made their livelihood from the surrounding land and waters. They cultivated and harvested rice, worked as commercial fisherman, guided, and gunned for the market. These hunting ventures eventually led to their carving their own decoys. In 1905, the coastal plantations, including Caines Village which had been a part of the Michaw plantation, were purchased by wealthy businessman and Statesman Bernard M. Baruch. The land on which the Caines lived became part of his famous 17,500 acre estate – Hobcaw Barony. As was the tradition, when Baruch purchased the plantations, the tenants and their settlements were included in the purchase. Suddenly, the land they had hunted for years was now posted and the brothers were forced to poach in order to continue to earn a living. In his autobiography, Baruch recalls apprehending Hucks Caines one morning with 166 black ducks and mallards in his possession. Hucks was quickly hired by Baruch to do what he had always done – hunt ducks. From this point on however, he was required to take Baruch’s guests out hunting with him. Eventually, Hucks became Baruch’s favorite guide. All of the Caines brothers, with the exception of Ball, eventually worked for Baruch. A number of slight carving variations were created by the Caines but the most elegant style is most often credited to Hucks. The brothers probably only made a few hundred decoys but only 50 or so remain in existence today, the majority having fallen victims to fire, neglect, and insects. The brothers knew Hobcaw well, and all five are laid to rest with family members in a cemetery located on the Barony, not far from the bay itself.

Emory, Bud, and Sawney Caines Hucks Caines building a boat

Ball Caines with granddaughter

References: 1 Engers, Joe and McIntyre, D., 1990. “The Great Book of Decoys – Decoys By the Caines Brothers.” Thunder Bay Press Inc., San Diego, CA. 2 https://makinghistorybtw.com/2014/11/17/The-Caines-Brothers-an-untold-legacy/ 3 www.gcdigital.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p15077coll5/id/34

62


107 Detail

63


107


107. Important and extremely rare oversize mallard drake, Caines Brothers, Georgetown, South Carolina, 1st quarter 20th century. Rigmate to lot 65 in this auction. One of only seven of the highest grade Caines Brothers decoys known to exist. Exceptional form with snakey neck. Relief wing carving with feather carving at wingtips. Incised carving on edge of tail, head, and bill. Extra fine feather paint detail at speculums and neck. Original paint with very minor discoloration and wear; minor roughness to edge of tail; small dent in back; head was off and reset a very long time ago; filled shot holes, mostly on one lower side; hairline crack in end of bill.

Provenance: Yawkey/Gaston Family. This decoy has been in the family’s possession for over 90 years. Yawkey family history indicates that the two Caines Brothers decoys in this auction and two decoys sold at auction in the early 1990s were given to Tom Yawkey by his friend and neighbor Bernard Baruch.

Literature: “Call to the Sky,” Robert Shaw. Guyette & Schmidt /Sotheby’s, January 2000 auction catalog, lot 171, similar decoy. “Southern Decoys,” Henry Fleckenstein, Jr. p. 7. (200,000 - 300,000)

Decoy photo is just under actual size. Decoy is 16 3/4” long.


BERNARD MANNES BARUCH 1870 - 1965 Moreso than most men of his time, Baruch led a varied and full life encompassing the likes of presidents, world leaders, economic giants, sports figures, writers, and artists, as well as wealthy sportsmen. Mr. Baruch was born in Camden, South Carolina and . . . “After graduating from the College of the City of New York, he worked as an office boy in a linen service and later in Wall Street brokerage houses. Over the years, he amassed a fortune as a stock market speculator. In 1916, he was appointed by President Woodrow Wilson to the Advisory Commission of the Council of National Defense, and during World War I, he became chairman of the War Industries Board. In 1919, he was a member of the Supreme Economic Council at the Versailles Peace Conference and was also a personal advisor to President Wilson on the terms of peace. As an expert in wartime economic mobilization, Baruch was employed as an advisor by President Franklin D. Roosevelt during World War II, although he did not hold an administrative position. After the war, Baruch played an instrumental role in formulating policy at the United Nations regarding the international control of atomic energy. The designation of “elder Statesman” was applied to him perhaps more often than to any other American of his time”(1) His great wealth and prestige allowed him to live a life that most would envy. He escaped the confines of New York City and prominence on the world stage by, beginning in 1905, purchasing vast amounts of land on the Waccamaw Neck in Georgetown, South Carolina. These acquisitions continued through 1907. Ultimately, his total holdings encompassed 17,500 acres of islands, rice fields, ponds, swamps, woodlands, and a wide open ocean beach. His estate stretched from the river to the ocean and all combined to provide a perfect hunting environment. He named this new vacation home and hunting retreat Hobcaw Barony. Baruch would state that he had enjoyed the finest duck shooting in the world. He had gunned game in every region of the US, Czechoslovakia, Scotland, and Great Britain, and Hobcaw put all those places to shame (2). The estate included the holdings of eleven separate plantations, including the buildings that existed on each. The original existing house used by the family was referred to as “the old relick.” This house was destroyed by fire in 1929 and a new large, stately brick home was constructed that included all the comforts of the day. He also had a separate hunting lodge at Clambank Landing on the estate. Guests were many and often arrived at the Barony in their private yachts or traveled to the railroad station in Georgetown and were transported to the estate on one of Hobcaw’s own motor launches (a bridge to the area was not built until 1935). His guests were catered to by a large staff which provided for their every comfort. Of interest to decoy collectors is the fact that Baruch was known to gift favored visitors with a Caines brothers decoy as a memento of the hunt. He retired to a separate quail hunting retreat named Little Hobcaw after selling the entire Barony to his daughter in 1956. References: (1) https//www.britannica.com/biography/Bernard-baruch (2) https://makinghistorybtw.com/2014/11/17/the-caines-brothers-an-untold-legacy/ (3) www.gcdigital.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p15077coll5/id/34

Hucks Caines decoys being used at the Hobcaw Barony

66


107 Detail

107 Detail 67


Miniatures by Elmer Crowell

108

109

110

111

112

113

108. Miniature godwit, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Crowell’s rectangular stamp is under the base. Carving stands 3 3/8” tall. Excellent and original, surface has darkened with age.

111.

Miniature upland plover, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Crowell’s rectangular brand is in the underside. Carving stands 3.5” tall. Very good and original; surface has darkened with age.

Literature: “15” is written in pencil on base that corresponds to its number in the “Songless Aviary,” by Brian Cullity. (2,750 - 3,250)

Literature: “4” is written in pencil on base that corresponds to its number in the “Songless Aviary,” by Brian Cullity. (2,750 - 3,250)

109. Miniature spotted sandpiper, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Identified in pencil on underside. Very good and original. (3,250 - 3,750)

112. Miniature ring neck plover, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Crowell’s rectangular stamp is in underside of base. Very good and original. (2,500 - 3,000)

110. Miniature ruddy turnstone, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Crowell’s rectangular stamp is in the underside. Carving stands 2 7/8” tall. Very good and original; paint has darkened with age.

68

Literature: “2” is written in pencil on base that corresponds to its number in the “Songless Aviary,” by Brian Cullity. (2,750 - 3,250)

113. Miniature willet, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Crowell’s rectangular stamp is in the underside. Carving is just over 3” tall. Very good and original; surface has darkened with age.

Literature: “18” is written in pencil on base that corresponds to its number in the “Songless Aviary,” by Brian Cullity. (2,500 - 3,000)


114

115

116

117

118

119

114. Miniature jack curlew, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Crowell’s round ink stamp is on the underside. An early Crowell carving with dropped wings. Very good and original. (2,500 - 3,500) 115. Miniature sanderling, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Crowell’s rectangular stamp is in the underside. Carving stands 3 3/16” tall. Original paint that has darkened with age; structurally very good. Literature: “11” is written in pencil on base that corresponds to its number in the “Songless Aviary,” by Brian Cullity. (2,250 - 2,750) 116. Rare miniature purple sandpiper, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Crowell’s rectangular stamp is under the base. Carving stands 2 3/4” tall. Very good and original; surface has darkened with age.

Literature: “9” is written in pencil on base that corresponds to its number in the “Songless Aviary,” by Brian Cullity. (2,250 - 2,750)

117. Miniature pectoral sandpiper, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Crowell’s rectangular stamp is in the underside. Carving stands 2 3/4” tall. Very good and original; surface has darkened with age.

Literature: “12” is written in pencil on base that corresponds to its number in the “Songless Aviary,” by Brian Cullity. (2,250 - 2,750)

118. Miniature robin snipe, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Crowell’s rectangular stamp is in the underside. Carving stands 3” tall. Very good and original; surface darkened with age.

Literature: “19” is written in pencil on base that corresponds to its number in the “Songless Aviary,” by Brian Cullity. (2,250 - 2,750)

119. Miniature flicker, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. AE Crowell and Son sticker is on the underside marked flicker. Very good and original. (2,250 - 2,750) 69


Lee Dudley

1860 - 1942 Knott’s Island, North Carolina

Swan Island decoy shed and boathouse today

The Swan Island Club and its Decoys This historic organization was formed by a group of northern sportsmen in 1872. Originally called the Crow Island Club, it was reorganized and renamed the Swan Island Club in 1883. Early membership consisted of mostly Harvard educated, affluent, and prominent gentlemen who, by 1927, controlled 9,236 acres of marsh, shoals, and beach in Currituck Sound, Currituck, North Carolina. Membership has always been very exclusive and, in recent years, has consisted of only about 12 members. Gracious accommodations and the large staff at the club have consistently ensured that the members and their guests enjoyed all the comforts of the day. As one would suspect, the decoys used at the club were typically of the best quality representing the work of such carvers as Sam Smith of Long Island, New York, Joseph Lincoln and A. Elmer Crowell of Massachusetts, and Lee Dudley of North Carolina among others. These decoys often bear the branded names of their owners. These brands were a convenient way of denoting ownership when the decoys were stored in a crowded decoy shed and were helpful in retrieving decoys that were lost to storms or accidents. As members of the club came and went over the years, the decoys were commonly rebranded by their new owners who had acquired them from a previous club member. Multiple brands on Swan Island Club decoys are common and suggest an interesting progression of when they were in use and by whom. Based on membership records of the club, the brands on this Dudley mallard indicate that the sequence of ownership could logically be as follows: “J. Bryant,” John Bryant, a member from 1884 until he resigned in 1896. He was reelected to membership in 1901 and he remained a member until his death in 1908 “E. Flagg,” Elisha Flagg, a member from 1907 -1917. “F.B. Rice,” a member from 1920 until his death in 1933. Often, information such as this can be almost as interesting and/or important as the decoy itself. Reference: Sullivan, John C. Jr. 2014. “Swan Island Club – A History, 1872 – 2014, Currituck, North Carolina”. Full House Marketing and Print.

70


120 Detail

120

120. Very rare mallard drake, Lee Dudley, Knotts Island, North Carolina, last quarter 19th century. Branded “E. Flagg”, “FB Rice”, and “J Bryant”. Old in use repaint; neck crack repair; bill chip repair. Provenance: Formerly in the collection of William J. Mackey, Mackey collection stamp on underside. Literature: “Gunnin’ Birds,” Kroghie Andresen.

(17,500 - 22,500)

71


121

122

123

124

125

126

121. Three coot from North Carolina. Canvas bills. Original paint with minor wear; two have age splits; one has small tail chips. (1,250 - 1,750) 122. Canvas over wire frame swan, Mannie Haywood, Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. Original paint with minor to moderate wear; small tears in canvas. Literature: “Gunnin’ Birds,” Kroghie Andresen. (1,000 - 1,400) 123. Canada goose, Ned Burgess, Churches Island, North Carolina, 1st quarter 20th century. Carved in one side “x F x”. Stylish neck with typical Burgess shaped body. Bill is applied to the front of the face. Multiple coats of old paint, some of which has flaked; head appears to have been broken at a point where the grain was weak and reat72

tached; neck and body were likely separated at some point. (3,000 - 5,000) 124. Canada goose, Herman Braegly, circa 1950s. Original paint with minor wear; structurally good.

Literature: “Gunnin’ Birds,” Kroghie Andresen, p. 89. (650 - 950)

125. Coot, Albert Henley and Fitzhugh Munden. Original paint with minor wear; structurally good. Provenance: Formerly in the collection of Roy Bull, Cape Charles, Virginia. Bull collection stamp in underside. (400 - 600) 126. Coot with moveable wings from North Carolina. Old in use repaint; lightly hit by shot. (2,000 - 3,000)


Alvirah Wright was born and raised in the small community of Old Trap in the eastern part of Camden County near the Pasquotank River and, like so many men in his community, he made his living on the water. He followed in his father’s footsteps and became a tugboat captain by trade. In about 1906, he moved to the Martin’s Point area of Dare County where he married Amy Rogers, set up a logging operation, and built a two story logging mill. Apparently, neither the timber nor the marriage proved sustainable causing him to move back to Old Trap and, in 1914, he married his second wife, Sally Forbes. He was also an accomplished boat builder and he developed quite a reputation for his skill in that trade. It is reported that Wright only made 300 - 500 decoys in his lifetime. He made mostly large battery canvasbacks, a few redheads and scaup, and a small number of ruddy ducks. He is justly considered one of North Carolina’s finest decoy makers. References: 1. Andresen, Kroghie. 2008. “Gunnin’ Birds – Decoys of Back Bay Virginia, Currituck Sound, Dare County in North Carolina.” Published by Andresen Advisory, LLC. 2. Conoley, William Neal Jr. 1982. “Waterfowl Heritage – North Carolina Decoys and Gunning Lore.” Webfoot Inc. Publishing.

127

127. Ruddy duck in alert pose, Alvirah Wright, Duck, North Carolina, last quarter 19th century. Worn old paint with approximately 40 year old strengthening on white area; slight roughness to edges of tail.

127 Detail

Provenance: Formerly in collection of Jim Lewis, Sr., Goldsborough North Carolina.

Literature: Andresen.

“Gunnin’ Birds,” Kroghie (17,500 - 22,500)

73


Contemporary Carvings

128

129

128. Well sculpted preening greenwing teal drake, Jim Schmiedlin, Bradfordwoods, Pennsylvania. Branded and signed. Return for reward and dated 9-02 on underside. Relief wing carving with raised wingtips and fluted tail. Very good and original. (5,000 - 7,000)

74

129. Excellent pair of wood ducks, Mark McNair, Craddockville, Virginia. Hen is in sleeping pose. Drake has slightly turned head. Both are signed by the maker. Excellent and original, with a warm pleasing finish. (4,000 - 6,000)


130

131

132

130. Oversize merganser hen carved in the Gus Wilson Monhegan Island style, Mark McNair, Craddockville, Virginia. Inlet head, carved eyes, and carved wooden crest. Relief wing carving. Signed. Original paint that has been aged; hairline surface crack in back and underside.

Literature: “American Wildfowl Decoys,” Jeff Waingrow. (2,500 - 3,000)

131. Four carvings by Frank Finney, Cape Charles, Virginia. Signed. Three song birds and a miniature goose. Very good and original. (1,750 - 2,250)

133

132. Long neck canvasback, Bob White, Tullytown, Pennsylvania. Signed and dated 1996. Slightly turned head and raised “V” wingtip carving. Very slight discoloration from a knot under the tail; otherwise very good and original. (1,000 - 1,400) 133. Pair of eiders, George Strunk, Glendora, New Jersey. Carved crossed wingtips. Both are signed and have “G Strunk” stamped in the weight. Both have slightly turned heads. Excellent and original. (800 - 1,200)

75


Ward Brothers

Crisfield, Maryland

Made in the Ward’s famous 1936 model, this old squaw hen is the first example of this species made of cedar in the 1930’s that has ever been offered at auction. One can now also assume that a drake probably was made at or near the same time.

134

76


134.

Very rare 1936 model old squaw hen, Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Exceptional form with turned and lifted head. Good paint detail. Original paint with good patina and very minor wear; small amount of neck filler missing at one side of neck seam; small crack in underside extending approximately 1” up under the tail.

Provenance: From a home in Washington State. (30,000 - 40,000)

134 Detail 77


135. Mallard hen, Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Signed “LT Ward and Bro” and dated 1958. Balsa body, inserted cedar tail, and slightly turned cedar head. Raised wingtips. Good paint detail. Very good and original. (3,500 - 4,500)

135

136. Gull with raised split tail, Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Signed. Slightly turned head. Near mint original paint; slight separation at one side of neck seam; several tiny dog chew marks at one wingtip. (4,000 - 6,000)

136

135 Detail

78

136 Detail


The Von Lengerke & Antoinne, or VL&A, Partnership was formed in early 1891, and quickly became a very prominent sporting goods retailer in Chicago located ultimately at 335 Wabash Avenue in downtown Chicago. The VL&A Partnership was formed as an extension of a New York sporting goods retail company known as Von Lengerke & DeMond which was started a short time prior to VL&A. At the same time, in New York, another prominent sporting goods retailer was starting business in 1892 called Abercrombie & Fitch. The significance of this is, for many years, from 1892 through 1938, these two retailers not only fought for market share catering to an upscale customer base, but both retailers also used the same motto, “GREATEST SPORTING GOODS RETAILER IN THE WORLD.” Like Abercrombie & Fitch, the Von Lengerke & Antoinne products were from the finest manufacturers, and appealed to an upscale clientele. In 1938, the VL&A Chicago Company, after losing faith in the public eye, was bought out by Abercrombie & Fitch, who continued to operate under the VL&A name until the closing of the store in the early 1960s. The 1936 model Ward Brothers Mallard drake and Bluebill hen both have the VL&A store stamp on the underside. The Ward Brothers were well aware that their decoys were being resold by the finest sporting goods store in the world, and that is why decoys with this stamp often are some of the best examples of their work.

137 Detail

137 Detail

137 137. Unused 1936 model bluebill hen, Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Made for VL&A sporting goods store in Chicago. VL&A stamp under tail. Slightly turned and lifted head. Extra fine paint detail. From the same home as lot 398 in this auction. Small smudge of black paint on one side; small amount of sap at small knot near the paint smudge, otherwise excellent and original. (9,500 - 12,500) 79


The same style goldeneye drake as this hen sold in our April 2018 auction for $159,300

138

80

138.

Very rare goldeneye hen, Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland, circa 1930. Head is turned approximately 45 degrees and slightly cocked. Good feather paint detail. Original paint with minor wear, mostly at edge of bill and one side top of head; a few tiny dents.

Literature: “Ward Brothers Decoys,” Ron Gard and Brian McGrath. (20,000 - 30,000)


138 Detail

138 Detail

81


139

140

139. Pair of shooting stool model canvasbacks, Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Signed and dated 1973. Both have slightly turned heads. Very good and original. (3,000 - 5,000)

82

140. Pair of shooting stool model bluebills, Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Signed and dated 1972. Each has a poem on the underside. Very good and original.

Provenance: Rowe collection.

(3,000 - 4,000)


141. Exceptionally well carved greenwing teal hen, Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. 1936 model with slightly turned and lifted head. Extra detailed paint pattern including feather paint on head. Near mint original paint; thin crack in one side; very slight roughness to tip of bill; several small flakes of paint missing at neck seam.

Provenance: Recently found on Anna Maria Island in Florida. (12,500 - 17,500)

141

141 Detail

83


Sporting Art

142

142.

“The Argument,” a watercolor by Arthur Burdett Frost (1851-1928). Signed. Professionally matted and framed. Image size approximately 14” x 19”. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Paul Tudor Jones II collection. Literature: “Colliers Magazine,” August 1919, illustrated.

84

(16,000 - 20,000)


143

143. “A Common Cause,” a watercolor by Arthur Burdett Frost (1851-1928). Professionally matted and framed. Image size approximately 13” x 15”. Very good and original. Provenance: Paul Tudor Jones II collection. Sold in a January 29, 1964 Parke-Bernet auction as being from a Philadelphia private collector. Literature: “Colliers Magazine,” August 1919, illustrated.

(15,000 - 20,000)

85


143A

143A. Oil on canvas of canvasbacks flying over marsh, Lee Leblanc. Signed. Image size 25” x 36”. Very good and original. (5,000 - 8,000)

86


143B

143C

143B. Oil on canvas of shot mallards on rocks, Andrew Winter, Monhegan Island, Maine. Signed. Image size 22” x 28”. Very good and original. (3,000 - 5,000)

143C. Oil painting on board of mallards coming in, Ken Carlson. 11 1/2” x 17 1/2”. Well executed with thick palette. Professionally framed. Signed by artist. (2,000 - 3,000) 87


143D 143D. “Clouds,” an oil on board by Eric Sloane. Signed. Image size 48” x 59” Very good and original.

Provenance: Miller collection.

(8,000 - 12,000)

Some of Sloane’s first clients included aviation pioneers flying out of Roosevelt Field, Long Island. Many of those flyers insisted he paint the identifying marking on their planes. In exchange for teaching him to paint, Wiley Post himself, taught the young artist to fly. After his first flight the young man fell in love with clouds and the sky, themes that would be central to his work for the rest of his life. Source: Artist’s web site, www.ericsloane.com. Written by Marshall Smith, November 1, 1999 - Los Angeles, California.

88


143E

143E. Watercolor of koala bear, Guy Coheleach. Signed. Professionally matted and framed. Image size approximately 19” x 15”. Very good and original

Provenance: Miller collection.

(4,000 - 6,000)

Guy Coheleach’s paintings have been in 41 one-man exhibitions in major museums in 32 cities. Many of his paintings come from close encounter field experience from his many trips all over the world. He has been the subject of one PBS special and two films.

89


143F

143F. Oil on canvas of Brittany spaniels in field, Jim Ling. Signed. In gold leaf frame. Painting size 36� x 24�. Very good and original.

