North American Decoys at Auction | July 26 & 27, 2024

Guyette & Deeter, Inc.

July 26 & 27, 2024

Featuring the collection of Alan and Elaine Haid Session II

Haid Collection

Guyette & Deeter, Inc.

North American Decoys At Auction

The live auction will be held at the The Country School

716 Goldsborough St

Easton, Maryland 21601

Thursday, July 25, 2024

Cocktail Reception and Preview

5:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Friday, July 26, 2024

Preview 8:00 AM - 9:30AM

Auction 10:00 AM

Saturday, July 27, 2024

Preview 8:00 AM - 9:30AM

Auction 10:00 AM

For questions during the auction call 410-745-0485

If you are interested in viewing a particular piece at the office, please call to be sure it will be available there at the time you plan to visit. We may also be in your area, and so a private viewing may be available. Please contact us for our schedule.

Catalog $45. Out of Country $70 Absentee, Phone & Online Bidding accepted call 410-745-0485 for arrangements

For free decoy appraisal contact: Jon Deeter | jdeeter@guyetteanddeeter.com | 440-610-1768

Zac Cote | zcote@guyetteanddeeter.com | 207-321-8091

Cooper Rossner | cooper@guyetteanddeeter.com | 609-560-8028

Important Notices:

■ GUARANTEE - We have made a concerted effort to accurately catalog and describe 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. If we fail to identify a flaw that has an impact on the value, you can return the decoy.

■ DURATION OF GUARANTEE - Requests for a refund on an item purchased through a Guyette and Deeter, Inc. auction must be made within 3 days of the time you take physical possession of your purchases. Whether your items are shipped, delivered, or picked up at the auction site, it is still 3 days from date of possession. This guarantee is null and void if payment is received or mail is postmarked more than 30 days from the sale end date. The guarantee is also null and void if you choose to not take possession of your purchases within the 30 days. If you have paid for your purchases within the 30 days but Guyette and Deeter, Inc is unable to ship your item within the guarantee period, the guarantee will be extended until 3 days from the shipping delivery date. This policy protects our consignors by enabling us to make consignor payments in a timely manner.

■ Under no circumstances will we be responsible for damage to frames or glass, or damage caused by them. Paintings determined to be of high value or large size may be subject to special packaging at the buyers expense. Under no circumstances will we be responsible for damage to fragile decoratives. These items are marked in the catalog with an *.

■ Stands are not included with the decoys or weathervanes unless specified in catalog.

■ All duck calls have condition reports, but are sold “As Is”.

■ Trade Up Program - A limited number of decoys purchased may be paid for by consigning decoys. To participate, please contact our office ahead of time to discuss details.

■ Free appraisals are available with no obligation to consign and any correspondence is strictly confidential.

■ Pick up hours are 1pm – 5pm beginning July 31, or by appointment. Please call ahead so we can have your items ready.

Future Auctions

September 14, 2024

Fine Sporting Arms

Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum

St. Michaels, Maryland

November 9 & 10, 2024

Decoys, Sporting Art & Americana

In conjunction with the Easton Waterfowl Festival

The Country School Easton, Maryland

February 22, 2025

Fine Sporting Arms

Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum

St. Michaels, Maryland

Josh Loewenstein er F ine Sporting Arms Division Head

J. Wesley Dillon Fir earms consultant

Jon & Leigh Ann Deeter

1210 S Talbot St, Unit A

St. Michaels, Md 21663

Tel: 440-610-1768

jdeeter@guyetteanddeeter.com

Lacey & Zac Cote PO Box 347

Freeport, ME 04032

Tel: 207-321-8091

zcote@guyetteanddeeter.com

Mike Stevenson

Graphic Designer

St. Michaels, Maryland Tel: 410-745-0485

michael@guyetteanddeeter.com

Allison Banks

Office Manager

St. Michaels, Maryland Tel: 410-745-0485

auction@guyetteanddeeter.com

A.J. Smith

Photography

St. Michaels, Maryland Tel: 410-745-0485

photography@guyetteanddeeter.com

Ed Kenney

Merchandise Manager & Shipping

St. Michaels, Maryland Tel: 410-745-0485

shipping@guyetteanddeeter.com

Cooper Rossner

Weekly Auction Manager

St. Michaels, Maryland

Tel: 609-560-8028

cooper@guyetteanddeeter.com

Stormi Lind Office Assistant

St. Michaels, Maryland Tel: 410-745-0485

billing@guyetteanddeeter.com

Mike Roberts

Shipping

St. Michaels, Maryland Tel: 410-745-0485

Noah Christopher

Photography

St. Michaels, Maryland Tel: 410-745-0485

Megan Stroyan Clarke

Finance Manager

St. Michaels, Maryland Tel: 410-745-0485

billing@guyetteanddeeter.com

Bill Lapointe

Decoy Consultant and Essayist

Swansea, Massachusetts

Tel: 774-644-9426

Weekly Online Auctions at Bid.guyetteanddeeter.com

Weekly Online Auctions Ending Every Thursday Night at 7:00 pm

Guaranteed condition reports, multiple photos, quick shipping and quality items. Bid with confidence.

Guyette & Deeter’s growing and trusted online weekly auction platform continues to be the most active decoy and sporting art market place in the world.

Go to bid.guyetteanddeeter.com for all upcoming sales. Including weekly online auctions, premier decoy and sporting art, and fine sporting arms sales.

Pair of bluebills, Jim Schmiedlin. SOLD! $8,520

Mallard hen, Bert Graves. SOLD! $4,320

Box turkey calls, Neil Cost. Sold! $3,720

Ruffed grouse, George Strunk. SOLD! $4680World record for the maker

Redhead, Cameron McIntyre. Sold! $17,400 - World record decoy for the maker

The J. DEALLY fishing reel, No 10. Sold! $8,050

Duck call, Grady Taylor. SOLD! $3,480

Session One

Friday, July 26, 2024

10:00 am

Lots 1 - 264

Session Two

Saturday, July 27, 2024

10:00 am

Lots 265 - 545

The Alan and Elaine Haid Collection

In 1967, Elaine Haid gifted her husband Alan a pair of miniature mallards by William Pratt of Joliet, Illinois. A fairly simple set of carvings by today’s collecting standards, but those miniature mallards sparked in Alan a desire to learn about and assemble a collection of the rarest examples by the most celebrated carvers in North America. This passion would define much of their adult lives and help shape the world of decoy collecting as we know it. Alan often said that “knowledge is power” and as a long-time decoy dealer, appraiser, author, and adviser to many fine collections, there are few collectors today that haven’t been empowered by some of the knowledge Alan accrued and so generously shared over the years.

As an employee of Champion International (now International Paper) for 40 years, Alan traveled extensively throughout the country and during duck season, many of those trips ended up being along the Mississippi flyway. He would often trade or purchase an old wooden decoy from the clubs he hunted and was always intrigued by the differences in construction and design in the decoys from Canada to Louisiana. After years of research and study, Alan undertook the serious scholarly effort of publishing a decoy reference book. Released in 1981, ‘Decoys of the Mississippi Flyway’ became an invaluable source for collectors of decoys from this part of the country.

Alan’s longtime friend and partner Russ Goldberger explains that “Alan and I met when we both lived in metropolitan Cincinnati 40 plus years ago. About that time, I spied an ad that Alan had run in a decoy publication, looking for good original paint decoys. Having recently purchased a Mason Premier mallard, of which I was particularly proud, I responded to the ad, and

Alan suggested I bring it by his house. He took one look and let me down easy - it was an old repaint! Although I felt disappointed, that chance meeting began a long friendship.” In 1993, the two would jointly author ‘Mason Decoys a Complete Pictorial Guide’, followed by the ‘Expanded Updated’ edition in 2014.

Donna Tonelli, respected author of decoy and collectibles reference books, celebrated her and her husband’s half-century-long friendship with the Haids, which grew from their common love of hunting and decoys: “My husband Joe first met Alan Haid at the Midwest Decoy Collectors Show in Aurora, Illinois in 1971 and sold him a Bert Graves canvasback. Not long afterward, Alan arranged a trip to our home in Spring Valley with two of his friends, Tom Winstel and Bob Dyer; they were known as The Cincinnati Kids.” This first visit led to regular excursions into the field, in pursuit of quality decoys and their live counterparts. Both avid waterfowl hunters, supporters of waterfowl habitat conservation, and tireless decoy lovers, Alan and Joe would help one another source choice examples from around the country. Joe estimates that he sold no less than 500 decoys to Alan over the decades.

For nearly half a century, Alan and Elaine were fixtures at decoy shows and auctions across the country. Though Elaine battled long-term health issues, her boundless generosity and kind heart enriched the collecting community with warmth and grace. A wide smile and genuine interest in the wellbeing of one’s children and family could always be found at the Haid’s booth. Always the fierce competitor, Alan reveled in entering their decoys in vintage decoy competitions and brought home countless blue ribbon wins in various categories from the shows.

In the ongoing effort to not only grow their collection but to also improve the examples in their holdings, the Haids would often sell 4 or 5 more common or lesser condition decoys to acquire one, rarer and more desirable example. In 2006, the opportunity to acquire one of the finest carvings ever created by Elmer Crowell presented itself, and the Haid’s sold 36 important decoys to purchase it. At that time Alan explained that “it was a collectors dream to have an opportunity to collect a premier piece by the most famous maker, that’s what we live for.”

The Haids gladly opened their home in Darien, Connecticut to welcome new and seasoned collectors alike. These visits usually involved a pleasant lunch, study of the decoys, and stories or lessons given on one’s favorites. The pursuit of knowledge and passion for sharing that knowledge to further the art form was Alan’s greatest contribution to the collecting community and the Haids should rightfully be remembered as some of decoy collecting’s greatest champions.

Guyette and Deeter is honored to have been entrusted with the responsibility of disbursing the Haid collection to the next generation of passionate collectors. We have taken this important duty very seriously and have attempted to put as much thought, planning, and hard work into the divestment as Alan and Elaine put into the creation of this fabulous collection. We believe the Haids would get great enjoyment knowing that their cherished birds were going to be studied, pursued, enjoyed, and shared for generations to come.

The items from the collection of Alan and Elaine Haid have been marked with the Haid collection ink stamp, a design inspired Haid Collection

The David Fannon Collection

Dave Fannon’s collection of Oscar Peterson objects are the result of a three-decade pursuit to seek the finest plaques, vases, and fish decoys. Many of the pieces being offered from his collection represent the finest of their category and have never been offered at public auction.

The Jim and Patti Aikin Collection

I first met Jim at a gun club, 1985-1986. We were put together on a sporting clays shoot. We hit it off immediately (both enjoy shooting SXS’s) and shot together once or twice almost every weekend for two years.

One day after shooting a friend of Jim’s asked if he had found any new decoys lately. I said “Jim, you collect decoys”? “Yes, have for years”. I replied, ”I’m just starting”. The seasoned collector, without hesitation, invited the new collector to see his birds. When Mari and I showed up we were greeted by Jim and Patti and ushered in to see their collection. Jim explained he used to collect Mason’s, got tired of them, sold them off and was now focused on Ben Schmidt. It was the first major collection I had seen and was blown away.

Over the many years to follow, I watched Jim pursue and purchase some of the finest Schmidt’s that exist. He was relentless. If he wanted it, especially at auction, he bought it.

My collection eventually went towards Ben as well. There were only a few of us that truly understood what a great Schmidt was, and we fought each other for everyone we could get while always supportive of the winner.

Jim wanted the best, and he got a lot of them!

Obviously, we had become great friends, spending time together not only at shows but at each other’s homes as well. Mari and I cherish the many summer weekends spent at their home in northern Michigan. It was a special place. Filled with special Schmidt’s and many other great carvings as well.

Jim was a gentleman in all respects. One summer evening sitting on his porch overlooking Lake Michigan and enjoying an “adult beverage”, he asked me to do him a favor. He had a friend that lived down state near me, had some decoys and wanted them appraised to buy a new shot gun. “No problem, Jim, what does he have that you want”? “Nothing” was the reply, “just help him out”.

When I arrived, I found about 60 decoys. Nothing special…..except one bird. A Schmidt Hooded Merganser drake. I bought them all.

Jim and Patti came to our home a couple months later for a decoy party. I was out getting ice when they arrived. Jim gave Mari a hug hello and said, “where is it”? As he stood looking at it on the shelf he blurted out “I F*****d up”! (I dropped the ball on that one!)?

There were never any hard feelings between us, I had done what he asked. But I knew he wanted that bird more than any other he had.

A deal was struck between us. He would pay for a decoy I wanted at auction, no matter the cost. In return I would give him the merganser with the provision I would get it back at a time of his choosing for the same amount as the decoy he paid for.

17 years later, he kept his word, and it is now back in my collection.

Jim collected some of the finest Schmidt and Michigan decoys ever assembled. He was educated, had a great eye, and wasn’t afraid to go after them.

I’m fortunate to have him as a friend all these years.

- Kenneth D. Cole

Session One • Friday, July 26, 2024 • 10:00am

Joseph Lincoln

1859 - 1938 | Accord, Massacusetts

1 Joseph Lincoln (1859-1938), Accord, Massachusetts

Excellent Canada goose with classic form and detailed feather paint. Measures 24” long. Original paint with minor paint rubs and very minor wear; fine hairline cracks in breast and one in back; typical and tighter than normal drying split in the underside that runs up the breast and underside of tail slightly; Slight separation at neck seat was tightened at some point.

Provenance:

Alan and Elaine Haid collection.

(20,000 - 30,000)

Joe was born the son of sailmaker George Lincoln and his wife Salome Whiting at the family home on Gardner St., in the Accord section of Hingham. The house was located on the shore of Accord Pond and afforded a lovely view out over the water as well as any passing wildlife. Sadly, his biological father passed away when he was only 9 and his brother, Wilbur, was 4. His Uncle, Joe Whiting, a cooper, moved into the home and helped to raise the two young boys. As a young man through 1894, Joe, typical for many in the area, worked in a shoe factory. By 1900 he was working as a poultry farmer with his brother. Joe was talented in anything requiring the use of his hands. He made and upholstered furniture, carved gunstocks and was reputed to be able to repair just about anything, including clocks and cameras. From at least 1908 through the 1920 census, he lists his occupation as “carpenter”. It is no surprise then that he also constructed a number of excellent lapstrake boats which he kept on the shore of the pond. If he had a passion, it was raising award winning dahlias (a flower). He also loved to hunt! There is no record as to exactly when he made his first decoy, but it is a safe assumption that it was at an early date. By 1918, his fame in carving a very high-quality decoy, resulted in a lengthy article in a Boston newspaper where he is recorded as saying:

“You’ve got to make them good enough to fool the sharp eyes of a duck or goose - - -and you just bet that those birds have the sharpest eyes and the cunningest brains that there are in the bird family. A turn of the knife the wrong way, a peculiar tilt to the head, such as is not affected by the duck or goose family, and your work is spoiled.”

THE SPEAR FAMILY

Henry Ellsworth (1861 – 1927), Chester Franklin (1888 – 1956), Ernest Livingston (1897 – 1954)

Joseph Lincoln carved a great many decoys in his career, but one can reasonably be assured that he lavished his best efforts on those destined for use by personal friends or shooting partners. The Spear family of Hanover certainly enjoyed being in both envious categories.

The father, Henry, was a contemporary of Lincoln (1859 –1938). He was born into a shoemaking family in Hingham, and, like his father, went into the shoemaking trade. Similarly, the young Joe Lincoln worked in that same industry and, initially, worked in nearby Holbrook and Rockland. Until the mid-1880’s, Henry was living, working, and ultimately marrying, in Scituate, directly on the coast and at the heart of sea duck country. By 1900, he and his growing family, including three sons, Chester (Chet), Ernest (Ernie) and Roy were living in Hanover, a town directly to the south of Hingham, the Lincoln farm, and Accord Pond. We cannot know for certain when or how Lincoln met and befriended the Spear’s, but we do know that a number of some of Lincoln’s best and rarest works bear the brands of three of the family members. Henry (the H.E. brand) worked his entire life in the shoe industry in and around Hanover and he is known to have brought his sons on summer vacations to Scituate. His first wife died in 1922 and he remarried in 1923, only to pass away a few years later.

As a young man, Chester (the C.F. brand) was living in the family home in Hanover and working as a carpenter. He occasionally rented a cottage in Scituate, and it was there that he married his wife, Bertha, in 1913. The family lived in Scituate for the remainder of his life, with Chet working in the house construction and, finally, boat building trades. His home was located on Lighthouse Road, directly overlooking Scituate Harbor where he, undoubtedly, kept a watchful eye on the migrating sea ducks.

Ernest (the E.L. brand) graduated from Hanover High School in 1914 as a member of its eight-person class that year. By 1919, he had moved slightly south to Brockton, working for the Sterling Motor Car Co. By the 1920’s he had moved again, this time to the north of Boston, living in the coastal town of Lynn where, between 1930 and 1940, he remained single, working in a variety of machine shops, and living in a large boarding house along with up to 20 other individuals. In 1940, he married his wife, Mildred, it was his first marriage and her second. Apparently, he never owned his own home and the family lived in a third-floor apartment in town. Based on his choice of residences while in Lynn, it is doubtful that he used the decoys that bear his brand there. Rather, it is much more likely that he returned to Scituate to gun with his other family members. Both his and Chet’s decoys carry very similar rigging, which would suggest that they were used together.

A third brother, Roy Ellsworth (1895 – 1966) moved to Scituate around 1922 and raised 13 children with two wives, as well as an additional son through another affair. He was employed as a carpenter his entire life, but it is unclear if he and Chet ever worked together, nor is it clear if he ever hunted with his brothers, but both would certainly seem to be possibilities.

Chet (r) and Ernie Spear at Joe Lincoln’s North Shore Stand, Accord, MA

Scituate shoreline

Both Chet and Ernie were either members of or, certainly shot at, Joe Lincoln’s North Shore stand on Accord Pond in Hingham. They were much younger than Lincoln so, perhaps, they were either introduced by their father or were, perhaps, guests of the elder Spear. Lincoln was an avid coot shooter and often gunned with Chet in Scituate, so it is reasonable to believe that Lincoln and other members of the Spear clan hunted together on the coast.

Decoys proudly bearing the brands of H.E Spear, C.F. Spear, and E.L Spear all seem to have been handled with the greatest of care by their owners. They certainly represent some of the finest examples of the work of the legendary master, Joe Lincoln.

Roy Spear

2 Joseph Lincoln (1859-1938), Accord, Massachusetts. Rare long-tailed duck hen. Lincoln’s classic form with incised bill carving and bold paint pattern. Round inlet weight on the underside. Branded “EL Spear” on underside. Measures 14.75” long. Original paint with minor to moderate flaking and wear; typical drying split along the underside; lightly hit by shot; minor roughness and a hairline crack at tip of bill.

Provenance:

Ted Harmon collection.

Alan and Elaine Haid collection.

Literature:

“New England Decoys”, Shirley and John Delph, page , similar decoy pictured.

“Top of the Line Hunting Collectibles” by Donna Tonelli, page 88, exact decoy pictured.

(40,000 - 60,000)

George Boyd

1873 - 1941 | Seabrook, New Hampshire

Born in coastal Seabrook, George’s life was a simple one. His home was always near the marsh with its adjacent woods and fields, and he spent his youth subsisting largely on locally harvested fish and game, as well as fruits and vegetables raised in the family garden. As a young man, he hunted for the market and, in 1894, married Alice Fowler and the couple began to raise their family, first in the home of her parents and, eventually, in their own small, Cape style, home on Collins St.

It is believed that he may have been carving decoys as early as 1895 but these were, undoubtedly, for his own use. By 1910 through 1915, however, he was selling his shorebirds through the elite sporting goods store, Iver Johnson, in Boston. They had a reputation to uphold and only chose the best products for their customers. Elmer Crowell also supplied the store with decoys under the name “Iver Johnson Supreme”.

For a man who would become the Granite State’s most noteworthy carver, recognition and fame came late. Early decoy historian Bill Mackey recognized his exceptional talent and described his decoys as “Finely carved and nicely painted” created “by a prolific but unknown carver.”

3 George Boyd (1873-1941), Seabrook, New Hampshire. Rare and outstanding, rigmate pair of red-breasted mergansers. Slightly turned heads with extended crests. Measure 17.5” long. Excellent original paint with very minor discoloration and almost no wear; drying split along the underside of drake that extends up the breast and underside of tail; tiny chip in underside of

drake’s bill tip.

Provenance:

Nina Fletcher Little collection. Sotheby’s October 21-22, 1994 auction, exact pair.

Alan and Elaine Haid collection. (70,000 - 100,000)

George produced decoys for those species that were actively pursued in the areas where he hunted. Black ducks and geese were primary targets, but a few other species were carved as well including red-breasted mergansers. George’s shoemaking background is evident in the detailed construction of his canvas covered examples considered among the best of their kind produced anywhere in New England.

4 George Boyd (1873-1941), Seabrook, New Hampshire. Outstanding canvas over wood slat Canada goose. Slightly turned and alert head pose with tack eyes. Measures 26.5” long. Excellent original paint with very minor wear, mostly at a spot on top of head; protected under a thin coat of varnish; tight crazing on body; very minor spot of roughness on edge of tail.

Provenance: Alan and Elaine Haid collection. (20,000 - 40,000)

5 George Boyd (1873-1941), Seabrook, New Hampshire. Excellent yellowlegs with split tail carving and shoe button eyes. Adele Earnest collection ink stamp on the underside. Measures 11” long. Excellent original paint with very minor crazing and wear; excellent structurally

Provenance:

Adele Earnest collection. Alan and Elaine Haid collection. (5,000 - 8,000)

Elmer Crowell

1862 - 1951 | East Harwich, Massachusetts

“Cape Cod was one of the more important regions in the northeast for market gunning. There were at least forty-four ponds on the Cape with professional gunning stand located on them from 1865 until 1929. Many of the locations had more than one stand. The toll of wildfowl taken on these locations was staggering. Elmer Crowell reported that he thought more than 1.000 ducks had been shot on the Upper Mill Pond in Brewster in 1927 alone. More often, the bag for the season was between one to three hundred fowl per stand. This was Crowell’s early environment; one to which he would develop an early and life-lo ng affinity.”

“It is tempting to speculate that these wealthy friends assured Crowell’s success by giving him considerable business orders. Dozens of carvings, owned by Phillips, Cunningham and Hardy, are known to collectors today. Crowell in turn, created the most spectacular group of painted carvings the hunting world had ever seen. His working decoys from this period (1900 - 1915) also show a degree of love, labor and art that is unparalleled in the decoy world. Wallace Furman, a Crowell friend

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1951), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Very rare and outstanding green wing teal drake, circa 1915. Slightly turned head and relief carved, crossed wing tips and tail feathers. Maker’s oval brand on the underside. Made for the rig of Dr. John C. Phillips with the maker’s finest feather paint detail. Decoy was never rigged or weighted. Measures 11.5” long. Original paint with very minor flaking and wear; hairline crack through lower part of neck; very minor blunt at tip of bill.

Provenance: Alan and Elaine Haid collection.

Literature:

“Massachusetts Masters” an exhibition curated by John Clayton, page 77, exact decoy pictured.

“Top of the Line Hunting Collectibles” by Donna Tonelli, page 84, exact decoy pictured.

“Decoys: North America’s One Hundred Greatest”, Loy S. Harrell Jr., page 92-93, exact decoy pictured.

“Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving” by Stephen B. O’Brien Jr and Chelsie W. Olney, page 106, exact decoy pictured. (125,000 - 175,000)

The Crowell Look

- By Gladys Hopkins

The Crowell touch is unmistakable. It is seen both in the design of his work and in its execution, in the carving and in the paint. It is a far stronger signature than any brand, stamp or label.

There are four different steps or aspects to this type of carving. The first involves perception; the ability to see the natural world and have it come through the eyes. One must see the birds. Then there is design, the translation of the image into a pattern; how can one best freeze-frame the bird in motion and capture its beauty (or in the case of decoys, capture its brethren). Next comes the carry-though, the creation of the actual piece. This involves freeing the bird from

its block of wood - and finally - there is color. One must paint the wood in such a manner that it reads as soft feathering.

Each of these is a separate specialty, and the Crowell carvings, the best of them, bring the four together with flashing talent.

7 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1951), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Extremely rare feeding black duck with slightly turned head in a downward looking pose. Believed to be the only one in this position. Relief feather carving on raised wing tips and tail feathers. Chip carving on the breast and tail area, as seen on the artists earliest black ducks. Decoy was weighted for use, with a small weight added to offset the turned head, weights have since been removed. Measures 18” long. Original paint under an early coat of varnish shows very minor wear; drying split along the back and breast was filled and touched up; tight crack along one side;

lightly hit by shot; professional repair to a crack through the neck and small chip at front of neck seat with some touch up to the area.

Provenance: Alan and Elaine Haid collection.

Literature:

“Elmer Crowell: Father of American Bird Carving” by Stephen B. O’Brien Jr and Chelsie W. Olney, page 26, exact decoy pictured. (80,000 - 120,000)

“The Allure of the Decoy,” exhibit catalog of Historic Charleston Foundation exhibit, Masterworks from the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Alan G. Haid. February 15 - 17, 2013

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1951), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Early and very rare widgeon hen. Pre-brand example with slightly turned head and relief carved tail feathers and wingtips. Branded “CWW” three times on the underside for the rig of Charles W. Whittier. Measures 14.25” long. Original paint with minor to moderate wear; touch up on each side of head and one side of neck seat; old chip in tip of tail.

Provenance:

Alan and Elaine Haid collection. (25,000 - 35,000)

The Swan Island Club 1872 – present Currituck, North Carolina

Located in one of the richest waterfowling areas on the Atlantic seaboard, The Swan Island Club was first organized in 1872 as the Crow Island club by a group of wealthy northern gentlemen in search of good shooting. Early membership read like the pages of New York and Long Island’s high society, as well as Boston’s Brahmin, Harvard educated elite. Membership has always been extremely selective and individual memberships highly coveted. In 1913, Charles W. Whittier gained membership.

Charles Woodbury Whittier 1866 – 1949 | Milton and Boston, MA

Whittier would have been representative of the club membership in the first part of the 20th century. Born in Boston to a family established in the real estate industry, he went on to own one of the most influential real estate brokerages in the City. The firm of C.W. Whittier & Bro maintained offices in the heart of the financial district and was instrumental in some of the largest commercial and industrial developments in the city as it entered into its period of sustained economic growth. He served as a Director of the Old Colony Trust Company and was a Trustee of the Boston Five Cent Savings Bank.

Like others of his day, he chose to live in the suburbs and maintained a large home in nearby Milton in what was then known as “the estate section”. We can only envision the extent of his affluence by considering that from the 1900 through the 1940 censuses he employed between 3 and 5 live in “servants” or ”domestics” at any one time, including three when it was just he and his wife in their home. His only other recorded association with outdoor sports other than the Swan Island Club was his memberships in the Country Club of Brookline and the Milton – Hoosic Club, two of the most prestigious country clubs in the Boston area.

Members in the Swan Island club often brought their own favored decoys with them and club rigs have contained birds by such illustrious makers as Sam Smith, Lee Dudley, Joe Lincoln and Elmer Crowell among others. The widgeon hen bearing Whittier’s “CWW” brand fits the chronological timeline of both the dates of Charles’ membership (1913) and Crowell’s carving style at the time. Other rare examples by Crowell that feature the same purposeful gouging between the carved and incised wingtips have been dated to 1912 in the “The Songless Aviary”, and even earlier by others. One can only imagine the powerful impact that such a decoy would have had on Whittier’s fellow members.

Charles Whittier

Elmer was given his first gun in 1874 when he was just twelve ye ars old. By the age of fourteen, he had already built his first gunn ing stand at his father’s property on Pleasant Lake. Cullity in “The Songless Aviary” relates that “ Some accounts have him making decoys at the early age of twelve or so - - - “ and Crowell himself states that he was making (duck) decoys by the age of 14. By 1884 he was market hunting at a time when shorebirds, especially yellowlegs, were primary targets, and in “Duck Shooting Along the Atlantic Flyway”, Crowell himself recounts his hunting them for sale. Numerous references note that, in his early years, Elmer much preferred to hunt over live decoys. However, without decoys, shorebirds could only be hunted by ambush or pass shooting, certainly not methods that would lend themselves to successful market hunting. Carved shorebird decoys then, must have been a part of Elmer’s hunting rig from a very early date.

His earliest miniatures are widely acknowledged to be copies of his working decoys of the same period. A miniature goose that closely resembles his well-known full-size model is dated (in Crowell’s hand) 1894. His earliest miniature shorebirds date to c1901 and exhibit traits such as dropped wings, turned heads and the beginnings of his “incised primaries” designs. If his miniatures are copies of his decoys, then those he made in 1901 must represent decoys used by him prior to that date. In fact, a small rig of dowitchers are known that, most agree, date to c1898. These have dropped wings, carved wingtips, turned heads and deeply incised primaries. A sandpiper, (catalog #1 in The Songless Aviary), simply dated “before 1918” exhibits an evolution on that design where the primaries are incised, and the wingtips are carved and positioned below the tail but not “dropped”. Finally, the design matures to where Crowell is carving Continued...

9 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1951), East Harwich, Massachusetts.

Dust jacket style black bellied plover with deep relief wing carving. Individual carved feathers on primaries. Measures 12” long. Original paint with very minor wear; a few shot marks; small amount of flaking where bill meets face.

Provenance:

Alan and Elaine Haid collection.

Literature:

“American Bird Decoys” by William J. Mackey Jr, front dust jacket and page 84, plate III, rigmate pictured.

“Top of the Line Hunting Collectibles” by Donna Tonelli, page 87, exact decoy pictured. “Massachusetts Masters” an exhibition curated by John Clayton, page 87, rigmate pictured.

(100,000 - 150,000)

the wingtips and incising the primaries but positioning them above the split tail. In the case of his “Dust Jacket” design (widely acknowledged to date to c1910-15) most of the tails, rather than the wingtips, show a pronounced drop below the body. Each grouping contained birds in a variety of poses and these decoys represent Crowell at his best when he was carving working decoys.

By this point in Crowell’s career, he has transitioned from cranberry farmer to full time carver. His services were in demand by a number of his wealthy patrons to assist or instruct at their private gunning stands. His reputation began to explode upon the gunning scene and the increasing pressure on his time resulted in his having to simplify his designs, which had become very time-consuming. Although the paint remained exceptional, the carving detail in his shorebirds had to become less elaborate.

10

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1951), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Exceedingly rare feeding yellowlegs with relief carved primary feathers. Measures 13.75” long.

Original paint with very minor flaking and wear; minor roughness on tip of raised wingtips; dents in one side of body were filled and touched up.

Provenance:

Alan and Elaine Haid collection.

Literature:

“Top of the Line Hunting Collectibles” by Donna Tonelli, page 87, exact decoy pictured. “Massachusetts Masters” an exhibition curated by John Clayton, page 91, exact decoy pictured.

(80,000 - 120,000)

11 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1951), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Rare golden plover with split tail carving and relief carved primaries. Measures 10.75” long. Original paint with minor to moderate wear; lightly hit by shot; bill is a professional replacement with some restoration to the top and back of head.

Provenance:

Alan and Elaine Haid collection. (20,000 - 30,000)

The next phase in his carvings saw the elimination of some of the detail in the “Dust Jacket” concept but the incised primaries remained. Eventually, the incised primaries too would disappear. By 1918, the majority of the shorebird shooting was outlawed and, thus, demand for those decoys also diminished (see note 1) . Crowell was now able to satisfy his artistic urges by lavishing his pent-up skills on his elaborately detailed decorative carvings for a new and emerging market.

While carved wingtips and incised primaries alone cannot be the sole factor in dating Crowell shorebirds, they provide a window into the everevolving carving styles of this acknowledged master of the art form.

The attention to detail that Crowell lovingly bestowed on his earliest shorebirds produced a product that far exceeded what was necessary to effectively lure in a live bird. They were created to satisfy Elmers own desire for quality and realism and resulted in some of the very finest shorebird decoys ever produced by any carver from any region.

Notes:

1. A limited season for plover and yellowlegsremained until 1928.

Charles E. “Shang” Wheeler

1872 - 1949 | Stratford, Connecticut

A devout, lifelong bachelor, when Shang died in 1949, his meager estate was inherited by his only living relative, his spinster sister, Edith Wheeler (1870 – 1955) of nearby Westport, CT.

Shang never owned his own home, boarding for most of his life with Ed and Fannie Bond. He had no will, and what little he left behind was indicative of his life in, and love for, the outdoors. Other than a small savings account, a few small life insurance policies, and a 1941 Plymouth station wagon, his belongings consisted primarily of hunting and fishing equipment as well as decoys and the tools needed to carve them.

