North American Decoys at Auction | April 23 & 24, 2026

Decoys and Sporting Art at Auction

April 23 & 24, 2026

Featuring Session I of the Jim and Diane Cook Collection

Decoys and Sporting Art at Auction

The live auction will be held at the

The Westin Chicago-Lombard

70 Yorktown Shopping Center

Lombard, Illinois 60148

Held in Partnership with the North American Vintage Decoy & Sporting Collectibles Show

Wednesday, April 22, 2026

Cocktail Reception and Preview

4:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Thursday, April 23, 2026

Preview 8:00 AM - 9:30 AM

Auction 10:00 AM

Friday, April 24, 2026

Preview 8:00 AM - 9:30 AM

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 $50. Subscription (3 catalogs) $100. 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

Riley Deeter | rdeeter@guyetteanddeeter.com | 440-708-4748

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 April 29, or by appointment. Please call ahead so we can have your items ready.

Future Auctions

July 24 & 25, 2026

Decoys, Sporting Art & Americana

The Country School

Easton, Maryland

September 10 & 11, 2026

Fine Sporting Arms

Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum

St. Michaels, Maryland

November 14 & 15, 2026

Decoys, Sporting Art & Americana

The Country School

Easton, Maryland

In conjunction with the Easton Waterfowl Festival

Josh Loewenstein er

F

ine Sporting Arms Division Head

J. Wesley Dillon Fir earms Consultant

Introducing Sallie Glover

Sallie Glover is a USPAP-compliant appraiser specializing in Americana, including furniture, fine art, and folk art. She works closely with clients to provide comprehensive collections management and appraisal services across all collecting categories. Her expertise includes detailed inventories, database management, provenance research, and formal appraisals.

Previously, Sallie served as a specialist in the Americana department at Christie’s, New York. Based in Raleigh, North Carolina, she works with clients nationwide and travels as needed.

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

Riley Deeter

Business Development

St. Michaels, Maryland

Tel: 440-708-4748

rdeeter@guyetteanddeeter.com

Mike Stevenson

Graphic Designer

St. Michaels, Maryland

Tel: 410-745-0485 michael@guyetteanddeeter.com

Stormi Lind

Auction Manager

St. Michaels, Maryland

Tel: 410-745-0485

auction@guyetteanddeeter.com

Mike Roberts

Shipping

St. Michaels, Maryland

Tel: 410-745-0485

Ed Kenney

Merchandise Manager & Shipping

St. Michaels, Maryland

Tel: 410-745-0485

shipping@guyetteanddeeter.com

Alex Hascha

Weekly Auction Manager

St. Michaels, Maryland

Tel: 732-575-3829

alexhascha@guyetteanddeeter.com

Michael Geleta Finance Manager

St. Michaels, Maryland

Tel: 410-745-0485

billing@guyetteanddeeter.com

Noah Christopher Photography

St. Michaels, Maryland

Tel: 410-745-0485 photography@guyetteanddeeter.com

Baylee Saulsbury

Administrative Assistant

St. Michaels, Maryland

Tel: 410-745-0485

admin@guyetteanddeeter.com

Bill Lapointe

Decoy Consultant and Essayist

Swansea, Massachusetts

Tel: 774-644-9426

G & D Weekly will continue to offer auctions every week throughout the year. Those interested in consigning are encouraged to contact Riley Deeter at 440-708-4748. The next G & D Weekly Super Sale is scheduled for June 25,2026

For Online Bidding

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Simply go to bid.guyetteanddeeter.com or use the QR code

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Riley Deeter • 440-708-4748 rdeeter@guyetteanddeeter.com

For professional soccer players it’s the World Cup, football players the Super Bowl, for cyclists it’s the Tour de France, and hockey players the Stanley Cup. In the “sport” of decoy collecting it’s this! The Jim and Diane Cook collection – Sessions I thru V, and it begins here, with this catalog.

Not since the early 1970’s, with the series of auctions featuring the extensive collection of William J. Mackey Jr, has the collecting community had such an outstanding opportunity to acquire rare and important North American waterfowl decoys. While Mackey was known for quantity, the Cook’s have been and always will be known for quality and rarity. Over the last 45 years, Jim and Diane have been tremendous stewards of these important artifacts and now the caretaking of these works will be spread among the collecting community. Like many important pieces from the Mackey auctions, some of these decoys may not be offered again for decades, if ever.

To say that we at Guyette and Deeter are honored to have been chosen to handle the sale of this collection for the Cook family, would be a gross understatement. For more than 40 years our organization has pushed itself to serve the collecting community in the best ways possible, both sellers and buyers. We understand the magnitude of this event within the history of the decoy market and have made a tremendous effort into introducing the collecting world to the Jim and Diane Cook collection. We hope you enjoy and good luck!

Session One

Thursday, April 23, 2026

10:00 am EST

Lots

- 362G

Session Two

Friday, April 24, 2026

10:00 am EST

Lots 363 - 605

Featuring items from the collections of

James and Diane Cook | Session I

Jim and Patti Aiken

Len Carnaghi

Herb Desch

Joseph Ellis | Session I

David Fannon

Dan Graf

Ted and Judy Harmon

Dean Hyde

Gene and Linda Kangas

Tom Karras

Don Leonard

Chris Mackey

Martin and Deborah Maloy

Mike and Ginger Raffia

Dr. Michael Shannahan

Oliver Smith

Stan and Deborah Van Etten

Bill and Alice Walsh

Private Michigan collection

Private Southern collection

Joseph H. Ellis (1942-2026)

A Columbia University graduate, Joe distinguished himself as a retail investment analyst at Goldman Sachs. For 18 consecutive years, Institutional Investor magazine named Joe the top retail analyst on Wall Street. In 1986, he became a General Partner and in 2005 Joe published Ahead of the Curve , an extensive exposition of his theory for tracking economic data and forecasting market cycles.

As a passionate birdwatcher and conservationist, Joe inspired and envisioned two major research conservation initiatives: The Bird Genoscape Project, a genomic approach to mapping bird populations across the Western Hemisphere, and Audubon’s Migratory Bird Explorer, a digital platform detailing the annual cycles of 458 species of migratory birds. In 2009, after spending decades collecting miniature bird carvings, Joe published “Birds in Wood and Paint: American Miniature Bird Carvings and Their Carvers, 1900-1970”.

“I first met Joe Ellis when we were doing the American Fok Art Show in New York City 30+ years ago. He told me he was a “birder” and he showed interest in some Crowell miniature bird carvings we were offering and purchased one, a redhead drake. We continued to see Joe at various antique shows where we sold him a couple more miniatures. Joe became a dedicated customer. We hit it off, and Joe and Barbara invited us to their home in Manhattan where Joe was amassing a modest collection of miniature bird carvings.

This led to conversations about his growing interest and acquisition of what became the seminal collection of miniature bird carvings with a strong emphasis on Elmer Crowell and other major, often New England, carvers. In 2009, Joe published his “bible” on miniature bird carving, “Birds in Wood and Paint”. I’ve always treasured his endorsement on our

copy, “To my good friend, Russ. You made so much of this possible. With thanks, Joe.”

Joe was an engaging, enthusiastic individual with the drive to learn all he could about a subject he loved. He then pursued examples aggressively until he had accomplished his objective of owning the finest, most complete collection of miniature bird carving attainable. On a personal level, Joe transitioned from being a dedicated client to a good friend. We shared many personal stories and only his physical deterioration, along with mine, prevented us from spending more time together in recent years. He will be missed.”

Russ Goldberger

The James and Diane Cook collection

In 1918, after discovering an old, red-breasted merganser hen decoy near his Long Island boat house, a New York City architect named Joel Barber, began searching for and studying North American waterfowl decoys. Barber organized many of the first decoy carvi ng competitions, as well as the first decoy exhibition in 1932. His love of the artform and early documentation of carvers from around the country culminated in the 1937 release of “Wild Fowl Decoys,” the first reference book on the subject. This early book inspired ma ny of the “first generation” of collectors who scoured attics, barns, and boathouses for the hunting relics. This early period of discovery and documentation helped preserve many retired hunting decoys from being discarded or destroyed.

In those early days of collecting, the gifting and trading of decoys was quite common. In 1973, however, an auction price of $10,500 was paid by Dr. James McCleery for a William Bowman curlew from the collection of William J. Mackey Jr. This world record price shook the antiques world, and decoys became recognized as a serious collectible art form. By 1985 the world record price had risen to $50,000 and in 1986 the collection of Dr. George Ross Starr Jr. was offered by the Richard A. Bourne Auction Company. When an extremely rare wood duck drake by Joseph Lincoln crossed the block, a new world record price of $205,000 was achieved, four times the previous record price for a decoy.

It has been 40 years since that Lincoln wood duck was offered publicly, but it is one of many extremely rare and important decoys to be offered from the collection of Jim and Diane Cook.

In the early 1980s, Jim Cook and advisor Joe Tonelli began visiting long-time collectors and dealers around the country, buying top examples by the most sought-after carvers. At auctions, when a potential addition to the collection was selected, Jim would often hold up his bid card and not lower it until the auctioneer sold the decoy his way. Many decoys in the collection were auction records for the maker when they were sold and some were only surpassed when Jim bid on a rarer and more pristine example, setting the highwater mark once again. Over the years Cook has set the world auction record for a shotshell box, duck call, as well as the highest price paid f or a fish spearing decoy, on two separate occasions.

Jim and Diane didn’t just collect waterfowl decoys. The warehouse at Investment Rarities, Jim’s gold and silver business, was fill ed with collections of pristine 20th century collectibles. From children’s lunch pails, Coca-Cola memorabilia, and early concert posters to art pottery, baseball memorabilia, and movie props. Over the last decade the Cooks have been deaccessioning those collections. A Babe Ruth home-run bat, $600,000, a Marilyn Monroe photograph signed to and owned by Joe DiMaggio, $300,000, and a Mickey Mantle rookie card, $225,000. The current world record for a concert poster was achieved in November 2022 when Heritage Auctions sold the Cook’s concert poster collection. A Buddy Holly “Winter Dance Party” poster from the collection achieved $447,000, shattering the previous world record of $275,000 set in April of that year.

The decoy collection, being the last of the Cook’s collections to be sold and the only collection to get a custom designed display room in their home, attests to Jim’s passion and love of North American decoys. For 45 years, Jim’s aggressive pursuit of high-condition waterfowl decoys has led to the Jim and Diane Cook collection. A grouping of rare and important decoys, the likes we may never see again in a private collection.

We at Guyette and Deeter are extremely honored and privileged to have been chosen to offer the Cook collection at auction in 2026 and 2027. Many of these pieces may not be available again for decades, if ever. Do not let this outstanding opportunity pass you by.

We hope you enjoy.

Session One • Thursday, April 23, 2026 • 10:00am

Joseph Lincoln

1859 - 1938 | Accord Village, Hingham, Massachusetts

Joe Lincoln, along with Elmer Crowell, can rightfully share the crown as one of the two undisputed deans of Massachusetts decoy carvers. A shoemaker and carpenter by profession, for many years he was the proverbial “jack-of-all-trades,” ultimately describing himself in the 1928 town directory as “Decoy Manufacturer.” There is no record of when he made his first decoy but photos of him exist where he certainly appears to be in his 30s or early 40s and holding decoys. This can be somewhat reinforced by the fact that Lincoln had a long-standing relationship with the North Shore Gun Club (one of the State’s more famous goose stands) directly adjacent to his home on Accord Pond. The club assumed control of “the old stand” there in 1904, when Joe would have been 45. His fame was certainly widespread when articles about his carving appeared in Boston newspapers by 1918. He is known to have carved practically until his death, and the well-known Brayton rig, one of his last, was delivered in time for the 1936 season.

In his lifetime, Joe carved a wide variety of species concentrating on those most in demand, such as geese, black ducks and scoters. Others were produced in lesser numbers, and some were only carved very rarely. Wood ducks by him must be considered exceedingly rare. This is understandable when one considers that the species had been in a long decline since Joe’s youth. The decrease in numbers was so severe that Massachusetts completely closed the season on them from 1906 through 1918 and hunting for them was banned nationally from 1918 to 1951. The well-known photographs of Lincoln

with one of his wood ducks were taken by Boston photographer, Leslie R Jones, in 1926 when the birds were under complete protection. Why Lincoln carved any decoys for the species is unclear, yet Lincoln did carve a handful of the spectacularly plumaged bird, probably less than a half dozen. When he did carve a few woodies, we can only assume that he did so either on a personal artistic whim, as a special request, or as a gift intended for a favored customer or close hunting associate.

One fortunate recipient of a Lincoln wood duck was Chester Franklin (“Chet”) Spear (1888 – 1956). Chet, who was younger than Lincoln, was probably introduced to the carver by his father, Lincoln contemporary and fellow shoe worker, Henry E Spear (1861 – 1927). By about 1920, Chet and his younger brother, Earnest, were members of the North Shore Stand which Lincoln was now in charge of running. Undoubtedly, the men were friends and Lincoln, who had a fondness for sea duck shooting, would have likely visited with Spear at his coastal home in Scituate to gun for the white-winged and other scoters that passed by there. At some point, it can be easily assumed that Lincoln gifted his friend the fine wood duck being offered here. Chet branded the decoy with his hot brand that he used both on his working birds and on his lobstering gear. Never weighted, the bird sat for many years in the Spear home until finally being acquired by “Doc” Starr.

The term iconic can certainly be overused but, in terms of Massachusetts decoys, the label is appropriate with the “Starr Woody.” It was one of the Doctor’s personal favorites and resided in a place of honor in his home office. It was illustrated in color both in Plate 17 and on the rear cover of his “Decoys of the Atlantic Flyway” and then chosen for inclusion in Milt Weiler’s 1969 “Classic

Decoy Series” portfolio. It was the unanimous choice for the subject of the inaugural 1974 Massachusetts State Waterfowl stamp and, when Richard Bourne sold the Starr collection in 1986, he published the first hard bound decoy auction catalog with the wood duck proudly embossed in gold on the cover.

Of the three known Lincoln wood ducks that have survived in fine original paint and untouched original condition, this example has the most stellar provenance, having only passed through the hands of Lincoln, Chester Spear, Dr George Ross Starr, Charlie Hunter and Jim and Diane Cook. Yes – the term iconic can aptly be applied to this decoy.

Dr. George Ross Starr holding his prized Lincoln wood duck. This exact decoy

1 Joseph Lincoln (1859-1938), Accord, Massachusetts. Exceedingly rare and important wood duck. Extended crest and very appealing paint pattern. “C.F. Spear” branded on underside. Dr. George Ross Starr collection ink stamps on underside. Measures 15.5” long. Excellent original paint that has mellowed to a wonderful patina; a few tiny paint flakes on back; minor roughness on top of crest; an early small chip in one edge of tail.

Provenance: Joseph Lincoln to friend Chester Franklin Spear. Mrs. Bertha Wallace Spear (widow) to Dr. George Ross Starr Jr collection. Charlie Hunter collection. Jim and Diane Cook collection.

Literature: “Decoys of the Atlantic Flyway” by Dr. George Ross Starr Jr., page 46 color plate 17. Back cover of dust jacket. Silhouetted in gold foil on front cover. Literature: “Decoys” by Gene and Linda Kangas, page 285, exact decoy pictured. “Decoys – North America’s Hundred Greatest” by Loy S. Harrell Jr., page 68-69, exact decoy pictured. “The Great Book of Wildfowl Decoys,” Joe Engers, editor, page 21, exact decoy pictured. “The Classic Decoy Series” by Wilton C. Weiler, plate 15, exact decoy used. (400,000 - 600,000)

A. Elmer Crowell

1862 - 1952 | East Harwich, Massachusetts

Elmer Crowell and His Finest Working Decoys

It was a fortunate series of events that led Elmer Crowell (1862 – 1952) to make the transition from cranberry grower and gunning stand manager to one of the premier carvers of decoys in America. After the outlawing of market hunting in the early 1900s, sport hunting began in earnest. Certainly men and women from all classes of society pursued this activity, including the wealthy and elite of Massachusetts society. These people were highly educated, often Harvard and MIT graduates, that earned their reputation as doctors, stockbrokers, engineers, landscape architects and business leaders. They lived in lavish

homes and had the finances and cultural background to enjoy the very best in life as evidenced by their avocations as ornithologists, patrons of the opera, golfers, writers and early conservationists. They built private golf courses and gunning stands and many, almost assuredly, knew each other. It was members of this segment of society that would seek out Crowell as a live bird handler and carver of decoys to provide them the level of quality and enjoyment they were accustomed to. Familiar names such as Drs. John C. Phillips and John H. Cunningham, stockbrokers such as Harry V. Long and Charles Ashley Hardy, businessmen and architects such as G. Herbert Windeler and Loring Underwood were among Crowell’s earliest and most

influential patrons. Hardy built the Chatham Bars Inn on Cape Cod as a hunting and fishing club and he, along with, Windeler and Underwood ran the “Three Bears Stand” nearby, using Crowell as a manager. Phillips and Cunningham shot on private estates north and south of Boston with Crowell, again, acting as manager at the Phillips stand. Long’s Estate was on a private peninsula south of Boston in coastal Cohasset. Other prominent families such as the Nickersons and DuMonts were to follow in the footsteps of these early patrons of Crowell. It was for these and similar affluent clients that Elmer produced his earliest and very finest decoys.

Crowell had been carving decoys since at least 1876 and, as one would expect, initially, these were for his own use. He was soon carving for others and by the 1890s his fame as a live decoy handler had brought him into contact with the men mentioned above such as Drs. Phillips and Cunningham, the “Three Bears” and others. The decoys he produced for these individuals began to blur the line between working bird and decorative carving. These were Elmer’s very best clients, and he was wise enough to provide them with decoys that would appeal to them. These rigs were certainly intended for use in the field but, occasionally, he would include a few with animated, turned head, reaching or preening poses. These were obviously special, but the added details made them vulnerable to rough handling and those with applied wings added a still greater level of susceptibility to breakage. The extra level of workmanship surely did not go unnoticed by their grateful new owners, and the vast majority of these elite carvings soon found their way to the top of the gun cabinet or the fireplace mantel where they could be enjoyed at times when their owners could not be at their favored blind or stand.

These preening, raised wing decoys are among Crowell’s earliest and rarest carvings. They are exceedingly rare and represent the father of American bird carving at his very best.

2 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Exceedingly rare and important preening widgeon. Pre-brand model with applied raised crossed wingtips. Head is slightly elevated and turned to preen back feathers. Measures 13.5” long. Excellent original paint with very minor rubs on edge of tail; some lines of paint shrinkage and a few minor flakes at breast area and under tail; fine hairline crack along back; a crack through the highest raised wingtip was professionally reset and a tiny chip at the tip of same wing was professionally restored.

Provenance: Made for Dr. John C. Phillips. Philip Y. DeNormandie collection, purchased from the Phillips family. Jim and Diane Cook collection.

Literature: “Decoys – North America’s Hundred Greatest” by Loy S. Harrell Jr., page 110-111, exact decoy pictured. “Elmer Crowell: Father of American Decoy Carving” by Stephen O’Brien Jr and Chelsie W. Olney, page 156, exact decoy pictured. “New England Decoys” by Shirley and John Delph, page 110, exact decoy pictured (in reverse). “Birds in Wood and Paint” by Joseph H. Ellis, page 46, exact decoy pictured. (400,000 - 600,000)

William Harvey (“Bill”) Hart

1875 – 1946 | Belleville, Ontario

Hart was born just east of Belleville and spent a portion of his youth in Prince Edward County. In 1898, he married Mary Ann Richardson in Belleville, and they would raise their family and remain there until Bill’s death. It is no small coincidence that all of Hart’s decoys sport a finely painted surface. From the time of his marriage until his death 48 years later, he worked as a painter, often listing his occupation as “decorator.” His artistic ability was also apparent in his love of music. Beginning in the early 1900s, it is said that he probably made several hundred decoys, both for his own use and for sale. His styles changed over the years and with the species carved. His uncontested masterpiece must certainly be the hooded merganser in the Cook collection.

3 William Hart (1875-1946), Bellville, Ontario. Outstanding and exceedingly rare hooded merganser. Thinly hollowed with .25” bottom board. Slightly turned and raised head. With exaggerated crest feathers. Excellent paint detail. Measures 15.25” long. Excellent original paint with almost no wear; very minor roughness on one edge of tail; tiny shallow dent near one wing patch and on top of crest.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection.

(100,000 - 150,000)

Lemuel (1896 – 1984) & Stephen (1895 – 1976)

Crisfield, Maryland

The Ward brothers were born, raised, worked and died in the “town built on oyster shells.” They were surrounded by men who made their living on the water harvesting the abundant shellfish, crabs and other bounty that the Bay provided. Hunting was a way of life, not just for sport, but as a means of putting food on the table. Their father was a waterman-turned barber and that became the trade that was to sustain both Steve and Lem for many years. Both brothers enjoyed hunting, especially waterfowling, and that required decoys. Like others in the community, they made their own. Even with Lem’s physical deformities that he had since birth, the decoys the brothers produced were different, they were better, far better. Orders began to flow into their barber/carving shop. Being perfectionists, their work saw a constant evolution of design changes, all resulting in decoys that appealed both to the ducks and the hunters. With time, the business grew to the point where it surpassed their income as barbers, and the brothers began to focus on their carvings. Steve is said to have been the carver and businessman and Lem the artist and painter but, in reality, they were a team, working together to produce the decoys that were now their sole source of income. With the rise in “new and improved” materials in decoys following WWII, the demand for working wooden decoys began to wane and the brothers seamlessly made the transition to decorative carvings. During their lifetimes they did manage to achieve recognition and fame but never wealth. In 1974 they were awarded honorary doctorate degrees by Salisbury State College and, in 1979, Lem was named a “Living State Legend” by Governor Huges for the contributions he made to American Folk Art. In

1983 he was made a National Endowment for the Arts Fellow. Their careers ended tragically. Steve began to go blind and died after a painful bout with cancer in 1976. Lem, heartbroken, eventually suffered a stroke and multiple amputations, joining his brother in 1984. Decoys that he had stashed away were sold to pay for Steve’s funeral expenses and, as Lem began to decline, only pleas from friends supplied the many donations that were needed to sustain the family. Today, the Wards are remembered for producing some of the most exceptional decoys, not only from Maryland, but from anywhere in North America.

In their book, “Ward Brothers Decoys,”

Ronald J. Gard and Brian J. McGrath wrote, “This exquisite black duck is one of the best Ward decoys known.”

4 Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Early turned head black duck. 1921 model with low breast and high tail. Excellent scratch feather paint detail. Head is turned 45 degrees. “Ward’s Decoys Crisfield MD” painted on underside of tail. Measures 16” long. Original paint with very minor wear; drying crack in back was filled when the decoy was made and has opened very slightly; small chip on one side of tail was tightly reglued; professional restoration to some of the neck filler at neck seat.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection.

Literature: “Decoys” by Gene and Linda Kangas, page 114, exact decoy pictured. “The Ward Brothers Decoys” by Ronald J. Gard and Brian J. McGrath, page 72, exact decoy pictured. (60,000 - 90,000)

5 Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Outstanding pair of black ducks. 1936 models with slightly turned heads and excellent paint detail. Measures 16.5” and 17” long. Near mint original paint; a few very shallow dents; tiny chip on edge of hen’s bill tip; a truly outstanding pair.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (60,000 - 90,000)

Enoch Thaddeus Reindahl

1904 – 2000 | Dunkirk and Stoughton, Wisconsin

The facts of Reindahl’s life were succinctly outlined in his obituary which appeared in the Wisconsin State Journal on Sept 23, 2000.

STOUGHTON - “Enoch Thaddeus Reindahl passed away quietly on Thursday, September 21, 2000. He was born on May 18, 1904 to Norwegian immigrants Nils and Elsie Reindahl in Stoughton. Enoch was a fiercely independent individual who was able to live in the family home until he was 96. He farmed the family farm, was trained as a mason’s assistant, and worked on the railroad, but he was best known for being a decoy carver. Today, his decoys are sought after by collectors. Enoch was a multitalented man and spent his earlier years as a calligrapher, wood carver, wildlife oil painter, and skilled nature photographer and journalist. He was an avid duck hunter and trapper. When he wasn’t “whittlin” you could find him amongst the sago pond weed and duck potato in his beloved marsh, a ten acre parcel north of Stoughton which he donated to the DNR in 1986 so that it would be protected for future generations of Wisconsin people and wildlife. - - - Enoch was truly a vanishing breed of gentleman and will be missed by all who knew him. In lieu of flowers, the family suggest memorials be made to the Nature Conservancy in his name.“

Reindahl began to carve in the 1920’. Initially, he made his decoys exclusively for his own use but, over the years, a small number of close friends or acquaintances convinced him to produce a few birds for them. He was very friendly with his Stoughton neighbors, the Homme brothers, “Ferd” (1900 – 1963) and Mandt (1905 – 1964) and the three men undoubtedly traded carving and painting ideas with one another. It is believed that it was Ferd who initially taught him what he called the “tricks” of carving. Reindahl’s total output is estimated to only be about 100 decoys, all species which he hunted. He did carve a rig of bluebills but later admitted he “- - - didn’t know why – I don’t like to eat them, so I don’t shoot them.”

By the 1980s, ill health began to restrict his movements, and he would spend more time in his home. He lived a simple but rewarding life. He grew much of his own food, drew his water from a well and lived without the convenience of indoor plumbing. He never owned a car and did not own a phone until the 1960s and only then, upon his doctor’s request. He was never wealthy but remained a self-sufficient, independent, and proud individual who will be remembered for carving some of the very finest decoys ever to emerge from Wisconsin.

6 Enoch Reindahl (1904-2000), Tustin, Wisconsin. Very rare Canada goose. Hollow carved with removable head. One of six known in this style. Relief carved wingtips that are extended and crossed. Metal hardware at neck seat to receive head. Metal hardware also inlaid in to underside, possibly for use as a stickup. Maker’s name painted on underside. Measures 24” long. Original paint with minor rubs; small dent and scratch on back; excellent structurally.

Provenance: Kirt Whaley collection, purchased directly from the maker. Joe and Donna Tonelli collection. Jim and Diane Cook collection.

Literature: “Decoys” by Gene and Linda Kangas, page 141, exact decoy pictured. “Decoys – North America’s Hundred Greatest” by Loy S. Harrell Jr., page 122-123, exact decoy pictured. (60,000 - 90,000)

7 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Outstanding bluewing teal. Relief carved and crossed wingtips. Relief tail feather carving. Head is turned 45 degrees. Maker’s oval brand in underside. Made for Dr. John C. Phillips. Measures 11” long. Original paint with a few tiny flakes on one side that were darkened; tight crazing under tail area; fine hairline crack in one side of neck; small amount of filler and touchup to a small chip at tip of tail.

Provenance: Made for Dr. John C. Phillips. Philip Y. DeNormandie collection, purchased from the Phillips family. Jim and Diane Cook collection.

Literature: “New England Decoys” by Shirley and John Delph, page 107, exact decoy pictured (in reverse). (150,000 - 250,000)

Ira Hudson

1873 - 1949 | Chincoteague, Virginia

Much of Ira Hudson’s early life remains somewhat of a mystery. His actual date and place of birth seem to have been in question, even to Ira himself. He believed he was born in Delaware sometime between 1873 and 1877 when, in fact, it was Maryland. The first glimpse we have into his early years appears in the 1900 Federal Census (the 1890 census was destroyed in a fire). By that time, he was living in Chincoteague working as an oysterman and married to Eva (Bowden). She was 18 and they had a 2-year-old daughter. Ira continued to describe himself as an oysterman through the time of the 1910 census but, by the time another of their children was born in 1916, he is listed as both an oysterman and a boatbuilder. For the remainder of his life, he variously describes himself as a “house carpenter” or a “boat carpenter.” The now famous photograph of him in front of his shop with a sign over the window was taken in the 1930s. The sign is revealing in that it reads “ Guning – boats and decoys for sale ” (apparently a minor misspelling did not bother Ira). Obviously, the decoys were an important part of his income by that point. Research by Henry Stansbury indicates that he had been known for carving decoys since 1900 when he would have been around 26 and the sign indicates that he was still very actively carving into his 60s. Hudson had worked hard his entire life. In addition to boat building and decoy carving he took on whatever task was necessary to provide for his family, be it oystering, clamming, fishing and raising h is own chickens. We must assume that he continued with all of these tasks as long as he was physically able. When his wife died after him in 1951, her obituary describes Ira who died two years prior as a “boatbuilder.”

Chincoteague was a community almost entirely dependent on the seafood industry. Life was tied to the water and hunting was an important part of life. Numerous others carved decoys, but Ira Hudson elevated the craft well beyond the norm of his contemporaries. His were finely fashioned, carefully finished and beautifully painted. His work represents the Chincoteague tradition at its pinnacle of perfection.

8 Ira Hudson (1873-1949), Chincoteague, Virginia. Outstanding red-breasted merganser. Football body style with fluted paddle tail. Partially inlet neck seat, extended crest, and patined tack eyes. Measures 17” long. Original paint with very minor wear; small dents and imperfections in the piece of wood used; tight seam through neck where head was reset; two tiny spots of touchup on one side of head.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection.

Literature: “Southern Decoys of Virginia and the Carolinas” by Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., page 30, exact decoy pictured (in reverse). (60,000 - 90,000)

Robert Alonzo Elliston

1847 – 1915 | Leppertown, Illinois

Elliston was one of the earliest and most influential of the famed Illinois River carvers. Somewhat ironically, his youth was spent in Indiana, then New York and, finally St Louis where he gained a fine reputation in the carriage and buggy trades. In 1875, while in St Louis, he married Margaret Cumminskey who, tragically, died after the birth of their first son one year later. Elliston then married her sister, Catherine, and in the early 1880s, the family relocated to Lake Senachwine. It was here, surrounded by the trappings of the spring and fall duck hunting seasons that it is believed he first began to supplement his income by carving decoys for the many visiting sportsmen. Robert would carve and Catherine would do the painting while keeping the home fires burning and raising their children. As profitable as the decoy carving was, he also crafted some fine hunting boats. Both of these ventures, although important financially, were somewhat seasonal in nature. For the remainder

of the year, the Ellistons relied on a large plum orchard behind their home as well as a very sizable apiary. He would harvest the fruit from the trees and gather the honey and wax from the hives and ship these valuable commodities to market. When the bees and trees went into dormancy or hibernation, Elliston would focus on his decoy production. At one point, Elliston lamented to a neighbor that he “didn’t want his children to be stuck on a farm like him.”

Upon the death of Robert Elliston, his entire decoy business, wood, patterns, tools and unfinished orders, was purchased by Bert Graves of Peoria who continued to employ Catherine as a painter. Robert Elliston can rest with the satisfaction of achieving the title of the “Father of the Illinois River Decoy Carving School.” His work strongly influenced those that followed such as Charles Perdew, and a host of others.

9 Robert Elliston (1849-1915), Bureau, Illinois. Outstanding preening mallard hen. Hollow carved with head turned to preen back feathers. Scratch feather paint detail on back. “Chadbourn” branded in underside. Measures 14.5” long. Excellent original paint with very minor wear; minor roughness at tip of tail; some flaking to filler above three nails at body seam.

Provenance: By descent in the Chadbourn family. Jim and Diane Cook collection. (100,000 - 150,000)

Charles E. “Shang” Wheeler

1872 - 1949 | Stratford, Connecticut

Oysterman, conservationist, artist, politician and political cartoonist, dog breeder, cockfighting fan, boxer, hunter, avid fisherman, expert fly tyer and - - - decoy carver.

Wheeler carved only for his own use or enjoyment, so his decoy production was limited. While he was influenced by the work of his predecessors, Albert Laing (1811 – 1886) and Ben Holmes (1843 – 1912), he became the recognized master of the Stratford School of Carving. His decoys were, in turn, the inspiration for a series of noted area carvers that followed. He first sprang onto the carving scene when he astonished local decoy makers at the first Decoy Show ever held at Bellport, Long Island by winning first place.

10

Charles E. “Shang” Wheeler (1872-1949), Stratford, Connecticut. Outstanding sleeping black duck. Hollow carved with head turned resting on back with bill buried under feathers. Scratch feather paint detail on head and neck. Measures 16” long. Near mint.

Provenance: Gifted by Wheeler to his fishing guide, Captain William Sutton Head. Tom Marshall collection. Tony Waring collection. Jim and Diane Cook collection.

Literature: “New England Decoys” by Shirley and John Delph, page 66-67, exact decoy pictured (in reverse).

(80,000 - 120,000)

Louis Chadwick Rathmell

1898 – 1974 | Danbury, Connecticut

Lou was born into a farming family in NJ. For a brief period, he worked in that occupation and was also a taxidermist in NY city. His fortunes changed dramatically in 1930 when he wed the daughter of Charles Darling Parks, a millionaire furrier and manufacturer of hats. Her family owned the extensive Tarrywile Farm in Danbury, CT and the couple managed the property while living in the main house, Hearthstone Castle. Rathmell’s early decoys eventually improved immensely, clearly demonstrating the influence of his mentor “Shang” Wheele r. He probably carved fewer than 100 birds, mostly black ducks, all for his personal rig or as gifts. Both Wheeler and Rathmell vacationed in Westport, MA where they fished for striped bass, and both men ga ve examples of their work as a gratuity to their guide, Bill Head.

11 Louis C. Rathmell (1898-1974), Danbury, Connecticut. Very rare and outstanding mallard hen. Hollow carved with slightly turned head. Outstanding paint detail with scratch feathering on head. Stamped “1943” on underside. Measures 17.5” long. Very minor paint rubs on tip of tail and bill, otherwise near mint.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection.

Literature: “Connecticut Decoys” by Henry C. Chitwood, page 100, exact decoy pictured. “Decoys” by Gene and Linda Kangas, page 203, exact decoy pictured. (20,000 - 30,000)

The Audubon Collection

In addition to making the working decoys for his personal rig, “Shang” also carved what he termed his exhibition birds. These he entered in numerous competitions, probably most notably the International Decoy Makers contest held at the National Sportsman’s Show in New York City during the 1940s. He won first place so often that, ultimately, he stopped entering to “give someone else a chance.” He never sold a decoy but would often gift one to a friend or associate. The sleeping black duck in the Cook collection would be a typical example. Wheeler gave the bird to his guide, Bill Head (1874 –1956), who he often fished with in Westport, MA. The vast majority of Wheeler’s exhibition birds were retained by him until his death.

Shang never owned his own home, boarding for most of his life with Ed and Fannie Bond. He left 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. A devout, lifelong bachelor, with his passing in 1949, his meager estate was inherited by his only living relative, his spinster sister, Edith Wheeler (1870 – 1955) of nearby Westport, CT.

In 1950, his close friends, fellow cavers 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. The Shelburne Museum in Vermont did make an offer, but the terms were rejected. 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. The collection was valued at that time at between $250,000.00 and $270,000.00 (about $3,500.00 apiece). Eventually, Alan Haid (on behalf of Ct Audubon) and Joe Tonelli (acting for the purchaser) 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. The collection was first exhibited publicly at the 1984 “Exhibition of Classic Antique Waterfowl Decoys” in St Charles Illinois. The “Audubon Wheelers” have always been a cornerstone component of the Cook collection.

12 Charles E. “Shang” Wheeler (1872-1949), Stratford, Connecticut. Exceedingly rare swan. Hollow carved with relief wing carving and reared back head. Swan was rigged and weighted, with a wooden keel that has since been removed. Measures 37.5” long. Original paint with minor wear; some scattered flaking to the primer coat; very minor roughness on top of head; very slight separation at neck seat.

Provenance: Estate of the maker. Connecticut Audubon Society collection. Jim and Diane Cook collection.

Literature: “Shang” by Dixon MacD. Merkt, page 178, exact decoy pictured. (80,000 - 120,000)

13 Charles E. “Shang” Wheeler (1872-1949), Stratford, Connecticut. Exceedingly rare sleeping swan. Hollow carved with relief wing feather carving. Swan was rigged and weighted with a wooden keel having been removed. One of two known. Measures 38” long. Original paint with minor discoloration and wear; scattered dents and flaking down to the primer coat; slight separation at neck seat.

Provenance: Estate of the maker. Connecticut Audubon Society collection. Jim and Diane Cook collection.

Literature: “Decoys” by Gene and Linda Kangas, page 266, exact decoy pictured. “Decoys – North America’s Hundred Greatest” by Loy S. Harrell Jr., page 16-17, exact decoy pictured. “Shang” by Dixon MacD. Merkt, page 178, exact decoy pictured.

(80,000 - 120,000)

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Early decorative walking curlew. Relief wingtip carving and appealing early base style. Maker’s oval brand on underside. A very important example. Measures 16.5” long, stands 11.25” tall. Near mint original paint; with excellent patina; fine hairline cracks in gesso thighs; small amount of touchup on gesso toes.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (100,000 - 150,000)

15 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Decorative ruffed grouse. Slightly turned head with extended crest feathers. Relief tail feather carving and excellent paint detail. Maker’s rectangle stamp on underside. Measures 13” long, stands 11” tall. Excellent original paint with very fine crazing; hairline cracks in gesso thighs; back toe on one foot is missing; some touchup on base near feet.

Provenance: John Delph collection. Jim and Diane Cook collection.

Literature: “Elmer Crowell: Father of American Decoy Carving” by Stephen O’Brien Jr and Chelsie W. Olney, page 17, exact carving pictured. (40,000 - 60,000)

16 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Decorative quail. Maker’s oval brand on underside. Measures 7.5” long, stands 8” tall. Original paint under a thin coat of varnish that has darkened slightly with age; restoration to gesso thighs, knees, and some of the toes; tip of raised feather on top of head was professionally restored; minor flaking to feet.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (20,000 - 30,000)

Mason Decoy Factory

C1896 – 1924 | Detroit, Michigan

When the shift was made from hunting for food or profit to hunting for leisure, increasing numbers of sportsmen across the country had a need for decoys. Some had access to the small number of old-time carvers that offered their work for sale such as Perdew, Shourds, Crowell and others but this was not always the case. A few set out to carve their own decoys but not everyone had the time, talent, tools or inclination to do so. Enter the factory decoy. In New York, Stevens was advertising his “factory” birds as early as 1876, and in the Detroit area, factories had existed as early as the early 1890s. All filled a need, but William James Mason (1846 -1905) ushered in the factory decoy at a scale unprecedented at the time. He was astute enough to produce not only a wide array of species meant to meet the needs of sportsmen from every flyway in the country but to offer them in a range of grades affordable to hunters at every financial level. Each was a quality product that was individually machine turned then manually assembled

Mason’s true genius, however, was his business acumen. His manufacturing process was based upon the assembly line principle and every aspect of the operation, from initial wood procurement to final shipping, was handled at his own production facilities. His marketing strategy was remarkable. His decoys were advertised not only in trade journals but in a wide array of the most popular sporting publications of the day. An extensive catalog was available for free that promoted his wares, and one would have been hard pressed to walk into a sporting goods or hardware store anywhere in the country or any of the major sporting chains such as Sears Roebuck and Co or VL&A and not see his decoys available for sale.

Upon the death of William, the highly successful business was inherited by his sons who slowly shifted the focus of the company to other product lines such as paints. Eventually, other companies entered the arena producing less expensive and, in most cases, lesser

17 Mason Decoy Factory (1889-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Rare widgeon. Hollow carved premier grade with snakey head style. McCleery collectin ink stamp on underside. Measures 15” long. Original paint with very minor wear under a thin coat of varnish that has darkened slightly with age; minor flaking at neck seat; old chip in tail was tightly reset; small chip missing at tip of tail; very minor roughness on one edge of bill.

Provenance: Dr. James McCleery collection. Jim and Diane Cook collection.

Literature: “Mason Decoys: A Complete Pictorial Guide – Expanded Edition” by Russ J. Goldberger and Alan G. Haid, page 68, exact decoy pictured.

(30,000 - 50,000)

18 Mason Decoy Factory (1889-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Excellent and rare merganser. Hollow carved premier grade with extended crest. Measures 18” long. Excellent original paint with almost no wear; remnants of old newspaper on one lower side; slight separation at neck seat; paint loss at back edge of underside.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection.

(20,000 - 30,000)

19 Mason Decoy Factory (1889-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Very rare rigmate pair of buffleheads. Challenge grade with snakey head style. Mackey collection ink stamp on undersides. Measure 12.25” long. Original paint with minor wear on drake; minor to moderate flaking and wear on hen; mostly around neck seat and top of tail; hairline crack in one side of drake’s neck.

Provenance: William J. Mackey Jr collection Jim and Diane Cook collection.

Literature: “Factory Decoys” by John and Shirley Delph, page 51, exact pair pictured. (20,000 - 30,000)

20 Mason Decoy Factory (1889-1924), Detroit, Michigan.

Exceedingly rare rigmate pair of red-breasted mergansers. Hollow carved premier grade. With early head styles and extended crest. One of only two known pairs. Measure 17” long. Original paint with minor gunning wear; both are hit by shot; slight separation at body seams and neck seats; hen’s bill was cracked down and tightly reset with small amount of touchup.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (50,000 - 80,000)

21 Joseph Lincoln (1859-1938), Accord, Massachusetts. Excellent widgeon. Measures 15.25” long. Original paint with very minor flaking and rubs; excellent structurally.

Provenance: Joel Barber collection. Shelburne Museum collection. Jim and Diane Cook collection.

Literature: “Decoys” by Gene and Linda Kangas, page 280, exact decoy pictured. “Decoys at Shelburne Museum” by David S. Webster and William Kehoe, page 29, exact decoy pictured. (40,000 - 60,000)

22 Ira Hudson (1873-1949), Chincoteague, Virginia. Important pintail. Flat bottom style with partially inlaid neck seat and scratch feather paint detail. “SGH” stamped twice on underside for the collection of Somers Headly. William Purnesll Jr collection brand on underside. Measures 17.25” long. Drying crack along back with slight separation at neck seat; otherwise near mint.

Provenance: Somers Headly collection. William Purnell collection. Jim and Diane Cook collection.

(30,000 - 50,000)

Charles Ferdinard Schoenheider Sr.