90

Provenance: Painting being sold for the Brittany Rescue, Fort Worth, Texas. (2,000 - 3,000)


144. Watercolor, Edmond Osthaus, Toledo, Ohio, 1st quarter 20th century. Signed lower right. Image of two pointers marking rooster in wooded background. 9 1/2” x 14 1/2”. Professionally matted and framed. Signed by Osthaus on the back and dated 1919. (2,000 - 3,000)

145

146. Oil on board by Cameron McIntyre. 16” x 26”. Titled, “Last voyage to the duck blind”. The scene represented is an open stretch of water on the Chesapeake Bay after a particularly treacherous pre-dawn run to one of the artist’s duck blinds in which his boat was in danger of capsizing. Painted in a brooding, tonal manner with multiple rich paint layers.This painting was pictured in the 2008 exhibition booklet “Daybreak, Dusk and Moonlight” from one of McIntyre’s one man shows at The Barrier Islands Center in Machipongo, VA. The Artist studied painting and drawing at the University of South Carolina and the Gibbes Museum in Charleston. He is also one of the few, perhaps the only, person to study with the artist Russell Chatham. Custom framed in a handmade gold leaf frame. Very good and original. (2,000 - 3,000)

144

145. “Mallard and Feather,” an acyrlic on board by Terry Issac. Signed and dated 1987. Professionally framed. Image size 8” x 10”. Excellent and original. (1,250 - 1,750)

146

91


Fish Decoys 147. Lake Chautauqua fish decoy. Tack eyes, carved gills and mouth, and leather tail. 7 1/2” in length. Line tie is drilled through the body. Eye hook missing from top of back. Original paint with some flaking on head and sides; small working repair to side of body. (3,000 - 4,000)

147

148. Lake Chautauqua fish decoy, circa 1900. 8” in length. Tack eyes, carved gill and mouth, and leather tail. Line tie is drilled through body. Copper fins. Lead filler is partially missing at body weight; leather fin has cracked; fish was repainted a long time ago. (600 - 800)

148

149. Lake Chautauqua fish decoy, circa 1900. Metal eyes, carved mouth and gill, and leather tail. 6 1/2” in length. Seymour style, in shape and paint colors. Paint is missing near body weight and small areas on fins. (2,500 - 3,500)

149

150. Lake Chautauqua fish decoy, circa 1900. 7” in length. Tack eyes, metal fins, and leather tail. Detailed gill and mouth carving. Line tie through body and at dorsal fin. Paint is a second coat. (1,800 - 2,200)

150

151 92

151. Very rare and possibly unique fish decoy, Otto Faue, Minnesota. Possibly the only known example with a wooden tail. 7 3/4” long. Strong original paint; some flaking on metal fins and wear on one side of head and near mouth. (1,250 - 1,750)


152 152. Large and impressive sucker fish decoy from the Mt. Clemens area of Michigan and Lake St. Clair. 15” in length x 2 1/2” tall x 1 3/4” wide. Five belly weights. Glass eyes and cross hatch scaling technique on sides of body. Two fins are painted, the rest are not, possibly indicating early replacements; tail has been broken with original piece reglued; small chips at top and bottom. (5,000 - 6,000)

152 Detail

153

153.

Trout fish decoy, Ken Brunning, Tower, Michigan. 7 1/2” long. Very strong original paint with classic Brunning execution of detailed dots and wet on wet blending; small bend at rear tail; otherwise near excellent. (3,500 - 4,500)

153 Detail 93


William Bowman

1824 - 1906 Lawrence, Long Island, New York

154. Very rare willet, William Bowman, Lawrence, Long Island, New York, last quarter 19th century. Believed by some to have been made by C.S. Bunn. Exceptional form with relief wing carving and shoe button eyes. Protruding breast and extending wingtips. A large decoy, almost 12” long and over 3” wide. Original paint with very minor wear; several paint flakes missing from top of bill; professional restoration to chips in the extended wingtips.

Provenance: Colodny collection. Formerly in collection of Fred Kaseman. Part of a small group of Bowman shorebirds and root head shorebirds found by Fred in the early 1970s at a general store in Oak Beach, Long Island.

Literature: “Shorebird Decoys,” Henry Fleckenstein, Jr. “Shorebirds,” Somers Headly and John Levinson. “Decoys of Long Island,” Geoffrey Fleming and Alan Haid. (35,000 - 45,000) 94

154


154 Detail

154 Detail

95


155 Detail

155

155. Very rare dowitcher, William Bowman, Lawrence, Long Island, New York last quarter 19th century. Believed by some to have been made by C.S. Bunn. Slightly raised wingtip carving and shoe button eyes. Fine paint detail. Original paint with very minor discoloration and wear, mostly under the tail; very lightly hit by shot.

Provenance: Colodny collection.

Literature: “Shorebird Decoys,” John Levinson and Somers Headly, p. 64, exact decoy pictured. (15,000 - 20,000) 96


156 Detail

156

156. Extremely rare robin snipe in spring plumage, William Bowman, Lawrence, Long Island, New York, last quarter 19th century. Believed by some to have been made by C.S. Bunn. Fine form with relief wing carving, extended wingtips and dropped tail. Shoe button eyes. Original paint with good feather detail and minor wear; bill is an old replacement; professional wingtip repairs; lightly hit by shot.

Provenance: Colodny collection. Formerly in collection of Fred Kaseman. Part of a small group of Bowman shorebirds and root head shorebirds found by Fred in the early 1970s at a general store in Oak Beach, Long Island.

Literature: “Shorebird Decoys,” Henry Fleckenstein, Jr. “Shorebirds,” Somers Headly and John Levinson. “Decoys of Long Island,” Geoffrey Fleming and Alan Haid. (25,000 - 35,000) 97


157. Rare dowitcher, Thomas Gelston, Quogue, Long Island, New York, last quarter 19th century. Believed by some to have been made by C.S. Bunn. Relief wingtip carving and shoe button eyes. Original paint with moderate wear; heavily hit by shot. Literature: “Shorebirds,” Henry Fleckenstein, Jr. (3,000 - 4,000)

157

158. Long billed curlew, unknown maker, Southhampton, Long Island, last half 19th century. Old carving with cocked, slightly turned head and relief carved shoulders and wings. Shoe button eyes. Worn original paint, with mostly natural wood showing; original bill has been broken and reset by Cameron McIntyre.

Provenance: Formerly in the collection of Bob Gerard. (3,000 - 4,000)

158 98


159. Peep, Obediah Verity, Seaford, Long Island, New York, circa 1870s. Relief wing carving and carved eyes. Approximately 6 1/2” long. Original paint with minor to moderate wear, mostly on the underside; moderately hit by shot.

Provenance: Colodny collection. (4,000 - 6,000)

159

160. Black bellied plover, Obediah Verity, Seaford, Long Island, New York, 3rd quarter 19th century. Carved eyes. Relief wing carving. “DM” is carved under the tail. Most of the paint is missing; crack in underside; lightly hit by shot. (1,200 - 1,600)

160

99


161 Detail

161

161. Rare robin snipe in spring plumag, Smith Clinton Verity, Seaford, Long Island, New York, last half 19th century. Carved eyes and relief wing carving. Outstanding feather paint detail. Slightly flat sided. Original paint with very minor discoloration and wear; lightly hit by shot.

100

Provenance: Colodny collection. Purchased from Ted Harmon in 1994. (17,500 - 22,500)


162 Detail

162

162 Detail

162. Fine black bellied plover, Obediah Verity, Seaford, Long Island, New York, 3rd quarter 19th century. Relief wing carving. Beetle head style with carved eyes, one a little higher than the other. Small “w” lightly carved into one lower side. Original paint with good patina and minor wear; a few small spots of touchup to the black area of the face; very lightly hit by shot; hairline crack in one lower side. Provenance: Colodny collection. (9,000 - 12,000)

101


Illinois River

163

164 163. Mallard drake, Charles Walker, Princeton, Illinois. Relief wing carving. Flat bottom style and good feather detail. Number 22 is painted on the underside for Princeton Fish and Game Club member George Skinner. Original paint with very minor discoloration and wear on most of the decoy; thin crack through neck; retains Walker weight; two thin chips in underside of bill; white neck ring repainted. Provenance: Svoboda collection. (5,000 - 8,000)

163 Detail

102

164.

Mallard drake, Bert Graves, Peoria, Illinois. Retains Graves weight. From the Casswell rig, branded “CJC” twice in the underside. Original paint with very minor discoloration and wear; a few tiny dents.

Provenance: Svoboda collection.

Literature: “Decoys of the Mississippi Flyway,” Alan Haid. (4,000 - 6,000)


Charles Walker 1876 - 1954 Princeton, Illinois

165

165. Rigmate pair of mallards, Charles Walker, Princeton, Illinois. Rounded body style with relief wing carving and slightly turned heads. Number 25 is painted on the underside for Princeton Fish and Game Club member Joe Zearing. Original paint on most of each decoy; speculums have old in use repaint and probably the green and white on the head of the drake. Provenance: Svoboda collection. Literature: “Decoys of the Mississippi Flyway,” Alan Haid.

(9,000 - 12,000)

103


166. Preening mallard hen, Charles Perdew, Henry, Illinois. Decoy has a second coat of paint by Perdew; minor wear; structurally good. Provenance: Svoboda collection.

(4,500 - 6,500)

166

167. Pintail hen, Bert Graves, Peoria, Illinois. Retains Graves weight. Original paint with minor wear; a few small dents. (2,000 - 3,000)

167

168.

Mallard drake, Oscar Alford, Princeton, Illinois. Slightly turned head. Original paint with very minor wear; protected by its original coat of varnish; structurally very good.

Provenance: Svoboda collection. (3,000 - 4,000)

168

104


169. Canvasback drake, Bert Graves, Peoria, Illinois. Original paint with minor discoloration and wear; three tiny shot marks on one side.

Provenance: Svoboda collection. (3,000 - 4,000)

169 170. Pair of pintails, Charles Perdew, Henry, Illinois. Original paint with minor wear on much of both decoys; both have old touchup to large parts of the undersides; both have flaking to primer on head.

Provenance: Svoboda collection. (3,000 - 5,000)

170 171. Pair of mallards, Hiram Hotze, Peoria, Illinois. Hen is branded “JRP”. Both birds have the Lee Patton stencil on the undersides. Original paint with minor wear on backs; old touchup to green on drake’s head; significant wear on undersides; small dents. Provenance: Svoboda collection. (2,500 - 3,500)

171 172. Pintail drake silhouette, Charles Walker, Princeton, Illinois. Only two or three of these exist. Hinged to its original wooden base. Strong original paint with minor discoloration and wear; a few tiny dents.

Provenance: Svoboda collection.

Literature: “Decoys of the Mississippi Flyway,” Alan Haid. (2,500 - 3,500)

172 105


173

174

175

176

177

178

173. Mallard hen, Lou Kelly, Peoria, Illinois. Stamped “LPK” in underside. Original paint with very slight shrinkage and wear; weight is missing.

Provenance: Svoboda collection.

Literature: “Decoys and Decoy Carvers of Illinois,” Paul Parmalee and Forrest Loomis. (2,000 - 3,000)

174. Bluewing teal drake, Otto Garren, Canton, Illinois, 1st half 20th century. Signed “O Garren” on underside. Strong original paint; one very small rub on breast.

Provenance: Consigned by a member of the Garren family. (1,200 - 1,500)

175. Mallard drake, Charles Perdew, Henry, Illinois. Original paint with minor wear; protected by its original coat of varnish; weight is missing; thin crack through neck 106

Provenance: Svoboda collection.

(1,250 - 1,750)

176. Mallard drake, George Cunningham. last quarter 19th century. Painted by Edna Perdew Original paint with moderate discoloration and wear; a few small dents; weight is missing. Provenance: Svoboda collection.

(1,400 - 1,800)

177.

Mallard hen, Robert Elliston, Bureau, Illinois. Original paint with minor to moderate discoloration and minor wear; thin crack through neck; decoy is protected by an old coat of varnish; crack in tail.

Provenance: Svoboda collection.

178.

Mallard drake, Doug Moseley, Princeton, Illinois. “DM” painted on underside. Original paint with minor wear; several paint rubs on back; structurally very good.

Provenance: Svoboda collection.

(1,400 - 1,800)

(1,500 - 2,500)


Robert Elliston 1849 - 1905 Bureau, Illinois

178A. Very rare Canada goose, Robert Elliston, Bureau, Illinois, circa 1880s. Good feather paint detail. Original paint with minor wear; a few small dents; lightly hit by shot; front of head is a professional replacement.

Provenance: Meyer collection.

Literature: “Decoys of the Mississippi Flyway,� Alan Haid, p. 156, exact decoy pictured. (12,000 - 18,000)

178A 178A Detail

178A Detail

107


178B

178B. Rare rigmate pair of widgeon, George Kessler, Pekin, Illinois. Both are stamped “ECB” in the undersides. Near mint original paint; structurally excellent.

178C

Provenance: Meyer collection.

Literature: “Decoy and Decoy Carvers of Illinois,” Paul Parmalee and Forest Loomis. (5,500 - 7,500)

178C. Long necked canvasback hen, from Wisconsin, 1st quarter 20th century. Original paint with moderate wear; bill appears to have second coat; two thin crack through neck; cracks in body. Provenance: Svoboda collection. (2,500 - 3,500) 178D. Hollow carved canvasback, Gus Moak, Tustin, Wisconsin. Chamfered bottom. Original paint with minor wear; a few small dents and shot marks.

178D 108

Provenance: Marro collection. (3,000 - 5,000)


Midwestern Decoys William Finch 1849 - 1915 Port Huron, Michigan

179

179. Very rare hollow carved pair of bluewing teal, William Finch, Port Heron, Michigan. Drake has head turned approximately 45 degrees to one side. Both have detailed scratch feather paint and the initials “WF” carved in undersides. Original paint with slight wear; thin horizontal crack in one wing, otherwise structurally excellent. (6,500 - 9,500)

179 Detail 109


180. Widgeon hen, George Sibley Whitehall, Michigan. Original paint with minor wear; moderate wear on underside; slight roughness to tip of tail; crack through neck base. (3,500 - 4,500)

180

181. Bluebill hen with turned head, George Sibley, Whitehall, Michigan. Original paint with minor wear; short crack in tail. (1,500 - 2,500)

181

182. Pair of mallards, Carl Sattler, Burlington, Iowa. Relief wing carving. Thin crack through each bill, otherwise original and good. (1,250 - 1,750)

182

183. Greenwing teal drake, Otto Garren, Canton, Illinois, 1st half 20th century. Unused.

183

110

Provenance: Consigned by a member of the Garren family. (1,000 - 1,500)


184

185

186

187

188

189

184. Pair of canvasbacks, Ralph Reghi, Detroit, Michigan. Rasped surfaces. Original paint with some touchup; lightly hit by shot.

Literature: “Waterfowl Decoys of Michigan,” Lowell Jackson and Clune Walsh, Jr. (650 - 950)

185. Hollow carved lowhead redhead drake, Chris Smith, Algonac, Michigan, 1st quarter 20th century. Old in use repaint; hit by shot. Provenance: Formerly in collection of Len Carnaghi. (650 - 950) 186. Mallard drake, by a member of the Gresser family, Blue Earth, Minnesota. Original paint with slight wear, protected by an old coat of varnish; reglued crack through lower neck. (900 - 1,200)

187. Rare redhead drake from the Port Clinton, Ohio area, last half 19th century. Hollow carved with tack eyes and stylish upswept tail. Shoulder carving at back of neck. Dry original paint that has flaked on areas of back, head, and underside. (800 - 1,200) 188. Working mallard drake, Don Gearhart, Tulsa, Oklahoma. Signed and dated 1941 on underside. Slightly turned head and relief wingtip carving. Very slight shrinkage on breast paint otherwise excellent and original. (500 - 700) 189. Rare bluewing teal drake, Ben Schmidt, Detroit, Michigan. Very good and original.

Literature: “Waterfowl Decoys of Michigan,” Lowell Jackson and Clune Walsh Jr. (1,250 - 1,750)

111


Long Island, New York

191. Extremely rare swimming brant, Smith Clinton Verity, Seaford, New York, last quarter 19th century. Original paint with minor discoloration and wear; most of the wear is on the neck; a few small dents.

Provenance: McCarthy collection.

(6,500 - 9,500)

191

191 Detail

112

191 Detail


192

192. Very rare root head swimming goose, Smith Clinton Verity, Seaford, Long Island, New York, 3rd quarter 19th century. Hollowed out from the back with a canvas cover. Appealing old in use repaint; cracks in neck; early canvas make due repair to a crack in the underside.

Provenance: Meyer collection. (12,000 - 15,000)

192 Detail

113


193.

Preening cork body brant, Thomas Gelston, Quogue, Long Island, New York, last quarter 19th century. Keel is attached with square wooden pegs. Old in use repaint; some wear to the cork.

Literature: “The Decoys of Long Island,” Geoffrey Fleming, Alan Haid and Timothy Sieger, p. 28, exact decoy. (1,750 - 2,250)

193

194. Small swimming Canada goose from Seaford, Long Island, New York, last quarter 19th century. Head is dovetailed into body. Initials “JV” are carved in the underside. Old in use repaint; bill chip repair; crack in back. Provenance: McCarthy collection. (800 - 1,200)

194

195. Hollow carved redhead drake, William Bowman, Lawrence, Long Island, New York, last quarter 19th century. Believed by some to have been made by C.S. Bunn. Inlet head and glass eyes. Old in use repaint; lightly hit by shot; thin crack partway through neck. (650 - 950)

195

114


Decoratives

196

197

198

199

200

196.

Seven decorative carvings by Alfred Gardner, Hingham, Massachusetts. Gardner’s oval ink stamp is on the underside of all. Two full size shorebirds, three full size songbirds, and two miniatures. Original and good. (1,250 - 1,750)

197. Tern with crossed wingtips, Del Herbert. Signed, and numbered “96/151”. Bird is 8.5” long and rests on a wooden base made to look like a rock. Original and good. (400 - 600)

198. Canvasback drake, Corbin Reed, Cape Charles, Virginia. “Reed” stamped in underside. Slightly turned head. Very good and original. (600 - 900) 199. Full size bufflehead drake, Corbin Reed, Cape Charles, Virginia. Signed and dated 1968. Slightly turned head. Very good and original. (500 - 800) 200. Bufflehead drake, Pat Godin. Signed and dated 1981. Relief wing carving. Original paint with several thin rubs of black on breast and lower side; structurally good. (500 - 800) 115


Joseph Lincoln

1859 - 1938 Accord, Massachusetts Joseph Whiting Lincoln, (1859-1938), was born and lived in an area of South Hingham, Massachusetts known as Accord. The name came from Accord Pond which was the boundary of common consent between the towns of Hingham, Rockland, and Norwell. The 90 acre pond was a critical component of Hingham’s water supply and the focal point of Joe’s life where he fished and hunted. After he finished school, Joe worked in shoe factories in Holbrook and Rockland before going out on his own. In 1908, Joe was listed in the Hingham and Cohasset Directory as “Carpenter,” while in later years, his occupation was noted as “Decoy Maker.” Joe also made gunstocks, was an upholsterer, furniture and clock repairer, boat builder, photographer, and flower grower. He also designed and made lapstreak boats. Joe’s decoys were produced in the cooper’s shop adjacent to his home. They were made of white cedar harvested in a swamp he and his brother owned, while the heads were made from pine. After cutting the logs into blocks, Joe used a foot treadle bandsaw to cut the outline, and then drawshaves and knives before finish sanding. Few old squaw decoys were produced. Lincoln was one of the very few major decoy carvers to produce them in any quantity, and even his production was limited when compared to his more common species such as blacks, geese, and brant. Joe Lincoln is most remembered for his decoys which are highly prized for their economy of design and simple, yet effective paint. 1.”Joseph W. Lincoln, Accord, Massachusetts, 1/26/1859-2/16/1938,” Cap Vinal, copyright, 2002. 2.”Decoy Magazine,” Nov/Dec, 1999, article on Joe Lincoln, Donna Tonelli, pp. 8-13

201 Detail

116


201 Detail 201. Rare old squaw hen, Joseph Lincoln, Accord, Massachusetts. From the Spear rig, Scituate Massachusetts. Branded “E.L. Spear”. Original paint with minor wear; several small dents and shot marks; crack in underside.

Provenance: Colodny collection.

Literature: “Joseph Lincoln,” Cap Vinal. “New England Decoys,” John and Shirley Delph. “Decoys of the Atlantic Flyway,” Doc Starr. (25,000 - 35,000)

201

117


202. Classic brant, Joseph Lincoln, Accord, Massachusetts. Well blended feather paint detail. “Joe Lincoln” is stamped in the underside. Original paint with good patina and minor wear; wear on lower breast and under the tail, also at front of neck seam; tiny chip missing from one edge of tail; typical Lincoln age cracks in underside of body. Provenance: Originaly purchased at a tag sale near Plymouth, Massachusetts in 2006. (17,500 - 22,500)

202

118


202 Detail

202 Detail

119


203

203. Sleeping Canada goose, possibly Massachusetts, circa 1900. Branded “E.G.M. Smith” on underside. Head lays slightly to one side of the back. Tail is curved down. Center hole on underside indicates it was used for shore or field hunting. Strong original paint; several cracks in body; slight separations between neck and body; wood imperfection at head. (3,000 - 5,000)

204. Merganser hen, Joseph Lincoln, Accord, Massachusetts, 1st quarter 20th century. Original paint on head and back; white areas on breast and on sides have been strengthened a very long time ago; restoration to crack running through length of back; shot mark in neck; paint loss on body. (2,500 - 3,500)

204

205. Pair of hollow carved swimming mergansers from Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Original paint with minor to moderate discoloration and wear; small cracks. (3,000 - 5,000)

205

206. Widgeon drake, Thomas Wilson, Ipswich, Massachusetts. Original paint with minor to moderate flaking on white areas; minor wear on the rest; a few small dents. (2,000 - 3,000)

206

120


207

208

207. Small merganser drake, from Cape Cod, 1st quarter 20th century. Carved wooden crest. Never rigged. Original paint with slight wear and good patina; structurally very good. (5,000 - 7,000)

208. Self bailing scoter, Joseph Lincoln, Accord, Massachusetts, 1st quarter 20th century. Original paint with minor wear; structurally good.