In 1950, his close friends, fellow carvers and hunters, Thomas Marshall and Charles Disbrow, were asked to inventory his belongings and assign them a cash value. His 152 working decoys were valued at $193.50 and 74 of his “exhibition decoys” were appraised at $1,000.00 or $13.51 each. These were, basically, the decoys that had comprised the exhibit at the 1949 Sportsman’s Show in New York. His sister had very little money and could not pay the two men for their services so the lawyer for the estate told Marshall and Disbrow to keep whatever decoys they could not sell. Marshall sold the exhibition decoys to the president of Remington Arms Company for the appraised value of $1000.00 but, after one month, the purchaser asked to back out of the arrangement. Marshall then tried a variety of historical societies and museums with no success. Eventually, the money was raised privately, and the group of decoys was given, free of charge, to the Connecticut Audubon Society, where they were housed at the Birdcraft Museum and Sanctuary in Fairfield. They remained at Birdcraft until 1983 when Audubon decided to sell the group (they did keep one of Shang’s working bluebills as a remembrance). The collection was valued at that time at between $250,000.00 and $270,000.00 (about $3,500.00 apiece). The Shelburne Museum in Vermont did make an offer, but the terms were rejected. Eventually, Alan Haid and Joe Tonelli brokered an arrangement for a private sale to Mr. James Cook. Under the terms of the agreement, the new owner would keep the core of the collection intact (reportedly at least 28 birds) and display all or portions of it once every three years, the remainder could be sold. Ironically these terms were practically the same as those that were forwarded by the Shelburne Museum. As reported in “The Maine Antique Digest” at the time, if the Shelburne had known that they too could sell off a portion of the collection, they would have been able to meet the reported selling price of $276,000.00. The Collection

Thomas Marshall Birdcraft Museum and Sanctuary

Although the sale was bemoaned by many in the decoy collecting community, both Messrs. Haid and Tonelli did ensure that at least the best of the Wheeler grouping would remain together and be available for public viewing on an occasional basis. The other options would have seen the birds dispersed into up to 74 different hands or to languish in museum storage as have so many other great groupings across the country.

In payment for his services, Alan Haid chose the sleeping black duck which is included in this sale. It

12

Charles E. ‘Shang’ Wheeler (1872-1949), Stratford, Connecticut. Outstanding sleeping black duck. Hollow carved with head turned, resting on back. Bill is buried under back feathers. Scratch feather paint detail on head and neck. Retains the original leather line tie and Stratford style ‘tear drop’ lead weight. Measures 16” long. A few tiny paint rubs, otherwise near mint.

Provenance:

Charles E. “Shang” Wheeler estate. Connecticut Audubon Society collection Alan and Elaine Haid collection.

Literature:

“Shang”, Dixon Merkt, page , similar decoy pictured. “Connecticut Decoys”, Henry C. Chitwood, page , similar decoy pictured.

“Top of the Line Hunting Collectibles”, Donna Tonelli, page 70, similar decoy pictured. (50,000 - 80,000)

Charles E. ‘Shang’ Wheeler (18721949), Stratford, Connecticut.

Decorative sora rail on carved wooden lily pad. In running pose with dropped wing carving and raised tail. Measures 7.5” long, 7” tall. Very good and original.

Provenance:

Alan and Elaine Haid collection.

Literature: “Shang”, Dixon Merkt, page , similar decoy pictured. (4,000 - 6,000)

Charles Schoenheider, Sr.

1854 - 1924 | Peoria, Illinois

In Search of an Ice Duck!

Charles F Schoenheider (1856 – 1924) made a number of outstanding early Illinois River decoys. His acknowledged masterworks, however, are his exceptional standing “ice ducks and geese” which he made c1918. These rare carvings have been known by members of the decoy community since their “discovery” in the mid 1960’s by Joe French and Joe Tonelli. Schoenheider marketed these decoys and others through Portman’s Sporting Goods at 120122 North Adams St in downtown Peoria, the leading sporting goods establishment of its day. The firm had been established in 1892 by Gustav Nicholas Portman (1855 – 1918) as both a sporting goods and gunsmithing business. Upon his death, the company was run by his wife Helen and, eventually, his son Gustav F Portman (1900 – 1969). Gustav F had two sons, Gus, who died early, and Peter C (1940 – 2022). Any Schoenheider ice

foot of each of the decoys. Joe had the foresight to ask the auctioneer where they had gotten the consignment from and he was told that “they came from an old guy in Greenwich, Connecticut” . Knowing the story of the Portman Sporting Goods Store and the fact that Alan Haid was living in Connecticut at the time, he suggested to Alan that he try to locate a “Portman” in Greenwich to see if he had any additional decoys. Somehow, Alan located the son of Gustav F Portman who did, indeed, have two more of the ice ducks, a pair of pintails. Alan bought the drake and Cook got the hen to go with the drake he had purchased at Doyle’s. A genealogical search indicates that Gustav’s only living son at the time would have been Peter. His obituary states that he was born in Peoria but moved his family (from an unknown location) to Florida in 1983. We can never know, but it may very well be this Peter that Alan tracked down, and we can imagine that the sale of the last two ice ducks made his trip to Florida a little more enjoyable.

NOTE: Guyette and Deeter wishes to thank Joe Tonelli for research assistance

Portman’s Sporting Goods circa 1913

14 Charles Schoenheider Sr. (1854-1924), Peoria, Illinois. Exceedingly rare standing pintail ‘ice duck’. Hollow carved with iron foot made to stand.

Painted by Schoenheider’s friend and hunting partner Jack Franks, with comb feather detail at center of back. Measures 18.25” long. Original paint with minor to moderate flaking; areas of discoloration on neck, breast, and underside; a few paint flakes on back have been darkened.

Provenance:

Portman’s Sporting Goods store, Peoria, Illinois. By descent in the family.

Alan and Elaine Haid collection.

Literature:

“Call to the Sky” by Robrt Shaw, page 107, similar example pictured.

“Decoys of the Mississippi Flyway” by Alan G. Haid, page 85, similar example pictured.

“Top of the Line Hunting Collectibles” by Donna Tonelli, page 160, similar example pictured. (60,000 - 90,000)

Charles Perdew

1874 - 1963 | Henry, Illinois

15 Charles Perdew (1874-1963), Henry, Illinois. Very rare rigmate pair of mallards. Hen in rare preening pose. Early, three-piece hollow carved body with large glass eyes and Catherine Elliston’s finest paint. Both have Perdew pencil weights on the underside. Drake retains remnants of the maker’s rare ink stamp on underside. Measure 16.5” and 15” long. Original paint with moderate gunning wear; minor roughness on the edge of tails; hairline crack in each side of drake’s neck seat; professional neck crack repair on drake; 2” round spot of touch up on underside of drake.

Provenance:

Alan purchased a group of three at the Ohio Decoy Show circa 1985 and sold a hen to Jim Cook.

Alan and Elaine Haid collection.

Literature:

“Perdew: An Illinois River Tradition” by Ann Tandy Lacy, page 123, exact hen pictured. (80,000 - 120,000)

16

Charles Perdew (1874-1963), Henry, Illinois. G.K. Schmidt rig green wing teal drake. Hollow carved with comb feather paint detail on sides. Deep “G.K. Schmidt” brand on the underside. Measures 10.25” long. Professional repair to a crack through the neck; small spots of touch up at neck seat; hairline crack in one side of neck; touch up on the underside of bill and face where a small chip in underside of bill was professionally reset.

Provenance:

Purchased by Ron Fritz at an Ann Arbor, Michigan flea market. Joe Tonelli collection. Joe traded it to Alan for a Bishops Head style Canada goose by the Ward Brothers. Alan and Elaine Haid collection.

Literature:

“Perdew: An Illinois River Tradition” by Ann Tandy Lacy, page 100, exact decoy pictured. (25,000 - 35,000)

Sometime in the late 1960s a small group of decoys began showing up at sales in Illinois and Michigan. All of the decoys were in mint condition and all were branded G.K. Schmidt. The condition of many was so perfect that some seasoned collectors in Michigan passed them up as being copies. They were of course genuine, but it would take almost forty more years until the owner of the G.K. Schmidt rig would finally be identified. Joe and Donna Tonelli can be

credited with solving the mystery, but it took the help of Dave Galliher, who had purchased Charle Perdew’s order log at a Guyette & Schmidt auction. In his order log, Perdew had detailed an order from a G.K. Schmidt in 1928 for a dozen decoys which included a Chicago address. Armed with this information, the Tonelli’s were on the trail. The exact details of the story can be found in a Decoy Magazine article from the November/ December 2007 issue. In summary, G.K. Schmidt was a banker and owner of a successful brewery in Chicago. His obituary from 1939 stated that he was a “true sportsman and during duck season, he spent many days afield.”

The G. K. Schmidt branded decoys fall into three distinct groups. First there are the Robert Elliston’s that were repainted by Edna Perdew. These are part of the earlier rig and were hunted enough that they needed to be reconditioned by Edna at some point. Then there are one dozen near mint Mason Premier special order mallards, eight drakes and four hens. They were branded but never used. It is assumed that both the Ellistons and the Masons would have been purchased around 1905. The third group is the set of decoys ordered from Charles Perdew in 1928 - they never hit the water.

The G.K. Schmidt rig

Robert Elliston

1847 - 1925 | Bureau, Illinois

“Robert Elliston, is certainly regarded as one of the first Illi commercial decoy makers and because of the quality and quantity of his output as one of the best. He traveled the Midwest until he settled in Lacon, Illinois, where he started a career of full time decoy carving while in this thirties. Later he moved to Bureau where he lived the rest of his life.

Elliston’s decoys were made of the finest white pine with the bo hollowed out of two equal pieces. The heads were well caved with a very detailed bill and had eyes set very high giving a frogeyed look. The painting was superbly done by his wife Catherine and set a high standard for other Illinois River carvers that came later. He made mallards in the greatest number, but also made pintails, teal, bluebills, redheads, canvasbacks, ringnecks, coots and Canada geese. The decoys were weighted by a lead strip on the bottom that was stamped “THE ELLISTON DECOY”. Robert was the first to make turned head sleepers. By all standards, Robert Elliston rates as a classic maker.”

- “Decoys of the Mississippi Flyway”, Alan Haid

A formal portrait of the Elliston family was taken in front of their home in Bureau, Illinois, c. 1915. The family as pictured (L – R): Lorrine, Josephine, Catherine, Leroy, Marguerette, and Robert.

17 Robert Elliston (1847-1925), Bureau, Illinois. Rare turned head mallard hen. Hollow carved with the original Elliston weight having been adjusted with an additional weight added to offset the turned head. “K” scratched in to the underside. Measures 14.75” long. Original paint with minor gunning wear; lightly hit by shot on one side; professional neck crack restoration; professional tail chip restoration; second coat on white stripes at wing patches was cleaned off; one eye is a later replacement.

Provenance: Joe French collection. Adele Earnest collection. Thomas Winstel collection. Alan and Elaine Haid collection.

Literature:

“Decoys of the Mississippi Flyway” by Alan G. Haid, page 157, exact decoy pictured.

“The Art of the Decoy” by Adele Earnest, page 188, exact decoy pictured. (60,000 - 90,000)

18 Robert Elliston (1847-1925), Bureau, Illinois. Excellent round body canvasback. Hollow carved with deeper than typical body. Comb feather paint detail on gray areas. Retains the original Elliston weight. Measures 15” long. Original paint with moderate flaking and wear, mostly on center of back; hairline drying cracks in back; the original bill was cracked and professionally reset.

Provenance: Alan and Elaine Haid collection. (15,000 - 25,000)

Charles Walker

1873 - 1954 | Princeton, Illinois

Located in the heart of the rich hunting area of the Illinois River, the Princeton Game and Fish Club was established in 1884. Very selective, it has a membership limited to 50, each of which must be a resident of Bureau County.

Charles Burr Walker 1873 – 1953 was a lifelong resident of Princeton, Illinois and an avid sportsman. As a young man, he managed to join the Princeton Club in 1902 with share No 32 but, as the demands of raising a young family continued to increase, he was forced to relinquish his membership in 1910 when the cost became too

Merville Lee (Merle) Brown (1904 – 1957) would have been somewhat typical of the Club’s membership. His father, Horace, was a successful attorney in Princeton. By the 1930’s, Merle, too, was a practicing attorney. He was single, living with his parents and working in a law firm, presumably his father’s. In 1930, he married Ann Thomas, and they had three children. By the 1940’s he had established his own practice in Princeton and, in 1941, ran for Justice of the Peace on the Republican ticket. He was actively involved in the daily activities of the Princeton Club and served as its Secretary/Treasurer from the 1930’s until his untimely death in 1957, at which time his share (No 28), as well as his rig of mallards and pintails, was purchased by a Mr. Vance.

Charles Walker and the Princeton Game and Fish Club.

For many years the actual identity of “Mr. Vance” has been unclear. At various times he has been referred to as “E.C.”, “R.C.”, or “C.R.” Vance, as well as “Ted” Vance” and “Cyrus” Vance. Like many of us, he may have preferred to be called by a nickname. Ultimately, it appears that our Princeton Club member is Mr. Clyde Raymond Vance (1908 – 1995). Clyde was born into a farming family in Iowa where, by 1930, he was working as a purchasing agent in a washing machine company. In 1936 he married Iowa born Kathryn Russell and he was working with his father at the “Vance Maytag Store” in Princeton. By 1950, he had become the manager in a retail and wholesale florist shop in Princeton. He was active in the rotary as well as the Princeton Game and Fish Club. Around 1977, his decoy rig was purchased by Joe Tonelli who sold some of the best examples to Alan Haid.

Charles Walker is widely acknowledged as producing some of the very finest decoys carved on the Illinois River. Practically all of his decoys were destined for his personal rig or were carved for members of the Princeton Game and Fish Club. Unfortunately, his lifetime production was quite limited, being estimated at no more than 300 decoys. His work is actively sought and is considered a cornerstone of any quality Illinois River collection.

*** Guyette and Deeter wish to thank Joe and Donna Tonelli for research assistance. ***

Merle Brown

“Ted” Vance

19

Charles Walker (1873-1954), Princeton, Illinois. Excellent rigmate pair of mallards. Hollow carved, round body style with fine comb feather paint detail on drake’s back, and small patch at hen’s wings. From the Jolley Rig but unmarked. Measure 17.25” long. Excellent original paint with very minor flaking and wear, mostly on hen; both with a thin coat of varnish; very minor blunting on tip of drake’s tail, otherwise both are excellent structurally.

Provenance:

Clifford Jolley rig. Joe Tonelli collection.

Bill Carr collection.

Alan and Elaine Haid collection. (40,000 - 60,000)

20 Charles Walker (1873-1954), Princeton, Illinois.

Mallard drake from the rig of Merle Brown. Hollow carved flat bottom style with relief wing carving. Number “28” painted on the underside for Merle Brown, Princeton Fish & Game Club member number 28, who sold his membership and decoys to Ted Vance. Measures 16.75” long. Original paint with moderate gunning wear under an early coat of varnish; very minor dents, otherwise excellent structurally.

Provenance:

Merle Brown rig. Ted Vance rig. Joe Tonelli collection.

Alan and Elaine Haid collection. (10,000 - 15,000)

Charles Henry Birch

1867 - 1956 | Willis Wharf, Virginia

Charles was born in North Beach, Maryland, on the western shore of Chesapeake Bay, to John E and Elizabeth (Smallwood) Birch. By 1870, the family had moved to the ocean side of the state, living in Berlin, MD where his father was employed as a laborer. The draw of the water must have been too strong for John and, by 1880, he moved his wife and eight children to Chincoteague, VA while he worked as an oysterman. Along the way, young Charles attended school through only the second grade, educating himself further by participating in the hard world of work. In 1891, at the age of twenty-four he married a young girl from Chincoteague, sixteen-year Jennie E Bloxom (see note 1). The young family remained in Chincoteague through at least 1900 while Charles found employment as an oysterman. By that date the couple had already had five children, but tragically, two of them had died young. They would ultimately have nine children, not all of which survived.

Moving to Willis Wharf by 1910, Charles continued to work as an oyster planter, selling most of his catch to Walker Brothers or Ballard Brothers Fish Co. From the 1920 census through the late 1940’s he had given up the oyster trade to become a self-employed carpenter, either working in home construction or doing “piece work”. From the 1930’s until his death, he and Jennie had daughters (first Naomi, then Louise and their husbands and or children) living with them. In the 1950 census they also had taken in a boarder, presumably to help with expenses.

His wife died in 1952 and Charles passed away four years later. They are buried in The Belle Haven Cemetery in Belle Haven, Virginia.

There is no written record that documents when Charles started making decoys for sale. Photos in Fleckensteins “Southern Decoys of Virginia and the Carolinas” depict him as a young man, perhaps in his late twenties to early thirties with a few geese, brant, and bluebills. Another photo depicts him with a bench or table containing about fifty black ducks. In the latter photo, he appears to be in his sixties or seventies. Fleckenstein states that he was selling his decoys for $25.00 pr dozen in the 1920’s when he would have been in his mid-fifties. Perhaps his assertion in the 1940 census saying that he was a “carpenter” doing “piecework” might hint at the fact that his decoy production was slowing down by that time. In addition to home construction and decoy carving, he is known to have made violins and, reportedly, a number of “fine work boats” and “at least one sporting yacht”.

Charles Birch

Walker Oyster House, Willis Wharf

His decoys are more closely related to those of New Jersey than those carved by his contemporaries in Virginia. All of Birch’s decoys demonstrate a very high level of craftsmanship and finish, but his eloquent swans, which he made in very limited numbers, were his lasting achievement.

Notes: 1. It appears that “Jennie” was actually Elizabeth Jane Bloxom but she preferred to use the name Jennie E.

21 Charles Birch (1867-1956), Willis Wharf, Virginia. Rare and outstanding working swan. Hollow carved with raised neck seat, inserted hardwood bill, and tack eyes. Measures 26” long, 18.5” to top of head. Dry, untouched original paint with fine crazing and moderate flaking and wear; significant flaking on one side of hardwood bill; minor separation at body seam; hairline cracks along the back; flaking and minor separation at knots in body; drying split along the underside; tight vertical cracks in upper neck.

Provenance:

A number of these swans were ordered from Birch by the Lipscomb family and used for widgeon hunting on the Choptank River. Purchased from Chris Lipscomb who remembered hitting the swans to break off icicles that formed on the bills.

Alan and Elaine Haid collection.

Literature:

“Decoys: North America’s One Hundred Greatest”, Loy S. Harrell Jr., page 166-167, exact decoy pictured. (100,000 - 150,000)

Nathan Cobb, Jr.

1825 - 1905 | Cobb Island, Virginia

22 Nathan Cobb, Jr. (1825-1905), Cobb Island, Virginia. Hollow carved swimming brant. Raised wingtip carving and slightly cocked head. “N” carved on the underside. Measures 21.5” long.

Original paint on much of the decoy, with a thin wash to black areas; moderate flaking and wear; hairline cracks in breast and along body; minor blunting and roughness on edge of tail.

Provenance:

Ken Gleason collection.

Alan and Elaine Haid collection.

Literature:

“Wings of Wonder” by Dr. S. Lloyd Newberry, page 235, exact decoy pictured.“Top of the Line Hunting Collectibles” by Donna Tonelli, page 99, exact decoy pictured.

“Decoys of the mid-Atlantic Region” by Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., page 218, exact decoy pictured. (60,000 - 90,000)

The story of Cobb Island and its decoys is legendary. Among the greatest of its many carvers was Nathan Cobb Jr. (1825 – 1905), son of Nathan Sr. (1797 – 1881) and grandson of Elkanah ( 1757 – 1837) – a family decoy dynasty. Their work has been included in every important decoy reference dating back to the groundbreaking writings of Joel Barber in 1934 and Eugene Connect in 1947.

Nathan recognized the necessity of quality decoys to supply the guides and individual gunners who visited his sporting resort and were responsible for a very significant portion of its income. Factory produced decoys were non-existent or, at best, in their infancy at the time and the remoteness of Cobb Island would have made them expensive and almost impossible to obtain. The number and ability of local carvers was also limited so Nathan did

what was necessary – he produced his own. Flotsam and jetsam from the ocean storms delivered the needed wood for the bodies and the sometimes-harsh local marine environment produced the deformed native vegetation which supplied the strong, animated, natural shapes needed for the heads and necks. His early attempts were undoubtedly solid but by 1880 he had perfected his craft and began production of his hollow decoys which were easier to transport and must have ridden the water better.

Brant were considered a very desirable species, both for sport and the table, until eel grass, their favored food, was decimated by a blight and the birds were forced to switch their diets – a survival necessity that, unfortunately, altered their appeal to the diner.

Harry V. Shourds

1861 - 1920 | Tuckerton, New Jersey

24 Harry V. Shourds (1861-1920), Tuckerton, New Jersey. Very rare red breasted merganser drake. Hollow carved with tack eyes and extended crest feathers. Inlet lead weight on the underside. From the ‘O’ rig with a small “O” stamped in the underside near weight. Measures 16.75” long. Original paint with minor wear; moderate flaking and wear on underside; filler loss and chipping above nail holes at body seam, with significant rust staining to surrounding wood; body seam was tightened at some point.

Provenance:

Alan and Elaine Haid collection.

Literature:

“Classic New Jersey Decoys”, James R Doherty, page 46, exact decoy pictured.

(50,000 - 80,000)

25 Harry V. Shourds (1861-1920), Tuckerton, New Jersey. Outstanding Hudsonian curlew. Mackey collection ink stamp on the underside. The decoy is identified with some of its history in green ink on underside. Measures 12.75” long. Original paint with very minor wear; a few tiny dents and shot strikes; an outstanding example.

Provenance: Ash Milner rig. William J. Mackey Jr collection. Alan and Elaine Haid collection.

Literature:

“Top of the Line Hunting Collectibles” by Donna Tonelli, page 62, exact decoy pictured. (25,000 - 35,000)

William Bowman

19th century | Lawrence, Long Island

William Bowman (19th century), Lawrence, Long Island, New York. Tucked head dowitcher in spring plumage with relief wing carving and raised wingtips. Measures 10.5” long. Original paint with minor wear protected under an early coat of varnish that has darkened slightly; moderate flaking from hardwood bill; tiny chip and roughness at tip of raised wingtips.

Provenance:

Bud Ward collection.

Alan and Elaine Haid collection.

Literature:

“The Decoys of Long Island”, an exhibit curated by Timothy R. Sieger, forward by Alan G. Haid, page 40, exact decoy pictured.

“Top of the Line Hunting Collectibles” by Donna Tonelli, page 76, exact decoy pictured.

(30,000 - 50,000)

27 William Bowman (19th century), Lawrence, Long Island, New York. Yellowlegs with relief wing carving and raised wingtips. Measures 12” long. Original paint with minor gunning wear; a few tiny dents and shot marks; some of the black spots on breast and lower sides were added after the varnish layer, but likely in the making; most of the bill is an early professional replacement.

Provenance:

Bud Ward collection.

Alan and Elaine Haid collection.

Literature:

“Top of the Line Hunting Collectibles” by Donna Tonelli, page 76, exact decoy pictured.

(15,000 - 25,000)

28 William Bowman (19th century), Lawrence, Long Island, New York. Hollow carved redhead with inlet neck seat and glass eyes. Measures 14.75” long. Original paint with moderate flaking and wear; small dents and a single shot strike, otherwise very good structurally.

Provenance: Alan and Elaine Haid collection.

Literature:

“Top of the Line Hunting Collectibles” by Donna Tonelli, page 76, exact decoy pictured. (10,000 - 20,000)

29 Obediah Verity (1813-1901), Seaford, Long Island, New York. Large curlew with deep relief wing carving and carved eyes. Measures 14.5” long. Original paint with moderate wear; surface has darkened with age; bill shows good age, but is likely an early replacement.

Provenance: Alan and Elaine Haid collection.

Literature:

“The Decoys of Long Island”, an exhibit curated by Timothy R. Sieger, forward by Alan G. Haid, page 32, exact decoy pictured.

“Top of the Line Hunting Collectibles” by Donna Tonelli, page 80, exact decoy pictured. (25,000 - 35,000)

Mason Decoy Factory

1896 - 1924 |

Detroit, Michigan

30 Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Exceedingly rare special order curlew. Modeled after curlews by William Bowman of Long Island, with deep relief wing carving and raised wingtips. Glass eyes and long iron bill.

Measures 16.5” long. Original paint with minor gunning wear; small dents and shot marks; some roughness on the top of raised wingtips; old chip at stick hole.

Provenance:

Henry Chitwood collection. Alan and Elaine Haid collection.

Literature:

“Mason Decoys: A Complete Pictorial Guide” by Russ J. Goldberger and Alan G. Haid, back cover and pages 106 and 118, exact decoy pictured.

“Top of the Line Hunting Collectibles” by Donna Tonelli, page 122, exact decoy pictured.

“Fish and Fowl Decoys of the Great Lakes” by Donna Tonelli, page 51, exact decoy pictured.

(30,000 - 50,000)

Example of a William Bowman curlew

Bowman-Type Long-Billed Curlew

“William Bowman, a classic shorebird maker, lived and carved in Lawrence, Long Island. His curlews, according to many decoy pundits, are the finest shorebirds in existence. It is no wonder that a hunter submitted one to Mason for duplication. The result was outstanding – a carved-wing, split-tail one-piece mason curlew. A very few were found – on Long Island, where else!”

“Mason Decoys: A Complete Pictorial Guide” by Russ J. Goldberger and Alan G. Haid, page 118.

Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Extremely rare wooden billed snipe. Two piece head and body with glass eyes and wooden bill. Measures 10.75” long. Strong original paint with very minor wear; small amount of flaking at neck seat; hairline crack in top of bill.

Provenance:

Alan and Elaine Haid collection.

Literature:

“Mason Decoys: A Complete Pictorial Guide” by Russ J. Goldberger and Alan G. Haid, back cover and page 110, exact decoy pictured.

“Top of the Line Hunting Collectibles” by Donna Tonelli, page 121, exact decoy pictured.

“Fish and Fowl Decoys of the Great Lakes” by Donna Tonelli, page 51, exact decoy pictured.

(30,000 - 50,000)

32

Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Very rare split tail ruddy turnstone with glass eyes and wooden bill. Mackey collection ink stamp on the underside. Measures 10.25” long. Original paint with minor to moderate flaking and wear; in factory filled defect on one side of body with some missing filler; hairline crack in breast; bill is a professional replacement with small amount of touch up on front of face.

Provenance:

William J. Mackey Jr collection. Alan and Elaine Haid collection.

Literature:

“Mason Decoys: A Complete Pictorial Guide” by Russ J. Goldberger and Alan G. Haid, page 111, similar example pictured.

“Top of the Line Hunting Collectibles” by Donna Tonelli, page 122, exact decoy pictured.

“Fish and Fowl Decoys of the Great Lakes” by Donna Tonelli, page 51, exact decoy pictured.

(4,000 - 6,000)

33 Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Very rare premier grade bufflehead drake. Hollow carved with relief bill carving and “Manning” branded on the underside. Measures 11.5” long. Original paint with minor wear; ring of touch up at neck seat; a thin coat of varnish was cleaned off; a few shot strikes in one side.

Provenance: Alan and Elaine Haid collection. (30,000 - 40,000)

George Stevens

1856 - 1905 | Weedsport, New York

34 George Stevens (1856-1905), Weedsport, New York. Extremely rare merganser hen. One of only two mergansers known and the only one retaining all its original paint. Measures 17.5” long. Original paint with minor crazing and gunning wear; some old nails added to secure a tight crack in the underside; very minor roughness on tip of bill; when the decoy was found it was missing its eyes and they were replaced by Ken Delong; a green felt was removed from the underside.

Provenance:

Found in a house on Cape Cod. Jim and Pat Doherty collection. Alan and Elaine Haid collection. (25,000 - 35,000)

Willie Eastman

1871 - 1956 | Harpswell, Maine

The town of Harpswell consists a series of peninsulas and islands that extend, fingerlike, into Casco Bay, Maine. It was, and remains, home to a number of small, scenic, unspoiled, working villages, each with its own identity, and most with their own harbor. It was a favored haunt of pioneer collector George Ross Starr in the 1950’s. His were the type of adventures that most collectors have never experienced and can only dream about. Decoys were seemingly to be had in almost every harbor, tucked away in boat houses, fish shacks, lofts or basements. Most were either retired or on the verge of being so as the newer, “modern” decoys were entering the scene. To the disgruntlement of the aging population that had made and used the old wooden “tollers”, laws were changing, and hunting was just not the same. Accordingly, their decoys had little value other than sentimental and were ripe for the picking. On the opening pages of his groundbreaking book, “Decoys of the Atlantic Flyway” Starr describes one such visit that brought him to the tiny hamlet of Cundy’s Harbor. The story is now very well known, and one that has become legendary in the decoy collecting community (see note 1) .

With only a few omissions, Willie’s simple life was well documented in his obituary. His father was a sea captain and built the home in which Willie was living at the time of Starr’s visit. He had probably lived there his entire life. In 1895, he married the local schoolteacher Julia F Thompson. They were both 24 years old and they raised three children before her death in 1936. Willie had already made the loon by the time of this first marriage due to his statement that he made the decoy in 1887 when he would have been 16 (see note 2) . This would seem to be quite a woodworking accomplishment for a young man of that age but, in typical coastal Maine fashion, you didn’t buy something if you could make it! The decoy could have been used until the passing of “The Migratory

Bird Act” in 1918 but this may or may not have been taken seriously by the locals. In Willie’s own words: “ Aya, those were the days! Shoot from ‘see to see’ the year round, and no one to tell you how many you could or couldn’t shoot - - - - “. When Willie remarried in 1939, he gifted the loon to his second wife and, presumably they shot over it together. She treasured it because: “ (It) - - - had been a symbol of the good things for her and Willie for many years ” but, she also stated: “ I don’t reckon I’ll be doing any more gunning (this year) ”.

Starr truly treasured the decoy, and it remained a focal point in his outstanding collection until the time of his death. He considered it a New England Classic, proclaiming: “ Certain decoys are such outstanding examples of the decoy maker’s art that they are the ‘classics’ of the decoy world against which all other birds should be judged ” and this loon is “ - - - one of the finest examples of decoy design and construction that I have ever seen ”. Likewise, author and senior collector Gene Kangas saw the decoy as: “ An integral part of American History ”. Alan and Elaine shared Doc’s love and enthusiasm for the bird and its history. Like Starr, they considered it a focal point of their collection. The decoy is truly iconic and rightfully deserves a place of prominence in a future collection, the magnitude of both Starr’s and the Haid’s.

Cundys Harbor

Notes:

1.This occurred either in 1953 as Starr remembers it or, since Willie said his age at the time of the meeting was 84, the date would have been 1955.

2.Again, the dates get muddied with time. In the 1968 Decoy Collectors Guide Starr states that the loon was made in 1884. If it was made when Willie was “about 20” as he stated, then it would have been made in 1891.

Exceedingly rare working loon. The best of two or three known examples. Hollow carved from the underside with an inlet bottom board. Inlet neck seat and tack eyes.

Dr. George Ross Starr collection ink stamp on underside. Measures 24” long. Original paint with moderate gunning wear under an early, fairly uneven coat of varnish; hairline cracks in breast and tail; crack through lower neck and in one side of upper neck; minor roughness on tip of bill.

Provenance:

Dr. George Ross Starr collection. Alan and Elaine Haid collection.

Literature:

“Decoys” by Gene and Linda Kangas, page 295, exact pair pictured.

(40,000 - 60,000)

35 Willie Eastman (1871-1956), Harpswell, Maine.

Augustus Aaron Wilson

(1864 - 1950) | South Portland, Maine

36 Augustus Aaron Wilson (1864-1950), South Portland, Maine. Preening black duck with relief wing carving and carved eyes. Head is turned with bill tucked into feathers. Inlet neck seat, head, and bill all carved from one piece of wood. Measures 16.25” long. Original paint with very minor wear; small chip at tip of tail; minor flaking and separation at neck seat; knots visible in breast and underside of tail typical of Wilson’s decoys.

Provenance:

George Combs collection.

Alan and Elaine Haid collection.

Literature:

“New England Decoys”, Shirley and John Delph, page 34, exact decoy.

“Decoys: A North American Survey” by Gene and Linda Kangas, page 101, exact decoy. “Top of the Line Hunting Collectibles” by Donna Tonelli, page 58, exact decoy pictured. (12,000 - 18,000)

37 Augustus Aaron Wilson (1864-1950), South Portland, Maine. Flying mallard drake in landing pose with applied outstretched feet and inlet wings with incised feather carving. Applied metal curly tail feather. Measures 23” long, 16” tall. Original paint with minor wear; drying cracks along sides; filler added to loss of wood on back where metal attachment point pulled out; feet with professional chip repairs; crack in one wing.

Provenance:

Alan and Elaine Haid collection.

(3,000 - 5,000)

38 Blair School, 1st quarter 20th century, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Hollow carved black duck with raised neck seat and subtle feather paint detail. Very similar to the work of John Blair, Sr. Measures 17” long. Original paint with minor to moderate wear under an early coat of varnish; short drying crack in the front of neck seat was filled with small amount of touchup in that area, otherwise excellent structurally.

Provenance:

Alan and Elaine Haid collection.

Literature:

“Top of the Line Hunting Collectibles” by Donna Tonelli, page 69, exact decoy pictured. (10,000 - 20,000)

39 Very rare full body copper weathervane of a rockfish or striped bass, 1st quarter 20th century. Measures 36” long. Remnants of gold guilding and verdigrised surface with patches of lead soldering visible on sides; dent approximately 5” x 3” at one side of behind dorsal fin.

Provenance:

Alan and Elaine Haid collection. (30,000 - 50,000)

40 Oscar Peterson (1887-1951), Cadillac, Michigan. Large two sided pike trade sign with relief gill and fin carving. Carved eyes, nostrils, and mouth detail. Maker’s metal strap around edge of tail. Measures 48” long. Original paint with moderate flaking and wear; tight crazing to varnish layer on one side and to paint surface on the other; the varnished side with areas that were missed; small spots of touchup to flaking; some gold overpaint has flaked off of bottom fin; very good structurally.

Provenance:

Ex-Gary L. Miller Collection.

Exhibited in the 1982 Michigan State University

Oscar Peterson Museum exhibit.

Exhibited in 1984 at the Addison Gallery of American Art in Andover, MA.

Alan and Elaine Haid collection.

Literature:

“Fish and Fowl Decoys of the Great Lakes” by Donna Tonelli, page 81, exact decoy pictured at bottom.