1856 – 1924 | Peoria, Illinois

Charles was born in Poughkeepsie, New York but by the time he was a teenager, the family had moved to Peoria. By age 24, he was working as a carpenter and would remain in that line of work for his entire life. In 1884, at age 29, he married 21-year-old Mary Barder and they would eventually have 12 children, two of which, sadly, died very young.

Charles’ carpentry and woodworking skills must have been noteworthy as evidenced by his building a number of houses in Peoria, including an entire block of homes on Vine St. This construction boom must have occurred around 1900 for, from that date until his death, the Schoenheiders are recorded as living at 113 Vine.

With his large family always a consideration, Charles must have constantly sought ways to simply pay the bills. Early in life, he gunned for the market, and this would have required both boats and decoys. Initially, he fashioned both of these necessary items purely for himself, but, eventually, the quality of his work must not have gone unnoticed by his fellow hunters for they, too, began to order his watercraft and sought to purchase his decoys. As demand grew, he, like others, offered his carvings for sale through the local Portman’s Sporting Goods store in downtown Peoria. Either recognizing his own artistic limitations or, as an expedient way to finish large orders, he utilized the talents of a local painter, John Casper (“Jack”) Franks (1861 – 1914) to apply the finely painted surface seen on his decoys. In addition to his standard floating models, the observant and inventive Schoenheider went far beyond the local norm and produced a number of extraordinary standing (so-called) “ice ducks.” These were designed to be placed on the ice at the edge of open water as an added attractant to their floating wooden counterparts. Some of these ice ducks were

included in his own rig while others were conspicuously displayed in the Portman’s Sporting Goods window. In addition to his standing ducks, a large rig of standing geese were ordered by well-known local sportsman, Daniel Voorhees (1861 – 1924) for use at the Duck Island Preserve Club. It is a well-known tale among today’s collectors that these were refused by Voorhees who thought the price of $125 for the group was excessive and they remained in pristine condition in Schoenheider’s attic until “discovered” by early collector Joe French in 1966.

The wonderfully carved and painted decoys produced by Schoenheider certainly place him at the pinnacle of a small list of the very finest of the Illinois River carvers.

23 Charles Schoenheider Sr. (1854-1924), Peoria, Illinois. Exceedingly rare standing mallard ice duck. Hollow carved, with removable iron foot. Believed to be the only standing mallard by the maker. Measures 17” long. Original paint with very minor wear; an early coat of varnish has darkened with age and has caused tight crazing to paint on back and one side; two fine hairline cracks through neck; some paint flaking at lower neck.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection.

Literature: “The Great Book of Wildfowl Decoys,” Joe Engers, editor, front cover and page 238, exact decoy pictured. “Decoys – North America’s Hundred Greatest” by Loy S. Harrell Jr., page 140141, exact decoy pictured.

(80,000 - 120,000)

Francisco Lewis (“Frank,” “Skull Boat”) Cassini

1899 – 1967 | Rock Island and Galesburg, Illinois

Frank’s Italian born father owned a small tile and mosaic company in Cincinnati, and it was only logical that his sons would apprentice in that trade. Frank ultimately established his own businesses, first the Cassini Tile and Marble Company in Rock Island, IL and then, the Galesburg Tile and Marble Co in Galesburg. He was an avid hunter and carved his first decoys for use on the Mississippi River in the 1920s and continued to carve almost until the time of his death. He never sold any of his decoys or assorted decorative carvings but gifted many to friends or hunting associates. Estimates place his lifetime production at between 100 and 200 decoys.

24 Frank Cassini (1899 – 1967), Galesburg, Illinois. Unique pair of shoveler. Hollow carved with slightly turned heads and raised wingtips. Measures 12.5” long. Original paint with very minor wear; under a thin coat of uneven varnish; chip at the tip of drake’s bill was reglued; repaired chips to drake’s wingtips; neck crack repair on hen with inpainting to that area.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection.

Literature: “Decoys and Decoy Carvers of Illinois” by Paul W. Parmalee and Forrest D. Loomis, front cover and plate 114, exact pair pictured. “Decoys” by Gene and Linda Kangas, page 298, exact pair pictured. “The Great Book of Wildfowl Decoys,” Joe Engers, editor, page 246, exact pair pictured. “Decoys of the Mississippi Flyway” by Alan G. Haid, page 196, exact pair pictured. (40,000 - 60,000)

Charles and Edna Perdew

Charles (1874 – 1963) and Edna (1882 – 1974) | Henry, Illinois

Like Crowell and Lincoln, Shourds, and the Cobbs, certain names are synonymous with the very finest hunting decoys ever produced in North America during the golden age of shotgunning. The Perdews epitomized the perfection of what would become known as the Illinois River style. Following in the traditions established by earlier artisans, such as Ruggles and Elliston, Charles carved and Edna painted thousands of decoys over their lifetimes and many of the very finest and rarest of these are represented in the Cook collection.

As a young man, Charlie helped on the family farm and hunted for the market. By 1889, he left the homestead and moved to Chicago where he worked in a meat plant and as a carpenter, participating in the construction of the Columbian Exposition of 1893 – 1894. By 1895, he had relocated to Henry and would live there for the remainder of his life. He continued to hunt and sell game, continued his carpentry trade, and opened a bicycle livery and repair shop. He had made a few decoys and calls for himself when young and his skills rapidly improved. By 1898 he himself considered the decoy business to be in operation in earnest. To this point, however, the decoys and calls were still adjuncts to his other forms of livelihood. In 1900, an article in the Henry News and Republican reported that he worked for the Peters Cartridge Co as a traveling professional shooter. By late 1901, he had returned to Henry and opened a gun shop in the downtown area and his line of decoys and calls had now expanded to include boats for the sportsmen. The substantial demands for his decoys by this time must have exceeded his ability to produce them and he hired a local girl, Edna Haddon, to paint the finished carvings. He obviously appreciated her for more than her artistic ability for the two were wed in the home of her parents on Thanksgiving Day, 1902.

Working together, the two built a house and workshop for themselves on a high bluff overlooking the Illinois River, and the business was now operated fulltime out of the home. Their fame spread rapidly and, by 1907, his work was being sold through the prestigious VL&A stores and, eventually, numerous other quality sporting goods establishments throughout the Midwest and the East Coast. At the height of their careers, orders for Perdew’s work might be backlogged for as much as 3 or 4 years. Charlie and Edna worked together for most of their productive years. As Charlie often commented “ - - - they were a team – a twosome- - - .“ Eventually, the effects of lead poisoning forced Edna to stop painting and a stroke in 1960 put an end to Charlie’s carving career.

The two enjoyed a long life at their home and gardens above the river and they are buried together in the Henry Cemetery.

Home and workshop

24A Charles Perdew (1874-1963), Henry, Illinois. Important early preening green wing teal. Hollow carved with head turned preening back feathers. Large glass eyes typical of Perdew’s early work. One of only two, early preening teal known. The other was stolen and believed to be destroyed. Measures 9.25” long. Original paint with very minor wear; minor blunting at tip of tail; tiny chip in one side of bill has been darkened otherwise excellent structurally.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection.

Literature: “Top of the Line Hunting Collectibles” by Donna Tonelli, page 156, exact decoy pictured.

(40,000 - 60,000)

Ferdinand Bach Jr.

1888 – 1967 | Detroit and St Clair Shores, Michigan

Born in Switzerland, Bach trained as an architect and draftsman before serving 6 years in the Swiss infantry. Upon his discharge, he traveled to Denmark where he boarded the steamship Hellig Olav and arrived in Hoboken, New Jersey in 1916. When he arrived in America, he was fluent in several languages, but English was not one of them. By about 1918, he had relocated to Detroit where he found employment as a draftsman for the Studebaker company, at the time, along with Ford, one of the two highest volume auto manufacturing companies in the world. The design departments of some of Detroit’s auto industry titans, including stints at Rickenbacker, Chrysler and Dodge would be his livelihood for the remainder of his working life.

In 1929, he married Margaret Katherine Watson and they had one son, Ferdinand III. The marriage was dissolved in 1936 when Margaret filed for, and was granted, an uncontested divorce on the basis of “non-support and extreme cruelty.”

For much of his time in Detroit, he had resided as a boarder near his place of work. After his divorce, however, he moved to his own home in St Clair Shores, a suburb northeast of Detroit and his small house was very close to the shore of Lake St Clair. Bach lived in two, very separate, worlds. Although his career meant that he was surrounded daily by the smoke and grit of Detroit’s “motor city,” inwardly, he yearned for a life in the rural woods of northern Michigan. Since his initial arrival in America, he had become enamored with the lives and culture of the native Americans and worked diligently to master many of their skills such as hunting and fishing as well as snowshoe and canoe making (see note 1) . He transformed his home in St Clair Shores into his vision of a north woods lodge, surrounded by his own miniature forest of conifers and birches.

Bach made very few decoys. Other than probably two small rigs that he produced for fellow sportsmen, his carvings were meant solely for his own use and enjoyment. He carved his first group in the 1930s but these were destroyed in a boathouse fire. Undeterred, he set out to carve a second flock for himself, and these have since been crowned his “classics.” Designed to be visible to high flying flocks, these are muscular, both with and without detailed wing tips. He achieved a great deal of realism in this rig by utilizing 44 different head patterns in their construction. With his strong design talents, it should be no surprise that his work is of the highest standards. His pride in his decoys is evidenced with many being marked with his name carved in a flourish on their bottoms.

Bach did live in two worlds, the industrial complex of downtown Detroit and the wild, open freedom of the northern woods. We must assume that he far preferred the latter.

Notes: 1. A birch canoe made by him in 1952/53 is displayed at the Michigan State University Museum in East Lansing, Michigan.

25 Ferdinand Bach (1888-1967), Detroit, Michigan. Unique American merganser. A large decoy with relief wing carving and fluted tail. “F.Bach” carved in underside for the maker’s personal rig. Measures 21.5” long. Original paint with minor gunning wear; the original coat of varnish was worn down at areas; some black feather detailing on back was added by the maker after the varnish layer; fine hairline crack in one side of neck; very slight separation at neck seat.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (30,000 - 50,000)

Nate Quillin

1831 – 1908 | Brownstown (Rockwood), Michigan

Quillin’s father worked as a gunsmith and farmer and, between 1850 and 1880, Nate too lists his occupation as either a laborer (probably on his father’s farm) or as an independent farmer or merchant. Beginning with the 1900 census, he states his occupation as a boat builder, and he is listed that way on his death certificate. It is unclear when he first began to carve decoys bu t, in 1879, a group of local sportsmen reorganized to form the Point Mouillee Shooting Club and much of his Quillin’s output found its way into members’ rigs. He is said to have been most productive between the years of 1880 and 1900, producing around 200 decoys per year. His carvings were so durable that many continued to see active service until the Club disbanded in 1945. Finding any of Quillin’s work today in original paint is extremely rare.

26 Nate Quillin (1839-1908), Rockwood, Michigan. Excellent redhead. Thinly hollowed with tucked inlaid head. Comb feather paint detail. “WTB” brand on underside for the rig of William T. Barber. Measures 13.5” long. Original paint with minor crazing and gunning wear; lightly hit by shot; very minor roughness on edge of tail; some over paint was cleaned off of wing patches with area of touchup around each wing patch.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (10,000 - 15,000)

27

John English (1848-1915), Florence, New Jersey. Rare and important English/Dawson redhead. Hollow carved with relief tail feather carving. Mackey collection and McCleery collection ink stamps on underside. Measures 14.5” long. Excellent paint by John Dawson, circa 1920s with very minor wear; excellent structurally.

Provenance: William J. Mackey Jr collection. Dr. James McCleery collection. William Grossman collection. Jim and Diane Cook collection.

Literature: “Call to the Sky” by Robert Shaw, page 67, exact decoy pictured. “Bird Decoys of North America” by Robert Shaw, page 195, exact decoy pictured.

(30,000 - 50,000)

28 Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Outstanding black duck. Bishops Head style with slightly turned head. Decoy does not appear to have ever been used. Measures 17.5” long. Near mint original paint with a few small rubs; slight separation and flaking at neck seat; drying crack along the underside; tiny dent on one side of face.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (25,000 - 35,000)

George Burton (“Bert”) Graves

1880 – 1951 | Peoria, Illinois

After a basic 8th grade education, George, like his father, worked as a teamster, and this hard-working, blue collar work ethic would remain with him for his entire life. About 1905 he wed Anna L Riley, a widow, who brought her young son, Bransford, to the marriage, and Graves would proudly raise the boy as his own. Between roughly 1918 and 1920, Bert worked as a fisherman and fish dealer but, by 1921, he was listing his occupation as a carpenter. This would remain his trade for most of his life, interrupted only briefly around 1929 when he worked as a policeman and, again, around the time of the WWII draft as a member of the Peoria City Hall maintenance crew. By the time of the 1950 census, he was unable to work and applied for Social Security benefits, dying only one year later.

It is unclear exactly when Graves began to carve decoys, but it would be logical to assume that it would have been when he was rather young. We do know that when he was about 35, Robert Elliston died, and Bert approached his widow, Catherine, and purchased Elliston’s remaining stock of patterns, decoys, tools, supplies and unfinished orders. He sold some of his carvings through the Portman’s Sporting Goods store at 122 N Adams St in Peoria and, by the 1930s he was distributing a business card advertising his decoys utilizing “Elliston Pattern Decoys” as well as boats. Orders flowed in from sportsmen and clubs around the country with quality rigs having been located throughout the Midwest, as well as Manitoba and elsewhere. At the pricey sum of between $75 and $100 per dozen in the 1940s and 50s, his decoys would have comprised a significant portion of Graves’s income.

The Graves decoy carving operation was based out of his garage at 760 McReynolds St. It was, by all accounts, a somewhat low keyed, assembly line type operation. The work was accomplished through the joint efforts of Graves, his brother Orville, Orville’s wife Effie, their sister Nellie and at least three or four other individuals. As late as the mid 1930s he was still shipping unpainted birds to Elliston’s wife (now living in Chicago) to paint. She, in turn, ultimately taught Effie and Nellie how to accomplish this delicate task.

Graves himself is remembered as a local “river rat,” and an excellent shot with a fondness for fighting gamecocks. It is his decoys, however, that have justly earned him his rightful place in the Illinois River decoy carving hierarchy.

29 Bert Graves (1880-1956), Peoria, Illinois. Near mint pair of mallards. Hollow carved with excellent paint by Catherine Elliston. Hen in preening pose. Measure 14.5” and 17” long. Near mint.

Provenance: Finch brothers, owners of the Rice Pond Preserve Duck Club near Chillicothe, Illinois. The decoys were displayed on the clubhouse mantel. Joe and Donna Tonelli collection. Jim and Diane Cook collection.

Literature: “Decoys of the Mississippi Flyway” by Alan G. Haid, page 87, exact pair pictured.

(30,000 - 50,000)

Enoch Thaddeus Reindahl

1904 – 2000 | Dunkirk and Stoughton, Wisconsin

The facts of Reindahl’s life were succinctly outlined in his obituary which appeared in the Wisconsin State Journal on Sept 23, 2000.

STOUGHTON - “Enoch Thaddeus Reindahl passed away quietly on Thursday, September 21, 2000. He was born on May 18, 1904 to Norwegian immigrants Nils and Elsie Reindahl in Stoughton. Enoch was a fiercely independent individual who was able to live in the family home until he was 96. He farmed the family farm, was trained as a mason’s assistant, and worked on the railroad, but he was best known for being a decoy carver. Today, his decoys are sought after by collectors. Enoch was a multitalented man and spent his earlier years as a calligrapher, wood carver, wildlife oil painter, and skilled nature photographer and journalist. He was an avid duck hunter and trapper. When he wasn’t “whittlin” you could find him amongst the sago pond weed and duck potato in his beloved marsh, a ten acre parcel north of Stoughton which he donated to the DNR in 1986 so that it would be protected for future generations of Wisconsin people and wildlife. - - - Enoch was truly a vanishing breed of gentleman and will be missed by all who knew him. In lieu of flowers, the family suggest memorials be made to the Nature Conservancy in his name“.

Reindahl began to carve in the 1920s. Initially, he made his decoys exclusively for his own use but, over the years, a small number of close friends or acquaintances convinced him to produce a few birds for them. He was very friendly with his Stoughton neighbors, the Homme

brothers, “Ferd” (1900 – 1963) and Mandt (1905 – 1964) and the three men undoubtedly traded carving and painting ideas with one another. It is believed that it was Ferd who initially taught him what he called the “tricks” of carving. Reindahl’s total output is estimated to only be about 100 decoys, all species which he hunted. He did carve a rig of bluebills but later admitted he “- - - didn’t know why – I don’t like to eat them, so I don’t shoot them.”

By the 1980s, ill health began to restrict his movements, and he would spend more time in his home. He lived a simple but rewarding life. He grew much of his own food, drew his water from a well and lived without the convenience of indoor plumbing. He never owned a car and did not own a phone until the 1960s and only then, upon his doctor’s request. He was never wealthy but remained a self-sufficient, independent, and proud individual who will be remembered for carving some of the very finest decoys ever to emerge from Wisconsin.

30 Enoch Reindahl (1904-2000), Tustin, Wisconsin. Important pair of mallards. Hollow carved with slightly turned, tucked heads. Raised crossed wingtips. Maker’s name painted on undersides. Feather detailing extends onto undersides. Measure 14.5” long. Original paint with very minor wear; some flaking on underside of drake; a few very shallow dents; very fine hairline crack in one side of drakes head.

Provenance: Dave Spangler collection, purchased directly from the maker. Jim and Diane Cook collection. (60,000 - 90,000)

Harvey Allen Stevens (1847 – 1894) George W. Stevens (1856 – 1905)

Weedsport Village, Brutus, New York

When one thinks of early decoy makers, a small inland village north of the Finger Lakes in upstate New York is not the first place that normally comes to mind. However, it was here, in rural Weedsport, that Harvey Stevens made his first decoy. Until he was at least 28 and married, Harvey remained on the family farm. The farm must have been rather prosperous because Harvey was an active participant in local trap and live pigeon shoots, sports associated with the financial well-heeled at the time. He enjoyed hunting and comments made by him in 1891 indicate that he had made his first decoy as early as 1866. These initial efforts were undoubtedly for his own use but, by at least 1876, he was advertising his work in the national sporting publication “Forest and Stream.” In the 1880 census he describes himself for the first time as “makes decoy ducks” and by 1891, he was publishing his descriptive “Price List of Improved Duck Decoys.” His decoy production has often been erroneously referred to as a factory operation but, in fact, nothing could be further from the truth. All of his birds were entirely handmade, individually crafted in a tiny 8” x 9” shed behind his home using only the most basic hand tools. Aside from his design, construction and painting skills, his genius was in his marketing acumen. In addition to his printed advertising, a dapper gentleman, he would travel to New York City where he would offer his decoys for sale, each wrapped in it’s own individual cloth bag, through the more prestigious sporting goods dealers

such as Schoverling, Daly and Gates as well as H. C. Squires. His birds, priced at $10/doz, were considered far too expensive for the local Weedsport sportsmen but they could well be afforded by Long Island and other wealthy East Coast shooters. His annual production was never large, and notes in a small journal kept by his brother suggest that he may have made about 1200 – 1500 decoys per year, undoubtedly insufficient to maintain a comfortable lifestyle that included pigeon shooting. It would appear that the decoy business was basically a sideline to his other occupation(s), perhaps cabinet making and/or taxidermy. As the demand for his decoys began to grow, his younger brother, George, was often called upon to assist. Unfortunately, Harvey’s life was cut short by tuberculosis. He had been ill for quite a few years and, prior to his death at age 47, George began to play an increasingly larger role in the business, ultimately assuming complete control upon the death of his brother. Using Harry’s patterns, he continued the decoy business as an adjunct to his primary occupation of gardener, selling seeds, plants, and agricultural supplies in Weedsport. By this point (1894-95) production had dropped to about 590 decoys per year and a third brother, Fred (1864 – 1939), would occasionally assist in the business. Sadly, like Harvey, George too succumbed to tuberculosis and operations ceased upon his passing. The brothers’ legacy today rests firmly on their superbly designed and painted decoys that are in demand today just as they were in the late 1800s.

31 Harvey Stevens (1847-1894), Weedsport, New York. Outstanding rigmate pair of mallards. “HA Stevens” ink stamp on undersides. Comb feather paint detail and copper tail sprig on drake. Heads swivel as they should. Measure 17” long. Excellent original paint with very minor wear; minor flaking at a knot in underside of hen and at a separation in wood grain on underside of drake; tiny chip in one side of drake’s bill.

Provenance: Phil Mott collection. Jim and Diane Cook collection. (40,000 - 60,000)

32 Charles Perdew (1874-1963), Henry, Illinois. Outstanding pair of pintails. Hollow carved with comb feather paint detail. “G.K. Schmidt” branded on the undersides. Hen retains the original Perdew weight. Measure 16.25” long. Near mint.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (60,000 - 90,000)

The G.K. Schmidt Rig

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 was so good, that a number of collectors passed them up as being copies. They were genuine, but it would take almost forty more years until the owner of G. K. Schmidt rig would be identified. Joe and Donna Tonelli can be credited with solving the mystery, but it took the help of Dave Galliher, who had purchased Charlie Perdew’s order log at a Guyette and 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 determined that. 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 brand ed decoys he ordered from Charles Perdew in 1928 never hit the water.

33 Robert Elliston (1849-1915), Bureau, Illinois. Rare and outstanding greenwing teal. Hollow carved comb feather paint detail. Retains the original Elliston weight. The best of a group found at a St. Paul Minnesota estate sale, this decoy held the auction world record for the maker for 14 years. Measures 12.25” long. Original paint with minor flaking and wear; flaking to filler above a few nails at body seam; otherwise excellent structurally.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection.

(40,000 - 60,000)

34 Robert Elliston (1849-1915), Bureau, Illinois. Extremely rare coot. Hollow carved with comb feather paint detail on back. “Weeks” branded on underside. Also branded “JF” for the collection of Joe French. One of only two known. Measures 10.5” long. Original paint with moderate flaking and wear; some areas of paint restoration on sides and underside; like the other Elliston coot, a chip in the bill was professionally restored.

Provenance: Found in 1955. Bob Weeks collection. Joseph French collection. Jim and Diane Cook collection. (30,000 - 50,000)

35 Bert Graves (1880-1956), Peoria, Illinois. Excellent black duck. From the Chester Caswell rig. Hollow carved with “CJC” branded twice on underside. Retains the original Graves weight. Excellent paint detail. Measures 17” long. Original paint with very minor wear; a few shallow dents; otherwise excellent structurally.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (10,000 - 14,000)

Henry White Ruggles

1830 - 1897 | Henry, Illinois

Although born in Ohio, by 1850 Henry was living with his mother in Edwardsville, IL near the shores of the Mississippi. Here, at age 20, he was already employed as a painter, a trade that would sustain him for his entire life. In 1854 he married Delia (Cordelia/Adelia) Woodward in nearby Madison. By 1860, the couple had moved to Henry where they would raise their family (Charles and Leon). They would appear to have been relatively comfortable since, at least for a period, they retained the services of two young servants, and later, maintained a houseboat on the river.

His decoys are among the very earliest of the classic Illinois River decoys. His total production is unknown, but examples have appeared in rigs as distant as Wisconsin. Due to the age and scarcity of his birds, locating any in fine original paint is exceedingly rare. It was Henry, not as had been reported, his son Charles, that helped the celebrated Charles Perdew when he began his carving career c1890.

36 Henry Ruggles (1830 - 1897), Henry, Illinois.

Extremely rare canvasback. Hollow carved with raised neck seat and excellent head carving. Two brands were gouged from underside and club branded in one of those spots. Also with “M” branded in lower breast. One of only two known in original paint. Measures 15.5” long. Original paint with moderate wear; surface has darkened with age; professional neck crack repair.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (20,000 - 30,000)

37 Robert Elliston (1849-1915), Bureau, Illinois. Mallard. Hollow carved deep body style. Comb feather paint detail on white areas. Retains the original Elliston weight. Measures 16.5” long. Excellent original paint with almost no wear; fine hairline crack in one side of neck, otherwise excellent structurally.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (15,000 - 25,000)

38 Robert Elliston (1849-1915), Bureau, Illinois. Excellent and very rare redhead. Hollow carved, deep body style with comb feather paint detail. Retains the original Elliston weight. Measures 14.75” long. Original paint with minor gunning wear; lightly hit by shot; discoloration on one lower side, ½ the bill is a very well done, early professional replacement.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (25,000 - 35,000)

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Excellent decorative Hudsonian curlew. Alert pose with head turned 45 degrees. Maker’s oval brand in underside. Stands 12” tall. Excellent original paint; minor flaking on gesso thighs; touchup to flaking on legs.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (50,000 - 80,000)

40 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Very rare upland plover. Raised wingtips and relief tail feather carving. Maker’s rectangle stamp on underside. Measures 8.5” long, stands 9” tall. Area of restoration on top of head, otherwise near mint.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (30,000 - 40,000)

41 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts.

Rare decorative willet. Walking pose with split tail carving. Maker’s oval brand on underside. Measures 13” long. Original paint under a coat of varnish that has darkened with age; fine hairline cracks at thighs; some paint touchup on legs.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection.

Literature: “Elmer Crowell: Father of American Decoy Carving” by Stephen O’Brien Jr and Chelsie W. Olney, page 207, exact carving pictured. (30,000 - 40,000)

42 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Rare decorative turned head black bellied plover. Head is turned approximately 110 degrees. Split tail carving. Maker’s crisp oval brand

43 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Decorative semi palmated plover. Split tail carving. Maker’s rectangle stamp and signature on underside. Measures 6.25” long. Thin coat of varnish has darkened slightly with age, otherwise excellent and original.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (12,000 - 18,000)

44 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Decorative robin. Standing on wooden branch with dropped wings and relief tail feather carving. Unstamped base with maker’s name and town painted on underside. Measures 8.5” long, stands 7” tall. Original paint with very minor wear; minor blunting at tip of bill.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (8,000 - 12,000)

Charles Walker

1873 - 1954 | Princeton, Illinois

As a young man, Charles earned a living by working at a livery stable as a hostler. In 1900 he married Marie Anna Brems and the couple quickly had four children. With rising financial demands, he left the stable and worked the rest of his life, describing himself variously as a “painter,” “paper hanger,” “gardener,” “carpenter,” and “interior decorator.” A lifelong hunter and fisherman of considerable talent, in 1902, he managed to procure membership in the local and highly selective Princeton Game and Fish Club with share #32. When the club levied an assessment on its membership in 1910, the financial burden was too excessive for Walker, and he was forced to relinquish his membership. He had made many friends while at the club, however, and often continued to hunt there as a guest. Many members of the Club had long recognized the exceptional quality of Walker’s decoys and many placed numerous large orders with him for the next 38 years.

Members of the Princeton Club were among the more affluent men in the community and could well afford what they considered the finest in guns and equipment. They did not hesitate to pay $100/dozen for Walker’s decoys when others, such as Charles Perdew of nearby Henry, were charging $36/doz. Using only the simplest of hand tools, Walker made all of his decoys himself at his home at 224 South Pleasant St. As noted, most of his output was eagerly purchased by the members of the Princeton Club. Of all the major Illinois River decoy carvers, Walker made relatively few decoys, with his total lifetime production estimated at no more than 300 decoys. As these were damaged in use at Princeton, they were simply piled on the dock where, at the end of the season, the caretaker would unceremoniously dispose of them. Over the years, some were repainted and others lost to the ravages of time. Finding any of Walker’s work in fine original condition and surface is a rarity and surviving examples should be considered treasures.

45

Charles Walker (1873-1954), Princeton, Illinois. Extremely rare mallard hen from the Jolley rig. Hollow carved with relief wing carving. One of only two Jolley rig hens with raised wing carving. “Jolley” carved in underside. Measures 17.25” long. Original paint with minor flaking and wear; old spot of varnish added on top of head and around neck seat; short hairline crack in front of neck, otherwise excellent structurally.

Provenance: Charles Walker to Clifford Jolley. Purchased from Jolley by Joe Tonelli in 1974. William Umbracht collection. Jim and Diane Cook collection. (15,000 - 20,000)

45A

Charles Walker (1873-1954), Princeton, Illinois. Mallard from the Jolley rig. Hollow carved with relief wing carving and head turned 45 degrees. “Jolley” carved in underside. Measures 16” long. Original paint with minor flaking and wear; hairline crack at back of neck seat; spot of early varnish on top of head and around neck seat.

Provenance: Charles Walker to Clifford Jolley. Purchased from Jolley by Joe Tonelli in 1974. Bill Carr collection. Jim and Diane Cook collection.

(10,000 - 15,000)

PHINEAS REEVES AND THE “GBH” BRAND

George Becher Harris 1836 – 1923 | London, Ontario, Canada

Formed in 1866, The Long Point Company quickly became one of the most selective and prestigious private ducking clubs in Canada. Obviously, decoys were a necessary part of the Club’s arsenal and, beginning in the 1870s, Phineas Reeves (1833 – 1898), was one of the earliest makers that supplied the needed items. His work would set the standard for generations of a family of carvers to follow that would supply decoys and guiding services for the affluent club members, men that demanded only the finest in their sporting equipment.

One of the earliest members of the club, and one who was contemporaneous with Phineas, was George B. Harris. Born into a prominent London family, he studied law and, in 1867, married local socialite Mary Elizabeth Lucy Ronalds. In addition to his law practice, he was active in local real estate and became director of a number of Life Insurance Companies as well as director of The London and Western Trust Company. In the

late 1880s, he acquired “Eldon House” the ancestral family home in London and began to expand and make improvements to the property. The thirteen acre estate included the main house with kitchen and formal gardens, all of which required a substantial staff of domestics and gardners. By 1900 he had retired from business but, unfortunately, his wife died in 1901. He had been a member of Long Point since 1877 and he gave up his membership in 1902, living out the remainder of his life at Eldon House.

46 Phineas Reeves (1833-1898), Port Rowan, Ontario, Canada. Early Canada goose. Hollow carved. Tack eyes. “GBH” branded in one lower side. Measures 24” long. Original paint with minor gunning wear; fine hairline crack in back, otherwise excellent structurally.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (30,000 - 50,000)

Robert John (“Bob”) Jones

1860 – 1937 | Demorestville, Ontario

In his youth, and again briefly in old age, Bob was a farmer. Fo r the majority of his working life, however, his occupation was that of a blacksmith. He married Margaret (“Maggie”) Brummell in 1885, and they had 4 children. He retired from blacksmithing around 1920 and died while at the home of his son in Belleville, when he was struck by a car while attempting to change a flat tire. His carving period spanned from the 1880s through the 1930s. He is said to have made hundreds of decoys, perhaps over one thousand. His work is aptly summarized by Canadian author Jim Stewart when he stated, “ The decoys made by Robert J Jones are some of the finest vintage Canadian decoys. Their skillful carving shows the hand of a craftsman, their graceful form the ye of an artist.”

47 Bob Jones (1860-1937), Demorestville, Ontario. Very rare and important redhead. Thinly hollowed with .25” bottom board. Tucked head with tack eyes and slight relief wingtip carving. “VI” carved in underside. One of only three known. Measures 13” long. Original paint with minor wear; some early touchup to flaking on one side of breast; an early coat of varnish has darkened with age.

Provenance: Dr. James M. Stewart collection. Jim and Diane Cook collection. (30,000 - 50,000)

John Rice Wells

1861 – 1955 | Toronto, Canada

The son of a Scottish immigrant, John initially became a plumbing contractor and, in 1887, married Mary Ironside. At some point in the 1890s, he left the plumbing trade and, with a background as an avid waterfowler and trapshooter, found employment with the R.A. McCready Sporting Goods store in Toronto. In 1904, he transitioned again, this time to work at the Aykroyd Brothers Boat Shop and he would remain with this prestigious small boat builder for the next 43 years. The boatyard gave him ready access to a variety of tools and materials, and his background in waterfowling undoubtedly led him to carve decoys. His birds are among the finest of their kind to emerge from the Toronto area. Of the many quality decoys he carved, his crowning achievement occurred in 1919 when he was honored to have been selected as the supplier of decoys for the visiting Prince of Wales on his trip to Manitoba’s Delta Marsh.

48 John R. Wells (1861-1953), Toronto, Ontario. Excellent canvasback hen. Hollow carved with .25” bottom board. Comb feather paint detail on back and sides. “JRW Maker” branded twice on underside. Also with the McCleery collection ink stamp on underside. Measures 16” long. Original paint with very minor gunning wear; separation at one side of neck seat; lightly hit by shot; roughness on edge of bottom board along one side; very minor roughness on edge of bill and tail.

Provenance: Torry Ward acquired from the Oak Lake Duck Club, Manitoba, Canada. Joe Tonelli collection. William Humbracht collection. Dr. James McCleery collection. Jonathan and Virginia Chua collection. Jim and Diane Cook collection.

Literature: “Call to the Sky” by Robert Shaw, page 95, exact decoy pictured. (25,000 - 35,000)

49 Addie Nichol (1864-1929), Smith Falls, Ontario. Excellent bluebill with deep relief wing carving and incised feather detail. Comb feather paint detail. Thinly hollowed with round inlaid bottom board. Measures 13.5” long. Original paint with very minor wear; some roughness at the tip of each raised wing was darkened.

Provenance: Jonathan and Virginia Chua collection. Jim and Diane Cook collection.

(5,000 - 8,000)

Charles Phineas Reeves

1872 – 1941 | Port Rowan, Ontario

The youngest son of Phineas Reeves (1833 – 1896), Charles followed in his footsteps apprenticing as a painter. He was still working in that trade when, in 1899 he married Sarah Ann (“Dolly”) Biddle. Between around 1911 and 1921, he switched occupations, referring to himself first, as a carpenter, then fisherman. Although his death certificate lists him as a carpente r, from the time of the 1931 census through the printing of his obituary, he is referred to as a boat builder. Not mentioned in any formal record is the pivotal roll the Reeves family played in the operation of the nearby, elite, Long Point Company. Phineas and his sons were all deeply involved in the activities of the club, both as punters, guides and suppliers of boats and decoys. Charles was carving decoys by the time he was 18 and began his extended career with Long Point in 1890 remaining an integral part of the club’s operation for the next 50 years.

50 Charles Reeves (1877-1941), Long Point, Ontario. Extremely rare greenwing teal. “H.S.M.” branded in underside. Measures 10.5” long. Original paint with very minor wear; head swivels slightly; dent in back near tail.

Provenance: Jonathan and Virginia Chua collection. Jim and Diane Cook collection.

Literature: “Ontario Decoys II” by Bernie Gates, front cover and page 36, exact decoy pictured. (15,000 - 25,000)

Owen Justus Gromme

1896 – 1991 | Milwaukee, Wisconsin

From a purely professional perspective, perhaps no one was ever better qualified to carve a realistic decoy than Owen Gromme. Born in Fond du Lac, he preferred hunting and the outdoors to formal education and is said to have never finished high school (see note 1) . Selftaught, he had painted and practiced amateur taxidermy as a youth and became quite accomplished, so much so that, by his late teens, he moved to Chicago to work as a taxidermist at the Museum of Natural History there (see note 2) . Between 1918 and 1919 he served in the army during WWI. Upon his discharge, he returned to Fond du Lac and worked briefly in a tannery before moving to Milwaukee in 1922 to again work as a taxidermist, this time at the Milwaukee Public Museum. In 1927, he married a coworker, Miss Anna Ingleborg Sarah Nielsen. Shortly after the marriage, he left on an eight-month, museum sponsored, expedition to Africa where Gromme was designated the trip’s artist. Returning to Milwaukee, he continued to travel to various points in North America to research paintings for the Museum’s various displays. During his 43-year career at the museum, Gromme held a variety of positions culminating in holding the prestigious title of “Curator of Birds and Mammals.” An accomplished author, he published over 60 articles and wrote and illustrated his triumphant “Birds of Wisconsin” in 1963. He retired from the Museum in 1965 after receiving no fewer than five honorary doctorate degrees. Now, at age 69, he was free to paint professionally, and he and Anna relocated to their 167 acre private preserve in rural Briggsville where Owen enjoyed a fulfilling second career as a commercial artist, quickly gaining national acclaim.

After a loving 64-year marriage, Anna passed away on August 4th, 1991 and Owen died less than 3 months later in a Madison retirement center. They are buried together in the Briggsville Protestant Cemetery.

During his lifetime, Gromme never lost his childhood love of hunting. As a young man, he had hunted over a rig of simple decoys that his father had carved. When, in his later years, he carved a few small rigs purely for his own use, he drew upon all the skills and talents he had amassed over the years as a taxidermist and painter. His work was extraordinary for its day, accurate in every anatomical detail and painted with such precision that his decoys were said to have been almost indistinguishable from their live counterparts when the actual birds would alight in the rig. Famed outdoor writer Gordon McQuarrie lavished great praise on his carvings in a number of his writings, and articles about them appeared in sporting journals such as “Outdoor Life” and others. Gromme was so fastidious about his personal decoys that each were transported to and from the marsh in its own protective cushioning bag. A trendsetter, Owen Gromme is considered to be the father of the Museum School of Carving, and he was the inspiration for other accomplished carvers to follow, such as Walter Pelzer, Warren Dettmann and others. Museum Curator, artist and dedicated conservationist, Gromme’s pivitol role in the history of Wisconsin’s wildlife and its decoy carving tradition cannot be overstated.

Notes:

1. In the 1940 census, he relates that he did, indeed, complete 4 years of high school.

2. Now the Field Museum

51 Owen Gromme (1896-1991), Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Scarce wooden Canada goose. Hollow carved laminate construction with deep relief wing carving. Measures 22” long. Original paint with areas of strengthening on head and neck; moderate flaking and wear; scattered dents and shot marks; hairline crack in one side of head.

Provenance: By descent in the Gromme family. Jim and Diane Cook collection. (25,000 - 35,000)

52 Owen Gromme (1896-1991), Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Rare canvasback hen. Hollow carved with relief wingtip carving. Measures 13.25” long. Original paint with moderate gunning wear; tight crack in one side of neck; bill was cracked down and tightly reset; flaking to paint on bill and tail area was darkened at some point.

Provenance: By descent in the Gromme family. Jim and Diane Cook collection. (15,000 - 20,000)

53 Warren Dettman (1904-1979), Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Excellent widgeon. Hollow carved laminate construction with slightly turned head and relief wing carving. Inlaid lead weight and line tie ring on underside. Measures 15.25” long. Original paint with very minor rubs and wear; very good structurally.

Provenance: John Hunsaker collection. Jim and Diane Cook collection. (7,000 - 10,000)

Joseph Sieger

1871 – 1959 | Wolf River Township, Wisconsin

Joe was born on the family farm in Wolf River and, by 1900, he was running the farm while supporting his parents. The family’s agricultural tradition continued when his son, Grant, likewise, assumed control of the land. Beginning around 1930, and as late as 1950, Joe is listed as a farmer’s helper. His decoy production was very limited, perhaps numbering only a few dozen birds, all seemingly for his own use on Lake Poygan, occasionally with his friend and hunting partner, Gus Moak. When discussing Sieger’s canvasbacks, Wisconsin authority Dave Spenger wrote that: “ - -those regal, proud birds are arguably Wisconsin’s finest.”

54 Joseph Sieger (1871-1959), Tustin, Wisconsin. Excellent high head canvasback. Hollow carved with .75” bottom board. Measures 16” long. Original paint with minor wear; minor discoloration on body; fine crazing mostly on breast and tail area; reglued chip in underside of bill tip with small amount of filler and touchup; otherwise excellent structurally.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection.

(25,000 - 35,000)

The Evans Decoy Factory

Ladysmith, Wisconsin

Walter DeCastro Evans (1875 – 1948) was a millwright in various lumber mills until an industrial accident in 1921 forced him to retire. Shortly thereafter, he began to produce decoys under his own name. The startup time for the company varies somewhat with dates ranging between 1921 and 1928, with most favoring the later date. The company produced a high quality, lathe-turned product which was then carefully hand painted. A wide variety of species were produced in a number of sizes and grades. These were sold through multiple outlets such as VL&A and Abercrombie and Fitch. The total number of decoys produced is uncertain, but orders for up to 225 dozen at a time were not uncommon. Ill health forced Walter to cease operations in 1932, but the company reopened briefly in 1934 before closing pe rmanently.

55 Evans Decoy Factory, Ladysmith, Wisconsin. Exceedingly rare pair of green wing teal. Standard grade with scratch feather paint detail on hen. The only pair known. Measure 14” long. Original paint with minor gunning wear; hen’s head is slightly loose; tight crack in one side of drake’s neck; some puppy chews and a tiny chip at tip of hen’s bill was darkened; a crack in the tip of drake’s bill was tightly reset with small amount of touchup.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (15,000 - 25,000)

Evans Decoy Factory,

Wisconsin. Outstanding redhead. Mammoth grade with relief bill carving. Evans Decoy ink stamp on underside. Measures 16” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (2,000 - 3,000)

57 Evans Decoy Factory, Ladysmith, Wisconsin. Excellent pair of bluebills. Mammoth grade. Evans decoy ink stamps on undersides. Measure 16” long. Small spots of flaking on hen’s neck and breast, otherwise excellent and original.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (2,000 - 4,000)

58 Evans Decoy Factory, Ladysmith, Wisconsin. Excellent pair of canvasbacks. Mammoth grade. Evans Factory ink stamp on underside. Measure 17.5” long. Original paint with very minor wear; tight drying crack along underside of hen; slight separation at hen’s neck seat.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (2,000 - 4,000)

59 Frank Strey (1890 - 1966), Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Pair of oversized canvasbacks. Hen with slightly turned head. Measure 18” long. Original paint with minor gunning wear; thin coat of varnish has darkened with age; hairline drying cracks in body; hen with drying split along the underside.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (1,000 - 1,500)

60 Frank Resop, Berlin, Wisconsin. Rigmate pair of bluebills. Measure 13.75” and 14.5” long. Original paint with minor to moderate wear; fine crazing over much of the decoys; excellent structurally.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (1,500 - 2,500)

61 Joseph Kempinger, Oshkosh, WIsconsin. Pair of canvasbacks. Never rigged or weighted. Measure 15.5” long. Original paint with minor wear and scattered rubs; very good structurally.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (3,000 - 5,000)

George Sibley

1861-1938 | Chicago, Illinois.