Literature: “New England Decoys,” John and Shirley Delph. “Joseph Lincoln,” Cap Vinal. (3,500 - 4,500)

121


Keyes Chadwick

1865 - 1958 Martha’s Vineyard, massachusetts

Chadwick c. 1950. Note Poultry Poster on wall

Owen Poultry Farm

Remarkably, one of the Island’s most famous decoy carvers did not consider this gift noteworthy and certainly not his greatest accomplishment. Rather, his first love was the raising of poultry. The production of chickens was a necessity for meat and eggs, and poultry farms were a common sight throughout the region. Related to this, the raising of “fancy fowl” became a widespread and popular hobby and business. Chadwick had graduated from New York State Agricultural College in the early 1880s and returned to the Vineyard to begin his own flock. Unfortunately, his efforts in this regard did not prove sufficiently lucrative and he was forced to resort to carpentry and his ability to execute fine Spenserian penmanship to support his family. In about 1904, he was able to return to his first love when he was hired by the Owen poultry farm at Lambert’s Cove in West Tisbury. He made his first decoys in about 1881 when he was 16. When he started to sell his wares, his early work showed the strong influence of his neighbor Ben Smith (1866 – 1946) however, being the perfectionist he was, he was constantly adapting his patterns to improve the final product. It is estimated that his lifetime production would number about 2,000 pieces but he may have done more. His shop was in the basement of his home, and when weather permitted, he would carve under a grapevine in his rear yard. Chadwick, like so many of the Vineyard men, did some waterfowl hunting, but he much preferred following his small pack of beagles in pursuit of the abundant rabbits on the Island. Ham Luce (1905 – 1998) hunted rabbits and fished with Chadwick, and like so many others who knew him, remembers him as saying: “You know… I never wanted to be known as a master carver, I was an expert poultryman”. He and his wife had no children, and he is buried with her in her childhood town of West Tisbury. Reference: 1.

Murphy, Stanley. 1975. “Keyes Chadwick, Decoy Carver.” Duke County Intelligencer. Dukes County Historical Society, Inc. Pub.

2.

Lee, Linsey. 2012. “Historical Perspective: Waterfowling Was Once a Way of Life.” Martha’s Vineyard Times, Nov. 27, 2012.

209 Detail 122


209

209. Excellent pair of mergansers, Keyes Chadwick, Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. Hen has slightly turned head. Both have circular weights in underside. Near mint original paint with good patina; structurally very good.

Literature: “Martha’s Vineyard Decoys,” Stanley Murphy. “New England Decoys,” John and Shirley Delph. (15,000 - 18,000)

123


210

211

212

213

214

210. Stylish Canada goose, Joseph Lincoln, Accord, Massachusetts, 1st quarter 20th century. Head is in swimming pose. Repaint appears to have some age and is done in the Lincoln style; crack in underside and at neck. (800 - 1,000) 211. Canada goose, Joseph Lincoln, Accord, Massachusetts. Crack in underside; old in use repaint; thin crack through neck; thin crack on one side; small rough spot at base of tail; one eye missing. (800 - 1,200)

124

212. Canada goose, Joseph Lincoln, Accord, Massachusetts. Age split in bottom with some dry rot at the back of the split; restored paint. (800 - 1,200) 213. Black duck, Joseph Lincoln, Accord, Massachusetts. Worn old paint; numerous small cracks; age split in underside. (650 - 950) 214. Old squaw hen from Massachusetts, 1st quarter 20th century. Scratch feather paint detail and slightly turned head. Original paint with minor to moderate wear; reglued crack in bill with small chip missing from top; hairline crack in back. (500 - 800)


215. White wing scoter drake, Joseph Lincoln, Accord, Massachusetts. Tack eyes. Original paint; tight crack along underside and in back; several shot marks; rough area at tip of bill. (1,500 - 1,800)

215 216. Black duck, Russ Burr, Hingham, Massachusetts. Cork body with carved wooden head that is slightly turned. Very stylish head carving. Cork body has good wing detail. Original paint; areas of rubs on back, side, and tail. (1,800 - 2,200)

216 217. Rare ruddy duck, Joseph Lincoln, Accord, Massachusetts, 1st quarter 20th century. Subtle shoulder carving. Tack eyes. Paint is mostly worn away to expose wood grain; several cracks; tight cracks in body; shot marks mostly in head. (1,800 - 2,200)

217

218. Merganser drake, from Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, last quarter 19th century. “WM” carved in underside. Original paint with good patina and minor wear; small plug in back; tiny chip at one edge of bill; neck crack. (1,250 - 1,750)

218

125


Russ Burr

1887 - 1955 Hingham, massachusetts Russ Burr was the youngest of two sons born to Elisha Burr. The Burr family was among the earliest settlers of Hingham, Massachusetts, and Russ spent practically his entire life in that small coastal community. He served in Europe during World War I, and in 1920, married Ruth Lane of Rockport. Sadly, she died in 1929, and Russ became a loner. It is said that after her death, he never went to the second floor of the house again. He is listed in the early records as being a “salesman,” “carpenter,” or “cabinet maker.” Regardless of his profession, he considered himself the self-proclaimed “Whittler of Hingham, Mass.” He is certainly well known for the many miniatures that he produced and sold, not only through his own shop, but also through Shreve, Crump, and Lowe in Boston, and Abercrombie and Fitch in New York City. He did carve a number of stylish and animated shorebirds for which he is justly famous. There is still some question as to whether he or his brother used their father’s patterns for these birds or if the design and work was Russ’s alone. He and his brother were avid outdoorsmen, and Russ also carved some duck decoys, mostly for their own use. Many are familiar with his almost futuristic cork body blacks, and he did carve at least one rig of bluebills. These were used in the many excellent shooting locales within a short distance of his home and at his brother’s camp in Orleans on Cape Cod. Russ did own his own camp on Trip Hammer Pond in Hingham which is documented in Phillip’s “Shooting Stands of Massachusetts.” He made a very small rig of geese in the 1930s that were very likely used at this stand. These geese are his only known attempt at this species and all exhibit carved tail and wingtip detail, very similar to that seen on his shorebirds. Some even have the crossed wingtips – a detail he may have copied from being familiar with the early work of Elmer Crowell. These very rare geese clearly demonstrate the outstanding artistic ability of this talented craftsman. Reference: Mosher, Bob. 2004. “The Burr Family of Hingham,” May/June, Decoy Magazine.

219 Detail 126


219

219 Detail

219. Very rare Canada goose, Russ Burr, Hingham, Massachusetts, 1st quarter 20th century. Only a few of these are known. Head is slightly turned. Feather stamping on back. Excellent split wing and side pocket carving similar to what is found on Burr family shorebirds. Original paint; slight discoloration to white areas; small crack at neck seat; small rub on one side. (12,000 - 15,000)

127


Virginia Nathan, Cobb, Jr. 1825 - 1905 Cobb Island, Virginia

In 1837, Nathan Cobb, Sr. was working in the shipbuilding business in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. When his wife, Nancy Doane, contracted tuberculosis, Nathan decided to seek out a warmer climate in the hopes that the change would be beneficial to her health. He sold his interest in the shipbuilding business, purchased a sailing vessel, and set sail with his wife and three sons, Nathan Jr., Albert, and Warren. As they reached the barrier islands off Virginia’s Eastern Shore, an Atlantic storm forced them ashore where they took shelter near the town of Oyster. They were so enamored with the local people who welcomed them with open arms that they decided to make this their permanent home. Nathan and Nancy opened a small general store which they operated for the next couple of years providing them a modest living. In 1839, Nathan, bored with life on the mainland, purchased Great Sand Shoal Island and moved his family to the island which was to become known as Cobb Island. This move proved too much for the ailing Nancy who passed away the following year. Nathan and his sons operated a successful ship salvage business from the island and ultimately got involved in market hunting. As word spread of the superb waterfowl hunting, the Cobbs found themselves guiding sport hunters who came from up and down the East Coast. To accommodate these hunters, they opened a hotel which was large enough to handle not only the Cobb family and their employees, but up to 100 guests as well. When Nathan Sr. died in 1890 at the age of 92, the island had been developed into a thriving year round resort village frequented by the well-to-do from all parts of North America as well as France and England. The abundance and variety of waterfowl on the island provided for the highly successful market and sport hunting. The decoys the Cobbs made were of rugged construction consistent with the severe conditions that often plagued Cobb Island over the years. Nathan Jr. produced ducks, geese, and shorebirds in a multitude of poses which created a sense of movement and realism to the rig. Curved and twisted necks with cantered heads, notched tails, and inlet heads are but a few of the characteristics which set Cobb decoys apart from other Virginia makers and established the tremendous folk art appeal that attracts collectors today.

220

128


220 Detail

220 Detail

The Cobb family business prospered on the island for over 50 years, but finally in 1896, one of the major Atlantic storms that constantly plagued the island destroyed everything that was left, forcing the remainder of the family to abandon their island home for good. Today, Cobb Island is little more than a salt marsh bordered by a narrow deserted beach almost six miles long, varying in width from a few hundred feet to more than a half-mile. The majesty of the rolling dunes, salt-sprayed grasses, the sound of the surf, the cry of the shorebirds, and the ever-changing pattern of the treacherous inlets remain characteristic of Cobb Island, barren now, but still beautiful. The Coast Guard rebuilt its station, the sea gave back some of its land, but the era of the Cobb Island Resort was gone forever. The geese and brant made and used by the Cobb family can exhibit complicated design structures created to suggest animation in form. Whether interpreted as hissing, chasing, feeding, breeding, or belligerence, collectors have long been attracted to the folk art appeal of the highest grade hollow Cobb carvings.

220. Rare and important belligerent style Canada goose, Nathan Cobb, Jr., Cobb Island, Virginia, last half 19th century. Hollow carved with serifed “N” carved in underside. Retains original “V” cut pad weight. Head is reaching and slightly turned. Classic ridge on back and split raised tail. Small area of wood filler on top of forehead. Paint is an early second coat, probably 1st quarter 20th century; some areas are flaking on cheek patch and body; structurally sound.

Provenance: Purchased by the consignor at a Richard Bourne sale in 1984. (50,000 - 70,000) 129


221 Detail

221 Detail

130


221 Detail

221

221. Hollow carved black duck, Nathan Cobb, Jr., Cobb Island, Virginia, last quarter 19th century. Large serifed “N” carved in the underside. Inlet head with protruding neck. Raised “V” wingtip carving and shoe button eyes. Appealing old in use repaint; crack through neck. Provenance: Meyer collection. Literature: “Southern Decoys,” Henry Fleckenstein, Jr.

(17,500 - 22,500)

131


222

223

224

225

226

222. Canada goose, Ira Hudson, Chincoteague, Virginia, circa 1930. Hissing style neck. Old working repaint; damage at curve in neck has been strengthened a long time ago with several nails and wood putty; imperfections in wood. (2,000 - 3,000) 223.

Black duck, Ira Hudson, Chincoteague, Virginia. Round body style with scratch paint detail. Original paint with minor to moderate shrinkage and wear; some filler has come out of the neck seam; crack at neck seam; area of touchup on one side.

Provenance: Formerly in collection of Sam Dyke, Salisbury, Maryland. Dyke collection stamp on underside. (1,200 - 1,500)

132

224. Large swan decoy, Bailey Barco. Old in use repaint with moderate wear; numerous cracks and dents; head is a professional replacement by Frank Finney. (1,000 - 1,400) 225. Rare hollow carved pintail drake, Dave “Umbrella” Watson, Chincoteague, Virginia, circa 1900. Raised “V” wingtip carving. Paint has been restored probably by Frank Finney. Structurally good. Provenance: McCarthy collection.

(1,000 - 1,500)

226. Merganser hen, Doug Jester, Chincoteague, Virginia, 1st quarter 20th century. Original paint with minor discoloration and wear; very lightly hit by shot; most of tip feather and crest is missing. (1,250 - 1,750)


227. Classic football body style black duck, Ira Hudson, Chincoteague, Virginia. Exceptionally fine loop scratch feather paint detail and form. Original paint with very minor wear and good patina; small crack partway down underside; a few small dents in one side.

Literature: “Ira Hudson and Family,” Henry Stansbury. “Southern Decoys,” Henry Fleckenstein, Jr. (3,000 - 4,000)

227

228. Banjo tail style pintail drake, Ira Hudson, Chincoteague, Virginia. Original paint with moderate wear; scratch paint detail is still fairly strong on back; worn area to wood on one side; neck filler is missing; crack in underside. (2,000 - 2,500)

228

229.

Round body bluebill drake, Ira Hudson, Chincoteague, Virginia. Fluted tail. Good feather paint detail on back. Good head style. Original paint with minor discoloration and wear; hairline crack at neck base. (2,000 - 3,000)

229 133


230 230 Detail

230. Rare and desirable ruddy duck, from the “Mary James Farm” rig, last quarter 19th century. Body measures only 7” in length. Very old paint appears to be a mix of original and old working repaint; much of the tail has worn away; slight separation between neck and body; a few shot marks in head; bill is a professional replacement. (9,500 - 12,500)

134


231 Detail 231

231. Extremely rare preening brant, Charles Jester, Chincoteague, Virginia. Original paint by Ira Hudson on center 3rd of body; the rest has appealing old working repaint; crack partway through neck; several shot scars.

Provenance: Meyer collection. Formerly in collection of Alvin Freedman Kein.

Literature: “Southern Decoys,” Henry Fleckenstein, Jr. (6,000 - 9,000)

135


Shorebird Decoys

232. Very rare curlew, Abram Thomas, Lennox Island Reservation, Prince Edward Island, Canada. Tack eyes. Approximately 13 1/2” long and over 4” wide at its widest point. Very good and original.

233. Large plover, Abram Thomas, Lennox Island Reservation, Prince Edward Island, Canada. Tack eyes. Original paint with minor wear and good patina; hairline surface crack in breast.

Provenance: Peter Brown collection.

Literature: “Decoys of Maritime Canada,” Dale and Gary Guyette. (2,000 - 3,000)

232

136

233

Provenance: Peter Brown collection.

(2,000 - 2,500)


234. Full body black bellied plover from Toronto Harbor, last quarter 19th century. Shoe button eyes. Original paint with good detail and minor wear; tiny tail chip missing; very lightly hit by shot; base is a professional replacement by Russ Allen.

Provenance: Peter Brown collection. (4,000 - 6,000)

234 235. Golden plover in winter plumage, Toronto, Ontario, last quarter 19th century. Shoe button eyes. Original paint with minor wear; base is a professional replacement by Russ Allen. Provenance: Peter Brown collection.

(4,000 - 6,000)

235

236. Ruddy turnstone with slightly lifted head, Toronto Harbor, last quarter 19th century. Original paint with minor wear; lightly hit by shot; original wire legs and base; legs trimmed under the base.

Provenance: Peter Brown collection. (2,000 - 3,000)

236

137


John Dilley

Quogue, Long Island, New York

237

237. Rare ruddy turnstone in spring plumage, John Dilley, Quogue, Long Island, New York, last quarter 19th century. Relief wing carving and shoe button eyes. Extra fine paint detail. Original paint with minor wear; a few tiny dents. Provenance: Colodny collection.

(17,500 - 22,500)

237 Detail

138


238

238. Rare black bellied plover in transitional plumage, John Dilley, Quogue, Long Island, New York, last quarter 19th century. Fine and intricate feather paint detail, including a section under the tail. Original paint with minor wear; hit by shot on one side. Literature: “Shorebird Decoys,” John Levinson and Somers Headly. (25,000 - 35,000)

238 Detail

139


Factory Decoys

240

239

241

242

243

239. Owl, Herter’s Decoy Factory, Waseca, Minnesota. Two ice grooves have been added to back so it can be suspended from a tree. Very tight crack in front of body; paint has flaked evenly; small chip at ear; original paint. (800 - 1,000) 240. Greenwing teal drake, Mason Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan. Standard grade with glass eyes. Original paint with minor wear; one eye is missing; neck filler is missing. (800 - 1,200) 241. Rare pair of bluewing teal, Pratt Decoy Factory, Joliette, Illinois. Original paint with very slight wear; neck filler missing from back of hen’s neck. (500 - 700)

140

242. Widgeon drake, Dodge Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan, last quarter 19th century. Branded “A Seiboth” in lower side. Original paint with moderate wear; several cracks in body; lightly hit by shot; old bill repair.

Provenance: McCarthy collection.

(650 - 950)

243. Pair of rare buffleheads, Dodge Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan. Detailed bill carving and carved eyes. Worn old paint; crack in the underside of the drake; drake has shot scars; hairline crack in hen’s back; hen has been hit by shot. (1,250 - 1,750)


244

245

244. Rare Canada goose, Dodge Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan, last quarter 19th century. Original paint with good feather detail; underside has been planed and touched up; filled in factory split in one side that has had some of the filler come out; plug approximately 1 1/2” in back and underside.

Literature: “Dodge Decoy Dynasty,” Bill Dodge and Ron Sharp. (3,500 - 4,500)

245. Very rare flat bottom style greenwing teal drake, Dodge Decoy Factory, Detroit, Michigan, last quarter 19th century. Flat bottom style with tack eyes. Original paint with minor wear; a few tiny dents.

Literature: “Dodge Decoy Dynasty,” Bill Dodge and Ron Sharp. (2,500 - 3,500)

141


New Jersey Shorebirds

246

247

248

246. Rare ruddy turnstone from New Jersey, last quarter 19th century. Well blended paint. Very good and original. (6,000 - 9,000) 247. Ruddy turnstone from New Jersey, last quarter 19th century. Original paint with good patina and minor wear; structurally very good.

142

Provenance: Meyer collection.

(2,500 - 3,500)

248. Ruddy turnstone from New Jersey, last quarter 19th century. Original paint with good patina and very slight wear; structurally very good.

Provenance: Meyer collection.

(2,500 - 3,500)


249

250

251

252

249. Earlier style curlew, Daniel Lake Leeds, Pleasantville, New Jersey, last quarter 19th century. Relief wing carving with tack eyes. Original paint with minor wear; several thin cracks in body.

Literature: “New Jersey Decoys,” Henry Fleckenstein, Jr. (3,000 - 5,000)

250. Large curlew from Cape May, New Jersey, last quarter 19th century. A little over 17” long. Original paint with good scratch paint detail; very minor discoloration and wear; a few tiny dents.

Provenance: Meyer collection.

251. Black bellied plover, Harry V. Shourds, Tuckerton, New Jersey. Original paint with minor to moderate wear; lightly hit by shot. (1,750 - 2,250) 252. Yellowlegs, Harry V. Shourds, Tuckerton, New Jersey. Original paint with minor discoloration and wear; filler has fallen out of two small defects in body; lightly hit by shot. (1,750 - 2,250)

(3,000 - 5,000)

143


Sporting Art

252A

252A. Oil on canvas of mallards landing in marsh, Roland Clark. Signed. Image size 16� x 20�. Very good and original. (5,000 - 8,000)

144


252B

252B. “Before the Blow,” an oil on canvas by Roland Clark. Signed. Image size 16” x 20”. Very good and original. (5,000 - 8,000)

145


253 253. Watercolor of a mixed group of shorebirds at waters edge, William Tyner. Signed. Professionally matted and framed. Image size 13” x 21”. Very good and original. (600 - 900)

254.

Watercolor of canvasback flying over marsh, David Hagerbaumer. Signed. Professionally matted and framed. Image size 21” x 29”. Very good and original. (1,200 - 1,500)

255

146

254

255

255. Pair of early hanging game paintings. Unsigned. Oil on board, image size 16 1/2” x 27 1/2”. Original and good. (1,250 - 1,750)


255A

255A. “On the Moors,” a watercolor by Ogden Pleissner (1905-1983). Signed. Professionally matted and framed. Image size approximately 7” x 10”. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Paul Tudor Jones II collection.

(3,500 - 5,500)

147


256. Oil on board of flying mallards, Lynn Bogue Hunt. Image size 25 1/2” x 21 1/2”. Original and good. (600 - 900)

256A

256A

256 256A. Two rough sketches in frames, Lynn Bouge Hunt. Signed. Image size 11 1/2” x 8 1/4”. Very good and original. (400 - 600)

257. Oil on canvas of quail, Jim Morgan. Signed. Image size 18” x 26”. Very good and original. (600 - 900)

257

258

148

258.

Large oil on canvas of bufflehead drake. Image size 26” x 32”. On back of frame is written “Maine bufflehead Oct. 1944 L.V.L.” Some dirt in the sky; small patch in lower right hand corner. (1,000 - 1,400)


259 260

260. Oil on paper board of a champion pigeon. 12” x 11”. Pigeon has band on foot which reads “ipa-19”. Visible damage to board; a bit dirty. (600 - 800)

259. Highly detailed watercolor by Manuel Ferreira. Signed. Image of falcon attacking grouse. Each bird is done in excellent detail with nicely finished background. Image measures 14” x 9 1/2”. Professionally matted and framed. Very good and original. (600 - 800)

260A

260A. “The Take,” - Ninipi Labrador, oil on canvas by David Footer. Signed and dated 2002. Image size approximately 17 1/2” x 23 1/2”. Very good and original. (1,000 - 1,500)

149


Maryland

261

261.

261 Detail

150

Rare “tiger stripe” style Canada goose, Captain Ed Philips, Cambridge, Maryland. Original paint with minor wear; small chip missing from one edge of tail; small scuff on one edge of top of head; cracks in underside extending up the breast; small cracks in one upper side. (5,000 - 7,500)


262. Canvasback hen, Ed Parsons, Oxford, Maryland. Original paint with minor wear; age split in one side; small crack at neck base; spot of off white paint on one side of head. (2,000 - 3,000)

262 263. Brant, Lloyd Sterling, Crisfield, Maryland. Original paint with minor wear; thin crack through neck; professional bill chip repair. Provenance: Whittington collection. Literature: “Decoys of the Mid Atlantic Region,” Henry Fleckenstein, Jr. (2,000 - 3,000)

263

264.

Rare immature swan, John Vickers, Cambridge, Maryland. Original paint with very slight wear; crack through upper neck; minor roughness where neck joins body. (3,000 - 4,000)

264 265. Swan, John Vickers, Cambridge, Maryland. Original paint with good patina and very minor wear; two cracks through neck; very lightly hit by shot. (2,000 - 2,500)

265

151


266

267

268

269

270

271

266. Canvasback drake, James Holly, Havre de Grace, Maryland, 1st quarter 20th century. “JB” carved in underside. Original paint with minor to moderate discoloration and wear; thin crack in top and one side of head; small defect in wood in one side of body; slightly roughness to top of head. (800 - 1,200) 267. Working Canada goose, Oliver Lawson, Crisfield, Maryland. Slightly turned head. Original paint with minor wear; much of the neck base filler is missing; surface crack in one side of neck; nail holes in underside where a board was added at one time.