“Michigan’s Master Carver, Oscar W. Peterson,” Ron Fritz, page 84 exact decoy pictured. (40,000 - 60,000)

Antonio Nicolo Gasparo Jacobsen

1850 - 1914

41 Antonio Nicolo Gasparo Jacobsen (1850-1921), oil on canvas. Signed and dated 1870. Ship information reads “S.S Saint Albans., 3000 tons Capt G. Mundle”. Image measures 17.5” x 29”. As viewed under black light image has had proper conservation with some indication that cracklature, mostly in sky, has been conserved or inpainted; under a more recent coat of varnish.

Provenance: Alan and Elaine Haid collection. (7,000 - 10,000)

42 John Haley Bellamy (1836-1914), Kittery, Maine and Portsmouth, New Hampshire. “Don’t Give Up the Ship” eagle plaque with applied bannerette and deep relief feather carving. Measures 25.5” across. Original paint under an early coat of varnish; professional repair to each wingtip and to a small chip where one wing meets the head; small spots of touchup on back where nails were added to secure pieces together.

Provenance:

Alan and Elaine Haid collection. (10,000 - 15,000)

43 Mark McNair (b.1950), Craddockville, Virginia. Excellent whale weathervane with open mouth, carved eyes and tail that spins. Inserted copper wires mimicking blowhole spray. “McNair” carved in the underside. Custom McNair stand included. Measures 30.5” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance:

Alan and Elaine Haid collection. (4,000 - 6,000)

Charles Hart

1862 - 1960 |

Gloucester, Massachusetts

44 Charles Hart (1862-1960), Gloucester, Massachusetts. 10” tall penguin. Standing on wooden base with chamfered top edge and applied wooden feet. Small tack eyes. Original paint with minor flaking and rubs under a thin coat of varnish; area on back was never varnished and shows up differently under UV light.

Provenance:

Alan and Elaine Haid collection. (3,000 - 5,000)

Charles Hart (1862-1960), Gloucester, Massachusetts. 7.75” tall penguin, standing on wooden base with chamfered top edge and applied wooden feet. Signed by the maker on the underside with his address. Original paint with minor flaking under a thin coat of varnish; small dent in breast; minor blunting at tip of beak.

Provenance:

Alan and Elaine Haid collection. (3,000 - 4,000)

46 Charles Hart (1862-1960), Gloucester, Massachusetts. 7” tall adelia penguin. Standing on a thin wooden base. Signed by the maker on the underside with address. Original paint with minor wear; some flaking at tip of beak; thin wash to white areas may have been done in the making.

Provenance:

Alan and Elaine Haid collection. (3,000 - 4,000)

47 Charles Hart (1862-1960), Gloucester, Massachusetts. 7” tall penguin. Standing on wooden base with chamfered edges and applied wooden feet. Original paint with minor flaking and wear; slight separation at one applied wing.

Provenance:

Alan and Elaine Haid collection.

(2,500 - 3,500)

49 Charles Hart (1862-1960), Gloucester, Massachusetts. 6.5” tall penguin. On wooden base with chamfered edges and applied feet. Original paint with very minor wear; hairline crack along back; flat area of tail was chipped in the making and is original to the carving.

Provenance:

Alan and Elaine Haid collection.

(2,000 - 3,000)

50 Charles Hart (1862-1960), Gloucester, Massachusetts. Two penguin paperweights, with lead bases. Stand 3” and 3.5” tall. Original paint with minor wear; a few small spots of inpainting to white on taller penguin.

Provenance:

Alan and Elaine Haid collection.

(2,000 - 3,000)

51

52

Three snipe whistles. Smallest is marked “R. Woodman Mfr. Boston Mass”. Other is marked “R. Woodman Mfr. Boston Mass, Acme”. Third cone shape is marked “R. Woodman Mfr. Boston Mass”. All are in good condition.

Provenance:

Dr. James McCleery collection. Alan and Elaine Haid collection.

Literature:

“Top of the Line Hunting Collectibles” by Donna Tonelli, page 207 and 208, exact whistles pictured.

(800 - 1,200)

53

Two snipe whistles. One marked “Kirkwood Bros. Boston Mass” and “Eurka”. The other is marked “Eureka” and also has a monogram stamp. Both are in good condition.

Provenance:

Dr. James McCleery collection. Alan and Elaine Haid collection.

Literature:

“Top of the Line Hunting Collectibles” by Donna Tonelli, page 207 and 208, exact whistles pictured.

(500 - 800)

Three snipe whistles. One marked “G & J W. Hawksley 12”, two other calls one marked “Willard Mfg Co Melrose, Mass” and the other “R. Woodman Mfr Boston Mass”. All are in good condition.

Provenance:

Dr. James McCleery collection. Alan and Elaine Haid collection.

Literature:

“Top of the Line Hunting Collectibles” by Donna Tonelli, page 207 and 208, exact whistles pictured.

(500 - 800)

54 Jack Rider (1881-1967), Port Clinton, Ohio. Two miniature swan. One with relief and one with incised wing detail with crossed wingtips. One is signed and dated 1950. Measure 6.5” and 8” long. One with a neck crack repair; the other with a small paint flake on breast, otherwise both are very good and original.

Provenance:

Alan and Elaine Haid collection.

(400 - 600)

55 Alan Haid’s library. Consists of 16 complete binders of Decoy Magazine, 93 books, and numerous exhibition pamphlets. Excellent to good.

Provenance:

Alan and Elaine Haid collection.

(2,500 - 3,500)

A selection of lot 55

A. Elmer Crowell

1862 - 1952 | East Harwich, Massachusetts

57 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Outstanding miniature wood duck with raised wingtips and extended crest. Head is tucked with bill resting on breast. Multi color painted base with maker’s round ink stamp on the underside. Measures 4.75” long, stands 4.5” tall. A few very minor paint rubs, otherwise excellent and original.

Provenance: Dr. John Cunningham family collection. (7,000 - 10,000)

58 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Extremely rare pair of miniature flying greenwing teal. Made to hang from the ceiling with small metal hook eyes inserted in to back. Measure 5.25” long, with 6.5” wingspan. Each with a thin line of touch up along the back; 1” of drake’s left wingtip was professionally restored.

Provenance: Louis Boucher collection. (5,000 - 8,000)

59 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Extremely rare, early miniature goldeneye. Relief carved and crossed wingtips seen on the maker’s earliest work. Square base with campfered edges and paint detail on top. Measures 4.5” long. Original paint with some tight crazing on breast; excellent structurally.

Provenance: Louis Boucher collection. (3,000 - 5,000)

60 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Extremely rare miniature barrows goldeneye with split tail carving. Maker’s ink stamp on the underside. Measures 5” long. Near mint.

Provenance: Louis Boucher collection. (2,000 - 3,000)

61 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Outstanding early pair of miniature pintails. White painted underside are identified and signed by the maker. Measure 3.25” and 5” long. Both are near mint.

Provenance: Louis Boucher collection. (3,000 - 5,000)

62 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Early miniature wood duck with split tail carving and extended crest. White painted underside with Crowell’s signature. Measures 3.75” long. Excellent and original.

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

63 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Miniature surf scoter. Maker’s blue paper label on the underside. Measures 3.75” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Louis Boucher collection. (1,500 - 2,500)

64 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Miniature common merganser with split tail carving. Blue paper label on the underside. Measures 4” long. A few very minor paint rubs, otherwise excellent and original.

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

65 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Early miniature long tail duck. Maker’s blue paper label on the underside. Measures 3.75” long. Excellent and original.

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

66 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Miniature canvasback hen. Maker’s blue paper label on underside. Measures 4” long. Thin coat of varnish has darkened slightly with age; otherwise excellent and original.

Provenance: Louis Boucher collection. (1,200 - 1,800)

67 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Pair of miniature mallards on a single base. Hen in resting pose, with tucked head. Maker’s rectangle stamp and signature on the underside of base. Half of hen’s bill was professionally restored; otherwise excellent.

Provenance: Louis Boucher collection. (1,200 - 1,800)

68 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Miniature mallard on painted wood box. Signed by the maker on lid of box. Mallard measures 4.25” long. Box is 4.5” x 3”. Professional restoration to bill, otherwise very good and original.

Provenance: Louis Boucher collection. (800 - 1,200)

69 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Miniature bluebill. Floater style. Signed by the maker on the underside. Measures 4” long. Very minor discoloration near back of head, otherwise near mint. (800 - 1,200)

70 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Miniature mallard with slightly turned head. Maker’s rectangle stamp on underside. Measures 4.5” long. Two small spots of touchup on head and one side of neck; otherwise very good.

Provenance: Louis Boucher collection. (800 - 1,200)

71

72 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Miniature feeding canvasback. Maker’s ink stamp faintly visible on the underside. Measures 4.75” long. Minor flaking on one side near neck seat; otherwise excellent.

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Early miniature goldeneye hen. Maker’s ink stamp on the underside. Measures 3.75” long. Two lines of crazing on neck, otherwise excellent and original.

Provenance: Louis Boucher collection. (1,200 - 1,800)

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

73

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Miniature canvasback hen. Raised wingtips and nice paint detail. Maker’s round ink stamp on the underside. Measures 4” long. Bill was cracked and professionally reset with small amount of touchup. (1,000 - 1,400)

74 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Miniature bluewing teal. Unmarked underside. Measures 4” long. Surface has darkened slightly with age; minor flaking at one edge of base.

Provenance: Louis Boucher collection. (1,200 - 1,800)

75 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Excellent miniature running black duck. Raised wingtips and nice feather blending. Maker’s round ink stamp on the underside. Measures 5.75” long. Tiny paint flakes around bottom edge of base, otherwise excellent. (1,500 - 2,000)

76 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Miniature mallard. Maker’s rectangle stamp on the underside. Measures 5” long. Excellent and original. (800 - 1,200)

77 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Miniature widgeon. Maker’s rectangle stamp on the underside. Measures 4” long. Area of paint flaking on each side of base, otherwise excellent and original. (800 - 1,200)

79 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Miniature bufflehead. Maker’s rectangle stamp on the underside. Measures 2.75” long. Fine hairline crack in bill was reglued, otherwise excellent. (800 - 1,200)

78 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Miniature greenwing teal. With extended crest. Maker’s rectangle stamp on the underside. Measures 4” long. Minor rubs to paint on each side of base, otherwise excellent. (1,000 - 1,400)

80 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Miniature Canada goose, 2nd quarter 20th century. Maker’s rectangular stamp on underside. Measures 4” tall. Strong original paint; neck appears to have been broken and reset with inpainting in that area. (800 - 1,200)

Mark McNair

b. 1950 | Craddockville, Virginia

MARK MCNAIR, FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY AS A CARVER. 1974 to 2024

Written by Dixon Merkt

It’s now over five decades that Mark and I have had a strong relationship. Sometime in the mid-seventies I took Mark on his first duck hunt off the shores of Guilford, CT, where we both called home. We have been close friends ever since. If he didn’t lead the charge Mark, was certainly on the front lines of establishing what we now call “contemporary Carvings”. Early on, duck carvings were either made as utilitarian decoys or as “delicate” pieced together engineered carvings to be a “mirrored” image of a live bird. Where Marks decoys fit was a real concern to many early collectors. In fact, many were concerned they would have a negative impact on the collecting community, in that they would encourage misrepresentation if not downright fakes. The movement of the pendulum in Marks favor took time.

Born in 1950, Mark spent most of his early years along the shoreline of southeastern Connecticut. Mark may have been described as a hippie by some who knew him. He was interested in music; he sang and played the guitar. Mark enjoyed the outdoors, being close to nature and had a real interest in birds. He was artistic, with a brief enrollment at Rhode Island School of Design, his artistic talents grew. His first experiences were in sign making, restoration work and bird carving. At the same time, he developed a proclivity for American Folk Art. In the early seventies he bounced around enjoying his many interests, making contacts that brought him closer to the decoy world, and zeroing in on what was to become his lifelong passion.

The tipping point was 1974, this was the start of Mark McNair the carver. He became friends with Tim Eastland,

an artist, carver, collector, picker, and dealer with knowledge about the decoy world. He rented a room from Billie Voorhees, an artist and folk art enthusiast, whose family members had carved whales and geese that blew Mark away. A pair of mergansers sat on Billie’s mantle and reminded Mark of the African masks he was so impressed with. Though Mark and I lived only a few miles apart it took a show in Salisbury, MD to bring us together. We became friends and I became a McNair groupie.

The 1974 decoy show in Babylon, NY was pivotal. This was when Mark learned he made something that people wanted and wanted badly. Mark arrived at the parking lot with about eighteen decoys he had made over the last two years. In no time, even before Mark was able to get all the decoys out of the van, collectors were in attack mode to get their hands on Marks decoys. The comments went like this. “Who made these? I did! No you didn’t. These are fakes”. In no time they were all sold, and Mark had $345 in his pocket.

Mark grew up in a town rich in colonial architecture and deep in early American history. It was his desire to have his work reflect the same characteristics. In 1977, Mark fell in love with Martha Robertson, a native of Old Lyme, Ct. Full of energy and wanting the independence and freedom that can come with a rural life, they relocated to western Virginia before eventually moving to Craddockville, Va. They moved to an old farmhouse overlooking the bay in Craddockville in 1983. This is where they raised a family of three children and where Mark settled into a successful and happy life making works of art out of wood.

In the early days when most of his sales were made at shows, Mark sold decoys from liquor boxes in which the decoys were “stuffed” vertically. As if it were yesterday, I can see Mark walking across the parking lot with a liquor box under each arm, a smile on his face as he watched a wall of collectors descend on him. In less than thirty minutes they were all sold. Over time Mark built up a following and demand began to exceed production. Being a recipient of one of Marks birds was like winning the lottery. Making to-order was never Marks mode of operation. You took what you could get and were thrilled over your new acquisition.

Mark has always been deeply curious of how things are made. Over the years the looks of different schools of decoys appear in Marks work. There’s the Delaware River, Cobb Island, Down East Maine, and Stratford styles, to name a few. The curiosity of how the regional carvers created “their” look inspired Mark to incorporate these styles in his work while never losing the McNair signature.

There’s no question Mark is driven to improving his craft. It’s most evident in the evolution of his painting. Again, it goes back to his early days in Guilford when he was surrounded by antiquity and that mellow look that can only come about after a hundred years of natural weathering. To this day Mark is motivated to come closer to this elusive challenge.

Around 1980 I had a swordfish weathervane made by Reg Culver’s father on the roof of my barn. Mark was fascinated and influenced by it and sometime later he made me this swordfish weathervane. I have not only collected Marks shorebirds and decoys over the years but also his non-decoy carvings.

Wood is Mark’s lifeline. It has given him the perfect outlet in which to express his artistic skills. With a discerning eye and a passion for his work, Mark enters his sixth decade with a desire to stay at the top of his game.

To me Ogden Pleissner paintings lead the way in sporting art. Mark McNair is the Ogden Pleissner of contemporary decoys.

81 Mark McNair (b.1950), Craddockville, Virginia. Excellent swordfish weathervane with tail that spins in the wind. Relief gill and eye carving. Fins are inlet in to body. “McNair” carved on the underside Original McNair stand included. Stand is signed and dated 2012. Measures 32” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Dixon Merkt collection. (6,000 - 9,000)

Excellent hollow carved merganser with inlet neck seat. Relief wingtip carving and extended crest. Square wooden dowels attaching head to body. “McNair” carved in the underside. Measures 19.25” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Dixon Merkt collection. (2,500 - 3,500)

Hollow carved Canada goose with slightly turned head, relief wingtip carving, and excellent form. “MS McNair” carved in the underside. Measures 24” long. Original paint with very minor flaking and rubs; a few fine hairline drying cracks.

Provenance: Dixon Merkt collection. (2,500 - 3,500)

82 Mark McNair (b.1950), Craddockville, Virginia.

83 Mark McNair (b.1950), Craddockville, Virginia.

Preening mallard with raised wingtips and comb feather paint detail. Hollow carved with bill resting on back feathers. “MS McNair” carved on the underside. Measures 15.75” long. A few minor paint rubs and a hairline crack in breast and along back from when the decoy was made, otherwise excellent. (2,000 - 3,000)

Hollow carved gull with wooden keel and carved eyes. Bill is splined through to the back of head. Relief wing carving and raised wingtips. “McNair” carved in one side of keel. Dated 1995. Measures 18.75” long. Made to look older, excellent and original.

Provenance: James and Lyda Madden collection. (2,000 - 3,000)

84 Mark McNair (b.1950), Craddockville, Virginia.

85 Mark McNair (b.1950), Craddockville, Virginia.

86 Mark McNair (b.1950), Craddockville, Virginia. Excellent running yellowlegs with relief wing carving and raised wingtips. “McNair” carved in the underside. McNair stand included. Measures 15.5” long. Made to appear older with small paint flakes; excellent and original.

Provenance: Dixon Merkt collection. (1,500 - 2,500)

87 Mark McNair (b.1950), Craddockville, Virginia. Thinly hollowed golden plover with relief wing carving and inlayed bone escutchen at stick hole. “McNair” carved in the underside. McNair stand included. Measures 12” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Dixon Merkt collection. (1,200 - 1,800)

88 Mark McNair (b.1950), Craddockville, Virginia. Thinly hollowed running yellowlegs with removable dovetailed head, relief wing carving, and inlet bone escutcheon at stick hole. “McNair” carved on the underside. McNair stand included. Measures 13” long. Excellent and original. (1,500 - 2,000)

89 Mark McNair (b.1950), Craddockville, Virginia. Excellent miniature wood duck with slightly turned head and extended crest. Relief wingtip carving. “McNair” carved in the underside. Miniature is rigged and weighed with maker’s coffin style lead weight. Measures 4” long. Excellent and original. (1,500 - 2,500)

90 Mark McNair (b.1950), Craddockville, Virginia.

Outstanding miniature curlew with relief wing carving and raised wingtips. Tiny glass eyes and curved bone bill. “McNair” carved in the underside. Miniature McNair style stand included. Measures 4.5” long. Excellent and original. (1,500 - 2,500)

91 Mark McNair (b.1950), Craddockville, Virginia. Miniature yellowlegs with relief wing carving and raised wingtips. Miniature McNair style stand included. Measures 3.5” long. Excellent and original. (1,200 - 1,800)

William Gibian

b. 1946 | Onancock, Virginia

92 William Gibian (b.1946), Onancock, Virginia. Excellent pair of wood ducks with raised wingtips and relief wing and tail feather carving. “Gibian” carved on the underside of each, also with maker’s business card that is signed and dated 5/15. Hen measures 14.25” long, drake 18.25”. Fine hairline seam in hen’s neck and small amount of touchup on the underside edge of hen’s tail; otherwise excellent and original. (5,000 - 8,000)

93 William Gibian (b.1946), Onancock, Virginia. Pair of pintails with raised wingtips and comb feather paint detail on drake. Both are hollow carved with “Gibian” carved on the underside. Drake in preening pose. Measure 17” and 21” long. Hen is excellent and original; drake with minor sap bleed on breast and under tail area. (2,500 - 3,500)

94 William Gibian (b.1946), Onancock, Virginia. Full size standing wood duck. Hollow carved with relief wing and tail feather carving. Comb feather paint detail on sides. “Gibian” carved in underside of base. Measures 17” long, stands 12” tall. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Louis Boucher collection. (2,500 - 3,500)

96 William Gibian (b.1946), Onancock, Virginia. Hollow carved brant. “Gibian” carved in underside and maker’s business card attached. Slightly turned head with raised, crossed wingtips. Dated 7/08. 18” long. Excellent and original. (1,200 - 1,800)

95 William Gibian (b.1946), Onancock, Virginia. Hollow carved preening bufflehead. “Gibian” carved in the underside. Measures 11” long. Minor sap bleed on breast and under tail, otherwise excellent. (1,000 - 1,400)

The Gene and Linda Kangas collection

Remembering “The Art Professor Emeritus”

When Gene Kangas passed away in December, the decoy collecting community lost an elder. Professor Emeritus values and stories that frame the identity of their group or tribe. They also buffer the culture of their group against the “shock of the new” – those forces that evolve to compel all communities of humans to grow and change. The collective experience and wisdom of elders is always needed to help any group retain a vigorous and distinctive identity all its own.

To my mind, the important factors shaping Gene’s evolution into an elder center around the idea of “frames” and “framing.” In the dictionary, a ‘frame’ (as a noun) is defined as: “the underlying constructional system or structure that gives shape or strength – as to a building.” In a related usage, ‘frame’ (as a transitive verb) is cited as: “to construct by fitting and uniting the parts of the skeleton of (a structure).” I introduce these terms into this memorial because Gene and I both put great stock in our belief that the framing of a collection itself. In short, a collection without a frame is not a collection-it is simply an accumulation.

Always something of a scholar and a researcher, Gene (as a rookie collector in the late 1960s) immediately began to study the many collecting “frames” created by the most-admired ‘first generation’ of collectors in the decoy world. He sought out the “ancient ones” and sat by their side as they spun yarns and recounted their most vivid memories of decoy hunting in “the old days.” He also buried himself in Joel Barber’s book. From the elderly Adele Ernest, he learned to seek out the artistic and poetic self-expression to be experienced when confronting a truly great decoy as a work of folk sculpture. From an aging Bill Mackey, he came to appreciate the stylistic nuances and differing craft histories that render the decoys from one region of the country distinct from all others. And, of course, from the writings of the venerated Joel Barber, he came to recognize – and to esteem – the structural and mechanical principles that form the basic “architecture” of all working decoys.

No one becomes an elder overnight. From the esteemed Maine collector, John Dinan, Kangas got an introduction to Fred Anderson-a rather obscure source who fleshed out the Gus Wilson story for Gene during an interview now preserved on tape. As a boy, Anderson had spent hours with Wilson and provided Gene with a narrative that directly linked Wilson to the important early modernist sculpture, Robert Laurent. Following these clues, Gene definitively connected Gus Wilson to the pair of life-size tigers long cited as “anonymously made works” in encyclopedic collection of the Brooklyn Museum of Art. Who would have thought?

The list goes on. Gene did his homework and hunted down a host of such early framers as George Thompson, Don Snyder, Phyllis Ellison, Somers Headley, Bud Ward, John Hillman and Ron Swanson. He asked lots of questions, listened to what everyone had to say and, then, methodically processed and synthesized the information and insights he had gleaned from every encounter. All the while, he and Linda refined and expanded the frame that defined their own increasingly unique, powerful and interesting collection.

Two important factors consistently fired Gene’s curiosity and diligence. First, as a trained artist, he loved challenges that stimulated his imagination and tested his problem-solving skills. Researching for his books and articles, he endlessly pestered librarians and hall

of records employees for clues that would help him locate relatives and descendants of the carvers he most admired. Secondly, as a highly-decorated track star all throughout high school and college, Gene always valued fitness and recognized the value of discipline. These attributes framed his own competitive dive into decoy collecting and sustained his ambition to write and publish on decoys for over four decades.

Gene and I first met in 1967 when we were both part of a sculpture workshop convened at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky. Because I was charged with supervising the entire month-long workshop, I can personally assure you that Gene Kangas was a handful. Hardcore jocks who become artists always are.

Today, I suspect that many in the decoy world have their own Kangas stories to tell. I, myself, already miss the phone calls. Who else other than Gene would (after an extended telephone discussion about “root head” decoys) ship you a chunk of a small, forked tree branch overnight – with a note attached challenging you to “carve one yourself!”

By their nature, elders are almost always teachers. Gene taught because he truly cared about the decoy world and believed he had earned the right to speak out. He regularly decried the “mint in the box” premium that has steadily evolved to drive up collector esteem for specific decoys offered at auction. He did this because the founding elders had taught him more complex and discerning ways of framing and valuing original and complex works of art. Gene passed away quite

convinced that the magic of a great decoy has little to do with perfect (or fussy) original paint. Holding up his early, rough, overpainted Long Island red-throated loon decoy for my inspection one afternoon, he made his point.

For almost 50 years, Gene Kangas labored to enlarge the framework supporting waterfowl decoy study and appreciation. Researching and documenting dozens of unknown and underappreciated carvers, he solidly enriched the body of biographical and historical information available to all future decoy enthusiasts framing their own collecting activities. Recognizing and appreciating elders like “the art professor emeritus,” the decoy tribe can certainly claim to have a unique past… as well as good prospects for a bright and vital future.

-

Michael D. Hall

As published in the January/ February issue of Decoy Magazine, Joe Engers, editor.

The Ward Brothers

Crisfield, Maryland

97 Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Early fat jaw model goldeneye with head tucked and turned 45 degrees. Wide tail and slight relief wingtip carving. Measures 16” long. Mostly original paint with moderate to significant wear; appears to have had a very early second coat of white that is mostly worn to the original surface; hairline cracks along the back and breast; minor roughness on tip of bill; small chip in top of head.

Provenance: Gene and Linda Kangas collection.

Literature: “Decoys” by Gene and Linda Kangas, pages 171 and 191, exact decoy pictured. “The Ward Brothers’ Decoys” by Ronald J. Gard and Brian J. McGrath, page 32, exact decoy pictured.

(25,000 - 35,000)

98 Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Pair of knot head style canvasbacks with deep ice grooves carved behind neck seat. Thick stipple paint on bodies. Measure 16” and 16.75” long. Original paint with moderate flaking and wear; drying cracks in lower sides; old filled crack along one side of drake’s head and bill; chip in one side of hen’s neck was reattached with an old staple long ago; separation and roughness at neck seats; hen with an early chip in one side of bill; eyes have been replaced.

Provenance: Gene and Linda Kangas collection. (12,000 - 18,000)

1838 - 1888 | Deer Island, Maine

Eben Weed Eaton

99 Eben Weed Eaton (1838-1888), Deer Island, Maine. Sculptural eider with long inlet neck seat and relief bill carving. “E” painted on the underside of tail. Measures 17” long. Original paint with moderate to significant flaking and wear; drying cracks in back and underside; neck seat has opened somewhat with old filler along one side; some roughness at front edges of neck seat.

Provenance: Gene and Linda Kangas collection. (30,000 - 50,000)

Augustus “Gus” Wilson

1864 - 1950 | South Portland, Maine

100 Augustus “Gus” Wilson (1864-1950), South Portland, Maine. Very rare great blue heron with relief wing carving, carved eyes, and extended head feathers. Measures 33” long, stands 29.5” tall including base. Original paint has worn to mostly bare wood; drying cracks along the body; minor roughness on edge of tail; drying split along the underside was filled at one point, with most of the filler missing; separation at seam where neck and breast are applied to the body; the original bill was reset with small amount of filler and touch up where bill meets the face.

Provenance: Gene and Linda Kangas collection. (30,000 - 50,000)

101 Augustus “Gus” Wilson (1864-1950), South Portland, Maine. Rare preening surf scoter with inlet neck seat and relief wing carving. Measures 17” long. Mix of original and very early in use repaint; shows minor gunning wear; filled cracks in neck seat and one side of neck.

Provenance: Harrison Huster collection. Gene and Linda Kangas collection.

Literature: “Decoys” by Gene and Linda Kangas, pages 166 and 246, exact decoy pictured. (15,000 - 25,000)

102

Augustus “Gus” Wilson (1864-1950), South Portland, Maine. Excellent long tailed duck with relief wing carving and inlet neck seat. ‘Q’ branded on the underside for the Quandy collection. A rare species for this maker. Measures 11.5” long. Original paint with very minor wear under an early coat of varnish that has darkened slightly; small chip and minor roughness at tip of tail; professional repair to a chip in tip of bill and back of neck seat.

Provenance: Gene and Linda Kangas collection.

Literature: “Decoys” by Gene and Linda Kangas, page 216, exact pair pictured. “New England Decoys” by Shirley and John Delph, page 36, exact decoy pictured. (8,000 - 12,000)

103 Augustus “Gus” Wilson (1864-1950), South Portland, Maine. Extremely rare mallard drake with applied, raised wings. Carved eyes and inlet neck seat. Measures 18.5” long. Original paint with very minor wear; small chip and minor roughness at tip of one wing and edge of tail; very fine hairline crack through neck was tightly reset; some separation where one wing was attached to body.

Provenance: Charlie Hunter, III collection. Gene and Linda Kangas collection. (10,000 - 15,000)

104 Augustus “Gus” Wilson (1864-1950), South Portland, Maine. Early style flying black duck, with applied curved wings and wooden feet. “BD19” stamped on underside of tail. Measures 23.25” long, with a 26.5” wingspan. Bill and lower part of head was cracked off and professionally reset, with a small amount of touchup; old chip in tip of one wingtip.

Provenance: Gene and Linda Kangas collection. (4,000 - 6,000)

105 Augustus “Gus” Wilson (1864-1950), South Portland, Maine. Early style eider hen with relief wing carving and reared back head. Carved eyes and large inlet neck seat. Measures 17.25” long. In use repaint with moderate gunning wear; hit by shot; minor roughness on edge of tail; professional bill chip and neck crack repair; drying split on the underside.

Provenance: Gene and Linda Kangas collection.

(2,500 - 3,500)

106 Augustus “Gus” Wilson (1864-1950), South Portland, Maine. Black duck with an exaggerated, turned and cocked head as if the duck were looking in to the sky. Slight relief wing carving. Carved eyes. Measures 19” long. Strong original paint with tight drying cracks in neck; neck has remarkable remained stable; four holes drilled in underside; one dent at one wing; a couple tiny rubs.

Provenance: Gene and Linda Kangas collection. (6,000 - 8,000)

A. Elmer Crowell

1862 - 1952 | East Harwich, Massachusetts

JOHN WARE WILLARD | 1859 - 1914 | BOSTON, MA

Like many of Elmer Crowell’s early customers, John Willard was born into wealth in Boston and, as a young man, was accustomed to having the household attended to by up to four servants in their home. His father, Zabdiel, was a successful entrepreneur, following in the family watch and clock making traditions. He was also very inventive, developing a number of tools and processes for extracting gold and silver in the west. John attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology around 1880 where he studied Minerology. After MIT, he opened his own office in Boston as an “assayer”. He then worked for his father in California through the late 1890’s. In 1892 he traveled to Europe and, on his passport, listed his occupation as “gentleman”, a commonly used parlance of the time meaning unemployed and wealthy. He never married and, returning to Boston by 1898, refers to himself as, variously, “chemist”, “mining expert” or having his “own income”. Ultimately, he retired to his parent’s home in the affluent Boston suburb of Brookline where he penned his “Simon Willard and His Clocks”, still considered the authoritative text on the history of the famous watch and clock making family. He had dealt with poor health since childhood and died young due to chronic heart problems.

There are a number of Elmer Crowell decoys that bear his well known “JWW” brand. These were used at Orleans on the outer arm of Cape Cod. The two gentlemen in the well-publicized photo of Ware are Stanley W Smith (1869 - ____), an

investment banker from Boston, and a gentleman who is believed to be Joseph Bertam Taylor (1858 – 1947). Taylor was born in Orleans to a successful mariner and farming family. He married his first wife in Orleans but, by 1900, he had moved to the Boston suburb of Waltham, a short distance from Smith’s family home in Brookline, where he established a successful hardware and machinery business. How the three men became acquainted is unknown but, presumably they met through their business interests in the Boston area. The photo is believed to have been taken at the Taylor family property in Orleans. Smith and his wife would, ultimately, retire to Orleans as did Taylor.

The friendship and hunting trips made by the three men was typical for many of the wealthy Boston sportsmen of their day. Good hunting had long since disappeared near their homes due to the rapidly developing suburban sprawl of the growing Metropolitan area. They had the time and the means to travel to the Cape and other destinations, where good waterfowling could still be enjoyed. They could also afford the finest of hunting gear, including decoys by Elmer Crowell.

108 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Early hollow carved goldeneye with slightly turned head and raised, crossed wingtips. Relief wing and tail feather carving. Branded “J.W.W.” for the rig of John Ware Willard. Mackey collection ink stamp on the underside. Measures 15” long. Original paint with minor to moderate gunning wear; area of inpainting to flaking on back and one side of head; minor flaking at bottom board seam.

Provenance: Rig of John Ware Willard. William J. Mackey Jr collection. Gene and Linda Kangas collection.

Literature: “Massachusetts Masters” an exhibition curated by John Clayton, page 82, exact decoy pictured. (25,000 - 35,000)

John Ware Willard

New York

109 Chief Eugene Cuffee (1861-1941), East Hampton, New York. Rare rigmate pair of wood ducks with relief wing and extended crest carving. “W.D. Halsey”. Measures 13.75” and 14.5” long. Original paint with minor flaking and wear under an early coat of varnish; flaking to filler above nail holes on top of head; some flaking to filler on one side of drake’s neck seat; minor blunting and two cracks in hen’s bill.

Provenance: Gene and Linda Kangas collection. (6,000 - 9,000)

110 Harold Thengs (1893-1974), Babylon, New York. Pair of high-head mergansers with extended crests and wooden keels. Maker’s ink stamp on the undersides. Measure 18” and 19.25” long. Original paint with minor flaking and wear; some roughness on edge of tails; chipping to crest feathers; tight cracks in each neck; areas of in use touch up.

Provenance: Gene and Linda Kangas collection. (2,500 - 3,500)

111 Harold Thengs (1893-1974), Babylon, New York. Pair of long-tailed ducks. Drake with inserted hardwood tail, both with wooden keels. One of three pairs known. Maker’s ink stamp on the underside. Measure 13.25” and 18.5” long. Original paint with moderate flaking and wear; paint crazing over much of the birds; second coat of white on drake’s wing patches and around eyes, possibly done in the making; tight crack and minor chipping to filler where tail meets body of drake.

Provenance: Gene and Linda Kangas collection.