62 George Sibley (1861-1938), Chicago, Illinois. Rigmate pair of widgeon. Hollow carved with inlet bills. Drake with head turned 45 degrees. Both with Patent applied for 1899 ink stamps on underside. Measure 12.5” and 14” long. Hen is near mint; drake with minor flaking on back and one side of head; very slight separation at drake’s neck seat.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (12,000 - 18,000)

Charles E. “Shang” Wheeler

1872 - 1949 | Stratford, Connecticut

63 Charles E. Shang Wheeler (1872-1949), Stratford, Connecticut. Pair of bluebills. Hollow carved with comb feather paint detail. Hen in preening pose. Maker’s name and town painted and written in pencil on underside. Also dated 1946. Measure 13.5” and 12” long. Tiny paint flake near one of hen’s eyes; otherwise hen is near mint; drake with minor rubs on sides and some flaking at one side of neck seat; both excellent structurally.

Provenance: Gifted by the maker to his friend Hector Whittington after the two had numerous correspondences during WWII, where Whittington was serving. Hector Whittington collection. Ralph Loeff collection. Jim and Diane Cook collection. (20,000 - 30,000)

64 George Stevens (1856 – 1905), Weedsport, New York. Pair of redheads. “GW Stevens” ink stamp on the undersides. Drake with comb feather paint detail. Heads swivel as they should. Measure 15” long. Original paint with very minor wear; hairline crack through hen’s neck; hairline crack along the underside of each; thin varnish layer appears to have been removed from drake’s head.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection.

Literature: “The Great Book of Wildfowl Decoys,” Joe Engers, editor, page 96, exact pair pictured. (20,000 - 30,000)

65 George Stevens (1856 – 1905), Weedsport, New York. Rigmate pair of bluebills. An excellent pair with “GW Stevens” ink stamp on undersides. Comb feather paint detail on drake. Heads swivel as they should Measure 14.5” and 15.5” long. Excellent original paint with very minor flaking; small spot of touchup on one side of drake’s neck seat and at flaking on a knot in one side of tail; hen with a hairline crack through neck; and fine drying cracks along back.

Provenance: Phil Mott collection. Jim and Diane Cook collection. (20,000 - 30,000)

66 Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Rigmate pair of bluebills. 1936 style with slightly turned heads. Signed and dated 1932 at a later date by Lem Ward. “Bill Purnell” brand on the undersides. Measure 15” long. Original paint with minor to moderate wear; very good structurally.

Provenance: William Purnell collection. Jim and Diane Cook collection. (20,000 - 30,000)

Collector Bill Purnell traded a Cadillac automobile to a hunter for his rig of 1936 Ward canvasbacks and Bluebills. This pair was among them.

67 Ira Hudson (1873-1949), Chincoteague, Virginia. Outstanding bluebill. Plump body with partially inlet neck seat. Fluted tail and painted tack eyes. Scratch feather paint detail on back. Measures 13.5” long. Outstanding original paint with very minor rubs; flakes to filler on one side of neck seat; spot worn to bare wood on one side; excellent structurally.

Provenance: Hal Sorenson collection. John Delph collection. Jim and Diane Cook collection.

(8,000 - 12,000)

Captain Benjamin Franklin Dye

1827 - 1896| Perryville and Havre de Grace, MD

Born in Mercer County, NJ, at age 24, he married Adeline Mitchell in Groveville in the Garden State. By 1860, the couple had moved to the head of the Elk River in Elkton, MD and proceeded to raise their family, while Ben earned a living as a laborer. Between the 1860 and 1870 censuses, Ben was still in Cecil County, but now in Perryville at the mouth of the Susquehanna River listed first as a laborer, then fisherma n. Around 1884, the family relocated to Havre de Grace in Harford County where Ben would be employed for the remainder of his working years gunning, fishing, and gaining fame as one of the earliest, most influentia l, and celebrated decoy carvers and guides on the Susquehanna Flats.

68 Ben Dye (1827-1896), Perryville, Maryland. Outstanding bluebill with slightly raised neck seat and relief bill carving. Doherty collection sticker on underside. Measures 11.75” long. Original paint with minor gunning wear; an early coat of varnish has darkened with age and has caused a fine crazing over much of the decoy; slight separation at neck seat; otherwise excellent structurally.

Provenance: Jim and Patricia Doherty collection. Jim and Diane Cook collection.

Literature: “Waterfowling on the Susquehanna Flats” by Michael Daley, page 98, exact decoy pictured. (15,000 - 25,000)

Alfred Nicholas Moes

1896 – 1960 | Lakeville, Minnesota

Alfred’s father was a German born carpenter who specialized in intricate carvings for church altars, a skill which undoubtedly influenced his son’s later decoys. After his second year in high school, Alfred briefly worked in a local flour mill before enteri ng the service during WWI. Upon the completion of his time in the military, at age 23 or 24, he opened his own Texaco garage which he named the “Moesy Inn.” He married in 1924, and the garage would sustain the family for Moes’ entire working career. His decoy production was extremely limited. In 1938, he and a hunting companion each carved a singular rig for their personal use. Alfred’s spread consisted of no more than 14 or 15 mallards, including about 9 uprights and a few sleepers and feeders. His work is extremely scarce, rarely comes to market, and is actively sought by advanced collectors.

69 Alfred Moes (1896-1960), Lakeville, Minnesota. Two mallard drakes. One is a feeder, the other is in a upright pose. Both have round lead line tie weights that fit into a cutout on the underside of the body and detailed feather carving. Measure 13.5” and 16” long. Thin crack in neck, otherwise very good and original.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (6,000 - 9,000)

70 Abe Nelson (1872-1934), Heron Lake, Minnesota. Rare and important canvasback drake. Nelson is considered the father of the Heron Lake decoys according to Doug Lodermeier, author of Minnesota Duck Decoys, who designated two pages in his recent book to this exact decoy. Scalloped painting around the breast area. Measures 13.5” long. Original paint with moderate gunning wear; scattered dents and shot marks on back; minor separation at neck seat.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection.

(5,000 - 8,000)

Ole Tom (“Ole Ask”) Gunderson

1869 - 1960 | Ashby, Minnesota

Ole’s story was not known until 2010 when his rig of decoys was first discovered. He was born Ole Ask. His father was Gunder Ask and, at some point, Ole changed his name to Gunderson (Gunder’s son). in 1880, he was living with his parents on their farm in Pelican Lake, but his location for the next 40 years is unclear. By the time of the 1920 census, he was a servant in the home of Hanna M Ellingson. He remained there through the 1940s, at one point listed as a “dependent.” Upon Hannah’s death, the house was run by her daughter, and he remained in the home until 1954, residing in the basement. He may have had health issues which accounts for some associates describing him as “different.” He spent the final years of his life in a sanitarium in Elbow Lake. As a young man, Ole had gunned for the market and likely carved his decoys from about the late 1880s through the 1920s or perhaps longer. When discovered, his personal rig numbered slightly over 100 decoys, and he is known to have produced at least two additional rigs for local hunters. His designs are his alone and, according to Minnesota authority Doug Lodermeier, the high head pintails, of which only three are known, “ - - - are arguably the prize.”

71 Ollie Gunderson (1883-1960), Ashby, Minnesota. Excellent rigmate pair of pintails. High head models with weighted wooden keels on underside. Measure 15.75” long. Original paint with minor gunning wear; lightly hit by shot; crack through upper part of hen’s neck; both with slight separation at neck seat; small chip near one of drake’s eyes.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection.

Literature: “Bonfire of Swans” edited by Gene and Linda Kangas and Donald M. Kirson, page 61, exact pair pictured. (20,000 - 30,000)

72 Albert Olson (19th/20th century), Heron Lake, Minnesota. Rare high head bluebill. Head is very slightly turned. Weighted wooden keel on underside. Measures 12” long. Original paint with minor to moderate wear; tight drying crack in underside; dowel slightly raised on top of head.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection.

(3,000 - 5,000)

73 Joe Marr (1879-1954), Heron Lake, Minnesota. Rare mallard drake used at Heron Lake, Minnesota. With tack eyes and slightly turned head. Less than 10 mallard drakes in original paint are known to exist. Measures 12.5” long. Original paint with minor wear; and significant crazing; slight separation at neck seat, wooden keel is a modern replacement.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection.

(2,000 - 4,000)

Francis Lee Jaques

1887 - 1969 | St. Paul, Minnesota

In 1924, Jaques, self-trained, was hired by the Natural History Museum of New York as a staff artist. After nearly two decades in the city, in 1940 his design for black ducks was chosen for the 1940-41 Federal Duck Stamp. He then joined the staff of the Minnesota Natural History Museum, now the James Ford Bell Museum, where he painted many of their famous dioramas. He illustrated a number of books, including his wife’s “Canoe Country” and “Snowshoe Country” and today, his work is cherished for its faithful depictions of Minnesota’s wildlife and landscapes.

74 Frances Lee Jaques (1887-1969), oil on canvas. Image measures 29.5” x 23.5”. Framed size 36” x 30”. Signed. Not removed from frame for examination. No retouching revealed when examined under UV. One small paint inconsistency. Paint applied thinly to canvas. Canvas remains unlined. In hand-carved frame with carved markings and numbers on reverse.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (15,000 - 25,000)

75 Frances Lee Jaques (1887-1969), oil on canvas. Image size 29.5” x 23.5”. Frame measures 34.5” x 28”. Signed. Not removed from frame for examination. Under UV: small areas of retouching around edges of canvas. No retouching apparent in birds. Bright surface with some shine- possibly previously cleaned. Original canvas with old glue reinforcement to upper top edge. Frame with old label.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (15,000 - 25,000)

76 Frances Lee Jaques (1887-1969), oil on canvas board. Image size 23” x 19”. Frame measures 27.5” x 23.5”. Signed. Not removed from frame for examination. No retouching revealed under UV. Reverse of frame with markings and inscriptions. Backing not removed from frame.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (12,000 - 18,000)

John Franklin Tax Sr.

1894 – 1967 | Osakis, Minnesota

John’s childhood must have been far from a happy one. His mother died when he was only five years old. His father, Anton, remarried but he, too, passed away in 1905. His stepmother then married one of the employees in Anton’s harness shop and they raised John and taught him the harness making trade. John’s biological grandfather, Andrew Konczak (his mother’s father), was an experienced carpenter and an avid hunter and fisherman. It was he who instilled a love of the outdoors in the young man. Since there were no high schools near his rural home, Tax attended school only through the 8th grade before entering the workforce. During WWI, he served as a cook in the US Navy and briefly worked in a local Osakis flour mill upon being discharged.

In 1922, Tax married Ada Luella Junkin and the couple would raise four children. From the time of the 1930 census through that conducted in 1940, their lives centered around the family harness shop and cobbler business. In 1947, the Tax leather shop burned, and John went to work for the Osakis hatchery, and his wife began to work as a tailor.

While contemporaries recall Tax as being outgoing and jovial, his son remembers him as being quite strict and demanding. The family led a very frugal lifestyle with John Jr. recalling that, in the frigid Minnesota winters, only the kitchen and seating room were heated to conserve funds, and indoor plumbing was not installed in the family home until the early 1940s.

Tax’s thrift again becomes apparent in his decoys. He very rarely used new wood and relied heavily on

salvaged basswood, pine, and cedar scraps. Since large pieces of wood were not readily available, he laminated his birds and carefully hollowed out each of the multiple sections prior to assembly.

His total output was not large. In addition to the few decoys for his own use, he is known to have produced a “full shooting rig” for a gun club in Osakis as well as lesser amounts for area residents. Although Tax made some canvas birds as well as a variety of fish decoys and some whimsical folk-art pieces, his legacy firmly rests with his remarkable field ducks and geese, all of which must be considered extraordinarily rare. These consist of a very limited number of mallards, Canada and snow geese and his two very rare specklebelly geese. These stickups have been universally applauded as the finest of their kind to emerge from the Prairies and have been prominently displayed in a number of the most selective collections in the country with perhaps the best examples being those in the Cook collection.

77 John Tax (1894-1967), Osakis, Minnesota. Rare stick up mallard. Hollow carved vertical laminate construction with slightly turned head and applied wooden tail sprig. Two separate holes drilled in underside for positioning. One appears to be later. Measures 19.5” long. Original paint with minor flaking and wear, mostly at tight separations at laminate pieces; minor separation at neck seat; one eye is missing.

Provenance: John Lindgren collection. Jim and Diane Cook collection.

Literature: “The Great Book of Wildfowl Decoys,” Joe Engers, editor, page 259, exact decoy pictured. (30,000 - 50,000)

78 John Tax (1894-1967), Osakis, Minnesota. Exceedingly rare feeding mallard hen. Hollow carved, vertical laminate construction. Measures 20” long. Original paint under an early coat of varnish; very minor flaking; slight separations at lamination seams.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection, purchased from John Tax’s son.

79 John Scholer (1861-1949), Burlington, Iowa. Oversized mallard. Hollow caved with slightly turned head. Scratch feather paint detail on back. Measures 17.5” long. Original paint protected by the original coat of varnish that has darked with age; some flaking above nail holes at body seam; old filler added to body seam at some point; hairline crack in neck; brown on breast appears to be an early second coat.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (8,000 - 12,000)

80 Ken Greenlea, Burlington, Iowa. Sleeping mallard hen. Hollow carved with deep relief wing carving and head turned, resting on back. Measures 15” long. Original paint with minor wear; a few small dents; some discoloration along lower edge.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (1,500 - 2,500)

81 Don Gearhart (1900-1987), Tulsa, Oklahoma. Rare Canada goose. Hollow carved with slightly turned head and relief wing carving. Maker’s name, town, and “2-20-1940” carved in underside. Decoy was never rigged or weighted. One of only three geese known. Measures 22” long. Minor discoloration on white areas, otherwise near mint.

Provenance: Don Gearhart Family. Gene and Linda Kangas collection. Jim and Diane Cook collection.

Literature: Decoy Magazine, July/August 2013, “Don Gearhart, An Oil Man’s Pocket Sized Rig,” pages 24-29, exact decoy pictured. (2,000 - 3,000)

William Henry (“Bill”) Quinn

1915 – 1969 | Tullytown and Lower Makefield, PA

By the time Quinn was 15, the family had moved from Modena to Tullytown. In 1939, Bill married Dorothy Potts and, through the early 1940s, he was employed at the Paterson Parchment Paper Mill in town. He served as a 1st lieutenant in the Army Air Force during WWII and by the time of the 1950 census, he had remarried, and he and his second wife, Helen, were residing in Lower Makefield where B ill worked as a machinist. They remained in Lower Makefield until hi s untimely death by a sudden heart attack. He enjoyed his dogs and pheasant shooting and was an excellent trap shooter. Quinn only made a few relatively small groups of decoys, primarily for his own use. His first rig utilized heads carved by Dan English, later d eveloping his own personal style, all in the classic Delaware River tradition.

82 William Quinn (1915-1969), Yardley, Pennsylvania. Excellent rigmate pair of pintails. Hollow carved, three piece bodies with tucked heads and raised “V” wingtip carving. From the maker’s own rig, with name and town painted on underside. Measure 17.5” long. A few tiny paint rubs and shallow dents, otherwise excellent and original.

Provenance: Dr. Gary Gosdin collection. Jim and Diane Cook collection. (15,000 - 25,000)

83 William Quinn (1915-1969), Yardley, Pennsylvania. Rigmate pair of mallards. Hollow carved with tucked heads and raised “V” wingtip carving. From the maker’s personal rig with name and town painted on underside. “JAH” branded in underside. Both with the Hillman collection ink stamp. Hen with “DSC” stamped in underside for the Dave Campbell collection. Measure 16” long. Both are near mint.

Provenance: John and Isabelle Hillman collection. Roger Mallar collection (drake) and David Campbell collection (hen). Jim and Diane Cook collection.

Literature: “Decoys of the Mid-Atlantic Region” by Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr, page 69, exact pair pictured. “New Jersey Decoys” by Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr, page 219, exact pair pictured. (15,000 - 25,000)

Horace Lewis (“Hi”) Crandall

1892 - 1969 | Westwood, California

A devout bachelor, Hi was born in Ashaway Village in Hopkington, Rhode Island but he spent most of his youth in the capital city of Providence. After finishing the 8th grade in local schools, he worked as an optician for the Stevens Corporation. In 1917 he moved to California, settling in Benicia, working as a fireman on the ferry boats of the Southern Pacific Railroad. By the time of the WWII

draft, he had moved to Westwood, working for the Red River Lumber Co as a veneer patcher. His final move was to the Los Angeles area where he was employed by Douglas Aircraft until he retired in the mid 1950s. He made his first decoys soon after his move to California and, along with his brother-in-law, is said to have made “- - - several thousand decoys which were sold in the San Francisco and Northern California areas” with the majority of his work being dated to the 1933 – 1942 period. As noted by Michael Miller in “Wildfowl Decoys of California,” “Hi Crandall- - -was one of California’s premier decoy carvers and, perhaps, its best painter- - -.”

84 Horace “Hi” Crandall (1892-1969), Westwood, California.

Exceedingly rare calling mallard hen. Deep relief wing carving and slightly turned head that is reared back with open bill. Measures 13.5” long. Original paint with minor flaking on head and neck; hairline crack in one eye; hairline crack through neck with small amount of glue visible.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (15,000 - 25,000)

Charles August Pice

1886 - 1957 | Astoria, Oregon

Born in Astoria, Pice’s father died early. In 1896, his mother, Hannah, was recorded as a widow with 7 children and receiving $6.00 per month for support from the County. The necessity to help support the family meant that, by age 14, Charlie was actively employed as a fisherman. From 1910 through the 1930s he was working as a steam engineer at logging camp number 3 in the Knappa Precinct of Clatsop County, his time in the woods only interrupted briefly by his service in the Army in WWI. In 1930 he married Ruby Smith and later that decade, through the time of the 1950 census, he returned to the salmon fishing industry. Ruby predeceased him, and his death certificate proudly lists his occupation as “logger

– lumber.” He is reported to have made thousands of decoys during the 1930s and 1940s, most of which were sold commercially. His decoys display his Finnish heritage and he, along with Charles Bergman and Oscar Hendrickson, are considered the preeminent carvers of the “Astoria School.”

85 Charles Pice (1886-1957), Astoria, Oregon. High head mallard. Hollow carved with upswept bill. Measures 16.75” long. Original paint with minor to moderate wear; slight separation at neck seat.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection.

Literature: “Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast” by Michael R. Miller and Frederick W. Hanson, page 93, exact decoy pictured. (8,000 - 12,000)

Hector Leslie Whittington

1907 - 1981 | Oglesby, Illinois

Born in England, Hector immigrated with his family to the US from England aboard the SS Coronia in 1909 and, in 1939, he became a naturalized citizen. By the late 1920s he found employment with the Westclox Co in Peru and this would remain his occupation for life. He married Marie Schutze in 1944 and, apparently, the couple had no children. His early decoys were somewhat crude but after extensive correspondence with men such as Dr Edgar Burke, Joal Barber and, especially Shang Wheeler, his efforts blossomed. Today, his carvings are considered among the finest by any Illinois carver and examples grace the shelves of the most prestigious collections and museums in the country.

86 Hector “Heck” Whittington (1907-1981), Oglesby, Illinois. Pair of mallards. Part of a rig modeled after Shang Wheeler. Each of which was named. Drake signed and dated 1947 with the name James painted on underside. Hen signed and dated 1946 with the name Mary painted on underside. Hollow carved with slightly turned heads. Comb feather paint detail on drake. Measure 17.5” and 18.5” long. Original paint with very minor wear under an early coat of varnish; blunting to tip of drake’s tail; otherwise excellent.

Provenance: From the maker’s personal gunning rig. Jim and Diane Cook collection. (10,000 - 15,000)

87 Jack Stiles. Rare feeding field mallard. Balsa body with relief wing carving and tack eyes. Decoy was made for use on land, with a carved wooden corn cobb included. Measures 17.5” long. Original paint with moderate crazing and minor wear; shallow dents in balsa; minor roughness on edge of tail; small amount of old glue visible at neck seat.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection.

Literature: “Decoys and Decoy Carvers of Illinois” by Paul W. Parmalee and Forrest D. Loomis, plate 83, exact decoy pictured. (5,000 - 8,000)

Otto Francis Garren

1890 – 1968 | Buckheart and Canton, Illinois

Born into a farming family in Buckheart, Il, Otto would remain there through at least 1927 employed as a miner at the Big Creek Co. By 1930, he had moved just north to Canton where he began his career in the farm implement business working for the International Harvester Co, retiring in the early 1960s. An enthusiastic hunter, he began carving his own decoys when he was only 16 and continued to produce them for the next 60 years. He loved to hunt and did so for many years at his “cottage” at the Banner Marsh on the Illinois River. Garren carved a variety of species that frequented the area but was one of the very few Illinois carvers to produce wood ducks and geese in any quantity.

88 Otto Garren (1890-1968) Canton, Illinois. Rare working wood duck. Hollow carved with reared back head and extended crest. Scratch feather paint detail on sides. Measures 13” long. Excellent original paint under an early coat of varnish; excellent structurally.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (8,000 - 12,000)

89 Frank Cassini (1899 – 1967), Galesburg, Illinois. Rare pair of mallards. Relief wing and tail feather carving. Heads are slightly turned. Hen in calling pose with open bill. Very light weight balsa bodies with maker’s brass tag inlaid on underside. Measure 16” long. Original paint under an early coat of varnish that has darkened with age; small dents; minor roughness at edge of hen’s tail; thin line of filler at hen’s neck seat.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (15,000 - 25,000)

90 Leonard Doren (1895-1965), Pekin, Illinois. Two piece balsa owl with deep relief face carving and large glass eyes. Measures 15.75” tall. Original paint with minor flaking and wear; moderate wear on ear tufts and tail area.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (4,000 - 6,000)

91 Verne Cheeseman (1897-1956), Macomb, Illinois. Rare pair of bluebills. Hollow carved with reared back heads. Comb feather paint detail on drake. Mackey collection ink stamp on underside of drake. Measure 11” and 11.5” long. Original paint by Edna Perdew with minor gunning wear; very good structurally.

Provenance: William J. Mackey Jr collection (drake). William Humbracht collection (hen). Jim and Diane Cook collection. (10,000 - 15,000)

Richard Wilcoxen (1855-1926), Liverpool, Illinois. Pintail. Hollow carved with reared back head and comb feather paint detail Measures 14.75” long. Mix of original paint and significant paint restoration; showing minor to moderate wear; bill was cracked down and reset; slight separation at neck seat.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (500 - 800)

Michael Valero (1906-1992), Spring Valley, Illinois. Hollow carved mallard with comb feather paint detail. Measures 17” long. Original paint with moderate wear under a thin coat of varnish; minor roughness on edge of tail; single shot strike in back of neck.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (1,500 - 2,500)

94 Mario Piolloti (1900-1964), Spring Valley, Illinois. Rigmate pair of mallards. Comb feather paint detail on drake. The best pair known. Measure 17” long. Original paint with very minor wear; a few small spots of touchup on one side of hen and top of drake’s head; ring of touchup around hen’s neck seat; gray on very underside of drake is a second coat.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (3,000 - 5,000)

95 George Kessler (1868 - 1955), Pekin, Illinois. Rigmate pair of mallards. Hollow carved with raised neck seats and tack eyes. Measure 15.5” long. Original paint with minor wear; under an early coat of varnish that has darkened with age; tight crack through hen’s neck; very minor roughness on edge of hen’s tail.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (1,500 - 2,500)

Roy Alvin Patterson

1902 – 1985 | East Peoria, Illinois

Roy was born in Dwight, IL, about equidistant from the Kankakee and Illinois Rivers. His early life is somewhat a blur but, in 1927 he married his wife Lulu and, in 1928, he was working in an auto laundry in Chicago. The following year, the couple were located in Peoria where Patterson began his lifelong career as a mechanic and assembler at the Caterpillar Tractor Co. According to research by Donna Tonelli, his production was extremely limited, consisting of only 1 doz mallards and 1 doz pintails for his own use on Spring Lake, some with the date 1945. He also made a rig of 9 canvas field geese and a number of exquisite miniatures.

96 Roy Patterson, Chillicothe, Illinois.

Rigmate pair of mallards. Hollow carved with slightly turned heads. Maker’s name and 1946 carved on undersides. Measure 14.5” long. Excellent original paint with very little wear; tight paint crazing on drake’s head and bill and hen’s tail; excellent structurally.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (4,000 - 6,000)

97 William Lohrmann (1890-1955), Peoria, Illinois. Rigmate pair of pintails. Hollow carved with long bodies. Fine comb feather paint detail on drake. Measure 17” and 19” long. Original paint with minor flaking and wear; an early coat of varnish has darkened with age; fine hairline crack through hen’s neck, otherwise excellent structurally.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (3,000 - 5,000)

98 Ed Keller (1888–1963), Bartonville, Illinois. Rare rigmate pair of pintails. Hollow carved with slightly turned heads and relief wingtip carving. Maker’s initials painted on underside. Measure 15.5” long. Original paint with minor flaking and wear; an early coat of varnish has darkened with age; drake’s wing patches and black around tail area is a second coat; hairline crack in front of drake’s neck; paint around bottom boards appears to have been done after the decoys were made.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (5,000 - 8,000)

Hollow carved with comb feather paint detail. Measures 15.5” long. Original paint with very minor wear; three tiny dents in back, otherwise excellent structurally.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (5,000 - 8,000)

Rare high head pintail with thick comb feather paint detail. Measures 17” long. Original paint with minor wear; hairline cracks in eyes; otherwise excellent structurally.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (2,000 - 3,000)

101 John “Newt” Rule (1870-1949), Beardstown, Illinois. Rigmate pair of mallards. Hollow carved. Hen with slightly turned head. Measure 14.5” and 15.25” long. Original paint with moderate wear; lightly hit by shot; wood patch on one side of hen from when the decoy was made; tight crack through drake’s neck and a small chip in drake’s tail with old touchup.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (2,000 - 3,000)

102 Perry Wilcoxen, (1862-1954), Liverpool, Illinois. Hollow carved mallard. Three piece laminate body. Decoy was never rigged or weighted. Measures 14” long. Original paint under a thin coat of varnish; some very fine crazing and two hairline cracks in neck, otherwise excellent.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (800 - 1,200)

Dawson (1882 - 1955), Putnam, Illinois. Oversized mallard hen. Hollow carved with wide body. Measures 17.75” long. Original paint with very minor wear; a few tiny dents and shot marks; otherwise excellent structurally.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (1,000 - 1,400)

Walter “Tube” Dawson (1882 - 1955), Putnam, Illinois. Mallard. Hollow carved with comb feather paint detail on back. Measures 17” long. Original paint with very minor wear; excellent structurally.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (800 - 1,200)

William “Skinny” Evans, Peru, Illinois. High head pintail with raised wingtip carving and comb feather paint detail. Decoy was never rigged or weighted. Measures 17” long. Very thick original paint with minor flaking and wear, mostly on head; small amount of touchup around one eye.

Provenance: Used at Split Rock Gun Club. Jim and Diane Cook collection.

Literature: “Decoys of the Mississippi Flyway” by Alan G. Haid, page 177, exact decoy pictured.

(1,200 - 1,800)

Charles Schoenheider Sr. (1854-1924), Peoria, Illinois. Bluebill. Hollow carved with comb feather paint detail. Measures 14.5” long. Original paint by Catherine Elliston with minor gunning wear.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (4,000 - 6,000)

107 Charles Sheldon (1866-1950), Princeton, Illinois. Mallard hen with thick comb feather paint detail on back. Hollow carved with lead weight stamped “C.H. Sheldon.” Measures 15.5” long. Original paint by Henry Holmes with very minor wear; minor blunting on tip of tail, otherwise very good structurally.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (1,500 - 2,500)

108 Ignatius Stachowiak (1898-1964), LaSalle, Illinois. Pintail very similar to the work of Charles Perdew. Hollow carved with scratch feather paint detail on back. Measures 16.25” long. A few tiny paint flakes on edge of tail otherwise near mint.

Provenance: Used at Split Rock Gun Club. Jim and Diane Cook collection. (1,200 - 1,800)

109 Cline McAlpin (1919-1973), Chicago, Illinois. Pintail with slightly turned head and comb feather paint detail. Maker’s ink stamp on underside. Decoy was never rigged or weighted. Measures 15.25” long. A few tiny paint rubs, otherwise excellent and original.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (800 - 1,200)

110 Mason Decoy Factory (1889-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Rare rigmate pair of lowhead bluebills. Hollow carved premier grade. Both branded “Fuller.” Measure 13.5” long. Original paint with moderate flaking and wear; some flaking to the original neck filler; two small paint rubs on drake’s breast were darkened; small dents and shot marks on hen; filler on top of hen’s head has flaked away.

Provenance: Fuller collection. Kirt Whaley collection. Jim and Diane Cook collection.

Literature: “Mason Decoys: A Complete Pictorial Guide – Expanded Edition” by Russ J. Goldberger and Alan G. Haid, page 38, rigmate pair pictured. (8,000 - 12,000)

111 Mason Decoy Factory (1889-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Early bluebill. Hollow carved premier grade with slightly turned head. “Fuller” branded in underside. Measures 13” long. Original paint with minor wear under a thin coat of varnish; hairline crack in one side of neck seat; some flaking to neck filler.

Provenance: Fuller collection. Kirt Whaley collection. Jim and Diane Cook collection. (4,000 - 6,000)

112 Mason Decoy Factory (1889-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Early bluebill hen. Challenge grade with incised bill carving. Decoy was never rigged or weighted. Measures 14” long. Original paint with very minor wear; minor chipping to the original neck filler; flat area on top of head is original to the carving.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (2,000 - 4,000)

113 Mason Decoy Factory (18891924), Detroit, Michigan. Special order golden plover. Glass eye model in the style of George Boyd. Measures 10.75” long. Excellent original paint; small dent in breast; some flaking ot the original paint on bill.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (6,000 - 9,000)

114 Mason Decoy Factory (1889-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Robin snipe. Glass eye model with iron bill. Identified in ink on underside. Also with the McCleery collection ink stamp. Measures 10.25” long. Excellent original paint; a few shallow dents and shot marks; typical paint flaking where iron bill is inserted in to face.

Provenance: Dr. James McCleery collection. Jim and Diane Cook collection. (5,000 - 8,000)

115 Dodge Decoy Factory (18831893), Detroit, Michigan. Outstanding mallard with incised bill carving and bead eyes. Decoy was never rigged or weighted. Measures 16.25” long. Near mint original paint that has darkened with age; hairline cracks in back from when the decoy was made; hairline drying crack along underside; decoy retains all of the original neck filler.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (1,500 - 2,500)

116 Dodge Decoy Factory (18831893), Detroit, Michigan. Rare widgeon with incised bill carving and glass eyes. Decoy was never rigged or weighted. Measures 14.5” long. Near mint original paint has darkened with age; some flaking to the original neck filler; spot of on one side of body where filler has flaked; otherwise excellent structurally.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (3,000 - 5,000)

117 Herters Decoy Factory, Waseca, Minnesota. Rigmate pair of mallards. Model perfect with relief wing carving. “GBM” and “Mackey” branded on underside. Also with the McCleery collection ink stamp on underside. Measure 14” long. Original paint with minor gunning wear; lightly hit by shot; slight separation at neck seats, with hen’s head being slightly loose.

Provenance: Dr. James McCleery collection. Jim and Diane Cook collection. (800 - 1,200)

John Rice Wells

1861 – 1955 | Toronto, Canada

The son of a Scottish immigrant, John initially became a plumbing contractor and, in 1887, married Mary Ironside. At some point in the 1890s, he left the plumbing trade and, with a background as an avid waterfowler and trapshooter, found employment with the R.A. McCready Sporting Goods store in Toronto. In 1904, he transitioned again, this time to work at the Aykroyd Brothers Boat Shop and he would remain with this prestigious small boat builder for the next 43 years. The boatyard gave him ready access to a variety of tools and materials, and his background in waterfowling undoubtedly led him to carve decoys. His birds are among the fin est of their kind to emerge from the Toronto area. Of the many quality decoys he carved, his crowning achievement occurred in 1919 when he was honored to have been selected as the supplier of decoys for the visiting Prince of Wales on his trip to Manitoba’s Delta Marsh.

118 John R. Wells (1861-1953), Toronto, Ontario.

Hollow carved canvasback with .25” bottom board branded “Geo. M. Hendrie” twice on underside. Measures 15.25” long. Original paint with minor flaking and wear; lightly hit by shot; separation at wood grain on one side of bottom board.

Provenance: Barney Crandall collection. Dr. Gary Gosdin collection. Jim and Diane Cook collection. (7,000 - 10,000)

119 Thomas Chambers (1860-1948), Toronto, Ontario. Near mint redhead. Hollow carved with .25” bottom board that is branded “Thos. Chambers”. Very fine comb feather paint detail. Measures 16” long. Outstanding original paint with a few tiny dents; separation at a small knot in back; blunting and roughness at tip of tail.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (2,500 - 3,500)

120 Thomas Chambers (1860-1948), Toronto, Ontario. Short body style canvasback. Hollow carved with .25” bottom board. Fine comb feather paint detail. Measures 15.25” long. Original paint with very minor wear; under an old coat of varnish that has darkened with age; a few small dents in body; professional neck crack repair.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (5,000 - 8,000)

121 Yellowlegs from Toronto Harbor, late 19th century. Scratch feather paint detail on head and neck. Tack eyes and typical metal legs. Measures 13.5” long. Original paint with very minor wear; under a thick coat of varnish that has darkened with age; tiny chip where bill meets face, otherwise excellent structurally.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (8,000 - 12,000)

122 William “Buck” Crawford (1897-1958), Smiths Falls, Ontario. Rigmate pair of buffleheads. Thinly hollowed with .25” bottom boards. “W.J.C.” branded on underside for the maker’s personal gunning rig. Retain the original swing weights. Measure 10.5” long. Original paint with minor gunning wear; under a thin coat of varnish that has darkened with age; small dents and shot marks; otherwise excellent structurally.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection.

(5,000 - 8,000)

123 Bud Tully (1918-1973), Peterborough, Ontario. Rigmate pair of bluebills with deep relief wing carving and crossed wingtips. Both with slightly turned heads and feather rasping typical of the maker. Both are hollow carved from the underside with two large bore holes. “J.D. Tully” carved on the undersides. Measures 12.75” long. Original paint with very minor wear; excellent structurally.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection.

(6,000 - 9,000)

Exact decoys pictured on the cover of “Decoys of the Thousand Islands,” Stewart & Lunman

124 Bob Burke (1891–1962), Wolfe Island, Ontario. Rigmate pair of redheads. Comb feather paint detail on drake. Measure 15.5” long. Original paint with very minor wear; drying crack along hen’s back with an area of filler added when the decoy was made; both are lightly hit by shot; tight drying cracks on underside of drake.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection.

Literature: “Decoys of the Thousand Islands” by Jim Stawert and Larry Lunman, page 70 and front cover

dust jacket, exact pair pictured. “Decoys” by Gene and Linda Kangas, page 236, exact pair pictured.

(3,000 - 5,000)

125 Ken Anger (1905-1961), Dunnville, Ontario. Early working hooded merganser. Hollow carved with slightly turned head. “F.B. Clay” stamped in underside. Measures 13” long. Original paint with minor gunning wear; a few small dents; small paint flake on tip of bill was darkened.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection.

(2,000 - 4,000)

126 William Cooper (1886-1975), Verdun, Quebec. Rare bluewing teal with relief wing and tail feather carving. Slightly turned head. Stamped “Clayton TR6449” on underside. Measures 11.5” long. Original paint with minor gunning wear; very good structurally.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (4,000 - 6,000)

127 William Cooper (1886-1975), Verdun, Quebec. Bluewing teal hen with deep relief wing carving. Slightly turned head. Measures 10.5” long. Original paint with very minor wear; slight separation at neck seat; some filler and touchup added on one side near wing patch.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (1,200 - 1,800)

127A Duncan Ducharme (1912 - 1972), Delta Marsh, Manitoba. Very rare bluewing teal with relief wing carving. Maker’s ink stamp on underside. Never rigged or weighted. Measures 12.75” long. Original paint under a thick coat of varnish that has darkened with age; drying crack along one side; tiny drips of white paint on top of head and back.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (1,500 - 2,500)

127B Duncan Ducharme (1912 - 1972), Delta Marsh, Manitoba Rare greenwing teal. Measures 11.25” long. Original paint with minor wear; under a coat of varnish; small dents and shot marks; many dents in underside like the decoy was used a hammer.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (2,500 - 3,500)

127C Morris Boat Works, Hamilton Bay, Ontario, circa 1890. Outstanding bluebill with wide cheek carving and comb feather paint detail. Hollow carved with .25” bottom board. Measures 11.5” long. Original paint with minor flaking and wear; some roughness on edge of bottom board and one edge of bill, otherwise very good structurally.

Provenance: Found by picker Sandy Smith. John Delph collection. Jim and Diane Cook collection. (4,000 - 6,000)

Ralph Smithers, Dunnville, Ontario. Hollow carved black duck with relief wing carving and scratch feather paint detail on head. Measures 18” long. Original paint with minor flaking and wear; minor roughness on one edge of bill; a few small dents in body.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (800 - 1,200)

128 Ben Schmidt (1884-1968), Detroit, Michigan.

Excellent pair of pintails. Relief wingtip carving and extensive feather stamping. Hen with slightly turned head. Measure 15.5” long. Near mint.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (6,000 - 9,000)

129 Frank Schmidt (1879 - 1960), Detroit, Michigan. Rare ruddy duck. “Hy Dahlka” brand on underside. Measures 12” long. Original paint with minor to moderate wear; very lightly hit by shot; chip on one side of neck seat; otherwise very good structurally.

Provenance: Ron Gard collection. Jim and Diane Cook collection.

Literature: “Decoys of the Mississippi Flyway” by Alan G. Haid, page 107, exact decoy pictured. (800 - 1,200)

130 Danny Scrivens (1880-1942), Detroit, Michigan. Pair of canvasbacks. Drake in preening pose. “101” branded twice on underside of hen. “CL Gransden” branded twice on underside of drake. Measure 13” and 16” long. Original paint with minor gunning wear; scattered dents on hen; tight drying cracks on breast and tail area of drake; wooden patch on center of drake’s breast.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (1,200 - 1,800)

131 Christie Brothers, Saginaw Bay, Michigan. Rigmate pair of canvasbacks. Measure 17.5” long. Original paint with minor flaking and wear, mostly on drake; lightly hit by shot; hairline drying cracks along backs; crack in hen’s bill was tightly reset.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (1,500 - 2,500)

132 Garnett Decoe (1893-1977), Marine City, Michigan. Pair of canvasbacks. Wide bodies and reared back heads. Measure 15” long. Original paint with minor to moderate gunning wear; small dents and shot marks; hairline crack in backs and a fine hairline crack in hen’s bill.

Provenance: Jim and Diane Cook collection. (2,000 - 3,000)

Oscar Peterson

1887 - 1951 | Cadillac, Michigan.

133 Oscar Peterson (1887-1951), Cadillac, Michigan. Extremely rare large size bluegill fish plaque. Approximately 16” x 34”. Three metal straps on back. Original paint with good patina and very minor wear; separation and small crack at knot; worn areas on all four edges of plaque; small dent behind tail.

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

134 Oscar Peterson (1887-1951), Cadillac, Michigan. The tallest of the known Peterson fish vases. With four different species deeply carved in relief from one piece of wood. A northern pike, bluegill, perch, and a brook trout. All with carved eyes. Measures 11.5” tall. Excellent original paint protected by a coat of varnish; some moderate crazing;

small area of paint loss in the negative space between the fish tails that is not visible; three tiny areas that appear to be varnish voids that can be misread as restoration, but they are not.

Provenance: David Fannon collection. Deborah and Martin Maloy collection. (30,000 - 40,000)

135 Oscar Peterson (1887-1951), Cadillac, Michigan. Carved wooden rainbow trout plaque, 1st half 20th century with glass eye. Backboard has two metal strips. Measures 5.25” x 17”. Remains excellent and original in all respects.

Provenance: Private Michigan collection. (8,000 - 12,000)

136 Oscar Peterson (1887-1951), Cadillac, Michigan. Carved wooden plaque of a brook trout with glass eye. Two metal straps on backboard. Board measures 5.5” x 14”. Remains excellent in all respects.

Provenance: Private Michigan collection. (8,000 - 10,000)

Alexander Yock Meldrum

1886/87 – 1971 | Fair Haven Village, Ira, Michigan

Spanning Swan Creek at the very northern tip of Lake St Clair, Fair Haven is one of four small communities that comprise Ira Township. This was Meldrum’s home for his entire life. His parents, Charles and Lucy, had 14 children yet there appears to be some confusion about Alexander’s actual date of birth. For his entire life he stated that he was born on March 22, 1887, yet the official state record lists his birth as April 10, 1886. He received an 8th grade education during which time he had a one line speaking part in a school play where he repeated the word “Yock” multiple times. That nickname stuck until his sister pronounced it as “Yuck.” In his youth, practically all of his neighbors were farmers so the area must have been very rural in nature with ample hunting and fishing opportunities. For whatever reason, the young man was drawn to the water rather than the soil and he spent his entire life in marine related occupations. By the time Meldrum was 23 he was an engineer on a steam vessel and in 1917, he lists himself as self-employed in a boat livery. He enlisted in the Army and served in WWI from May 1917 to January 1919 and when he returned, in 1920, he again records his occupation as a Marine Engineer until the time of the 1930 census when he was, once more, a “manager in a boat livery.” His actual occupation from this point on is somewhat vague. He had no listed occupation in the 1940 census and in 1950, he is self-employed (in an unknown capacity) working “at home.” In the middle of this period, at the time of the WWII draft in 1942, he states that he is simply, a “fisherman.” At the time of his death, his obituary states that “He was an area hunting and fishing guide.” He never married and apparently had a long-standing interest in hunting. Beginning in 1912 he made a rig of divers for use on the lake, and his oversized birds were put to good use for many years. An article in a 1928 newspaper confirms that he and 6 other hunters all shot their limits of 15 ducks apiece and that “Keen competition has arisen among this group of crack shots.”