Provenance: Rowe collection.

(650 - 950)

268.

Canvasback hen, Jim Holly, Havre de Grace, Maryland, last quarter 19th century. Appealing old in use repaint. (600 - 900)

269. Pair of bluewing teal, Crisfield, Maryland. Painted by Oliver Lawson. Original and good.

Provenance: Rowe collection.

270.

Unusual cast iron sink box decoy. Used at the Pocahontas Fowling Club. With detailed eyes and bill. Structurally good.

Literature: “Gunnin’ Birds,” Kroghie Andresen. (800 - 1,000)

(600 - 900)

271. Cast iron canvasback wing duck from the upper Chesapeake Bay, last quarter 19th century. Worn paint, some pitting. (500 - 700) 152


Bronze Sculptures

271A

271A. “Sacred Rain Arrow II,” a limited edition bronze sculpture by bronze sculpture 17/20, Allan Hauser. (1914-1994), Santa Fe, New Mexico, 1980. Signed and identified on back. Total height approximately 13”. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Paul Tudor Jones collection.

(5,000 - 7,000)

153


271B

271B. Large bronze of three sea lions on rock, Gerald Belciar. Marble study limited edition 3/12. Dated 1982. Approximately 16 1/2� tall. Very good and original.

Provenance: Miller collection.

(6,000 - 9,000)

Gerald Belciar’s most prestigious award is the Prix de West, received from the National Academy of Western Art at the Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City for his marble river companions 154


271C. “Pony Express III,” a bronze sculpture by Harry Jackson. 163/ signed and dated 1977. Mounted on marble base. Horse is 10 1/2” long. Very good and original. (3,000 - 4,000)

271C

271D. “The Marshall III,” a bronze sculpture by Harry Jackson. 386/1000. Signed and dated 1979. Mounted on marble base, approximately 11 3/4” long. Very good and original. (3,000 - 4,000)

271D

155


271E. “Against the Wind,” a bronze sculpture by Vince Valdez. Signed. Measures 29” tall x 28” wide. Mountain goat standing on rocky ledge mounted on wooden base. Very good and original. (2,500 - 3,500)

271E

271F. “Pronghorn Magesty” a bronze sculpture by Vince Valdez. Signed. Measures 23 1/2”. Very good and original. (1,500 - 2,500)

271F

156


Etchings 272

272

272

272

273

272

274

275

276 276A 272. Five etchings by Peter Scott. All professionally framed and matted, in similar frames. Canada geese, 7 3/4” x 10”. Canada geese, 8 3/4” x 14 3/4”. Speckle bellied geese, 8 3/4” x 14 3/4”. Mallards, 9 3/4” x 7 3/4”. Pintails, 9 3/4” x 7 3/4’”. Very good and original. (800 - 1,200)

275. Western advertising poster, with artwork by A. Russell. Titled “The Unexpected.” Professionally framed. Image measures 28” x 16 1/2”. Bands are not showing. Strong condition with 1” tear in lower left side. (500 - 700)

273. “Migrating Geese,” an original etching by Frank Benson. Signed in margin in pencil, also marked “R-46” in margin. Professionally matted and framed. Image size approximately 11 1/2” x 9 1/4”. Minor discoloration on matting; slight waviness to the etching. (500 - 700)

276. Gauche on paper board, “Old Squaw” by Stanley Sterns, 1966. Framed with stamp of same image. Painting is 5” x 7”. This work was done for the duck stamp contest in 1966. This image is accompanied by a letter from Sterns detailing the information listed. Professionally matted and framed. (400 - 600)

274. Etching of duck hunter putting out decoys, Frank Benson. Signed in the margin by the artist. Image size approximately 8 1/2” x 11 1/2”. Original and good. (800 - 1,200)

276A. Limited edition leather bound copy of “Mason Factory Decoys,” Russ Goldberger and Alan Haid. Number 188/200. Signed by the artist. In hard slip cover. Excellent and original. (125 - 175) 157


Contemporary 277. Pair of goldeneye, Ian McNair. Signed. Glass eyes. Original paint that has been aged; thin crack in one side of drake. (1,250 - 1,750)

277 278. Large running curlew carved in the style of the one time world record Phillips rig decoy sold by Guyette & Schmidt, Inc. in the late 1990s, Mark McNair, Craddockville, Virginia. Approximately 23” long. Signed. Relief wing carving. Very good and original. (1,000 - 1,400)

278

279. Merganser drake, Leo McIntosh, Adams, New York. Signed and dated 1988. Slightly turned head. Very good and original.

Provenance: Bokelman estate. (800 - 1,200)

279 280. Sleeping dowitcher, Leo McIntosh, Woodville, New York. Signed and dated 1987. Relief wing carving. Excellent and original. (800 - 1,200)

280

158


281. Swimming wood duck drake with slightly turned head, Bob White, Tullytown, Pennsylvania. Signed and dated 2005. Retains Bob White weight. Very good and original.

Literature: “Decoys, 60 Living and Outstanding American Carvers,” Loy Harrell, exact decoy pictured. (950 - 1,250)

282. Wood duck drake, Byron Bruffee, Warren, Maine. Signed. Very good and original.

Literature: “Decoys, 60 Living and Outstanding American Carvers,” Loy Harrell, exact decoy pictured. (300 - 400)

283. Wood duck drake, Marty Collins. Branded “M.D. Collins”. Very good and original.

Literature: “Decoys, 60 Living and Outstanding American Carvers,” Loy Harrell, exact decoy pictured. (300 - 400)

282

281

283 159


285

284

287

286

289

288

284. Golden plover carved in the Massachusetts style, Mark McNair, Craddockville, Virginia. Signed. Relief wing carving with carved primaries. Exaggerated beetle head style. Very good and original. (650 - 950)

287.

285. Black bellied plover, Mark McNair, Craddockville, Virginia. Signed. Detailed feather carving at wingtips. Excellent and original. (650 - 950)

288. Black duck, Corbin Reed, Cape Charles, Virginia. In content pose with carved feet. Detailed scratch feather paint is on the underside as well as rest of the decoy. Excellent and original. (650 - 950)

286. Pair of wood ducks, George Strunk, Glendora, New Jersey. Branded “G. Strunk” and “R Kobli” in weights. Also signed. (650 - 950)

289. Pair of old squaw, George Strunk, Glendora, New Jersey. Both have “G. Strunk” and “R. Kobli” stamped in weight. Drake is signed by the maker. Both have slightly turned heads. Very good and original.

160

Pair of greenwing teal, Jode Hillman, Mullica Hill, New Jersey. Signed and dated 2006. Also branded “J Hillman”. Good carving detail. Very good and original. (500 - 800)

Provenance: Bokelman estate.

(650 - 950)


290

291

293

292

295

294 290. Pair of greenwing teal carved in the Delaware River tradition, Jack Wood. Signed. Both have slightly turned heads, raised wingtips, and fluted tails. Excellent and original. (400 - 600) 291. Two decoys, Jack Wood, Hammonton, New Jersey. A black duck and pintail hen carved in the Delaware River tradition. Both are signed. Very good and original. (400 - 600) 292. Hollow carved canvasback hen, Pat Godin. Signed, “Oshawa 1978”. Turned head and relief wing carving. Very good and original. (650 - 950) 293. Swimming Canada goose, Bob White, Tullytown, Pennsylvania. Signed and dated 1995. Slightly raised

and extended wingtips. Two Bob White weights on underside. Very good and original.

Provenance: Bokelman estate.

(900 - 1,200)

294. Pair of flat bottom goldeneye, George Strunk, Glendora, New Jersey. Both have “G. Strunk” and “R Kobli” stamped in weights. Both have slightly turned heads. Near mint original paint; structurally very good.

Provenance: Bokelman estate.

(600 - 900)

295. Pair of bluewing teal, George Strunk, Glendora, New Jersey. Both are signed and “GS” stamped in the weight. Both have slightly turned heads. Very good and original.

Provenance: Bokelman estate.

(600 - 900)

End of Session One 161


Session Two

Tuesday, July 24, 2018 – 10:00 AM

Oliver “Tuts” Lawson Crisfield, Maryland

296

296.

* Exceptional pair of full size carved wood ducks on branch with carved honeysuckle, Oliver Lawson, Crisfield, Maryland. Signed and dated 1972. Both have raised wings with detailed feather carving and fluted tails. One of the very best known examples of Lawson’s work. Carving stands approximately 24” tall. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Miller collection.

296 Detail

162

(6,500 - 9,500)


297

297. * The only known full size decorative brant carving by Oliver Lawson, Crisfield, Maryland. Signed and dated 1969. Carved, crossed primaries and carved secondaries. Fluted tail and slightly turned and lifted head. Approximately 20” tall. Made by Lawson for display at the 1969 Chestertown, Maryland Carving Show. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Miller collection. (4,000 - 5,000)

298. Black duck on wooden base, Robert

297 Detail 163


McGaw, Havre de Grace, Maryland. Fine scratch feather paint detail. Near mint original paint; plug in top of head has lifted very slightly. (2,000 - 3,000)

298

299

299. Standing full body bluebill, probably a member of the Sterling family and similar to the work of the Ward Brothers. Applied peach basket staves to shape the wings and tail. Detailed paint feathering on back. Head is slightly turned and lifted. Signed twice on underside, “Lem Ward Crisfield Maryland 1928”. Feet were replaced at a later date, probably by the Ward Brothers; strong original paint with the exception of area of thighs and feet, and a very small amount of in painting around neck where seam has separated slightly from body. (3,000 - 5,000) 300.

Full size robin, Gus Wilson, South Portland, Maine. On wire legs with tack eyes and raised carved wingtips. Better form than a typical Wilson robin. Original paint with slight wear; minor discoloration under tail; structurally very good. (1,750 - 2,250)

300 301. Pair of old squaw, Leo McIntosh, Adams, New York. Signed. Both have relief wing carving and slightly turned heads. Original paint that has been aged; thin crack in hen’s back; a few small dents. (1,750 - 2,250)

301 164


301A Detail

301A. Extremely rare full size decorative grouse, Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Mounted on burl base. Total height approximately 16”. Signed on base. Fine feather carving detail on crest and tail. Slightly turned head. Well blended feather paint. Excellent and original.

Literature: “Ward Brothers Decoys,” Ron Gard and Brian McGrath. (15,000 - 20,000)

301A

165


Most of Alexander Pope’s signed and dated carvings were produced from 1879-1883. This passenger pigeon signed 1875 places it at one of the earliest examples that have surfaced. It also predates his publishing of “Upland Game Birds and Waterfowl of the United States,” 1878 and 1882, which brought him fame. His desire to capture the passenger pigeon likely reflects the slow decline of the species that he was witnessing between 1800 and 1870, followed by a rapid decline between 1870 and 1890. Restoration was performed by Cameron McIntyre who feels it was very likely that Pope used a real passenger pigeon as a model.

301B 301B Detail

166

301B. Hanging game full size passenger pigeon carving, A. Pope Jr. Signed. Also signed on back “A. Pope Jr, Boston APR 1875.” In original frame and birds eye maple backboard. Frame size 23” x 15”. Original paint, foot, tail feathers, and one wing tip have been replaced by Cameron McIntyre. (6,500 - 9,500)


302. Full size standing gadwall, Leo McIntosh, Woodville, New York. Signed and dated 1995. Slightly turned head. Relief wing carving, carved wingtips, and fluted tail. Well blended paint. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Miller collection. (2,500 - 3,500)

302

303. Full size carved grouse, Mark Holland, Brewster, Massachusetts. Carving stands approximately 14” tall. Slightly turned head, fanned tail with detailed feather carving. Extended wingtips. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Miller collection. (3,500 - 4,500)

303

167


304. Pair of 1/2 size mallards, Wendell Gilley, Southwest Harbor, Maine. Gilley ink stamp is on the underside of base. Drake is approximately 10” long. Raised carved wingtips. Very good and original. (1,500 - 2,000)

304 305. Preening pintail hen, Jimmie Vizier, Galliano, Louisiana. Signed and dated 1999. Base is also signed and dated on underside. Carved crossed wingtips and fanned tail. Also included is a hardwood base with brass tag and carved name and date. Excellent and original. (1,250 - 1,750)

305 306. Canada goose, Jimmie Vizier, Galliano, Louisiana. Signed, “For the collection of Don and Betty Denny. A gift from Jimmie Vizier 1992”. Carved crossed wingtips and slightly turned head. Very slight wear at tips of wings, otherwise excellent and original. (1,250 - 1,750)

306

307. Pair of 1/3 size Canada geese, Wendell Gilley, Southwest Harbor, Maine. Signed on driftwood base. Watch goose is approximately 11.5” tall. Detailed feather carving with raised wingtips. Good paint detail. Very good and original. (1,500 - 2,500)

307 168


308

309

308. Flying mallard, Philippe Sirois, Arrowsic, Maine. Wingspan is approximately 26”. Applied feet and glass eyes. Original paint with minor wear; structurally good; touchup where one wing joins body and at neck seat; small chips at tail sprig. (4,000 - 6,000)

309. Standing wood duck drake on wooden base, 1st quarter 20th century. Raised carved wingtips. Bird is approximately 12” from bill to tail. Original paint with minor wear; minor flaking on underside of body; legs appear to have been reglued into the body. (3,000 - 4,000)

169


Elmer Crowell

310 Detail

1862 - 1952 East Harwich, Massachusetts

310

310. Full size standing tern on wooden base, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Crowell’s oval brand is in the underside of the base. Original paint with slight wear; the tip of wingtip and tip of bill have been professionally replaced. (9,000 - 12,000)

310 Detail

170


311. Full size carved lesser yellowlegs, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Crowell’s blue paper label is on the back of the backboard, marked yellowlegs. Extra fine feather paint detail. Mounted on backboard approximately 16” tall. Excellent and original.

Literature: “Songless Aviary,” Brian Cullity. (6,500 - 9,500)

311 Detail 311

171


Miniatures

312

313

314

315

316

317

318

312. Miniature laughing gull on driftwood base, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Very good and original. (1,500 - 2,000)

316. Miniature downy woodpecker, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Unmarked. Very good and original. (1,200 - 1,500)

313. Miniature red breasted merganser hen, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Unmarked. Very good and original. (1,250 - 1,750)

317. Miniature scarlet tanager, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Crowell’s rectangular stamp is under the base. Small scrape on upper breast otherwise very good and original. (1,200 - 1,500)

314. Miniature old squaw drake, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Unmarked. Very good and original. (1,250 - 1,750) 315. Miniature bluewing teal hen, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Unstamped. Very good and original. (1,250 - 1,750) 172

318. Miniature redheaded woodpecker, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Crowell’s round ink stamp is under the base. Very good and original. (1,250 - 1,750)


319

320

321

322

323

324

325

319. Pair of miniature widgeon, George Boyd, Seabrook, New Hampshire. Very good and original. (3,000 - 5,000) 320. Miniature brant, Joseph Lincoln, Massachusetts. Very good and original.

Provenance: Colodny collection.

Accord,

(2,500 - 3,500)

321. 1/3 size brant, Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Approximately 10” long. Turned head. Signed. Original paint with very slight wear; structurally good. Provenance: Formerly in the Roy Bull collection. Bull collection brand in underside. (1,500 - 2,000) 322. Pair of 1/4 size pintails, Lloyd Tyler, Crisfield, Maryland. Drake is approximately 10” long. Both have

slightly turned heads and good paint detail. Original paint with minor wear; slight wear to wood on hen’s tail.

Provenance: Whittington collection.

(1,750 - 2,250)

323. Miniature canvasback drake, George Boyd, Seabrook New Hampshire. A few tiny paint rubs on head, otherwise very good and original. (1,500 - 2,000) 324. Miniature American merganser drake, George Boyd, Seabrook, New Hampshire. Slightly turned head. Very slight paint loss at neck seam. (1,500 - 2,000) 325. Miniature mallard drake with slightly turned head, George Boyd, Seabrook, New Hampshire. Very good and original.

Literature: “Finely Carved and Nicely Painted,” Jim Cullen. (1,750 - 2,250) 173


Enoch Reindahl

Stoughton, Wisconsin

In a letter written to Dave Spangler after purchasing the goose, James McCleery goes on to write: “The goose arrived right on schedule. It is everything I’d hope for in keeping with your pictures,” “I don’t have a finer goose!”

326 326. Important hollow carved Canada goose, Enoch Reindahl, Stoughton, Wisconsin. “Reindahl” name is stenciled on the underside. In resting pose with very slightly turned head. Carved crossed wingtips with carved primaries and fluted tail. Fine feather paint detail. Original paint with a few tiny scrapes; dent in one edge of tail; several small dents in body; hairline surface crack at one side of neck.

Provenance: Meyer collection. Formerly in the collection of Dr. James McCleery. McCleery stamp on underside. Formerly in the collection of David Spengler. Spengler purchased this decoy from Reindahl in 1983.

Literature: “Fish and Fowl of the Great Lakes,” Donna Tonelli. “Call to the Sky,” Bob Shaw. Guyette & Schmidt/Sotheby’s auction catalog, January 2000, lot 109, exact decoy pictured. (65,000 - 85,000) 174


326 Detail

326 Detail

326 Detail 175


New England 327. Goldeneye hen, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts, 1st quarter 20th century. Crowell’s oval brand is in the underside. Original paint with minor to moderate wear; lightly hit by shot. (2,000 - 3,000)

327

328. Black duck, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts, circa 1915. Cork body with carved wooden head. From the Winthrop rig on Long Island, New York. Oval brand in wooden bottom board. Head is slightly turned. Original paint; with worn areas on cork body where paint has been removed; some loss of cork at one side of tail. (1,500 - 2,000)

328

329. Hollow carved black duck, Horace Merwin, Westport, Connecticut, 2nd quarter 20th century. Large “HM” stenciled in underside. Exceptionally fine paint detail and good form. Inlet head. Merwin was a good friend of Shang Wheeler and carved decoys in Wheeler’s style. Excellent and original with good patina.

329

Literature: “Connecticut Decoys,” Henry Chitwood. (1,750 - 2,250)

330. Black duck, Roy Collins, Connecticut. Raised wingtip carving and slightly turned head. Original paint with minor wear thin crack in breast and neck. (1,200 - 1,500)

330

176


331

333

335

331. Canada goose, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Crowell’s oval brand is in the underside. Old in use repaint; age split and rough area on underside; numerous cracks; small defect in wood in lower side. (800 - 1,200) 332. Two large slat goose heads, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Old in use repaint; large chips missing from base of one; small chips on the other. (750 - 950) 333. Goldeneye drake from Hingham, Massachusetts, 1st quarter 20th century. Original paint with good patina and minor wear; structurally good. (650 - 950)

332

334

336

334. Goldeneye hen, from Martha’s Vineyard, 1st quarter 20th century. Worn old paint; separation at body seam; small cracks and dents. (500 - 800) 335. Pair of mergansers attributed to A.W. Howland, East Falmouth, Massachusetts. Carved wooden crest, inlet head, and painted eyes. Very good and original. (500 - 800) 336. Cork body bluebill drake, Shang Wheeler, Stratford, Connecticut. Branded “CRW” for Charles Welles. Original paint with minor wear on wood, minor to moderate wear on cork; comb paint on back; roughness to one edge of tail. (750 - 950)

177


Elmer Crowell

1862 - 1952 East Harwich, Massachusetts

337

178


337.

Exceptional pintail drake, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Crowell’s oval brand is in the underside. Quite large, approximately 19” long. Feather carving on tail. Good head form and feather paint detail. Near mint original paint; small area of touchup to very small area of neck base at a surface crack; crack in underside.

Literature: “Songless Aviary,” Brian Cullity. “New England Decoys,” John and Shirley Delph. (27,500 - 32,500)

337 Detail

337 Detail

337 Detail

179


338 338 Detail

338. Sleeping black duck, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Crowell’s rectangular stamp in the underside. Detailed feather painting. Very good and original. (6,500 - 9,500)

180


339

339 Detail 339. Mallard drake, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Fluted tail, slightly lifted head with tack eyes. Crowell’s oval brand is in the underside. Decoy is also signed by Crowell on underside. Original paint with some shrinkage and a little fading; structurally good. Provenance: Colodny collection. Formerly in the collection of Robert D. Congdon, Nantucket, Massachusetts. Congdon label on underside. (7,500 - 9,500)

181


Lothrop Turner Holmes

Lothrop Holmes

1824 - 1899 Kingston, Massachusetts One of the very earliest, most accomplished, and sought-after Massachusetts decoy makers, Lothrop Holmes, was born in Plympton MA, a small rural town about eight miles from coastal Kingston. As a young man, he worked in the local iron foundries. He married Elizabeth Howland Hunter in 1848 and, for a few years, the couple presumably lived with one of their parents. In 1854, the couple bought a small “half Cape” house on Main Street in Kingston. Their time here was brief, and in 1855, the couple moved to Providence, Rhode Island where Holmes spent the next decade living in the city and working in the nearby Phenix Iron Foundry. In 1870, Holmes’ mother died, and he inherited the 115-acre homestead farm. He still owned the half Cape in Kingston as well as a small half acre lot in Brant Rock, a village in the Town of nearby Marshfield noted for its coot and sea duck shooting. As noted by GiGi Hopkins in her excellent research on the carver, “The assessed value for all this property was $5000, a comfortable sum for the time.” Over the years, the couple had four children but two had died as infants, one as early as age eleven and the oldest son at age twenty-three. With no children to inherit the family farm, the property was sold, and Holmes and his wife returned to the small Cape in Kingston. Adjacent to the Holmes’ home was the Evergreen Cemetery, and at age sixty-two, Holmes was appointed to the position of trustee there. He served in that capacity for the next nine years, and for one year (1893) he served as Evergreen’s superintendent. Both he and his wife are buried there. He was an accomplished woodworker as evidenced by his finely crafted shooting box, and this skill is certainly apparent in the superb form and finish exhibited in his decoys. It is his paint, however, that elevates his work to the highest level. As noted by Bob Shaw, “He is the greatest master of line among decoy makers; where other carvers drew broad outlines of plumage, Holmes accurately delineated the intricate, interweaving lines of each species plumage with a sure, unwavering hand.” He made decoys of a number of species, mostly of wooden construction and he is credited by many as being the originator of the canvas over frame type of construction. References: 1 Hopkins, Gwladys. 2016. Massachusetts Masterpieces – The Decoy as Art.” Massachusetts Audubon Society. 2 Shaw, Robert. 1994. “Bird Decoys of North America – Nature, History, and Art.” Sterling Publishers.