Literature: “Decoys” by Gene and Linda Kangas, page 216, exact pair pictured. (2,500 - 3,500)

112 Harold Thengs (1893-1974), Babylon, New York. Rare hollow carved gull with raised wingtips and wooden keel. This is the only known example. Maker’s ink stamp on the underside. Measures 18.25” long. Original paint with minor to moderate gunning wear; tight crack in neck; old chip at the tip of one raised wingtip.

Provenance: Gene and Linda Kangas collection.

Literature: “Decoys” by Gene and Linda Kangas, pages 171 and 253, exact decoy pictured. (1,500 - 2,500)

George William McLellan

1897 - 1987 | Eureka, California

Original watercolor by Chet Reneson pictured in “Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast” by Michael Miller and Frederick Hanson.

113 George William McLellan (1897-1987), Eureka, California.

Mechanical flying brant decoy, 2nd quarter 20th century. Part of a small rig of brant McLellan made for hunting Humbult Bay. Several of the birds in this rig have mechanical or moveable wings that could be manipulated from a blind. This bird is in a flying position with wings made of canvas over wood. It includes its original stand. One of only a few known decoys by this important Pacific Coast maker. Measures 24” in length, with a 40” wingspan. Original paint with what appears to be some cleaning of a white wash to the white area of the tail, which is only visible under UV light.

Provenance: Gene and Linda Kangas collection.

Literature: “Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast” by Michael R. Miller and Frederick W. Hanson, page 120, exact decoy pictured. (20,000 - 30,000)

114 Captain Thorvald Kristian August Olsen, Eureka, California. Rare hollow carved brant with deep relief wing carving and dovetailed neck seat. Hardwood bill is doweled through back of head. Measures 17.5” long. Mix of worn original paint and very early in use repaint; loss to filler above nail holes at lower body seam; old chip and roughness on one edge of tail; many long dents in back appear to be oar strikes, possibly to break off ice; hardwood bill is an early professional replacement with some restoration where it meets the face.

Provenance: Gene and Linda Kangas collection. (4,000 - 6,000)

115 Marshall Aubrey Kent, Victoria, British Columbia, circa 1920. Pair of mallards. Each is hollow with bottom board. Both display a high ridge line running down the back and both have heavy well done comb painting. Drake measures 18.5” long. Original paint; hen has some light rubs from in use wear; a couple of small chips missing at tail; drake has flaking to primer and bare wood mostly around head; small chipped areas at tail; a few shot scars.

Provenance: Gene and Linda Kangas collection. (5,000 - 8,000)

116 Marshall Aubrey Kent, Victoria, British Columbia, circa 1920. Mallard hen feeder. Hollow with bottom board. Fine scratch paint decoration. Original paint with rough area and small chip at tail; a couple of small shot scars; working white wash on underside of decoy that extends up under the tail. Measures 17.5” long.

Provenance: Gene and Linda Kangas collection. (2,000 - 4,000)

117 John Ramsay (1858-1934), Summerside, Prince Edward Island. Rare one of two known hollow full body and slightly oversize working gull decoys by Ramsay. Two piece body. Tack eyes with a split dropped tail and carved crossed wingtips. Kangas brand in the underside. Stands 27” on base. Old crazed paint has discolored in some areas; a coat of gray has been removed with traces remaining in the crazed areas; several tight body cracks and one reattached piece at base of neck.

Provenance: Gene and Linda Kangas collection.

Literature: “Decoys” by Gene and Linda Kangas, page 254, exact pair pictured. (8,000 - 12,000)

118 Unknown maker, Prince Edward Island, 1st or 2nd quarter 20th century. A field brant. Branded “Kangas” on underside, also stamped “BT4”. Raised and carved, crossed wingtips. Head that is extended back and to one side of the body. Stands 14” on base. Brown paint on back appears to be original; black areas and white are an old working second coat; split in underside has been filled; some shot scars and imperfections mostly visible in top of decoy.

Provenance: Gene and Linda Kangas collection.

Literature: “Decoys: A North American Survey” by Gene and Linda Kangas, page 123 exact decoy pictured. (2,000 - 3,000)

119 Art Holland. Feeding Canada goose field decoy. “AH” carved on underside of tail. Measures 33” long. In use repaint with moderate wear; many small dents and shot marks; old metal repair to a crack in neck; drying split along the underside.

Provenance: Gene and Linda Kangas collection. (1,500 - 2,500)

120 Unknown maker, Prince Edward Island, 1st half 20th century. Canada goose with carved crossed wingtips. A large “C” brand in underside and holes drilled for field rigging. Dramatic breast preening pose. 23” long. In old paint that is mostly original with exception of black at head and white cheek patch; rough areas around tail and a few gouges and rubs on body.

Provenance: Gene and Linda Kangas collection. (2,000 - 2,500)

121 Harold Nolan, Cache Bay, Lake Nippissing, Ontario. Extremely rare goldeneye drake with exaggerated crest and wide tail. The only known example. Scratch feather paint detail. Measures 13.5” long. Original paint with minor flaking and wear; lightly hit by shot; minor chipping and roughness on edge of crest and tail; fine hairline crack in bill was tightened.

Provenance: Gene and Linda Kangas collection. (3,000 - 5,000)

122 Harold Nolan, Cache Bay, Lake Nippissing, Ontario. Rare merganser hen with slightly raised and reared back head pose. One of two examples known. Scratch feather paint detail on back and tail. Measures 12” long. Original paint with very minor flaking and wear; very good structurally.

Provenance: Gene and Linda Kangas collection. (600 - 900)

123 George May. Extremely rare working harlequin duck with upswept tail and wide neck seat. Incised carving around each color of paint pattern, typical of the maker. Measures 16.25” long. Original paint with moderate wear; thin second coat on the white areas is mostly removed; small bill chip repair on top of bill; some restoration to cracks or chips on sides of neck seat; minor roughness along lower sides of body and one side of tail; old tail chip repair.

Provenance: Gene and Linda Kangas collection. (5,000 - 8,000)

124 Orran Hiltz (1901-1978), Indian Point, Nova Scotia. Merganser drake with relief carved wings and slightly flipped tail. Carved wooden crest. Crest and head was carved from one piece. Similar to that of the Bachman mergansers. Appealing draw mark texture. “Kangas” brand in underside with “MR18” stamped in underside as well. Measures 20.5” long. Old paint, most of which is a second coat; 3/4 of bill is a professional replacement; chip reglued at base of neck seat.

Provenance: Gene and Linda Kangas collection.

Literature: “Decoys: A North American Survey” by Gene and Linda Kangas, page 116, exact decoy pictured.

(800 - 1,200)

125 Orran Hiltz (1901-1978), Indian Point, Nova Scotia. Early merganser hen with deep relief wing carving. Pinched breast and exaggerated crest feathers. “Kangas” branded on the underside. Measures 18.25” long. Second coat of paint by the maker with minor gunning wear; neck crack repair when the bird was repainted; old chip in one side of tail was smoothed down.

Provenance: Gene and Linda Kangas collection. (500 - 800)

124 125

Captain Charles Edwin Bachman

1872 - 1914 | Lunenburg, Nova Scotia

In the 19th century, the economy of the Lunenburg area of Nova Scotia was centered around farming the rocky land and harvesting the sea. Born to Caleb and Emma Backman, young Charles (although he would most often go by Edwin) initially followed in his father’s agricultural footsteps. By age 18, he had no listed occupation but, since he was living with his father and mother, we can fairly assume that he worked on the family farm. The Backman’s were a large clan and, of the 29 Backman families in the Silvers Point section in 1896, nineteen were listed as fisherman, eight as farmers, and one each of seaman and carpenter. In that year, Edwin is listed as a “b (bee?) keeper”. The lure of the sea, however, was soon to draw him away from the farm. By 1901, he had married his wife Annie Sarah (Corkum) and they had an infant son. Edwin now supported the family as a “fisherman”, most likely cod fishing off the Grand Banks. He rapidly gained in nautical knowledge and, by 1903, he was master of the schooner Gardenia. In 1907, he found the time to join the Unity 4 (Lunenburg) Lodge of Masons. In 1908 he was master of the schooner Watauga and, by 1911, he had earned the title of “Fishing Captain -Schooner”. In 1912 he assumed the fateful helm of the schooner W. Cortada. The new vessel was 117 feet in length with a gross tonnage of 148 tons. Built by the Smith and Rhuland Shipyard, she carried freight to the West Indies and Puerto Rico. Edwin had made the trip a

number of times, occasionally in as few as 13 days. On January 11, 1915, the W Cortada sailed from Lunenburg with a cargo of dried and pickled fish and lumber. Both she and her entire crew of 7 were never seen or heard from again. The ship’s owners, Zwicker and Company Ltd., believe she was wrecked in the bad easterly gale of Jan. 18th, 1915. The loss was reported in newspapers as far south as Virginia. Edwin is listed as lost at sea.

The mergansers of Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia, particularly the few crafted by Backman, are, without a doubt, some of the most stylish and racy examples of their kind from any of the Maritime Provinces. The heads, with their distinctive bill treatment and extended crest mounted atop a sleek, flowing body are instantly identifiable and make them the most desirable of the region’s many fine decoys. The Captain is also credited with carving a limited number of goldeneyes which equal the mergansers in their artistic merit. To add to their appeal, Backman’s decoys were beautifully painted in a manner which clearly reflects their Germanic, folk heritage. Small rigs of mergansers were the norm and most, if not all, of the region’s carvers produced rigs solely for their own use. As a result, surviving examples of these outstanding decoys are extremely rare. Only a mere handful of Backman decoys are known to have survived and fine examples very rarely appear for sale.

126 Captain Edwin Bachman (1872-1914), Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. Red breasted merganser. Carved eyes and exaggerated wooden crest. Head and crest are carved from a single piece of wood. The crest is not inserted into the head. Tail is concave from the underside. Excellent original paint with good patina and minor wear; the lower end of the crest is missing; very slight roughness to top edge of crest; three short cracks were tightened at underside of the tip of the bill, with paint touch up there; top of the crest was cracked off and professionally reattached with a thin strip of paint touch up at the crack.

Provenance: Purchased from Bob Getson, Petite Riviere, Nova Scotia around 1980. Bob purchased it out of a house in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia and hid it under his living room sofa for over 2 months in the winter of 1979 waiting for the Guyette’s to come up and acquire it. Gary and Dale Guyette collection. Private Connecticut collection.

Literature: “Decoys of Maritime Canada,” Dale and Gary Guyette, front cover and p. 69, exact decoy pictured. Literature: “Decoys: A North American Survey” by Gene and Linda Kangas, page 116, exact decoy pictured. (100,000 - 150,000)

John Ramsay

1858 - 1934 | Summerside, Prince Edward Island

127 John Ramsay (1858-1934), Summerside, Prince Edward Island. Excellent breast preening brant carved from a single piece of wood. Tack eyes and iron legs made for use as a stick up decoy. Measures 18.5” long, stands 19.25” tall including base. Original paint with moderate wear; tight drying cracks in body, with one larger split along one lower side; minor roughness on edge of tail.

Provenance: Gary and Dale Guyette collection. Private Texas collection.

Literature: “Decoys of Maritime Canada,” Dale and Gary Guyette, front cover and pages 105 and 115, exact decoy pictured. (25,000 - 35,000)

The Cobb Family

Cobb Island, Virginia

About 1835 Nathan Cobb, Sr., and his family left Cape Cod, Massachusetts, to find a warmer climate for his ailing wife. Sailing south along t he Atlantic coast, the Cobbs reached the town of Oyster on Virginia’s Eastern Shore and settled there, opening a general store. As a seafarer and shipbuilder, Nathan Cobb was drawn to the barrier islands along the oceanfront, and in time he purchased one, then known as Sand Shoal, to serve as a base for his business of salvaging ships driven onto the shoals by storms. The strong winds and tides of the area not only benefited his salvage business, but also caused his island to grow in size from the deposition of sand from offshore.

The island, now known as Cobb Island, attracted large numbers of migrating and wintering waterfowl and shorebirds, and the elder Cobb and his sons, Nathan, J. Warren and Albert became market hunters, shipping their game to cities along the coast. As the fame of Cobb’s Island hunting spread, sportsmen hired the Cobb’s as guides and by the 1870s a hotel and several cabins had been built to accommodate the hunters and their families who came in the summer to enjoy the sea breezes and ocean bathing.

The relentless winds and tides still ruled the island, and beginning in 1893, a succession of disastrous storms overran Cobb’s Island taking the land, the buildings and finally the life of George Cobb, the last of the family rema ining on the island.

Among the few things remaining from this period of Cobb’s Island history are some remarkable hunting decoys – geese, brant, ducks and shorebirds that were carried or perhaps drifted to the mainland after the storms. Using spars and lumber salvaged from wrecked ships, the Cobbs had fashioned sturdy, lifelike decoys.

Many of their brant and goose decoys had heads and necks in graceful feeding or swimming poses, carved from naturally curved tree roots or branches found washed up on the island beaches. These decoys are highly prized by collectors.

On October 2, 1998, The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art presented a landmark exhibit of Cobb’s Island decoys, artifacts and other items relating to this fascinating period of Cobb’s Island history.

From the desk of Sam Dyke, eventually published in the Ward Museum magazine.

1825 - 1905 | Cobb Island, Virginia

Nathan Cobb, Jr.

128 Nathan Cobb, Jr. (1825-1905), Cobb Island, Virginia. Rare hollow carved redhead with carved eyes, raised wingtips, and inlet neck seat. “N” carved on the underside. Mackey collection ink stamp and William Purnell collection brand on the underside. Measures 12.25” long. Original paint with moderate flaking and wear; a very early thin wash to the black areas and head; the black on head mostly worn down to the original red paint; tight crack along one lower side was tightened long ago with two small nails; some touch up along neck seat.

Provenance: William J. Mackey collection. William Purnell collection. Private Virginia collection.

Literature: “Wings of Wonder” by Dr. S. Lloyd Newberry, page 242, exact decoy pictured. (25,000 - 35,000)

Albert Cobb

1836 - 1890 | Cobb Island, Virginia

129 Albert Cobb (1836-1890), Cobb Island, Virginia. Hollow carved bluebill with raised, down sloping neck seat and carved eyes. Measures 13” long. Early in use repaint with moderate wear; back area down to mostly bare wood; tight crack in one side of neck; 1/2 the bill is a professional replacement.

Literature: “Wings of Wonder” by Dr. S. Lloyd Newberry, page 257, exact decoy pictured. (6,000 - 9,000)

130 Eli Doughty (1846-1923), Hog Island, Virginia. Running curlew with relief wingtip carving. Very plump body style. “P” branded on the underside for the collection of William Purnell. Measures 14.25” long. Old overpaint has flaked to much of the original surface; lightly hit by shot; hairline drying crack in underside; bill is a professional replacement by Cameron McIntyre.

Literature: “Wings of Wonder” by Dr. S. Lloyd Newberry, page 182, exact decoy pictured. (9,000 - 12,000)

Hog Island, Virginia

“Known as the ‘gentle sport.’

Shorebird shooting was popular in the late 1800’s because it could be pursued in a leisurely fashion during the mild weather of spring and early fall”. Along with the usual seaside pastimes, resorts such as Cobb Island advertised shorebird hunting with guides and decoys provided. By observing the feeding and resting habits of the birds, the guide would select a favored spot, prepare a simple pit or brush blind and await the arrival of his quarry as the changing tides moved the birds from one area to another. Shorebirds, or beach birds as they were often called, decoyed readily, especially when whistled by a skilled bayman or sportsman with a snipe call.”

- Sam Dyke

131 Nathan Cobb, Jr. (1825-1905), Cobb Island, Virginia. Two piece body curlew with deeply carved eyes. Split tail. “N” carved in underside near stick hole. Mackey collection stamp on underside. Measures 13” long. Thin old paint on body appears to be original; some strengthening around head and neck; numerous shot scars; bill is a professional replacement by Cameron McIntyre.

Provenance: Guyette & Schmidt, Inc. April 1998 auction. James and Lyda Madden collection. (15,000 - 20,000)

132 Robert Andrews (19th century), Smith Island, Virginia. Running robin snipe with carved eyes and relief wingtip carving. Hardwood bill is splined through back of head. Measures 11” long. Original paint has worn to much bare wood; small dents and shot marks; bill appears to be a very early working replacement, possibly done by the maker. (10,000 - 15,000)

133 Alma Fitchett (1863-1933), Smith Island, Maryland.

Running curlew with carved eyes and “F” carved in the underside. Measures 16.25” long. Original paint with moderate gunning wear; tight drying crack in one side near breast; bill is a professional replacement by Cameron McIntyre.

Literature: “Wings of Wonder” by Dr. S. Lloyd Newberry, page 204, exact decoy pictured. (8,000 - 12,000)

134 Ira Hudson (1873-1949), Chincoteague, Virginia.

Three-piece yellowlegs with thin neck and scratch feather paint detail. Muller collection ink stamp and “P” brand for the collection of William Purnell near stick hole. Measures 11.75” long. Original paint with minor to moderate flaking and wear; bill is a professional replacement with some restoration to area under face.

Provenance: William Purnell collection. Dr. Peter Muller collection. Private Virginia collection. (4,000 - 6,000)

135 Ira Hudson (1873-1949), Chincoteague, Virginia. Large flat bottom pintail with slightly turned head and tack eyes. Scratch feather paint detail. Measures 18.25” long. Original paint with minor wear; moderate paint shrinkage on breast and underside of tail; professional neck crack repair, drying splits along the underside. (6,000 - 9,000)

136 Ira Hudson (1873-1949), Chincoteague, Virginia. Three-piece hollow carved black duck with scratch feather paint detail and tack eyes. Measures 16.5” long. Original paint with moderate flaking; small chip and minor roughness on edge of tail. (6,000 - 9,000)

137 Ira Hudson (1873-1949), Chincoteague, Virginia. Rigmate pair of bluebills with raised neck seats and tack eyes. Measure 13.5” and 14” long. Original paint with moderate wear; minor roughness on edge of tails; each has a professional bill repair and neck crack repair on hen. (4,000 - 6,000)

138 Ira Hudson (1873-1949), Chincoteague, Virginia. Extremely rare black duck with relief wing carving, partially inlet neck seat, and tack eyes. From the rig of Dan Trimper, Ocean City, Maryland. Only a few of this style black duck are known. Measures 16” long. Original paint with moderate to significant flaking and wear; minor roughness on edge of tail; bill and .5” at front of face is a professional replacement.

(4,000 - 6,000)

139 Ira Hudson (1873-1949), Chincoteague, Virginia. Black duck with partially inlayed neck seat, tack eyes, and scratch feather paint detail. “J.A.P.” branded on underside. Measures 16.5” long. Original paint with minor to moderate wear under a thin coat of varnish; a few small dents; small flake to filler at neck seat. (1,000 - 1,400)

140 Doug Jester (1876-1961), Chincoteague, Virginia. Large merganser hen with raised neck seat and carved crest feathers. “101” stamped near weight. P branded on the underside for the collection for William Purnell. Measures 18.25” long. Original paint with moderate discoloration and wear; drying crack in underside; hairline crack in one side of neck; small chips on extended crest feathers; 3/4 of bill is a professional replacement. (1,500 - 2,500)

141 Doug Jester (1876-1961), Chincoteague, Virginia. Large merganser with raised neck seat and extended crest carving. Iron keel on the underside. “101” stamped near keel. Measures 18.5” long. Original paint with significant wear; hairline drying cracks in body; crack on one side of neck seat. (2,000 - 3,000)

142 Doug Jester (1876-1961), Chincoteague, Virginia. Unused canvasback with maker’s signature on the underside. Measures 16.5” long. Original paint with minor flaking and wear; hairline drying cracks in breast. (1,000 - 1,400)

Ward Brothers

Crisfield, Maryland

143 Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Pinch breast style pintail hen with raised and slightly turned head. An outstanding form for a working decoy. Old lead filled copper pipe section used as a weight. Signed and dated 1930 at a later date. Measures 17.25” long. Original paint with significant wear; old chipping and roughness on tail and bill; crack through neck; drying crack along the underside.

Provenance: Richard Bourne 1982 auction. James and Lyda Madden collection. (12,000 - 18,000)

144 Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. 1932 model broadbill with wide bill carving and thick stipple paint on back. Signed and dated 1930 on underside of tail. Measures 16.25” long. Original paint with moderate gunning wear; early thin wash of black on breast and head; old chip in one side of tail, otherwise excellent structurally. (10,000 - 14,000)

145 Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. 1936 style canvasback with slightly turned head and thick stipple paint. Signed and dated 1932 at a later date on the underside. Measures 16” long. Original paint with minor gunning wear protected under a coat of varnish; split in one side was filled in the making with some paint flaking; professional bill crack repair with small amount of touch up in that area.

(8,000 - 12,000)

146 Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. 1936 style canvasback hen with slightly turned head. “P” branded on the underside, also signed and dated by the makers at a later date. Measures 16” long. Mostly original paint with moderate discoloration and wear; some strengthening to paint on breast, head, and bill; lightly hit by shot; filled and touched up split along the underside and on breast; repair to a chip in one side of tail.

Provenance: David Fannon collection.

(3,000 - 5,000)

147 Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Rare hollow carved mallard hen with reared back head and wide tail carving. Signed on the underside at a later date. Bobby Richardson collection ink stamp on the underside. Measures 17” long. Original paint with minor wear; fine crazing on back; hairline crack in tail; bill is a professional replacement.

Literature: “Decoys of the mid-Atlantic Region” by Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., page 172, similar decoy pictured.

(3,000 - 5,000)

148 Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Cedar Canada goose with slightly turned head and nice bill carving. Maker’s ink stamp twice on the underside, also dated 1954. Measures 22.5” long. Original paint with very minor gunning wear; drying split along the underside runs up the breast and tail area slightly; tight drying crack along the back; dowel has risen slightly on top of head with some flaking to wood around it.

(3,000 - 5,000)

149 Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Rigmate pair of pintails with slighty turned heads. Balsa bodies with inset cedar tails and relief wingtip carving. Signed and dated 1952 at a later date. Measure 15.5” and 17.5” long. Original paint with minor to moderate wear; hairline cracks on sides of heads, otherwise excellent structurally.

(4,000 - 6,000)

Canada goose. Balsa body with slightly turned head and upswept cedar tail. “Bill Purnell” written in pencil on the underside. Measures 24.25” long. Original paint with very minor wear; small dents in back; minor roughness on one side of bill; minor separation at neck seat. (3,000 - 5,000)

Maryland. Pair of canvasbacks. Balsa bodies and slightly turned heads. Measure 16” long. Original paint with minor gunning wear; slight separation at neck seats, otherwise very good structurally. (4,000 - 6,000)

150 Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland.

151 Ward Brothers, Crisfield,

From Steve Ward 02/15/1974

To Whom it may concern:

This L.C. Smith 10 Gauge shot gun was purchased by me in the spring of 1919, from the “Hunter Arms Co”, Fulton N.Y. and has been in my possession for fifty-five years, 19191974. Grad, (ideal) serial number 355797, L.C. Smith at field (grade) (ideal) (eagle) (monogram) (crown) and (“delux”) which sold for Two Thousand Dollars, ($2,000) Clark Gable bought two of them at that price one for himself and one for Carol Lombard who was killed in a plane crash. I could write a book as a catalog and it wouldn’t scratch the surface, and I could not hazard a guess the number of shells, that has been fired from it or the number of ducks and geese, that it has been instrumental in killing and I hope that God will forgive me for taking the lives of so many of his beautiful creatures, I wouldn’t shoot one of them today unless I were starving to death.

“The Old Duck Hunter” By: Steve Ward

The old man put on his glasses, He glanced at his coat by the door, He gazed at the pile of decoys

He knew he’d not use anymore, He looked at his cot in the corner

His thoughts seemed to be way down deep. The old man took of his glasses

And dozed off in a deep sleep.

Steve Ward, 1967

152 An opportunity to own a historic waterfowling piece owned by Steve Ward of Crisfield, Maryland. This L.C. Smith Ideal Grade double barrel shotgun with Damascus barrels, two triggers, SN 355797, was the lifelong gunning shotgun of Steve Ward. The gun is accompanied by a handwritten note dated 1974 where he talks about the gun being in his possession from 1919 - 1974. Below is a copy of the text written in the letter from Steve and that 1974 date. Gun has 32” barrels. Wood has been refinished; both triggers are in working condition; tight crack in forarm; appears to be the original butt plate; the entire gun is covered in a coat of varnish that has yellowed and partially worn away. (10,000 - 20,000)

152a Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. . Exceptional preening Canada goose with extra fine feather paint detail. Mounted on burl base with lifted wings. Carved primaries and secondaries. Fluted tail. Ward Brothers metal label on base. Dated 1969. Measures 23” long. Very slight shrinkage on part of one wing, otherwise excellent and original.

Literature: “The Story of Lem Ward,” Glenn Lawson, p. 106, exact decoy pictured. (10,000 - 15,000)

153 Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Excellent decorative pintail drake. Preening one extended wing with relief carved primaries and tail feathers. Signed and dated 1967 with an inscription indicating it was carved from a single block of wood. Measures 17” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: J.W. Lowe collection. Private Ohio collection. (10,000 - 14,000)

154 Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Pair of balsa body widgeon with slightly turned heads and raised wingtips. Signed and dated 1956, best collectors grade. Measure 14.5” long. Original paint with very minor flaking and wear; very minor roughness at tips of raised wings on drake. (7,000 - 10,000)

Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Decorative greenwing teal hen. Hollow carved in side preening pose. With raised wingtips and relief wing and tail feather carving. Signed and dated 1967 on the underside. Measures 9.75” long. Original paint with minor rubs on tips of tail and wing feathers; very good structurally. (3,000 - 5,000)

Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Decorative pintail with raised wingtips, applied wooden tail, and relief feather carving. Signed and dated 1962. Measures 18” long. Original paint with tight crazing on head; a few minor paint rubs on tip of raised wingtips and tail. (4,000 - 6,000)

157 Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland.

Pair of hollow carved goldeneye with slightly turned heads. Shooting stool models that are signed and dated 1966 on the underside. Measure 13.5” and 15.5” long. Professional bill crack repair on drake otherwise excellent and original. (3,000 - 5,000)

158 Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland.

Pair of canvasbacks with slightly turned heads and thick stipple paint. Measure 17” long. Original paint with areas of fine crazing; almost no wear; tight drying cracks along the underside, otherwise excellent structurally. (3,000 - 5,000)

159 Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Redhead hen. Balsa body with slightly turned head. Measures 16.5” long. Original paint with very minor wear; tight crazing on much of the body; small dents along lower edge. (1,500 - 2,500)

Oliver Lawson

b. 1938 | Crisfield, Maryland

Born in Crisfield, Lawson has remained a life-long resident of that legendary Bayside community. When asked about the origin of the moniker “Tuts” he replied simply, “It’s a Crisfield thing, a nickname”. His father left the family when he was only 9 months old, and he was raised by his mother and grandparents. His youth was free and enjoyable as he spent his days crabbing and fishing in the waters behind his grandparents’ home. Some time in the late 1940’s his brother found a decoy in the marsh and brought it home. The object fascinated the young boy, and he carved his first decoy by the time he was nine years old. Soon, his proud mother showed some of his work to Lem Ward’s wife, Thelma, with whom she worked. Thelma told her to have the youngster go see Lem and Steve which he did. This was the beginning of a long and endearing friendship between the three and “Tuts” learned to master his technique under their tutelage and encouragement.

As he got older, he began to go waterfowling, using decoys supplied by friends. These were birds mostly by Lloyd Sterling, or Lloyd Tyler, which were selling for about 50 cents each at the time while decoys by the Wards were selling for $5.00. He would reflect: “I could not afford decoys, so I started making my own”. Hunting both mornings and late afternoons, his major problem remained, - “having the money for shells”. He admits that in the early years, law enforcement was lax in Crisfield and there was the occasional baiting, night shooting and loose adherence to posted seasons.

He married his High School sweetheart, Joan, in 1954 when they were both only 16. He supported the family by working at the local grocery store and, when she became pregnant, he also worked nights at the Carvel Hall Cutlery Factory, all the time carving decoys whenever he had a rare spare moment.

In the late 1950’s He received his first major break into full time carving when he was approached

by Elizabeth Hall who ran an antique business. She offered him a contract which guaranteed him $35.00 a week if he would carve for her. This was equal to what he was earning at the grocery store, and it would also give him time to go hunting. Eventually, that business was taken over by Kitty Cummings who sold decoys through the establishment “The Duck House” in Rumbley, MD. In 1964, with the Ward’s encouragement, the Kent County Ornithological Society invited Lawson to participate in their carving show. This was to be his first of many exhibits and his sales and reputation have grown constantly since. The list of his credits is indeed impressive. His work has been exhibited at numerous locations including: The Smithsonian in Washington, DC, The Ward Museum, The Havre de Grace Museum, The Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia, The National Audubon Society, Kodak Gallery, NY, and the International Wildlife Exhibit at Guild Hall, London, England. He has been showcased on NBC’s “The Today Show” and his carvings have been touring major cities in Japan as part of the World Bird Carving Exhibition.

He has been described as “A student that surpassed his mentors”.

Oliver Lawson with Lem annd Steve Ward

160 Oliver Lawson (b.1938), Crisfield, Maryland. Exceptional pair of standing pintail. Both have highly detailed feather carving and fine paint detail. Hen has open and lifted wings and is in calling pose. Signed and dated 1973. Drake measures 21” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Purchased from Lawson at the 1973 Easton Waterfowl Festival. Miller collection. Private Ohio collection. (7,000 - 10,000)

161 Oliver Lawson (b.1938), Crisfield, Maryland. Excellent pair of decorative widgeon. Standing on base mimicking a beach scene. Both with highly detailed feather carving and raised wingtips. Hen with open bill and slightly turned head. Signed and dated 1976 on back of driftwood. Overall measurement 24” wide, measure 13.5” and 14” long. Drake with reglued chips in wingtips, otherwise both very good and original.

Provenance: Dr. Lynwood Herrington collection. Private Ohio collection. (7,000 - 10,000)

162 Oliver Lawson (b.1938), Crisfield, Maryland. Excellent pair of standing bobwhite quail. In a glassed in diorama. Measures 9.5” and 10.5” long. Tiny paint flakes on tips of bills and a small dent on hen’s back, otherwise excellent.

(3,000 - 5,000)

163 Cameron McIntyre (b.1968), New Church, Virginia. Hollow carved, swimming brant in the Cobb Island style, with raised wingtips. “CTM” carved in the underside. Measures 19.5” long. Made to appear older, excellent and original. (2,000 - 3,000)

164 Cameron McIntyre (b.1968), New Church, Virginia. Sleeping brant carved from one piece of wood with relief wing carving. “CTM” and “Sea Goose” carved on the underside. Measures 16.25” long. Excellent and original. (2,500 - 3,500)

Cameron McIntyre (b.1968), New Church, Virginia. Ruddy duck with raised neck seat and upswept tail. “CTM” carved in the underside. Measures 11” long. Made to appear older; excellent and original.

(1,200 - 1,800)

167 Cameron McIntyre (b.1968), New Church, Virginia. Miniature breast preening Canada goose. Relief wingtip carving and excellent form. “CTM” carved on the underside.

Measures 6.75” long. Excellent and original. (1,000 - 1,400)

165

168 Cameron McIntyre (b.1968), New Church, Virginia. Large hollow carved curlew in the style of Walter Brady. With slightly turned head and raised wingtips. “CTM” carved in to the underside. Measures 16.25” long. Excellent and original. (1,500 - 1,800)

169 Cameron McIntyre (b.1968), New Church, Virginia. Thinly hollowed eskimo curlew with split tail carving and excellent paint detail. “CTM” carved in the underside. Measures 14.25” long. Excellent and original. (1,000 - 1,400)

170 Cameron McIntyre (b.1968), New Church, Virginia. Plump dove in content pose. With deep relief wing carving and slightly dropped wingtips. “CTM” carved on the underside. Measures 10.5” long. Excellent and original. (1,000 - 1,400)

Eddie Wozny

b. 1959 | Cambridge, Maryland

171 Eddie Wozny (b.1959), Cambridge, Maryland. Excellent full size blue crab. Crab is in a defensive stance with open claws. Excellent paint detail. “W” carved on underside of one leg. Also signed on the underside of another. Measures 9” x 10”. Excellent and original. (4,000 - 6,000)

172 Eddie Wozny (b.1959), Cambridge, Maryland. Calling rooster with open beak and carved tongue. Relief wing and tail feather carving. Signed and dated 2012 on the underside. Stands 15.5” tall. Excellent and original. (2,500 - 3,500)

173 Eddie Wozny (b.1959), Cambridge, Maryland. Full size hummingbird perched on decorative base. Signed on underside, and dated 2010. Species is a annas hummingbird. Wingtips are dropped and slightly separated from body. Carved feathers. Stands 5” tall. Excellent and original. (400 - 600)

174 Eddie Wozny (b.1959), Cambridge, Maryland. Miniature preening greenwing teal. On carved wooden base. Head is turned, preening one outstretched wing. Relief feather carving. Identified, signed, and dated 2004 on the underside. Measures 4” long. Excellent and original. (600 - 900)

175 J. Corbin Reed (1897-1987)

Chincoteague, Virginia. Pair of swimming red breasted mergansers. Both with relief wingtip carving and extended crest feathers. Drake’s head is also slightly turned. “JC Reed 1973” stamped on the underside of drake. Measure 19” long. Excellent and original. (2,000 - 3,000)

176 J. Corbin Reed (1897-1987)

Chincoteague, Virginia. Rare full size standing canvasback with deep relief wing carving and extra fine scratch feather paint detail. Measures 17.25” long, stands 14.5” tall. Cracks at upper part of legs, otherwise excellent. (1,500 - 2,000)

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.