During Yock’s lifetime, Fair Haven had grown from an agrarian community to a recognized tourist destination. Cottages had sprung up along the shoreline, and a vibrant social scene slowly emerged. Many were drawn to the area for its sporting opportunities and establishments such as the Hotel Vernier, just two blocks from Meldrum’s home, was just one of several establishments that catered to the visitors. Boating was extremely popular and Meldrum was not alone in operating a boat rental business. A number of similar establishments flourished along the shore and on Swan Creek. When the summer crowds began to fade in the Fall, those that stayed, along with the locals, must have still enjoyed fishing but now focusing their activity on spearing through the ice.

Yock’s fish decoys represent a wide variety of species found in Lake Saint Clair. Each was an individual creation and no two are exactly alike. Noted fish decoy authority Ron Swanson describes his work as “- - - superbly designed, (and) carefully crafted - - -.” Apparently, there is no record of how many spearing decoys Meldrum made in his lifetime, nor if, or where, he may have sold them. Photographs exist showing him with a few of his different ice shanty’s and he is remembered to have been one of the better spearers on the Lake. In addition to those fish for his own use, it would be logical to assume that he also sold at least a few to envious neighbors and to some of the visiting sports that he guided. Today, his work is highly regarded and is considered among the finest examples from the region.

Yock Meldrum died shortly after he was diagnosed with cancer and his body was found floating in Lake Saint Clair. He is buried in the Holy Cross Cemetery in Marine City.

137 Alexander Yock Meldrum (1887-1971), Mt. Clemens, Michigan. Rare and important shiner fish decoy. 1st half 20th century. Large and bulging glass eyes with seven paint decorated metal fins. Body is heavily curved for swimming a tight circle. Detailed gill carvings and Meldrum’s classical, near iradescent paint style found only on a few of these heavily coveted fish. Measures 9.5” long. Excellent condition.

Provenance: Private Michigan collection. (15,000 - 25,000)

The Monroe Kissing Fish

In September of 1987, the well-established sporting collectibles show in Monroe, Michigan was in full swing when an unexpected moment electrified the room. An old fisherman quietly walked through the doors carrying a simple box of fish decoys—objects unlike anything the seasoned dealers and collectors in attendance had ever seen.

Inside were extraordinary creations: boldly modernistic fish, decorated with fanciful paint patterns and striking hues of pink, yellow, and green. Their forms defied the conventions of Michigan fish decoys. Rather than the familiar curved bodies commonly used on Lake St. Clair and other inland lakes, these examples were long and straight, and many featured dramatic tails reminiscent of a bluefin tuna. They were mysterious, captivating, and clearly something special.

Veteran dealer Jim Foote was the first person the fisherman approached. As Foote examined the

decoys, he learned that they had been made around 1920 and used specifically on the River Raisin near Monroe. Their distinctive straight bodies suddenly made sense—they were designed as “river fish,” built to perform in moving water rather than the still conditions of inland lakes.

Recognizing their importance immediately, Foote purchased the entire group on the spot. Later that day he parted with a few examples to close collecting friends, but he wisely kept the majority for his own collection. The group soon became one of the most talked-about discoveries in the world of fish decoy collecting.

Several years later Foote sold the assemblage to the current owner. Now, for the first time in decades, this remarkable and historic group—born from one of the most memorable moments in decoy-collecting history—is coming to auction.

138 Monroe kissing fish, Monroe, Michigan, 1st quarter 20th century. Perch fish decoy. Glass eyes. Seven metal fins and tuna style tail. Measures 7” long. Worn original paint with some light rubs; break at tail that has been resecured.

Provenance: Private Michigan collection.

(1,750 - 2,250)

140 Monroe kissing fish, Monroe, Michigan, 1st quarter 20th century. Glass eyes. Carved lips and gills. Metal fins. Mother of pearl flashers attached to each side. Measures 6” long. Original paint with very light wear; restoration to tail area.

Provenance: Private Michigan collection.

(1,500 - 2,500)

141 Monroe kissing fish, Monroe, Michigan, 1st quarter 20th century. Glass eyes. Carved lips and gills. Metal fins. Measures 6.5” long. Original paint; small area of restoration to top of tail; a rub one side of body; putty around eyes has partially flaked and cracked.

Provenance: Private Michigan collection.

(1,500 - 2,500)

142 Monroe kissing fish, Monroe, Michigan, 1st quarter 20th century. Glass eyes. Carved lips and gills. Metal fins. Measures 5.25” long. Original paint; crack in tail has been reglued.

Provenance: Private Michigan collection. (1,500 - 2,500)

143 Monroe kissing fish, Monroe, Michigan, 1st quarter 20th century. Glass eyes. Carved lips and gills. Metal fins. Measures 5.75” long. Original paint; small areas of flaking; professional restoration to tail.

Provenance: Private Michigan collection. (1,500 - 2,500)

144 Monroe kissing fish, Monroe, Michigan, 1st quarter 20th century. Glass eyes. Carved lips and gills. Metal fins. Measures 6” long. Original paint; small spot of green paint at one side of body; professional restoration to tail.

Provenance: Private Michigan collection. (1,500 - 2,500)

145 Monroe kissing fish, Monroe, Michigan, 1st quarter 20th century. Glass eyes. Carved lips and gills. Metal fins. Measures 6” long. Original paint; light in use wear; a few small flakes.

Provenance: Private Michigan collection. (1,500 - 2,500)

146 Monroe kissing fish, Monroe, Michigan, 1st quarter 20th century. Glass eyes. Carved lips and gills. Metal fins. Measures 5.5” long. Light wear with some crazing; minor paint loss at fins; repair to tip of tail with a small nail bottom of tail is missing; yellow area at tail appear s to be an older working in use color.

Provenance: Private Michigan collection. (1,500 - 2,500)

147 Monroe kissing fish, Monroe, Michigan, 1st quarter 20th century. Glass eyes. Carved lips and gills. Metal fins. Measures 5.25” long. Strong

original paint; slight crazing and a few small flakes; professional repair to tail.

Provenance: Private Michigan collection. (1,500 - 2,500)

148 Monroe kissing fish, Monroe, Michigan, 1st quarter 20th century. Glass eyes. Carved lips and gills. Metal fins. Measures 6” long. Original paint that has mellowed nicely; slight wood imperfection or crack one side of head; paint missing from belly weight; in use repair to tail and lower portion is missing; very small portion of one fin is missing.

Provenance: Private Michigan collection. (1,500 - 2,500)

Provenance:

Provenance: Private Michigan collection. (800 - 1,200)

Ken Bruning

1919 - 1974 | Rogers City, Michigan

One cannot discuss the extraordinary Bruning fish spearing decoys without first discussing both Kenneth and his son Mark. This father & son team turned out some of the most remarkable fish decoys to ever come out of Michigan. Kenneth, son of a German quarryman, was born, raised and lived his whole life in the Rogers City area. He worked as a sailor and electrician on the Great Lakes until a tragic diving accident at age 24 left him with a broken neck causing him to spend the rest of his life confined to a wheelchair. This misfortune, however, did not prevent him from working at, among other things, gunsmithing, reloading and making fish decoys. His son, Mark, who as an adult worked as a railroad engineer and later as a truck driver at the U. S. Steel limestone quarry in Rogers City, joined with Kenny at a young age in the 1950s to turn out these decoys. Decoy making was a traditional activity in this family. Their fathers, grandfathers and uncles had taught them the skills and beginning about 1950, Mark and Kenny began turning out a limited quantity of fish decoys for their own use. Economic necessity, however, soon caused them to start selling them to friends, neighbors and co-workers. Prices were from $1.00 to $1.25 each. At first these were direct sales from the house or the U.S. Steel quarry. Later some went into bait shops, bars, hardware stores and the like. Because of Ken’s disability his older brother Hardy cut the decoy blanks out for them on a bandsaw. Then, young Mark did the hand carving, finning and leading and Ken did the painting using, because of a lack of strength in his hands, a special two-handed technique. The subtle blending and meticulous detail he achieved using this technique rivals the photo transfer process used by some of the big plug manufacturers. At

first, they were carved out of cedar but later white pine salvaged from the U.S. Steel Corp. freighter Carl D. Bradley’s hatches was used. The Bradley sunk in November of 1958. (There are some surviving fish decoy blanks that have “Carl Bradley 1958” written on them in pencil. The Bradley’s home port was Rogers City and it’s sinking with the loss of 33 of her 35 crewmen had a tremendous impact on the local population. At the time of her sinking the 623 foot Bradley was the largest ship to ever sink on the Great Lakes. This inscription on the blank bodies was apparently intended as a sort of memorial to the men that were lost on that fateful day). Rainbow, brook and brown trout as well as perch, pike, suckers, whitefish, sturgeon and various minnows were produced in 3 standard sizes; 7 1/2”, 12” and 16”. Other sizes from 5 1/2” to 23” are also known. The line tie is the eye of a straightened fish hook embedded in the lead. The tails are wood or tin and the 4 side fins are aluminum. They have a single oval weight placed below the front set of fins. The paint they used was auto body lacquer but it didn’t work out well as it had a tendency to chip off. Mark estimates that between 1950 and 1960 they made about 2500 fish decoys with 1957-58 being the peak production years. For a couple of years, the decoys had numbers printed on the bottom of the fins which often washed off as the ink wasn’t very permanent. Each year the numbering started over with number one.

After a 25 year hiatus, Mark began making fish decoys for collectors in the 1980s and continued until his death in 2022. - Gary Miller

152 Ken Bruning (1919-1974), Rogers CIty, Michigan. Perch fish decoy. Meticulous, extensively detailed dot decoration. With metal tail and fins. Highly desirable carved mouth and gills in an ultra-rare fish species by Bruning. Measures 12” long. Excellent and original. (7,000 - 10,000)

153 Ken Bruning (1919-1974), Rogers CIty, Michigan. Trout fish decoy. Meticulous multi-colored dot decoration. With brown vermiculation painting. Numbered 41 by the maker on underside of one fin. Highly desirable brown trout paint pattern. Measures 12” long. Minor paint loss where fins were bent or turned.

Provenance: Keith Snider collection, purchased from Mark Bruning, Ken’s son, who claimed it was his favorite and the only one he kept. (5,000 - 7,000)

154 Ken Bruning (1919-1974), Rogers CIty, Michigan. Trout fish decoy. Heavily detailed dot decoration. With metal fins and tail. Measures 7.5” long. Paint is cracked slightly with small loss around tail area and underside of one fin.

Provenance: George Miriam Van Walleghem collection.

Literature: “Fish and Fowl of the Great Lakes,” Donna Tonelli, p. 68. (3,000 - 5,000)

Hans Janner

Mt. Clemens, Michigan

In a 1985 interview, Hans Janner, Jr. estimated that between 1905 and 1960 his father made hundreds of fish decoys of which perhaps 150 survive. The bulk of them were probably made during the 1930s. The decoys themselves often have a sculptural quality being large and robust in form and having large curved wooden tails with a rather prominent caudal peduncle. They are known in sizes from 6” to 17” but are most commonly found in the 11” to 13” range. The basic forms were roughed out with a hatchet and drawknife from blocks of mahogany, walnut, cherry, pine and red cedar of which mahogany is probably the most common. They were then whittled into final form and finished by scraping and sanding. Normally they are fitted with brass or copper pectoral, pelvic, anal and sometimes with one-piece combination dorsal and adipose fins that are exaggerated to allow adjustment of the swimming radius. A few examples have no dorsal or adipose fins at all. The fins were often cut out of brass machinery identification tags scavenged from friends and relatives.

155 Hans

Michigan.

1st half 20th century. Glass eyes, swoop carved mouth that is slightly open, carved gills, and fanciful carved fins. With the traditional silver applied paint along the lower half of the body. Measures 12” long. Original paint with some slight discoloration from age; top fin has been slightly bent, probably to tune for swimming.

Provenance: Private Michigan collection. (5,000 - 7,000)

The name, Hans Janner, Sr., has become synonymous with the best in Lake St. Clair fish decoys. They have enjoyed a rather extensive exhibition history: Michigan State University in 1976, The Art Center in 1978, Cranbrook Academy of Art Museum in 1987, Museum of American Folk Art in 1992, and are now on permanent exhibit in many of the nation’s finest museums and private collections. They have been illustrated in numerous books and periodicals.

In recent years a plan was proposed by Mount Clemens city offici als to preserve the house at 281 Cass Avenue where the Janners lived for over 50 years. Guest author Gary Miller

156 Hans Janner, Mt. Clemens, Michigan. Bass fish decoy. Carved mouth and gill. Glass eyes. Walnut or mahaognay body. Five copper fins. Measures 11” long. Original paint has mellowed slightly with age; fins have traces of paint from light in use wear.

Provenance: Private Michigan collection. (4,000 - 6,000)

157 Hans Janner, Mt. Clemens, Michigan. Trout fish decoy. Glass eyes, carved mouth and gills. Six paint decorated fins. Sides are a mix of green, yellow, and blue paint with white decorated spots. Jerry Adams said this fish would do backward circles when the line tie is pulled with a heavy tug. Body is kind of a swooped shape to assist in the acrobatics it was made to do. Measures 10.75” long. Original paint; some flaking at fins, otherwise good.

Provenance: Private Michigan collection. (5,000 - 8,000)

158 Hans Janner, Mt. Clemens, Michigan. Walleye fish decoy. Well documented provenance. Purchased from a Lake St Clair fisherman by Roberta Holcomb in the early 80s. Holcomb was an avid collector of fish decoys and friend of Phyilis Ellison. This magnificent fish decoy measures an impressive 22” long. It shows in use wear including rust loss at two fins and one fin missing completely; a mouse or rodent chew to one side of the mouth area; paint is original; small flakes on underside; rough area at bottom of tail fin.

Provenance: Private Michigan collection. (8,000 - 12,000)

159 Pecor Fox, Mt. Clemens Michigan, 1st half 20th century. Bass fish decoy. A rare floating decoy, which means that it has no belly weight. Wide body with carved mouth and gills. Four metal fins. Measures 14” long. In use working repaint top of tail has been reset.

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

160 Pecor Fox, Mt. Clemens Michigan, 1st half 20th century. Perch fish decoy with seven metal fins. Tack eyes and carved mouth and gills. Tail fin is also slightly carved. Measures 8” long. Original paint with some areas of flaking from moderate use.

Provenance: Private Michigan collection. (1,250 - 1,750)

161 Large sucker fish, Lake St. Clair, Michigan, 1st half 20th century. Possibly Meldrum family with desirable articulated tail. Carved eyes. Mouth and gills. Four paint decorated fins. Measures 12” long. Original paint with flaking, mostly near tail; discoloration and wear from moderate use.

Provenance: Private Michigan collection. (2,000 - 3,000)

162 Gordon Charboneu, Mt. Clemens, Michigan, 1st half 20th century. Shiner fish decoy with glass eyes, carved gills and four metal fins. Measures 11.5” long. Original paint; some discoloration at fins.

Provenance: Private Michigan collection. (800 - 1,000)

163 Ted Vandenbosch (1887-1953), Mt Clemens, Michigan. Fish decoy. 1st quarter 20th century. Tack eye with carved mouth and gill. Six metal fins. Appealing multi-color wet on wet paint which is original protected by a mellow coat of varnish. Measures 15” long. Break at tip of tail which has been reglued

Provenance: Private Michigan collection. (2,000 - 3,000)

164 Abe Dehate (1890-1968), Mt. Clemens, Michigan. Shiner fish decoy, 1st half 20th century. Carved, painted eyes. Very detailed mouth and gills. Six metal fins. Appears to have not been used. Measures 10” long. Near excellent original paint.

Provenance: Private Michigan collection. (1,000 - 1,500)

165 Abe Dehate (1890-1968), Mt. Clemens, Michigan. Fish decoy. 1st half 20th century. Blue shiner fish decoy. painted eyes, carved mouth and gill. Five metal painted fins with one side fin missing. Measures 10.5” long. A textured blue surface which is original; slight discoloration from wear; hole was drilled in to the belly weight in underside; rough area at tip of tail.

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

166 Tom Schroeder (1886-1976), Detroit, Michigan. Rare walleye, 1st half 20th century. Carved and painted eyes. Carved mouth and gill. As well as center line on body and tail fin. Blended shades of green with red accent at gill. Measures 10” long. Very slight discoloration from age otherwise excellent.

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

Frank Kuss

1871 - 1950 | St. Clair Shores, Michigan

Frank Kuss (1871-1950) was born in Germany and migrated to the US with his mother and father in 1878. They settled on a farm in St.Clair Shores near Detroit, Michigan where he lived for the next 72 years. He was a farmer who also developed some of the family land by building and selling houses. In the early 1900s, he made his living as a merchant seaman on the Great Lakes, working on board ships transporting coal and iron ore. Kuss was an avid hunter and fisherman who never married.

His family members recall him carving whimsical items like chains from one piece of wood, ship models, duck decoys, and fish decoys. His fish decoys were made for his own use. Kuss is one o f the earliest identified Lake. St. Clair fish decoy carvers. It is believe that approximately 25 of his fish decoys exist. All known have a slightly curved wood body and tail, metal side fins, and a carve d mouth detail

167 Frank Kuss (1871-1950), St. Clair Shores, Michigan. Exceptional walleye fish decoy, 1st quarter 20th century. With painted tack eyes, carved gills and mouth. Five metal fins. Measures 11” long. Strong original piant.

Provenance: Private Michigan collection. (4,000 - 5,000)

168 Frank Kuss (1871-1950), St. Clair Shores, Michigan. A heavy bass fish decoy, 1st quarter 20th century. Painted tack eyes, carved mouth, and four metal fins. Multi color coats of green. Measures 12” long. Original paint protected by a light coat fo varnish.

Provenance: Private Michigan collection. (2,000 - 3,000)

169 Frank Kuss (1871-1950), St. Clair Shores, Michigan. Bass fish decoy, 1st quarter 20th century. Painted tack eyes, and carved mouth. Four metal fins. Measures 12” long. Original paint protected by a coat of varnish; some paint loss at fins; several line tie holes across top of back.

Provenance: Private Michigan collection. (2,000 - 3,000)

170 Frank Kuss (1871-1950), St. Clair Shores, Michigan. Gizzard shad, 1st quarter 20th century. With painted tack eyes, carved mouth and gill. Four metal fins. Measures 6.5” long. Original paint; a spear scar in middle top back and top of fin broken and missing.

Provenance: Private Michigan collection. (800 - 1,200)

171 Frank Kuss (1871-1950), St. Clair Shores, Michigan. Bass fish decoy. With inset tack eyes, carved mouth, and four metal fins. Measures 7.75” long. Original paint that is heavily crazed; some flaking at fins.

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

171A A tackle box contains 16 vintage ice spearing decoys, Top of box is marked John Greer and paint decorated. Box measures 8.25” x 17” x 5.5” deep. Box contains fish decoys 16 vintage ice spearing decoys. All from Minnesota. One pan fish and the rest are mostly trout or shiners. John Greer has been identified as the carver of the fish. This group of fish and box were prominently featured in “Fish and Fowl of the Great Lakes,” Donna Tonelli, p. 255. Most measures about 6.5” long. Also contains three jig sticks. Fish show excellent crazing and age. (1,500 - 2,000)

172 Large sucker fish, Lake St. Clair, Michigan, 1st half 20th century. Appealing cross hatch on body with glass eyes, carved mouth and gills. A bold well carved fish. Measures 15” long. Original paint protected by an old coat of varnish; rough area at tip of tail; break that has been reset at tail.

Provenance: Private Michigan collection. (1,200 - 1,500)

173 Charbenaue family, Lake St. Clair, 1st half 20th century. Sucker fish decoy. Glass eyes, carved mouth and gills. Five metal fins. A hefty decoy. Measures 15.5” long. Old working in use repaint; portion of tip of tail is missing.

Provenance: Private Michigan collection. (800 - 1,200)

174 Gordon Sears, Mt. Clemens, Michigan, 1st half 20th century. Shad fish decoy. Rail road reflector eyes. Carved mouth and gills. Metal fins are bent and applied to body. Measures 13” long. Original paint with moderate wear and flaking; bottom corner of tail is broken and missing.

Provenance: Private Michigan collection. (300 - 500)

175 Gordon Sears, Mt. Clemens, Michigan, 1st half 20th century. Trout fish decoy. Large railroad reflector eyes and metal fins that have been secured to the body. Measures 5” long. Strong original paint with light crazing.

Provenance: Private Michigan collection. (300 - 500)

175A George Washington Sprandel’s spearing box of fish decoys. One man’s spear fishing decoy lures with initialed box. “GWS” written on inside top lid of red painted box. Made from Land ‘O Lakes crate. Box measures 12” x 4” x 4”. Contains 26 spearing decoys possibly made by “GWS”. All show light use; most are structurally good; one is missing a tail fin.

Provenance: Notes made by Jim Richards indicate GWS for George Washington Spreandel, born 1905. Fish were carved between 1932-1945 and were used to fish on Leach and White Fish Lakes. In his best week of fishing he speared 400 northerns in 4 days, all between 5 and 15 lbs. The limit was 20 per day. (2,000 - 2,500)

176 Ken Bruning (1919-1974), Rogers CIty, Michigan. Trout fish decoy. Metal fins and tail. Measures 12” long. Moderate in use were with flaking paint loss mostly at tail; repair where tail inserts in to body.

(500 - 800)

177 Ken Bruning (1919-1974), Rogers CIty, Michigan. Trout fish decoy. Metal fins and tail. Classic heavily dotted paint decoration. Measures 7” long. Original paint with flaking that is common on Bruning fish; tail has been bent which created some loss of paint.

(800 - 1,200)

178 Ken Bruning (1919-1974), Rogers CIty, Michigan. Trout fish decoy. Four metal fins and tail. Measures 5.5” long. Original paint with light flaking to body; small areas of paint loss on all fins. (200 - 400)

179 Native American fish decoy. With original jig stick. Probably a catfish. Natural with painted underside and head. Four metal side fins. Measures 7” long. Structurally good.

Provenance: Private Michigan collection. (500 - 800)

Ira Hudson

1873 - 1949 | Chincoteague, Virginia

180 Ira Hudson (1873-1949), Chincoteague, Virginia. Excellent swimming Canada goose. Raised neck seat with slight ice groove carving and tack eyes. Measures 24.75” long. Original paint with minor flaking; tight drying crack along one side of head; large wooden patch was used on the underside when the decoy was made with another smaller patch used near it; area of filler and touchup around the smaller patch; drying cracks and separation at patches on underside.

Provenance: Charlie Hunter collection. Oliver Smith collection.

Literature: “Ira D. Hudson and Family” by Henry H. Stansbury, page 98, exact decoy pictured.

(15,000 - 20,000)

181 Ira Hudson (1873-1949), Chincoteague, Virginia. Extremely rare redhead. Football body style with paddle tail and partially inlaid neck seat. Tack eyes and scratch feather paint detail on back. Measures 13.5” long. Original paint with minor flaking and wear; mostly on breast and around tail area; drying splits in underside; an uneven coat of varnish has darkened with age; some touchup on head; with a thin coat of varnish added.

Provenance: Don Leonard collection.

Literature: “Ira D. Hudson and Family” by Henry H. Stansbury, page 129, exact decoy pictured. (15,000 - 25,000)

Canada goose with raised neck seat and tack eyes. Measures 23.25” long. Original paint with moderate gunning wear; surface has darkened with age; filler and touchup added to separation in one side of neck seat and to a drying split along the back; hairline drying cracks in sides and underside; minor roughness on edge of tail; professional neck crack repair. (3,000 - 5,000)

Bluebill hen and drake. Football body style with fluted tails and partially inlaid neck seats. Tack eyes and scratch feather paint detail on drake. Measure 14.25” long. Original paint with moderate gunning wear; tight drying cracks in drake’s body; small chip and roughness on edge of drake’s bill; some flaking to filler at each neck seat.

Provenance: Oliver Smith collection. (3,000 - 5,000)

Elijah “Eli” Doughty

1844 - 1923 | Hog Island, Virginia

Hog Island, renowned for its outstanding sporting opportunities, is one of Northampton County’s famed barrier islands. The Doughty family has roots there that run deep on the land, dating back to the descendants of the initial colonists. It was here that Martin Doughty (Douty) (1821 – 1893), a farmer, waterman and gunner, and his wife, Sally, raised their young son Elijah. Like many men of his time and place, Eli did not leave a strong footprint in the records and not a great deal is known about his life. In 1866, he married Margaret Elizabeth (“Lizzie” - no last name given) and it appears that from this point onward, the Doughty family would split their residences between The Franktown area on the mainland and Hog Island, perhaps on the ancestral farmstead. They raised six children, at least two of which were born on the Island (Henry in 1867 and Charles in 1872). In 1896, an article in the local newspaper, “The Peninsula Enterprise”, reported that Eli, one of a group of “- - - the most prominent and influential citizens- - - ” served on at least one local government board serving Bordentown on the Island. The 1870 federal census reports his formal residence as Eastville, and from the time of the 1880 record through that of 1920, the family’s

home was listed as Franktown. For his entire life, Eli claimed his occupation as either that of “Fisherman,” or as employed in the oyster industry. Although always of questionable accuracy, oral family history notes that “ He was capture( d ) during the Civil War for running drugs o (r) medicine and liquor for the South and the Yankees sunk his Slope (sloop) in the channel and placed him in Fort Wool prison until after the war. After they sunk his boat, he never care (d) a lot (about) another Yankee”. Lizzie outlived Eli, passing in 1928, and both are buried in Downing’s Cemetery in Willis Wharf.

Hog Island, like its neighbors, Cobb and Smith, was a well-known destination for visiting sports, and a number of accommodations and clubs were established to house the visitors. In season, waterfowling was a major attraction and quality decoys were always in demand. A number of Doughty family members were quick to capitalize on the necessity for guides and the decoys needed for a successful hunt. Many of these men are, sadly, anonymous but Eli is fortunate in having been recognized as the individual that produced some of the very finest of the Doughty family decoys.

184 Eli Doughty (1844-1923), Hog Island, Virginia. Important black duck. Long inlaid neck seat and split tail carving. Measures 17.5” long. Original paint with moderate gunning wear; many small dents and shot marks; tight drying cracks in body; roughness on edge of tail and raised wingtip.

Provenance: James ‘Spann’ Jeffers collection. Don Leonard collection. (20,000 - 30,000)

185 Elkanah Cobb (1852-1943), Cobb Island, Virginia. Swimming brant. Hollow carved with relief wingtip carving and carved eyes. Serifed “E” carved in underside. Sam Dye collection ink stamp in underside. Measures 18.5” long. Original paint is worn to much bare wood; some scattered touchups to flaking on breast; chips around base of neck; front part of head was broken off and tightly reset; many tight drying cracks in head and neck.

Provenance: Tom Winstel collection. Sam Dyke collection. Private Southern collection. (15,000 - 25,000)

186 Doug Jester (1876-1961), Chincoteague, Virginia. Red-breasted merganser. Extended crest carving. Decoy was never rigged or weighted. Measures 16” long. Original paint with minor wear; tight drying crack in tail and a crack along back.

Provenance: Oliver Smith collection. (2,000 - 3,000)

187 Doug Jester (1876-1961), Chincoteague, Virginia. Rigmate pair of hooded mergansers. Extended crest carving. Measure 12.5” long. Original paint with moderate gunning wear; chip in top tine of hen’s crest; drying crack along underside of hen; drake is very good structurally.

Provenance: Private Southern collection. (3,000 - 5,000)

187A Very rare oversized swan used at the Swan Island Club, Currituck County, North Carolina. Hollow carved from the underside with metal sheet applied. Branded “F.W. Curtis” on one lower side. Club member Frederick W. Curtis was co-founder of The Curtis and Jones Shoe Company of Reading, Pennsylvania. Most of the Swan Island Club swan decoys were destroyed after swan hunting was outlawed in the early 1900’s. Comes with a hardbound book on the history of the Swan Island Club. Measures 37” long. Multiple coats of paint with flaking and wear; tight drying cracks along back and breast; professional restoration to a 4” piece in neck; old black paint was sanded off of parts of bill.

Provenance: Private Southern collection. (20,000 - 30,000)

Frank Finney

B. 1947 | Cape Charles, Virginia

The Vase and Flower motif is a traditional American Folk Art theme. This particular piece was inspired by a design seen on an antique textile. It is composed of boxwood, white pine, tupelo (or bowl) gum, and oil pigments. The vase is centered on a rotating “lazy susan” platform, the turning motion of which causes the butterflies to flap their wings, and the bumblebees to hover up and down over their flowers. All mechanisms are hand made and engine ered.

“Did you notice the lady bug hiding in the middle? Over the years, I have though it’s not enough to just create something – the real goal is to give it life.”

- Frank Finney

Frank Finney’s magnum opus — perhaps the most significant work of his career — hand carved it reimagines traditional folk depictions of the bountiful harvest, transforming them into a fully dimensional, living automaton, with butterfly wings gently moving and bees lifting and landing as the vase slowly turns. Approximately 19” tall, with a 24” diameter.

188 Frank Finney (b.1947), Cape Charles, Virginia. Carved wooden vase and flower motif. On a turntable with mechanized movement when the table gently rotates. Measuring 19” tall and 24” wide. Excellent and original. (20,000 - 30,000)

189 Frank Finney (b.1947), Cape Charles, Virginia. A cuddling pair of house mice. Wrapped in a painted blanket, laying on top of a pillowed mattress tucked inside an open sardine can. Made as a lift top box. Top of can reads “In pure olive oil 3.25 oz”. Frank’s signature on underside of base. Measuring 4.5” tall and 8.5” wide. Mint in all respects. (4,000 - 6,000)

190 Frank Finney (b.1947), Cape Charles, Virginia. Bull frog in a bubble bath. Reading “The Racing Forum” newspaper, with a cigar gently tucked to one side of his mouth. Frog is enjoying a bubble bath in a vintage tub that doubles as a shower. Made with bone inset shower head and faucet handles. Made as a lift top box. Frank’s “F” carved in underside of tub. This carved wooden structure stands 12” tall and 11” wide. Mint in all respects. (4,000 - 6,000)

193 Frank Finney (b.1947), Cape Charles, Virginia. Wonderful folk carved snake. Colorful folky paint pattern. Maker’s initials carved in underside. Measures 30” long. Original paint made to look older; a few small spots of touchup on head; repair to a tiny chip at tip of tail.

(3,000 - 5,000)

194 Frank Finney (b.1947), Cape Charles, Virginia. Miniature Bull Terrier in a standing pose. Maker’s signature carved in underside. Measures 7.5” long and 7.5” tall. Painted to appear older, excellent and original. (800 - 1,200)

195 Frank Finney (b.1947), Cape Charles, Virginia. Full size decorative bluejay. Slightly turned head with berry clutched in beak. Relief wing and tail feather carving. Maker’s initials carved in base. Measures 12” long, stands 8.25” tall. Restoration to tips of beak where berry had broken off and reattached. otherwise excellent.

Provenance: Martin and Deborah Maloy collection. (800 - 1,200)

196 Frank Finney (b.1947), Cape Charles, Virginia. Bay-breasted Warbler with open mouth, raised wingtips, and incised feathers. Bird measures 6”. Maker’s signature on underside. Excellent and original. (600 - 900)

197 Frank Finney (b.1947), Cape Charles, Virginia. Half size robin. Slightly turned head and open beak. Relief wingtip and tail feather carving. Identified on underside and with makers initials carved in underside. Measures 6.5” long. Excellent and original. (600 - 900)

198 Frank Finney (b.1947), Cape Charles, Virginia. Decorative nuthatch on perch. Maker’s ink stamp on underside. Relief wing and tail feather carving. Measures 5” long, stands 8” tall. A few minor paint flakes and rubs, otherwise excellent. (400 - 600)

199 Frank Finney (b.1947), Cape Charles, Virginia. Louisana Waterthrush with raised wingtips, incised tail feathers, bird measures 5.25”. Maker’s signature on underside. Excellent and original. (600 - 900)

Jim Schmiedlin

1945 - 2015 | Bradfordwoods, Pennsylvania.

200 Jim Schmiedlin (1945-2015), Bradfordwoods, Pennsylvania. Swimming greenwing teal. Hollow carved with deep relief wing carving and slightly turned head. Maker’s Reward for Return and “JAS” brand on underside. Also with the Schmiedlin collection ink stamp. Dated 2006 and “not gunned” written in pencil. Measures 16” long. Original paint with a few minor rubs; minor blunting on tip of tail otherwise very good structurally.

Provenance: Dr. Michael Shannahan collection.

(5,000 - 8,000)

201 Jim Schmiedlin (1945-2015), Bradfordwoods, Pennsylvania. Gadwal. Hollow carved with relief wing carving. “JAS” brand and maker’s reward for return label on underside. Dated 2012. Measures 18.75” long. Excellent and original.

(4,000 - 6,000)

202 Jim Schmiedlin (1945-2015), Bradfordwoods, Pennsylvania. Carved and patined paddle. On the blade is a scene of three widgeon. Signed and dated 2011 with the word widgeon written in the water. Measures 35.5” long. Excellent and original.

(1,500 - 2,000)

203 Marty Hanson (b. 1965), Hayward, Wisconsin. Sculptural brant. Hollow carved with relief wingtip carving. Applied hardwood bill is splined through back fo head. “MH” carved in underside. Measures 17” long. Painted to appear older; excellent and original. (1,500 - 2,500)

204 Marty Hanson (b. 1965), Hayward, Wisconsin. Calling mallard hen.

Hollow carved with deep relief carved crossed wingtips. Tucked and slightly turned head with open bill. Maker’s ink stamp on underside. Bird is also named “Nora”. Measures 16.25” long. Very slight separation at a knot in one side; and a tiny dent on one edge of lower bill, otherwise excellent.

Provenance: Dr. Michael Shannahan collection. (1,500 - 2,500)

205 Marty Hanson (b. 1965), Hayward, Wisconsin. Swimming mallard hen. Hollow carved with deep relief carved crossed wingtips. Head is slightly turned with scratch feather paint detail. Maker’s ink stamp on underside. Bird is also named “Maeve” on underside. Measures 19.25” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Dr. Michael Shannahan collection. (1,200 - 1,800)

206 Grayson Chesser (b. 1947), Sanford, Virginia. Excellent pair of standing pintails. Relief wingtip and tail feather carving. Comb feather paint detail on drake. Birds measure 16” and 17.5” long. Base is 23” wide. Very minor sap bleed on hen under tail; otherwise excellent. (3,000 - 5,000)

207 William Gibian (b.1946), Onancock, Virginia. Walking decorative curlew. Deep relief wing carving and raised crossed wingtips. “Gibian” carved on the underside of bird. Carved base with clam shells has the maker’s business card on underside. Measures 14.25” long. Minor flaking ot paint on metal legs; otherwise excellent. (1,200 - 1,800)

208 William Gibian (b.1946), Onancock, Virginia. Black bellied plover with split, raised wingtips and relief feather carving. Turned head and glass eyes. Maker’s carved signature on underside. Measures 13” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Dean Hyde collection (500 - 700)

209 Eddie Wozny (b.1959), Cambridge, Maryland. Outstanding full size flying pheasant. Outstretched wings and extended tail. Deep relief feather carving. Open beak and applied legs. Body is hollow carved. Signed with the maker’s “W” carved on underside. Measures 34.25” long, with a 24” wingspan. Excellent and original. (4,000 - 6,000)

210 Eddie Wozny (b.1959), Cambridge, Maryland. Full size snapping turtle. A highly detailed carving with open mouth and applied metal claws. Signed and dated 2020 on underside. Measures 23.5” long. Mint. (4,000 - 6,000)

211 Eddie Wozny (b.1959), Cambridge, Maryland. Outstanding miniature ruffed grouse. Dropped wingtips and fanned out tail. Relief feather and extended crest carving. Signed and identified on underside. Stands 4.5” tall. Mint. (1,000 - 1,500)

212 Eddie Wozny (b.1959), Cambridge, Maryland. Impressive full size Canada goose. Hollow carved, with one outstretched wing and head curled about to preen. Raised wingtips and deep relief feather carving. Identified, signed, and dated 2021 on underside. Measures 26” long. Excellent and original. (4,000 - 6,000)

213 Eddie Wozny (b.1959), Cambridge, Maryland. Small bald eagle with outstretched wings. Relief wing and tail feather carving. Identified, signed, and dated 2025 on the underside. Stands 16.5” tall with a 16” wingspan. Excellent and original. (2,000 - 2,500)

215 Oliver Lawson (b.1938), Crisfield, Maryland. Blue goose. Hard balsa body with relief wing carving and slightly turned head. Identified, signed, and dated 1986 on underside. Measures 22” long. A few tiny dents, otherwise excellent and original. (1,200 - 1,800)

214 Oliver Lawson (b.1938), Crisfield, Maryland. Decorative blue bunting and ladybug. Detailed feather carving and crossed wingtips. Signed and dated 89 on lower part of branch. Stands 15” tall. Top twig on branch was chipped and tightly reglued, otherwise excellent. (5,000 - 8,000)

215A Oliver Lawson (b.1938), Crisfield, Maryland. Excellent diorama of a ruddy duck family. Decorative carving includes a pair with five chicks. Highly detailed feather carving. Chicks with relief wing carving. Drake is signed and dated 1985 on underside. Metal tag on base titles the piece “A Family Outing.” Hen and drake measure 11” and 12.5” long. Base measures 24” across. Minor chipping on blades of grass; a few were cracked and reglued; ducks are excellent and original. (7,000 - 10,000)

215B Josh Brewer, Little Deer Isle, Maine. Outstanding decorative quail. Relief wing and tail feather carving. Slightly turned head with extended crest. Carved wooden base with leaves. Signed and dated 2026. Piece is titled “Right Where I Saw Him Last” on underside. Measures 8.75” long, stands 8.75” tall. Mint. (3,500 - 4,500)

215C Ben Heinemann (b.1954), Durham, North Carolina. Canada goose in the style of George Warin. Hollow carved with .5” bottom board. Maker’s name carved in underside. Measures 23” long. Made to appear older; excellent and original. (1,500 - 2,500)

216 Mike Borrett, (b.1960), Madison, Wisconsin. Flying bluewing teal. Outstretched wings with dep relief feather carving. “Borrett 12” carved in wing. Measures 16.5” with a 22.75” wingspan. Excellent original paint; screw for hanging in back was moved with small hole filled and touched up; repair to a small chip in one wing feather, probably done by the maker.

(1,200 - 1,800)

(1,200 - 1,800)

217 Mike Borrett, (b.1960), Madison, Wisconsin. Pair of flying wood ducks. Outstretched wings with relief feather carving. “Borrett” carved on back of wings. Measure 17” and 19” long, with 18” wingspan. Excellent and original.

218 Mike Borrett, (b.1960), Madison, Wisconsin. Pair of flying ruddy ducks. Outstretched wings with deep relief feather carving. “Borrett” carved in wings. Measure 14.5” long, with a 18” wingspan. Drake is excellent; hen with a small chip on one edge of bill that was darkened and some paint flaking to primer coat on breast. (1,200 - 1,800)

219 Mike Borrett, (b.1960), Madison, Wisconsin. Pair of flying greenwing teal. Outstretched wings with deep relief feather carving. Borrett 07 carved on wings. Measure 13.5” long, with a 14” wingspan. Excellent and original. (1,200 - 1,800)

220 Mike Borrett, (b.1960), Madison, Wisconsin. Pair of flying bluewing teal. Outstretched wings and applied feet. Relief wing and tail feather carving. “Borrett” carved in each wing. Measure 16.5”, with a 18” wingspan. Excellent and original. (1,200 - 1,800)

Dodge Decoy Factory

1883 - 1893 | Detroit, Michigan.

The pursuit of shorebirds was an extremely popular activity in the late 1800s. The gullible birds could be “whistled in” but one’s success was greatly enhanced with the use of decoys. Unfortunately, if a sportsman/woman lac ked the desire or ability to fashion their own judas birds, their options for obtaining decoys was limited. Some baymen who were carving occasionally offered a few decoys for sale, but this was not often the case and, if one lived in cities such as New York or Boston, you may not even have knowledge or access to these individuals. A handful of early companies stepped in to fill the void. Stratier and Sohier in Boston began to offer their folding tin decoys beginning in 1874 and these saw widespread acceptance. George Peterson in Detroit was advertising shorebird decoys in sporting publications during the same period (c1873 – 1883) but, unfortunately, no examples of his products have been documented so it is uncertain if any were actually produced.

The first successful large-scale supplier of wooden factory deco ys for shorebirds was Jasper Newton Dodge (1829 – 1909). Dodge had known Peterson and bought him out in 1883. He had been producing duck decoys on a smaller scale prior to this date, but we have no indication if he had been manufacturing shorebirds before his purchase of Peterson’s operation. We do know that he began to promote shorebirds beginning in his 1884 advertisements and it would not be unreasonable to assume that his early shorebirds may have been imitations of those advertised by his predecessor. Interestingly, one has to wonder if either Peterson or Dodge ever hunted shorebirds themselves or if they had ever even seen the live birds?

Dodge produced a wide variety of shorebird species and his styles changed over the manufacturing period. The early examples featured birds with the body, head, and bill all carved from a single piece of wood. These were supplanted by a line with inserted bills and, finally, it is ass umed that those with a wire or iron bill were from the final production stage de signed to ensure greater strength at this vulnerable point on the decoy. Example s of “flatties” have also been identified and, perhaps, these were a more econom ical option for the buyer. To add to the confusion, he also advertised that he offered “Decoys made after any model furnished without extra charge.” His ads ran in the popular sporting periodicals of the period such as “Forest and Stream” and “American Field” as well as in trade journals such as “The Sporting Goods Dealer” where he mentioned that the decoys were available for sale both at the factory and at a variety of sporting goods and gun dealers across the country. Even though the decoys were produced in Detroit, it would be logical to assume that the bulk of his sales were to east coast gunners. Advertisements for his shorebirds appeared from at least 1884 through 1892 but seem to be absent from ads after that date, perhaps due to increased competition from the William Mason factory (1896 – 1924), also in Detroit. Jasper Dodge ceased his operation in 1908, but his shorebirds served the needs of many early hunters and saw active use in a sport that lasted until the late 1920s.