“A Call to the Sky,” The McCleery Collection, exact decoy pictured at center

182


340 Detail

340

340.

Very rare feeding yellowlegs, Lothrop Holmes, Kingston, Massachusetts, 3rd quarter 19th century. Fine feather paint detail and shoe button eyes. Original paint with very slight wear; structurally excellent.

Provenance: Colodny collection. Formerly in collection of James McCleery. McCleery collection stamp under the tail. Literature: “Call to the Sky,” Robert Shaw, p. 29, exact decoy pictured. Guyette & Schmidt/Sotheby’s auction catalog, January 2000, lot 539, exact decoy pictured. “North American Decoys, 1984, p. 29, exact decoy pictured. (40,000 - 60,000)

183


341. Hollow carved golden plover, Joseph Lincoln, Accord, Massachusetts. Shoe button eyes. Original paint with minor wear; good patina; structurally very good. Literature: “Joseph Lincoln,” Cap Vinal. (3,000 - 5,000)

341

342. Black bellied plover, Joseph Lincoln, Accord, Massachusetts. Relief wing carving and shoe button eyes. Original paint with minor wear; heavily hit by shot; bill and one eye have been professionally replaced by Russ Allen. (2,000 - 3,000)

342

343. Two very unusual and folky shorebird decoys, from New England. Both have iron bills with square nails and sophisticated inletted neck construction with wooden pegs to secure head. Thin old black paint covering a lighter perhaps earlier coat has tight crazing to indicate age; one has crack in body with nails to secure. (3,000 - 5,000)

343 184


344

345

344. Flattie black bellied plover, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts, 1st quarter 20th century. Tack eyes. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Colodny collection. Purchased from Russ Goldberger in 1997. (2,000 - 3,000)

345. Running greater yellowlegs, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts, 1st quarter 20th century. Tack eyes. Split tail. Original paint with some working overpaint that has been removed on the light areas; traces of overpaint remain between stick hole and tail; professional repair at drop tail with more recent in painting; original bill has been cracked and reglued. (3,500 - 4,500)

185


Elmer Crowell

1862 - 1952 East Harwich, Massachusetts

Elmer Crowell shorebird patterns pictured in “Songless Aviary,� by Brian Cullity.

346

186

347


346

346.

Very rare and exceptional sanderling, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts, circa 1890s. Only 6 1/4” long. Shoe button eyes, fine paint detail. Original paint with minor wear, mostly on underside; structurally very good.

Provenance: Colodny collection. Formerly in the John Hillman collection, Hillman stamp on underside. Also tiny “JAH” under tail. (35,000 - 55,000)

346 Detail

187


347.

Early greater yellowlegs, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts, circa 1890s. Shoe button eyes. Fine feather paint detail and patina. Structurally excellent.

Provenance: Colodny collection.

Literature: “Shorebird Decoys,” Henry Fleckenstein, Jr. “New England Decoys,” John and Shirley Delph. (22,500 - 27,500)

347

188


347 Detail

347 Detail

189


New Jersey

348

349

348. Canada goose, Lloyd Parker, Parkertown, New Jersey, last quarter 19th century. Original paint with minor discoloration, flaking, and wear; structurally good; tightly reglued crack most of the way through bill. Provenance: Formerly in the collection of Peter Bartlett. Literature: “New Jersey Decoys,” Henry Fleckenstein, Jr., p. 115. (3,000 - 4,000)

190

349. Very rare canvasback drake, Joe King, Manahawkin, New Jersey. Only about three of these are known. Scratch painting at top of back. Carved eyes and inlet weight on underside. Two piece body has separated slightly; original paint on most of body; black has been strengthened; crack at neck; several shot scars; discoloration. (1,500 - 2,500)


350. Very rare set of three Canada goose decoys in different poses, Jay Parker, Parkertown, New Jersey. Hollow carved with detailed feather paint on backs and sides. Original paint with minor discoloration and wear; moderate crazing on upper breast of one; structurally good.

Literature: Decoy Magazine, May/June 2016, front cover, exact set pictured. Article inside magazine exact decoys pictured. (6,000 - 9,000)

350

350 Detail Decoy Magazine May/June 2016 issue, exact decoys pictured

191


Harry V. Shourds

1861 - 1920 Tuckerton, New Jersey

HarryVinucksen Shourds, a house painter by trade and a part time guide, earned his livelihood by providing some of the finest decoys made in New Jersey. Considered to be the most prolific carver from the Tuckerton school, Shourds produced Canada geese, brant, ducks, shorebirds, seagulls, and even a blue heron. Any collector of Shourds decoys will quickly learn, however, that examples in original paint are considered rare. His decoys were sold to hard hunting baymen that used them to harvest waterfowl in salt water.

Harry V. Shourds pictured with freshly made geese and ducks

351 Detail

192


351. Rare merganser drake, Harry V. Shourds, Tuckerton, New Jersey, circa 1900. Rare early style with painted eyes. Original paint with good patina; and minor wear; thin crack most of the way through the bill; some of the filler from the body seam has fallen out. Provenance: McCarthy collection. Literature: “Classic New Jersey Decoys,” James Doherty, Jr. (25,000 - 35,000)

351

193


Harry Mitchell Shourds 1890 - 1943 Ocean City, New Jersey

Harry M. Shourds, the son of well known decoy maker Harry V. Shourds, was born in Tuckerton, New Jersey. Growing up helping his dad with the decoy business, he learned how to make decoys in the tradition of his father. Both used a very similar style, paint, and design, although, despite the similarities, each is still easily distinguishable to the practiced eye. Certain distinctions of note are the slightly slimmer bodies in Harry M. Shourds’ decoys and smaller heads that have less cheek. The closeness of design can be observed in both Shourds using Jersey white cedar for a hollowed out two piece body construction, the same method of pouring lead for ballast weights, carved nostrils, and mandibles in the bill, and the use of the same species for their decoys. Harry M. Shourds moved early on to Ocean City, where he provided for his 4 children by hunting and fishing, while carving decoys to sell in his downtime. “New Jersey Decoys,” Henry A Fleckenstein.

352 Detail

352

352. Very rare and important Canada goose, Harry Mitchell Shourds, Ocean City, New Jersey. Exceptional feather paint detail on back. This is the finest Harry M. Shourds goose that we know of. Original paint with good patina and very minor wear; thin crack in neck with some stove black rubbed into one side of it.

Provenance: Mackey family collection. Mackey collection stamp on underside.

Literature: “Classic New Jersey Decoys,” James Doherty, Jr. “New Jersey Decoys,” Henry Fleckenstein, Jr. (60,000 - 80,000)

194


352 Detail

352 Detail

195


Ontario

353

354

355

356

357

358

353. Redhead drake, Tom Chambers, Toronto, Ontario, 1st quarter 20th century. Branded “J.P. McMillan” on underside. Original paint that has crazed, mostly on head; saw mark at back of neck when decoy was made; tight imperfection on back that was secured with two nails at time of making; some paint loss around neck. (1,000 - 1,200) 354.

Rare goldeneye drake, Harold Noland, Sarnia, Ontario, circa 1925. Good scratch feather paint detail. Original paint with minor wear, mostly on the extremities; slight roughness to carved crest. Provenance: Peter Brown collection.

(1,500 - 2,500)

355. Canada goose from Ontario, last quarter 19th century. Appealing old in use repaint; numerous cracks; age split in underside; several small dents. (1,000 - 1,400) 356. Hollow carved canvasback hen, Thomas Chambers, 196

Long Point, Ontario. Long body style. Branded “JT McMillan”. Original paint with minor wear; bill chip repair; a few tiny dents.

Literature: “Ontario Decoys,” Bernie Gates, p. 14. (1,500 - 2,500)

357. Rigmate pair of mallards, Ken Anger, Dunnville, Ontario, circa 1940. Original paint with very minor wear; tiny shot scar on one edge of drake’s tail. Provenance: Peter Brown collection. Literature: “Ontario Decoys,” Bernie Gates, p. 25. (1,500 - 2,000) 358. Rare hooded merganser drake, Shannon Cryer. Original paint with minor wear; numerous filled shot holes in one side.

Provenance: Peter Brown collection.

(1,500 - 2,500)


359. Pair of redheads, Ken Anger, Dunnville, Ontario. Original paint with minor wear; a few small dents. (2,000 - 2,500)

359

360. Pair of goldeneye, Ken Anger, Dunnville, Ontario. Original paint with minor discoloration and wear; structurally good. (2,000 - 2,500)

360 361. Hollow carved Canada goose, John Reeves, Port Rowan, Ontario, last quarter 19th century. Branded “W L-S” for Wolton Lloyd Smith, a 1931 Long Point Club member. Slightly turned head. Early and appealing in use repaint with minor wear; thin crack in one side; numerous tiny dents.

Provenance: Peter Brown collection.

Literature: “Ontario Decoys,” Bernie Gates, p. 17. (2,500 - 3,500)

361

362. Well carved black duck with lifted head, carved wings and tail feathers. Original scratch feather paint with slight wear; small filled hole in back because decoy was at one time used as a lamp. (1,750 - 2,250)

362 197


363. Very rare black duck form the Ottawa River Valley, 1st quarter 20th century. Decoy appears to be by same maker as the pair of wood ducks that were lot 485 in our April 2000 auction. Original paint with minor wear; numerous small dents; hairline crack in one side; two neck seams. (3,500 - 4,500)

363

364. Rare round head style redhead drake, Tom Chambers, Toronto, Ontario. Hollow carved. Branded “GEO. M. Hendrie” for George Hendrie, an 1889 St. Clair Flats Shooting Company member. Original paint with minor wear; slightly hit by shot; crack through neck; small dents in one side of face. Provenance: Peter Brown collection. Literature: “Ontario Decoys,” Bernie Gates, p. 14. (3,000 - 5,000)

364

363 Detail

364 Detail 198


George Warin

1830 - 1905 Toronto, Ontario

365 365. Exceptional hollow carved redhead drake, George Warin, Toronto, Ontario, 3rd quarter 19th century. Branded “G&J builders Toronto”. Also branded “FK Walker” twice and “AH Buhl”. Good paint detail. Original paint with very minor wear; structurally good. (9,000 - 12,000)

365 Detail

199


Maine Oscar Bibber

1882 - 1971 South Harpswell, Maine

366 Detail

Merganser decoys, especially the hens, by Orlando Sylvester Bibber are some of the rarest and most refined of all the Maine carvers. As a professional marine engineer, Bibber did not carve decoys commercially or to supplement his income, but carved decoys to hunt over in his own rig. Bibber’s exaggeratedly long and slender decoys are thinly hollowed and are products of a man familiar with precision tooling. A machinist and engineer on early steamships, Bibber was initiated into the No. 7 Portland, Maine Marine Engineers Beneficial Association (MEBA) in early 1907 at the age of 24. Working on the first American built passenger steamship, the SS Governor Cobb, which ran from Boston to New Brunswick, Bibber almost certainly had exposure to the racy merganser decoys of Massachusetts and its islands. The thinly hollowed bodies and lack of the inlet joint between neck and body make Bibber’s decoys atypical Maine tollers. This is surprising since he lived on the same small peninsula as carvers such as Willie Eastman, Phineas and Thomas Alexander, Jesse Johnson, and the Wallace Family.

200


366. Important hollow carved pair of mergansers, Oscar Bibber, South Portland, Maine. Both have slightly turned heads and horse hair crests. Original paint with good detail and minor wear; hen has bill repair; each has a couple of small spots of touchup at neck base.

Provenance: Purchased by John Dinan 40 years ago directly from Bibber.

Literature: “New England Decoys,” John and Shirley Delph. The Great Book of Decoys,” Joe Engers, editor. (60,000 - 70,000)

366

201


368. Pair of goldeneye, Gus Wilson, South Portland, Maine. Inlet heads. Relief wing carving with feather detail. Both have glass eyes that appear to have been added at a later date. Original paint with minor wear; paint dripped on one side of drake; several thin cracks in hen’s body. (2,000 - 3,000)

368

369. Oversize scoter, Maine coast, 1st quarter 20th century. Carved eyes and tail. Wide body style with two dowels joining body halves. Original paint with minor to moderate wear; two small tail chips. (3,000 - 4,000)

369

370 202

370.

Two scoter silhouettes, Gus Wilson, South Portland, Maine. Fully carved heads. Bodies are approximately 2” thick. Both have carved eyes with slightly turned heads and inletted into bodies. Original paint with minor to moderate wear; cracks and dents.

Literature: “New England Decoys,” John and Shirley Delph. (3,000 - 4,000)


371. Pair of oversize eiders, Alton Wallace, West Point, Maine. Both have inlet heads and have “A. Wallace” branded in the undersides. Original paint with minor to moderate wear; fairly large crack in underside of drake; small cracks in drake’s breast. (5,000 - 8,000)

371

371 Detail

371 Detail 203


371A

371A. Exceptional eider hen in very rare side preening pose, Gus Wilson, South Portland, Maine. Wilson’s earlier and most coveted “Monhegan Island” style with very wide body and lifted tail. Large inlet where head joins body. Releif wing carving, carved eyes, and bill carving detail. Original paint with mionr wear; crack in back; small tail chip repair; several small dents; professional repair to a crack in the bill.

204

Literature: “New England Decoys,” John and Shirley Delph, p. 28. “Great Book of Decoys,” Joe Engers, editor, p. 42. (25,000 - 35,000)


371A Detail

371A Detail 205


372

372. Rocking head merganser drake, Gus Wilson, South Portland, Maine. Carved eyes and relief wing carving. Original paint with minor to moderate wear; crack through neck; rectangular wooden plug in one side to correct a defect in wood when the decoy was made.

372 Detail

206

Literature: “New England Decoys,” John and Shirley Delph. “The Great Book of Decoys,” Joe Engers, editor. (8,000 - 12,000)


373 373 Detail

373. Well sculpted eider drake from the Central Maine coast, 1st quarter 20th century. In preening pose with carved bill, and shoe button eyes. Original paint with minor wear on much of the decoy; moderate wear on part of the back; hairline crack in back; two “in the making” filled cracks in back; very lightly hit by shot. (15,000 - 20,000)

207


374

375

376

377

378

379

374. White wing scoter, Gus Wilson, South Portland, Maine. Large early style with inlet head. Head is in content pose. Carved wing relief. Paint appears to be mostly original; numerous cracks in body and rough area in tail; small area of wood missing at neck seat. (800 - 1,200) 375. Merganser drake, George Huey, Friendship, Maine. “GRH” is carved in the underside. Inlet head and carved eyes. Worn original paint on much of the decoy; black areas have been repainted; small cracks.

Literature: “New England Decoys,” John and Shirley Delp h. (650 - 950)

376. Pair of mergansers, P.B. Simmons, Port Clyde, Maine, 1st quarter 20th century. Drake has “PB Simmons” carved in underside. Worn old paint; numerous cracks; slight roughness to one edge of drake’s bill. (650 - 950) 208

377. Merganser drake, Maurice Hight, South Portland, Maine, circa 1930s. Inlet head and shoe button eyes. Original paint with minor discoloration and wear; thin crack in one side; lightly hit by shot. (500 - 800) 378. Goldeneye drake, Gus Wilson, South Portland, Maine. Rare swivel headed model, made for use on Lake Champlain. Relief wing carving and carved eyes. Working paint with minor to moderate wear on black areas; white has old working repaint; a few small dents. (400 - 600) 379. Eider hen, central Maine coast, 1st quarter 20th century. Branded “Dinan”. Also “EHL” is carved in the underside. Worn old paint; numerous cracks and dents. (400 - 600)


379A

379B

379A. Canvas over wooden frame Canada goose, George Boyd, Seabrook, New Hampshire. Original paint on most of the decoy with minor discoloration and wear; white areas of head and breast have been cleaned; repaint on black area of head; crack through bill; small tears in canvas. (3,000 - 4,000)

379B. Merganser drake, George Huey, Friendship, Maine. “Made by GR Huey” is carved in the underside. Inlet head and relief wing carving. Original paint; very slight wear; tail chip repair. (1,750 - 2,250)

209


379C

379C. Monhegan Island style merganser hen, Gus Wilson, South Portland, Maine. Relief wing carving, inlet head, and carved eyes. Paint has been restored in the Wilson style; small shot marks; small chips in tail.

Literature: “New England Decoys,” John and Shirley Delph. (4,000 - 6,000)

379C Detail

210


380. Merganser drake from the central Maine coast, 1st quarter 20th century. Slightly turned head with detailed bill carving. Branded “J A Whitney”. Old in use repaint; small cracks in body. (950 - 1,250)

380 381. Eider hen, Gus Wilson, South Portland, Maine. Slightly turned inlet head, carved eyes and bills, and relief wing carving. Original paint with minor wear; thin crack through neck; crack in underside; several tiny dents on underside of bill. (1,200 - 1,500)

381 382. Black duck, Gus Wilson, South Portland, Maine. Slightly turned inlet head. Relief wing carving and carved eyes. Original paint with minor wear; small “in the making” plugs in one side; knot in the other. Literature: “New England Decoys,” John and Shirley Delph. (1,500 - 1,800)

382 383. Old squaw drake from Maine, 1st quarter 20th century. Inlet head attached to body with small wooden dowel. Original paint with very slight wear; neck crack repair; chip in tip of bill and tail have been repaird. (1,250 - 1,750)

383 211


Miniatures by A.J. King

384. Four ring neck pheasants in shadowbox, A.J. King, North Scituate, Rhode Island. Signed. Hardwood box with painted forest scene. Pheasant with shrubbery. Dimensions 8 1/2” x 10 1/4”. Very good and original. (4,000 - 6,000)

384

385 385. Rare shadowbox with six miniature doves, A.J. King, North Scituate, Rhode Island. Signed. Hardwood box with painted forest scene. Doves are on ground with shrubbery. Dimensions 8 1/2” x 10 1/4”. Very good and original. (5,000 - 7,000)

212


386. Rare shadow box with four spruce partridge, A.J. King, North Scituate, Rhode Island. Signed. Hardwood box with painted forest scene. Partridge with shrubbery. Dimensions 8 1/2” x 10 1/4”. Fine carving detail. Very good and original. (4,000 - 6,000)

386

387 387. Rare shadowbox with four blue partridge, A.J. King, North Scituate, Rhode Island. Signed. Hardwood box with painted forest scene. Grouse with shrubbery. Dimensions 8 1/2” x 10 1/4”. Very good and original. (4,000 - 6,000)

213


388

388.

389

Pair of miniature wood ducks, A.J. King, North Scituate, Rhode Island. Signed. Good carving detail. Very good and original. (2,500 - 3,500)

390

390. Pair of miniature greenwing teal, A.J. King, North Scituate, Rhode Island. Signed. Fine carving and paint detail. Very good and original. (2,250 - 2,750)

214

389. Pair of miniature bluebills, A.J. King, North Scituate, Rhode Island. Signed. Relief wing tip carving. Very good and original. (2,500 - 3,500)

391

391. Pair of miniature Canada geese, A.J. King, North Scituate, Rhode Island. Signed. Fine paint and carving detail with lifted wingtips. Very good and original. (2,250 - 2,750)


392

392. Rare pair of miniature American scoters, A.J. King, North Scituate, Rhode island. Signed. Fine carving detail. Very good and original. (2,500 - 3,500)

394

394. Pair of miniature canvasbacks, A.J. King, North Scituate, Rhode Island. Good carving detail. Signed. Very good and original. (2,500 - 3,500)

393

393. Pair of miniature widgeon, A.J. King, North Scituate, Rhode Island. Signed. Raised carved wingtips. Very good and original. (2,500 - 3,500)

395

395. Miniature pair of buffleheads, A.J. King, North Scituate, Rhode Island. Signed. Detailed feather carving. Very good and original. (3,000 - 4,000)

215


Ward Brothers

Crisfield, Maryland

396 Detail

396 Detail

216


The White Mallard Club name has become synonymous with a rig of pintails and mallards used at this elite duck shooting club located in Northern California’s Butte Sink Valley. Identified by the horseshoe shaped weights nailed to the rear of each decoy, or the nail pattern of a missing weight, it is thought that these decoys made their way to the club via either Abercrombie & Fitch or Roos-Akins sporting goods store in San Francisco, for one of the club’s founding members, William Burroughs. Most of the pintails and mallards are in the 1936 model but there were also a few pinch breast pintails from the 1920s.

396 396. Rigmate pair of mallards, Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. 1936 models. From the White Mallard Gun Club near Colusa, California. Both retain horseshoe shaped lead weights. Both have fine feather paint detail and slightly turned and well shaped heads. Original paint with very slight wear; two thin hairline surface cracks partway down drake’s back; thin crack in hen’s tail; small shot scar on one side of hen’s tail; professional repair to a chip at the end of the hen’s bill with touchup in that area; some touchup on drake’s bill as well. (25,000 - 35,000)

217


397

397. Widgeon hen and drake, Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Balsa bodies and slightly turned cedar heads. Both are signed and dated 1948 by Lem Ward. Drake has painted under the tail “1950 LT Ward Crisfield MD”. Hen has slight relief wing carving and two small wooden pins attaching body halves. Fine paint detail. Very good and original with good patina.

397 Detail

Provenance: Formerly in the collection Somers G. Headly. Both are stamped “SGH” twice in the underside for Somers G. Headly and both have 1984 Noyes Museum exhibition stamp on the underside.