177 Caines Brothers, Georgetown, South Carolina. Rare black duck with relief carved heart pattern wings and tack eyes. Used at Hobcaw Barony and the surrounding rice plantations. Like all Caines black ducks, the decoy was made as a mallard. Measures 16.75” long. Very early second coat by the maker shows minor flaking and gunning wear; very good structurally.

Provenance: Purchased by Tom Lee at the Pawley’s Island General Store in the early 1970’s. Dick McIntyre collection. Private New Jersey collection. Dale Oler collection. Private Southern collection.

Literature: “Caines Brothers Decoys, Birds of Great Distinction” article by Dick McIntyre, Decoy Magazine, March/April 1989, pages 10 and 11, related example illustrated. “Southern Decoys of Virginia and The Carolinas” by Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr, page 248, exact decoy pictured. “North American Decoys Magazine”, Oct-Dec 1978, page 11, exact decoy pictured. (40,000 - 60,000)

Lee Dudley

1860 - 1942 | Knott’s Island, North Carolina

178 Lee Dudley (1860-1942), Knotts Island, North Carolina. Classic canvasback with humped back and slightly raised neck seat. A transitional bird that displays relief wingtip carving but without the typical glass eyes used on this style. Was made for the rig of Edward L. Maher, secretary of the Pocahontas Fowling Club. Branded ‘ELM’ on underside and back near tail with thick paint filling much of the brand. Measures 13.25” long. Old coat of black paint was removed by Cameron McIntyre; old crack through neck with a few small nails added to secure; 2/3 of the bill is a professional replacement by Cameron McIntyre; lightly hit by shot; minor roughness on edge of tail.

Provenance: Made for the rig of Edward L. Maher. By decent in the family. Frank and Frank Auctions, March, 2008. Kroghie Andresen collection. Private southern collection.

Literature: “Gunnin’ Birds” by Kroghie Andresen, pages VI and 81, exact decoy pictured. Frank and Frank Auctions, March 30th, 2008 catalog, front cover and page 20, exact decoy pictured. “The Dudley Decoy, The Makers, The Myths, The Decoys” article by Dick McIntyre, Decoy Magazine, March/April 1994, pages 8 – 14, rigmate from the Shelburne pictured. “Southern Decoys of Virginia and The Carolinas” by Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr, page 217, rigmate from the Shelburne pictured. (50,000 - 80,000)

From “Gunnin’ Birds” by Kroghie Andresen

179 Ned Burgess (1968-1962), Duck, North Carolina. Redhead with slightly reared back head. Measures 16” long. Dry original paint with moderate gunning wear; lightly hit by shot; minor roughness on edge of tail; some chipping on one side of bill; head is slightly off of neck seat, but has been x-rayed and is the original head.

(800 - 1,200)

180 Sam Smith, Amityville, Long island, New York. Widgeon drake used at the Swan Island Club, North Carolina. Branded “W.Endicot” and “W.H.Forbes”, both members of the Swan Island Club. Measures 14” long. Mix of old paint that was mostly taken down and paint restoration; very good structurally. (700 - 1,000)

181 Joe Hayman (1896-1974), Corolla, North Carolina. Swimming coot with forward head pose. Measures 13 1/4” long. Original paint with minor wear; hairline crack in bill, otherwise excellent structurally.

Provenance: Charlie Hunter collection. Private southern collection.

Literature: “Gunnin’ Birds”, by Kroghie Andresen, page 151, similar decoy pictured. (2,500 - 3,500)

Folk Art from the Gene and Linda Kangas Collection

Gene and Linda Kangas began researching and writing about decoys in 1969, authoring over 200 essays and 5 reference books on the subject. With a career in academia and as an artist himself, Gene brought a unique perspective and valuable insights to the world of decoys and folk art. Guyette and Deeter will be offering select items from the Kangas collection in many upcoming auctions.

183 Fantastic early carved butcher shop trade sign in the shape of a bull head. Measures 35” wide with real bull horns, carved and applied ears. Good detail on hair and facial features including wonderfully carved eyes. Original paint with wear from years of age.

Provenance: Purchased by Gene Kangas from a dealer who had it at the Pier Show in New York, approximately 40 years ago. Gene and Linda Kangas collection. (15,000 - 25,000)

Mouse for Young Owl is a two-part folk depiction of life in nature The larger owl looks downward firmly grasping a mouse’s tail in its beak, the baby tilts its head and patiently waits. Beneath darkened varnish covering their surfaces, calligraphic lines were added to depict feathers on the chests and wings. In contrast to Pennsylvania-German carvers, like Wilhelm Schimmel known for raised tactile, carved surfaces, Peffley created the illusion of texture with a pen. Peffley’s drawings date as early as 1853. while the Columbian Exposition cane is dated 1893. Except for the owls, a void of work during this period suggests other creations are yet to be discovered. His interests in history, religion, politics, current events, and observations of nature combined with a sense of humor and wonderment hint at what those works may be. Mother measures 13” tall, baby 8”. Both are structurally good; base on baby owl has one chip that has been replaced.

Provenance: Exhibited at The Cleveland State University in 1992 as part of the New World Folk Art show and catalog. Gene and Linda Kangas collection. (20,000 - 30,000)

184 Joel Peffley (1829-1917). Carved wooden mother owl with field mouse for young owl. Each owl is carved from a single piece of wood with distinct eyes, beaks, and feet. Tufts of guineafowl feathers have been attached as ears. Each has a appealing crazed surface that shows good age. Joel Peffley became proficient as a calligrapher and wood sculptor; his heritage is evident in both types of work. In 1853, Joel married Sarah Stauter from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania; they had four children prior to the Civil War. He was a member of the International Order of Odd Fellows, was elected to the offices of Township Clerk and Justice of the Peace, and was active in the Agricultural Grange movement. Joel reportedly carved many fine canes. One, dated 1893, relates to Grange interests by portraying grasshopper-like figures on their way to the World’s Columbian Exposition at Chicago. This was a time when farmers faced a grasshopper plague. The elaborate cane is covered with reliefcarved and drawn images, including a feather quill, portraits of Confucius, John Hancock, and George Washington along with William Penn laying-out Philadelphia, fraternal order symbols, and a calligraphic owl. Mother Owl with Field

185 Carved wooden and gilded eagle, possibly 1st quarter 19th century. Found in Rhode Island. The eagle is among the most popular subjects in the history of American folk art, with special emphasis in the realm of wood carving. This eagle is a physically explosive, high emotive example. It exhibits naturalism of the feathers, the broken contour lines in the wings, and the dynamically twisting torso and head, all speak a language that is less emblematic, and more expressive. There is some speculation that this may have been carved by a European immigrant working as a journeyman in the Boston shop of John (1746-1800) or Simeon Skillin, Jr. (1757-1833). Wingspan measures 49” and the carving is 32” tall.

Provenance: Exhibited at The Cleveland State University in 1992 as part of the New World Folk Art show and catalog. Gene and Linda Kangas collection. (8,000 - 12,000)

186 Samuel Rastus Sweeney, anonymous (American). African American folk art rag doll, circa 1870-1890. Sweeney epitomizes these folk art rag dolls. He is large, made from various fabrics, and is costumed with a little boy’s dress clothing of the period. His sculpted, portrait-like adult head is well detailed with applied curly hair, mustache, beard and eyebrows, shiny blown glass eyes, applied nose, ears, red lips, tongue, and teeth. Measures 39.5” tall.

Provenance: Exhibited at The Cleveland State University in 1992 as part of the New World Folk Art show and catalog. Gene and Linda Kangas collection.

Literature: “American Primitive: Discoveries in Folk Sculpture” by Roger Ricco and Frank Maresca, page 31, similar doll pictured. (3,000 - 5,000)

187 Spectacular pen and ink drawing of a wild life scene. Nine different animals in a highly detailed landscape with this paper board plaque at lower left. “Note - This famous, and masterpiece of real-penwork-drawing, was designed, and escaped from the fertile brain, and skillful pen, by the hand of Prof, J.M. Whitlatch. of Parkersburg, W, VA. Jan, 22’ 1911.”. Image measures 29” x 39”. Professionally framed and matted, 38” x 49”. Good condition; approximate 1” triangle missing at lower left; 1.5” tear on left side in sky; tear that is approximately 5” middle center, otherwise just a few spots of discoloration.

Provenance: Gene and Linda Kangas collection. (2,000 - 3,000)

188 Carved wooden snake, mid-20th century. Painted with decoration indicating it is meant to be possibly a diamondback rattler. Tack eyes with intricately carved design. Dry original paint surface. Measures 56” in length. One of the best carved snakes we have seen.

Provenance: Gene and Linda Kangas collection. (800 - 1,200)

189 Carved wooden snake, made from tree root, circa 1930. Tack eyes with white paint around neck and underside. Measures 34” long. Shows good age with discoloration to white area and a few small rubs.

Provenance: Gene and Linda Kangas collection. (500 - 800)

190 Original pencil drawing, 1st quarter 20th century. By Belle S. Reed. Appears to be a sideboard or sales promotion piece for a quarter horse that lists track time records and lineage. Horse is named Whip Boy. From Connorsville, Indiana. Image measures 17.25” x 24”. Has staining; a few small tears around edge; appears to be in original frame.

Provenance: Gene and Linda Kangas collection. (800 - 1,200)

191 Original pencil drawing, 1st quarter 20th century. By Belle S. Reed. A sideboard or sales promotion for a race horse named Legal Elgin. From Connorsville, Indiana. Details of race time and horse lineage. Image measures 17.25” x 24”. Image shows age; some staining around the edge and a line of holes running down the center where the frame on the back did not cover that area; appears to be in original frame.

Provenance: Gene and Linda Kangas collection. (800 - 1,200)

192 Early American hooked rug. Of a paint horse. Measures 32” x 56”. Initials “CT N or H” lower right. Good for its age. Brilliant original colors that have mellowed with age.

Provenance: Gene and Linda Kangas collection. (800 - 1,200)

194 Superbly carved wooden horse mounted on base. With plaque that reads “Armed horse of the year 1947”. A famous horse from Calumet Farms. Measures 9.5” tall, base is 9.5” x 3”. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Gene and Linda Kangas collection. (500 - 1,000)

195 Masterfully carved wooden horse with anatomic detail. Tied tail and braided mane. Natural surface on most of body with painted legs and white area on head. Stands 12” tall, base is 10.5” x 4”. No visible damage.

Provenance: Gene and Linda Kangas collection. (500 - 1,000)

196 Carved wooden horse in black and white paint. Stands 14” tall, base measures 14” x 4.5”. Original paint; slight separation between tail and body with some glue visible; one rub at hind quarter exposes an area of paint primer.

Provenance: Gene and Linda Kangas collection. (500 - 1,000)

197 Carved wooden horse. Signed “C. Roy Kinstler. Measures 8” tall oval base is 7.5” long. Original paint; no structurally damage.

Provenance: Gene and Linda Kangas collection. (500 - 1,000)

198 Two wooden carved and painted horses. With leather tack and hemp tails. Appear to be 2nd quarter 20th century. Both stand 9” tall, and are 10” long. Made from multiple pieces of glued wood with some seam separations.

Provenance: Gene and Linda Kangas collection. (500 - 1,000)

199 Carved and painted horse with tied tail, mane, and harness around head. Appears to be circa 1940. Signed “Roy Web Kenstler”. Included with original blanket. Stands 10.5” tall, base measures 9” x 3.5”. Excellent original paint; one tiny chip with paint loss around nail at rear foot, otherwise very good and original.

Provenance: Gene and Linda Kangas collection. (500 - 1,000)

200 Two carved wooden horses, 2nd quarter 20th century. With horse tails and metal ears. In full tack. Each measures 11” x 12”. Some seam separation at wood joints; original paint with good age.

Provenance: Gene and Linda Kangas collection. (500 - 1,000)

201 Carved wooden and painted horse and rider, 2nd to 3rd quarter 20th century. 10.5” tall, oval base is 7”. Original paint; two rear legs have been reset, with visible glue mark; small areas of damage.

Provenance: Gene and Linda Kangas collection. (500 - 1,000)

202 Group of three prehistoric fish decoys. Norton era, circa 500 bc. Carved bone from Alaska off the Chukei Sea. This trio of ancient Native American fish decoys might well represent the beginnings of the original “decoy” concept. They were discovered during an archeological excavation near Sishmaret, Alaska. This prehistoric site has been identified to the Norton Era, dating these bone lures to circa 500 B.C., or 2500 years ago. After centuries of burial, they have become petrified. European trappers and settlers eventually recognized and adopted the time-tested practice of utilizing artificial fish lowered into freezing northern waters to attract live fish within spearing range. The effectiveness of the idea is illustrated by the fact that after hundreds of years, Inuit designs remained constant. The original concept has never been improved. Each is approximately 3” long. Each shows wear from use and age.

Provenance: Exhibited at The Cleveland State University in 1992 as part of the New World Folk Art show and catalog. Gene and Linda Kangas collection. (1,500 - 2,500)

203 Three carved wooden figures. Each measuring approximately 20” tall. Probably 2nd quarter 20th century. Painted and varnish surface has partially worn away on each; tight cracks; separation at laminate pieces. (1,200 - 1,800)

204 Carved sitting dog, circa 1930. With decorative collar. Measures 16.5” in length. Original paint; some chips and wear otherwise structurally good.

Provenance: Gene and Linda Kangas collection.

(500 - 800)

205 Cast iron pumpkin mold, circa 1900. Two piece mold for shaping gourds or pumpkins into human like figures. Part of a group found in Ohio in the 1980s. Head measures 8.5” tall, and 7.5” wide. Surface is pitted and old but structurally good.

Provenance: Gene and Linda Kangas collection. (800 - 1,200)

206 Gene Kangas (1944-2023). A turned burl bowl filled with individually made and painted bird eggs. Probably over 100 individual eggs. Stands 10” tall.

Provenance: Gene and Linda Kangas collection.

(300 - 500)

207 Gene Kangas (1944-2023). Turned wooden decorative bowl. Signed and dated 1997. Titled “Chili Box”. A lid,

which appears to be top of a chili bowl with crackers is removable. Also included a spoon made from birds eye maple. Bowl measures 15.5” in diameter. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Gene and Linda Kangas collection.

(300 - 500)

208 A decorative carved and painted one piece walking stick, 2nd half 20th century. Probably from a root of some kind. Paint decoration and carving has created a grouping of four snakes. With pearl or tack eyes and ink design covering the entire stick. One snake is eating a frog, another eating a small snake. Measures 38” long. Excellent original condition.

Provenance: Gene and Linda Kangas collection.

(500 - 800)

209 Gene Kangas (1944-2023). An assembled bird tree with six large Carolina parakeets carved by Edwin Hurtti, a noted maker of carved birds from Toledo, Ohio in the 40’s and 50’s. This piece stands 18” tall. Has a painted wood trunk with carved, painted leaves. Some paint loss on the feet of the birds.

Provenance: Gene and Linda Kangas collection.

(800 - 1,200)

210 Cow weathervane. Full body copper cow attributed to Cushing and Company Boston, Massachusetts. Zinc head. Horns have a unique feature, with balls at the tip. This was a patent made around 1870 in Boston to protect pedestrians from livestock in the streets. Very few cattle weathervanes have this attribute. Measures 29” long x 19” tall. Original verdigrised surface with traces of gold guilt; several bullet holes, some have been repaired with lead; a few dents.

(8,000 - 12,000)

211 Rooster weathervane. Large full body copper rooster attributed to Christian and White, Boston, Massachusetts. A rare figure in a large size. Stands 29” tall x 27” wide. Very appealing verdigrised surface; expected amount of bends at tail; one bullet hole filled near one side of tail.

(6,000 - 9,000)

212 L.W. Cushing and Sons, Waltham, Massachusetts. “Setter” dog weathervane, early 20th century. Seamed and molded copper construction. Approximately 32” long. Old gilt finish with some wear; a few small dents, otherwise structurally good. (7,000 - 9,000)

213 19th century sheet iron weathervane. With pitted surface and original red paint. 39” long, 26” tall. Deaccessioned around 1980 from the Stoney Brook Museum. Structurally good with a very early appealing surface. (3,000 - 5,000)

214 Pointer dog sheet iron weathervane. Painted on one side. Shows good age, possibly 1920’s. Measures 43” long, stands 23” tall.

Provenance: Al Marzorini collection. (1,000 - 1,500)

215 An early painted wooden geometrical decorative gate. Triangle shaped horizontal boards. Measuring 45” in length, with remaining hinges at top and bottom. Standing 34” in height. Old yellowish gold paint is weathered and worn to create dry patina.

(400 - 600)

216 Early American checker board. Three color on solid 1” pine board. Measures 26” x 15.5”. Original paint that has crazed with wear and age to show a nice dry surface.

(400 - 600)

217 Clark Voorhees (1911-1980). Large size sperm whale. Carved eye and relief carved fin. Maker’s name and initials stamped on back. Measures 35” long. Chip in bottom part of tail was tightly reglued with a small chip missing on backside; cracks in top part of tail were reset with filler and paint added; thin wash of black on lower half of whale.

(2,500 - 3,500)

218 George Strunk (b.1958), Glendora, New Jersey. Eagle in the style of John Bellamy. Signed by maker on the back. Measures 38” long, and 11” tall. Excellent in all respects.

(1,500 - 2,500)

219 Peter Storm. Folk carved rooster with deep relief feather carving. Signed and dated ‘97 on base. Measures 18” across, and 21.75” tall. A few very minor paint rubs, otherwise excellent. (600 - 900)

220 Early 20th century pull toy in the shape of a turtle. Four early brass wheels. Carved detail on legs and head. Measures 27’ long. Original paint with some chips missing paint and wear from use; hole drilled in top of back which may have held handles.

Provenance: Al Marzorini collection. (800 - 1,200)

218

220

221 Vintage whirligig, 2nd quarter 20th century. Measures 19.5”. Old paint that may be a second coat, but has a nice dry surface with crazing in some areas; some flaking; piece missing at toe and rough area at one paddle.

Provenance: Purchased from Russ Goldberger in the 1990’s. James and Lyda Madden collection. (800 - 1,200)

222 Cast iron flying full size dove, 19th century. Possibly a windmill weight. Measures 11” long, with a 9” wingspan. Weighs approximately 7 lbs. Old white painted surface; with traces of original paint.

Provenance: Al Marzorini collection. (500 - 800)

223 Two carved animials. A red fox with the name “Levern Kelie” carved in underside. Measures 14” in length. Original paint, tail has been broken and reatteached; small chip at one ear. Other animal is possibly a bull. Carved from six pieces of wood. 12” long. Slight separation at three of the legs, one horn has some damage, as well as rough areas around hooves.

Provenance: Al Marzorini collection. (300 - 400)

224 Early hand carved 19th century figural doll. Carved wood with square nails at sides that at one point held clothes or some kind of arms. Appears to be an American wood. Oxidized surface. On base measures 15”. Structurally sound.

Provenance: Gene and Linda Kangas collection. (500 - 800)

225 A collection of nine carved duck heads by different makers. Including two, a pintail and goldeneye by the Ward Brothers, a bluebill by Nate Quillin, a reaching canvasback by an unknown, talented maker, and an eider possibly Gus Wilson. In varying conditions. (800 - 1,000)

226 Kennebec Canoe Company, Waterville, Maine. Salesman sample canoe, 1st quarter 20th century. Tri color painted canvas, with finely constructed wood. Exceptional detailing, including Kennebec painted on bow and stern. Open gunwhale, two cane seats, and two thwarts (one appears to be a replacement). Lot includes a reprint of the 1914 booklet with this canoe included. Measures 68” long. Bold original paint with remnants of a later black paint that has been removed or worn off. (15,000 - 25,000)

227 Rare 19th century, cross-legged cigar store tobacconist trade figure princess by the shop of Samuel Robb. A Samuel Robb “cross legged Princess” is the rarest and most desirable of his carvings, as few in the shop had the skills to do the difficult carving of the realistic crossed legs. Stands 79” tall including base. Retains multiple coats of old paint; lead filler has been used to soften breaks or rough areas; crack running the length from head to bottom of dress on one side; crazed paint surface throughout most of body.

Provenance: Mark Goldman collection. (30,000 - 50,000)

The only known ‘Page’ cigar store tobacconist trade figure in zinc by William DeMuth. Cast in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York. Stands 72” tall including base. Retains excellent restored surface.

Provenance: Merrit Museum collection, Douglassville, Pennsylvania. Mark Goldman collection.

Literature: “Artists in Wood” by Frederick Fried, page 50, Wm. DeMuth & Co. sales catalog depicting this style figure.

(30,000 - 50,000)

229 Hardy Brothers. Trophy fish of an Atlantic salmon. Caught July 8, 1931, with a weight of 45 lbs. Retains Hardy brothers ivory plaque lower left. Information on plaque indicates it was caught by Baryl Alten in NFB. Measures 47” long fish, plaque is 53” x 18.5”. Original paint protected with a light coat of varnish; small piece of the dorsal fin is missing; a few scratches and rubs have been darkened and are visible under UV light; in addition a paint drip down one side of the body; rub along lower edge exposes bare wood; crack in back board is approximately 10” in length.

Provenance: George Quay collection. (4,000 - 6,000)

230 P.D. Malloch, Perth, United Kingdom. Carved and painted trophy fish of an Atlantic salmon. Measuring 47” in length, 36.5 lb is written on back of board indicating potential weight. Meticulously painted with carved wooden fins. Back board reads P.D. Malloch at top left. Original paint protected by a coat of varnish that has slightly darkened; a couple of very small spots of inpainting to flakes. (4,000 - 6,000)

231 Lawrence Irvine (1918-1998), Winthrop, Maine. Carved and painted lake trout. Signed on back. Fish measures 27.5”, board measures 39”. Very good and original. (1,200 - 1,800)

232 Lawrence Irvine (1918-1998), Winthrop, Maine. Brown trout fish plaque on painted birch bark back. Signed on back of plaque. Caught at Wilson Lake, Wilton, Maine. Fish measures 23” long, plaque is 12” x 29”. Strong original paint; small nick near mouth and some separation in body halves. (800 - 1,200)

Wayne, Maine. Fish measures 17”, plaque is 21.5”. Excellent and original. (800 - 1,200)

233 Lawrence Irvine (1918-1998), Winthrop, Maine. Brook trout. Signed on back of plaque. Caught in Dexter Pond,

234 Lawrence Irvine (1918-1998), Winthrop, Maine. Land locked salmon plaque. Fish measures 14.5” . Birch bark board measures 20”. Excellent and original. (600900)

235 Mike Borrett, Madison, Wisconsin. Carved wooden brown trout. Measures 20” long, plaque is 20”. Signed by maker on back. Excellent and original.

(500 - 800)

236 Mike Borrett, Madison, Wisconsin. Rainbow trout. Signed by maker on back. Measures 23” long, board is 24”. Excellent and original.

(500 - 800)

237 Brook trout attributed to a maker known as lead fin. 1st quarter 20th century. Carved wood and tail with five lead and painted fins. Glass eye. Fish measures 15”. Original paint protected by a coat of varnish; tip of tail has been broken and reset.

(500 - 700)

238 Paul Mailman, Lowell, Maine. Carved wooden brown trout with wooden fins, open mouth, on a painted backboard that simulates birch. Signed on back along with information fish was caught in Cold Stream Pond. Fish is 26” in length, board measures 17.5” x 36.5”. Excellent in all respects.

(800 - 1,200)

239 Nantucket basket purse by Stephen Gibbs. Basket measures 7.5” tall, 8.5” wide. Swing handle decorated with whale tooth carved whale. Maker’s brand on underside “S. Gibbs maker, Nantucket Mass”. Rub wear around dark wood decoration at top, otherwise excellent. (1,500 - 2,500)

240 Nantucket basket purse by Jose Formoso Reyes. Signed and dated 1960 on underside. Whale tooth decoration at top. Hinges and lock. Measures 7.5” to top of handle and 8.5” wide. Structurally good with a stain to linen material on inside. (2,500 - 3,500)

241 Nantucket basket purse, Farnum. Decorative lighthouse at top with whale tooth latch. Signed on underside. Measures 7.5” tall, 11” wide. No visible damage. (200 - 400)

242 Large burl bowl, 19th century. Decorative turning lines spaced evenly near bottom. Measures 5.5” tall and 18” wide. Protected by an old coat of varnish; structurally sound; a natural crack on one side that has about 5” long, but is air tight. (2,000 - 2,500)

243 Burl bowl, 19th century. Tight grain with lip. Measures 6” tall and 13.5” wide. Excellent patina; structurally good. (800 - 1,200)

244 Burl bowl, 19th century. With small foot and lip. Measures 4.5” tall and 14” wide. Excellent patina; one natural crack with small space showing through both sides (800 - 1,200)

245 Excellent and early carved canoe cup. Relief carved hatchet, pike, canoe, and native American head carved on cup. Also the letters “HD” caved in relief. Measures 4” long, 3” wide. Original paint under an early coat of varnish that has crazed leaving a very appealing surface.

247 Grayson Chesser (b. 1947), Jenkins Bridge, Virginia. Early working heron with tucked head, relief wing carving, and hardwood bill splined through back of head. “C” carved on the underside. Heron measures 25” long, 40” with wooden stake. Original paint with moderate flaking and wear; very good structurally. (600 - 900)

248 Russ Allen, Parksley, Virginia. Atlantic salmon plaque with painted backboard. Relief gill carving and incised fin detail. Identified and signed on the back. Fish measures 21.5” long, plaque is 24” across. Original paint with moderate discoloration on salmon; very minor roughness on lower fin. (800 - 1,200)

246 Four oyster baskets from Stratford, Connecticut. All with oak handles. “S” painted on one, “H” painted on another. A third with early coat of dark brown paint. Measure from 17” around to 25” wide. H painted basket with cracks and losses in weave; the others with minor cracks and roughness with a few minor breaks.

Provenance: Purchased from the oyster company ran by Charles E. “Shang” Wheeler. Dixon Merkt collection. (400 - 600)

251 Unknown artist, Maine, circa 1960s. Oil on early plywood that was the lid of a fishing box. Was found in Winthrop, Maine. With feux birch bark border. Measures 14.75” x 28.5”. Some discoloration to varnish layer, top left and bottom right corner, otherwise very good. (400 - 600)

249 Unique decorative lamp made with five turtle shells, circa 1930. Turtle on bottom is a taxidermy mount, others only contain the shells. Top wooden piece is early polychrome paint decorated. Lamp with shade measures 30”. It does work. No structural damage to lamp; shade has hole in one side.

Provenance: Al Marzorini collection. (500 - 800)

250 Indian figure holding cigar bunch in hand. In primitive dress attire. Painted on board in oil paint with thick lead primer to create texture. Painted on an early piece of plywood, probably circa 1940. Possibly used as a cigar figure or a circus sidecar decoration. 46” tall. On back is written “Powhattan”. Original paint; small areas of flaking at edges; a few small dents.

(1,000 - 1,500)

252 A mechanical fish gaff circa 1900. Marked “New Orleans patent. 15” long. Structurally good and works. And a New England eel spear, circa 1900 or earlier. With 11 tines, measures 24”, pitted metal but structurally good.

Provenance: Al Marzorini collection. (400 - 600)

253 Early neon light sign. Measures 48” x 11” x 13.5”. Two sides have been enhanced with blue and white distressed paint that reads “Oysters”.

Provenance: Al Marzorini collection. (500 - 800)

254 Painted miniature lift top trunk, last quarter 19th century. With key hole and lock mechanism. 8” tall x 13.5” long x 6” deep. Original green paint with minor edge wear and a few small scratches. (500 - 800)

255 Lift top paint decorated box, probably 2nd half 19th century. Brass escutcheon around lock mechanism that is missing. Very early handwrought hinges. Decorative brown paint. 12.5” tall x 17” ide 12” deep. Split on top panel, otherwise structurally good. (300 - 500)

256 Mortar and pestle. Made for pounding grain. Used in the colony of South Carolina by the Geechee and Gullah Culture. Bowl is one piece wood secured with a metal strap at top. Crack through one side of bowl, measures 15” tall. Pestle measures 24”. Both pieces show wear from many years of use and age. (400 - 600)

257 Wonderful early tourist totem from Wrangell, Alaska. Eagle totem with applied outstretched wings and inlet beak originally held in with a small wooden pin. Relief carved features and appealing colors with a dry surface. Modeled after an early totem raised by Cheif Shakes in memory of his nephew Kau-kish who died in 1897 at the age of 68 and an even earlier totem in the cemetery at old Wrangell. It depicts the transformational figure of a fisherman who became an eagle. Stands 29.5” tall. Surface has darkened with age; some scratches and rubs to surface; small shallow chip in underside of beak tip was darkened at some point; seam at wings has separated slightly.

Provenance: Purchased by the consignors parents during a trip to Wrangell, Alaska in the 1930’s. (2,000 - 3,000)

258 Large tourist totem from Wrangell, Alaska. Relief carved animal heads including bear and orca. Appealing blue paint detail. Stands 19.5” tall, 6” wide. Original paint that has darkened with age; minor flaking very good structurally.

Provenance: Purchased by the consignors parents during a trip to Wrangell, Alaska in the 1930’s. (1,000 - 1,400)

259 Early tourist totem or decorative atlatl from Wrangell, Alaska. With red paint detail and relief carved animals and man. Stands 22” tall. Minor flaking and rubs; head of bird was cracked off and reattached with a small nail.

Provenance: Purchased by the consignors parents during a trip to Wrangell, Alaska in the 1930’s. (600 - 900)

260 Relief carved salmon priest from Wrangell, Alaska. For use in dispatching a landed fish. Measures 22” long. Priest is carved on both sides, but red paint added to just one side; paint has moderately crazed from an early coat of varnish; minor rubs and scratches; very good structurally.

Provenance: Purchased by the consignors parents during a trip to Wrangell, Alaska in the 1930’s. (600 - 900)

261 Early tourist totem from Wrangell, Alaska. Of a seated man. Deep relief carved features. Stands 14” tall. Minor roughness and chipping on edges, otherwise very good. (300 - 500)

262 Hermes men’s grooming travel kit. From the 2nd or 3rd quarter 20th century. Includes original tissue, Hermes protective bag, and box. In unused condition but with a short tear on one edge of box. (2,000 - 3,000)

263 Vintage Louis Vuitton suitcase. An ‘E’ is painted in blue ink on both ends. Measures 8.5” tall x 28” wide x 15” deep. Approximately 7” of the leather edge piece is missing on one side. (800 - 1,200)

264 Vintage Louis Vuitton suitcase. An ‘E’ is painted in blue ink on both ends. Measures 7” tall x 26” wide x 14” deep. Structurally good, but leather edge wrap shows wear. (800 - 1,200)

End of session one

Session Two • Saturday, July 27, 2024 • 10:00am

Frank Finney

b. 1947 | Cape Charles, Virginia

265 Frank Finney (b.1947), Cape Charles, Virginia. An elaborately carved and extremely creative memory or storage box. Depicting a family of frogs sharing a day in their canoe on the water. With an approaching turtle and tadpoles swimming beneath the surface. Mother frog is holding two baby frogs, one with a pacifier in its mouth. Poppa is playing the banjo and singing. An amazing piece of folk art. Measures 20” in length, 14” deep, and 12” tall. Excellent in all respects.

(12,000 - 18,000)

266 Frank Finney (b.1947), Cape Charles, Virginia. Full size walking bobcat. Hollow carved with full-size quail that the bobcat has recently acquired. Quail is carved and painted with individual feather carving and is removable from the bobcat’s mouth. Bobcat has glass eyes and upswept tail, and is mounted to a paint decorated base. Base measures 30”, and is 16” tall. Excellent original paint; structurally good.

Provenance: Collection of Bob Moreland. (12,000 - 18,000)

267 Frank Finney (b.1947), Cape Charles, Virginia. Elaborately designed and carved group of six full-size woodcock. Five of which are working the forest floor with decorated and painted carved wings, and even a worm that is being pursued by one of the birds. The flying bird at top has wings spread and carved feathers. An incredible piece that can be viewed at all angles. Signed with Frank’s carved ‘F’ in the piece of wood near the flying bird. Base measures 30” and is 19” tall. Structurally good, excellent in all respects. (8,000 - 12,000)

268 Frank Finney (b.1947), Cape Charles, Virginia. Large mechanical great horned owl, with deep relief feather carving. Two pull strings on lower back, which when pulled rotate the head and open eyes and mouth. Applied leather tongue on inside of mouth and leather feathers on front of neck. Maker’s initials carved on the front of base. Maker’s ink stamp on the underside of owl. Stands 35” including base. Excellent and original. (8,000 - 12,000)

269 Frank Finney (b.1947), Cape Charles, Virginia. Mystical and mechanical crow, whose head swivels and mouth opens as the head turns. Two wires extend from under the tail, when pulled, turn the head in alternating directions. Mounted to a early burled piece of wood. Crow has carved feather and wing detail. Glass eyes. Stands 18” tall. Excellent condition. (5,000 - 8,000)

270 Frank Finney (b.1947), Cape Charles, Virginia. Dachshund with alert head, glass eyes, and leather collar. Mounted to a decorative, painted and carved base. Base measures 17.5”, 13” tall. Excellent and original. (5,000 - 8,000)

271 Frank Finney (b.1947), Cape Charles, Virginia. Mother and calf gray whale. With applied, extended fins. Maker’s ink stamp on underside of base. Larger whale measures 20.5” long, calf is 12.5” long. 13” tall including base. Excellent and original. (2,500 - 3,500)

272 Frank Finney (b.1947), Cape Charles, Virginia. Scarlet macaw with glass eyes, turned head, carved wings and tail. Perched on a paint decorative base. Stands 13” tall. Excellent and original. (2,000 - 2,500)

273 Frank Finney (b.1947), Cape Charles, Virginia. Cardinal perched on mounted, decorative base. Cardinal is holding a piece of holly berry in mouth. Carved “F” on the underside. Stands 9” tall. Excellent and original. (1,800 - 2,200)

274 Frank Finney (b.1947), Cape Charles, Virginia. Bobolink with alert head that is tilted. Carved wings and tail. With crossed wingtips, and a leaf clutched in its mouth. Carved “F” on the underside. Measures 8” long. Excellent and original. (2,000 - 2,500)

275 Frank Finney (b.1947), Cape Charles, Virginia. Indigo bunting. “F” carved in underside. Birds mouth is stuffed with a berry. Split and carved tail. with glass eyes. Measures 6.5” long. Excellent and original. (500 - 800)

276 Frank Finney (b.1947), Cape Charles, Virginia. Full-size yellow-throated vireo. Glass eyes with split and carved tail. Carved “F” on underside. Bird is 6.25” long. Excellent and original. (500 - 800)

277 Frank Finney (b.1947), Cape Charles, Virginia. Orchard oriole. Glass eyes. Split and carved tail. Carved “F” on underside. Measures 6.5” long. Excellent and original. (500 - 800)

278 Frank Finney (b.1947), Cape Charles, Virginia. Miniature Mandarin duck. Stamped “Finney” with maker’s initials carved on the underside. Stands 4.5” tall. Excellent and original. (500 - 800)

279 Frank Finney (b.1947), Cape Charles, Virginia. Miniature harlequin duck. Head is raised and twisted, looking up. Carved “F” on the underside. Stands 4” tall. Excellent and original. (500 - 800)

277a Frank Finney (b.1947), Cape Charles, Virginia. Full body standing black bellied plover on carved wooden base. Signed twice by maker. Glass eyes, carved feathers, and tail detail. Head is slightly turned. 10” tall. Excellent and original.