221 Dodge Decoy Factory (1883-1893), Detroit, Michigan. Near mint dunlin. One piece body, head, and bill. With metal tack eyes. Excellent paint detail. “XXIX” stamped in underside. Measures 12” long. A few small paint flakes at tip of bill and tail, otherwise near mint.

Provenance: William J. Mackey Jr collection. Mackey Family collection. Dr. David Meyer collection. Private Southern collection.

Literature: “American Bird Decoys” by William J. Mackey Jr., page 213, exact decoy pictured. (20,000 - 30,000)

from a Dodge Factory Catalog.

222 Dodge Decoy Factory (1883-1893), Detroit, Michigan. Very rare wooden billed curlew. The initials “TFS” are branded in the underside. Measures 19” long. Original paint; minor wear; moderate wear on bill; structurally good.

Provenance: Private Southern collection. (12,500 - 17,500)

223 Dodge Decoy Factory (1883-1893), Detroit, Michigan. Yellowlegs with tiny tack eyes and iron bill. Measures 11.5” long. Original paint with minor wear; tight crack were bill meets face was filled and touched up, otherwise very good structurally.

Provenance: Dean Hyde collection (2,000 - 3,000)

223A Dodge Decoy Factory (1883-1893), Detroit, Michigan. Mallard with tack eyes. Measures 17” long. Original paint with very minor wear; under an early coat of varnish that has darkened with age; minor flaking to filler on top of tail; very minor roughness on tip of bill; tight crack through neck was reset; retains much of the original neck filler with some having been restored.

Provenance: Len Carnaghi collection. (800 - 1,200)

223B Dodge Decoy Factory (1883-1893), Detroit, Michigan. Rigmate pair of mallards. Tack eyes and slightly turned heads. 75 stamped in hen, 76 in drake. Measure 15.5” long. Original paint with moderate gunning wear; much of the neck filler is missing; scattered dents and shot marks; an early coat of varnish has darkened slightly with age.

Provenance: Len Carnaghi collection. (1,200 - 1,800)

224 Mason Decoy Factory (1889-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Pair of mallards. Hollow carved premier grade. Measures 17.5” and 17.25” long. Excellent original paint with very minor flaking; drake appears to have had a coat of varnish cleaned down and professional neck filler restoration; hen small amount of old glue visible at neck seat; tight cracks at a knot in back. (4,000 - 6,000)

225 Mason Decoy Factory (1889-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Near mint black duck. Hollow carved premier grade with bold feather looping. Hillman collection ink stamp on underside. Loy Harrel collection ink stamp on underside. Decoy won first place at the 2009 Minnesota Decoy Show in the antique factory black duck category. Blue ribbon included. Measures 17.75” long. Near mint original paint; some roughness on edge of tail was touched up; never was rigged or weighted.

(6,000 - 9,000)

226 Mason Decoy Factory (1889-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Excellent pintail. Hollow carved premier grade. Measures 18.25” long. Original paint with very minor wear; some flaking to filler on one side of neck seat; very good structurally. (12,000 - 18,000)

227 Mason Decoy Factory (1889-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Early slope breast style mallard hen. Hollow carved premier grade with slightly uplooking head.

“FK Dunn” branded in underside. Measures 16.5” long. Original paint with fine crazing and minor gunning wear; minor roughness on tip of tail and tip of bill; fine hairline crack in one side of head; head is very slightly loose.

(3,000 - 5,000)

228 Mason Decoy Factory (1889-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Excellent brant. Challenge grade with “Barron” branded on back and one side. Measures 19.75” long. Excellent original paint with very minor wear; thin coat of varnish has darkened with age; drying crack in underside; very slight separation at neck seat.

(4,000 - 6,000)

229 Mason Decoy Factory (1889-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Exceedingly rare rigmate pair of pintails. Hollow carved challenge grade models. Hillman collection ink stamp on the undersides. Measure 17” and 18” long. Original paint with minor to moderate gunning wear; hen is lightly hit by shot in one side; very minor roughness on edge of bills; hairline cracks in eyes.

Provenance: John and Isabella Hillman collection. Chris Mackey collection. (15,000 - 25,000)

230 Mason Decoy Factory (1889-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Pair of greenwing teal. Rare challenge grade models with snakey head style. Hens are extremely rare. Measure 12.25” long. Original paint with moderate gunning wear; both with professional neck filler restoration; a few small dents and shot marks; hairline crack along each back; small spot of touchup to green one one of hen’s wing patches.

Provenance: Chris Mackey collection. (12,000 - 18,000)

231 Mason Decoy Factory (1889-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Oversized black duck. Premier grade, Atlantic model with solid body and premier ink stamp on underside. Strong feather loop paint detail. Measures 21” long. Original paint with very minor wear; lightly hit by shot; a few filled defects in wood have flaked; minor roughness at neck seat; dent in top of head.

(3,000 - 5,000)

232 Mason Decoy Factory (1889-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Very rare widgeon hen. Hollow carver premier body. Measures 14.75” long. Original paint with moderate wear; mostly on one side; a thin coat of varnish has darkened with age; in factory filled split in back and wedge at tail has separated slightly with some filler added; tiny chip on one side of neck seat has darkened.

(3,000 - 5,000)

233 Mason Decoy Factory (1889-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Excellent bluewing teal. Hollow carved premier grade. Measures 12.5” long. Very good original paint with minor flaking on one side of back; very slight separation at neck seat and a hairline crack in eye.

Provenance: Chris Mackey collection. (6,000 - 9,000)

234 Mason Decoy Factory (1889-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Greenwing teal hen. Hollow carved premier grade. Branded “Taylor” on underside. Measures 12.75” long. Excellent original paint with very minor wear; a few shot strikes; fine hairline crack at body seam on one side; spot of touchup on breast. (4,000 - 6,000)

235 Mason Decoy Factory (1889-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Pair of canvasbacks. Hollow carved premier grade. Measure 15.5” long. Original paint with very minor wear on hen; a few shot marks in each side; drake in original paint with minor discoloration and wear; lightly hit by shot; minor roughness at neck seat.

Provenance: Chris Mackey collection.

(3,000 - 5,000)

236 Mason Decoy Factory (1889-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Redhead. Hollow carved premier grade. Measures 14.5” long. Original paint with minor wear, mostly at lower sides; shot mark with flaking on one side of breast, otherwise excellent structurally.

Provenance: Chris Mackey collection. (2,000 - 3,000)

237 Mason Decoy Factory (1889-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Excellent bluebill. Hollow carved premier grade. Measures 13.5” long. Excellent original paint with only a few tiny dents and scratches; tiny chip in one side of bill; some filler restoration on one side of neck seat.

(2,500 - 3,500)

238 Mason Decoy Factory (1889-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Rigmate pair of redheads. Challenge grade. Measure 15” long. Excellent original paint with very minor wear; each with a filled split along the underside; fine hairline crack along one side of drake; area of touchup to white on one side of hen; each with neck filler restoration.

Provenance: Chris Mackey collection. (3,000 - 4,000)

239 Mason Decoy Factory (1889-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Early goldeneye. Challenge grade with upswept bill. Measures 14.25” long. Original paint with moderate discoloration and minor wear; remnants of newspaper print on one side; lightly hit by shot; some puppy chews on tip of bill; thin line of professional neck filler restoration.

Provenance: Chris Mackey collection. (3,000 - 4,000)

240 Mason Decoy Factory (1889-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Rigmate pair of bluebills. Challenge grade. Measure 14.5” long. Original paint with minor wear; in-factory filled split on underside of hen has opened slightly; hairline drying crack in underside of drake; filler above a small knot on one lower side of drake has flaked away; remnants of old newspaper near that knot.

Provenance: Chris Mackey collection. (2,000 - 3,000)

241 Mason Decoy Factory (1889-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Challenge grade with incised bill carving and glass eyes. Measure 16.75” long. Original paint with very minor wear; two shot strikes on hen’s tail; minor roughness on tip of hen’s bill; hairline cracks in base of each neck; professional repair to a chip in end of drake’s bill, otherwise both are untouched and original.

Provenance: Chris Mackey collection. (2,000 - 3,000)

242 Mason Decoy Factory (1889-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Black duck. Hollow carved challenge grade model, with bold feather looping. Remnants of challenge ink stamp on underside. Measures 16.75” long. Original paint with very minor wear; moderate flaking around lower edge; professional tail chip repair; some black overpaint on underside where line staple was.

Provenance: Chris Mackey collection. (2,000 - 3,000)

243 Mason Decoy Factory (18891924), Detroit, Michigan. Black duck. Challenge grade with snakey head style. Measures 16.5” long. Original paint with minor flaking and wear; moderate flaking on underside; professional tail chip repair; some flaking to filler at neck seat.

Provenance: Chris Mackey collection. (1,200 - 1,800)

244 Mason Decoy Factory (1889-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Greenwing teal. Standard grade glass eye model. Measures 11.5” long. Original paint with very minor wear; mostly on one side of head; flaking to the original neck filler; otherwise very good structurally.

Provenance: Chris Mackey collection. (2,000 - 3,000)

245 Mason Decoy Factory (1889-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Excellent bluewing teal. Standard grade glass eye model. Measures 11.75” long. Original paint with almost no wear; a few chips missing from the original neck filler; and a small area with filler restoration; very small thin chip in one side of bill.

Provenance: Chris Mackey collection. (2,500 - 3,500)

246 Mason Decoy Factory (1889-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Excellent rigmate pair of pintails. Standard grade glass eye models. Measure 17.25” long. Original paint with very minor wear; flaking to the original neck filler; hairline crack in one of drake’s eyes.

Provenance: Chris Mackey collection. (2,500 - 3,500)

247 Mason Decoy Factory (1889-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Rigmate pair of canvasbacks. Standard grade glass eye models. Measure 15.75” long. Original paint with minor gunning wear; tiny knot missing on tip of drake’s tail; drake retains all the original neck filler; hen’s neck filler has been professionally restored; hairline crack in hen’s bill near a small knot.

Provenance: Chris Mackey collection. (1,200 - 1,800)

248

249

Mason Decoy Factory (1889-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Excellent bluewing teal. Tack eye model. Measures 11.25” long. Original paint with very minor wear; much of the neck filler has been professionally restored; filler used at a chip in back when the decoy was made has had a few small spots of touchup.

Provenance: Chris Mackey collection. (1,200 - 1,800)

Mason Decoy Factory (1889-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Rare rigmate pair of bluewing teal. Painted eye models. Measure 12.5” long. Original paint with minor gunning wear; both are hit by shot on one side; flaking to the original neck fillers; undersides were painted black at some point.

Provenance: Chris Mackey collection. (2,000 - 3,000)

250 Mason Decoy Factory (1889-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Pair of pintails. Painted eye model. “K” branded on underside of hen. Also with “WE Beck” painted on underside. Measure 15.5” long. Original paint with very minor wear; under a thin coat of varnish; some flaking at a hairline crack in hen’s back; hen retains the original neck filler; filled defect in wood on one side of drake’s bill from when the decoy was made; some chipping to drake’s original neck filler.

Provenance: Chris Mackey collection. (2,000 - 3,000)

251

Mason Decoy Factory (1889-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Black duck. Painted eye model. Measures 15.5” long. Original paint with almost no wear; under a slightly uneven coat of varnish that has darkened with age; retains the original neck filler; very good structurally.

Provenance: Chris Mackey collection. (800 - 1,200)

252 Mason Decoy Factory (1889-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Early yellowlegs. Glass eye model with split tail carving and wooden bill. Measures 11” long. Original paint with very minor wear; surface has darkened with age; old chip in underside of tail was touched up; bill is an early replacement.

Provenance: Len Carnaghi collection. (2,000 - 3,000)

253 Mason Decoy Factory (1889-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Rare snipe. Glass eye model with iron bill. Measures 10.75” long. Original paint with very minor wear under a thin coat of varnish; lightly hit by shot; minor roughness where bill meets face; eyes were replaced.

Provenance: Len Carnaghi collection. (2,000 - 3,000)

254 Mason Decoy Factory (1889-1924), Detroit, Michigan. Rare dunlin. Glass eye model with iron bill. Joe French ink stamp on underside. Joe French’s name and initials in invisible ink on underside. Measures 11.25” long. Original paint with minor gunning wear; heavily hit by shot in one side; drying crack along the same side.

(1,500 - 2,500)

254A Ray Schalk, Clermont, Florida. Collection of 35 miniature Mason Factory style decoys. Includes many species that were made by the factory, including three shorebirds. All are signed, and most are dated. Range from 1976 - 1991. Measure from 3” - 6.5” long. All are near mint.

(2,500 - 3,500)

Enoch Reindahl

1904 - 2000 | Stoughton, Wisconsin

Reindahl’s parents, Nels (Nils) and Elsie, emigrated to Wisconsin from Norway in 1868 and began to raise their family. They had three sons, and a daughter with Enoch being their youngest child. Initially the father worked as a tenant farmer but eventually saved enough money to purchase his own farm in Dunkirk, a small, rural, agricultural suburb of nearby Stoughton. In 1915, the father built a home in Stoughton and Enoch graduated from high school there in 1921. The family maintained the farm in Dunkirk through the early 1940s and the young man worked alongside his father and brothers on the property.

As the years progressed, Stoughton evolved from a small town into a large urban center. This did not change Reindahl’s perception of the world, and he continued to live a simple, single life in the family home. He had a

garden and apple trees where he grew much of his fruit and produce, he pumped his water from a well or rain barrels and lived without the luxury of indoor plumbing. He never drove a car and did not have a phone until the 1960s, and only then upon his doctor’s request.

He began to carve in the 1920s. Initially, he made his decoys exclusively for his own use but, over the years, a small number of close friends or acquaintances convinced him to produce a few birds for them. He was

Wisconsin. Very rare snow goose. Earlier style with smaller hollow carved body. Two piece head and neck are slightly turned. Relief carved, crossed wingtips. Maker’s name painted on underside. One of only a few snow geese known. Measures 19.5” long. Believed to have originally been made as a Canada goose, and reshaped and painted as a snow goose by the maker; moderate flaking and wear; under an early coat of varnish that has darkened with age; tail chip was repaired with a wooden patch by the maker; slight separation where head and neck meet; old chip in tip of bill; stapled and filled split in underside.

Provenance: Dr. Michael Shannahan collection.

(15,000 - 25,000)

very friendly with his Stoughton neighbors, the Homme brothers, “Ferd” (1900 – 1963) and Mandt (1905 – 1964) and the three men undoubtedly traded carving and painting ideas with one another. Reindahl’s total output is estimated to only be about 100 decoys.

Frugal and resourceful, at one point c1952, he was hunting, and a large number of snow geese were seen overhead but they would not respond to his Canada goose decoys. That evening, he took three of the Canadas home, recarved their bills and repainted them as snows. It is unknown if he actually managed to harvest any of the large white birds the following day but, on a positive note, the decoy community can now enjoy a few limited examples of a very rare species by Reindahl.

He was never wealthy but remained a self-sufficient, independent, and proud individual who left a legacy of some of the very finest decoys ever to emerge from Wisconsin.

256 Enoch Reindahl (1904-2000), Tustin, Wisconsin. Canada goose. Slightly upswept head pose and raised crossed wingtips. Solid body is smaller than the hollow versions. Measures 20.5” long. Original paint with minor wear; filled split in one side with area of touchup; roughness and a small chip at tip of tail was touched up long ago.

Provenance: Dr. Michael Shannahan collection.

(10,000 - 15,000)

257 Enoch Reindahl (1904-2000), Tustin, Wisconsin. Lowhead mallard. Hollow carved with relief crossed wingtips. Measures 15.5” long. Original paint with moderate wear; tight drying crack along underside; thin second coat on part of breast; professional tail chip repair.

Provenance: Dr. Michael Shannahan collection.

(6,000 - 9,000)

258 Enoch Reindahl (1904-2000), Tustin, Wisconsin. Cardboard silhouette Canada goose. Bolt at neck seat allows the head to swing at body for storage. Maker’s name scratched in to wet paint on one lower side. Excellent paint detail. Measures 23” long. Minor creasing at neck seat; otherwise very good and original.

Provenance: Herb Desch collection.

(1,500 - 2,500)

259 Owen Gromme (1896-1991), Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Feeding paper mache Canada goose. A hollow stickup decoy, with deep relief feathers. Signed and dated 1944.45 on underside. Measures 26.5” long. Mix of original and early working repaint by Gromme; minor flaking; very good structurally.

Provenance: Herb Desch collection. (6,000 - 9,000)

260 Owen Gromme (1896-1991), Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Paper mache Canada goose. Head and body are hollow with relief wing feathers. Signed and dated 1944.45 on underside of tail. Measures 23.5” long. Appears to be a mix of original and early repaint by Gromme with minor flaking; very good structurally.

Provenance: Dr. Michael Shannahan collection. (6,000 - 9,000)

261 Mandt Homme (1905-1964), Stoughton, Wisconsin. Canvasback. Hollow carved, wide body canvasback with slightly turned head and relief feather carving. Comb feather paint detail on back and sides. Measures 16.25” long. Original paint with minor gunning wear; small chip in tip of one wingtip; small dent on top of tail; tip of bill was chipped off and reglued with a small dent on top of bill, the dent and seam was darkened with a black marker.

Provenance: From the hunting rig of Dr. Ansley Thomas Shearer. By decent in the Shearer family. Dr. Michael Shannahan collection. (1,500 - 2,500)

262 Frank Strey (1890 - 1966), Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Rare Canada goose. Two piece head and neck, slightly turned. Was rigged and weighted as a floater, with two legs added for use as a stickup decoy. Measures 28” long. Mostly original paint with moderate gunning wear; some touchup on breast; old repair where head meets top of neck with filler and touchup in that area; some old glue and paint around neck seat; tight drying cracks in body. (300 - 500)

263 Ferd Homme (1901-1963) Stoughton, Wisconsin. Hollow carved bluebill with head turned almost 90 degrees. Relief carved, crossed wingtips and comb feather paint detail. Measures 11.25” long. Original paint with moderate discoloration from an early coat of varnish; some touchup to black areas; filler and touchup at body seam; hairline crack in each eye and along one side of bill.

Provenance: Dr. Michael Shannahan collection. (2,000 - 3,000)

264 Enoch Reindahl (1904-2000), Tustin, Wisconsin. Rigmate pair of bluebills. Hollow carved with relief wingtip carving. Drake with slightly turned head. Maker’s name painted on underside. Measure 12.25” long. Mix of original and early in use repaint by the maker; moderate discoloration and wear; drake’s bill was broken off and reset; tight drying crack in one side of hen’s head.

Provenance: Dr. Michael Shannahan collection. (2,500 - 3,500)

265 Russel “Raz” Barry, Stoughton, Wisconsin. Pair of lowhead mallards. Relief carved wingtips and side pockets. Carved sleepy eyes on hen. Measure 15” and 15.5” long. Drake in original paint with moderate flaking and wear, mostly on head; some minor chipping on edge of tail; hen is in a second coat by the maker; old chip in one side of tail.

Provenance: Dr. Michael Shannahan collection. (3,000 - 5,000)

265A Frank Resop (1894-1968), Berlin, Wisconsin. Rigmate pair of blue wing teal with humped backs and slight relief wingtip carving. Double blue wing patch detail. ‘P’ branded in underside for the Puckaway Club, a noted Central Wisconsin duck club. Measure 13” long. Original paint with minor wear; lightly hit by shot; tight cracks and shot strike chip in hen’s neck.

Provenance: Herb Desch collection. Mike and Ginger Raffia collection. Private Massachusetts collection. (8,000 - 12,000)

266 Robert Elliston (1849-1915), Bureau, Illinois. Early mallard. Hollow carved with comb feather paint detail on sides. Retains the original Elliston weight. Recently discovered in North Carolina. Measures 16.25” long. Original paint with minor flaking and wear; separation at body seam in one side; smudge of white paint on back of neck. (5,000 - 8,000)

266A George Sibley (1861-1938), Chicago, Illinois.

Excellent and very rare greenwing teal hen. Hollow carved with slightly turned head and maker’s typical inlaid hardwood bill. Remnants of patent ink stamp on one side. A tiny little working decoy. Measures 9.25” long. Original paint with very minor wear; under a thin coat of varnish that has darkened slightly with age; thin chip at back of neck seat; old chip on top of tail was filled and touched up long ago.

(8,000 - 12,000)

266B George Sibley (1861-1938), Chicago, Illinois.

Hollow carved pintail hen with slightly turned head and inlaid bill. Measures 13.5” long. Original paint with moderate gunning wear; blunting at tip of tail; tight drying crack along the underside; small nail added at body seam on each side of breast; slight separation at neck seat.

(4,000 - 6,000)

267 Hiram Hotze (1886-1977),

Illinois. Rigmate pair of mallards. Hollow carved with excellent paint detail. Measure 16.25” long. Original paint with moderate wear; under the original coat of varnish; tight crazing on drake; small spot of flaking on hen’s head. (5,000 - 8,000)

268 Bert Graves (1880-1956), Peoria, Illinois. Rigmate pair of mallards. Hollow carved with comb feather paint detail on drake. Retain the original Graves weights. Measure 17” long. Original paint with minor gunning wear; under an early coat of varnish that has darkened with age; scattered shallow dents; very minor roughness on edge of bills; narrow chip in one side of hen’s tail. (5,000 - 8,000)

269 Charles Perdew (1874-1963), Henry, Illinois. Mallard hen. Hollow carved with slightly turned head. Retains the original Perdew weight. Measures 16” long. Three small spots of touchup near one wing patch, otherwise near mint.

(3,000 - 4,000)

270 Charles Perdew (1874-1963), Henry, Illinois. Mallard. Hollow carved. Retains the original Perdew weight. “JNZ” branded twice in underside for the rig of John Ziggley. Measures 15.75” long. Very good original paint with some minor flaking on head; thick coat of varnish on underside with drips along one side; very good structurally. (3,000 - 4,000)

271 Charles Perdew (1874-1963), Henry, Illinois. Preening mallard hen. Hollow carved. Retains the original Perdew weight. Measures 14” long. Second coat of paint by Perdew with moderate gunning wear; a few dents in back; bill with modern repaint.

Provenance: Martin and Deborah Maloy collection. (3,000 - 4,000)

272 Robert Elliston (1849-1915), Bureau, Illinois. Pintail. Hollow carved with comb feather paint detail. Retains the original Elliston weight. Measures 17.25” long. Original paint with moderate gunning wear; lightly hit by shot, otherwise very good structurally.

Provenance: Dr. Michael Shannahan collection. (2,000 - 3,000)

273 Robert Elliston (1849-1915), Bureau, Illinois. Very rare bluewing teal. Hollow carved. Retains the original Elliston weight. Measures 12.5” long. Original paint with moderate to significant gunning wear; lightly hit by shot; small brand in underside was gouged out at some point; head swivels. (3,000 - 4,000)

274 Henry Ruggles (1830 - 1897), Henry, Illinois. Rare mallard. Hollow carved with “W.D.E.” branded in back. Also with “W” carved under tail. Measures 17.5” long. Mix of original and early working repaint; moderate flaking and wear; some roughness on edge of tail and top of head.

Provenance: Don Leonard collection. (2,000 - 3,000)

275 Bert Graves (1880-1956), Peoria, Illinois. Canvasback. Hollow carved, comb feather paint detail. Retains the original Graves weight. Measures 17” long. Original paint with moderate wear; small chip and minor roughness on edge of tail; lightly hit by shot; hairline crack in one eye. (2,000 - 3,000)

276 Jack Schwartz (early 20th century), Lacon, Illinois. Hollow carved bluebill hen with wide cheek carving. Comb feather paint detail on sides and breast. Measures 12” long. Original paint by Edna Perdew with moderate flaking and wear under a thick coat of varnish that has darkened with age; weight was removed, otherwise very good structurally. (2,500 - 3,500)

277 Charles Perdew (1874-1963), Henry, Illinois. Early three piece mallard. Hollow carved with large glass eyes and Edna Perdew paint. Measures 16” long. Original paint with moderate wear; repaired crack through neck; slight separation at body seams; a long chip along one side was reset with some old filler added. (1,200 - 1,800)

278 Fred Allen (1838–1912), Monmouth, Illinois. Mallard. Hollow carved with comb feather paint detail on sides. Measures 14.25” long. Original paint with moderate gunning wear; lightly hit by shot; minor roughness on one edge of tail. (1,500 - 2,500)

279 Robert Elliston (1849-1915), Bureau, Illinois. Pair of mallards. Hollow carved with comb feather paint detail on drake. Scratch feather paint detail on hen. Both retain the original Elliston weight. Measure 17.25” long. Original paint with moderate flaking and wear; hen is excellent structurally; slight separation at drake’s body seam with a separation at a knot on one side; small amount of glue visible at drake’s neck seat. (3,000 - 5,000)

280 Bert Graves (1880-1956), Peoria, Illinois. Pair of canvasbacks. Hollow carved with comb feather paint detail. Retains the maker’s original weights. Measure 16.75” long. Original paint with moderate gunning wear; an old coat of varnish has darkened with age; crack through top part of drake’s neck was tightened with a screw on the front of neck with a second coat of paint on head; fine hairline cracks in three of the eyes.

Provenance: Dr. Michael Shannahan collection. (2,000 - 3,000)

281 Leonard Doren (1895-1965), Pekin, Illinois. Mallard. Hollow carved. Measures 16” long. Original paint with minor gunning wear; very thin wash to gray on sides and neck seat, likely done in the making; excellent structurally.

(400 - 600)

282 Otto Garren (1890-1968) Canton, Illinois. Shoveler. Hollow carved with slight relief wingtip carving. Measures 14” long. Original paint with minor to moderate wear; areas of touchup on head and breast.

Provenance: Private Southern collection. (800 - 1,200)

283 Charles Perdew (1874-1963), Henry, Illinois. Mallard. Hollow carved. Branded “JNZ” twice on the underside for the rig of John Ziggley. Retains original Perdew weight. Measures 15.5” long. Original paint under a thick coat of varnish; gray areas on sides and underside have had the varnish partially removed; and a thin wash of gray added.

Provenance: Martin and Deborah Maloy collection. (1,500 - 2,500)

284 Robert Elliston (1849-1915), Bureau, Illinois. Mallard hen. Hollow carved with scratch feather paint detail. Retains the original Elliston weight. Measures 17” long. Original paint with moderate wear; under a coat of wax that has darkened; some touchup around neck seat; lightly hit by shot. (2,500 - 3,500)

285 Roy Hancock, Bath, Illinois. Rigmate pair of mallards. Hollow carved. “MS” stamped in undersides. Measure 17.5” long. Original paint with very minor wear; small dents on drake; body seam on drake was tightened long ago with additional nails at body seam that were filled but not painted.

Provenance: Dr. Michael Shannahan collection. (1,000 - 1,400)

286 Bert Graves (1880-1956), Peoria, Illinois. Mallard hen. Hollow carved. Retains the original Graves weight. Measures 17” long. Original paint with moderate crazing and wear; professional neck crack repair; some spots of touchup on underside. (1,500 - 2,500)

287 Bert Graves (1880-1956), Peoria, Illinois. Mallard. Hollow carved comb feather paint detail. Measures 17” long. Original paint with moderate wear; tight crazing on much of the decoy; tight crack through neck; tail chip repair with black area around tail repainted.

(1,000 - 1,400)

288 Robert Elliston (1849-1915), Bureau, Illinois. Bluebill. Hollow carved with comb feather paint detail. “J” branded in underside. Measures 13.75” long. Original paint with minor to moderate wear; hairline cracks in breast; professional bill chip repair with touchup on the bill. (800 - 1,200)

289 George “Skippy” Barto (1880-1959), Joliet, Illinois. Pintail. Hollow carved with slightly turned head and comb feather paint detail. “JF” and “GKB” stamped in lead weight. Measures 16.5” long. Original paint with moderate wear; tight crack through neck; hairline cracks in each eye.

Provenance: Dr. Michael Shannahan collection. (800 - 1,200)

290 Herman Rietgraf, Peru, Illinois. High head pintail. Hollow carved with relief wingtip carving. Measures 16.25” long. Original paint with moderate wear; hairline crack in each eye, otherwise very good structurally.

Provenance: Dr. Michael Shannahan collection. (600 - 900)

291 Cline McAlpin (1919-1973), Chicago, Illinois. Pair of miniature mallards. Deep relief wingtip carving and slightly turned heads. Measure 7” long. Excellent original paint under an old coat of varnish that has darkened with age; a few small dents; each with a professional neck crack repair. (1,200 - 1,800)

292 Pair of flying miniature pintails from Illinois, circa 1950s. Unsigned, but paint pattern resembles that of Cline McAlpin. Outstretched wings and applied wooden feet. Measure 9.25” and 8” long. Small spot of touchup to a scratch on one of hen’s wings; tiny paint flake at hen’s neck seat; otherwise both are excellent.

Provenance: Martin and Deborah Maloy collection. (1,200 - 1,800)

Ferdinand Bach

1888 - 1967 | Detroit, Michigan

293 Ferdinand Bach (1888-1967), Detroit, Michigan. Excellent canvasback with reared back and tucked head and deep relief wing feather carving. “F. Bach” carved in underside. Measures 15.75” long. Original paint with very minor wear; hairline crack along one lower side from when they decoy was made; otherwise excellent.

Provenance: Deborah and Martin Maloy collection. (10,000 - 14,000)

294 Ben Schmidt (1884-1968), Detroit, Michigan. Large snow goose. Hollow carved with .25” bottom board and slightly turned head. Relief wing feather carving. Measures 24” long. Original paint with moderate wear; small dents and shot marks; slight separation at neck seat. (4,000 - 6,000)

294A Ben Schmidt (1884-1968), Detroit, Michigan. Rare hollow carved bluebill. Full round body with relief wing carving and slightly turned head. Never rigged or weighted. Decoy was mounted to a presentation plaque. Measures 13.75” long. Original paint with minor flaking and wear; slight separation at body seam; crack in one side of neck.

(3,000 - 4,000)

295 Ben Schmidt (1884-1968), Detroit, Michigan. Canada goose. Hollow carved with .25” bottom board. Incised feather carving. “Rodger’s Port Austin” carved in underside. Measures 24” long. Original paint with minor gunning wear; tight drying cracks along one side; reglued crack in neck; tiny tail chip repair.

Provenance: Len Carnaghi collection. (1,200 - 1,800)

296 Ben Schmidt (1884-1968), Detroit, Michigan. Rare tucked head bufflehead. Slight relief wing carving. “Jim Mcilhinny” branded in underside. Measures 12.25” long. Original paint with moderate wear; drying splits along body; some losses around a knot on one side. (1,000 - 1,500)

297 Ben Schmidt (1884-1968), Detroit, Michigan. Black duck. Hollow carved with .75” bottom board. Relief wingtip and incised feather carving. Measures 16.75” long. Original paint with minor wear; a few shot strikes; otherwise very good structurally.

Provenance: Len Carnaghi collection. (600 - 900)

298 Ben Schmidt (1884-1968), Detroit, Michigan. Bufflehead. Incised wing feather carving. Measures 13.5” long. Original paint with very minor wear; separation at wood grain in one side; small dent in one side of bill. (600 - 900)

299 Ben Schmidt (1884-1968), Detroit, Michigan. Mallard hen. Relief wingtip carving and extensive feather stamping. Measures 18” long. Very good and original.

Provenance: Len Carnaghi collection. (800 - 1,200)

300 Ferdinand Bach (1888-1967), Detroit, Michigan. Canvasback. Smooth body style with deep wooden keel. “Wagner” painted on the underside. Measures 16.5” long. Original paint with moderate flaking on body; losses to heart wood along center of underside and near tail from when the decoy was made.

Provenance: Jim and Patti Aikin collection. (1,200 - 1,800)

301 John Schweikart (1870-1954), Strawberry Island, Michigan. Canvasback. Hollow carved with wide neck and head. Applied metal wingtips. Maker’s folding copper keel on underside. Measures 16” long. Mix of original and early working repaint with moderate flaking and wear; wooden patches on sides of neck seat; upper part of breast appears to have been reshaped at some point.

Provenance: Jim and Patti Aikin collection. (2,000 - 4,000)

302 Jim Foote (1925-2004), Gibraltar, Michigan. Hollow carved canvasback with detailed feather carving and slightly turned head. Signed and dated 1974. Measures 16” long. Minor paint rubs on tip of bill, otherwise excellent and original.

Provenance: Len Carnaghi collection. (800 - 1,200)

303 Jim Foote (1925-2004), Gibraltar, Michigan. Decorative bass spearing decoy. Deep relief mouth and gill carving. Detailed scale incising. Signed and dated 1988 on belly weight. Measures 9.75” long. Original paint with very minor wear at edges of fins and tail; overall excellent. (1,200 - 1,800)

304 Tom Schroeder (1886-1976), Detroit, Michigan. Rare loon in summer plumage. Hollow carved from the underside. Slight relief wingtip carving and removable dowel head.

Plywood display board painted like water with maker’s name branded on underside. Loon measures 21.5” long, board 23.5”. Very good and original. (2,000 - 3,000)

305 Tom Schroeder (1886-1976), Detroit, Michigan. Pair of miniature bufflehead. Tucked heads and relief wingtip carving. Measure 4” long. Very good and original.

(400 - 600)

306 Tom Schroeder (1886-1976), Detroit, Michigan. 1/3 size greenwing teal. Slightly turned and tucked head with relief wingtip carving. Signed and dated 1965 on the underside. Measures 7” long. Very good and original. (300 - 500)

307 Tom Schroeder (1886-1976), Detroit, Michigan. Miniature pair of pintails. Slightly turned head and relief wingtip carving. Drake has applied wooden tail sprig. Measures 7” long. Very good and original. (600 - 900)

308 Tom Schroeder (1886-1976), Detroit, Michigan. 1/3 size mallard. Relief wingtip carving. Measures 7.75” long. Original paint has darkened slightly under the original coat of varnish; a few small paint flakes on body; very good structually. (250 - 350)

309 Tom Schroeder (1886-1976), Detroit, Michigan. 1/4 size canvasback. Tucked head with sleepy eye carving and relief wingtips. Measures 7” long. Original paint darkened under the original coat of varnish; very minor roughness on one edge of tail; bill was cracked down and tightly reset with thin line of touchup. (250 - 350)

310 Tom Schroeder (1886-1976), Detroit, Michigan. 1/3 size bluebill. Slightly turned head and relief wingtip carving. Measures 7.5” long. Original paint has darkened slightly under the original coat of varnish; very good structurally. (250 - 350)

310A George May, Nova Scotia, circa 1880. Extremely rare working harlequin duck. Dr. George Ross Starr collection ink stamp twice on underside. One of only five known to exist. Measures 16.5” long. Original paint with areas of flaking to bare wood; drying cracks along body; old chipping and roughness on edge of tail; small amount of glue at neck seat visible under UV light; small chip on one side of bill tip was filled and touched up.

Provenance: Dr. George Ross Starr Jr collection. Robert Gresham collection. Private Southern collection.

Literature: “Floaters and Stick-Ups” by George Reiger, page 21, exact decoy pictured. (20,000 - 30,000)

311 Thomas Chambers (1860-1948), Toronto, Ontario.

Hollow carved canvasback. Long body style and comb feather paint detail. Measures 17” long. Original paint with moderate gunning wear; surface has darkened with age; discoloration above a large knot in one side; lightly hit by shot; roughness on one edge of bill was shaved down with small amount of touchup; old filler at body seam under tail and above nail holes in underside. (4,000 - 6,000)

312 Thomas Chambers (1860-1948), Toronto, Ontario.

Hollow carved redhead. Branded “AH Buhl” on the underside. Measures 16” long. Original paint with minor gunning wear under a thin coat of varnish; small dents in back; and a fine hairline crack in one side of neck.

Provenance: Dean Hyde collection. (1,500 - 2,500)

313 John R. Wells (1861-1953), Toronto, Ontario. Canvasback. Hollow carved with .25” bottom board. Branded “JRW Maker.” Measures 16.25” long. Original paint on black areas of body; white area has had old over paint mostly taken down; half of the bill is a professional replacement; lightly hit by shot; one eye is replaced.

Provenance: Deborah and Martin Maloy collection. (1,200 - 1,800)

314 John R. Wells (1861-1953), Toronto, Ontario. Canvasback hen. Hollow carved with .25” bottom board. Branded “JRW maker”. Also with “HJS” painted on underside. Measures 16” long. Original paint with minor wear; heavily hit by shot; minor roughness on edge of tail; 2/3 of bill is a professional replacement with repaint on all of the bill.

Provenance: Deborah and Martin Maloy collection. (3,000 - 5,000)

315 Tiny bufflehead hen from Ontario, circa 1900. Hollow carved with raised neck seat. Similar to the work of John R. Wells. “D Maddocks” carved in underside. Measures 9.75” long. Worn old paint with significant crazing; lightly hit by shot; tight drying cracks in breast; two tiny nails added at neck seat. (400 - 600)

316 Early Canada goose from Toronto, Ontario. Long hollow body with slight relief wingtip carving. Measures 25” long. Original paint on much of the decoy; shows moderate wear; old over paint was cleaned off of white areas on body and head; professional tail chip repair with some strengthening to black at tail and on bill; chip in one side of neck seat was reset.

Provenance: Dean Hyde collection.

(4,000 - 6,000)

317 Charles Reeves (1877-1941), Long Point, Ontario. Black duck. Thinly hollowed with .25” bottom board and scratch feather paint detail on head. “WW” painted on underside. Measures 15.75” long. Original paint with moderate gunning wear; small dents and shot marks; old chip in one side of bill; roughness at a knot in back.

(1,500 - 2,500)

318 Unknown maker, Markham, Ontario, circa 1900. Hollow carved bluebill hen. Thinly hollowed with .25” bottom board. Measures 16” long. Original paint with minor wear; many shot holes were plugged and touched up and a coat of varnish added.

Provenance: Dean Hyde collection. (3,000 - 4,000)

319 Sam Hutchins, Jones Falls, Ontario. Goldeneye hen with relief wingtip carving and typical cross hatch feather detail. Measures 12.5” long. Original paint with moderate wear; lightly hit by shot; old chips on edge of tail; puppy chews and minor roughness on bill.

Provenance: Private Southern collection. (4,000 - 6,000)

320 Billy Ellis (1865-1963), Whitby, Ontario. Extremely rare working hooded merganser. Slightly turned head with extended crest. The earliest known hooded merganser by the maker. Measures 14.25” long. Original paint with significant crazing and moderate wear; second coat to the white areas; crack through neck and roughness at neck seat; hairline cracks in eyes; bill was cracked down and tightly rest.

Provenance: Private Southern collection.

Literature: “Traditions in Wood” by Patricia Fleming, page 102, exact decoy pictured. (1,500 - 2,500)

321 Rare working bufflehead from Ontario, early 20th century. Thinly hollowed with slight relief wingtip carving. Measures 10.75” long. Original paint with moderate flaking and wear; a few shot strikes; flaking to filler around eyes; head is slightly loose. (800 - 1,200)

322 Rare working bufflehead from the St. Clair Flats. Thinly hollowed with slightly raised neck seat. Red “E” painted on underside. Measures 12.5” long. Original paint with moderate wear; hit by shot; small chip on top of head. (1,000 - 1,500)

323 David W. Nichol (1890-1977), Smith Falls, Ontario. High head black duck. Solid body with relief wingtip carving. Measures 17.5” long. Original paint with very minor wear under a thin coat of varnish; small dent in one side of head, otherwise very good structurally.

Provenance: Dean Hyde collection. (1,000 - 1,400)

324 Ken Anger (1905-1961), Dunnville, Ontario. Pair of greenwing teal. Relief wing and incised feather carving. Drake with extended crest. Measure 11” and 10.5” long. Original paint with very minor wear; thin coat of varnish has darkened with age; excellent structurally. (5,000 - 8,000)

325 Ken Anger (1905-1961), Dunnville, Ontario. Pair of mallards. Incised wingtip carving. Measure 16.25” long. Near mint original paint under an early coat of varnish that has darkened with age.

Provenance: Dr. Michael Shannahan collection. (2,500 - 3,500)

326 Ken Anger (1905-1961), Dunnville, Ontario. Pair of buffleheads with relief wing carving and feather rasping. Measures 10” and 11” long. Original paint with minor wear; some flaking to white on hen’s head; very good structurally.

Provenance: Deborah and Martin Maloy collection. (1,500 - 2,500)

327

(1886-1968), St. Anicet, Quebec. Pair of bluebills. Tucked heads and deep relief feather carving. Measure 14” long. Original paint with very minor wear; small drips of white on hen; a few tiny chips to raised feathers on drake; shallow dent on each side of drake’s head.

Provenance: Bill and Alice Walsh Collection. Obtained from Oliver Auction, July 5&6, 1986. (3,000 - 5,000)

328

(1886-1968), St. Anicet, Quebec. Goldeneye with slightly turned head and deep relief feather carving. Measures 14” long. Original paint with very minor wear; hairline drying cracks in each side; bill was cracked down and professionally reset with some touchup in that area.

Provenance: Bill and Alice Walsh Collection. Obtained from George Thompson at July, 1982 Bourne Auction. (1,200 - 1,800)

329 Wonderful hump back eider from Nova Scotia. Slight swimming pose with exaggerated humped back and paddle tail. Inlaid neck seat. Measures 19” long. Original paint with moderate gunning wear; lightly hit by shot; old chip on one side of tail; minor roughness on tip of bill; may have originally had filler at neck seat that has flaked away; head is slightly loose.

Provenance: Don Leonard collection. (2,000 - 3,000)

330 Charles F. Jacobs, Grand Manan Island, New Brunswick. Oversized eider with brass tack eyes. “C.F. Jacobs” branded on underside.

Measures 22” long. Original paint with moderate gunning wear; wooden patch in one lower side from when the decoy was made; professional bill chip repair; thin wash of white to areas of flaking.

Provenance: Deborah and Martin Maloy collection. (3,000 - 5,000)

331 Working gull from Eastern Canada, mid 20th century. Two piece head with glass eyes. Raised wingtips and 1” bottom board. Measures 21.5” long. Original paint with minor discoloration and wear; hairline crack in one eye; slight separation at bottom board.