Literature: “Ward Brothers Decoys,” Ron Gard and Brian McGrath. (9,000 - 12,000)

218


398. Unused 1936 model mallard, Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Made for VL&A sporting goods store in Chicago, VL&A stamp under tail. Slightly turned head. Several tiny scrapes on head; very slight roughness to part of one edge of bill otherwise very good and original. (10,000 - 14,000)

398 Detail

398

398 Detail

398 Detail

219


399

399. Exceptional pair of 1935 model mallards, Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Slightly oversized. Approximately 18” long. Both have slightly turned heads, drake’s is cocked a little to one side. Near mint original paint with good patina; drake has a professional bill replacement; hen has a professional neck crack repair, otherwise structurally very good.

220

Literature: “Ward Brothers Decoys,” Ron Gard and Brian McGrath. (20,000 - 30,000)


399 Detail

399 Detail

221


399A. Decorative ruddy duck, Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Signed, “Lazy Little Ruddy Lem Ward 1967.” Slightly turned head. Relief wing carving with carved wooden tips. Fluted tail. Concave bottom. Near mint original paint; very slight damage to two pin feathers at tip of tail. (4,000 - 6,000)

399A

399B. Decorative side preening bufflehead drake, Lem Ward, Crisfield, Maryland. Signed and dated 1969. Detailed feather carving. Very good and original. (4,000 - 6,000)

399B

399A Detail

222

399B Detail


400. Large balsa body mallard hen, Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. 1948 model with inserted cedar tail and slightly turned cedar head. Detailed feather paint. Original paint with minor wear; crack through neck; small dents in body. (2,000 - 3,000)

400 401. Redhead drake, Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland, circa 1960s. Signed. Raised carved wingtips and turned head. Small crack at neck seam, otherwise original and good. (2,000 - 2,500)

401

402. Pair of bluebills, Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Both have slightly turned heads and poem written on the bottom. Both are signed. Original paint with minor shrinkage and wear. (2,000 - 3,000)

402

403. Pair of canvasbacks, Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Signed and dated 1967. Both have turned heads. Original paint with very minor wear; slight shrinkage at knot at one side of hen’s breast; light paint shrinkage on other parts of breast; drake has a very small chip missing from one side of bill. (2,500 - 3,500)

403 223


404 Detail

404 Detail 224


The Ward Brothers made quite a few 1936 model black ducks and they made this 1936 model black duck. This is a step above, the very best they could carve and paint at the time. This decoy plus a pair of mallards and a pair of bluebills were in Garrett Larrimore’s collection for many years, and then in his son, Dick’s, collection. They were made for Garrett’s father, Walter Larrimore as samples of Lem and Steve’s work. Walter intended to use them as models when he carved decoys for his own use. Garrett and Dick took them to decoy shows and displayed them at their table year after year. We were set up next to them at the 1976 Easton Waterfowl Festival and these were the first Ward Brothers decoys that I had seen. I remember watching as collector after collector picked up the decoys and admired them. In July 2013 Guyette & Deeter, Inc. sold another black duck from this group for just under $75,000. -Gary Guyette

404

404. Important black duck, Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland, circa 1936. Extra fine feather paint detail. Wonderful form with wide flared top of head, in slightly lifted pose. Near mint original paint; several tiny spots of touchup on breast area. Provenance: Formerly in the collection of Richard Larrimore. Literature: “Ward Brothers Decoys,” Ron Gard and Brian McGrath.

(35,000 - 45,000)

225


Glenn L. Martin Rig

Glenn Luther Martin “GLM” January 17, 1886 – December 5, 1955 Glenn Luther Martin was an American aviation pioneer. He designed and built his own aircraft and was an active pilot. He founded his own aircraft company in 1912, which today, through several mergers, is known as the Lockheed Martin Company. In 1928, the Glenn L. Martin Company moved to Maryland, bringing hundreds of jobs, an airport, and a booming aviation industry. Martin owned more than one duck club, but the most famous is now known as Remington Farms.

405

226


405. Rigmate pair of canvasbacks from the Glenn L. Martin rig, circa 1934, Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Branded “GLM” and “CATH”. From the Glenn L. Martin rig. Each has a slightly turned head. Drake is original paint with good patina and very little wear; filler at top of head has risen slightly; hen has original paint with good patina and minor wear; wear mostly near tail, hen also has some of the filler at the neck seat slightly separated. (25,000 - 35,000)

405 Detail

405 Detail 227


Decoratives

406

407

408

409

410

411

406. Greater yellowlegs, Lloyd Johnson, Bayhead, New Jersey. Signed and dated 1962. Relief wing carving with extended wingtips and slightly turned head. One gesso toe is missing; otherwise original and very good. (950 - 1,250) 407. Full size avocet, Lloyd Johnson, Bayhead, New Jersey. Signed and dated 1962. Slightly turned head, detailed feather carving. 13 1/2” tall. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Miller collection.

(1,000 - 1,400)

408. Standing wood duck drake, Charles Hart, Gloucester, Massachusetts. Feather carving detail at wingtips. Glass eyes. Hairline cracks in underside, otherwise original and good. (800 - 1,200)

228

409. Two full size carvings, a lesser yellowlegs and a ruddy turnstone, James Lapham, Dennisport, Massachusetts. Signed. Very good and original. (900 - 1,200) 410. Preening widgeon drake with lifted wing, Corbin Reed, Cape Charles, Virginia. Stamped “JC Reed” in underside. Carved feet. Lifted wing with detailed feather carving. Fluted tail. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Miller collection.

(1,250 - 1,750)

411. Full size carved dowitcher on clamshell and hardwood base, Eddie Wozny, Cambridge, Maryland. Signed and dated 2016. Slightly turned head. Relief wing carving with carved crossed wingtips. Excellent and original. (750 - 1,000)


412

413

412. Flying mallard drake, Gus Wilson, South Portland, Maine. Original paint with minor wear on most of the decoy; paint on feet and a lot of the back is a second coat; small chip missing from each foot; small cracks.

413. Flying goldeneye drake, Gus Wilson, South Portland, Maine. Slightly turned head. Original paint with minor wear; fairly large chip missing from one foot. (3,000 - 4,000)

Literature: “New England Decoys,” John and Shirley Delp h. (2,500 - 3,500) 229


John Scheeler, born in 1925, was from Mays Landing, New Jersey. John started carving later in life and did not enter his first contest until 1971, the US Open held in Babylon, New York, and won best in show. The next year he won Best in Show at the Ward World Championship Wildfowl Carving Competition, the Decorative Decoy Pairs competition. Prior to 1973, Scheeler worked as an industrial painter and after winning the 1973 World Championship Lifesize class he changed his profession from painter to wildlife sculptor. In his lifetime, he won the World Championship Decorative Lifesize competition seven times and over 200 first place and Best in Show awards at other competitions. John Scheeler died in 1987.

414

414. Important pair of black ducks, John Scheeler. Signed and dated 1970. Exceptional form with raised carved wings and fluted tails. Good paint detail. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Purchased directly from Scheeler by the consignor. (8,000 - 12,000)

414 Detail

230


415. Full size flying canvasback, Chauncey Wheeler, Alexandria Bay, New York. One other canvasback is known to exist. This piece was damaged by heat from a stove and was partially restored by Marty Hanson. Original combing and paint on back; partial replacement of one foot; some restoration to head and black area of neck; wings were reset. (5,000 - 7,000)

415

415 Detail

231


416. Half size gull, George Huey, Friendship, Maine. Carved eyes, relief carved wingtips, and carved feet. On hardwood base that has been signed by the maker. Very good and original.

Literature: “New England Decoys,” John and Shirley Delph. (1,500 - 2,000)

416

417. Pair of hooded mergansers, Tom Matus. Matus stamp in underside. Both have turned heads and relief wing caving. Fine feather paint detail, particularly on hen. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Miller collection. (2,000 - 3,000)

417

418. Hollow carved pintail hen, Tom Matus. Matus brand in underside. Slightly turned head, relief wingtip carving. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Miller collection. (1,500 - 2,000)

418

419. Full size decorative hooded merganser drake, Tom Matus. “Matus” stamp in underside relief wing carving with feather carving detail. Excellent and original. Provenance: Miller collection. (1,250 - 1,750)

419 232


420. Pair of bluebills, John Mcloughan, Bordentown, New Jersey. Both have carved crossed wingtips, carved secondaries, and fluted tails. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Miller collection. (2,500 - 3,500)

420

421. Full size standing hooded merganser drake, John Mcloughlin, Bordentown, New Jersey. Signed. Carving stands approximately 12 1/2” tall. Carved extended wingtips, fluted tail, and carved secondaries. Slightly turned head. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Miller collection. Formerly in the collection of Dave Campbell. (1,250 - 1,750)

421

422. Hollow carved decorative American merganser hen, Ken Gleason, Stratford, Connecticut. Signed.”2nd Salisbury, honorable mention Babylon New York.” Slightly turned and lifted head. Detailed feather carving. Excellent and original. Provenance: Miller collection. (1,250 - 1,750)

422

423. Hollow carved widgeon drake, Ken Gleason, Stratford, Connecticut. Signed. “1st Babylon 2nd Salisbury”. Slightly turned head. Highly detailed feather carving with crossed wingtips and fluted tail. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Miller collection. (1,500 - 2,000)

423 233


Charles “Shang” Wheeler 1872 - 1949 Stratford, Connecticut

Jim McLeery Connecticut black ducks collection. Pictured in “A Call to the Sky,” McCleery, exact decoy on right.

424 Detail

234


424. Exceptionally well painted black duck, Shang Wheeler, Stratford, Connecticut. Slightly turned head. Finely detailed and well blended paint. Hollow carved. Near mint original paint; shallow chip missing from one side of underside of bill; old touchup to chip.

Provenance: Meyer collection. Formerly in collection of Dr. James McCleery, Pasadena, Texas. McCleery collection stamp on underside.

Literature: Guyette & Schmidt/Sotheby’s January 200 auction catalog, lot 152, exact decoy pictured. “Call to the Sky,” Robert Shaw. (45,000 - 65,000)

424

424 Detail

235


425

426

425. Scoter decoy, Shang Wheeler, Connecticut. Very good and original.

Literature: “Shang,” Dixon Merkt.

236

Stratford, (3,500 - 4,500)

426. Very rare hollow carved black duck, William Breit, Stratford, Connecticut. Exceptional form and paint detail. Breit carved and painted in the style of his friend, Shang Wheeler. Slightly turned head. Fine feather paint detail. Excellent and original. (3,000 - 4,000)


In 1974, after years of collecting old decoys, George Ross Starr (1915-1985) of Duxbury, Massachusetts published his book, “Decoys of the Atlantic Flyway,” the product, an historical summary of his own collection. Shortly after his passing, Dr. Starr’s collection came to public auction in 1986 at the Richard Bourne auctions in Hyannis, Massachusetts. Among the many highly noted decoys from Starr’s collection was an oversize oldsquaw drake or “quandy” as Dr. Starr referred to the species. It appears in Starr’s book color plate 26, and in the Bourne catalog as lot #563 where it sold for $17,000. Dr. Starr acquired this gem along with three others directly from Clarence Bailey. Dr. Starr, noting the different plumage patterns among the four birds. Asked of Bailey, “Captain, how come every one of these four decoys has a different plumage pattern and coloration?” to which Bailey responded, “You’re right Doc, and it’s not by accident. As near as I know, the quandy is the only bird – or leastwise the only duck – where the feathering actually differs from bird to bird. We old fellas had shot a lot of ‘em in our time, and that’s one thing we do agree on.” 1.”Decoys of the Atlantic Flyway,” George Ross Starr, Jr., M.D., copyright, 1974, George Ross Starr, published by Winchester Press, New York. 2.”The Rare Decoy Collection of George Ross Starr, Jr., M.D.,” Richard A. Bourne Co., Inc., 1986.

427

427.

Hollow carved oversize old squaw hen, Capt. Clarence Bailey, Kingston, Massachusetts. Slightly lifted head. Original paint; minor shrinkage and wear; a few tiny dents.

Provenance: From the Bailey family. Literature: “The Art of the Decoy,” Adele Ernest, plate 117, rigmates.

(6,500 - 9,500)

427 Detail

237


George Boyd

1873 - 1941 Seabrook, New Hampshire

George H. Boyd was born in November 1873 in Seabrook, New Hampshire where he spent his entire life until his death in 1941 at age 67, less than a mile from the house in which he was born. Until Jim Cullen wrote his book, “Finely Carved & Nicely Painted,” little was known of George Boyd other than the fact that he made beautiful duck and goose decoys, shorebirds, and miniatures. Dan Graf, well known collector of George Boyd’s work, noted in his forward of Jim Cullen’s book that “Mr. Boyd not only carved shorebirds and waterfowl, but also provided sneak floats, sculling oars, clam shucking knives, and most any other tool needed to harvest products of the marsh and tidal flats along our shoreline.” George Boyd was a shoemaker, as were many of the residents of the Seabrook area around the turn of the century. To supplement his income, he also earned money as a market hunter. The birds that he and other area market hunters harvested were shipped via rail to markets in Boston, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and Portland, Maine. From around 1910 through 1915, George sold yellowlegs and black-bellied plover decoys to Iver Johnson in Boston, Massachusetts. Even after the passage of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, which protected all migratory birds, yellowlegs and plover seasons remained open for sport only up until 1923.

428

238


428. Very rare greenwing teal drake, George Boyd, Seabrook, New Hampshire. Signed by Boyd on the underside. Original paint with shrinkage; structurally very good.

Literature: “The Great Book of Decoys,” Joe Engers, editor, p. 65. Copy of the book is included with the decoy. (30,000 - 40,000)

428 Detail

428 Detail

239


428A

429

430

431

432

428A. One of two known crows by Roswell Bliss, Stratford, Connecticut. Relief shoulder carving and glass eyes. Very good and original; two tiny flakes near left eye.

Provenance: Formerly in the collection of Hal Sorenson and acquired from him by the consignor

side. Old in use repaint with some original showing on head; large chip missing from top of bill; wear to edges of tail. (400 - 600) 431.

Bluebill drake form Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, 1st quarter 20th century. Branded “Saloman” also has “CS” carved in underside. Original paint with minor to moderate wear; a few tiny dents.

Provenance: Formerly in collection of Roger Williams. Collection stamp on underside. (500 - 800)

Literature: “Connecticut Decoys – Carvers and Gunners,” Henry Chitwood. (350 - 450) 429. Pair of goldeneye, Gerald Tremblay, Alburg Springs, Vermont. Original paint with minor to moderate discoloration and wear; both have had the bills broken off and glued back on. Literature: “Decoys of Lake Champlain,” Loy Harrell. (300 - 500) 430. Black duck, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Crowell’s oval brand is in the under240

432. Two black ducks, Elmer Crowell, East Harwich, Massachusetts. Both have traces of oval brand on underside. From the Brayton rig, branded “J Brayton”. Old in use repaint; small dents and shot marks. (1,500 - 2,500)


433

434

433. Unusual oversize black duck, George Boyd, Seabrook, New Hampshire. Made in the same style of his geese, with a canvas over wooden frame center section to the body. Slightly lifted and turned head. Appealing old in use repaint; small chip missing from edge of tail; small dent in top of tail.

434. Black duck with slightly lifted head, George Boyd, Seabrook, New Hampshire. Original paint with minor wear; small cracks and dents. (2,500 - 3,000)

Provenance: Meyer collection.

Literature: “Top of the Line Hunting Collectibles,” Donna Tonelli, p. 83, exact decoy pictured. (3,000 - 5,000) 241


Items of Interest

435

435. Large and impressive carved wooden pilot eagle, circa 1900. Found in a home in Pennsylvania. Measures 36” tall x 43” wide. Well executed and proportionate carving with detailed wing carving on both underside and back. Mounted on half round globe. Second coat of paint covers what appears to be original gold gilding; top of bill was replaced a very long time ago by a bent piece of tin; several areas of flaking over entire eagle.

435 Detail

242

Provenance: Similar examples of this have been found in Pennsylvania. It is very possibe this was a Philadelphia maker. (6,000 - 8,000)


436. Very rare Old Town Canoe model, Old Town Canoe Company, Old Town, Maine. Finely detailed struts, gunwales, and seats. Approximately 48” long. Retains original label on each end. Old varnish was taken off and, in the process, some of the original stenciling was removed; structurally good. (13,000 - 16,000)

436

436 Detail

436 Detail

While often erroneously referred to as “Salesman Samples,” these small canoes are more accurately called “Display Models.” At 4’ in length or longer, they would have been extremely awkward for the traveling salesman of the day to carry around under his arm with an order form in the other hand. Rather, they were intended as promotional or advertising pieces to be hung or displayed by retail merchants as point of sale “eye catchers.” In fact, they are referred to as “Sign Canoes” on early factory inventories and shipping invoices. They were constructed using the same methods and materials and were meant as faithful representatives of the full size versions. Many of the early makers used them to draw attention to their product. Known “Display” or “Sample” canoes by early Canadian manufacturers are extremely scarce. In the United States, Old Town Canoe and the Kennebec Canoe Companies led the pack in the production of these models. Kennebec made a total of approximately 60 samples between 1916 and 1926 and Old Town made at least 81 recorded samples (ie; given serial numbers on the company ledgers) between 1912 and 1931. It is reasonable, however, to believe that total production by Old Town could be higher as examples are known with no serial numbers. They were considered incentives to vendors, and company legend has it that any outfitter placing an order for a boxcar load (40) of full size canoes would be given a 4’ model free as a premium. Whatever the reason, advertising or incentive, these samples truly served the purpose of the manufacturer – more sales. Many of these display models have fallen by the wayside as children’s toys or have been lost to the ravages of time. In any event, any example extant today, regardless of condition, should be considered rare. Reference: Young, Roger. 2011. “Early North American Canoe Manufacturer ‘Sample Models.’” Hunting and Fishing Collectibles Magazine. March/April.

Early development of the “carpentered canoe” seems to have taken place in and around the Peterborough, Ontario area in the 1850s, and similar innovations had taken place throughout New England by the 1880s. Briefly known as The Indian Old Town Canoe Company and then the Robertson Old Town Canoe Company, the firm was incorporated in 1903 as Old Town Canoe Company. Their craft had its roots in the Native American bark canoes encountered by early settlers upon their arrival in North America. Originally a working watercraft, and always a favorite with sportsmen, their popularity exploded, and by the early 1900s, the recreational canoe craze struck the United States, centered around the Charles River in eastern Massachusetts. Reference: https://www.oldtowncanoe.com/heritage

243


438 437

439

440

440A 437. Extra large cast iron windmill weight of rooster. Professionally mounted on base. 22” tall on base. Natural finish with early remnants of red paint on comb and waddle. Very good and original. (1,500 - 2,000) 438. Two Northwest coast totem poles. Largest measures 19”. Mounted on base that is partially cracked. Numerous tribal figures. Appears to be circa 1930. Second measures 12”. Five tribal figures. Original and good. (1,200 - 1,500)

244

439. Two wicker creels. One with leather trim. Leather trimmed creel has broken loop, otherwise original and good. (500 - 700) 440. Carved wooden fox, appears to be cherry wood, circa 1900. Probably Victorian era. 24” long x 8” tall. Protected by a coat of varnish that has aged; underside of tail has notch cut into it. (800 - 1,200) 440A. Wooden carved striped bass weathervane, Phillippe Sirois, Arrowsic, Maine. 32” long. Original paint with minor wear; one fin has been off and reattached with a nail. Provenance: Purchased by the consignor from Sirois. (1,200 - 1,500)


441

442

441. Vintage copper weathervane. Found near Lake Erie. Probably of a tug boat. Good detail. Three levels, measuring 12” tall x 25” long. Old surface that has aged to green verdigris; railing around rear of back has broken off. (3,000 - 5,000)

442. Large and early patriotic eagle with shield. Carved wood eagle with an applied shield, circa 1900. Measures 86” long x 24” tall. Found in a home in Pennsylvania. Parts of the eagle appear to be a second coat; oxidation on backside shows great age. (4,000 - 6,000)

245


443

444

445

443. Desirable folk art wooden carved whirligig, circa 1900. Figural black man with tin hat, metal ears, and buttons on front of chest. 28” long. Paint surface is dry and crazed on hat and body; wooden arms are missing; feet have broken away. (3,500 - 4,500) 444. Decorative trade sign. Sign has shotgun shell with word “Shot” and a flying goldeneye. Paint has been aged so that it is crazed and appears old. 32 1/2” x 10 1/2”. Board appears to have nice age and oxidation on back with rusted mounted hangers. (300 - 400) 246

445. Carved full size cod fish weathervane, Frank Finney, Cape Charles, Virginia. Dated 2000. Initialed “F” on the original stylized base. Fin damage with original pieces reg lued. (3,000 - 4,000)


446 446. Rare sperm whale carving, Wick Ahrens. Signed and dated 2002. Good carving detail. Approximately 56” long. Original and good. (3,500 - 4,500)

447. Carved wooden sperm whale, Clark Voorhees, Weston, Vermont. Approximately 16 1/2” long. Stamped “C Voorhees” on back. Very good and original. (1,600 - 2,000)

447 448. Carved wooden killer whale, Gus Mirando, New York. Carved in the early 1980s. Approximately 18 1/2” long. Mirando made very few carvings. Hand carved and hand finished. Stamped Mirando on the back. Very good and original. (1,000 - 1,500)

448 449. Finback whale, Gus Mirando, New York. Carved in the early 1980s. Approximately 19 1/4” long. Hand carved and hand finished. Mirando made very few carvings. Excellent and original. (1,000 - 1,500)

449 247


Delaware River

450

450. Rare rigmate pair of bluebills, John Dawson, Trenton, New Jersey, 1st quarter 20th century. Small “JD” is stamped in the underside of each. Original paint with minor discoloration and wear on drake; very minor wear on hen.

Literature: “Floating Sculpture,” Harrison Huster and Doug Knight. (5,000 - 8,000)

450 Detail

248


451

452

451. Black duck, Dan English, Florence, New Jersey, 1st quarter 20th century. Very good and original. (3,000 - 4,000)

452. Rare pair of mallards, Joe King, Edgley, Pennsylvania. “JS King, Edlgey PA” stamped in weights. Original paint with very slight wear; thin crack through drake’s neck base. Provenance: Bokelman estate. Formerly in the collection of Roy Curley. Formerly in the collection of Jack Morris. Literature: “New Jersey Decoys,” Henry Fleckenstein, Jr. (4,500 - 6,500) 249


453. Lowhead style black duck, Jess Heisler, Burlington, New Jersey. Good feather paint detail. Original paint with slight wear; shallow chip missing from wingtips that has old touchup on it.