(1,500 - 2,500)

280 Frank Finney (b.1947), Cape Charles, Virginia. Miniature snipe with carved feather detail, turned head, and glass eyes. “F” carved in rounded base. Stands 5.5” tall. Excellent in all respects. (500 - 800)

281 Frank Finney (b.1947), Cape Charles, Virginia. Miniature canvasback drake. Mounted on base with carved “F” in underside. Stands 4” tall. Excellent and original. (500 - 800)

278

277a

282 Gordon Hare (b.1956), Canada. Pair of cardinals mounted on branches attached to contemporary base. Cardinals have glass eyes. Excellent detail feather carving that have created an almost puff soft texture. Each bird’s tail is extended and slightly spread. Full height stands 20.5” tall. Very good and original. (3,000 - 5,000)

283 Steve Weaver (b.1950), Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Titled “Early Morning Glory”. An outstanding pair of flying ruby-throated hummingbirds. Birds are in flight approaching carved morning glory flowers. Signed and dated 2010 on the underside of base. Male hummingbird measures 3.75” long, entire piece measures 12” tall x 12” wide. Excellent and original. (4,000 - 6,000)

284 Steve Weaver (b.1950), Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Titled “Signs of Spring”. A decorative pair of full-size Baltimore oriole. Both perched on metal branch. Relief wing and highly detailed feather carving. Titled, signed, and dated 2008 on the underside of base. Birds measure 7” long, piece measures 14” tall. Excellent and original.

(4,000 - 6,000)

285 Steve Weaver (b.1950), Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Full-size painted bunting perched on Carolina Holly. Signed and dated 2001 on the underside. Bunting measures 5” long, piece is 9” tall. Excellent and original. (2,000 - 3,000)

Jim Schmiedlin

1945 - 2015 | Bradfordwoods, Pennsylvania

286 Jim Schmiedlin (1945-2015), Bradfordwoods, Pennsylvania. Very rare brant. One of only eight Jim made. Dated October ‘02. Underside written by Jim “2002 gunning rug used on the waters of Erie PA, Lake Chautauqua”. At the time it was made, Jim states that he only made six. Stamped “JAS” in underside. Hollow with bottom board. Slightly turned head. Feather and tail carving. Measures 21” long. Very tight hairline crack near bottom board at front of breast; a couple of tiny chips of paint, otherwise excellent and original.

288 Jim Schmiedlin (1945-2015), Bradfordwoods, Pennsylvania. Small painted paddle with moonlit lake scene of three flying long tailed ducks. Signed and dated 2013. Measures 30” long. Small dents in paddle from before it was painted; small paint rub on handle. (1,200 - 1,800)

(15,000 - 20,000)

289 Marty Hanson (b. 1965), Hayward, Wisconsin. Excellent pair of gadwall. Hollow carved with slightly turned heads and raised wingtips. Highly detailed scratch feather paint on drake. “MH” carved on the underside of each. Measure 16” long. Excellent and original.

(2,000 - 3,000)

290 Marty Hanson (b. 1965), Hayward, Wisconsin. Hollow carved Canada goose with 1.5” bottom board and deep relief wingtip carving. Slightly turned head. Maker’s ink stamp on the underside. Measures 22.5” long. A few very minor shallow dents and paint rubs, otherwise excellent.

(1,200 - 1,800)

291 Josh Brewer, Little Deer Isle, Maine. Hollow carved loon with bill resting on breast. Relief carved wings extend from the body on each side. .75” bottom board is attached with square wooden pegs. “Brewer” carved on the underside. Measures 20.5” long. Excellent and original. (2,500 - 3,500)

291a Josh Brewer, Little Deer Isle, Maine. Northern saw whet owl perched on a penny bun mushroom. Signed and dated 2024. Glass eyes with detailed carved and crossed wingtips and tail. Detail extends up under the mushroom cap. Stands 7.5” tall. Excellent in all respects.

(1,500 - 2,000)

292 Mark McNair (b.1950), Craddockville, Virginia. Large hollow carved curlew with relief wing carving. Two piece vertically laminated body held together by two dowels at wings. Slightly turned head and raised wingtips. “McNair” carved in the underside. Maker’s stand included, stand is identified, signed, and dated 2019 on the underside. Measures 18.75” long. Excellent and original.

(1,200 - 1,800)

293 Mark McNair (b.1950), Craddockville, Virginia. Turned head curlew with bone bill and deep relief wing carving. Head is turned 90 degrees. “McNair” carved in underside. Measures 11” long. Excellent and original. (1,500 - 2,500)

295 Mark McNair (b.1950), Craddockville, Virginia. Thinly hollowed golden plover with relief wing carving and raised wingtips. Bone escutcheon at stick hole. “McNair” carved in the underside. Measures 12” long. Excellent and original.

(1,200 - 1,800)

296 George Strunk (b.1958), Glendora, New Jersey. Pair of oversize preening mallards. The maker’s best grade with relief wing and tail feather carving. Curled tail sprig and fine feather combing on drake. Both signed and dated 2008. “D & J Jenny” collection ink stamp on the undersides. Measures 17” long. Excellent and original.

(1,500 - 2,500)

298 Bob White (b. 1939), Tullytown, Pennsylvania. Pair of swimming bluewing teal. Hollow carved with relief wing and tail feather carving. Maker’s quail weights on the underside. Measure 14.75” long. Thin varnish layer has darkened slightly, otherwise excellent.

Provenance: Louis Boucher collection. (1,500 - 2,500)

297 George Strunk (b.1958), Glendora, New Jersey. Oversize preening black duck. Hollow carved with head turned, resting on back. Relief wingtip and tail feather carving. Signed and dated 2006 on underside. Measures 17.5” long. Excellent and original. (700 - 1,000)

299 Sean Sutton, Paulsboro, New Jersey. Excellent pair of wood ducks. Hollow carved with deep relief wing carving. Hen’s head is turned in preening pose. Signed on the underside. “D&J Jenny” collection ink stamp on the underside. Measure 13.25” long. Excellent and original. (1,500 - 2,500)

Reggie Birch (b.1953), Chincoteague, Virginia. Large hollow carved cormorant with deep relief wing carving and slightly turned reared back head. Detailed bill carving. Signed by the maker on the underside. Measures 26.25” long. Excellent and original. (1,000 - 1,400)

300 Sean Sutton, Paulsboro, New Jersey. Pair of bluewing teal with slightly turned heads and deep relief wingtip carving. Hollow carved with nice paint detail. Signed on the undersides. Measure 13” long. Some paint rubs on back of hen’s head,otherwise excellent. (1,000 - 1,400)

301

302 Ben Heinemann (b.1954), Rocky Mount, North Carolina. Hollow carved Canada goose. Signed and dated 1982 on underside. Decorative split carved raised wings. This exact decoy finished first place at the international decoy contest Canada goose class, professional division at the 1981 internation decoy show held in Davenport Iowa. A sales piece highlighting this decoy is included. Measures 26” long. Strong original paint with only a very minor chip at the tip of one wing feather. (1,800 - 2,200)

304 Jim Foote (1925-2004), Gibraltar, Michigan. Excellent decorative wood duck. Hollow carved with raised crossed wingtips and slightly turned head. Exaggerated crest feathers on back of tucked head. Detailed feather carving throughout. Signed and dated 1976-1978. Measures 13” long. Tiny paint rubs on tip of bill and edge of tail, otherwise excellent. (1,500 - 2,500)

303 Joseph “Buckeye Joe” Wooster (1934 - 2008), Ashley, Ohio. Excellent hollow carved wood duck with deep relief wing feather carving and extended crest. Comb feather paint detail on sides. Signed and dated ‘72. Measures 13” long. Excellent and original. (1,200 - 1,800)

305 Jimmie Vizier, Galiano, Louisiana. Rare and possibly unique swan. Signed and dated 1993. Inscribed on the underside is “Carved special for Betty and Donald Denny”. Hollow with exaggerated sweeping neck position that rests over mid back. Measures 31.5” long. Three small dents and a few minor paint rubs on one side of back, otherwise very good and original. (3,500 - 4,500)

306 Tan Brunet, Galliano, Louisiana. Black duck. Signed and dated on underside 1994. Canadian red leg drake. Crossed wingtips, turned head. Fine feather detail. Excellent in all respects. (3,000 - 5,000)

307 Mitchell Lafrance (1882-1979), New Orleans, Louisiana. Early rigmate pair of mallards with relief wing carving and scratch feather paint detail. Measure 16” long. Original paint with moderate gunning wear; scattered dents and shot marks; old chip in tip of drake’s tail; tight cracks in one of hen’s eyes.

Provenance: Rig of Marks Labat, a friend of Lafrance from Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. Used at Pointe a la Hache, Louisiana. By descent in the Labat family. (6,000 - 9,000)

Oscar Peterson

1887 - 1951 | Cadillac, Michigan

308

Oscar Peterson (1887-1951), Cadillac, Michigan. Carved fish vase. Five different species, including a perch, muskey, brook trout, walleye, and bass. Measures 9.5” tall. Excellent original paint with a very appealing crazed suface; a few small scratches and some edge wear.

Provenance: David Fannon collection. (25,000 - 35,000)

309 Oscar Peterson (1887-1951), Cadillac, Michigan. Carved fish vase. With two pumpkin seed and a muskie that is wrapped around the entire goblet shaped vase. Measures 8” tall. Excellent original paint protected by an appealing coat of varnish that has crazed; a dab of silver paint on top of muskey tail.

Provenance: David Fannon collection. (20,000 - 30,000)

310 Oscar Peterson (1887-1951), Cadillac, Michigan. Relief carved rainbow trout with desirable flip tail. Glass eye, metal strapping on back and sides. Written in pencil “Made by Oscar Peterson 223 Cadillac, Michigan, Rainbow trout.” Plaque measures 2.75” x 6.75” x .5”. Original paint with a very tiny bit of edge wear and paint loss on sides.

Provenance: David Fannon collection.

(5,000 - 7,000)

311 Oscar Peterson (1887-1951), Cadillac, Michigan. A sunfish relief carved plaque with glass eye. Peterson’s metal strapping on plaque. Written in pencil “Made by Oscar Peterson 223 East North St, Cadillac Michigan, Sunfish.” Glitter has been added to the paint surface typically only seen on Peterson’s high quality plaques. Measures 3.5” x 5.75” x 1.5”.

Provenance: David Fannon collection.

(5,000 - 7,000)

312 Oscar Peterson (1887-1951), Cadillac, Michigan. Relief carved jumping German brown trout. Glass eye, metal strapping on back and sides. Written in pencil “Made by Oscar Peterson 223 Cadiliac, Michigan, German brown trout.” Plaque measures 2.75” x 6.75” x .5”. Original paint with slight crazing to the brown area.

Provenance: David Fannon collection. (5,000 - 7,000)

313 Oscar Peterson (1887-1951), Cadillac, Michigan. Relief carved brook trout. Glass eye, metal strapping on back and sides. Written in pencil “Made by Oscar Peterson 223 Cadillac, Michigan, brook trout.” Plaque measures 2.75” x 6.75” x .5”. Original paint with crazing to the white areas.

Provenance: David Fannon collection. (5,000 - 7,000)

314 Oscar Peterson (1887-1951), Cadillac, Michigan. Relief carved pike. Glass eye, metal strapping on back and sides. Written in pencil “Made by Oscar Peterson 223 Cadilliac, Michigan, pike.” Plaque measures 2.75” x 6.75” x .5”. Original paint with crazing to the white area.

Provenance: David Fannon collection. (5,000 - 7,000)

315 Oscar Peterson (1887-1951), Cadillac, Michigan. A bluegill relief carved plaque with glass eye. Peterson’s metal strapping on plaque. Written in pencil “Made by Oscar Peterson, 223 East North St Cadillac, Michigan Bluegill.” Glitter has been added to the paint surface typically only seen on Peterson’s high quality plaques. Measures 3.5” x 5.75” x 1.5”.

Provenance: David Fannon collection. (5,000 - 7,000)

316 Oscar Peterson (1887-1951), Cadillac, Michigan. Carved wall plaque of an albino cottontail rabbit. With vines and flowers. The bunny has a pink eye, is painted on a natural background board. Metal reinforcement on back. Plaque measures 8.5” x 13.5”. Very good and original.

Provenance: David Fannon collection. (7,000 - 10,000)

317 Oscar Peterson (1887-1951), Cadillac, Michigan. Carved wooden plaque of a brook trout, second quarter 20th century. With glass eyes. Brass plaque on back of board reads “Oscar W Peterson 223 East North Street, Cadillac, Michigan”. Has Two metal straps to support from warping. Plaque measures 9.5” x 36” x approx 1.75” wide. Retains excellent original paint protected by a coat of varnish that has created an appealing surface; small rub along lower portion of jaw, otherwise excellent structurally.

Provenance: David Fannon collection. (15,000 - 25,000)

318 Oscar Peterson (1887-1951), Cadillac, Michigan. Rare natural sided carved eye walleye, 2nd quarter 20th century. With unpainted copper fins. Measures 11” long x 1.75” tall x 1” wide. Original paint on underside and top of back; also has several white spots along black area of back to make it visible for spearing; top dorsal fin is missing; varnish has crazed; tail has been reset at bottom half of tail.

Provenance: David Fannon collection. (3,000 - 4,000)

319 Oscar Peterson (1887-1951), Cadillac, Michigan. Fish decoy, 1st quarter 20th century. Tack eyes. Probably a bass. Single chamber weight. Measures 6.25” x .75” wide x 1” tall. Original paint protected by a coat of varnish; professional tail chip repairs to top half of tail.

Provenance: David Fannon collection. (1,800 - 2,200)

320 Oscar Peterson (1887-1951), Cadillac, Michigan. Glass eye perch fish decoy. Measures 8” long x 1.5” tall x 1” wide. Original paint protected by a coat of varnish that has darkened; with more darkening along the lower edge; some additional white paint marks near line tie; small paint loss on fins.

Provenance: David Fannon collection. (2,000 - 3,000)

321 Oscar Peterson (1887-1951), Cadillac, Michigan. A large sucker fish decoy with tack eyes. Measures 9 1/4” long x 2” tall x 1 1/8” wide. Strong original paint protected by a coat of varnish that has darkened slightly; some flaking to underside; a very small paint chip near lower end of tail; normal paint loss to metal fins.

Provenance: David Fannon collection. (2,500 - 3,500)

322 Oscar Peterson (1887-1951), Cadillac, Michigan. Sucker fish decoy with tack eyes. Measures 7” long x 1.25’ tall x .75” wide. Strong original paint protected by a coat of varnish; near excellent.

Provenance: David Fannon collection. (1,500 - 2,500)

323 Oscar Peterson (1887-1951), Cadillac, Michigan. Perch fish decoy with tack eyes. Measures 7” long x 1.25” tall x .75” wide. Original paint protected by a coat of varnish; paint flakes from moderate use; small gouge under mouth and reset broken chip at tail; paint loss on fins; small spot has been darkened right behind line tie area. (500 - 800)

324 Oscar Peterson (1887-1951), Cadillac, Michigan. Pike fish decoy with painted brass tack eyes. Measures 7” long x 1” tall x .5” wide. Excellent original paint protected by a coat of varnish; very light wear. (1,500 - 2,500)

325 Oscar Peterson (1887-1951), Cadillac, Michigan. Perch fish decoy with painted tack eyes. Measures 6.5” long x 1” tall x .5” wide. Original paint protected by a coat of varnish; some flaking at tail; lower edge of one side, top of head, and underside. (500 - 800)

326 Oscar Peterson (1887-1951), Cadillac, Michigan. Pike fish decoy with tack eyes. Measures 7.25” x 1” x .75”. Strong original paint protected by a coat of varnish; paint loss at belly weights, otherwise very good. (800 - 1,200)

327 Oscar Peterson (1887-1951), Cadillac, Michigan. Brown trout with tack eyes. Measures 10” x 1.5” x .75”. Original paint with even flaking and wear; moderate loss to fins; repair and in painting to approximately 1.25” at top of tail with some in painting below it.

(1,000 - 1,500)

328 Oscar Peterson (1887-1951), Cadillac, Michigan. Tack eye perch. Measures 8” long x 1.5” tall x 1” wide. Original paint with a coat of varnish; flaking along lower portion of body has exposed portions where primer is visible; small areas where paint has flaked or rubbed to exposed bare wood; very small chip at underside near belly weight.

Provenance: David Fannon collection. (1,500 - 2,500)

329 Oscar Peterson (1887-1951), Cadillac, Michigan. Sucker fish decoy with tack eyes. Measures 7” x 1.25” x .75”. Original paint with some added silver spots near tail; paint on metal fins appears to have been wiped down; small chip at lower tip of tail. (750 - 1,000)

331 Jim Foote (1925-2004), Gibraltar, Michigan. Brook trout. Signed and dated on underside 1990. Mesures 8.5” long. Excellent and original. (600 - 900)

Harry V. Shourds

1861 - 1920 | Tuckerton, New Jersey

332 Harry V. Shourds (1861-1920), Tuckerton, New Jersey. Hollow carved redhead with inlet lead weight on underside. Measures 14” long. Original paint with minor gunning wear; small tail chip repair and a tight crack in the neck was secured, otherwise very good structurally.

(12,000 - 16,000)

333 Harry V. Shourds (1861-1920), Tuckerton, New Jersey. Hollow carved brant with inlet lead weight and tack eyes. Measures 16.5” long. Original paint with minor flaking and wear; significant paint loss on underside; slight separation at body seam; professional bill chip and neck crack repairs. (4,000 - 6,000)

334 Harry M. Shourds (1890-1943), Ocean City, New Jersey. Extremely rare hooded merganser with extended crest. Hollow carved with inlet lead weight on underside. Measures 15” long. Mix of original paint and early in use repaint that was cleaned down to the original; shows moderate discoloration and wear under a thick coat of varnish; small dents and shot marks; separation at body seam; reglued chip in one side of neck seat; most of the bill is a professional replacement.

Provenance: William Mackey, Jr. collection. James and Lyda Madden collection.

Literature: “Decoy Collectors Guide,” exhibition at the Noyes Museum. “New Jersey Decoys,” Henry Fleckenstein, Jr., plate 282 and p. 128. (5,000 - 8,000)

335 Harry V. Shourds (1861-1920), Tuckerton, New Jersey. Flying brant. Mackey collection stamp on underside. Measures 24” long with canvas over wire wings. Original paint with minor wear; tight drying split along the back, otherwise structurally good.

Provenance: Session IV of the William J. Mackey, Jr. sale, October 1973. Gene and Linda Kangas collection.

Literature: “American Bird Decoys,” William J. Mackey, Jr., p. 128, exact decoy pictured. (3,000 - 5,000)

336 Unknown maker from New Jersey, 1st quarter 20th century. Hollow carved brant with raised neck seat. Head in slightly forward pose. Measures 17.25” long. Original paint with minor wear; loss to filler above nail holes in neck and body seam; old chip in underside of bill; minor roughness on edge of tail and top of head. (600 - 900)

337 Joe King (1835-1913), Manahawkin, New Jersey. Canvasback drake. Two piece hollow body with raised neck seat. Tack eyes. Comb painting on back. Branded on underside. 17” long. Strong original paint; separation at body seams; a few shot scars; some rubs that expose bare wood.

(1,250 - 1,750)

338 Daniel Lake Leeds, (1852-1922), Pleasantville, New Jersey. Hollow carved black duck with horseshoe weight on bottom. Measures 16.25” long. Original paint with significant flaking and wear; slight separation at body seam; shallow chip in underside of bill was sanded smooth; crack in one side of neck seat. (1,000 - 1,400)

340 George Boyd (1873-1941), Seabrook, New Hampshire. Very rare and important blue wing teal. One of only two full-size blue wing teal known to exist. Slightly turned and lifted head. Fine feather paint detail and good patina. Signed on the underside by the maker, also initials “JF” are on the underside. Measures 11.75” long. Very fine and tight crazing over much of the decoy with some shrinkage on head, otherwise excellent and original.

Provenance: Made in 1938 and sold to sixteen year old Josiah Fisher. Donated by Mr. Fisher to the New Hampshire Nature Conservancy in order to raise funds to enhance and manage waterfowl habitat. Oliver’s July 11th & 12th, 1992 auction. Private Connecticut collection. Russ and Karen Goldberger collection.

Literature: “Great Book of Decoys,” Joe Engers, Editor, for rigmate. “New England Decoys,” John and Shirley Delph. “Finely Carved and Nicely Painted,” Jim Cullen.

(15,000 - 25,000)

341 George Boyd (1873-1941), Seabrook, New Hampshire. Rare hollow carved wooden Canada goose with brass tack eyes. Three piece wooden body and wide tail that has a copper re-enforcing patch on one side of tail done in the making. Fewer than 10 wooden Boyd geese are known. Measures 28.5” long. Original paint with minor gunning wear; a few small flakes on one side; very minor roughness on tip of bill.

Provenance: Dr. Paul J Vignos Jr. collection. Jim Cullen collection.

Literature: “Hunting and Fishing Collectibles Magazine”, July/August 2014, page 6, exact decoy pictured. “New Hampshire Folk Art: by the People, For the People” an exhibit by the Portsmouth historical Society, 4/5/2019 –9/29/2019. (8,000 - 12,000)

342 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Early black duck with relief carved crossed wingtips. Slightly turned head and carved tail feathers. Measures 16.5” long. Original paint with moderate wear; filled split along the back with touchup along that area; a few other spots of inpainting on body including one side of neck seat; minor roughness on one side of bill. (3,000 - 5,000)

343 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Greenwing teal drake. Stamped “AE Crowell” maker on underside. Carved tail. Slighty rasped head. Measures 12.5” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: James and Lyda Madden collection. (7,000 - 10,000)

344 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Rare cork body mallard hen with slightly turned head and wooden bottom board. Maker’s crisp oval brand on the underside. Also branded “Winthrop”. Measures 16” long. Original paint with minor wear; tiny chip at tip of bill tightly reset.

Literature: “New England Decoys” by Shirley and John Delph, page 106, rigmate pictured. (3,000 - 5,000)

345 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Early redhead from the Quandy collection. Maker’s oval brand on the underside. Also branded “Q” on the underside. Measures 16.25” long. Original paint with minor gunning wear; hairline crack in tail; reglued crack at base of neck with some restoration to the neck filler; very early second coat on head and bill.

Literature: “New England Decoys” by Shirley and John Delph, page 144, exact decoy pictured. (3,000 - 5,000)

346 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Early black duck with raised, crossed wingtips. Relief tail and chip feather carving. Unbranded underside. Head is a professional replacement by Byron Bruffee. Measures 15.5” long. Old body with filled crack along the back; drying crack in the underside; many old nail and screw holes in the underside; paint was restored in the Crowell style when the modern head was added. (2,500 - 3,500)

347 Augustus “Gus” Wilson (1864-1950), South Portland, Maine. Black duck with slightly turned inlet head. Carved eyes and raised wingtip carving. Measures 16.25” long. Thin coat of paint appears to be original, worn throughout; neck is cracked and was likely tightened at some point; slight separation at neck seat; vertical drying cracks at inletted neck seat; slight wear and drying cracks throughout. (1,000 - 1,500)

348 Unknown maker, Massachusetts, 1st quarter 20th century. Red breasted merganser with inset swing weight on underside. Found on Cape Cod by Marty Collins around 20 years ago. Unusual in that it was made with a swing weight. Measures 15.5” long. Original paint with moderate wear; early second coat to the white areas; bill is a professional replacement by Marty Collins. (800 - 1,200)

349 Unknown maker, Massachusetts, 1st quarter 20th century. Hollow carved merganser with concave carving under tail. .25” bottom board. Measures 13.75” long. Original paint with moderate wear; surface has darkened with age; small amount of glue visible at neck seat; drying crack with a small chip in breast. (1,500 - 2,500)

350 Unknown maker, Maine, 1st quarter 20th century. Eider drake. Inlet neck with carved bill and face detail. Stamped in underside “0001”. Measures 17” long. A natural wood grain is exposed, at one time there might have been white paint; a few wood imperfections, shot scar; tight crack at one side.

Provenance: James and Lyda Madden collection. (8,000 - 12,000)

351 Orlando “Os” Bibber (1882-1970), South Harpswell, Maine. Short body style long tail duck hen with slightly turned head. Part of a rig of short body style Bibber decoys found in Falmouth, Maine in the 1970s. Measures 13.25” long. Original paint with minor to moderate wear; spot of touchup to flaking on back; tight drying crack in back and upper part of breast; paint drips on one side of tail were cleaned down; fine hairline crack in tip of bill. (4,000 - 6,000)

352 Willie Ross (1878-1954), Chebeague Island, Maine. Red breasted merganser with inlet neck seat and applied paint bristle crest. Measures 17” long. Original paint with minor gunning wear; thin second coat was cleaned off of white areas; small dents and a few shot marks; bill is a professional replacement.

Literature: “The Great Book of Wildfowl Decoys”, Joe Engers, editor, page 30, exact decoy pictured. (3,000 - 5,000)

353 Charles E. “Shang” Wheeler (1872-1949), Stratford, Connecticut. Hollow carved black duck with slightly turned head and scratch feather paint detail on head and neck. Other black ducks from this rig have had “Wheeler” carved on the underside, as well as written inscriptions to friends. This example has had that carving and writing removed from the underside. Measures 18.25” long. Original paint with very minor wear is quite smooth to the touch and may have had a later coat of varnish added or thin wash or black paint removed; very minor roughness on edge of bill tip; crack in bill was professionally reset with small line of touch up.

(7,000 - 10,000)

354 Richard Wistar Davids (1825-1863), Stratford, Connecticut. Hollow carved sleeping black duck with head, neck, and body made from a single piece of wood. .5” bottom board with Stratford style weight. Measures 14.25” long. Multiple layers of paint were cleaned down at some point; minor chipping and tight cracks at edge of bottom board; some roughness to wood on one lower side and on top of head.

Literature: Literature: “Shelburne Museum Decoys” by David S. Webster and William Kehoe, page 17, similar example pictured. (7,000 - 10,000)

355 Cassius Smith (1847-1907), Milford, Connecticut. Hollow carved black duck with wide neck seat and carved eyes. Inlet lead weight on underside. ‘09FHCO5251’ carved in the underside. Measures 17” long. Original paint with minor wear under a coat of varnish that has darkened with age; minor separation at body seam; hairline cracks in breast and one side of neck seat; filler and touch up above two nail holes in front of neck seat; thin wedge at back of neck seat appears original and done in the making. (2,000 - 3,000)

356 Charles E. Shang Wheeler (1872-1949), Stratford, Connecticut. Bluebill drake. Balsa body with comb painting on back. 13” long. Original paint; a few small dents; paint has rubbed off at tail; white paint has darkened slightly; a couple of small dents near tail have been touched up a long time ago.

Literature: Pictured in “Shang” Dixon Merkt, page 183, exact decoy pictured. (2,000 - 3,000)

357 Albert Laing (1811-1886), Stratford, Connecticut and New York City. Rare,twopiece hollow body swan with slightly raised and canted neck seat. Ice groove behind neck. Underside is branded ‘F. Burritt’ for the gunning rig of Francis Burritt (1850-1928). Measures 23” long. Numerous coats of old white paint; seam separation at body with a few imperfections in wood.

Provenance: Joel Barber collection. (8,000 - 12,000)

Chauncey Wheeler

1888 - 1945 | Alexandria Bay, New York

Only a handful of early twentieth century carvers challenged their skill set, by attempting to make complicated decorative items. Names that quickly come to mind include Elmer Crowell, Ira Hudson, Gus Wilson and Chauncey Wheeler. Wheelers output probably puts him at the top, for making full size, wing out flying ducks. The rarest of these carving are the double wing, suspended, full-size flyers. It is Wheelers literal interpretation and execution that accurately and amazingly captures these birds in flight.

Less than ten full size flyers are known.

Chauncey Wheeler (r)

358 Chauncey Wheeler (1888-1945), Alexandria Bay, New York. The only full body flying mallard made as a drake on one side, and a hen on the other, 1st quarter 20th century. Body is constructed from six vertically laminated pieces with wings and head applied separately. The drake side has metal curly tail. Detailed comb painting on wings. Fine brush painting on breast of hen. Measures 22” long. Originally paint protected by an old coat of varnish that has darkened; small damage at one side of wingtip; small area of restoration at the other wingtip; both feet have had small areas of restoration; some separation at laminate cracks in wing; rough area at tail.

(30,000 - 50,000)

359 Roger Williams (1784-1851), Long Island. Merganser. A large “RW” carved in underside. Adele Earnest collection stamp on underside. Head is turned and carved from a branch or root. In “The Art of the Decoy,” Adele Earnest refers to this decoy when stating, “the oldest decoy I own is a Long Island root head dating from the late 18th century.” Measures 16” long. Old worn paint, some of which may be original; several tight cracks; small imperfection at one side of body; shot scar or notch missing at top of head.

Provenance: Guyette & Schmidt, Inc., April 1993 auction. James and Lyda Madden collection.

Literature: “Decoys: A North American Survey” by Gene and Linda Kangas, page 73, exact decoy pictured. (8,000 - 12,000)

360 Unknown maker, Greenport, Long Island, 1st quarter 20th century. Sleeping black duck with incised wing, and wing patch carving. Tack eyes. Slightly raised neck seat. Retains Oliver sticker on underside from a 1985 sale. Measures 14” long. Old working repaint; lead filler missing near screw hole at base of neck; chip out of tail; rough spot at one wing; rub spots from in use wear.

Provenance: James and Lyda Madden collection. (4,000 - 6,000)

361 Andrew “Grubie” Verity (1881-1976), Seaford, Long Island, New York. Very rare and early 1/3 size red breasted merganser with carved eyes. Measures 9” long. Original paint that has darkened slightly with age; half of bill is a professional replacement.

Provenance: Louis Boucher collection. (1,000 - 1,400)

362 Obediah Verity (1813-1901), Seaford, Long Island, New York. Sanderling with carved eyes, shoulders, and wingtips. Measures 7” long. Lightly worn original paint; discolored on white areas; small areas of loss at bill, which appears to be original; rubs and wear to paint on back; very small spot of inpainting at base of neck and both eyes. (3,000 - 4,000)

363 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Black bellied or golden plover with split tail carving and tack eyes. Wide body and head style. Measures 9.75” long. Original paint with very minor gunning wear; minor roughness on tip of wingtips; otherwise excellent structurally.

Provenance: Quandy collection. Private New England collection.

Literature: “New England Decoys” by Shirley and John Delph, page 145, exact decoy pictured. “Massachusetts Masters” an exhibition curated by John Clayton, page 77, exact decoy pictured. (10,000 - 15,000)

364 Unknown maker, Nantucket, Massachusetts, late 19th century. Wonderful folky black bellied plover. Previously in the Robert Congden collection with an old paper label on underside of base that states the bird was found by his father in the Spouter Inn in 1924. Measures 8.25” long. Original paint with very minor wear; under an early coat of varnish that has darkened with age; bill is very early, but may have been replaced at some point.

Provenance: Robert Congden collection. Dr. John Dinan collection.

(4,000 - 6,000)

365 Unknown maker, attributed to Maine, circa 1900. Small dunlin with relief wing carving and raised wingtips. Inlayed neck seat. Originally had two iron legs that were cut off and a stick hole drilled in underside. Measures 5.75” long. Original paint under an old coat of varnish that has darkened with age; crazing to varnish layer on underside of tail; chip in one raised wingtip; approximately half the bill is missing; separation at neck seat. (1,500 - 2,500)

366 Joseph Lincoln (1859-1938), Accord, Massachusetts. Black bellied plover in emerging plumage with split tail carving and tack eyes. Measures 10.5” long. Original paint with very minor wear; small chip at stick hole; rusted eyes have discolored area around them; bill appears to be an early replacement.

Provenance: Alan and Elaine Haid collection. Private Colorado collection.