Provenance: Private Southern collection. (1,200 - 1,800)

Frank

Erie, Pennsylvania. Canvasback. Wide body with relief wing carving, including heart and anchor. Reared back head. Measures 15” long. Original paint with moderate flaking and wear; chips in underside of bill; cracks through base of neck with three nails added to secure head. (5,000 - 8,000)

333 Frank Buchner (1871-1947), Erie, Pennsylvania. Bluebill hen. Classic heart and anchor relief wing carving. Slightly raised and reared back head with wide cheek carving. Metal tag on underside from Buchner’s personel rig. Meauses 13” long. Original paint with minor to moderate wear; minor roughness on edge of tail; old chip in one side of bill; crack and minor roughness on upper part of neck. (3,000 - 5,000)

Provenance: Dean Hyde collection. (10,000 - 15,000)

Provenance: Dean Hyde collection.

(8,000 - 12,000)

336

Chauncey Wheeler (1888-1937), Alexandria Bay, New York. Brant. Two piece body with raised neck seat and slightly turned head. Relief carved “torn heart” wing pattern. “W.F.B.” branded on underside for William Fields Beal (1870 – 1939), Amityville, NY. Measures 17.5” long. Original paint with minor gunning wear; drying cracks at breast; tiny chip and crack at tail; separation at a knot in one lower side.

Provenance: Dean Hyde collection. (4,000 - 6,000)

337 Chauncey Wheeler (1888-1937), Alexandria Bay, New York. Brant. Hollow carved with relief carved “torn heart” pattern on back. Upswept tail with incised feather carving. “W.F.B.” branded on underside. Measures 18.5” long. Original paint with very minor wear; minor roughness at neck seat; slight separation at body seam; very well done professional tail chip repair.

Provenance: Dean Hyde collection. (4,000 - 6,000)

338 Chauncey Wheeler (1888-1937), Alexandria Bay, New York. Rigmate pair of bluebills. Comb feather paint detail on drake. Measures 14.75” long. Both are in excellent original paint; hen has a tight drying crack on one side of back; otherwise just a few light rubs and small stain spots on drake’s back.

Provenance: Bill and Alice Walsh Collection. Obtained at Julia-Guyette Auction Lot #701, April 1988, St. Charles IL. (1,000 - 1,500)

339 Sam Denny (1874-1953), Clayton, New York. Black duck. “HRW” carved in underside. Measures 17.25” long. Original paint with moderate wear; small dents and shot marks on back; minor roughness on edge of tail. (1,500 - 2,500)

340 Black duck from Alexandria Bay, New York. “MP” embossed on lead weight. Measures 16.25” long. Original paint with minor to moderate wear; professional neck crack repair; many shallow dents in back; roughness on edge of tail. (800 - 1,200)

341 Flying bluewing teal hen from upstate New York, circa 1940s. Applied metal wings. Conjoined “FR” carved in underside. Measures 15.25” long. Original paint with very minor wear; tiny chip in one side of bill; otherwise very good structurally. (1,200 - 1,800)

342 Roy Conklin (1909-1967), Alexandria Bay, New York. Small decorative owl. On wooden perch. Glass marble eyes. Unsigned. Stands 8” tall. Excellent original paint; half of one ear tuft professionally replaced; very slight separation at applied beak.

Provenance: Dean Hyde collection. (800 - 1,200)

343 Roy Conklin (1909-1967), Alexandria Bay, New York. Half size spruce grouse. Typical deep eye groove carving. Unsigned. Measures 8.75” long. Excellent original paint; minor roughness on each corner of tail; tiny chip at tip of bill. (600 - 900)

344 Roy Conklin (1909-1967), Alexandria Bay, New York. Flying miniature mallard diorama. Two mallard drakes applied to painted backboard, that is signed lower right. Ducks measures 4.25” long. Frame measures 16.5” x 20.75”. Very minor discoloration and rubs on backboard; otherwise excellent.

Provenance: Dean Hyde collection. (600 - 900)

345 Julius Middlesteadt (1888-1957), Rochester, New York. Rare bufflehead. Tack eyes. Measures 12” long. Original paint with moderate wear; large spots of old touchup to white on breast and sides; tight crack through neck; in the making filled crack in back. (1,200 - 1,800)

346 Richard Goodwin (1840-1910), oil on canvas. Titled “Perfection.” Image measures 35” x 25”. Frame measures 42” x 31.5”. Signed. Not removed from frame for examination. Frame abrasion with small areas of loss along lower edge. Under UV: varnish applied. No apparent retouching. Canvas remains unlined. Paper backing not fully removed from frame. (25,000 - 35,000)

347 Harry Curieux Adamson (1916-2012), oil on canvas. Image size 35.5” x 29”. Frame measures 41” x 35”. Signed. Titled “Ducks in Flight.” Not removed from frame for examination. No apparent inpainting revealed under UV. Canvas remains unlined. Old label on stretcher. (15,000 - 20,000)

348 Lynn Bogue Hunt (1878-1960), oil on canvas. Image measures 15.5” x 20”. Frame size 22” x 26”. Signed. Not removed from frame for examination. Very slight stretcher marks. Under UV: one very small area of retouching to left edge at center. Also visible in natural light. Reverse with cloth dust cover attached between canvas and stretchers (not adhered to surface of canvas). With collection tag and dealer sticker.

Provenance: Paul Tudor Jones II collection. Drew Holl collection. (25,000 - 35,000)

349 David Maass (b.1929), oil on board. Signed lower left. Image measures 23.25” x 35.25”. Frame measures 31” x 43”. Not removed from frame for examination. No apparent inpainting revealed under UV.

(12,000 - 18,000)

350 Chet Reneson (b. 1934), watercolor Image measures 18” x 28”. Frame measures 26.5” x 37”. Signed. Not removed from frame for examination. No apparent inpainting revealed under UV. (3,000 - 6,000)

351 David Hagerbaumer (1921-2014), watercolor on paper. Image measures 18” x 25”. Frame size 28” x 34”. Signed. Professionally framed and matted. Very good and original. (1,500 - 2,000)

352 David Hagerbaumer (1921-2014), watercolor on paper. Of landing pintails and widgeon. Signed lower right. Image measures 20.75” x 29”. Very minor toning and faint spots of foxing in sky, otherwise excellent. (3,000 - 5,000)

353 David Hagerbaumer (1921-2014), watercolor on paper. Image size 17.75” x 21”. Frame size 25” x 31”. Signed. Professionally matted and framed. Grouse in flight over wooden fence. Very good and original. (1,200 - 1,800)

354 David Hagerbaumer (1921-2014), watercolor on paper. Image measures 14.5” x 21”. Frame size 25’ x 31”. Signed. Wood ducks in flight. Professionally matted and framed. Very good and original. (1,200 - 1,800)

355 Gustav Muss-Arnolt (1858-1927), oil on canvas.

Image measures 9” x 12”. Frame size 12.5” x 15.5”. Signed. Not removed from frame for examination. Under UV: varnish applied. No retouching revealed. Darkening of varnish visible in natural light. Minor frame abrasion and wear at edges of canvas. Graphite writing on stretchers. (5,000 - 8,000)

356 Gustav Muss-Arnolt (1858-1927), oil on canvas. Image measures 9” x 12”. Frame size 12.5” x 15.5”. Signed. Not removed from frame for examination. Under UV: varnish applied. No retouching revealed. Darkening of varnish visible in natural light. Graphite writing on stretchers. (5,000 - 8,000)

357 Garry W. Moss, oil on canvas. Of flying mallards. Signed and dated ‘79 in water ripples lower right. Image measures 23.5” x 35.5”. Frame measures 29.5” x 41.5”. Not examined out of frame; under UV light no restoration or touchups; remains excellent and original. (2,000 - 3,000)

358 John Seery Lester, oil on canvas. Image measures 8.5” x 11.5”. Frame measures 15.5” x 18.5”. Signed. Copyright ‘85. Not removed from frame for examination. No apparent inpainting revealed under UV. (1,500 - 2,000)

359 John Seery Lester, oil on board. Image measures 8.5” x 11.5”. Frame measures 15.5” x 18”. Signed. with copyright ‘83. Also written next to signature “Study of bobcat with back lighting for “Sundown Alert.” Not removed from frame for examination. No apparent inpainting revealed under UV. (1,500 - 2,000)

360 John Seery Lester, oil on canvas. Image measures 11.5” x 8.5”. Frame measures 18.5” x 15.5”. Signed. With copyright ‘85. Not removed from frame for examination. No apparent inpainting revealed under UV. (1,500 - 2,000)

361 Jim Foote (1925-2004), oil on board. Image measures 17.5” x 23.5”. Frame measures 26” x 32”. Signed and dated ‘93. Not removed from frame for examination. No apparent inpainting revealed under UV. (1,500 - 2,500)

362 Jim Foote (1925-2004), oil on canvas. Image measurs 23.5” x 35.5”. Frame measures 29” x 41”. Signed. On back of frame “Painted in 1969, layout shooting in Lake Erie.” Not removed from frame for examination. Slightly yellowed. A few pin size stains. Linen fabric around frame has discolored. No apparent inpainting revealed under UV. (1,500 - 2,500)

Roger Tory Peterson

“The man who turned bird watching into a super sport.” - Audubon Magazine

Peterson’s love of birds began in his youth. When he was eleven, he picked up a flicker which he thought was dead, but when the bundle of feathers exploded to life and flew away, the magical experience set him on his 60 yearlong life’s journey. He credits his seventh-grade teacher as the person who first encouraged him to draw the birds they encountered as part of the school’s Junior Audubon Club. He studied art at the Art Student’s League and the National Academy of Design in New York and, upon graduation, taught science and art in Massachusetts where he first began to develop his concept of what he termed “field marks” as an aid in identification. His technique was applauded among birders as “the greatest invention since binoculars”. He published his first field guide in 1934, and, in the midst of the great depression, the first edition of 2000 copies sold out almost immediately. It has since gone through multiple editions and has sold well over 4 million copies. By the time of his death, he had contributed to the publication of over 40 different guides covering a wide range of natural history subjects.

At various times over the course of 30 years, Roger served as the art editor and chief of education for the National Audubon Society, art director for the National Wildlife Federation, and as a member of the board of directors for The Defenders of Wildlife.

Peterson was twice nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, and he has received practically every major award for ornithology and conservation. He was conferred twentytwo honorary degrees and has received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

His paintings have been exhibited at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC and are in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, The Minneapolis Institute of Art, and Wisconsin’s Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum as well as other fine institutions. Roger Tory Peterson is, without a doubt, one of the most important figures in American ornithology.

362A Roger Tory Peterson, gouache on paper board. Unframed. Measures 16” x 9.75”. From Roger Tory Peterson’s “Field Guide to Birds of Britain and Europe,” plate 45. Dated 1993. Overall good condition. (800 - 1,200)

362B Roger Tory Peterson, gouache on paper board. Unframed. Measures 16.75” x 11”. From Roger Tory

Peterson’s book “Birds of Britain and Europe,” dated 1965. page 66. Overall good condition. (800 - 1,200)

362C Roger Tory Peterson, gouache on paper board. Unframed. Measures 16.5” x 11.25”. From Roger Tory Peterson’s “Field Guide to Britain and Europe.” Plate 65. Dated 1974. Linear stain above head of dove, otherwise good condition. (800 - 1,200)

362D Roger Tory Peterson, gouache on paper board. Unframed. Measures 20” x 13.5”. From Roger Tory Peterson’s “Field Guide to Western Birds.” Plate 281. Dated 1990. Overall good condition. (800 - 1,200)

362E Roger Tory Peterson, gouache on paper board. Unframed. Measures 20” x 13”. From Roger Tory Peterson’s “Field Guide to Western Birds.” Plate 165. Dated 1990. Overall good condition. (800 - 1,200)

362F Roger Tory Peterson, gouache on paper board. Measures 17” x 11.75”. Titled “Accidentals from Europe, or possible strays.” Indicates new plates from eastern

field guide, 5th edition. Most of the birds are painted on the original board, the top group has been painted on a paper overlay attached to the original paper board. Dated 2002. p. 327 Overall good condition. (800 - 1,200)

362G Roger Tory Peterson, gouache over a light blue tissue applied to paper board. Unframed. Measures 17.25” x 12”. A transparent overlay identifies names and markings on birds. From Roger Tory Peterson’s “Eastern Field Guide,” 5th edition, p. 257. Dated 2002. Overall very good. (800 - 1,200)

Session Two • Friday, April 24, 2026 • 10:00am

From Bird Hunting to Bird Watching

Man’s interest in birds can be traced to paleolithic cave art dating back tens of thousands of years. As one would expect, early humans must have occasionally gazed in awe at the creatures, marveling at their beauty or their song and, certainly, they must have pondered their mysterious ability to fly. For the centuries to follow, however, his primary interest was focused on the creatures as simply being a source of meat, eggs and feathers, items all critical for survival.

As human populations grew, man continued to depend on wildlife for what it could provide, and the stories of the associated market hunting are well known. Eventually the widespread killing of birds led to drastic reductions in the population numbers of many species and hunting was a factor in the actual extinction of some. With time, a few individuals began to promote a different approach to their relationship with our feathered neighbors.

Interest in birds for something other than food or feathers was not totally new. As early societies developed, some individuals acquired the means and leisure time to make collections of avian specimens fashionable. Egyptian pharaohs filled their tombs with artifacts and Inca chiefs filled their menageries. By the 1700s better firearms and easier travel fostered not only increased market hunting but the interest in the collecting of wildlife among a widening segment of the population. By the 1800s the amassing of bird skins, eggs and nests had become extremely popular. This was how ornithology was conducted at the time. Having an actual specimen in hand to refer to and compare with others was considered the basis of scientific bird study. To put the extent of this practice into scale, Yale University’s historic collection of labeled bird skins and eggs alone numbers around 165,000 specimens and Harvard University’s holdings of eggs, nest and skins include about 375,000 examples. Other colleges, museums and universities can cite similar numbers, and these do not include the thousands of personal collections that have disappeared over the years. It goes without saying that these practices, too, all necessitated the killing of the birds or their offspring. The opening sentence in the first chapter of “Field Ornithology” published in 1874 by Massachusetts author Elliot Coues begins with the statement, The double barrel shotgun is your main reliance.

Ironically, as firearms improved so did advances in optical equipment, making it much easier to view wildlife in their natural habitat at a distance. Simple telescopes had been around for some time but, in1823, J. F. Voigtländer patented the combination of two achromatic spyglasses into a pair of simple opera glasses, and in 1894, Carl Ziess developed the first pair of successful porro prism binoculars.

For many years, the scientific study of birds, including collecting, was, for the most part, a male dominated world. Men such as Boston’s William Brewster were at the forefront of the academic study of birds, elevating it to a level of serious social and collegiate recognition. He was the founder of the Nuttall Ornithological Club in Boston in 1873 and, in 1883, the co-founder of the American Ornithological Union. This male influence and control would slowly begin to erode, and women began to play an increasingly influential role.

By the late 1800s illustrated field guides began to be more available, greatly easing the identification of species which, previously, was largely reliant only on a written taxonomic description of the birds. When Florence A Merriam (Bailey) was born in 1863, women’s hats were crowned with feathers and sometimes whole birds, all to satisfy the whims of female fashion. On a Manhattan walk in 1886, she saw 40 species displayed on hats in shop windows and in 1889, she released “Birds Through an Opera-Glass,” the first modern illustrated field guide for everyday enthusiasts promoting observation over killing. In 1896 The Massachusetts Audubon Society was formed by Harriet L Hemenway and Minnie B Hall in Boston and, by the turn of the century, similar sentiments were becoming increasingly popular throughout the country.

Eventually, the observation of birds in their natural habitat became the prefered method of study for many. Hunting would remain popular in a sporting sense but it was increasingly being governed by stricter laws and restrictive seasons. “Bird Watching,” as it was known, became a recognized leisure activity. The first use of the term was coined in 1901 by British ornithologist Edmund Selos who penned his well received book titled simply “Bird Watching” in which he detailed his thoughts on observing birds rather than killing them. He wrote: “Let anyone who has an eye and a brain … lay down the gun and take up the glasses for a week, a day, even for an hour, if he is lucky, and he will never wish to change back again. He will soon come to regard the killing of birds as not only brutal, but dreadfully silly.”

By the beginning of the 20th century the study of birds became a serious academic pursuit in its own right. In 1911 Arthur A. Allen became the first Ph.D. ornithologist in the U.S. (Cornell, 1911) and, in 1915 he founded today’s world-renowned Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology.

With increasing popularity and growing acknowledgement and acceptance as a legitimate pastime, bird watching became widely renamed as “Birding” in recognition that it had progressed beyond the mere identification of a species to a more in-depth study of not only the individual but its ecology. Clubs and societies, both large and small, emerged throughout the country both in rural and urban settings. Men and women of all ages, either singularly or in groups participated in the practice at all levels ranging from casual observation to elaborately planned outings and the compilation of prized “life list.” Today, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates that “Birding,” at some level, is enjoyed by about 37% of the population of the Country.

This rapidly growing interest in birds beyond the traditional circle of hunters did not go unnoticed by the early miniaturists in New England. The men who had begun their careers as decoy carvers focused their initial efforts on tiny replicas of their working birds, both ducks and geese as well as shorebirds. Some would slowly make the transition from a concentration on waterfowl and upland game to non-game species. Others, notably those born post 1900, would show a favoritism towards songbirds. In almost every case, the miniature carvings were intended to evoke a fond remembrance of some past experience afield, either with a gun or with optics. Men such as Crowell intended many of their carvings to be sold in groups to schools and libraries as three-dimensional models of the live birds which, along with rapidly improving field guides such as Roger Tory Peterson’s groundbreaking 1934 “A Field Guide to the Birds,” could serve as an aid in identification, certainly a primary step in any future study. By the first quarter of the 20th century, a time when many of the carvers were in their artistic and productive prime, the “minis” were small, attractive, and inexpensive souvenirs meant for the increasing number of tourists frequenting our shorelines, mountains and vacation destinations. Many found their way onto the shelves of prestigious stores such as Abercrombie and Fitch, Shreve Crump and Lowe, The Crossroads of Sport and others where they were eagerly sought as popular gift items. Organizations such as The Massachusetts Audubon Society and the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen offered them through their catalogs and retail outlets where they similarly found a ready market.

Miniature bird carving was practiced to varying degrees throughout the United States, but perhaps nowhere did it flourish as it did in New England where birding can proudly trace its roots. Today the tiny replicas are as popular as when they were carved, and represent a wonderful addition to any sporting or ornithological collection.

Harold Gibbs

1886 - 1970 | Barrington, Rhode Island

Harold Gibbs was truly an individual whose life was inextricably tied to Narraganset Bay. He was born in Middleboro, Massachusetts to Reuben Andrew Gibbs and his wife Fannie (Nelson). Reuben moved his family to Barrington, RI in 1892 and opened a grocery store which also served as the local post office and bakery. Harold graduated from Barrington High School and briefly worked as a trapper for the Wm M Harris Fur Co in Providence. He then began to work for his father at the R.A. Gibbs grocery store as a “clerk,” “salesman,” and eventually, about 1918, “Manager.” In 1908, he married Mabel H Collamore, and one year later they had a daughter, Barbara. By 1920 he had left the grocery business and he appears in the census as “keeper – Game Preserve.” This would have been for Isaac Merriman, a wealthy textile merchant from Fall River, MA on his 300-acre hunting stand on the Palmer River in Swansea, MA. The Merriman camp utilized both live decoys and a large rig of premier Masons. Harold remained with Merriman for four years before moving on to the Bristol Rubber Company and, in 1916, he and Mabel purchased a home on Sowams Rd on the banks of the Warren River, where they resided for the remainder of their lives. As an avid hunter, fisherman, trapper, and birder, the industrial setting offered no

appeal and he soon left the rubber company to spend the remainder of his life surrounded by the fish and game he loved and, especially, the shellfish of Narraganset Bay. He worked as a lobsterman out of Sakonnet Point and then scalloped in the Sakonnet River. By 1930, he had purchased a larger boat which allowed him to swordfish as well as tend his lobster gear. He eventually gave up lobstering and worked for the Warren Oyster Company as “watchman” over their beds in Nayatt and Warwick in Narraganset Bay. Here, he developed a deep interest in shellfish biology and conservation, turning his boat, the Bahama, into a floating laboratory studying the phytoplankton that the shellfish depended upon for food. This resulted in his publishing a number of articles in respected fisheries journals. In 1939, he had earned enough of a reputation that the Rhode Island Governor appointed him State Administrator of Fish and Game. He was an outspoken advocate for the natural resources and wildlife of the State and, due to his perceived lack of support by the State General Assembly, resigned from that position in 1946. His work, however, resulted in Rhode Island College awarding him an honorary master’s degree in education in 1947. He returned to the Bay, this time studying the biology of the quahog (hardshell

363

Harold Gibbs (1886-1970), Barrington, Rhode Island. Miniature feeding turkey. Initialed on underside. Measures 6” long. Very good and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection.

Literature: “Birds in Wood and Paint” by Joseph H. Ellis, page 119, exact carving pictured. (500 - 800)

364 Harold Gibbs (1886-1970), Barrington, Rhode Island. Miniature ruffed grouse. Fanned out tail and extended crest. Signed and dated 1964. Measures 3.25” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (500 - 800)

clam), conducting research for a Long Island shellfish company and the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife. He was appointed by the Governor to the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission and, in 1961, was one of the first members of the Barrington Conservation Commission.

He was a member of the Barrington Rod and Reel Club. A dedicated fisherman, he was a founding father of the “Rhody Fly Tyers” as well as a member of the first chapter of Trout Unlimited in Rhode Island. In the 1940s he was the originator of the “Gibbs Striper Fly,” an example of which is included in the permanent collections of the Museum of Fly Fishing in Manchester VT. The Museum credits him as being “- - - the father of modern striper (rockfish) fishing in the Northeast,” and records his bucktail as “- -one of the first attempts at suggesting a specific forage fish, the silverside.” He was an accomplished writer, publishing numerous articles in sporting periodicals, such as “Outdoors” and “The Salt Water Sportsman. He also wrote on issues such as gun safety for the Orvis Company in Vermont.

It is believed that Gibbs’ first carvings were working decoys for his own use. He did carve a very small number of miniatures in the form of decoys for a fly-tying friend in Bristol, RI and these may provide a clue as to what his full-size birds might have looked like. His real artistic talent, however, rested on his miniature birds. These were

365 Harold Gibbs (1886-1970), Barrington, Rhode Island. Miniature walking pheasant. Signed and dated 1964. Measures 5.75” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (500 - 800)

first executed for his daughter as toys, and they were cherished by her, so he was soon carving them for her friends and neighbors. In a 1942 article in the Providence Journal , he was recorded as saying: “I decided if my little birds were going to be distributed among our friends, I’d better put a little care into them, so I began to make exact miniatures of real birds.” He hated the title “carver” and insisted on being called a “whittler.” Demand for his “little birds” began to soar and he was soon selling them through Orvis. A typed list from the 1930s indicates that he was selling sets of 25 miniature shorebirds for $75.00, possibly influenced by similar sets by Elmer Crowell. He did a number of male and female groupings, perhaps inspired by contemporary RI miniaturist, A.J. King (1881 – 1959) of North Scituate. His work, in turn, influenced fellow Ocean State carver Arthur J. Peltier (1907 – 1982) of Warwick.

Harold Gibbs’ wife of 60 years passed away in 1968 and he died a short two years later at the home of his daughter in Westport, MA. One would like to believe he was casting his Gibbs streamer for stripers in the rips at the mouth of the Westport River at the time. In 1974, a 30 acre parcel on Prudence Island in the Bay was donated to the State for permanent preservation by the Blount Seafood Company of Warren in his name. He is one of the premier carvers discussed in Joe Ellis’ excellent thesis, “Birds in Wood and Paint,” and his “little birds” are actively sought by serious collectors.

366 Harold Gibbs (1886-1970), Barrington, Rhode Island. Miniature sharp tailed grouse. Identified, initialed, and dated 1958. Measures 3.5” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (500 - 800) 365

367 Harold Gibbs (1886-1970), Barrington, Rhode Island. Miniature woodcock. Initialed and dated 1947. Measures 3” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (500 - 800)

368 Harold Gibbs (1886-1970), Barrington, Rhode Island. Miniature quail. Plump little bird in feeding pose. Identified, initialed, and dated 1946. Measures 2” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (500 - 800)

369 Harold Gibbs (1886-1970), Barrington, Rhode Island. Miniature dove with dropped wing carving. Signed and dated 1962. Measures 2.5” long, stands 3.75” tall. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (500 - 800)

370 Harold Gibbs (1886-1970), Barrington, Rhode Island. Miniature barn owl. Relief carved, slightly extended wings and raised wingtips. Signed and dated 1964. Stands 3.75” tall, including base. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection.

Literature: “Birds in Wood and Paint” by Joseph H. Ellis, page 119, exact carving pictured. (500 - 800)

371 Harold Gibbs (1886-1970), Barrington, Rhode Island. Miniature white gyrfalcon. Relief wing carving. Initialed and identified on underside. Measures 3.25” long. Very minor discoloration on breast; tiny chip at tip of bill.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (400 - 700)

372 Harold Gibbs (1886-1970), Barrington, Rhode Island. Miniature peregrine falcon. Deep relief wing carving and extended wingtips. Signed and dated 1970. Ink stamp from the collection of Donald B. Howes.

Stands 3” tall including base. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection.

Literature: “Birds in Wood and Paint” by Joseph H. Ellis, page 119, exact carving pictured. (500 - 800)

373 Harold Gibbs (1886-1970), Barrington, Rhode Island. Miniature immature red tail hawk. Deep relief wing carving and raised wingtips. Initialed, and identified on underside. Stands 3.5” tall including base. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (500 - 800)

374 Harold Gibbs (1886-1970), Barrington, Rhode Island. Miniature feeding avocet. Early style with flat base. Bill is open. Identified, initialed, and dated 1937. Measures 3.75” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection.

Literature: “Birds in Wood and Paint” by Joseph H. Ellis, page 117, exact carving pictured. (500 - 800)

375 Harold Gibbs (1886-1970), Barrington, Rhode Island. Miniature hudsonian godwit. Early style on flat base. Identified, initialed, and dated 1937. Measures 4” long. Half of the bill is a professional replacement, otherwise excellent.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection.

Literature: “Birds in Wood and Paint” by Joseph H. Ellis, page 116, exact carving pictured. (500 - 800)

376 Harold Gibbs (1886-1970), Barrington, Rhode Island. Miniature lesser yellowlegs. Identified and initialed on underside. Measures 3” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (500 - 800)

377 Harold Gibbs (1886-1970), Barrington, Rhode Island. Miniature golden plover. Tucked head and one raised leg. Extended wingtip carving. Identified, initialed, and dated 1946. Measures 2.25” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (500 - 800)

378 Harold Gibbs (1886-1970), Barrington, Rhode Island. Miniature pair of geese with raised wingtip carving. Identified, initialed, and dated 1956. Geese measure 4.5” long. Surface has darkened slightly with age; upright goose with a professional neck crack repair.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (500 - 800)

379 Harold Gibbs (1886-1970), Barrington, Rhode Island. Excellent early pair of miniature wood ducks. Both with raised wingtip carving and extended crest. Drake with tucked head. Initialed on the underside. Ducks measure 2.75” and 3” long. Professional repair to a crack in hen’s neck; otherwise very good and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (500 - 800)

380 Harold Gibbs (1886-1970), Barrington, Rhode Island. Miniature blue goose. Relief wingtip carving. Identified, initialed, and dated 1958. Measures 4” long. Shallow dent in one side of breast otherwise excellent and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (500 - 800)

381 Harold Gibbs (1886-1970), Barrington, Rhode Island. Miniature white fronted goose. Slight relief wingtip carving. Identified and initialed on underside. Measures 3.75” long. A few tiny paint rubs on edge of tail, otherwise excellent.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (500 - 800)

382 Harold Gibbs (1886-1970), Barrington, Rhode Island. Pair of miniature shoveler. On early flat style base. Initialed on underside. Birds measures 2.5” long. Each has darkened slightly with age, otherwise excellent and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (500 - 800)

383 Harold Gibbs (1886-1970), Barrington, Rhode Island. Miniature swimming loon on early style flat base. Identified, initialed, and dated 1938. Measures 3” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (500 - 800)

384 Harold Gibbs (1886-1970), Barrington, Rhode Island. Early miniature widgeon. Identified as balpate, initialed, and dated Feb. 25, 1939. Measures 2.5” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (500 - 800)

385 Harold Gibbs (1886-1970), Barrington, Rhode Island. Miniature walking pintail. Extended wingtips. Signed and dated 1947. Measures 4.25” long. Tiny chip at tip of tail, otherwise excellent and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection.

Literature: “Birds in Wood and Paint” by Joseph H. Ellis, page 118, exact carving pictured. (500 - 800)

386 Harold Gibbs (1886-1970), Barrington, Rhode Island. Miniature whooping crane. Identified, signed, and dated 1947. Also with “Repaired 1966” in the maker’s writing. Measures 6.5” long. Stands 6.25” tall. Repairs to the legs by the maker, otherwise excellent and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (500 - 800)

387 Harold Gibbs (1886-1970), Barrington, Rhode Island. Miniature great blue heron with dropped wingtips and extended crest. Identified, initialed, and dated 1939. Measures 4” long. Some early repairs to lower legs; one dropped wingtip was cracked and reset; minor spots of sap bleed on heron.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (500 - 800)

388 Harold Gibbs (1886-1970), Barrington, Rhode Island. Miniature sandhill crane. Initialed, identified, and dated 1948. Stands 3.25” tall. including base. A few tiny paint flakes on edge of tail, otherwise excellent.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (500 - 800)

389 Harold Gibbs (1886-1970), Barrington, Rhode Island. Miniature great white heron. Deep relief wing carving. Identified, signed, and dated 1964. Measures 4.25” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (500 - 800)

390 Harold Gibbs (1886-1970), Barrington, Rhode Island. Miniature gannet. Deep relief wing carving and raised wingtips. Identified, initialed, and dated 1945. Measures 5” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (500 - 800)

391 Harold Gibbs (1886-1970), Barrington, Rhode Island. Miniature white pelican with relief wing carving and head tucked in to breast. Initialed on underside. Measures 3.25” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (500 - 800)

392 Harold Gibbs (1886-1970), Barrington, Rhode Island. Miniature pelican. Relief wing carving. Identified and initialed on underside. Measures 3.75” long, stands 4” tall. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (500 - 800)

393 Harold Gibbs (1886-1970), Barrington, Rhode Island. Miniature great black-backed gull. Standing on a carved marker channel, numbered 3. Open bill and split tail carving. Identified, initialed, and dated December 12, 1938. Gull measures 3” long, stands 4.5” tall Hairline drying crack in base, otherwise excellent and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (500 - 800)

Jess Blackstone

1909 - 1988 |

Concord, New Hampshire

Of all the talented and noted New England carvers of miniatures, Jess Blackstone was probably the most serious birder and ardent student of ornithology. He was born in Melrose, MA, a suburban community just north of Boston and named after his mother, Jesse Gertrude Dill (1884 –1951). His father, Arthur (1881 – 1951), described himself as a commercial artist when Jess was born and by 1920, he referred to himself as an interior decorator (probably a painter). These artistic talents must have surely had an influence on his son. When Jesse graduated from Melrose High School in 1926, his yearbook notes that “Here we see one of our class artist. ” who “ - - - can draw anything imaginable - - -.” By the time he was 21, he was employed by the local newspaper as a cartoonist. His 1931 Mason membership form lists him as a “sign designer” and between at least 1931 and 1933, the Melrose City Directory refers to him as a “sign painter.” His father, Arthur, had carved some miniatures as a hobby and, in 1937, began to carve them commercially. Jess had attended Cambridge Art School in Boston and soon joined his father in the fledgling business. In the early years, the team found it difficult to market their work, even though they were exhibiting with other noted carvers such as Cape Cod’s A.E. Crowell and Maurice Day of the Whittle Shop in Damariscotta, ME. By the time of the WWII draft, Jess had married Edith Ruth Newman, and the couple had moved to New Hampshire so that Jess could join the New Hampshire League of Craftsmen which had a string of successful sales outlets but required instate residency. After serving in WWII, Blackstone returned to New Hampshire and began his lifelong career as a professional carver of miniatures. His deeply rooted interest in ornithology quickly became apparent in his work. Comprehensive study drawings were made of each new bird, and his painting was meticulous in its detail. His most common bases were somewhat reminiscent of those employed by Elmer Crowell and displayed the birds mounted on roughly circular, chip carved “rocks” with wire legs and painted feet. Occasionally he would employ a driftwood mount. Over the years he developed a coding system to somewhat date his carvings and this, along with his stylized initials and individual species name appears on the bottom of the bases.

He was extremely prolific and is known to have carved over 160 different species and/or sexes of birds. Certain popular species, such as chickadees, were produced in great numbers while others may be represented by only one or two examples. His lifetime production is estimated to have been between 8500 and 8750 miniatures. In 1947, these were sold for an average of $2.00 apiece and, by the 1950s, they were priced at between $5.95 and $15.00 each. He was beginning to slow down in the 1980s when he was then pricing his birds at between $45.00 and $95.00 dollars. He was extremely active in the Boy Scouts of America and the Audubon Society of New Hampshire. He died after a stay in the McKerley Medical Center in Concord and was buried privately in the Dartmouth College Cemetery in Hanover without any services or calling hours.

Without a doubt, Jess Blackstone should be considered one of the very finest and most accomplished of the New England carvers of miniatures. His are some of the most life-like and finely detailed carvings and are included in many of the finest ornithological collections in the country.

394 Jess Blackstone (1909-1988), Concord, New Hampshire. Miniature old squaw or long-tailed duck. Smooth body with slightly turned head. Identified, initialed, and numbered 1 on underside. Also dated 1942. Measures 5” long. Original paint with some minor rubs; small spots of touchup around neck seat.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (1,000 - 1,400)

395 Jess Blackstone (1909-1988), Concord, New Hampshire. Miniature goldeneye. Smooth body with slightly turned head. Identified, initialed, and numbered 1 on underside. Also dated 1942. Measures 4” long. Very minor discoloration from a thin coat of varnish; tiny paint flake on top of head; old glue visible at neck seat.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (1,000 - 1,400)

396 Jess Blackstone (1909-1988), Concord, New Hampshire. Miniature baldpate or widgeon. Smooth body with relief wingtip carving. Identified, initialed, and numbered 1 on underside. Also dated 1943. Measures 4” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (1,000 - 1,400)

397 Jess Blackstone (1909-1988), Concord, New Hampshire. Miniature ruddy duck. Slightly turned head. Identified, initialed, and numbered 1 on underside. Also dated 1950. Measures 3.25” long. A few small spots of touchup on breast, otherwise excellent

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (1,000 - 1,400)

398 Jess Blackstone (1909-1988), Concord, New Hampshire.

Miniature semipalmated plover. Feather rasping and slight relief wingtip carving. Identified, initialed, and numbered 1 on underside. Also dated 1947. Measures 3.25” long. Minor paint flaking on tip of bill and edge of tail; some spots of discoloration on body; shallow dent on each side of tail.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (1,000 - 1,400)

399 Jess Blackstone (1909-1988), Concord, New Hampshire.

Miniature turnstone. Raised wingtips and feather rasping. Identified, and numbered 36 on underside. Measures 3.75” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (1,000 - 1,400)

400 Jess Blackstone (1909-1988), Concord, New Hampshire.

Miniature sandpiper. Raised wingtips and feather rasping. Head is turned slightly to one side. Identified, initialed, and numbered 6555 on underside. Measures 3.5” long. Minor discoloration on edge of base; neck seam has separated slightly; small spots of discoloration on breast.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection.

Literature: “Birds in Wood and Paint” by Joseph H. Ellis, page 135, exact carving pictured. (1,000 - 1,400)

401 Jess Blackstone (1909-1988), Concord, New Hampshire. Miniature red faced warbler. Dropped wing carving and feather rasping. Identified, initialed, and numbered 1 on underside. Measures 3.5” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (1,000 - 1,400)

402 Jess Blackstone (1909-1988), Concord, New Hampshire. Miniature townsend’s warbler. Dropped wing carving and feather rasping. Identified, initialed, and numbered 1 on underside. Measures 3.5” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (1,000 - 1,400)

403 Jess Blackstone (1909-1988), Concord, New Hampshire. Miniature painted warbler. Dropped wing carving and feather rasping. Identified, initialed, and numbered 1 on underside. Measures 3.5” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (1,000 - 1,400)

404 Jess Blackstone (1909-1988), Concord, New Hampshire. Miniature blue winged warbler. Dropped wing carving and feather rasping. Identified, initialed, and numbered 1 on underside. Measures 3.5” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (1,000 - 1,400)

405 Jess Blackstone (1909-1988), Concord, New Hampshire. Miniature black throated green warbler. Dropped wing carving and feather rasping. Rare slightly turned head. Identified, initialed, and numbered 45 on underside. Measures 3.5” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection.

Literature: “Birds in Wood and Paint” by Joseph H. Ellis, page 136, exact carving pictured. (1,000 - 1,400)

406 Jess Blackstone (1909-1988), Concord, New Hampshire. Miniature cerulean warbler. Dropped wing carving and feather rasping. Head is turned slightly to one side. Identified, initialed, and numbered 22 on underside. Measures 3.5” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (1,200 - 1,800)

407 Jess Blackstone (1909-1988), Concord, New Hampshire. Miniature chestnut sided warbler. Dropped wing carving and feather rasping. Head is turned slightly to one side. Identified and numbered 31 on underside. Measures 3.5” long. Bill is a professional replacement; otherwise excellent.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (1,200 - 1,800)

408 Jess Blackstone (1909-1988), Concord, New Hampshire. Miniature evening grosbeak. Dropped wing carving and feather rasping. Rare slightly turned head and thigh carving. Identified, initialed, and numbered 52 on underside. Also with “DW 5901”. Measures 3.75” long. Tiny paint flake on back and tight cracks at thighs, otherwise excellent and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection.

Literature: “Birds in Wood and Paint” by Joseph H. Ellis, page 134, exact carving pictured. (1,000 - 1,400)

409 Jess Blackstone (1909-1988), Concord, New Hampshire. Miniature kentucky warbler. Dropped wing carving and feather rasping. Identified and numbered 2 on underside. Measures 3.75” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (1,000 - 1,400)

410 Jess Blackstone (1909-1988), Concord, New Hampshire. Miniature red eyed vireo. Dropped wing carving and feather rasping. Identified, initialed, and numbered 2 on underside. Measures 3.75” long. Minor spots of discoloration on back, otherwise excellent.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (1,000 - 1,400)

411 Jess Blackstone (1909-1988), Concord, New Hampshire. Miniature grasshopper sparrow. Dropped wing carving and feather rasping. Identified, initialed, and numbered 3 on underside. Measures 3.75” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (1,000 - 1,400)

412 Jess Blackstone (1909-1988), Concord, New Hampshire. Miniature blackpole warbler. Dropped wing carving and feather rasping. Identified, initialed, and numbered 3 on underside. Measures 3.5” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection.

Literature: “Birds in Wood and Paint” by Joseph H. Ellis, page 12, exact carving pictured. (1,000 - 1,400)

413 Jess Blackstone (1909-1988), Concord, New Hampshire. Miniature hermit thrush. Dropped wing carving and feather rasping. Identified, initialed, and numbered 12 on underside. Measures 4” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (1,000 - 1,400)

414 Jess Blackstone (1909-1988), Concord, New Hampshire. Miniature Parula warbler. Dropped wing carving and feather rasping. Identified, initialed, and numbered 8 on underside. Measures 3.5” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (1,200 - 1,800)

415 Jess Blackstone (1909-1988), Concord, New Hampshire. Miniautre thrasher. Dropped wing carving and feather rasping. Identified, initialed, and numbered 31 on underside. Measures 4.25” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection.

Literature: “Birds in Wood and Paint” by Joseph H. Ellis, page 137, exact carving pictured. (1,000 - 1,400)

416 Jess Blackstone (1909-1988), Concord, New Hampshire. Miniature meadowlark. Dropped wing carving and feather rasping. Identified, initialed, and numbered 88 on underside. Measures 4.25” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (1,000 - 1,400)

417 Jess Blackstone (1909-1988), Concord, New Hampshire. Miniature Carolina wren. Dropped wing carving, feather rasping, and upswept tail. Identified, initialed, and numbered 5 on underside. Measures 3.25” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (1,000 - 1,400)

418 Jess Blackstone (1909-1988), Concord, New Hampshire. Miniature blackburnian warbler. Dropped wing carving and feather rasping. Identified and numbered 47 on underside. Measures 3.5” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (1,200 - 1,800)

419 Jess Blackstone (1909-1988), Concord, New Hampshire. Miniature Cape May warbler. Dropped wing carving and feather rasping. Identified, initialed, and numbered 6522 on underside. Measures 3.5” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (1,200 - 1,800)

420 Jess Blackstone (1909-1988), Concord, New Hampshire. Miniature myrtle warbler. Dropped wing carving and feather rasping. Identified, initialed, and numbered 151 on underside. Measures 3.5” long. Very tiny paint rub on tip of bill and one edge of tail, otherwise excellent and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (1,000 - 1,400)

421 Jess Blackstone (1909-1988), Concord, New Hampshire. Miniature Baltimore oriole. Dropped wing carving and feather rasping. Identified, initialed, and numbered 3 on underside. Also dated 1951. Measures 4.25” long. Very fine hairline crack in beak; otherwise excellent.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (1,000 - 1,400)

422 Jess Blackstone (1909-1988), Concord, New Hampshire. Miniature cardinal. Dropped wing carving and feather rasping. Also with extended crest. Identified and numbered 6437 on underside. Measures 4.25” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (1,000 - 1,400)

423 Jess Blackstone (1909-1988), Concord, New Hampshire. Miniature blue jay. Raised wingtips and feather rasping. Slightly turned head with extended crest. Identified, initialed, and numbered 76 on underside. Measures 4” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (1,000 - 1,400)

424 Jess Blackstone (1909-1988), Concord, New Hampshire. Miniature flicker on natural wood base. Raised wingtips and feather rasping. Relief tail feather carving. Identified, initialed, and numbered 3 on underside. Flicker Measures 4.25” long, stands 8” tall with base. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (1,000 - 1,400)

425 Augustus “Gus” Wilson (1864-1950), South Portland, Maine. Exceedingly rare pair of 1/3 size mergansers. Wilson’s early Monhegan style with relief wing carving, inlaid neck seats, and reared back heads. Heads are slightly turned with extended crests. Measure 8.75” and 9.75” long. Original paint with minor flaking and wear; chipping in both tails; with drake’s having been darkened; white areas on hen appear to have had a thin second coat added; a few small spots of touchup on drake; crack through drake’s head was tightly reset; both bills are professional replacements.