Literature: “Floating Sculpture,” Harrison Huster and Doug Knight. (2,000 - 3,000)

453

454. Rare redhead drake, John English, Florence, New Jersey, last quarter 19th century. Appealing old in use repaint; slight roughness to edge of tail.

Provenance: Formerly in the collection of Bob White. (1,200 - 1,500)

454 455. Hollow carved Blair school widgeon hen, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, last quarter 19th century. Branded “WP Patton” twice on underside. Body halves are attached with small wooden dowels. Original paint with moderate wear; a few small dents. (1,250 - 1,750)

455

456. Black duck, Tom Fitzpatrick, Delanco, New Jersey. Deeply cut feather carving. Original paint with almost no wear; slight wear to wood on one edge of tail.

456 250

Literature: “Floating Sculpture,” Harrison Huster and Doug Knight. (1,250 - 1,750)


John Blair, Jr.

1881 - 1953 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

457

457 Detail

457 Detail

457. Pintail drake, John Blair, Jr., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, last quarter 19th century. Hollow carved with tack eyes. Typical Blair pad weight on underside. Typical Blair oval circular on underside. Original paint with good detail, slight discoloration and wear; tiny chip missing form top of tip of tail. Literature: “Floating Sculpture,” Harrison Huster and Doug Knight. (20,000 - 24,000)

251


458

459

460

461A

461

462

463

458. Earlier style swimming brant, Hurley Conklin, Manahawkin, New Jersey. Signed “From the collection of Russel Holst, Hurley Conklin, 1966.” Original paint with very slight wear; thin crack through neck. (400 - 600)

461.

459. Merganser drake from New Jersey. Body made by Rowley Horner, West Creek, New Jersey. Head is a replacement by Bob Seabrook. Original paint with minor wear on body; original paint on head. (400 - 600)

461A. Bluebill hen, Ezra Hankins, Barnegat, New Jersey, last quarter 19th century. Appealing old in use repaint; shallow chip missing from underside of bill. (350 - 450)

460. Brant decoy, Harry Fennimore, Bordentown, New Jersey. Raised “V” wingtip carving. Original paint with minor wear; thin crack through neck; small area approximately 1” in diameter at lower breast where the wood was worn and touched up. Literature: “Floating Sculpture,” Harrison Huster and Doug Knight. (650 - 950)

252

Earlier style brant, Hurley Conklin, Manahawkin, New Jersey. Flat bottom style with slightly turned head. Slight paint shrinkage at wingtips, otherwise very good and original. (350 - 450)

462. Earlier style redhead hen, Hurley Conklin, Manahawkin, New Jersey. Signed and dated 1964. Also inscribed “Xmas 79 to Carol Hance”. Near mint original paint; hairline surface crack in one side of neck. (300 - 400) 463. Pintail drake, Jay Parker, Parkertown, New Jersey. Slightly turned head and raised carved wingtips. Small amount of paint shrinkage on back, right behind head, also on breast; structurally good. (250 - 350)


464. Rare canvasback drake, John English, Florence, New Jersey, last quarter 19th century. Appealing old in use repaint; small chip missing from one edge of tail; lightly hit by shot. Provenance: Formerly in the collection of Bob White. Literature: “Floating Sculpture,” Harrison Huster and Doug Knight. (1,200 - 1,500)

464

465.

Canvasback drake, Jess Heisler, Bordentown, New Jersey, circa 1925. Three piece body style. Original paint with minor discoloration and wear; structurally good.

Provenance: Bokelman estate. Formerly in the collection of John Hillman. Hillman collection stamp on underside. (950 - 1,250)

465

466. Rare black duck, Stanley Grant, Barnegat, New Jersey. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Formerly in collection of John Hillman. Hillman collection stamp on underside.

Literature: “New Jersey Decoys,” Henry Fleckenstein, Jr. (1,250 - 1,750)

466

467.

Early mallard drake, John McLoughlin, Bordentown, New Jersey. Raised “V” wingtip carving. Original paint with moderate shrinkage and minor wear; white on speculums and neck appears to be an old second coat; small chip missing from top of tail.

Literature: “Floating Sculpture,” Harrison Huster and Doug Knight. (800 - 1,200)

467 253


Miniatures

468

470

472

468. Miniature grouse, Russ Burr, Hingham, Massachusetts. Signed. Good detail. Just under 4” tall. Very good and original. (650 - 950) 469. Miniature pair of wood ducks mounted on driftwood base, Russ Burr, Hingham, Massachusetts. Stamped “Russ Burr Hingham Mass” on underside. Good carving on wings, tail, and crest. Original paint; separation at neck of drake. (800 - 1,200) 470. Miniature curlew and plover, Russ Burr, Hingham, Massachusetts. Signed. Carved in the style of his working shorebirds decoys. Raised carved wingtips. Original paint with very minor wear; structurally good. (800 - 1,200)

254

469

471

473

471. Miniature pair of old squaw mounted on driftwood, Russ Burr, Hingham, Massachusetts. Drake has long split tail. Both have detailed wing carving. Stamped “Russ Burr Hingham MA” on underside. Original paint that has yellowed slightly; small scratch on drakes back. (800 - 1,200) 472. 1/4 size Canada goose and brant, Oliver Lawson, Crisfield, Maryland. Both are signed and dated 1968. Both have slightly turned heads. Original paint with minor flaking at one side of goose’s neck base and slight shrinkage at two knots at one side of brant, otherwise original and good with good feather paint detail. (700 - 1,000) 473. Miniature turkey, Harold Gibbs. Signed “HNG 1946”. On driftwood base. Fine paint detail. Bird is approximately 6” long. Very good and original. (800 - 1,200)


474

475

476

477

478

479

474. 1/4 size Canada goose, Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Signed and dated 1962. Good paint detail. Approximately 12” long. Very good and original.

Provenance: Whittington collection.

(800 - 1,200)

475. Two miniatures, Harold Gibbs. Both are signed “HNG”. A wood duck and a hooded merganser. Very good and original. (800 - 1,200) 476. 1/4 size swimming Canada goose, Lloyd Parker, Parkertown, New Jersey, last quarter 19th century. Approximately 10” long. Original paint with minor wear; structurally good. (800 - 1,200)

480

478. Miniature flying mallard drake, Douglass G. Mills, Thomaston, Maine. Approximately 8 1/2” tall. Feather carving detail. Signed. Very good and original. (350 - 450) 479. 1/4 size widgeon drake, Corbin Reed, Cape Charles, Virginia. Signed and dated 1968. Slightly turned head. Near mint original paint; roughness to end of bill from a dog chewing on it. (300 - 400) 480. 1/4 size Canada goose, Oliver Lawson, Crisfield, Maryland. Approximately 11” long. Carved crossed wingtips. Signed. Very good and original.

Provenance: Whittington collection.

(300 - 400)

477. Miniature Canada goose on driftwood, Wendell Gilley, Southwest Harbor, Maine. Relief wingtip carving. Slightly turned head. Approximately 5 1/4” tall. Signed. Very good and original. (400 - 600) 255


Decoratives

481

483

485

481. 1/2 size black duck, M.H. “Square Bold” Gould, Orleans, Massachusetts. Signed. Fine feather carving detail. Slightly turned head. Approximately 11 1/2” long. Very good and original. (950 - 1,250) 482. Pair of mergansers, Frank Willis, California. Signed and dated 1966. Also “FW” carved in underside of each. Both have slightly turned and lifted heads and relief wing tip carving. Very good and original. (650 - 950) 483. Old squaw hen, Keith Mueller, Killingsworth, Connecticut. Signed and inscribed “Made especially for Jack Tierney”. Original and good. (650 - 950)

256

482

484

486

484. Running robin snipe, Mark McNair, Craddockville, Virginia. Signed. Original paint that has been aged; small crack in underside. (600 - 900) 485. Redhead drake paperweight, Frank Adams, Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. Approximately 10 1/2” long. Very slightly turned head. Slight wear to black areas, otherwise very good and original. (400 - 600) 486. Two redhead drake heads, Keyes Chadwick, Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. Both are on lead weights and seem to be made as paper weights. Wear to paint on edges of lead; some paint alligatoring on one of the bills. (350 - 450)


Shorebirds

486A

486A. Curlew from Cobb Island, Virginia, last quarter 19th century. Raised “V� wingtip carving. Appealing old in use repaint; iron bill is probably an old replacement; small crack in one side.

Provenance: Meyer collection.

(6,500 - 9,500)

486A Detail

257


486B

486C

486D

486E

486B. Running curlew, John Haff, Cobb Island, Virginia, last quarter 19th century. Appealing old in use repaint; a few small dents and shot marks. (3,500 - 4,500) 486C. Root head yellowlegs from North Carolina. Removable head. Original paint with very minor wear; lightly hit by shot. (1,400 - 1,800)

486D. Dowitcher from the Eastern Shore of Virginia, last quarter 19th century. Original paint with minor wear on much of the decoy, moderate wear on one side.

Provenance: McCarthy collection. Written under the base purchased form Dick McIntyre, Easton, November 1990 $1500. (1,500 - 2,000)

486E. Early dowitcher from Eastern shore of Virginia. Raised wingtip carving. Original paint with minor discoloration and very minor wear; structurally good.

258

Provenance: McCarthy collection. “Alex Nov 1993� is written on underside. (1,200 - 1,500)


486F

486G

486G Detail

486F. Pair of golden plover form the North Shore of Massachusetts. Wide beetle head style. Original paint with good patina and very minor wear; very good and original. (6,000 - 9,000)

486F Detail

486G. Golden plover, Elijah Burr, Hingham, Massachusetts, last quarter 19th century. Relief wing carving with carved extended wingtips. Original paint with minor wear; small chip missing from tip of tail; missing plug from top of head is a professional replacement by Russ Allen; small crack in back of neck. (4,000 - 6,000)

259


486H

486I

486J

486K 486H. “Lincoln Type� yellowlegs, Hingham, Massachusetts, circa 1900. Tack eyes. Original paint with good patina and minor wear; thin crack through tail. (1,500 - 2,000) 486I. Two shorebirds, Joseph Lincoln, Accord, Massachusetts. Ruddy turnstone has carved relief shoulders and split tail feathers, tack eyes. Appears to have been stained not painted, most of stain has faded. Black bellied plover has wax eyes, most of body is original paint, some paint restoration to head and tail; replaced bill. (1,200 - 1,500)

260

486J. Golden plover from the Morton rig, Massachusetts, last quarter 19th century. Worn original paint; rough area at tip of bill, top of head, and tail; small rub on one side. (1,000 - 1,200) 486K. Set of six plovers from New England, unknown maker, 1st quarter 20th century. All are missing bills, with the exception of one which has a replaced bill; old black paint with white spots is consistent on all; small dents and chips, mostly at tail areas. (1,200 - 1,500)


Canada

487

488

489

490

491

492

493

494

495

487.

Rigmate pair of wood ducks, D.W. Nichol, Smiths Falls, Ontario. Strong original paint that has mellowed nicely; tiny rub on side of drake. (800 - 1,200)

underside of the hen.

Literature: “Decoys of Maritime Canada,” Dale and Gary Guyette. (500 - 800)

488. Rigmate pair of goldeneye, D.W. Nichols, Smiths Falls, Ontario. Gunning decoys, both rigged with line ties and weights. Strong original paint that has mellowed nicely. (600 - 800)

493. Merganser hen, Orren Hiltz, Indian Point, Nova Scotia. Decoy was never rigged. Original paint that has mellowed; structurally good. (900 - 1,200)

489. Pair of black ducks, Billy Ellis, Whitby, Ontario. Subtle feather paint detail. Original paint with very slight wear; structurally good. (500 - 800)

494. Merganser hen, Clarence Ernst, Indian Point, Nova Scotia. Relief wing carving. Original paint with very minor wear; discoloration at neck base where it looks like some sort of sealant was put at neck seam.

490. Redhead drake, from Ontario, 1st quarter 20th century. Original paint with minor wear; very lightly hit by shot. (500 - 800) 491. Two decoys, Billy Ellis, Whitby, Ontario. A redhead drake and a goldeneye hen. Original paint with minor wear; drake has a crack in the neck with a thin chip missing from the bottom edge of it; a few small dents. (450 - 650) 492. Large pair of mergansers, Dennis White, Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. Relief wingtip carving and carved wooden crests. Original paint with very minor wear; crack in the

Provenance: Peter Brown collection.

Literature: “Decoys of Maritime Canada,” Dale and Gary Guyette, p. 83, exact decoy pictured. (800 - 1,200) 495. Red breasted merganser hen, Otis Hatt, Chester Basin, Nova Scotia. Two piece neck construction. original paint with good patina and very minor wear; bill has been broken off and professionally reattached with touchup in that area; hairline surface crack in back.

Provenance: Peter Brown collection.

Literature: “Decoys of Maritime Canada,” Dale and Gary Guyette, p. 84. (900 - 1,200) 261


Calls

496 Detail 496. Rare duck call, Charles Perdew, Henry, Illinois. Three carved ducks on barrel with glass eyes. Red mouth piece and “JDW” initials carved. Also included the original “Christmas box” that holds an additional reed. Small imperfection on stopper; otherwise very good and original. (3,500 - 4,500)

496

497

498

499

497. Duck call, Charles Perdew, Henry, Illinois. VL&A model, with three checkered panels and one with the classic VL&A lettering. Very good and original. (800 - 1,200) 498. Very early duck call, Charles W. Grubbs, Illinois. Measures 8 1/4”. Includes original sleeve. This is the same type of call that is on the spine of the “Legacy of the American Duck Call,” Harlan and Fleming. Brass ring around barrel has cracked; call is worn and slightly stained; parts appear to be original. (3,000 - 4,000)

262

500 499. Duck call, A.M. Bowles, Little Rock, Arkansas. Ebony wood with four raised checkered panels. Marked “AM Bowles, Little Rock Arkansas” at top of barrel. Very good and original. (800 - 1,200) 500. Two crow calls. One by Charles Perdew that is stamped “CHAS H. PERDEW Henry, Illinois”. And one by Hadden Perdew that has two crows carved cross and a crow’s nest. Hadden’s is in excellent condition; Charlie’s call shows light wear. (700 - 900)


503

501

502

501. Duck call, Sandy Morrow, Flint, Michigan. Round barrel with line decoration. Gun site stopper. Some roughness at top of barrel; small chip near mouthpiece. (700 - 900) 502. Early checkered duck call, unknown maker. Found in Missouri. Appears to have very good age and patina; reed is missing, otherwise very good and original.

504 503.

Three early snipe whistles. Two are made from bone, one is tin. Original and good. (200 - 300)

504.

Duck call, Frank Finney, Cape Charles, Virginia. Flying black ducks carved on barrel. Very good and original. (350 - 450)

Provenance: Found at an estate in central Missouri. (600 - 800)

505. Three two piece shell boxes. Peters Victor 12 gauge with wrap around label; very light staining on front panel. Peters Referee 16 gauge, wrap around label. Hen markings on front label. UMC new club 16 gauge wrap around label with pen mark, slight scuffing. (350 - 450)

505

506. Wonderfully carved priest, a tool for killing game or fish. 28” in length. Displays inlaid marbles at the base of handle. A carved fish and turtle, both with tack eyes. Dated 1943, and the name Loveland carved into it. Wood finish is protected by a light coat of varnish. (300 - 500)

506 263


Louisiana 507.

Mallard hen and drake, Reme Roussell, Raceland, Louisiana. Original paint with minor discoloration and wear; small dents; slight separation at hen’s neck seam.

Literature: “Louisiana Lures and Legends,” Brian Cheramie. (2,000 - 2,500)

507

508. Pintail drake, Omar Perez, Delacroix, Louisiana. Relief wing carving. Worn old paint with some original showing; numerous small dents; chip missing above eye. (2,000 - 3,000)

508

509. Pair of mallards, W.S. Bushnell, Lake Charles, Louisiana. Head has slightly turned head. Very good and original. (1,250 - 1,750)

509

510. Pintail drake, Mark Whipple, Raceland, Louisiana. Original paint with moderate wear; tail is an old replacement with touchup in that area; small dents.

510 264

Literature: “Louisiana Lures and Legends,” Brian Cheramie. (1,250 - 1,750)


511

512

513

514

515

511.

516

Ring neck drake, Reme Roussell, Raceland, Louisiana, circa 1930s. Charles Frank brass collection tag is attached to underside. Also several museum exhibition stickers from 1970s. Original paint with minor wear; lightly hit by shot. Provenance: Whittington collection.

(800 - 1,000)

512. Two ringnecks from Louisiana. One by Rudy LeCompte and one by Octave Monnier. Original paint with moderate wear; a few small dents.

Provenance: Whittington collection.

(800 - 1,200)

513. Two mallard hens, Wilson Michel, New Orleans, Louisiana. One with back preening turned head and one with slightly turned head. Strong original paint on both; bill damage and wood filler has been applied to one;

preener has had wood filler applied at neck; wear at edge of tails; flakes on head; appear to have never been rigged. (1,200 - 1,500) 514. Pair of greenwing teal from Louisiana. Good carving detail. Original and good. (1,200 - 1,500) 515. Mallard hen from the Davant, Louisiana area. Relief wing carving. Original paint with moderate wear; some old touchup on back; small dents and shot marks. (1,200 - 1,500) 516. Mallard, Clemont “Toutou” Mackles, Davant, Louisiana. Relief wing carving and glass eyes. Appealing old paint with moderate crazing and wear; crack in back; reglued crack in neck.

Provenance: Formerly in the collection of Jimmy Hanneman. Collection stamp in underside. (400 - 600) 265


Delbert “Cigar” Daisey

517. Pair of brant, Cigar Daisey, Chincoteague, Virginia. Both are branded “Cigar”. One has unusual turned and lifted head. Original paint with minor wear; each has a thin crack in the body. (1,500 - 2,000)

517

518. Pair of greenwing teal, Cigar Daisey, Chincoteague, Virginia. Both are branded, signed, and dated 1978. Both have slightly turned heads. Original paint with very slight wear; small amount of paint shrinkage on the lower breast and under the tail on the hen. Provenance: Rowe collection. (1,500 - 2,500)

518

519. Pair of greenwing teal, Cigar Daisey, Chincoteague, Virginia. Branded “Cigar”. Very good and original.

519

266

Provenance: Rowe collection. (1,000 - 1,400)


520

521

522

523

524

525

520. Pair of buffleheads, Cigar Daisey, Chincoteague, Virginia. Branded “Cigar” and signed “Delbert Cigar Daisey hunting decoy” on the bottom of each. Hen has slightly turned head. Very good and original. Provenance: Colodny collection. Formerly in collection of George Ross Starr, Duxbury, Massachusetts. Starr collection stamp on underside of each. (950 - 1,250) 521. Pair of buffleheads, Cigar Daisey, Chincoteague, Virginia. Branded “Cigar”. Hen has slightly turned head. Very good and original.

Provenance: Rowe collection.

(1,000 - 1,400)

522. Two 1/2 size plover, Cigar Daisey, Chincoteague, Virginia. Both birds are approximately 5 1/2” long. Unsigned. Very good and original. (1,000 - 1,400)

523. Cork body black duck, Cigar Daisey, Chincoteague, Virginia. Branded and signed. Slightly turned head. Keel has been removed.

Provenance: Rowe collection.

(550 - 850)

524. Pair of mergansers, Cigar Daisey, Chincoteague, Virginia. Branded and signed. Slightly turned and lifted head. Significant paint shrinkage, mostly on hen’s back and drake’s breast and tail; hairline surface crack in each neck. (600 - 900) 525. Bufflehead hen, Cigar Daisey, Chincoteague, Virginia. Working style with keel. Branded “Cigar”. Very slightly turned head. Very good and original.

Provenance: Rowe collection.