Literature: “Top of the Line Hunting Collectibles” by Donna Tonelli, page 90, exact decoy pictured. (2,000 - 3,000)

367 Unknown maker, Massachusetts, circa 1900. Golden plover with split tail carving and tack eyes. Wide beetle head style with sharp ridge down the center of back. Carrying hole drilled through tail area. Measures 12.25” long. Original paint with very minor wear; hairline crack extending from one tack eye, otherwise excellent structurally. (2,000 - 3,000)

368 George Boyd (1873-1941), Seabrook, New Hampshire. Yellowlegs with split tail carving and shoe button eyes. Measures 11.5” long. Original paint with moderate discoloration and wear; small chip in lower part of tail; hairline crack in bill; remnants of newspaper on underside and one lower side form being wrapped in storage.

(2,000 - 3,000)

369 Unknown maker, Massachusetts, late 19th century. Early plover in winter plumage. Tack eyes and metal bill. Branded “DP Smith” near stick hole. Measures 11.25” long. Original paint under a thin coat of varnish with minor gunning wear; professional tail chip repair; otherwise very good structurally. (1,500 - 2,500)

370 Unknown maker, Massachusetts, last quarter 19th century. Hollow carved golden plover with raised wingtips. Measures 9.5” long. Original paint with minor discoloration from an early coat of varnish; minor flaking and wear; hit by shot, mostly in one side; old filler and touch up ot a chip where bill meets face. (1,200 - 1,800)

371 Coffin Family, Nantucket, Massachusetts, last quarter 19th century. One piece golden plover with tack eyes. Measures 10” long. Excellent original paint with very minor wear; small chip at stick hole. (1,200 - 1,800)

372 Unknown maker, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, last quarter 19th century. Large golden plover with split tail carving. Measures 12” long. Original paint that has darkened with age; shows very minor wear; very good structurally. (1,200 - 1,800)

377 Unknown maker, Massachusetts, circa 1900. Small sanderling with raised wingtips and painted eyes. Carrying hole that was drilled through the tail area was filled with unpainted wood filler. Measures 7.5” long. Surface has darkened slightly with age; very minor wear. (1,200 - 1,800)

378 Unknown maker, Hingham, Massachusetts, 1st quarter 20th century. Pair of silhouette yellowlegs with split tail carving and tack eyes. Similar to the work of Joseph Lincoln. Measure 10.5” long. Original paint with minor flaking and wear, mostly on one side of each; old chip repair to one raised wingtip; one of the bills is an early replacement with a chip missing where the bill meets the face.

Literature: “Joseph w. Lincoln” by Cap Vinal, page 64, rigmates pictured. (600 - 900)

379 Unknown maker, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, last quarter 19th century. Large golden plover wind bird. Hollowed from the underside and made to move in the wind. Split tail carving and very wide body style. Measures 12” long, 3.5” wide. Original paint with significant wear; hairline crack in one eye; small beetle holes along the back; one larger hole in center of back where drill bit went through in the hollowing process; bill is an old replacement. (800 - 1,200)

380 Strater & Sohier (1874-1910), Boston, Massachusetts. Folding tin least sandpiper and sanderling. Each with original oak stick. Sandpiper unstamped on the inside. Sanderling1874 patent ink stamp on the inside. Measures 7” long. Very good and original; sanderling has a few tight cracks on underside. (600 - 900)

381 Harry V. Shourds (1861-1920), Tuckerton, New Jersey. Early yellowlegs. Fat body style. “JF” stamped in underside near stick hole. Also with the Joe French collection ink stamp under tail. Measures 10.5” long. Original paint with very minor wear; surface has darkened with age; bill is a well done professional replacement. (3,000 - 4,000)

382 Gus Bishop, Long Island, New York. Dowitcher with deep relief wing carving and raised wingtips. Measures 10.5” long. Original paint under a thin coat of varnish with minor wear; minor roughness on tip of tail; bill appears to be an early replacement.

(1,000 - 1,400)

383 Unknown maker, New Jersey, circa 1900. Yellowlegs or black necked stilt. Square nail as bill. Two-piece body. Museum number written near stick hole. Measures 14” long. Old paint appears to be a mix of original and working repaint; some areas are worn to bare wood.

Provenance: Richard Bourne 1985 auction. James and Lyda Madden collection. (1,500 - 2,500)

384 Taylor Johnson (1853-1929) Point Pleasant, New Jersey. Plump yellowlegs. Eye hook in tail for carrying string. Measures 9.5” long. Original paint with moderate wear, mostly on one side; hardwood bill is a very early replacement. (1,000 - 1,500)

A. Elmer Crowell

1862 - 1952 | East Harwich, Massachusetts

385 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Extremely rare full-size flying hummingbird. Applied wings and feet. Excellent paint detail. One of only two or three known. Measures 4.25” long, with a 3.75” wingspan. A few tiny paint rubs on tips of wings and tail, otherwise excellent.

Provenance: One of two known hummingbirds by Elmer Crowell. This was purchased directly from Crowell by the Larkin family, and has been retained by the family until now.

Literature: “The Songless Aviary” by Brian Cullity, page 87, similar example pictured. (4,000 - 6,000)

386 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Full-size chickadee on pinecone base. Made to screw in to a wall. Chickadee measures 4” tall. Excellent and original.

(3,000 - 5,000)

387 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Decorative lesser yellowlegs with slightly turned head. Maker’s rectangle stamp on the underside of carved clam shell base. Measures 8.75” long, stands 9.25” tall. Excellent original paint; restoration to jesso feet and thighs.

Provenance: James and Lyda Madden collection. (6,000 - 9,000)

388 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Full-size piping plover on carved clam shell base. Identified in pencil on the underside, also with maker’s rectangle stamp. Measures 5” long, stands 5.25” tall. Excellent original paint on plover; areas of paint shrinkage on edge of clam shell base; some jesso restoration to legs and feet. (3,000 - 5,000)

389 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Preening, wing-up lesser yellowlegs on carved wooden oyster shell. Applied, dropped wing. Identified on paper label on the underside. Maker’s rectangle stamp on underside. Measures 8” long, stands 8.25” tall. Original paint with minor shrinkage on one side of breast; small amount of touchup where lifted wing attaches to body; a few tiny chews at tip of lifted wing. (8,000 - 12,000)

390 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Early full-size woodpecker attributed to Elmer Crowell. With split tail carving and painted eyes. Maker’s round ink stamp is faintly visible on backside of natural wood base. Woodpecker measures 5.25” long. Original paint under an early coat of varnish that has darkened, likely from nicotine or a fireplace; bill appears to be an early professional replacement. (3,000 - 5,000)

391

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. 3/4 size mallard with slightly turned head. Maker’s rectangle stamp on the underside. Also signed by the maker on the underside. Measures 12” long. Very good and original. (2,500 - 3,500)

392 Joseph Lincoln (1859-1938), Accord, Massachusetts. Miniature swimming Canada goose. Measures 6.5” long. Tiny spot of touch up on neck and head, otherwise excellent and original.

Provenance: Louis Boucher collection. (2,000 - 3,000)

393 Joseph Lincoln (1859-1938), Accord, Massachusetts. Miniature wood duck with extended crest. Maker’s ink stamp on the underside. Measures 3.75” long. Excellent original paint; crack in bill was professionally reset with some touchup on bill. (2,000 - 3,000)

394 Joseph Lincoln (1859-1938), Accord, Massachusetts. Miniature shoveler. Measures 4” long. A few tiny paint rubs, otherwise excellent and original.

Provenance: Louis Boucher collection. (1,000 - 1,400)

395 Joseph Lincoln (1859-1938), Accord, Massachusetts. Miniature Canada goose. Maker’s ink stamp on the underside. Measures 5.25” long. Near mint original paint; professional neck crack repair. (1,200 - 1,800)

396 George Boyd (1873-1941), Seabrook, New Hampshire. Miniature swimming Canada goose with tiny tack eyes. Signed by the maker on the underside. Measures 5.75” long. Original paint with very tight crazing on back, otherwise excellent and original.

Provenance: Louis Boucher collection. (2,000 - 3,000)

397 George Boyd (1873-1941), Seabrook, New Hampshire. Pair of miniature hooded mergansers. Drake with slightly turned head. Both with extended crests. Measure 3.75” long. Original paint under a thin coat of varnish that has darkened slightly with age; minor crazing on parts of drake; moderate crazing on hen; both are excellent structurally.

Provenance: Louis Boucher collection. (1,500 - 2,500)

398 George Boyd (1873-1941), Seabrook, New Hampshire. Miniature merganser hen with slightly turned head and extended crest. Original paint with fine crazing throughout; professional bill chip repair.

Provenance: Louis Boucher collection. (800 - 1,200)

399 Jess Blackstone (1909-1988), Concord, New Hampshire. Rare miniature Canada goose with raised wingtips and feather rasping. Identified and numbered 64132 on the underside. Measures 4.5” long. Excellent and original. (1,200 - 1,800)

400 Jess Blackstone (1909-1988), Concord, New Hampshire. Miniature ruddy turnstone. With feather rasping. Identified and numbered ‘8’ on the underside. Measures 3.25” long. Very good and original. (1,000 - 1,400)

401 Jess Blackstone (1909-1988), Concord, New Hampshire. Very rare miniature semi-palmated plover. Identified and numbered ‘3’ on the underside. Also with the Blackstone sticker under base. Measures 3.75” long. Excellent and original. (1,200 - 1,800)

402 Jess Blackstone (1909-1988), Concord, New Hampshire. Miniature blackpoll warbler. With dropped wing carving and typical feather rasping. Identified and numbered ‘7’ on underside of base. Measures 3.5” long. Very good and original. (600 - 900)

403 Jess Blackstone (1909-1988), Concord, New Hampshire. Miniature fox sparrow. With raised wingtips and typical feather rasping. Identified and numbered ‘41’ on underside. Measures 3.75” long. Excellent and original. (600 - 900)

404 Jess Blackstone (1909-1988), Concord, New Hampshire. Miniature purple finch. With raised wingtips and typical feather rasping. Identified and numbered ‘12’ on the underside. Measures 3.5” long. Surface has darkened slightly with age; small amount of inpainting where bill meets face. (600 - 900)

405 Alan James King (1881-1963), North Scituate, Rhode Island. Early miniature pair of Canada geese. Relief carved wings and raised wingtips. Signed on base. Geese measures 3.5” long, base measures 5.25” across. Excellent and original. (1,500 - 2,500)

406 Alan James King (1881-1963), North Scituate, Rhode Island. Pair of miniature quail with relief wing carving. Signed on base. Quail measure 1.75” long, base is 3.25” across. Excellent and original. (1,500 - 2,500)

407 Wendell Gilley (1904-1983), South West Harbor, Maine. Pair of miniature woodcock on chip carved base. Identified and signed on the underside. Woodcock measure 3” long, base measures 5” across. Excellent and original. (1,200 - 1,800)

408 Harry Vreeland (1908-1982), Syracuse, New York. Miniature pair of grouse. Signed on back of base. Grouse measures 2.25” long. Base is 5” wide. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Louis Boucher collection. (400 - 600)

409 Ralph Laurie (1883-1964), Hingham, Massachusetts. Miniature standing loon in summer plumage. Maker’s round ink stamp on the underside. Measures 6.5” long, stands 6” tall. Original paint under the original coat of varnish; excellent and original. (800 - 1,200)

410 Robert Morse (1920-1960), Ellsworth, Maine. Miniature walking pheasant with long extended tail. Signed on the natural wood base. Measures 6” long. Very minor paint rub on tip of bill and tip of tail, otherwise excellent. (1,200 - 1,800)

411 Robert Morse (1920-1960), Ellsworth, Maine. Miniature greenwing teal and Canada goose. Both are signed on the side of natural wood base. Stands 3 1/4 and 4” tall. Both are excellent and original.

Provenance: Louis Boucher collection. (1,000 - 1,400)

412 Harold Gibbs (1886-1970), Barrington, Rhode Island. Group of four miniatures including a grouse, redhead, wood duck with raised wingtips, and a pheasant. All signed on the underside. Redhead is dated 1945, grouse 1965. Measures from 2.25” to 6” long. All are excellent and original.

Provenance: Louis Boucher collection. (1,000 - 1,400)

413 Steve Weaver (b.1950), Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

Excellent miniature saw-whet owl with head turned 90 degrees. Highly detailed feather carving. Signed and dated 1995 on the underside. Owl measures 2.25” long, perch measures 8.25” tall. Excellent and original. (1,5002,500)

414 Steve Weaver (b.1950), Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

Two miniature yellowlegs mounted on a driftwood base. Signed and dated on underside 1996. Lower bird has a lifted leg. 5.5” tall. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Louis Boucher collection. (1,800 - 2,200)

415 George Strunk (b.1958), Glendora, New Jersey.

Miniature pheasant with dropped wingtip carving on chip carved base. Maker’s name stamped in the underside, also signed on the underside. Measures 6.25” long. Excellent and original. (500 - 800)

416 Russ Burr (1887-1955), Hingham, Massachusetts. Two miniature flying wood duck drakes. Outstretched wings with relief feather carving. Both with applied wooden feet. Maker’s ink stamp on the underside of natural wood base. Ducks measures 4” long, piece measures 9” in total. A few very minor paint rubs, otherwise excellent.

Provenance: Louis Boucher collection. (600 - 900)

417 Homer Lawrence (1889-1968), Norwalk, Connecticut. Rare, full-size pair of standing bufflehead with raised, crossed wingtips. Hen’s head is turned 50 degrees. Maker’s name carved in to the top of bases. Measure 9.5” and 12” long. Original paint that has darkened with age; minor chipping at tips of tail feathers; old chips at the tip of each of drake’s wingtips. (2,500 - 3,500)

418 John Templeman Coolidge (1888-1945), Boston, Massachusetts. Pair of miniature standing wood ducks. With extended crests and relief wing carving. Applied metal wingtips are raised and crossed. Drake in preening pose. Measure 4.5” and 5.5” long. Areas of fine paint crazing; hen with a reglued crack in the bill, otherwise very good and original. (800 - 1,200)

419 John Templeman Coolidge (1888-1945), Boston, Massachusetts. Miniature standing mallard with applied metal wings. Mallard is standing on one foot with the other outstretched under lifted wing. Signed and dated 1940 on the underside of base. Mallard measures 5” long, base is 8.5” across. Areas of fine crazing including much of the raised wing, otherwise excellent and original. (500 - 800)

420 Augustus Aaron Wilson (1864-1950), South Portland, Maine. 1/2 size flying mallard drake on painted background. Tag on back reads, “Made for Fred Anderson’s daughter, Celia, about 1936.” Backboard is 14” x 18 1/2”. Painting and carving are very good and original; paint on frame is crazed. (1,000 - 2,000)

421 Unknown maker. Group of carved songbirds, probably 2nd quarter 20th century. Found with another few pieces near Cornell University. A unique mounting with each bird perched on a twig and a piece of paper with typed name below. Species include: Connecticut warbler, seaside sparrow, Lincoln sparrow, sharp tailed sparrow, and fox sparrow. Board measures 28” long. Each is in original paint; structurally good.

(1,500 - 2,500)

422 Two carved and painted songbirds, circa 1950. One marked Snowflake and the other Fine Grosbeak. From the same unknown maker as lot 421. Found near Cornell University and possibly associated with their ornathology department. Each bird is mounted on a cut branch and measures 7.5”, or nearly full size. Both are in original paint; small areas of paint loss on snowflake; slightly blunted bill on grosbeak; small roughness at tail; one wingtip has been reset.

(500 - 700)

423 Carved wooden whippoorwill, circa 1940. Identified on underside as poor-will. Measures 7” long. Part of a group that came out of New York state near Cornell University. Original paint structurally good with a very small chip missing at tail when bird was made.

(300 - 400)

424 Herters Decoy Factory, Waseca, Minnesota. Great horned owl with large glass eyes and bear claw bill. Relief wing carving and raised wingtips. Measures 20” long. Excellent original paint with almost no wear; a few small dents in balsa body; 2” long dent on each side of breast.

(1,500 - 2,500)

425 Unknown maker. Owl decoy, 1st quarter 20th century. An applied bone beak with applied legs. On base stands 14” tall. Original paint with a few gouges; flaking and nail holes from years of use. (500 - 800)

427 Ira Hudson (1873-1949), Chincoteague, Virginia.

Oversize black duck with partially inlet neck seat and tack eyes. Cottonwood body with scratch feather paint detail and fluted tail carving. Measures 17” long. Dry original paint with moderate gunning wear; chipping and roughness on tail; old chip in underside of bill with a hairline crack in upper part of bill; hairline crack and flaking to filler at neck seat. (3,000 - 4,000)

428 Ira Hudson (1873-1949), Chincoteague, Virginia.

Rigmate pair of pintails with partially inlet neck seat, scratch feather paint detail, and tack eyes. “101” stamped near weights. Hen with Mackey collection ink stamp on the underside. Drake with two William Purnell collection brands and an ink stamp from the collection of Bob Jester. Measure 14.25” and 18.5” long. Original paint with significant flaking and wear; drying crack along one side of hen; old chip on one side of hen’s bill; drake has a crack in one side of neck seat and old chip at tip of tail and a small knot has fallen out of the top of the bill. (3,000 - 4,000)

429 Ira Hudson (1873-1949), Chincoteague, Virginia.

Swimming Canada goose with tack eyes. “101” stamped on underside. “P” brand for the collection of William Purnell. Measures 25.75” long. Original paint with moderate to significant gunning wear; multiple cracks in neck with some having been filled; much of the black on head and neck has been strengthened; tight drying cracks in body.

(5,000 - 7,000)

Bluebill with partially inlet neck seat and fluted tail. “SGH” stamped twice on the underside for the collection of Somers Headley. Measures 14.5” long. Early second coat of paint by Hudson with minor flaking and wear; minor chipping to neck filler.

(1,200 - 1,800)

431

Very rare miniature goose with scratch feather paint detail. Measures 5.25” long. Original paint with minor discoloration and wear; neck crack repair with touchup to black in that area. (1,500 - 2,500)

430 Ira Hudson (1873-1949), Chincoteague, Virginia.

Ira Hudson (1873-1949), Chincoteague, Virginia.

432 Unknown maker, Chincoteague, Virginia, early 20th century. Highhead Canada goose with raised neck seat, cottonwood body, and paint pattern similar to Ira Hudson. Measures 23” long. Original paint, possibly by Ira Hudson, with moderate gunning wear; two old chips at neck seat; vertical drying crack on one side of lower neck.

Provenance: Recently found on the Central Maine coast. (2,000 - 3,000)

433 Doug Jester (1876-1961), Chincoteague, Virginia. Excellent pair of miniature mergansers with exaggerated crest feathers and scratch feather paint detail on head. Measure 7.25” long. Hairline cracks in drake’s neck and very minor flaking on edge of tails.

Provenance: Louis Boucher collection. (1,500 - 2,500)

434 Doug Jester (1876-1961), Chincoteague, Virginia. Bluebill from the Berkey rig. With raised neck seat and “Berkey” stamped in underside. Measures 15.5” long. Original paint with minor to moderate flaking and wear; shallow chip on one side of neck seat; otherwise very good structurally. (500 - 800)

435 Doug Jester (1876-1961), Chincoteague, Virginia. Goldeneye hen branded “ELC” on the underside. Measures 12.5” long. Original paint with minor wear; thick coat of varnish has darkened with age; paint flaking at brand in underside. (600 - 900)

436 James T. Holly (1855-1935), Havre de Grace, Maryland. Bluewing teal hen with slightly forward head pose. Scratch feather paint detail on back. Hillman collection ink stamp on underside. Measures 12.5” long. Original paint with minor wear protected under an early coat of varnish; slight separation at back of neck seat; ½ the bill is a professional replacement.

Provenance: James and Lyda Madden collection. (12,000 - 18,000)

437

James T. Holly (1855-1935), Havre de Grace, Maryland. Long body style black duck. Measures 17.5” long. Original paint under an early, thin coat of varnish; minor gunning wear with small dents and shot marks; hairline crack along the underside; crack through neck with head slightly loose; minor separation and flaking at neck seat.

Provenance: David Fannon collection. (5,000 - 8,000)

438 Charles Nelson Barnard (1876-1958), Havre de Grace, Maryland. Canvasback from the J. Pusey rig and so branded on the underside. Slightly high-headed with raised neck seat. Measures 16” long. Mix of original and early in use repaint, mostly to the black areas; moderate gunning wear; minor roughness on edge of tail and bill; crack in bill was reglued; black overpaint around center part of neck was taken down with some of the red restored; crack through neck. (3,000 - 5,000)

439 Robert McGaw (1879-1958), Havre de Grace, Maryland. Rare Canada goose with original ‘dog bone’ style weight. Measures 20.5” long. Old overpaint was mostly taken down showing moderate wear; lightly hit by shot; multiple cracks in neck; slight separation at neck seat.

Literature: “Decoys: A North American Survey” by Gene and Linda Kangas, page 31, exact decoy pictured. (700 - 1,000)

438

439

440 Lloyd Tyler (1898-1971), Crisfield, Maryland. Canada goose with elongated tail. Measures 26” long. Original paint with minor to moderate gunning wear; surface has darkened slightly from a thin coat of wax; drying cracks in body, head, and neck; minor chipping on one side of bill and tail was darkened long ago. (1,200 - 1,800)

441 Allen Purner (1921-2006), North East, Maryland. Decorative canvasback meant to lay on a shelf with head hanging. Applied wings and carved wooden feet. Signed and dated 1961 on back. Measures 16” long. Original paint with minor flaking and rubs; early repairs to cracked legs; filler and touchup at neck seat. (1,000 - 1,500)

442 Horace Graham (1893-1981), Charlestown, Maryland. Pair of redheads. Measure 16” long. Unused, very good and original. (800 - 1,200)

443 Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Pair of 1/3 size pintails with slightly turned heads. Both are signed and dated 1948 on the underside. Measure 8” and 8.75” long. Very good and original.

Provenance: Louis Boucher collection. (1,000 - 1,400)

444 Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland.

Pair of 1/3 size mallards. Balsa bodies and slightly turned heads. Hen is signed on the underside. Measure 8” long. Original paint with very fine crazing on drake; shows no wear; chip in drake’s bill was reglued.

(800 - 1,200)

445 Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland.

Pair of 1/3 size mallards with slightly turned heads. Balsa bodies are signed on the underside. “AWF” on the underside. Measure 8.25” long. Tightly reglued crack in drake’s bill; otherwise very good and original.

Provenance: Louis Boucher collection. (1,000 - 1,400)

Ogden

446 Ogden Pleissner (1905-1983), watercolor. Image of two guide boats salmon fishing with a high bank background. Signed lower right. Professionally framed and matted. Image measures 17.5” x 27.25”. Excellent and original.

Provenance: David Fannon collection. (20,000 - 30,000)

447 James Edward Buttersworth (1817-1894), oil on board. Frigates leaving Gibraltar. Signed lower right. Image measures 7.5” x 11.75”. Spots of inpainting in sky and along frame edge; fine stable crazing.

Provenance: Leon Gorman collection.

(12,000 - 18,000)

448 Alfred Thompson Bricher (1837-1908), oil on board. Depicts a river scene with boy fishing in foreground and two farmers harvesting hay in the background. Signed and dated 1869 lower right. Image measures 9.75” x 17.75”. Some preservation work done at some point with small spots of inpainting in sky and along edges of board.

Provenance: Leon Gorman collection. (10,000 - 15,000)

449 Aiden Lassell Ripley (1896-1969), watercolor on paper. Image of two hunters and dog flushing pheasants. Signed. Image measures 14” x 20.5”. Frame measures 23.5” x 29”. Image remains bright and in good condition. (6,000 - 9,000)

450 Aiden Lassell Ripley (1896-1969), watercolor on paper. Woodcock over Clematis, signed and dated ‘41. Image measures 16.5” x 22.5”. Professionally framed and matted with frame measuring 25” x 31”. A few small spots of toning in the sky; minor discoloration from an earlier matting across top. (8,000 - 12,000)

450a Percival Leonard Rosseau (1859-1937), oil on canvas. Image of a pekingese. Retains a Christie’s sale tag at back of stretcher. Signed lower right. Image measures 15” x 21”. Canvas remains tight, and may have been restretched; as viewed under black light just a few tiny spots and areas of either inpainting or varnish voids, but nothing significant. (8,000 - 12,000)

450b William Goadby Lawrence (1913-2002), oil on canvas. Measures 30” x 41.5”. Signed lower right. Slight yellowing and crazing evenly distributed throughout painting; structurally good. (1,500 - 2,500)

450c David Hagerbaumer (19212014), watercolor on paper. Woodducks landing in autumn marsh. Signed ‘01. Image size 9” x 12”. Professionally framed and matted. Frame measures 17.5” x 20.5”. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Alan and Elaine Haid collection. (1,500 - 2,000)

451 John Whorf (1903-1959), watercolor. Fisherman in early sport fishing boat fighting a marlin. Paper gallery tag from the Milch Galleries, New York, New York titles the painting “The Fighting Marlin”. Image measures 21.25” x 29”. Signed lower right. Original frame measures 31.5” x 39.5”. One small area of slight discoloration from age, otherwise structurally good. (3,000 - 5,000)

452 Chet Reneson (b. 1934), watercolor. Image with hunter and black duck decoys. Signed. Image size 17.25” x 27.5”. Professionally framed and matted. Frame measures 27” x 37”. Frame has small chipping at corners, otherwise excellent and original.

Provenance: Randy Rall collection. (2,000 - 3,000)

453 Chet Reneson (b. 1934), watercolor. A hunter carrying ducks. Painting was commissioned by Dr. John Dinan and is of West Brown Cow Island in Casco Bay, Maine, a favorite hunting spot of Dinan. Signed lower left. Image measures 17.75” x 28”. A few tiny spots of discoloration otherwise excellent.

Provenance: Dr. John Dinan collection. (1,500 - 2,500)

452

453

454 Jim Foote (1925-2004), oil on canvas. Signed. Image measures 23.5” x 35.5”. Two men fishing in an Ausable river boat. Professionally framed. Remains in excellent condition.

(3,500 - 4,500)

455 Jim Foote (1925-2004), oil on board. A pair of grouse in the woods. Signed and dated 1977. Image measures 22” x 28”. Remains in very good condition.

(1,750 - 2,250)

456 William Schaldach (1896-1982), watercolor. Titled “Grouse Flushing”. Signed at lower edge. Image measures 17.25” x 21.25”. Glass was cracked and removed; a faint hairline scratch in center of image, otherwise excellent. (1,000 - 1,500)

457 Charles E. Shang Wheeler (1872 - 1949), pen and ink. Three flying black ducks. Signed “Shang” lower right. Also with ink remark on mat of a labrador retrieving duck to his hunter. An acid free barrier has been added between artwork and matting, that is not visible, but will prevent future discoloration. Mat measures 15.25” x 12.5”. Slight toning from age; otherwise excellent.

Provenance: Dixon Merkt collection.

Literature: “Shang” by Dixon Merkt, page 16, item 2, exact pen and ink pictured. (1,000 - 1,400)

458 Roger Tory Peterson (1908-1996), watercolor. Redwinged blackbird and chick. Signed top right. Image measures 13.75” x 9”. A few small spots of discoloration, otherwise good. (1,000 - 1,400)

459 Thomas Aquinas Daly (b.1937), watercolor. Titled “Trout Fishing on the Wilcox”. Signed lower right. Image measures 8.25” x 12.5”. Paper has shifted slightly under matting; very good and original. (800 - 1,200)

460 Allan Brooks (1869-1945), watercolor and gauche. Deer at water’s edge. Signed and dated 1930 lower right. Image meausres 14” x 10.25”. A few tiny flakes in trees, otherwise excellent. (1,000 - 1,400)

461 William Schaldach (1896-1982), watercolor. Flying grouse. Signed lower right. Image measures 16” x 13”. Minor toning at edge of mat, otherwise good. (700 - 1,000)

462 Barry Kent MacKay (b.1943), gauche on board. Lark and bunting in a snowy landscape. Signed and dated 2007 lower right. Measures 14.25” x 25”. Minor blunting at top right corner of board. (800 - 1,200)

463 Billy Crockett (1939-2021), large oil on board. Group of mallards in an eastern shore marsh. Signed lower left and dated ‘87. Image measures 19.75” x 39.75”. Small rub in top right corner of sky, otherwise very good. (1,200 - 1,800)

464 Brett Smith (b.1958), oil on canvas. Image measures 11.5” x 15”. Signed lower right. Duck hunter punting in to marsh. Image is excellent and original. (1,000 - 1,500)

465 Frank Benson (1892-1951), etching. “Old Squaws”, 1915, Paff #88, edition of 50. Numbered 44/50. Image measures 5.75” x 7.75”. Signed. Professionally framed and matted. Frame measures 17.25” x 19”. Very good. (800 - 1,200)

466 Frank Benson (1892-1951), drypoint etching.

“Eider Drake”, 1918, Paff #136, edition of 30. Signed with number ‘11’ right hand side. Image measures 6’ x 7.25”. Professionally framed and matted. Frame measures 17.5” x 19.5”. One tiny brown spot, approximately the size of a pin head, otherwise very good and original. (800 - 1,200)

467 Earnest H. Hart (b.1910), watercolor on paper. Signed. Image measures 18” x 25”. Professionally framed and matted. Frame measures 26.5” x 34”. Excellent and original. (500 - 800)

468 A pair of the famous prints by Arthur Burdett Frost, 1st quarter 20th century. One is titled “Good Luck”, other is “Bad Luck”. Both have a framing sticker from Phillip Suvil, New York. Both are framed. Good Luck image has printing company Grignard visible at lower left. Images measure 15.5” x 10.5”. No visible damage on either. (500 - 700)

469 Emile Munier (1840-1895), oil on canvas. Portrait of a young girl. Signed and titled “D’Apres Bouguereau” and dated 1874 top right. Measures 15.5” x 12.5” Fairly uniform cracklature throughout canvas; restoration around edges; and a spot at top right. (8,000 - 12,000)

470 John Farrar (1927-1972), oil on canvas. In original frame. Image measures 22” x 26”. Signed and dated 1942. A street scene, which was a popular subject of Farrar’s. Farrar, an African American artist, who was recognized as a prodigy, developed patrons among Washington DC’s elite. Burdened with schizophrenia, Farrar’s career was cut short. Atleast 17 articles were published on Farrar between 1942 - 1945, his hayday as an artist. At his death he was given a military funeral and buried in the Garden of Honors in Hyattsville, Maryland. As viewed under blacklight painting does not show any damage or repairs; frame is missing part of the decorative inlay on the right hand side and has some separation at boards.

Provenance: Al Marzorini collection. (4,000 - 6,000)

471 Martha Cahoon (1905-1999). Signed and dated ‘71. Sailing ship with American flag. Signed. Cahoon was a noted Cape Cod folk artist Image measures 9” x 13”. Excellent and original. (2,500 - 3,500)

472 Unknown artist, 19th century, oil on canvas. Farm scene. Image measures 10.25” x 11.5”. Crazing throughout sky and some areas of plowed fields. (1,000 - 1,500)

473

Unknown artist, 19th century, oil on canvas. Floral still life with George Washington vase. Signed indistinctly lower right. Measures 27” x 21.25”. Wax lined canvas; scattered spots of inpainting with two thin long lines along right edge. (1,200 - 1,800)

475 Martha Burchfield (1924-1977), watercolor. Image looking towards a small town. Signed lower right and dated ‘59. Image measures 9.25” x 11”. Minor toning with a line across top from an earlier matting; appears to have .5” tear repair at top left edge. (600 - 900)

476 George Bellows (1882-1925), lithograph. Titled “Anne” and dated 1921. Signed along bottom edge. Measures 11.5” x 9.25”. Moderate toning from age; line of discoloration at lower left corner. (1,200 - 1,800)

Don Dubin

Lincolnwood, Illinois

At age 86, Don Dubin no longer carves fish, but his remarkable carving legacy lingers with timeless presence. From his earliest attempts at extracting a fish form from a block of wood, his talent shined. Self-taught in taxidermy, his enormous body of experience with the look and shapes of trophy fish became immediately evident as he captured the nuances of fish of distinction — subtleties of musculature and adipose accumulation; spawning transformation; chromatophoric variation; and more. He imparted a natural sense of movement, capturing the fluid geometry of fish at rest or in watery flight. Even with the simplest of base settings, his fish sculptures were striking in their detail and naturalism.

For decades, Dubin funneled his creative and sporting energies into endeavors that brought him into intimate contact with trophy specimens of many freshwater fish species.

Dubins early works from the 1990s were evidence of lofty craftsmanship and profound familiarity with fish. As his art matured, the works became more dioramic and integrated with foreground elements. He created underwater scenarios that brought movement, conflict, and life/death struggles into play. His art —

though still largely focused on freshwater fish species — expanded to include “show fish,” Disney figures, saltwater drama, social commentary, and fanciful depiction of angler fanaticism.

Dubin has enjoyed the admiration of his peers, but his art has tapped that reservoir of his spirit no other endeavor is likely to have awakened. Never did he create with dreams of fame or wealth. Each carved figure has been a manifestation of a soul-centered love of fish and an insatiable need to channel his love and passion for their pursuit into enduring works of outdoor art. Confident of the quality of the carvings, he entered wood carving competitions. Judges and fans soon validated his talent and achievements with a “Best in World” award at the 2001 Taxidermy and Fish Carving Competition, a Woodcraft People’s Choice award and more blue-ribbon recognition.

Don has been a fisherman, conservationist, and speaker of some renown. His accomplishments in the world of fishing have ushered him into four Halls of Fame and the IGFA record book.