Provenance: Dr. John Dinan collection. Jim Doherty, Jr. collection. Joseph Ellis collection. (3,000 - 4,000)

426 Augustus “Gus” Wilson (1864-1950), South Portland, Maine. Extremely rare meadowlark. Relief wing and incised feather carving. Measures 11” long. Original paint with very minor wear; a thin coat of varnish has created an appealing crazed surface; hairline crack along one side.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (4,000 - 6,000)

427 Augustus “Gus” Wilson (1864-1950), South Portland, Maine. Orchard oriole. Relief, dropped wing carving. Measures 8.25” long. Original paint under a thin coat of varnish; professional bill tip restoration; otherwise good structurally.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (2,000 - 3,000)

428 Augustus “Gus” Wilson (1864-1950), South Portland, Maine. Excellent robin. Relief, dropped wing carving and open beak. Measures 11” long. Minor roughness on one edge of tail and a small dent in back, otherwise near mint.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (1,200 - 1,800)

429 Augustus “Gus” Wilson (1864-1950), South Portland, Maine. Bluejay. Relief wing carving and extended wingtips. Incised feather detail. Measures 11.5” long. Original paint with moderate crazing and wear; fine crack in tail; minor blunting at tip of bill.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (800 - 1,200)

430 Augustus “Gus” Wilson (1864-1950), South Portland, Maine. Robin. Relief, dropped wing carving. With incised feather detail. Measures 10.75” long. Original paint that has darkened with age; chips in tail were tightly reglued; professional bill chip repair.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (800 - 1,200)

431 Arnold T Melby (1909 – 2000) So Yarmouth, Massachusetts. Decorative wood thrush on natural wood perch. Slightly turned head and dropped wing carving. Relief wing and tail feather carving. “Melbye” carved in underside of bird. Thrush measures 6.5” long, perch measures 12” tall. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Joseph Ellis collection. (3,000 - 4,000)

431A Steve Weaver (b.1950), Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Semi palmated plover. Slight relief wing feather carving. Identified and signed on the underside of base. Initialed and with the maker’s signature carved feather on base. Measures 5.5” long. Excellent and original. (1,500 - 2,500)

432 Alan James King (1881-1963), North Scituate, Rhode Island. Excellent pair of miniature pheasant. Relief wing and tail feather carving. Measure 3.5” and 4.25” long. Repair to a chip on one side of cock pheasant’s tail tip; otherwise excellent and original. (2,500 - 3,500)

433 George Boyd (1873-1941), Seabrook, New Hampshire. Miniature knot in winter plumage. Measures 4” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Dan Graf collection.

(1,000 - 1,400)

434 George Boyd (1873-1941), Seabrook, New Hampshire. Miniature upland plover. Identified on the underside. Measures 4” long. Moderate crazing on back; and a small paint rub on back of neck; otherwise very good and original.

Provenance: Dan Graf collection.

(1,500 - 2,500)

435 George Boyd (1873-1941), Seabrook, New Hampshire. Miniature godwit. Measures 4.75” long. Original paint with very fine crazing on back; some touchup on bill.

Provenance: Dan Graf collection. (1,200 - 1,800)

436 George Boyd (1873-1941), Seabrook, New Hampshire. Miniature black bellied plover in winter plumage. Measures 3.75” long. Two spots of thick varnish on underside; thin stroke of black paint on underside.

Provenance: Dan Graf collection. (1,200 - 1,800)

437 George Boyd (1873-1941), Seabrook, New Hampshire. Miniature ruddy turnstone in winter plumage. Identified on the underside. Measures 4.25” long. Moderate paint shrinkage on back; small paint rub on back and one side of head.

Provenance: Dan Graf collection. (800 - 1,200)

438 George Boyd (1873-1941), Seabrook, New Hampshire. Miniature snow goose. Simple black and white paint pattern. Measures 4” long. Very minor rubs and slight separation at neck seat, otherwise good and original.

Provenance: Dan Graf collection. (800 - 1,200)

439 George Boyd (1873-1941), Seabrook, New Hampshire. Pair of miniature mallards. Drake with slightly turned head. Measure 4.25” long. Hen is near mint; drake with fine crazing on breast and back.

Provenance: Dan Graf collection. (2,000 - 3,000)

440 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Miniature Canada goose. Maker’s rectangle stamp on underside. Measures 5.5” long. Original paint with some very fine crazing on back; a hairline crack in underside was secured with a nail in one side; filler and touchup above the nail. (800 - 1,200)

441 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Early miniature wood duck. Remnants of maker’s ink stamp on underside. Measures 4” long. Excellent and original. (1,200 - 1,800)

442 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Miniature mallard. Maker’s rectangle stamp on underside. Measures 4.75” long. Original paint that has darkened with age; professional neck crack repair. (700 - 1,000)

443 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Miniature redhead hen. Maker’s rectangle stamp and the number 6 on underside. Measures 4” long. Minor blunt on tip of tail, otherwise excellent. (800 - 1,200)

444 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Miniature bufflehead. Maker’s rectangle stamp on underside. Also with John S. Dumont collection ink stamp. Measures 3” long. Very good and original. (1,000 - 1,400)

445 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Miniature woodduck. Extended crest carving. Maker’s rectangle stamp and 23 on underside. Measures 4.25” long. Very minor flaking on edge of base and top of head; otherwise excellent. (1,200 - 1,800)

446 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Very rare half size standing decorative black duck. Slightly turned head and raised wingtips. Maker’s oval brand in underside. Measures 11” long, stands 7.75” tall. Thin line of touchup to flaking at part of neck seat and some old glue visible under UV light where legs attach to body; otherwise near mint.

Provenance: Dean Hyde collection. (7,000 - 10,000)

447 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Half size tern. Split tail carving and tiny tack eyes. Carved oyster base with maker’s rectangle stamp on underside. Measures 6.5” long. Original paint with very minor discoloration; one tail feather is replaced; half of the bill is a professional replacement.

(2,000 - 3,000)

448 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Decorative lesser yellowlegs. Slightly turned head and split tail carving. Carved quohog base with maker’s rectangle stamp. Also signed and dated 1940 by Crowell. Measures 8.25” long, stands 9” tall. Original paint that has darkened with age; tight crazing to varnish on legs; a crack in the bill was professionally restored otherwise excellent.

Provenance: Tom Karras collection.

(5,000 - 8,000)

450 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Decorative walking sanderling. Maker’s signature and rectangle stamp on underside of carved quahog shell. Measures 5.25” long. Excellent original paint with tiny rub at tip of bill; restoration to jesso thighs; one jesso toe is missing and a small chip in the other foot.

Provenance: Deborah and Martin Maloy collection. (3,000 - 4,000)

450

451 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1951), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Full-size decorative nuthatch. On chip carved base with maker’s rectangle stamp. Signed “Dad Crowell December 25, 1950”. Measures 4” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Ted and Judy Harmon collection.

(2,000 - 4,000)

452 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Wood duck with extended crest and slightly turned head. Round inlayed weight on underside. Also with maker’s oval brand on underside. Measures 11.5” long. Original paint with a few very minor rubs; an early coat of varnish has darkened slightly with age; excellent structurally.

Provenance: Deborah and Martin Maloy collection. (12,000 - 18,000)

453 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Excellent pintail. Slightly turned head. Maker’s oval brand on underside. Measures 19.25” long. Original paint with minor flaking; tight crack through neck; fine hairline cracks along one side and underside; minor roughness on edge of bill and tail.

Provenance: Chris Mackey collection.

Literature: “Decoys – North America’s Hundred Greatest” by Loy S. Harrell Jr., page 80-81, exact decoy pictured. (25,000 - 35,000)

454 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Excellent mallard. Maker’s oval brand on underside. Slightly turned head. Goldberger collection ink stamp on underside. Measures 17.5” long. Original paint with very minor wear; small spots of touchup on sides, back, and head.

Provenance: Chris Mackey collection. (15,000 - 25,000)

455 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Excellent and early mallard hen. Prebrand model with upswept bill. “CM” brand in underside. Measures 17” long. Excellent original paint with very minor wear; drying crack along the underside; slight separation at neck seat.

Provenance: Chris Mackey collection. (12,000 - 18,000)

456 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Rare working widgeon. Maker’s oval brand on underside. Slightly turned head and relief tail feather carving. Measures 14.5” long. Original paint with moderate wear; a few small dents; and a small chip at one side of body; otherwise very good structurally.

Provenance: Chris Mackey collection.

(8,000 - 12,000)

457 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Manomoy style brant with large tack eyes and applied bill. Maker’s oval brand on the underside. Decoy was used on a triangle rig. Measures 19” long. Original paint with very minor wear on body; moderate flaking and wear on neck and head; flaking to filler at neck seat; includes original applied bill; large dents on underside and one lower edge near tail.

Provenance: Deborah and Martin Maloy collection. (7,000 - 10,000)

458 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Early black duck. Maker’s oval brand on underside. Slightly turned head. Measures 16.5” long. Original paint with very minor wear; drying crack along the underside; small amount of touchup at neck seat.

Provenance: Chris Mackey collection. (6,000 - 9,000)

459

460

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Early goldeneye hen. Pre-brand model. Hollow carved with relief crossed wing carving and slightly turned head. “Stanley” brand on underside. Measures 13.75” long. Original paint with minor gunning wear; lightly hit by shot; split in bottom board was tightened with old screws; slight separation to body seam at breast.

Provenance: Chris Mackey collection.

(8,000 - 12,000)

A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Mallard. Slightly turned head and maker’s rectangle stamp on underside. Measures 16.25” long. Original paint by Cleon Crowell with very minor wear; professional neck crack repair; some separation at wood grain on one lower side.

(2,000 - 4,000)

461 Rare working loon from Friendship, Maine, circa 1930s. Inlet neck seat and summer plumage paint detail. Measures 24.75” long. Original paint with moderate wear; small knots and defects in wood used for body; head was tightened with old nails added at sides; split in back was filled when decoy was made.

Provenance: Private Southern collection. (3,000 - 5,000)

462 Augustus “Gus” Wilson (1864-1950), South Portland, Maine. Calling black duck. Relief wing carving and slightly turned inlaid head. Open bill carving. Measures 17.75” long. Original paint with very minor wear; typical defect in wood on one side with in the making filler which has flaked slightly; drying crack at wood grain around top part of head.

Provenance: Don Leonard collection. (5,000 - 8,000)

“While the vegetable life of the island is truly remarkable for its infinite variety, no such boast can be made in regard to its animal life. Whatever may have been the situation previous to its settlement — and that we have no means of knowing — its animals of today are remarkable only for their scarcity. With the exception of rats and mice, no wild mammals are found; not a fox or a coon or a rabbit; not a skunk or woodchuck or porcupine; no minks, otters, or fur-bearing animals; no squirrels of any kind — not even a chipmunk. If any of these animals, common enough on the adjacent mainland, ever found residence here (probably some of them did), they have become extinct. A few small snakes, frogs, toads and salamanders comprise the native land animals. There are adult persons living on the island who have never seen a single specimen of the above-mentioned animals.

The scarcity of the mammalia is more than compensated for by the denizens of the sea and by the birds of the air. During the spring and fall migrations, Matinicus seems to be in the path of countless numbers of land birds who stop here for a few days — or weeks — on their way north or south, as the case may be, and many of them breed here. However, it is its great flocks of numerous varieties of sea birds for which the waters of Matinicus and adjacent islands are celebrated. Although not as numerous as formerly, large numbers of coot (scoters) and various kinds of ducks furnish splendid sport for the gunners, in their season.”

Matinicus Isle: It’s Story and It’s People , by Charles A.E. Long, Lewiston Journal Printshop, 1926.

463 Outstanding eider from Matinicus Island, Maine, circa 1890. Branded “W.L. Ames” in underside for Capt. Wilmer L. Ames (18531933). Long inlet neck seat and relief bill carving. Measures 17” long. Original paint with moderate flaking and wear; moderately hit by shot; old chip in tip of bill; an old chip in tail had been nailed back and was broke off again at some point; some separation at wood grain on back with a few small nails added; a very thin wash to white areas appears to have been done in the making. (30,000 - 40,000)

Irving Jewett Wallace 1875 – 1965 | Small Point, Maine

The Wallace family was a dominant decoy carving clan on the eastern shore of Casco Bay for many years. The town of Phippsburg protrudes far out into the open Atlantic, terminating in the small hamlets of West Point and Small Point. The father and son decoy carving team of Amos Wallace (1882 – 1968) and his son, Alton, from West Point are documented in Doc Starr’s “Decoys of the Atlantic Flyway”. Directly across the small harbor from their residence was Small Point, the home of Irving Wallace, another member of the large family. He was a fisherman and boat captain by trade and would, ultimately, establish a wholesale fish operation, serving the other lobstermen in the village. While not exact copies, all members of the family seem to have utilized very similar designs and painting patterns in their decoys, and all would have found years of hard use off the rocky coastline. The pair of decoys offered here were retained by the family until 2011 when they were purchased by the present consignor.

464 Irving Jewett Wallace (1876 – 1965), Small Point, Maine. Excellent and unused rigmate pair of red-breasted mergansers. Long bodies with inlaid neck seats and extended crests. Measure 21.5” and 19.25” long. Original paint with minor rubs and wear; appealing tightly crazed surface on white areas; tiny chip at the tip of each crest; tiny chip and roughness on tip of drake’s bill. (25,000 - 35,000)

Cassius Manilius Smith

1847 – 1907 | Milford, Connecticut

Flowing into Long Island Sound, the mouth of the Housatonic River is framed by Stratford on the western shore and Milford to the east. Here, Milford terminates in a barrier beach, protecting the 850 acre marsh complex known as Nells Island to its rear. Likewise, on maps of the mid 1800s, much of the town’s shoreline on the Sound appears as salt marsh. This area was rather sparsely settled and was ideal habitat for migrating waterfowl. It was near the tip of Milford’s barrier beach that, in 1847, George Trent Smith (1824 – 1894) chose to build a coastal resort. The establishment catered to beachgoers in the summer and hunters in the Fall. The Milford Point House (aka Milford Point Hotel) was a family run affair. George was the manager until his death when that role was assumed by, variously, his wife, brother Minor, and sons, Cassius and George Jr.

The hotel was Cassius’ life. He never married and was apparently active in the local sporting and social scene. A number of newspaper articles of the day indicate that he and George Jr were avid participants in the local sailing circles and Cassius was a known hunter as indicated by an April 17, 1883 article in New Haven’s Morning Journal.

Men in the family served as guides, hunted to provide game for the hotel tables and, they made decoys. A number of birds, stylistically very similar, yet showing an evolution in design and workmanship, have been attributed to various family members. Some bearing the “S&S” brand were said by Bill Mackey to be the work of brothers George Sr and Minor. Some sport the clear “C. Smith” brand, while still others carry brands such as “D.A. Young,” a Long Island (NY) collector. Which of the four men, George Sr, Minor, Cassius, or George Jr made which bird or did collaborations take place over the years, is open to debate. Shang Wheeler, reporting in Connett’s “Duck Shooting Along The Atlantic Flyway” stated that in the

1870s “ Men such as Captain George Smith - - - came onto the picture - - -. These men were capable gunners. Their decoys too were by now much better- - - . ” Which “Captain George” he was speaking of, George Sr. or Jr., is not clear.

In his “Connecticut Decoys” author Henry Chitwood chose to celebrate the family by using two Smith birds for the cover of his book. The family carved a variety of species, notably those commonly associated with the saltmarsh such as blacks, whistlers and mergansers. Mallards by the Smiths are extremely rare. Time has anointed Cassius as the premier carver in the family, but the passage of time has cast a cloud over the possibility of any positive identification. Whether they are labeled today as the work of a particular individual or, simply, referred to as the “Milford Hotel rig” or “Smith family,” the decoys themselves represent some of the Nutmeg State’s finest carvings.

The Milford Point House still stands today where it serves as the headquarters for Connecticut Audubon Society’s Coastal Center at Milford Point.

465 Important mallard attributed to Cassius Smith. Hollow carved with forward slanting neck seat and carved eyes. Slight ice groove carving behind neck seat. Inlaid lead weight and “D.A. Young” brand on underside. Jim Doherty collection sticker on underside. Measures 16.25” long. Original paint with minor gunning wear; lightly hit by shot; some roughness on one side of bill; head is slightly loose.

Provenance: Private Museum in Mattituck, Long Island. Bud Ward collection. Larry Pollin collection. Jim and Patricia Doherty collection.

Literature: “Connecticut Decoys” by Henry C. Chitwood, page 135, exact decoy pictured. “Decoys: A North American Survey” by Gene and Linda Kangas, page 205, exact decoy pictured. (12,000 - 18,000)

Louis C. Rathmell

1898 - 1974 | Danbury, Connecticut

Louis Rathmell was born in 1898 to a relatively average family in New Jersey. However, his life would take a dramatic turn when he met and married Irene Parks Jennings, who happened to be from a very wealthy family in Danbury, Connecticut. As a result of this extraordinary good fortunate, Lou would spend the majority of his adult life living on their estate in “Hearthstone Castle” and managing the expansive property named “Tarrywile Farm.”

Aside from his business acumen, Lou developed a passion for the outdoors and became an avid sportsman. According to renowned collector Donal C. O’Brien, “Rathmell was probably the best hunter of those who hunted the Stratford marshes. He not only made beautiful decoys, but stood alone as a wing shot and duck caller. His presence in the marsh was feared by the other hunters.”

Lou Rathmell apparently made fewer than 100 decoys, seemingly all for his own use or gifts to select friends. His early efforts were quite simplistic and bordered on crude. Fate again smiled on Lou, when he met and befriended an older and much more accomplished Charles “Shang” Wheeler. Lou was soon emulating his work and undoubtedly copying his patterns. It was not an unusual circumstance for “Shang” to encourage and mentor young carvers from the Stratford area. Due to Shang’s guidance, Rathmell would greatly improve both his carving and his painting. On one occasion Louis bested his tutor by winning the National Decoy Show in New York. In 1951, at the same New York show, Rathmell took the “Best of Show” honors under the discriminating panel of prestigious judges; Bill Mackey, Joel Barber, and Lynn Bogue Hunt.

Perhaps his crowning achievement was a rig of 55 phenomenal Black Ducks that he made in 1941. Each was unique, having slightly different head heights and positions. Dixon Merkt, in his chapter on Connecticut decoys in “The Great Book of Decoys,” states that this “must be considered one of the best gunning rigs ever made.” Ironically, this was the same year that Shang Wheeler made an almost identical cork Black Duck as a wedding present for the daughter of his friend. Dixon also relates the common belief that “There are those collectors that believe Rathmell’s work is equal to or possibly better than (that of) his mentor.” The two Makers’ works are very similar and often hard to differentiate at first glance. The most obvious difference is that Wheeler used applied teardrop weights while Rathmell normally inlet his weights on his working decoys, and these are usually stamped with his name.

Rathmell and Wheeler also shared a love of fishing. A little known fact is that in addition to fishing in Maine (Wheeler) and Connecticut (Rathmell and Wheeler), both men spent a considerable amount of time plying the waters off Westport, Massachusetts, and both men utilized the guiding services of Captain Bill Head of Westport Point. In appreciation for his guiding services, Wheeler gave the good Captain a sleeping Black Duck as a gift, and is also known to have given a number of small sketches to neighborhood children outside a local ice cream shop.

Rathmell spent many summer mornings at “the point”, “rowing about the harbor in the morning in his little blue skiff.” In the article on Rathmell in Decoy Magazine, Cliff Alexander shows a page from Rathmell’s 1945 hunting journal where, across the top of the page, is written “Jerry Lougganes – Mgr. Moby Dick.” The Moby Dick, now the “Back Eddy,” was a popular seafood restaurant on the opposite side of the harbor and directly across the bridge from the docks on the Point. The picture of Rathmell holding a striper in Cliff’s article was almost certainly taken at Westport Point.

466 Louis C. Rathmell (1898-1974), Danbury, Connecticut. Excellent sleeping black duck. Cork body with curled sleeping head style. Scratch feather paint detail on head. Inlaid lead weight with maker’s name and dated 1941. Dr. Lloyd Griffith collection ink stamp on underside. Measures 16.5” long. Excellent original paint with almost no wear; small dent on one side of breast was darkened; otherwise excellent structurally.

Provenance: Dr. Lloyd Griffith collection. Private California collection. (18,000 - 25,000)

468

Allen Thompson,

Bluebill drake. Hollow carved with .5” bottom board and slightly turned head. Inlayed lead weight on underside. Mackey collection ink stamp twice on underside. Measures 13” long. Very old overpaint was cleaned down and strengthened with moderate wear on lighter areas; moderately hit by shot; hairline crack and minor roughness on tail; multiple hairline cracks at nails in bottom board; drying split in breast.

(4,000 - 6,000)

Pair of long-tailed ducks. Tack eyes. Thompson brand on underside of hen. Measure 10.5” long. Original paint with moderate flaking and wear; chip in underside of drake’s bill; four small nails added at hen’s neck seat causing two cracks.

Provenance: Private Southern collection. (3,000 - 4,000)

469 Hollow carved Labrador duck from Long Island, mid-19th century. Slightly turned head with tack eyes. Decoy is hollowed from the back. Peter Muller collection ink stamp on underside. Measures 13.5” long. Original paint with moderate crazing and wear; an old coat of varnish has darkened with age; old chip in underside of bill and tip of tail; slight separation at neck seat.

Provenance: Private Southern collection.

Literature: “American Bird Decoys” by William J. Mackey Jr., page 62, exact decoy pictured.

(3,000 - 5,000)

470 Ben Pease (1866-1938), Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. Black duck with slightly turned head and tack eyes. Measures 16.75” long. Original paint with moderate wear; chipping and roughness on edge of tail; minor loss to heart wood on the underside; slight separation at neck seat; a thin wash of varnish on head and neck. (3,000 - 5,000)

471 Early long-tail duck hen from New England, circa 1880. Round inlet neck seat and carved eyes. Measures 11” long. Original paint with minor gunning wear; crack in one side of neck; thin coat of varnish has darkened with age; tiny spot of touchup at one side of face. (2,000 - 3,000)

472 Allen Stewart, Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. Early black duck. Solid body with tack eyes and raised neck seat. Measures 15.5” long. Original paint with moderate flaking and wear; in the making wooden patch on one side wtih slight separation and flaking to filler; small amount of old glue visible at neck seat. (1,200 - 1,800)

473 Joe Davis, Falmouth, Massachusetts. Merganser hen. Identified in pencil on underside. Measures 15” long. Original paint with very minor wear; under a thin coat of varnish; very slight separation at neck seat. (800 - 1,200)

474 Roswell E. Bliss (1887-1967) Stratford, Connecticut. Excellent black duck. Hollow carved with scratch feather paint detail on head. Stratford style teardrop weight. Stamped “R. Bliss”. Measures 17” long. Original paint with very minor wear; a few shallow dents otherwise excellent structurally.

Provenance: Private Southern collection. (500 - 800)

475 Clinton Keith (19th century), Kingston, Massachusetts. Oversized white wing scoter. Canvas over wood slate construction. Colburne Woods Jr collection stamps on underside. Measures 25” long. Original paint with minor wear; black on head may be an early second coat; very good structurally.

Provenance: Ted and Judy Harmon collection. (2,000 - 3,000)

476 Joseph Lincoln (1859-1938), Accord, Massachusetts. Oversized white wing scoter. Canvas over wood slat construction. Measures 22” long. Original paint with very minor wear; chip in one side of neck was professionally reset with line of touchup.

Provenance: Ted and Judy Harmon collection. (1,200 - 1,800)

477 Charles Safford (1877-1957), Newburyport, Massachusetts. Large swimming Canada goose. Typical scab wood construction. Using multiple pieces of wood. “H. Day” branded twice on underside. Measures 31” long. Mostly original paint with moderate flaking and wear; appears to have had an early second coat to parts of brown on body; separations at body pieces; large split in one side with some losses to wood; multiple cracks extending from tail area on to back; defect in wood on one lower side of body near tail.

Provenance: Dan Graf collection. (2,500 - 3,500)

Cameron McIntyre

B. 1968 | New Church, Virginia

Cameron McIntyre was born in Beaufort, South Carolina in 1968. He grew up in a house filled with antique decoys from notable makers such as B en Holmes, John Dilley, Nathan Cobb, Lee Dudley, Joe Lincoln, Alvirah Wright, the Caines Brothers, Lem and Steve Ward, and Ira Hudson. Cameron was enthralled with decoys from the start and tried his hand at decoy carving in 1977 at the age of nine. He went on to study art at the University of South Carolina and, later, life drawing, figure, and landscape painting at the Gibbes Museu m of Art in Charleston, South Carolina, where he studied under notable southern artist William McCullough. He also studied briefly with Russell Chatham , who has been called the “greatest living landscape painter in America.”

Cameron moved to Virginia’s Eastern Shore in 1989 and set an early goal to try and create birds that exhibit the same sense of craftsmanship, form, paint, and patina that he admired on the many great antique birds he had studied. He also made a point to visit as many great collections as possible and has traveled all over the United States and Canada, visiting such collectors as Bud Ward, James McCleery, Lloyd Griffith, Donal O’Brien, Joe Ton elli, Vance Strausburg, William Purnell, Bruce Malcolm, Paul Brisco, Henri Wedell, Henry Stansbury, Sam Dyke, and others.

Now, Cameron has been carving full-time for 30 years. His decoys are known for their mastery of form and patina, freely combining elements from all the decoys he has so passionately studied. He is proud that his creations can be found in many of the finest collections in the US and Canada, displayed alongside some of the greatest decoys ever carved.

478

Cameron McIntyre (b.1968), New Church, Virginia.

Excellent full size swan. Hollow carved with down-looking head. “CTM” carved in underside. Measures 33.5” long.

Excellent and original.

Provenance: Stan and Deborah Van Etten collection (10,000 - 15,000)

479 Cameron McIntyre (b.1968), New Church, Virginia. Flying heron weathervane. With applied wings and slightly turned head. “CTM” carved in underside. Measures 35” long, stands 23” tall including stand. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Stan and Deborah Van Etten collection (5,000 - 8,000)

480 Cameron McIntyre (b.1968), New Church, Virginia. Great blue heron with relief wing carving, removable head is slightly turned. “CTM” carved in underside. Stand included. Measures 35.5” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Stan and Deborah Van Etten collection (3,000 - 5,000)

481 Cameron McIntyre (b.1968), New Church, Virginia. Swimming Canada goose. Hollow carved in the Cobb Island style. With raised wingtips and splined hardwood bill. Measures 27” long. Made to appear older with filled drying cracks and wooden patches; excellent and original.

Provenance: Oliver Smith collection. (2,000 - 3,000)

482 Cameron McIntyre (b.1968), New Church, Virginia. Mallard. Hollow carved with deep relief wing carving. “CTM” carved in underside. Measures 17.5” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Stan and Deborah Van Etten collection (1,500 - 2,500)

483 Cameron McIntyre (b. 1968), New Church, Virginia. Greenwing Teal. Hollow carved with slightly turned and reared back head. Influenced by the Mason Decoy Factory. Makers initials carved in underside. Measures 12.25”. Made to appear older. Excellent and original. (4,000 - 5,000)

484 Cameron McIntyre (b.1968), New Church, Virginia. Preening red-breasted merganser. Head turned with bill buried in feathers. Carved eyes and extended crest. “CTM” carved in underside. Measures 17” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Stan and Deborah Van Etten collection (2,000 - 3,000)

485

Cameron McIntyre (b.1968), New Church, Virginia. Folk carved leaping horse. Relief carved mane and carved eyes. Applied wooden ears and tail.

“CTM” carved in underside of horse. Measures 17.75” long, stands 15” tall with stand. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Stan and Deborah Van Etten collection (1,200 - 1,800)

486 Cameron McIntyre (b.1968), New Church, Virginia. Breast preening eider. Large inlet neck seat and relief bill carving. “CTM” carved in underside. Measures 19” long. Made to appear older with hairline drying crack along body and across neck seat; very good and original

Provenance: Stan and Deborah Van Etten collection (2,000 - 3,000)

487 Cameron McIntyre (b.1968), New Church, Virginia. Early wood duck in the style of the Caines Brothers. Deep relief carving and reared back head. “CTM” carved in underside. Measures 13.5” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Private Southern collection. (2,000 - 3,000)

Ward Brothers

Crisfield, Maryland

White Mallard Club

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

488 Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Very desirable rigmate pair of mallards. 1936 models, carved for the White Mallard Club with horseshoe shaped lead weight on underside. Slightly turned heads with deep eye groove carving. Signed and dated 1936 on the undersides at a later date. Measure 17” long. Original paint with minor gunning wear; minor roughness on edge of drake’s bill and tail; hairline crack in hen’s head and a tiny knot missing at top of head; slight separation at hen’s neck seat.

Provenance: Oliver Smith collection. (30,000 - 50,000)

489 Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Black duck. 1936 style with slightly turned head and tack eyes. Measures 17” long. Original paint with very minor wear; lightly hit by shot in one side; a thin coat of wax was added at some point.

Provenance: Paul Loder collection. (12,000 - 18,000)

490 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)

Early black duck. 1928 style with large bulbous head. Measures 18.75” long. Original paint with moderate wear; many shallow dents and tight drying cracks; bill is a professional replacement; restoration to the neck area; with touchup on breast, neck, and part of head.

Provenance: Deborah and Martin Maloy collection. (5,000 - 8,000)

Signed and dated 1929 on underside. Thick stipple paint on much of the body. Measures 16.5” long. Original paint with minor to moderate wear; neck filler restoration with touchup in that area and a thin coat of varnish added to head and breast. (2,500 - 3,500)

hen. Signed and dated 1935 by Lem Ward on underside. Thick stipple paint on body. Measures 17.5” long. Original paint with moderate wear; slight separation at neck seat; bill was cracked down and tightly reset with a chip at tip and underside being professionally replaced.

Provenance: Private Southern collection. (5,000 - 8,000)

Maryland.

Balsa body with slightly turned head and upswept tail. Signed and dated 1944 at a later date by the Ward Brothers. Measures 18.25” long. Original paint with very minor wear; slight separation to filler at neck seat; two wooden dowls running through body are extending from one side slightly.

Provenance: Oliver Smith collection. (3,000 - 5,000)

495 Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Pair of mallards. Balsa body 1948 style with slightly turned and tucked heads. Green felt on undersides. Measure 16.5” and 17” long. Excellent original paint with almost no wear; a few very shallow dents; hairline separation to body seam along drake’s back; slight separation at drake’s neck seat. (5,000 - 8,000)

Balsa body with slightly turned head and large cedar tail. Measures 17” long. Original paint with minor to moderate wear; dents on each side were touched up; bill was cracked down and reset with touchup on bill.

Provenance: Oliver Smith collection. (3,000 - 4,000)

Maryland. Pair of

Balsa body with slightly turned heads. Working decoys that were never rigged or weighted. Measure 10” and 9.75” long. Original paint with minor flaking; hen with moderate flaking and dents on one side; drake’s head is slightly loose; separation at hen’s neck seat with some old glue visible.

Provenance: Oliver Smith collection. (2,500 - 3,500)

497A Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Excellent pair of decorative bufflehead. Hollow carved with slightly turned heads and deep relief wing carving. Drake in breast preening pose. Signed and dated 1970 on underside. Made for the collection of Arthur Patterson. Measure 10.25” long. Original paint with very minor rubs, mostly on edge of tails; very small spot of touchup on one side of drake’s head.

Provenance: Don Leonard collection. (6,000 - 9,000)

497B Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Decorative snow goose. Hollow carved with slightly turned head and deep relief wing carving. Extended, crossed wingtips. Signed and dated 1967 on underside. Measures 19.75” long. Original paint with very minor discoloration; very fine separation at back of neck seat; tallest wingtip appears to have been reset and both wingtips touched up.

Provenance: Don Leonard collection. (8,000 - 12,000)

498 Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Pair of canvasbacks. Hollow carved shooting stool models with slightly turned heads and thick stipple paint. Signed and dated 1969 on the underside. Measures 17” long. Excellent original paint; drying crack in one side of hen’s head; hairline crack in one side of hen’s body; hen with a professional bill crack repair.

(3,000 - 5,000)

499 Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Decorative greenwing teal. Hollow carved with relief wing carving and extended crossed wingtips. Head is slightly turned with extended crest. Signed and dated 1967 on underside. Measures 10.5” long. Fine hairline crack in one eye, otherwise excellent and original.

Provenance: Don Leonard collection. (4,000 - 6,000)

500 Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Pair of 2/3 size standing pintails. Balsa bodies with applied peach basket stave wingtips. Slightly turned heads. Hen is signed and dated 1948 under tail. Measure 11.75” long. Excellent original paint with a warm patina; reglued cracks at top of hen’s legs; narrow chip on one of drake’s toes and extended wings; filled patch on on side of drake was sanded down slightly. (6,000 - 9,000)

501 Ward Brothers, Crisfield, Maryland. Pair of decorative canvasbacks. Hollow carved with slightly turned heads. Relief wing carving and deep relief tail feather carving. Signed and dated 1963. Writing on underside by the Wards identify them as “Mammoth Chesapeake Bay Canvasback Shooting Stool.” Displayed and disqualified at national decoy contest New York, 1963”. Measure 14.25” and 13.5”. A few very minor rubs and some tight crazing on sides of hen, otherwise both are excellent.

Provenance: Oliver Smith collection. (4,000 - 6,000)

James T. Holly

1855 - 1935 | Havre de Grace, Maryland

James Holly came by his decoy building tradition from his father, John (“Daddy”) Holly, who is well known not only for his hunting skills but as being the originator of the Harford County style of decoy. The family produced thousands of decoys to serve the expanding demands of both market hunters and sports on the famed Susquehanna Flats. Of all the men in the family, however, it was James that is credited with the most refined decoys of the group

As a young man, in 1870, he listed his occupation as that of “painter” and that is how he, again, described himself through at least the 1980 census. By that date he was married to Irene E Cobourn who was ten years younger than him. His home and shop were only two blocks from the river and the docks and, at some point between then and the 1900 census, he began to earn his living as a boat and sink box builder, and this is how he would describe himself in all formal documents throughout the 1920s. His wife died in 1923, and, by 1930, James was retired and living with his older daughter Rachael and her husband in Washington, DC.

Holly was a well-rounded individual and, certainly, his skills went beyond that of a painter or boatbuilder. He was very actively engaged in market gunning and was not opposed to stretching the limits of the law and was apprehended for such on more than one occasion. Despite these transgressions, he served various terms as a member of the Ducking Police for the Harford County side of the Flats. He was a well-known and successful guide and operated one of the more popular sink box rigs on the upper bay.

He was multifaceted in his business dealings and must have been quite successful for when his father died, he left his estate to his other two sons, presumably not including James as being quite capable of supporting himself. He was an accomplished musician, playing the drums in the local band and was active in politics, as well as in the stock market.

Within the sporting circles, he is best remembered today for his exquisite decoys. His birds are universally considered some of the very finest from the Susquehanna Flats. They are meticulously crafted and finely painted and his work has been emulated by a number of carvers that followed. The bulk of his decoys were, as one would expect, for species such as canvasback, redheads and bluebills, those species most favored by the local gunners and sports. He is somewhat unique among his contemporaries in that he also carved a few examples for the puddle ducks that would also visit the area. These are far rarer than his divers and certain species such as his mallards and pintails are considered true treasures.

502 James T. Holly (1855-1935), Havre de Grace, Maryland. Extremely rare pintail. Scratch feather paint detail on back. “Doug T” painted in red on underside. Measures 17” long. Original paint with moderate flaking and wear; separation at wood grain on back and one lower side with old nails added in the making; reglued cracks in neck; chip in top of head was restored.

(12,000 - 18,000)

503 James T. Holly (1855-1935), Havre de Grace, Maryland. Rigmate pair of canvasbacks. Measure 14.25” and 15.25” long. Original paint with minor to moderate wear; in the making wooden patch on one lower side of hen has separated slightly; minor blunting on tip of hen’s bill; small amount of touchup on front of drake’s neck seat; large area of filler and touchup near tail on underside of drake. (6,000 - 9,000)

504 Captain Ed Phillips (1901-1964), Cambridge, Maryland. Rare and desirable Canada goose. High head pose. With extensive tiger striping around body. Measures 25.5” long. Original paint with minor to moderate flaking and wear; large split along underside with old nails added in the making; drying crack along one side and through tail.

Provenance: Oliver Smith collection. (10,000 - 15,000)

505 John Dawson (1889-1959), Duck Island, New Jersey. American merganser hen with extended crest and raised V wingtips. “JD” carved in underside. Also stamped “DSC” for collection of David Campbell. Measures 18” long. Original paint with minor flaking and wear; mostly above nail heads at body seam; hairline crack at one side of neck seat; otherwise excellent structurally.

Provenance: David and Jeanne Campbell collection. Deborah and Martin Maloy collection.

Literature: “Decoys – North America’s Hundred Greatest” by Loy S. Harrell Jr., page 130-131, exact decoy pictured. (12,000 - 18,000)

506 John English (1848-1915), Florence, New Jersey. Lowhead English/ Dawson mallard. Hollow carved with raised V wing carving and applied wooden tail sprig. Hillman collection ink stamp on underside. Measures 15.25” long. Working repaint by John Dawson, circa 1920s, with minor wear under a thin coat of varnish; chip in one tail feather was tightly reset; otherwise very good structurally.

Provenance: John and Isabelle Hillman collection. Martin and Deborah Maloy collection. (12,000 - 18,000)

507 Excellent widgeon from the Philadelphia area, late 19th century. Blair school widgeon with tack eyes and excellent paint detail. A very rare species for this area. Measures 13.75” long. Original paint with minor gunning wear; a thin coat of varnish has darkened with age; hairline crack through neck; minor roughness on tip of bill.

Provenance: Private Southern collection.

(6,000 - 9,000)

508 John Blair, Sr. (1843-1929), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Rare Canada goose. Hollow carved with tack eyes. “AEJ” carved in underside for the rig of Abe Johnson, son of Taylor Johnson. Measures 24.5” long. Early decoy was stripped down and restored by Lloyd Cargile; scattered dents on back; two piece vertically laminated head with slight separation and roughness at seam; restored chip at one side of neck seat; tight crack on one side of tail. (10,000 - 15,000)

509 John Blair, Sr. (1843-1929), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Hollow carved black duck with tack eyes. Measures 16.5” long. Old over paint was cleaned off of the lower half of decoy; the rest appears to be original with some strengthening at wing patches; very good structurally.

Provenance: Bill and Alice Walsh Collection. Obtained from Somers Headley, Wilmington DE, bird used in rig until 1973, obtained at Ocean City Show, 1981. (2,000 - 3,000)

510 Harry V. Shourds (1861-1920), Tuckerton, New Jersey. Rare swimming Canada goose. Hollow carved with outstretched swimming head pose. “E” carved in underside. Measures 27.75” long. Original paint with moderate to significant flaking and wear; an early thin wash to white areas; professional neck crack repair; hairline drying cracks in back.

Provenance: Deborah and Martin Maloy collection.

(8,000 - 12,000)

511 Harry V. Shourds (1861-1920), Tuckerton, New Jersey. Rare goldeneye hen. Hollow carved with inlaid lead weight on underside. Measures 13.5” long. Original paint with minor wear; bill was cracked down and professionally reset with some touchup to that area.

(5,000 - 8,000)

512 Chris Sprague (1887-1982), Beach Haven, New Jersey. Hollow carved mallard with tack eyes. Decoy is signed by “Chris Sprague” under the lead weight that was added at some point. “Rolly Horner” in pen on underside. Measures 17” long. Original paint with a few small rubs; very slight separation at body seam; professional neck crack repair was well hidden with line tie marks.

Provenance: Deborah and Martin Maloy collection. (1,500 - 2,500)

513 William Quinn (1915-1969), Yardley, Pennsylvania. Lowhead black duck. Three piece hollow body with raised “V” wingtip carving. Maker’s name and town painted on underside. Measures 16” long. Original paint with minor gunning wear; small dents and a few shot marks; shot mark at wingtip with touchup; area on one lower side with touchup to flaking.

(4,000 - 6,000)

moderate gunning wear; tight crack through neck; minor roughness on one edge of bill.

Provenance: Private Southern collection. (4,000 - 6,000)

minor wear; a few small filled defects in wood from when the decoy was made; excellent structurally. (1,500 - 2,500)

516 Harry V. Shourds (1861-1920), Tuckerton, New Jersey. Robin snipe. Measures 9” long. Excellent original paint protected under a thin coat of varnish; lightly hit by shot; small knot visible in one lower side. (6,000 - 9,000)

517 Harry V. Shourds (1861-1920), Tuckerton, New Jersey. Rare sanderling. Hillman collection ink stamp on underside. Measures 8” long. Original paint with moderate flaking and wear; thin coat of varnish has darkened with age; very good structurally.

Provenance: John and Isabella Hillman collection. (3,000 - 5,000)

518 Harry V. Shourds (1861-1920), Tuckerton, New Jersey. Yellowlegs. Measures 10.75” long. Original paint with moderate paint shrinkage and wear; lightly hit by shot.

Provenance: Deborah and Martin Maloy collection. (1,500 - 2,500)

519

William Roberts (decd. 1910), Cape May, New Jersey. Large curlew with hooked hardwood bill. Mackey collection ink stamp on underside. Measures 17” long. Original paint with minor flaking and wear; under an early coat of varnish; lightly hit by shot; bill is a very well done professional replacement; chip from one side of head was reset with some touchup in that area.