(600 - 900)

End of Session Two 267


Index of Carvers Adams, Frank................................................................................... 485 Ahrens, Wick................................................................................... 446 Alford, Oscar.................................................................................... 168 Anger, Ken..........................................................................357,359,360 Bailey, Clarence................................................................................ 427 Barco, Bailey..................................................................................... 224 Baumgartner, Doc........................................................................... 189 Belciar, Gerald................................................................................271B Benson, Frank...........................................................................273,274 Bibber, Oscar.................................................................................... 366 Blair, Jr., John................................................................................... 457 Bliss, Roswell................................................................................. 428A Bowman, William............................................................. 154-156,195 Boyd, George............................................... 319,323-325,428,433,434 Braegly, Herman.............................................................................. 124 Breit, William................................................................................... 426 Bruffee, Byron.................................................................................. 282 Brunning, Ken................................................................................. 153 Burgess, Ned..................................................................................... 123 Burr, Elijah..........................................................................92,93,486G Burr, Russ...................................................................216,219,468-471 Bushnell, W.S.................................................................................... 509 Caines Brothers ......................................................................... 65,107 Cameron, Judge Glen...................................................................... 176 Carlson, Ken..................................................................................... 253 Chadwick, Keyes.......................................................................209,486 Chambers, Thomas..................................................... 59,353,356,364 Cobb, Jr., Nathan......................................................................220,221 Collins, Marty.................................................................................. 283 Conklin, Hurley.................................................................458,461,462 Crawford, Buck................................................................................ 100 Crowell, Elmer.................... 1-14,85,88,108-119,213A,310-318,327, 328,331,332,337-339,344-347,430,432 Cryer, Shannon................................................................................ 358 Daisey, Cigar............................................................................ 517-525 Dawson, John................................................................................... 450 Dilley, John................................................................................237,238 Dodge Decoy Factory ...................................................... 73,242-245 Dudley, Lee....................................................................................... 120 Ellis, Billy...................................................................................489,491 Elliston, Robert......................................................................177,178A English, Dan..................................................................................... 451 English, John.............................................................................454,464 Ernst, Clarence................................................................................. 494 Esperson, Sam.................................................................................... 21 Faue, Otto...............................................................................50,51,151 Fennimore, Harry............................................................................ 460 Ferreira, Manuel.............................................................................. 259 Finch, William................................................................................. 179 Finney, Frank............................................................... 34,131,445,504 Fitzpatrick, Tom.............................................................................. 456

Frost, Arthur Burdett...............................................................142,143 Gardner, Alfred................................................................................ 196 Garren, Otto..............................................................................174,183 Gearhart, Don.................................................................................. 188 Gelston, Thomas.......................................................................157,193 Gibbs, Harold............................................................................473,475 Gibian, William............................................................................ 35,36 Gilley, Wendell...................................................................304,307,477 Gleason, Ken.............................................................................422,423 Godin, Pat..................................................................................200,292 Gould, M.H...................................................................................... 481 Grant, Stanley................................................................................... 466 Graves, Bert........................................................................164,167,169 Gresser Family ............................................................................... 186 Grubbs, Charles............................................................................... 498 Gunung, Lonnie............................................................................... 330 Haff, John........................................................................................486B Hagerbaumer, David....................................................................... 254 Hankins, Ezra................................................................................ 461A Hanson, Marty................................................................................... 37 Hart, Charles.................................................................................... 408 Hatt, Otis.......................................................................................... 495 Hauser, Alan.................................................................................. 271A Haywood, Mannie........................................................................... 122 Heisler, Jess................................................................................453,465 Henley, Albert.................................................................................. 125 Herbert, Del..................................................................................... 197 Herter’s Decoy Factory ................................................................. 239 Hight, Maurice................................................................................. 377 Hillman, Jody................................................................................... 287 Hiltz, Orran.............................................................................. 96A,493 Hinkley, Clarence.............................................................................. 91 Holland, Mark.................................................................................. 303 Holly, James...................................................................................... 266 Holly, Jim.......................................................................................... 268 Holmes, Lothrop.............................................................................. 340 Hotze, Hiram................................................................................... 171 Howell, Leroy..................................................................................... 52 Hudson, Ira................................................................222,223,227-229 Huey, George................................................................... 375,379B,416 Hunt, Lynn Bogue........................................................................... 256 Issac, Terry........................................................................................ 145 Jackson, Harry....................................................................271C,271D Janson, Dick.............................................................................16,19,20 Jester, Charles................................................................................... 231 Jester, Doug...................................................................................... 226 Johnson, Lloyd..........................................................................406,407 Kelly, Lou.......................................................................................... 173 Kessler, George...............................................................................178B King, A.J.................................................................................... 384-395 King, Joe....................................................................................349,452


Lapham, James................................................................................. 409 Lawson, Oliver.................................................... 267,296,297,472,480 Leblanc, Lee................................................................................... 143A Leboeuf, Orel........................................................................... 103-106 Leeds, Daniel Lake.......................................................................... 249 Levy, Lindsey...................................................................................... 97 Lexow, Fred........................................................................................ 54 Lincoln, Joseph...................................201,202,204,208,210-213,215, 217,320,341,342,486I Mackles, Clemont............................................................................ 516 Mason Decoy Factory ............................................. 74-78,80-84,240 Matus, Tom............................................................................... 417-419 McClellan, William........................................................................... 15 McGaw, Robert................................................................................ 298 McIntosh, Leo....................................................... 39,279,280,301,302 McIntyre, Cameron..........................................................33,38,41,146 Mcloughlin, John...............................................................420,421,467 McNair, Ian....................................................................................... 277 McNair, Mark......................................... 40,129,130,278,284,285,484 Merwin, Horace............................................................................... 329 Michel, Wilson................................................................................. 513 Mills, Douglass................................................................................. 478 Mirando, Gus............................................................................448,449 Moak, Gus..................................................................................... 178D Morgan, Jim...................................................................................... 257 Morrow, Sandy................................................................................. 501 Moseley, Doug................................................................................. 178 Mueller, Keith................................................................................... 483 Newman, Ernie............................................................................. 49,53 Nichol, D.W..........................................................................99,487,488 Noland, Harold................................................................................ 354 Old Town Canoe Company .......................................................... 436 Osthaus, Edmond............................................................................ 144 Parker, Jay..................................................................................350,463 Parker, Lloyd.............................................................................348,476 Parsons, Ed....................................................................................... 262 Perdew, Charles.................................................. 166,170,175,496,497 Perez, Omar...................................................................................... 508 Peterson, Oscar..................................................................42-48,55-58 Phillips, Ed....................................................................................... 261 Pleissner, Ogden........................................................................... 255A Pope, Jr., A......................................................................................301B Pratt Decoy Factory......................................................................... 241 Reed, Corbin....................................................... 198,199,288,410,479 Reeves, John..................................................................................... 361 Reghi, Ralph..................................................................................... 184 Reindahl, Enoch.............................................................................. 326 Roussell, Reme..........................................................................507,511 Russell, A.......................................................................................... 275 Sattler, Carl....................................................................................... 182 Sawler, John Stanley.......................................................................... 98 Scheeler, John................................................................................... 414

Schmiedlin, Jim............................................................................... 128 Scott, Peter........................................................................................ 272 Shourds, Harry Mitchell................................................................. 352 Shourds, Harry V...............................................................251,252,351 Shute, Chett........................................................................................ 28 Sibley, George............................................................................180,181 Simmons, P.B.................................................................................... 376 Sirois, Philippe.......................................................................308,440A Smith, Chris..................................................................................... 185 Sterling, Lloyd.................................................................................. 263 Sterling Family ............................................................................... 299 Sterns, Stanley.................................................................................. 276 Stevens, George............................................................................. 23,24 Stevens, Harvey........................................................................25,30,32 Stevens Brothers .............................................................................. 31 Strunk, George.................................................... 133,286,289,294,295 Thomas, Abram........................................................................232,233 Tremblay, Gerald............................................................................. 429 Tule Decoy Factory........................................................................... 17 Tully, Bud............................................................................................ 64 Tyler, Lloyd....................................................................................... 322 Valdez, Vince........................................................................ 271E,271F Verity, Smith Clinton...............................................................191,192 Verity, Obediah..................................................................159,160,162 Verity Family .................................................................................. 161 Vickers, John.............................................................................264,265 Vizier, Jimmie............................................................................305,306 Voorhees, Clark............................................................................... 447 Walker, Charles..................................................................163,165,172 Wallace, Alton.................................................................................. 371 Ward, Lem......................................................................................399B Ward Brothers ........... 66,67,70,71,134-141,301A,321,396-405,474 Warin, George............................................................................. 62,365 Watson, Dave................................................................................... 225 Wells, John R............................................................................60,61,63 Wheeler, Chauncey...............................................................27,29,415 Wheeler, Shang..................................................................336,424,425 Whipple, Mark................................................................................. 510 White, Bob..........................................................................132,281,293 White, Dennis.................................................................................. 492 Willis, Frank..................................................................................... 482 Wilson, Gus.......... 300,379C,368,370,372,374,378,381,382,412,413 Wilson, Thomas............................................................................... 206 Winter, A........................................................................................143B Wood, Jack.................................................................................290,291 Wozny, Eddie................................................................................... 411 Wright, Alvirah................................................................................ 127


Collection Planning Program

Enjoy Collecting Now and Plan Ahead With a forty year history, you can rely on the Guyette & Deeter decoy auction house as the most trusted decoy auction firm to handle your estate planning and collection management needs. Whether it’s for tax purposes, estate planning, gifting, charitable giving or insurance purposes, let us manage and periodically update a comprehensive written appraisal of your collection. Gary and Jon are available to work with banks, attorneys, trust and estate officers, probate court, private clients and family members who may be responsible for the dispersal of estates and collections. Let professionals document your collection with accurate values and descriptions. We will work closely with you to ensure that your wishes are established at agreed upon terms and conditions now, to make it easier to administer your estate later.

Please contact Gary or Jon to discuss our Collection Planning Program today.

With several options, we make it easy for you to reach us: Gary Guyette PO Box 1170 • St. Michaels MD 21663 (410) 745-0485 • (410) 745-0487 fax decoys@guyetteanddeeter.com Jon Deeter 7980 Darbys Run • Chagrin Falls OH 44023 (440) 610-1768 jdeeter@guyetteanddeeter.com For more information, visit our website: www.guyetteanddeeter.com


Visit us today — DUCKS UNLIMITED —

Artist, Mitchell LaFrance

Artist, Mike Frady

Come learn about Ducks Unlimited, wetlands conservation, waterfowl, and the history of waterfowl hunting in North America. Located inside one of the largest and most unique retail stores in the world, the Waterfowling Heritage Center features exhibits and interactive experiences for visitors of all ages.

LOUISIANA DECOY LEGENDS EXHIBIT COMING AUGUST 2018 on loan from BRIAN CHERAMIE and BRUCE LOWE

— DUCKS UNLIMITED WATERFOWLING HERITAGE CENTER — at Bass Pro Shops Pyramid

One Bass Pro Drive | Memphis, TN 38105 | 901-291-8257


M u s e u m o f A m e r i ca n B i rd A rt at Mass Audubon

WATERBIRDS Paintings, Prints and Sculpture from Mass Audubon’s Collection on view through September 16

THE ULTIMATE DESTINATION FOR THE SOPHISTICATED SPORTSMAN L-R: Northern Pintails by Darren Rees, watercolor; Bald Eagle by Andy Warhol, serigraph, 1983.

963 Washington St

p

Canton, MA 02021 massaudubon.org/maba 781-821-8853 amontague@massaudubon.org p

p

p

4 8 TH A N N U A L

WATERFOWL NOVEMBER 9–11, 2018

FESTIVAL

®

in Historic Easton, Maryland

TICKETS

$15*

FOR ALL THREE DAYS

Go Wild!

BUY, SELL, SWAP AND WATERFOWLING ARTIFACTS AT EASTON HIGH SCHOOL • Talk to experts about the value of your collection • Find that perfect bird to complete your vision • Enjoy swapping stories with other decoy enthusiasts • Appreciate the rich history of the Eastern Shore sportsman *Ticket price is $20 after October 31

All Festival proceeds benefit Waterfowl Chesapeake’s restoration and conservation efforts in the region.

PREMIERE NIGHT PARTY

Join us for great atmosphere, delicious food, drink, fabulous art, and interesting artists! THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8 | VIP PACKAGES AVAILABLE

WATERFOWLFESTIVAL.ORG | 410.822.4567


Illinois Valley Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Show Utica, Illinois Sunday - September 23rd 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Grizzly Jacks Grand Bear Resort

2643 N. Rt. 178, Utica, IL (Right off of Interstate 80 Just South of Starved Rock State Park)

Duck Decoys, Game Calls, Shell Boxes, Lures, hunting and fishing collectibles, free appraisals.

Open to the Public- $5 admission ** Free Decoy Give-Away ** Dealer Tables $50 each This is the 10th Annual show, for more information contact: Dave or Jeannette Kneebone Phone- (815) 663-1568 Email: muddywaterdecoys@yahoo.com

www.muddywaterdecoys.com


For more information visit www.canadiandecoy.com or contact Mark at m_harding@outlook.com or 613-985-8736


CONDITIONS OF SALE ‑- PLEASE READ 1.

GUARANTEE ‑ We have made a consistent effort in correctly cataloging and describing the property to be sold. The decoys and paintings have guaranteed condition reports. Should the need arise, the auctioneer reserves the right to make verbal corrections and provide additional information from the block, at the time of the sale. Absentee bids will not be executed on items that are found to be other than described in the catalog. Since opinions can differ, particularly in the matter of condition, the auctioneer will be sole judge in the matter of refunds. 2. DURATION OF GUARANTEE ‑ Request for refund for items purchased IN PERSON at the auction must be made within 3 days of the sale. If you are an absentee or phone bidder it is your responsibility to examine the lot immediately upon receipt. On items purchased absentee, the guarantee will end 3 days from the date of delivery. Therefore, all guarantees on items purchased will become null and void 7 calendar days from the date of shipment. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT IF YOU PAY LATE, YOU WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE GUARANTEE. Payment must be postmarked no later than 30 days after the auction. 3. PROTESTED BIDS ‑ In the case of a disputed bid, the auctioneer is the sole determinant as to who the successful bidder is, and at his discretion, may reoffer and resell the article in dispute. If a dispute arises after the sale, the auctioneer’s sales records shall be conclusive as to who the purchaser was, and the purchase price. 4. BIDDING - Bidding usually starts below the low estimate and advances in increments of approximately 10% of the opening bid subject to the auctioneer’s discretion. The auctioneer reserves the right, at his sole discretion, to refuse any bids that he deems unreasonable. The minimum bid increment guideline is as follows: $500 to $1000 - $25 $10,000 to $20,000 - $500 $100,000 and above - $2,000 $1000 to $10,000 - $100 $20,000 to $100,000 - $1,000 5. ABSENTEE BIDS ‑ Phone or mail bids, at the discretion of the Auctioneer, will be accepted with a 20% deposit. In such case, the bookkeeper will execute such bids competitively. Absentee bids are executed by the bookkeeper on behalf of the bidder in accordance with the bid increment policy shown above. Please review the rules governing both absentee and phone bids in the back of the catalog. 6. TERMS ‑ All items are to be paid for in U.S. funds on the day of the auction. No items will be released until they are paid for. Those who have not established an account with us and wish to pay by check, must do so prior to the beginning of the auction, by presenting a current letter of reference from their bank, or by providing references, that are suitable to the Auctioneer. The Auctioneer reserves the right to hold merchandise purchased by personal check, until the check has cleared the bank. Phone and absentee bidders ‑ You will be notified one week after the auction of your bids/results. PAYMENT IS DUE UPON RECEIPT. A late charge will be accessed on all balances not paid, at the rate of 12% A.P.R. commencing 30 days after the auction. If any accounts become more than 60 days overdue, the consignor will be given the name of the buyer who is responsible for holding up their funds. Guyette & Deeter will not carry insurance on items that are not paid for within 35 days of the auction. Also, the auctioneer may retain and/or recover the deposit specified as liquidated damages. In addition, the property can be resold at public or private sale without further notice. Any deficiency resulting from such resale shall be paid to the auctioneer by the defaulting buyer, together with all charges, fees, and expenses incurred by such resale, or the enforcement of the obligation hereunder. Buyer agrees to pay all charges and expenses incurred by reason of any breach of the Terms and Conditions of Sale, including without limitation, reasonable attorney fees. 7. PAYMENT FOR PURCHASES MAY BE MADE WITH VISA , MASTERCARD, CASH, CHECK, OR WIRE TRANSFER. 8. BUYERS PREMIUM- The buyer’s premium, assessed on each selling lot, is 18% of the hammer price up to and including $1,000,000, plus 10% on any amount in excess of $1,000,000. For payments made using Visa or MasterCard, the buyer’s premium is 21% up to and including $1,000,000, plus 13% on any amount in excess of $1,000,000. 9. TAX ‑ THERE IS NO SALES TAX IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. 10. ACCEPTANCE OF CONDITIONS ‑ Bidding on any articles in this catalog indicates your acceptance of all the above items. 11. BIDDING AGENT RESPONSIBILITY ‑ If you are registering for someone or if you execute a bid for someone else under your number, you are responsible for the settlement of that account. You are also responsible for examining the decoy(s) for your client regarding the guarantee. 12. WITHDRAWAL ‑ We reserve the right to withdraw any property before the sale and shall have no liability whatsoever for such withdrawal. 13. TITLE ‑ Title passes upon the fall of the auctioneer’s hammer. It will then be the responsibility of the buyer to make full payment prior to removing the goods from the premises. Removal is at both the buyer’s risk and expense, and must be made at the conclusion of the sale, unless other arrangements are made with the Guyette & Deeter staff. Any lots we might make arrangements for moving or storing are solely at the risk of the owner, and any damage or loss occurring after the fall of the hammer becomes that of the buyer. 14. LEGAL DISPUTE ‑ Any legal disputes arising from this auction shall be settled in the court system of the State of Maine. UNIFORM COMMERCIAL CODE - The Maine Uniform Commercial Code, Title II, Section 2328 applies to this auction. 15. All calls are sold “As Is”. THE OFFICE WILL NOT BE OPEN UNTIL MONDAY AFTER THE AUCTION.


ABSENTEE, PHONE, AND ONLINE BIDS 1. Absentee bids are a service provided to our customers free of charge. Every effort is made to execute all absentee bids, however, in the event of an error or omission, or failure to properly execute absentee bids, the Auctioneer shall not be held liable. 2. All absentee bids must be accompanied by a 20% deposit, which will be refunded immediately after the auction if your bid is unsuccessful. If your bid is successful, the deposit will be applied to the purchase price and the balance due upon presentation of your bill. All absentee bidders are notified by mail, whether successful or unsuccessful. 3. Visa and Mastercard numbers can be given in place of a check deposit, if your bid is submitted by phone. Your card number will not be used to make payments for purchases, it is only used as collateral. Your card number will only be used to make payment for purchases if you default on payment. 4. To execute an absentee bid, fill out the enclosed form listing catalog number, description, and your top bid price (not including the 18% buyer’s premium). Send this together with your deposit as soon as possible. If your bids are sent seven days or less prior to the auction, you should call our office three days prior to the auction, to confirm that we have received your bids. If they have not been received at that point in time, we will take your bid over the phone. We cannot guarantee that bids received after the auction has started will be executed. 5. If two or more bids are received on the same item from different people, the bidding will open at the next logical raise above the second highest bid. If two absentee bids are received with the exact same amount, the first one received will take precedence. 6. All bids must be in even dollar amounts. Bids in fractions of dollars will be considered the next lower even dollar amount. 7. Bid increments: The bid increment policy, which also applies to both absentee and phone bidders, is listed under “CONDITIONS OF SALE” (item #4), in the front of the catalog. 8. Open bids, bids with no set top amount, or orders to just simply buy the lot, cannot be accepted. You must have a definite top limit before we can execute your bid. Alternatives to this are as follows: a. To bid over the telephone. This can be done by simply sending a 20% deposit for what you wish to bid on the object. This will bind whatever bid amount you wish to bid over the telephone. (NOTE: There are only 8 phone lines into the auction room and phone bids will be handled on a first come, first serve basis.) b. Some bidders concerned that a lot might just go for one bid above their top limit, leave a top bid plus one bid. This works as follows: the top bid submitted might be $1,000, but not wishing to lose the lot for simply $25 more, the party might bid $1,000 + 1 bid if they definitely don’t want to go over a certain price, they would indicate $1,000 +1 ($1,025) (NOTE: One possible problem that occasionally arises with absentee bids is when someone in the audience bids exactly the amount, which you specify is your limit. In such a case, we would not go one extra bid unless your bid sheet indicates “plus one” bid.). 9. If you are a successful bidder, a bill will be sent one week after the auction. Purchasers should indicate their desired method of shipment, if such is necessary. There is a charge for shipping, labor, materials, and insurance. Shipping is done on a first come, first serve basis, and can take up to 4 weeks. Please note that a certified check, Visa, Mastercard, or any other form of guaranteed funds will expedite shipping. 10. According to UPS regulations, we must now crate all paintings. In addition, for expensive oil paintings and delicate carvings, we need a written statement from the purchaser, assuming the responsibility of pursuing any claims, in the event of damage incurred during shipping. Valuable lots need to be sent 2 day air UPS due to values. Under no circumstances will we be liable for damage to glass or frames, or fragile decoratives, regardless of cause. 11. TERMS — Phone and absentee bidders — You will be notified one week after the auction of your results. Payment is due upon receipt. Interest will be charged on all balances not paid within 30 days after the bill is sent at the rate of 12% APR. If any accounts become more than 60 days overdue, the consignor will be given the name of the buyer who is responsible for holding up their funds. If an account is 75 days overdue, the items may be returned to the consignor and overdue buyer will pay the buyers premium and commission from the sale, if they wish to participate in future Guyette and Deeter auctions. 12. Bidding on any article(s) indicates your acceptance of these terms above. 13. If you would like any additional information on any of the lots, please contact: Gary Guyette at (410) 745-0485 or Jon Deeter at (440) 610-1768. nd

If you have any questions concerning absentee bids, please call us.


OFFICE: OFFICE:

ABSENTEE AND PHONE BID FORM

PO Box 1170 PO 1170 St. Michaels, Michaels, MD St. MD 21663 21663 410-745-0485 410-745-0485 Fax Fax 410-745-0487 410-745-0487 decoys@guyetteandschmidt.com decoys@guyetteanddeeter.com

OFFICE USE ONLY TIME DATE OF BID AUCTION DATE MANAGER ABSENTEE OR PHONE BID

NAME ADDRESS CITY

STATE

ZIP

TELEPHONE DEPOSIT $

(Check Amount or Visa or MasterCard # & Exp.)

IIdesire following items in the sale.sale. The The bids bids are toare be to executed by Guyette & Deeter, up to but desiretotobid bidononthe the following items in the executed by Guyette & Schmidt, Inc.,not upexceeding to but notthe amount(s) on the below bids.on Allthe bidsbelow will be executed and will accepted subject to theaccepted Terms ofsubject Sale andtoAbsentee Bids exceedingspecified the amount(s) specified bids. All bids be executed and the Terms of Procedure outlined inBids the catalog. (Please be sure you understand before using thisour Absentee and Phone Sale and Absentee Procedure outlined in that the catalog. (Pleaseour be procedures sure that you understand procedures before Bid Form.) will not open until Wednesday after using this Office Absentee andbe Phone Bid Form.) Office willthe notauction. be open until Wednesday after the auction.

Signature

A PREMIUM OF OF 18% WILL BE APPLIED ITEMSSOLD, SOLD, PAID BY THE BUYER A PREMIUM 15% WILL BE APPLIED TO TO ALL ALL ITEMS TOTO BEBE PAID BY THE BUYER OFFICE USE

IN CATALOG # ORDER

DESCRIPTION

A SECOND PAGE IS PROVIDED ON BACK SHOULD YOU REQUIRE ADDITIONAL SPACE TOTAL BIDS $

x 20%

EQUALS DEPOSIT ENCLOSED $

BID AMOUNT


Page 2

NAME OFFICE USE

PHONE IN CATALOG # ORDER

AUCTION DATE DESCRIPTION

BID AMOUNT


366

201

134

351

337

42


Guyet te & Deeter, Inc. PO Box 1170, St. Michaels, MD 21663 | 410-745-0485 www.guyetteanddeeter.com


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.