A pair of spawning steelhead. Both with open mouths and glass eyes. Carved from wood. Base measures 24” fish are are 12” tall. Excellent in all respects. (2,500 - 3,000)

Don Dubin, Lincolnwood, Illinois. A feeding brook trout pursuing a leech. All carved from wood. Base measures 17” wide x 12” tall. Excellent in all respects. (2,000 - 2,500)

477

478

477 Don Dubin, Lincolnwood, Illinois.

478

base measures 12.5” x 12.5”.

in all respects. (2,000 - 2,500)

479 Don Dubin, Lincolnwood, Illinois. Pair of Siamese fighting fish. Carved from wood and mounted on base that measures 20” wide, approximately 10” tall. Excellent in all respects.

(2,000 - 2,500)

480 Don Dubin, Lincolnwood, Illinois. Veiltail ryukin goldfish. Carved from wood. Measures 17” tall,

Excellent

481 Don Dubin, Lincolnwood, Illinois. Fantail Oranda Goldfish. Carved from wood and mounted on base. Measures 13” tall. Excellent in all respects.

(1,200 - 1,800)

482 Don Dubin, Lincolnwood, Illinois. Veiltail goldfish. Carved from wood. Measures 12” tall, approximately 9” wide. Excellent in all respects.

(1,200 - 1,800)

483 Don Dubin, Lincolnwood, Illinois. Veiltail ryunkin goldfish. Carved from wood. On wooden base with species name plaque. Measures 13” tall, approximately 10” wide. Excellent in all respects.

(1,200 - 1,800)

481

482

484 Charles Perdew (1874-1963), Henry, Illinois. Near mint pair of mallards with slightly turned heads and comb feather paint detail on drake. Both retain the original Perdew weights. Measure 15.5” long. A few tiny paint rubs, otherwise near mint. (6,000 - 9,000)

485 Bert Graves (1880-1956), Peoria, Illinois. Very nice rigmate pair of mallards. Hollow carved with comb feather paint detail on drake. Both weights have been removed. Nine digit number scratched in to the underside of each. Measure 17” long. Original paint with very minor wear; under a thick coat of varnish that has darkened slightly; flaking and wear on underside; drips of wax on each back. (7,000 - 10,000)

486

Unknown maker, Illinois, 1st quarter 20th century. Stick up Canada goose from the rig of Daniel Voorhees. With carved wooden body and cast iron head. Measures 27.5” long. Original paint with moderate flaking and wear; an old coat of varnish has darkened slightly; tight drying cracks along the underside.

Provenance: James and Lyda Madden collection.

Literature: “Decoys” by Gene and Linda Kangas, page 148, rigmate pictured. (10,000 - 14,000)

487 Charles Walker (1873-1954), Princeton, Illinois. Hollow carved round body style mallard from the rig of Clifford Jolley, number 8 at the Princeton Fish and Game Club. Fine comb feather paint detail on back. Slightly turned head. Measures 17” long. Original paint with very minor wear; protected under the original coat of varnish; hairline crack in one side of neck and one eye.

(10,000 - 14,000)

488 Charles Walker (1873-1954), Princeton, Illinois. Hollow carved mallard hen. “FD” painted on underside for Fred Dumbar, Princeton Fish and Game Club member from 1910-1940. Measures 16.5” long. Original paint with minor wear; paint rubs on sides and back appear to be from when the decoy was freshly painted and pressed against other decoys in the rig; surface has darkened slightly; very good structurally. (4,500 - 6,500)

489 Bert Graves (1880-1956), Peoria, Illinois. Rare swimming hollow carved black duck. Large red circle painted on the underside. Also stamped “PENN 48”. Measures 17.25” long. Original paint that has darkened with age; minor flaking and wear; drips of red paint on underside of tail and one side of face; cracks and chipping in one eye with an area of touchup around the same eye; minor blunting on tip of tail. (1,500 - 2,500)

490 Bert Graves (1880-1956), Peoria, Illinois. Pair of canvasbacks. Hollow carved with comb feather paint detail. Hen with slightly turned head, retains the original Graves weight. Measure 17” long. Original paint with minor to moderate gunning wear; hairline cracks in drake’s neck, otherwise very good structurally. (3,000 - 4,000)

491 Robert Elliston (1849-1915), Bureau, Illinois. Hollow carved redhead with fine comb feather paint detail. Retains the original Elliston weight. Measures 14.5” long. Original paint with moderate wear; appears to have had thin overpaint taken off of head and breast area; very minor roughness on edge of bill; a brand was gouged out of one lower side with that area sanded down. (2,000 - 3,000)

490

491

492 Robert Elliston (1849-1915), Bureau, Illinois. Hollow carved mallard from the Dupee rig. Deep body style with comb feather paint detail and “W.H. Dupee” branded on the underside. Retains the Elliston weight. Measures 16.5” long. Original paint with moderate flaking and wear; small dents and shot marks; crack through neck was tightly reglued; green overpaint was cleaned off of head and neck with the original showing; minor roughness on edge of bill. (4,000 - 6,000)

493 Bert Graves (1880-1956), Peoria, Illinois. Hollow carved mallard with “D.F. Rice” stenciled on the underside. Retains the original Graves weight. Comb feather paint detail on sides. Measures 17” long. Original paint with moderate discoloration and minor wear; fine crazing to the early varnish layer on much of the decoy; very good structurally. (1,500 - 2,500)

494 Walter Lowry (1878-1966), La Crosse, Wisconsin. Hollow carved mallard with slightly turned head. “A.R. Grams” carved in the underside. Measures 15.75” long. Original paint with very minor wear under the original coat of varnish that has darkened slightly; a few tiny dents, otherwise very good structurally.

Provenance: Part of a rig found in Lacrosse, Wisconsin. Lowrey traded a dozen decoys for two laborers to dig his basement. The rig included 11 mallards and one black duck. Of the mallards only two were hens. These are considered Lowrey’s finest production.

(4,000 - 6,000)

495 Gus Moak (1852-1942), Tustin Wisconsin. Hollow carved canvasback with slightly turned head and chamfered bottom board. The original and rare “Evinrude” embossed lead line tie weight is included. Measures 17.75” long. Original paint with very minor wear; tight paint crazing; hairline crack in one eye. (7,000 - 10,000)

496 Gus Moak (1852-1942), Tustin Wisconsin. Hollow carved high-head canvasback. Measures 17” long. Original paint with moderate flaking and wear; heavily hit by shot; small chip and roughness on edge of tail; roughness on edge of bill with a tight crack that has been reglued; some early touchup to gray areas was mostly cleaned down to the original; tight crack in front of neck seat.

Literature: “Decoys of the Winnebago Lakes” by Ronald M. Koch, page 85, exact decoy pictured. (3,000 - 5,000)

497 Walter Lowry (1878-1966), La Crosse, Wisconsin. Mallard hen with detailed paint pattern. A good example of Lowry’s early work. Measures 14.5” long. Original paint with very minor wear; lightly hit by shot; otherwise very good structurally.

Provenance: Purchased 30 years ago from Art Kimball. (1,500 - 2,500)

497

498 Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Early one-piece jacksnipe with iron bill and glass eyes. Carrying hole drilled through tail. Measures 13” long. Original paint with minor flaking and wear; spot on one side worn to bare wood; hairline crack in one eye; very minor chipping where bill meets face.

Literature: “Decoys of the Mississippi Flyway” by Alan G. Haid, page 76, similar example pictured. (8,000 - 12,000)

499 Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Curlew. Large two piece model with iron bill and glass eyes. “DSC” stamped in underside for the collection of David Campbell. Measures 17.5” long. Original paint with minor wear; minor chipping that was darkened where bill meets the face; split along the underside was filled and touched up; paint at tip of tail worn to bare wood.

Provenance: David Campbell collection. David Fannon collection. (10,000 - 15,000)

500 Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Rare rigmate pair of pintails. Hollow carved premier grade with relief bill carving and glass eyes. Measure 15.5” and 18.5” long. Original paint with minor wear under a thin coat of varnish; lightly hit by shot; flaking around hen’s neck seat; drake with some of the neck filler restored.

(8,000 - 12,000)

501 Mason Decoy Factory (18961924), Detroit, Michigan. Rare Canada goose. Premier grade with feather loop paint detail. Measures 24.5” long. Original paint with minor discoloration and wear; tight crack in one side, as well as the underside; professional bill repair with touchup in that area; slight separation at a knot in the back.

Literature: “Mason Factory Decoys,” Russ Goldberger and Alan Haid. (6,000 - 9,000)

502 Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Challenge grade common merganser with extended crest. Measures 17” long. Original paint with minor discoloration and wear; lightly hit by shot; excellent structurally. (5,000 - 8,000)

503 Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Very rare premier grade widgeon. Hollow carved with relief bill carving and glass eyes. Measures 15” long. Original paint with moderate to significant wear; drying crack along one lower side; some separation at body seam; professional tail chip repair. (3,000 - 5,000)

504 Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Hollow carved, premier grade bluewing teal with relief bill carving. Measures 13” long. Original paint with very minor wear; minor roughness on edge of bill and at neck seam; hairline crack in front of neck.

Provenance: David Fannon collection. (5,000 - 8,000)

505 Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Hollow carved premier grade black duck with extensive feather loop detail. Premier ink stamp on the underside. Measures 17.5” long. Excellent original paint with very minor rubs; small professional tail chip repair; small chip on underside near breast; small amount of touchup to chipping on one lower edge. (5,000 - 8,000)

506 Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Early challenge grade brant with glass eyes and incised bill carving. Measures 20” long. Original paint with minor flaking and wear; professional neck crack repair; small chip on the underside of bill tip has been restored; area on one lower side near tail with filler and touchup.

(3,000 - 5,000)

507 Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Rigmate pair of bluebills. Hollow carved premier grade with ‘snakey’ head style and relief bill carving. Measure 13” long. Original paint with minor to moderate wear; lightly hit by shot; flaking and minor separation at neck seats; drying crack along the underside of drake that runs up under tail.

(3,000 - 4,000)

508 Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Pair of mallards. Hollow carved premier grade with relief bill carving and glass eyes. Extensive feather looping on hen. Measure 17.75” long. Original paint with very minor wear; slight separation at neck seats and body seams near tails; paint loss on lower edge of hen; small tail chip was reset on hen; drake with a large tail chip repair. (2,000 - 3,000)

509 Mason Decoy Factory (18961924), Detroit, Michigan. Interesting challenge grade black duck with snakey head style. Fitted with flapping canvas wings that flap when a metal wire is pulled. Measures 16.25” long, stands 32.25” tall including wooden stump that could be cut down. Original paint with moderate flaking and wear; tight drying cracks in one side; minor chipping and roughness on edge of tail; drying crack runs along the underside.

Provenance: Charlie Hunter, III collection. (1,200 - 1,800)

508

509

510 William Hart (1875-1946), Bellville, Ontario. Exceedingly rare mallard drake. Hollow carved with .25” bottom board. Slightly turned head. “JT” branded on the underside. Measures 15.5” long. Original paint with moderate wear; small dents and a few shot marks; otherwise excellent structurally.

Provenance: Roger Young collection.

Literature: “The County Decoys” by Jim Stewart, page 17 and 138, exact decoy pictured. (10,000 - 14,000)

William Hart in the 1920s

511 Attributed to William Chrysler (1870-1940), Bellville, Ontario. Extremely rare preening bluebill. Hollow carved with .25” bottom board and tack eyes. Angled neck seat shows that the bird was made as a preener. Measures 12.5” long. Old overpaint was taken down to the original showing moderate crazing and wear; lightly hit by shot; hairline crack in one side of neck seat.

Provenance: Roger Young collection.

Literature: “The County Decoys” by Jim Stewart, page 135, exact decoy pictured. (4,000 - 6,000)

512 Bud Tully (1918-1973), Peterborough, Ontario

Hollow carved bluebill with deep relief wing carving and crossed wingtips. Significant feather rasping. Head is slightly turned. Hollowed from the underside with two 2.5” round holes in the underside. Measures 14.25” long. Original paint with very minor wear under a thin coat of varnish that has darkened slightly; shallow chip on the underside; second coat of black paint on the underside.

Provenance: Randy Rall collection. (1,500 - 2,500)

513 Bill Cooper (1886-1975), Verndun, Quebec. Black duck with slightly turned head and deep relief feather carving. Measures 13.75” long. Original paint with moderate wear; slight separation at neck seat; second coat of black paint on the underside of body and tail area.

(600 - 900)

514 David W. Nichol (1859-1949), Smiths Falls, Ontario. Rigmate pair of bluebills with relief wingtip carving and feather stamping. Fine comb feather paint detail. Drake is stamped “HP”, hen stamped “HQ”. Measure 14.5” long. Original paint with almost no wear; surface has darkened with age.

Provenance: Randy Rall collection.

(1,000 - 1,500)

515 Jesse Baker (1868-1961), Trenton, Ontario. Cocked head black duck with scratch feather paint detail. Solid body model with a small brand on underside near tail, appears to be an “L”. Measures 16.75” long. Original paint with moderate wear; lightly hit by shot; a few drips of black paint on tail and one side of breast; head swivels slightly.

Provenance: Randy Rall collection.

(500 - 800)

516 Unknown maker, from Ohio, last quarter 19th century. Redhead with slightly turned head. Tack eyes and two inlet lead weights on underside. “RS” painted on underside. Measures 18.25” long. Original paint with moderate discoloration and wear under a thick coat of early varnish; minor roughness on edge of tail; some flaking from heat exposure on one side.

(2,000 - 3,000)

517 Unknown maker, Port Clinton, Ohio, 2nd half 19th century. Goldeneye hen with tack eyes and flat bottom. Wide “hips” on side. Similar to other decoys found and used at the Ohio clubs. Measures 14” long. Very early coats of paint appear to be a mix of original and old working; shot scars; cracks at neck; white paint has discolored at time and spots of varnish.

(300 - 500)

516

517

518 Ben Schmidt (1884-1968), Detroit, Michigan. Pair of pintails with relief feather carving and stamping. Measure 15.75” and 19” long. Original paint with very minor wear; excellent structurally.

Provenance: Jim and Patti Aikin collection. (2,500 - 3,500)

519 Ben Schmidt (1884-1968), Detroit, Michigan.

Hollow carved Canada goose with relief wing and incised feather carving. “Rogers Port Austin” carved in the underside. Measures 23.5” long. Original paint with moderate wear; old chips in tail; tight drying cracks in back; filler has flaked on one side.

Provenance: Jim and Patti Aikin collection.

(2,000 - 3,000)

520 Ben Schmidt (1884-1968), Detroit, Michigan.

Hollow carved mallard hen with .25” bottom board. Head is slightly turned. Incised wing carving and feather stamping. Measures 17.25” long. Original paint with very minor wear; small spot of flaking on one side of breast; very good structurally.

(800 - 1,200)

521 Ben Schmidt (1884-1968), Detroit, Michigan. Widgeon with relief wing carving and extensive feather stamping. Appears to be unused. Measures 14.25” long. Very minor paint rubs and blunting at tip of tail; fine hairline crack in bill, otherwise excellent.

Provenance: Jim and Patti Aikin collection.

(800 - 1,200)

523 Ben Schmidt (1884-1968), Detroit, Michigan. Excellent black duck with slightly raised head pose. Extensive feather stamping on body. Measures 17” long. Very minor roughness on one edge of tail; otherwise very good and original.

Provenance: Jim and Patti Aikin collection.

(600 - 900)

Ben Schmidt (1884-1968), Detroit, Michigan. Pintail with relief wing feather carving and incised tail feather carving. Identified and signed on underside. Measures 15.25” long. Very good and original.

Provenance: Jim and Patti Aikin collection. (1,500 - 2,500)

525 Ben Schmidt (1884-1968), Detroit, Michigan. Greenwing teal hen with slightly turned head and extensive feather carving. Signed on the underside. Measures 12” long. Very minor roughness on one side of bill, otherwise excellent.

Provenance: Jim and Patti Aikin collection. (600 - 900)

524

526 Ben Schmidt (1884-1968), Detroit, Michigan. Oversize hollow carved black duck with relief wingtip carving and feather stamping. Measures 18.75” long. Original paint with minor wear under an early coat of varnish; lightly hit by shot; hairline crack in one side of back; small chip and minor roughness on edge of tail; old touchup around body seam.

Provenance: Jim and Patti Aikin collection. (1,200 - 1,800)

527 Ben Schmidt (1884-1968), Detroit, Michigan. Bluebill hen and drake. Drake is hollow carved from the underside. Hen is solid body with tucked head pose. Measure 15” long. Drake is excellent and original; hen with minor flaking on head and bill, one shot strike on one side of back.

Provenance: Jim and Patti Aikin collection. (800 - 1,200)

528 Ben Schmidt (1884-1968), Detroit, Michigan. Redhead hen and drake with relief wingtip carving and slightly turned heads. Measure 13.75” and 14.25” long. Original paint with minor gunning wear; hen with a few shot marks; otherwise very good structurally.

Provenance: Jim and Patti Aikin collection. (1,200 - 1,800)

529 Ben Schmidt (1884-1968), Detroit, Michigan. Goldeneye with slightly turned head. Smooth body style with slight relief wing carving. Measures 14.5” long. Original paint with very minor discoloration and wear; tight crack in back was filled in the making.

Provenance: Jim and Patti Aikin collection. (600 - 900)

530 Ben Schmidt (1884-1968), Detroit, Michigan. Mallard hen with incised wing carving and feather stamping. Measures 16.5” long. Original paint with very minor wear; fine hairline crack between carved nostrils.

Provenance: Randy Rall collection. (1,200 - 1,800)

531 Ben Schmidt (1884-1968), Detroit, Michigan. Oversize mallard with relief wing carving. Slightly turned head. Measures 18.75” long. Very minor paint rubs and roughness on edge of tail; very good and original.

Provenance: Jim and Patti Aikin collection. (1,500 - 2,500)

532 John Schweikart (1870-1954), Strawberry Island, Michigan. Hollow carved canvasback drake with .25” bottom board. Reared back head and applied metal wingtips. Folding copper keel on underside. Measures 16.25” long. Early in use repaint with minor to moderate wear; hairline crack in breast; one eye is replaced.

Provenance: George and Miriam Van Wallegham collection. (2,500 - 3,500)

533 John Schweikart (1870-1954), Strawberry Island, Michigan. Hollow carved canvasback hen with applied metal wingtips. Folding copper keel on the underside. Measures 17” long. Mix of original and early in use repaint; shows minor flaking and wear; professional neck crack repair; minor flaking to filler on one side of neck seat.

Provenance: Jim and Patti Aikin collection. (3,000 - 4,000)

534 William Finch (), Port Huron, Michigan. Pair of redheads branded “W.H. Finch” on the underside. Measure 14.5” long. Original paint with minor gunning wear; minor flaking and roughness at drake’s neck seat; otherwise both very good and original.

Provenance: Jim and Patti Aikin collection. (500 - 800)

535 William Finch, Port Huron, Michigan. Black duck with comb feather paint detail. “WH Finch” branded on the underside. Measures 16.75” long. Original paint with moderate wear; lightly hit by shot; drying crack along one lower side; minor roughness on one edge of bill.

Provenance: Jim and Patti Aikin collection. (800 - 1,200)

536 Dr. Miles Pirnie (1898-1976), Lansing, Michigan. Pair of goldeneye with slightly turned heads and relief wing carving. Maker’s initials carved on the underside. Measure 14.25” long. Original paint with very minor wear; some flaking to filler used to fill an in the making crack in drake’s tail.

Provenance: Jim and Patti Aikin collection. (400 - 600)

534

535

537 Very rare cast iron sinkbox decoy from Connecticut. Made and used in Connecticut, which is an area not known for its sinkboxes, making this a rare example. With embossed eyes. Measures 14.5” long. Worn and pitted from age, otherwise excellent.

Provenance: Dixon Merkt collection. (1,500 - 2,500)

538 Unknown maker, circa 1900. Cast iron sinkbox decoy. Traces of green paint on head. Extended tail. Measures 13” long. Portion is missing on one side of body. (300 - 500)

539 Unknown maker, circa 1900. Cast iron sinkbox deocy. Measures 14” long. Traces of blue around the bill; structurally good. (400 - 600)

540 Unknown maker, circa 1900. Cast iron sinkbox decoy. Has hole through tail. Measures 16” long. Rusted surface; structurally good. (400 - 600)

541

Unknown maker, circa 1900. Cast iron sinkbox decoy. Slightly extended paddle tail. Measures 14” long. Structurally good. (400 - 600)

542

543

544

Unknown maker, circa 1900. Cast iron sinkbox decoy. Measures 11” long. Small imperfection on one side; moderate pitting throughout. (400 - 600)

Unknown maker, circa 1900. Canvasback cast iron sinkbox decoy. Measures 14” long. Structurally good. Old working repaint. (500 - 800)

Unknown maker, circa 1900. Cast iron sinkbox decoy. Painted as a bluebill. Measures 14” long. Paint surface has discolored and flaked; structurally good. (400 - 600)

545 Unknown maker, circa 1900. Cast iron sinkbox decoy. A very unusual example, was likely used to hold a box of shells, as the concave area on the back is approximately 3” deep, 3.5” wide, and 4.5” long. Never seen an example like this. Measures 17” long. (1,000 - 1,500)

541

542

545

544

Index of Carvers

Allen, Russ 248

Andrews, Robert 132

Bachman, Captain Edwin 126

Baker, Jesse 515

Barnard, Charles Nelson ............................................................ 438

Bellamy, John Haley 42

Bellows, George ........................................................................ 476

Benson, Frank 465,466

Bibber, Orlando “Os” 351

Birch, Charles 21

Birch, Reggie 301

Bishop, Gus ................................................................................ 382

Blackstone, Jess 399-404

Blair School, 38

Borrett, Mike 235,236

Bowman, William 26-28

Boyd, George ........................................... 3-5,340,341,368,396-398

Brewer, Josh 291,291A

Bricher, Alfred Thompson .......................................................... 448

Brooks, Allan 460

Brunet, Tan 306

Burchfield, Martha 475

Burgess, Ned 179

Burr, Russ .................................................................................... 416

Buttersworth, James Edward 447

Cahoon, Martha 471

Caines Brothers 177

Chesser, Grayson 247

Chrysler, William ......................................................................... 511

Cobb, Albert 129

Cobb, Jr., Nathan 22,128,131

Coolidge, John Templeman 418,419

Cooper, Bill 513

Crockett, Billy 463

Crowell, A. Elmer 6-11,57-80,108,342-346,363,385-391

Cuffee, Chief Eugene ............................................................... 109

Daly, Thomas Aquinas 459

Davis, Richard Webster 354

Doughty, Eli 130

Dubin, Don 477-483

Dudley, Lee ................................................................................ 178

Eastman, Willie 35

Eaton, Eben Weed 99

Elliston, Robert 17,18,491,492

Farrar, John 470

Finch, William ...................................................................... 534,535

Finney, Frank 265-281A

Munier, Emile 469

Nichol, David W. 514

Nolan, Harold

Olsen, Captain Thorvald Kristian August 114

Peffley, Joel ............................................................................... 184

Perdew, Charles 15,16,484

Peterson, Oscar ............................................................. 40,308-329

Peterson, Roger Tory 458

Pirnie, Dr. Miles 536

Pleissner, Ogden 446

Purner, Allen 441

Ramsay, John .....................................................................

Reed, J. Corbin

Reneson, Chet

Reyes, Jose Formoso 240

Ripley, Aiden Lassell

Ross, Willie .................................................................................. 352

Rosseau, Percival Leonard 450A Ryder, Jack .................................................................................. 54 Schaldach, William

Schmidt, Ben 518-521,523-531

Schmiedlin, Jim 286,288

Smith, Sam 180 Stevens, George 34 Storm, Peter 219 Strater & Sohier 380

George ....................................................... 218,296,297,415

Lloyd 440

Family 361

Obediah .................................................................... 29,362 Vizier, Jimmie 305 Voorhees, Clark 217 Vreeland, Harry 408 Walker, Charles 19,20,487,488 Ward Brothers, ...................................... 23,97,98,143-159,443-445 Weaver, Steve 283-285,413,414 Wheeler, Charles E. “Shang” ............................. 12,13,353,356,457

1.Vinal, Cap. 2002. “Joseph W. Lincoln – Accord, Massachusetts, 1/26/1859 –2/16/1938”. Privately printed. Rockland, MA.

2.White, Winsor. 1967. “The Decoy Legacy of Joseph W. Lincoln”. Decoy Collectors Guide. Hal Sorenson pub. Burlington, IO.

1.Cullity, Brian (curator). 1992. “The Songless Aviary – The World of A.E. Crowell & Son”. Privately printed. Heritage Plantation of Sandwich. Sandwich, MA.

2.O’Brien, Stephen B Jr and C.W. Olney. 2019. “Elmer Crowell – Father of American Bird Carving”. Privately printed. Stephen O’Brien Jr Fine Arts LLC. Hingham, MA.

3.Sullivan, C John Jr. 2019. “Swan Island Club, 1872 – A History – 2014, Currituck, North Carolina”. Privately printed. Edgewood, MD.

1.Connett, Eugene (ed). 1947. “Duck Shooting Along the Atlantic Tidewater” – Chapter by Crowell. Bonanza Books, New York, NY.

2.Cullity, Brian (curator). 1992. “The Songless Aviary – The World of A.E. Crowell & Son”. Privately printed. Heritage Plantation of Sandwich. Sandwich, MA.

3.O’Brien, Stephen B Jr. and C.W. Olney. 2019. “ Elmer Crowell – Father of American Bird Carving”. Privately printed Stephen O’Brien Jr Fine Arts LLC. Hingham, MA.

1.Chitwood, Henry C. “Connecticut Decoys – Carvers and Gunners”. Schiffer Publishing. West Chester, PA.

2.Merkt, Dixon, MacD. “Shang”. Hillcrest Publications Inc. Spanish Fork, UT.

3.Parker, Jackson. 1983. “Collection of Shang Wheeler Decoys Sold”. Maine Antique Digest, Sept issue. Waldoboro, ME.

4._________. 1949. “Charles E “Shang” Wheeler, Noted Sportsman, Dies at 79 (obituary)”. The Meriden Daily Journal, March 19. Meriden, CT.

5._________. 1984. “Exhibition of Classic Antique Waterfowl Decoys”. Midwest Decoy Collectors Association. James Cook Pub.

6.Marshall, Thomas. 1977. Unpublished Private correspondence with Ted Harmon.

1.Tonelli, Donna. 1993. “Charles Schoenheider Sr. – The Maker of Magnificent Standing Ice Decoys”. Decoy Magazine May/June. Burtonsvulle, MD.

2.Personal correspondence Mr. Joe Tonelli

1.Haid, Alan and B.S. Culp. “The Allure of the Decoy”. Privately printed. Historic Charleston Foundation”. Charleston, SC.

2.Tonelli, Donna. 1992. “Charles Walker – A Classic Decoy Maker From The Illinois River”. Decoy Magazine, Nov./Dec.. Burtonsville, MD.

3.Tonelli, Donna. 1998. “Top of the Line Hunting Collectibles” Schiffer Pub. Atglen, PA,

4.Personal correspondence with Joe and Donna Tonelli

1.Fleckenstein, Henry A Jr. 1983. “Southern Decoys of Virginia and the Carolinas”. Schiffer Publishing Ltd. Exton, PA.

1.Delph, John and Shirley. 1980. “Factory Decoys of Mason, Stevens, Dodge, and Peterson”. Schiffer Publishing. Exton, PA.

2.Fleckenstein, Henry A Jr. 1981. “American Factory Decoys”. Schiffer Publishing Ltd. Exton, PA.

3.Goldberger, Russ J. and AlanG Haid. 1993. “Mason Decoys – A Complete Pictorial Guide”. Decoy Magazine Pub. Burtonsville, MD.

4.Sharp, Ron and Bill Dodge. 2009. “Detroit Decoy Dynasty – The Factory Decoys of Peterson, Dodge and Mason”. Hunting and Fishing Collectibles Magazine Pub. Lawsonville, NC.

5.Sorenson, Hal. 1974. “Mason Decoys” Hillcrest Publications. Burlington, IO.

6.Trayer, Kenneth L. 2003. “North American Factory Decoys – A Pictorial Identification and Reference Guide”. Decoy Magazine Pub. Lewes, DE.

7._________. Various dates. Decoy Magazine. Various locations.

1.Kangas, Gene. 2016. “Willie’s Tinker – An Integral Part of American History”. Decoy Magazine, Nov./Dec. Lewes, DE.

2.Starr, George Ross Jr M.D. 1974. “Decoys of the Atlantic Flyway”. Winchester Press. New York, NY.

3.Starr. George Ross Jr M.D. 1968. “Some New England Classics”. Decoy Collectors Guide. Hal Sorenson Publisher. Burlington, IO.

1.Kangas, Linda and Gene. 2010. “Connecting the Dots – Exploring the Provenance of Elmer Crowell’s Decoys” Decoy Magazine, March/April. Lewes, DE.

The Best Decoy Stands Available

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• 3 post and 4 post styles to choose from.

• 1 in to 4 in heights in 1/4 in increments

Collection Planning Program

Collect Today, Plan for Tomorrow

While you continue to enjoy collecting today, you can rely on Guyette & Deeter to collaborate with you on your estate planning and collection management needs. Whether it’s for tax purposes, estate planning, gifting, charitable giving, or insurance, we can develop and periodically update a comprehensive written appraisal of your collection. We have extensive experience working closely with banks, attorneys, trustees, estate officers, probate court, private clients and family members responsible for the dispersal of collections as part of larger estat es.

O ur unmatched market understanding allows us to more accurately document the value and description of each item in your collection. We know that working together to ensure that your wishes are established now will make it easier to administer your estate lat er.

Co ntact Jon or Zac to discuss our Legacy Planning Program today.

Jon Deeter | 440-610-1768 jdeeter@guyetteanddeeter.com

Zac Cote | 207-321-8091 zcote@guyetteanddeeter.com

The Waterfowl Festival gratefully acknowledges the support of our 2024 Legacy Conservation Partners.

2024 Waterfowl Festival Nov. 7-10, 2024 Easton, MD

1. AMAZING TRUE PAIR OF W.W. GREENER 32 BORE SHOTGUNS PICTURED ON THE COVER OF ‘BIRMINGHAM GUNMAKERS’ BY DOUGLAS TATE.

2. “OLD HOSS” A FRESH TO MARKET AND IMPORTANT PARKER AAH GRADE 12 GAUGE.

3. SUBLIME PETER CHAPMAN OF PURDEY’S 28 BORE SHOTGUN.

4. NEAR MINT BROWNING MIDAS GRADE SUPERPOSED SUPERLIGHT .410 BORE WITH ORIGINAL BOX.

5. INCREDIBLE GALEAZZI ENGRAVED ABBIATICO & SALVINELLI 20 GAUGE VENUS MODEL WITH CASE.

Bid.Guyetteanddeeter.com for online catalog and bidding starting mid-August. Preview for this auction available NOW on our website!

Sale Location: Live auction to be held at The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michael’s, MD.

Auction preview - Friday September 13, 2024 all day with cocktail party starting at 4pm.

CONDITIONS OF SALE ‑‑ PLEASE READ

1. GUARANTEE ‑ We have made a concerted effort to accurately catalog and describe 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. If we fail to identify a flaw that has an impact on the value, you can return the decoy.

2. DURATION OF GUARANTEE ‑ Request for a refund for items purchased IN PERSON at the auction must be made within 3 days of the sale. If you bid absentee, by phone, or on the internet, it is your responsibility to examine the lot immediately upon receipt and notify us of any issues. The guarantee will end 5 days from the date of delivery. Therefore, all guarantees on items purchased will become null and void 10 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 open ing 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

$1000 to $10,000 $100

$10,000 to $20,000 ‑ $500

$20,000 to $100,000 $1,000

$100,000 and above ‑ $2,000

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 defi ciency 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 CAN BE MADE WITH CREDIT CARD (VISA, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover), CASH, CHECK, OR WIRE TRANSFER.

8. BUYERS PREMIUM The buyer’s premium, assessed on each selling lot, is 20% of the hammer price up to and includ ing $1,000,000, plus 10% on any amount in excess of $1,000,000. For payments made using a credit card, the buyer’s premium is 23% up to and including $1,000,000, plus 13% on any amount in excess of $1,000,000.

9. TAX ‑ THERE IS AN 6% SALES TAX IN MARYLAND. TAX IS WAIVED IF BUYER PRESENTS A VALID RESALE CERTIFICATE FROM ANY STATE OR HAS PURCHASES SHIPPED OUTSIDE OF MARYLAND.

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. Cases are not included with shotgun shell boxes. All dimensions are approximate and are not guaranteed. All calls are sold “As Is”. THE OFFICE WILL NOT BE OPEN UNTIL WEDNESDAY 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 20% 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 a few days 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. Please provide notice in writing if items are covered under your own insurance policy. 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. 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 2nd 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: Jon Deeter at (440) 610-1768, Zac Cote at (207) 321-8091, or Gary Guyette at (410) 745-0485.

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

OFFICE:

OFFICE:

PO Box 1170

PO Box 1170

St. Michaels, MD 21663

St. Michaels, MD 21663

410-745-0485

410-745-0485

Fax 410-745-0487

Fax 410-745-0487

decoys@guyetteanddeeter.com

michael@guyetteanddeeter.com

I desire to bid on the following items in the sale. The bids are to be executed by Guyette & Deeter, up to but not exceeding the amount(s) specified on the below bids. All bids will be executed and accepted subject to the Terms of Sale and Absentee Bids Procedure outlined in the catalog. (Please be sure that you understand our procedures before using this Absentee and Phone Bid Form.) Office will not be open until Wednesday after the auction.

A PREMIUM OF 20% WILL BE APPLIED TO ALL ITEMS SOLD, TO BE PAID BY THE BUYER