Provenance: William J. Mackey Jr collection. (3,000 - 4,000)

520 Charles W. Turner (1860-1939)

Atlantic City, New Jersey. Excellent ruddy turnstone. Measures 9.25” long. Original paint with minor wear; a few spots of discoloration; excellent structurally.

Provenance: Lloyd Johnson collection. Private Southern collection. (3,000 - 5,000)

521 Sickle bill curlew from New Jersey. Relief wing carving and raised wingtips. Carrying hole drilled through tail.

Measures 16.5” long. Original paint with minor gunning wear; lightly hit by shot; tight drying crack in breast area; bill is a very early replacement.

Provenance: Private Southern collection. (3,000 - 4,000)

522 Bob White (b. 1939) Tullytown, Pennsylvania. Swimming snow goose. Hollow carved with deep relief wing carving and slightly turned head. Signed and dated 1992 on underside. Measures 25.75” long. Excellent and original. (2,000 - 3,000)

523 Bob White (b. 1939) Tullytown, Pennsylvania. Rare swimming juvenile arctic loon. Hollow carved with deep relief wing carving and raised wingtips. Head is slightly turned. Signed and dated 1988. Measures 26” long. Minor paint rub near line tie, otherwise excellent and original. (1,200 - 1,800)

524 Bob White (b. 1939) Tullytown, Pennsylvania. High head Canada goose. Hollow carved with raised V wingtips and relief tail feather carving. Signed and dated 1996 on underside. Measures 24.5” long. Excellent and original. (1,500 - 2,500)

525 Bob White (b. 1939) Tullytown, Pennsylvania. Lowhead Canada goose. Hollow carved with raised crossed wingtips. Relief tail feather carving. Identified, signed, and dated 1983 on underside. Measures 20” long. Very minor discoloration on white areas; otherwise excellent. (1,500 - 2,500)

526

527

Bob White (b. 1939) Tullytown, Pennsylvania. Pair of high head canvasbacks. Hollow carved with raised, crossed wingtips and slightly turned head. Both signed and dated 2000. Measure 15.5” and 16” long. Excellent and original. (1,500 - 2,500)

528

Bob White (b. 1939) Tullytown, Pennsylvania. Pair of high head pintails. Hollow carved with raised, crossed wingtips and relief tail feather carving. Signed and dated 1995. Measure 19” and 20.75” long. Excellent and original. (2,000 - 3,000)

Bob White (b. 1939) Tullytown, Pennsylvania. Pair of American mergansers. Hollow carved with raised, crossed wingtips and relief tail feather carving. Drake’s head is slightly turned. Hen’s is turned 120 degrees with curved crest feather. Both signed on underside. Measure 15” and 18” long. Excellent and original. (1,500 - 2,500)

529 Bob White (b. 1939) Tullytown, Pennsylvania. Pair of shoveler. Hollow carved with tucked heads. Raised V wingtip carving. Drake with head turned 45 degrees. Both signed and dated 2005. Measure 13.5” and 14.75” long. Very minor discoloration on underside of drake; otherwise excellent and original. (1,500 - 2,500)

Richard “Fresh Air Dick”Janson

1872 - 1951 | Sonoma Creek, California

Richard Janson was of Baltic descent, but he could not be more specific. He knew little of his parents or even of the possible existence of other family members. Through his 20s, he worked as an able body seaman and ship’s carpenter aboard a number of sailing ships traveling to a variety of ports around the world. On one of these voyages in 1899, while aboard the “Austrasia,” he left ship in San Francisco to begin his life in America. For a number of years thereafter, he lived in a variety of the waterfront hotels in that port, petitioning for US citizenship in 1906. In San Francisco, he worked first as a beer salesman and later returned to sea to work aboard vessels in the Alaska (salmon) Packers Association fleet. It is generally agreed that aboard these various vessels he received his now well-known nickname, due to his habit of preferring to sleep on the open deck of the ships, with a few blankets, regardless of the weather, rather than dwell in the crowded and undoubtedly, odiferous crew’s quarters.

In America, he soon purchased his own small boat which allowed him access to the San Francisco Bay and its many rivers, creeks, and marshes. This enabled him to fish commercially on his own account, netting bass and other inshore species. One of these fishing expeditions led him to Sonoma Creek, on the shores of which he built a rudimentary dock from which he could tie up the boat, store his gear and spend a night. Around 1930, Janson retired from the Alaska Packers Association and took up permanent residence as a squatter at his Sanoma site aboard a houseboat/barge, known locally as an ark. His little self-sufficient habitation consisted of the ark, a tiny shack for his workshop, a series of small piers, and a floating dock. His new home provided the basic necessities, but little else in the way of comfort. He lacked electricity, running water or indoor plumbing, and he never saw the need to install any glass in the windows of

his ark. A wood stove provided a little heat for him, several cats, and a dog of ill-defined pedigree named “bum.”

As Roger Barton pointed out in a 1987 article in “Wildlife Carving and Collecting,” visitors to his residence referred to it as “more shipwrecked than shipshape.” He reportedly ate only fish – morning, noon, and night, spoke very sparingly, and drank heavily with gusto.

Until 1918, he gunned for the market to supplement his other forms of employment, but stopped duck hunting about 1932. From that point onward, his meager income consisted of what he could squeak out from fishing on a small scale, renting a few boats from his dock, and selling his decoys. His first birds were possibly carved immediately after his arrival in America, and he carved continuously for the rest of his life until ill health finally forced him to become a ward of the County Hospital. He used only the most basic of hand tools to carve his decoys. Apparently, he never owned an automobile nor a bandsaw. His style did evolve over his lengthy career but remained surprisingly somewhat consistent. The various periods of his production are discerned through analysis of somewhat subtle changes in the number of primary and tail feathers on his birds, and the existence and width of a keel along with minor variations in the paint pattern.

Today the work of this somewhat reclusive, self-sufficient, self-trained artist places him at the apex of California carvers and he has earned the prestige of being possibly the most recognized and celebrated carver from anywhere along the west coast.

Richard Janson’s life came to a tragic end, far from his beloved marsh, when he was caught in, and perished in a grass fire, possibly started by one of his own cigarettes at the Sonoma County Hospital.

530 Richard Janson (1872-1951), Sonoma Creek, California. Very rare and important pair of greenwing teal. Four deeply carved relief wing feathers. Drake’s head is slightly turned. Decoys were never rigged or weighted. Measure 13.25” long. Near mint original paint with only a few minor rubs and small dents; a depression in drake’s back from when the decoy was carved is not a dent; an outstanding pair of California decoys

Literature: “Waterfowl Decoy of California” by Michael R. Miller, page 115, exact pair pictured (top photo). (40,000 - 60,000)

531 Richard Janson (1872-1951), Sonoma Creek, California. Pintail hen and drake. Each with four deeply relief carved wing feathers. Drake with slightly turned head. Drake was never rigged or weighted. Measure 16.25” and 17.5” long. Hen with excellent original paint with almost no wear, lightly hit by shot; fine hairline crack in front of neck; drake in original paint with very minor rubs and a few small dents; hairline crack in each eye, professional repair to center of tail. (4,000 - 6,000)

532 Richard Janson (1872-1951), Sonoma Creek, California. Early canvasback with three relief carved wing feathers and wooden skeg under tail. Measures 15” long. Original paint with moderate gunning wear; under an early coat of varnish; crack through neck; small dents and shot marks. (2,000 - 3,000)

533 Richard Janson (1872-1951), Sonoma Creek, California. Bluebill. Four relief carved wing feathers and slightly turned head. Measures 13.5” long. Early in use repaint with minor wear; under a thick coat of varnish; tight crack through neck; small chip in top of tail. (800 - 1,200)

534 Richard Janson (1872-1951), Sonoma Creek, California. Early bluebill hen. Three deeply relief carved wing feathers and wooden skeg under tail. Measures 14” long. Mostly original paint with moderate wear; some strengthening to brown on head and back; filled split along the underside; significant discoloration on underside; minor roughness on edge of tail. (1,200 - 1,800)

535 Charles Bergman (1856-1946), Astoria, Oregon. Greenwing teal hen. Hollow carved with scratch feather paint detail. Measures 12.25” long. Original paint with minor flaking and wear; an early coat of varnish has darkened slightly with age; tight crack through neck. (6,000 - 9,000)

536 Charles Bergman (1856-1946), Astoria, Oregon. Large pintail. Hollow carved with raised neck seat. Measures 19.5” long. Original paint with moderate wear under an early coat of varnish;small dents and shot marks; crack through neck with with an old nail added to secure; minor roughness on edge of bill.

(2,000 - 3,000)

537 Charles Bergman (1856-1946), Astoria, Oregon. Rigmate pair of greenwing teal. Hollow carved. Ink stamps on undersides read “Restored by L. Rucker.” Measure 12.5” long. Accurate paint restoration by Larry Rucker; very good structurally.

(1,500 - 2,500)

538 Ed Snyder (1928-2011), RIo Vista, California. Speckled bellied goose. Hollow carved with deep relief feather carving and slightly turned head. Maker’s ink stamp on underside. Also signed and dated 1972. Measures 18.5” long. Excellent and original.

(1,200 - 1,800)

539 Ed Snyder (1928-2011), Rio Vista, California. Greenwing teal with slightly turned head and extended crest. Measures 11.5” long. Restored by Ed Snyder with very minor wear; very good structurally. (800 - 1,200)

540 Amiel Garbaldi (1908-1993), Sacramento, California. Greenwing teal. Relief wing carving and slightly turned head with extended crest. Measures 11.75” long. Original paint under a thick coat of varnish; early working touchup on parts of head was done before the varnish layer; minor blunting at tip of tail, otherwise excellent structurally. (800 - 1,200)

541 Amiel Garbaldi (1908-1993), Sacramento, California. Early greenwing teal hen. Relief wing carving and tack eyes. Measures 10.25” long. Original paint with minor flaking and wear; white spot of paint on lower side; a few dents in back. (800 - 1,200)

542 Amiel Garbaldi (1908-1993), Sacramento, California. Early greenwing or cinnamon teal hen. Relief wing carving. Signed and dated 1931. Also with the metal collection tag of Gary Hemming. Measures 12.25” long. Mix of original and early in use repaint with moderate flaking and wear. (800 - 1,200)

543 Amiel Garbaldi (1908-1993), Sacramento, California. Rare Canada goose. Hollowed from the underside. Slight relief wing carving. Maker’s name and 1932 on the inside of body. Measures 20.5” long. Original paint on body and an early second coat to the head and neck; small dents in back; slight separation at neck seat; a couple coats of slightly uneven varnish. (600 - 900)

544 George William McLellan (1897-1987), Eureka, California. Pacific brant. McCleery collection ink stamp and Sotheby’s auction sticker on underside. Measures 16” long. Original paint with very minor wear; cracks and separation at neck seat; otherwise very good structurally. (800 - 1,200)

545 Mark McNair (b.1950), Craddockville, Virginia. Full size heron with slightly turned and cocked head. Carved eyes. “McNair” carved in underside. Measures 39” long, stands 47” tall with included base. Excellent and original. (5,000 - 8,000)

546 Mark McNair (b.1950), Craddockville, Virginia. White heron. Wooden legs are inlaid in to body with wooden pegs. “McNair” carved in underside. Measures 32.5” long, stands 35.5” tall with included base. Original paint with even discoloration from the natural tannens in the wood; excellent and original. (5,000 - 8,000)

547 Mark McNair (b.1950), Craddockville, Virginia. Full size great horned owl. Base and bird are carved form a single antique timber. Inlaid bone and hardwood eyes. Applied leather ear tufts. “McNair” signed on top of base. Stands 26” tall, including base. The timber used had drying splits and tight cracks that are visible on owl; original paint with no wear; excellent and original. (6,000 - 9,000)

548 Mark McNair (b.1950), Craddockville, Virginia. Very rare preening loon. Hollow carved with relief wing carving and carved eyes. “McNair” carved in underside. Measures 22.25” long. Original paint with even discoloration from the natural tannens in the wood; hairline vertical crack in neck from when the bird was made; excellent and original. (5,000 - 8,000)

550

Trio of golden plover. One with head turned 50 degrees and slightly cocked. Another with head turned preening one wing. All are very thinly hollowed, with relief wing carving and wingtip detail similar to Elmer Crowell’s dust jacket plovers. Inlaid escutcheon at stick holes. “McNair” carved in undersides. Maker’s stands read “Golden Plover, 1 of a set of 3, numbered 3, best grade” Dated 2011. Measure from 9” to 11” long. All are excellent and original. (6,000 - 9,000)

Virginia. Merganser hen. Pinched breast style with slight ice groove carving. Reared back head with extended crest and carved eyes. “McNair” carved in underside. Measures 16” long. Made to look older with tight drying cracks; excellent and original. (1,500 - 2,500)

551

Mark McNair (b.1950), Craddockville, Virginia. Mallard. Hollow carved with slightly turned, reared back head. Raised V wingtip carving and comb feather paint detail. “McNair” carved in underside. Measures 16.5” long. Excellent and original.

Provenance: Dr. Mort D. Kramer collection. Private Wisconsin collection. Literature: “Decoy Ducks,” Bob Ridges, p. 84, exact decoy pictured. (2,500 - 3,500)

552

553

Mark McNair (b.1950), Craddockville, Virginia. Hooded merganser hen. Hollow carved with small wooden pegs attaching body halves. Relief wingtip and tail feather carving. Reared back head with extended crest. “McNair” carved in underside. Measures 10” long. Fine hairline crack in one side of head, otherwise excellent and original.

(1,500 - 2,500)

Mark McNair (b.1950), Craddockville, Virginia. Swimming brant in the style of Nathan Cobb, Jr. Hollow carved with raised wingtips and slightly cocked head. “McNair” carved in underside. Measures 20” long. Excellent and original. (1,500 - 2,500)

554 Mark McNair (b.1950), Craddockville, Virginia. Curlew. Deep relief wing carving and slightly turned head. “McNair” carved in underside. Measures 15” long . Excellent and original.

(1,000 - 1,400)

555 Mark McNair (b.1950), Craddockville, Virginia. Pair of miniature red-breasted mergansers. Both with extended crests. Hen in sleeping pose. Both with relief wingtip carving and lead coffin style weights. “McNair” carved in undersides. Measure 4” and 4.25” long. Excellent and original. (2,000 - 3,000)

556 Mark McNair (b.1950), Craddockville, Virginia. Miniature sleeping merganser. Relief wingtip carving and lead coffin style weight. “McNair” carved in underside. Measures 4” long. Original paint that has darkened slightly; excellent structurally. (1,000 - 1,400)

Nathan Cobb, Jr.

1825 - 1905 | Cobb Island, Virginia

The barrier islands of Northampton County Virginia offered some of the finest coastal shooting of the 19th century. Central to this gunner’s paradise lies Cobb Island, home to the Cobb family. The patriarch of the clan, Nathan F. Cobb (1797- 1881), had established a hotel and resort operation on the island that quickly became a mecca for visiting sportsmen/women, and come they did. Fishing, sea bathing and waterfowling were major attractors but so was shorebird shooting. Period author, Alexander Hunter, writing in “The Huntsman in the South” proclaimed that “ We went in the spring for the robinsnipe, (and) in the summer for the bay – birds- - -. “ In 1883, when referring to a shoot on nearby Smith Island where Elkanah Cobb had killed 200 curlew the week before, he again wrote in “Forest and Stream” that: “ At the blinds at sunrise, and the like of the curlew I never saw before. They came in flocks. Such an exciting time does not come often.” Affluent men and women enjoyed the comforts and cuisine of the Cobb Hotel while local guides provided the necessary knowledge and equipment to entertain the guests as they sought a day afield pursuing these sporting and tasty targets.

All of this activity required decoys, and numerous craftsmen, some known and some anonymous, carved the imitators to attract the migrating birds. Some of the very best of these were carved by members of the Cobb family, perhaps most notably, Nathan’s oldest son, Nathan Jr. (1825 – 1905). By 1897 he had established himself as one

of the most accomplished and sought-after guides in the region. A Mr. Eliot Thomas, again in “Forest and Stream,” wrote: “ To secure good shooting, the quantity of the birds is not more a question than to know their habits - - - The late William Doughty , of Hog Island, or Capt Nathan Cobb, of Cobb’s Island would always place themselves in such a way that the birds were bound to go to them. It is therefore, with shooting men, a matter of the first importance to secure practical men as guides.”

Nathan’s reputation, undoubtedly, was based not only on his knowledge of the birds, but on the quality of his decoys. His were among the best in use on the barrier islands. It is doubtful that Nathan used any type of consistent template for his carvings and each is a singular creation that exudes a lively animated presence. They were attractive to the migrants during their working careers and are equally appreciated by discerning collectors today. When the exact bird being offered here was exhibited at the Cranbrook Academy of Art Museum in 1988, it and its companions were accurately described as being “ - - - aggressively gestural and often one-of-a-kind.” Today, the shorebird decoys of Nathan Cobb have not lost any of their charm and represent some of the finest of their kind ever produced.

557 Nathan Cobb, Jr. (1825-1905), Cobb Island, Virginia. Large running curlew. Split tail carving and serif “N” carved in underside. Measures 15.25” long. Early second coat by Cobb showing minor wear; heavily hit by shot; retains the original bill.

Provenance: Found with the two Cobb curlews in the Shelburne Museum Collection by Richard Moeller of New Jersey in the 1950’s. Robert Gresham collection. Private Southern collection.

Literature: “Southern Decoys of Virginia and the Carolinas” by Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., page 211, exact decoy pictured. (50,000 - 80,000)

558 Two piece dowitcher from Virginia, of undetermined age. In the style of Eli Doughty. With split tail carving and splined hardwood bill. Measures 9.75” long. Original paint with significant wear down to bare wood; vertical cracks in neck and head; tight drying cracks in bill. (1,500 - 2,500)

559 Black bellied plover from Cobb Island, Virginia. Relief wing carving and carved eyes. William Purnell collection brand on underside. Measures 10” long. Original paint with minor wear; an old coat of varnish has darkened with age; lightly hit by shot; minor roughness where original bill meets the face.

Provenance: William Purnell collection. Private Southern collection.

Literature: “Shore Bird Decoys” by Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr, page 65, exact decoy pictured. (6,000 - 9,000)

560 Early eskimo curlew from Nantucket, Massachusetts, circa 1870. Split tail carving and short curved bill, accurate to the species. Measures 12.5” long. Original paint with very minor wear; a few shallow dents; fine hairline cracks where bill meets face.

Provenance: Private Southern collection.

Literature: “Bird Decoys of North America” by Robert Shaw, title page and page 23, exact decoy pictured. (6,000 - 9,000)

561 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Black bellied plover with split tail carving and painted tack eyes. Measures 9.75” long. Original paint with very minor wear; a few tiny dents in breast; second coat of black paint on much of the original bill.

Provenance: Dean Hyde collection. (8,000 - 12,000)

562 A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952), East Harwich, Massachusetts. Early yellowlegs from the Parker Whittimore rig. Branded “PWW” on underside. Measures 13” long. Paint was restored in the Crowell style with minor wear; very good structurally.

Provenance: Martin and Deborah Maloy collection. (1,500 - 2,500)

563 Three silhouette golden plover, Massachusetts. Similar to those from the Morton rig. Measure 10.25” to 11.25” long. Original paint with minor flaking and wear; one has moderate flaking to one side.

Provenance: Martin and Deborah Maloy collection. (1,200 - 1,800)

564 Joseph Lincoln (1859-1938), Accord, Massachusetts. Golden plover with split tail carving and bead eyes. Measures 10.5” long. Original paint with moderate wear; reglued chip in tail.

Provenance: Deborah and Martin Maloy collection. (1,500 - 2,500)

565 Unknown maker, Massachusetts, late 19th century. Very thinly hollowed plover with bulbous head and bead eyes. Measures 9.5” long. Original paint with moderate crazing and wear; glue visible around body seam; bill is a professional replacement.

Provenance: Deborah and Martin Maloy collection. (1,500 - 2,500)

566 Yellowlegs “wind bird” from Massachusetts, early 20th century. Thinly hollowed from the underside. Decoy would move on its stickup stake with the slightest breeze. Measures 12.25” long. Original paint with moderate wear under a thin coat of varnish; very good structurally. (1,500 - 2,500)

567 Yellowlegs from Massachusetts or Rhode Island. Relief wing carving. Carrying hole drilled through tail. Measures 10.5” long. Excellent original paint with almost no wear; lightly hit by shot in one side; bill is an early professional replacement. (800 - 1,200)

567A Chip carved yellowlegs, circa 1900. Carved extended thighs and iron bill. Measures 11” long. Original paint with minor flaking and wear; hit by shot in one side; like many iron bill shorebirds, some filler and touchup was added to a split on the underside of face.

Provenance: Private Southern collection. (1,200 - 1,800)

568 Unknown maker, Massachusetts, early 20th century. Greater yellowlegs in alert pose. Three piece laminate body with deep relief wing carving and brass tack eyes. Very appealing polka dot paint pattern. Measures 13.5” long. Original paint with minor flaking and wear; small chip on top of tail tip; bill is a professional replacement.

Provenance: Martin and Deborah Maloy collection. (4,000 - 6,000)

569 Charles Thomas (b. 1875) Assinippi, Massachusetts. Large willet with relief wingtip carving. McCleery collection ink stamp on underside. Also includes McCleery collection stand. Measures 15” long. Original paint with minor to moderate wear; heavily hit by shot; drying split in underside; tight crack on one side of face.

Provenance: Dr. James McCleery collection. (4,000 - 6,000)

570 Golden plover from Massachusetts, 19th century. Relief wing and split tail carving. Tack eyes. Measures 10” long. Original paint with very minor wear; under an early coat of varnish that has darkened with age; wood used had a small knot passing through tail area, the two small knot pieces were missing from when the decoy was made; area of old white paint on one side of neck.

Provenance: Private Southern collection. (2,000 - 3,000)

571 Excellent painted patriotic shield, late 19th century. Bald eagle holding arrows and olive branches with banneret reading “E. Pluribus Unum.” Stencil on back reads “B. Faber decorator 931 and 933 B’Way Brooklyn.” Metal pieces added to backside of plaque to hold nine small American flags around shield. Measures 27.5” tall x 20.25” at its widest point. Original paint under a thin coat of varnish; a few small spots of in painting; minor roughness to lower right side of shield; scattered shallow dents and small scratches.

Provenance: Martin and Deborah Maloy collection.

(4,000 - 6,000)

572 Maurice Decker (1871-1945), Dark Harbor, Maine. Carved wooden eagle with talons grasping freshly killed fish. Carved cross hatching on eagle with carved eyes and raised wings. Decker was known for making decoys and carved eagles. Measures 10” tall. Original paint that has darkened with age; structurally good.

(2,000 - 3,000)

573 Carved and painted eagle by the Artistic Design Company, Boston, Massachusetts. 1st half 20th century. Measures 8” x 7”. Original paint; a few small rubs that have exposed red primer.

(1,000 - 1,500)

573A Carved and painted antique walking stick, probably Native American, circa 1900. Top of stick is a serpant’s head. Paint decorated with red, gold, and green. Crazed from age. Measures 34.5” long. Light wear; structurally good.

Provenance: Deborah and Martin Maloy collection. (800 - 1,200)

573B Bone handle sword cane. Carved with gun, hat, a possible sack. Leaning against tree stump. Sword measures 30.5” long. Bone shows good age; cracks have darkened; small chip missing at top of handle.

(300 - 500)

573C Four antique walking sticks. One stick has a painted snake with red bead eyes. One willow stick with carved and painted snake. One with an alligator similar to sticks found in Florida. One that may be English has a bull dog head with metal collar and one eye missing. Longest measures 37”. All show good wear and age.

Provenance: Deborah and Martin Maloy collection. (800 - 1,200)

574 Kennebec Canoe Model, Waterville, Maine, 1st quarter 20th century. Rare yellow and gold with name painted on each side. Measures 69” long. Original surface with paint loss; structurally appears to be good.

(8,000 - 12,000)

The Kennebec Boat and Canoe Company built its first canoes in December of 1909. The company was founded by George F. Terry, who was formerly a railroad station agent, ice cutter, publisher, and merchandiser. Terry’s son, George F. Terry, Jr. later joined the company and ran it until 1939. In 1939, the company was sold to Frank Terry and James Dean. A small number of canoes were built in the final years until the factory was closed for good in 1941.

When it began, Kennebec became a major competitor of the nearby Old Town Canoe Co. They vied with one another to win major shares of the canoe market. For 30 years, there was intense sales competition between the two companies, and their marketing and promotional activities followed similar, almost parallel, paths. An example of this was in the production and use of “display sample” canoes. Many folks refer to these miniature items as “salesman’s samples,” but they were never made for that purpose, and never given to sales staff as selling tools. They were awarded as premiums to the largest and best retail outlets in return for placing large orders and achieving high sales volumes. Once

in the hands of the outfitter stores, they were often hung up as attractive promotional items or used in window displays. They were never sold to individual canoe buyers.

Preserved corporate records of Kennebec Canoe Co., as kept in the Maine State Museum, disclose that Kennebec produced 10 “display sample” canoes in 1916. This neatly coincides with similar activity at Old Town. Then, there was a production gap before Kennebec once again began producing samples in 1922 when it recorded 10 being made. For the following four years, 1923 through 1926, Kennebec Canoe Co. built another 10 recorded samples each year. Thus, it made a total of 60 samples between 1916 and 1926, after which no more are recorded. By comparison, Old Town produced a total of approximately 105 models between the years of 1903 and the 1920s. Of these 60 Kennebec samples, two sizes are found, 63” and 69”. Prominent model canoe authority, Roger Young, believes that the shorter, 63” samples, were likely made during the 1916 production year, and that the longer 69” version emanates from the 1922-26 production run.

575 Early sailing canoe model. Lapstrake construction with tiny copper nails. Includes two small oars that are original. Measures 35” long. Original natural finish with a thin coat of varnish; small old chip in one lower side; thread at top of sail attaching it to rigging was replaced at some point; tight crack on bow decking. (4,000 - 6,000)

576 Peterborough Canoe Company. Canoe model. Measures 37” long. Two seats retain original weaving. Canvas has been repainted; canoe is structurally good; retains two Peterbough Canoe Company labels. (2,250 - 2,750)

577 A group of seven carved and painted trout from Quebec, circa 1950 Longest fish measures 18”. All are in very good condition; small tip of fin missing from one of the large fish. (1,000 - 1,500)

578 Large double sided trade sign. Fish trade sign. Made from a .5” piece of plywood with iron brackets. Painted on both sides, advertising Otsego Lake Fish Lures. Measures 54.5” long x 20.5” tall. Significantly more wear on one side; the better side with moderate flaking ; minor roughness on edges; otherwise good structurally. (500 - 800)

579

Alpheus Keech (1855-1926), Clayton, New York. Five tourist paddles. All with painted blades. Two titled “Calumet Island.” One titled “Sunset.” One titled “A Fishing Dinner.” And last “Lighthouse and Moonlight”. Measure 22” long. All show nice age and are structurally good. (1,200 - 1,500)

580 Alpheus Keech (1855-1926), Clayton, New York. Group of five 1,000 Island souvenir paddles. Painted scenes on blades. Measure 22” long. Minor rubs and edge wear; one with a chip repair to one side of handle; good and original.

Provenance: Dean Hyde collection. (1,200 - 1,800)

581

Alpheus Keech (1855-1926), Clayton, New York. Six miniature tourist paddles. Each measures approximately 22” long. Three are landscape scenes with Calumet Island. One titled “A Shore Dinner.” All are of 1,000 Islands. All show good age and are structurally good, with the exception of one titled Autumn Scenery which was broken through the blade and reglued. (1,200 - 1,500)

582 Alpheus Keech (1855-1926), Clayton, New York. Five tourist paddles. One titled “Camping” and another “Calumet Island.” All from 1000 Islands. All measures approximately 22” long. Show nice age and are structurally good. (1,200 - 1,500)

583 Alpheus Keech (1855-1926), Clayton, New York. Group of four 1,000 Islands souvenir paddles. Titled Calumet, Autumn Scenery, Camping, Lighthouse and Moonlight. Measure 22” long. All very good and original; with minor rubbing; camping paddle with some roughness to wood on back of blade.

Provenance: Dean Hyde collection. (1,000 - 1,500)

584 Vintage pair of miniature canoe paddles. Finely constructed blades and handles. Covered in a coat of varnish that has crazed lightly. Appear to be made from red cedar. One has a split that was partially repaired. Each measure 24” long. (200 - 300)

585 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; two small splits in sautering along top of back and one at between dog’s eyes; small crack at tail; a depression near dogs nose was pushed out but no visible damage. (3,000 - 5,000)

586 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. (2,000 - 4,000)

588 Edward Gerrard & Sons, Natural History Studio Camdenton, London. Large salmon plaque. Gerrard was friends with Charles Darwin and mounted specimens for Darwin. They were one of the world’s foremost taxidermist and known for their fabulous fish carvings. Brass plaque on lower left corner reads “George R Nutter/Fosland on the Namsen-Elv./ Norway July 21, 1932/Weight 44lbs.” Salmon measures 44.5” long, plaque is 20” x 55”. Original paint under the original coat of varnish; a few spots of touchup; repair to a chip in the tip of one fin; minor flaking where dorsal fin was inlayed; seams have opened on backboard.

589 P.D. Malloch, Perth, Scotland. Large salmon plaque. Salmon measures 45.5” long, plaque is 15” x 49”. Tag on plaque indicates the fish was caught at Upper Stobhill River Tay, 30 lbs., 25th February 1933.” Original paint protected under an early coat of varnish; that has crazed; a few small dents and paint rubs; some dents and cracks along edges of backboard.

(3,000 - 5,000)

(4,000 - 6,000)

590 Lawrence Irvine (1918-1998), Winthrop, Maine. Lake trout fish plaque with open mouth and relief gill carving. Signed on back. Fish measures 27.5”, board measures 39”. Very good and original. (1,000 - 1,400)

591 Lawrence Irvine (1918-1998), Winthrop, Maine.

Excellent brook trout. Faux birch bark painted backboard. Relief carved gills and mouth. Signed by the maker on the back. Trout measures 21”, plaque measure 29”. Excellent and original. (1,000 - 1,400)

592 Lawrence Irvine (1918-1998), Winthrop, Maine. Brown trout. Faux birch bark painted backboard. Relief carved gills and mouth. Signed by the maker on back. Trout measures 16.5” long, plaques is 23”. Excellent and original. (1,000 - 1,400)

593 Lou Schifferl (20th century), Neenah, Wisconsin

Chinook salmon plaque. Relief gill and mouth carving. Incised scale carving. Angler’s name, Jock Scott, painted under salmon. Fish measures 35” long, backboard is 16” x 40.5”. Painted to appear older; with paint shrinkage to backboard; excellent and original. (1,200 - 1,800)

594 Very interesting, early bait bucket. Made in the form of a boat hull. With large trap door and access hole in top. Custom stand included. Measures 31” long and 12” wide. Old green paint with minor flaking and wear; some cracks and losses to wooden slats on one side (1,500 - 2,500)

595 John Hyatt (1918-1998), Pekin, Illinois. Vintage bird tree lamp, circa 1950. All American bird species. Nine in total. Perched in a carved wooden tree that has been converted to a lamp. Hyatt was known for making owl decoys and carved folk art pieces such as this. Carving stands 12” tall, 17.5” to top of lamp. (1,500 - 2,000)

596 Peter Storm (20th century), Chicago, Illinois. Uncle Sam whirligig. Signed and dated 1989 under patriotic cap. Also signed under base. Storm was a folk art carver and collector who passed around 2000. Stands 24” to top of hat. Original paint good working motion; structurally good. (600 - 900)

597 Charles Hart (1862-1960), Gloucester, Massachusetts. Group of penguins. Largest is a very rare hollow cast metal with excellent patina. Other penguins are carved wood, with one having a lead base. Smallest carved double mount measures only 2” tall, including base. Largest measures 7” tall. All in original paint; under thins coats of varnish; some scattered flaking and touchups to adelia; significant flaking on lead base; glue visible where one of the smallest penguins attaches to base.

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

598 Moise Potvin (1876-1948), Woonsocket, Rhode Island.

Carved wooden and painted airdale. Mounted to a carved base with “Potvin 1937” carved in to base. An excellent carving with fur detail and turned head. Stands 9.5” tall. Original paint; structurally good.

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

Moise Potvin 1876 – 1948 | Woonsocket, Rhode Island

Born in Canada, Potvin immigrated to the US in 1891 and, in 1896, while working in Rhode Island as a weaver in the local Textile mills, married Arzelie (multiple spellings) Forand. He worked briefly as a printer in Providence before settling in the predominantly French community of Woonsocket where he found employment as a sign painter. Self-taught, he became an accomplished portrait painter and a skilled wood carver. He sculpted and painted several lifelike figures as well as a few complex dioramas which, in some cases, took years to complete. By 1940, he described himself as a “Proprietor of show –wood carving exhibition.”

599 Moise Potvin (1876-1948), Woonsocket, Rhode Island. Carved and painted pug. Curled tail and turned head. Mounted to decorative base with “Potvin 1926” carved in side. Measures 8” tall. Original paint; structurally good.

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

600

Moise Potvin (1876-1948), Woonsocket, Rhode Island.

Carved and painted mastiff. Decorative studded carved collar. Stands 9” tall. Tiny spots of wear on top of head; original paint; structurally good.

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

601 Moise Potvin (1876-1948), Woonsocket, Rhode Island.

Carved and painted great dane with decorative carved studded collar. Turned head. Stands 11” tall. Original paint; tight crack in one side of head, otherwise structurally good.

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

602 Moise Potvin (1876-1948), Woonsocket, Rhode Island. Carved and painted grey saluki. Mounted on base with “Potvin 1936” carved in corner. Stands 11” tall. Original paint; rear leg has been partially broken and reattached; bottom of jaw is broken and missing.

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

603 Vintage duck press. Silver plated. Measures 24” tall x 12” wide. On top of a base that is 18”. Screw mechanism is stiff at certain points but does spin freely. Weighs approximately 20 lbs. Three initials engraved on front of panel. (800 - 1,200)

604 Evinrude Outboard Motor Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Brass tag reads reads “Evinrude Motor Co., Milwaukee, Wis., U.S.A. , Patented in U.S.A., Aug. 12, 1911, Dec. 11, 1911, and principal foreign countries, other patents pending, Model 13, 15426”. Retains all decals in good condition. Also includes original motor stand. Motor measures 35” tall , 46” tall on stand.

(1,500 - 2,500)

605 6’ tall carnival game figure. With hinged collapsible head that tilts when hit with a cloth ball. Metal strapping around top hat. Worn original paint; tattered clothing remains; all vintage hardware is rusted, but intact.

Provenance: Charlie Hunter, III collection. (1,500 - 2,500)

End of Session Two

Index of Carvers

, Name/Title .................................................................

Adamson, Harry Curieux ........................................................... 347

Allen, Fred 278

Anger, Ken 125,324-326

Bach, Ferdinand 25,293,300

Barry, Russel “Raz” 265

Barto, George “Skippy” 100,289

Bergman, Charles ............................................................... 535-537

Blackstone, Jess 394-424

Blair, Sr., John 508,509

Bliss, Roswell E. 474

Borrett, Mike 216-220

Boyd, George 434-439

Brewer, Josh 215B

Bruning, Ken .......................................................... 152-154,176-178

Buchner, Frank 332,333

Burke, Bob 124

Cassini, Frank 24,89

Chambers, Thomas 119,120,311,312

Charboneu Family 173

Charboneu, Gordon ................................................................. 162

Cheeseman, Verne ..................................................................... 91

Chesser, Grayson 206

Christie Brothers 131

Cobb, Elkanah 185

Cobb, Jr., Nathan 557

Conklin, Roy 342-344

Cooper, William .................................................................. 126,127

Crandall, Horace “Hi” 84

Crawford, William “Buck” 122

Crowell, A. Elmer 2,7,14-16,39-44,440-448,450-460,561,562

Davis, Joe 473

Dawson, John 505

Dawson, Walter “Tube” ...................................................... 103,104

Decker, Maurice ........................................................................ 572

Decoe, Garnett 132

Dehate, Abe 164,165

Denny, Sam 339

Dodge Decoy Factory 115,116,221-223B

Doren, Leonard 90,281

Doughty, Eli ................................................................................ 184

Ducharme, Duncan 127A,127B

Dye, Ben 68

Ellis, Billey 320

Elliston, Robert 9,33,34,37,38,266,272,273,279,284,288

English, John 27,506

Evans, William “Skinny” 105

Evans Decoy Factory ........................................................... 55-58

Factory, Herters Decoy 117

Finney, Frank 188-190,193-199

Foote, Jim 302,303,361,362

Fox, Pecor 159,160

Garbaldi, Amiel 540-543

Garren, Otto ......................................................................... 88,282

Gearhart, Don ............................................................................. 81

Gerrard, Edward 588

Gibbs, Harold 363-393

Gibian, William 207,208

Goodwin, Richard 346

Graves, Bert .......................................... 29,35,268,275,280,286,287

Greenlea, Ken ............................................................................. 80

Gromme, Owen 51,52,259,260

Gunderson, Ollie 71

Hagerbaumer, David 351-354

Hancock, Roy 285

Hanson, Marty 203-205

Hart, Charles .............................................................................. 597

Hart, William 3

Heinemann, Ben 215C

Holly, James T. 502,503

Homme, Ferd 263

Homme, Mandt 261

Hotze, Hiram 99,267

Hudson, Ira ............................................................. 8,22,67,180-183

Hunt, Lynn Bogue 348

Hutchins, Sam 319

Hyatt, John 595

Irvine, Lawrence 590-592

Jacobs, Charles F. 330

Janner, Hans ....................................................................... 155-158

Janson, Richard .................................................................. 530-534

Jaques, Frances Lee 74-76

Jester, Doug 186,187

Jones, Bob 47

Keech, Alpheus 579-583

Keither, Clinton 475

Keller, Ed ...................................................................................... 98

Kempinger, Joseph 61 Kennebec Canoe Company 574 Kessler, George 95 King, Alan James 432

Kuss, Frank 167-171

L.W. Cushing and Sons ............................................................ 585

Laing, Albert .............................................................................. 467

Lawson, Oliver 214-215A

Leboeuf, Orel 327,328

Lester, John Seery 358-360 Lincoln, Joseph 1,21,476,564

Lohrmann, William 97

Maass, David ............................................................................. 349

Madera, Clark 514,515

Malloch, P.D. 589

Marr, Joe 73

Mason Decoy Factory 17-20,110-114,224-254

May, George 310A

McAlpin, Cline 109

McIntyre, Cameron ............................................................ 478-487

McLellan, George William 544

McNair, Mark 545-556

Melbye, Arnold 431

Meldrum, Alexander Yock 137

Middlesteadt, Julius 345

Moes, Alfred ................................................................................. 69

Morris Boat Works, .................................................................. 127c

Moss, Garry W. 357

Muss-Arnolt, Gustav 355,356

Nelson, Abe 70

Nichol, Addie 49

Nichol, David W. 323

Olson, Albert 72

Patterson, Roy 96

Pease, Ben ................................................................................. 470

Pelzer, Walter ............................................................................... 53

Perdew, Charles 32,269-271,277,283,291

Peterbough Canoe Company 576

Peterson, Oscar 133-136

Peterson, Roger Tory 362A-362G

Phillips, Captain Ed 504

Pice, Charles ................................................................................ 85

Piolloti, Mario 94

Potvin, Moise 598-602

Quillen, Nate 26

Quinn, William 82,83,513

Rathmell, Louis C. 11,466

Reeves, Charles .................................................................... 50,317

Reeves, Phineas ........................................................................... 46

Reindahl, Enoch 6,30,255-258,264

Reneson, Chet 350

Resop, Frank 60,265A

Rietgraf, Herman 290 Roberts, William 519

Ruggles, Henry ...................................................................... 36,274

Rule, Newt 101

Safford, Charles 477

Schalk, Ray 254A

Schifferl, Lou 593

Schmidt, Ben 128,294-299

Schmidt, Frank 129

Schmiedlin, Jim ................................................................... 200-202

Schoenheider, Sr., Charles 23,106

Scholer, John 79

Schroeder, Tom 166,304-310

Schweikart, John 301

Scrivens, Danny 130

Sears, Gordon ..................................................................... 174,175

Sheldon, Charles ........................................................................ 107

Shourds, Harry V. 510,511,516-518

Sibley, George

Sprague, Chris ........................................................................... 512

Stachowiak, Ignatius 108

Stevens, George 64,65

Stevens, Harvey 31 Stewart, Allen 472

Stiles, Jack 87

Storm, Peter ............................................................................... 596

Strey, Frank 59,262

Tax, John 77,78

Thomas, Charles 569

Thompson, Edgar 468

Tully, Bud 123

Turner, Charles W. ...................................................................... 520

Vallero, Michael .......................................................................... 93 Vandenbosch, Ted 163

Walker, Charles 45,45A

Wallace, Irving 464 Ward Brothers

4,5,28,66,488-501

Weaver, Steve 449

Wells, John R. ........................................................... 48,118,313,314

Wheeler, Charles E. “Shang” 10,12,13,63

Wheeler, Chauncey 334-338 White, Bob 522-529

Whittington, Hector 86 Wilcoxen, Perry 102

Wilcoxen, Richard 92

Wilson, Augustus “Gus” ............................................... 425-430,462

Wozny, Eddie 209-213

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

TRULY SUPERIOR FRESH TO MARKET PARKER A1 SPECIAL GRADE DOUBLE TRAP. SOLD $216,000!

“OLD HOSS” A FRESH TO MARKET AND IMPORTANT PARKER AAH GRADE 12 GAUGE. SOLD $48,000!

EXTREMELY RARE AND FINE PARKER AHE GRADE 12 GAUGE GAME GUN. SOLD $45,600!

SWIVEL PENNSYLVANIA LONG RIFLE BY ADAM ANGSTADT, c1800. SOLD $30,000!

PAIR OF 32 BORE W.W. GREENER SHOTGUNS WITH CASE. SOLD $87,000!

& SALVINELLI JOREMA EXTRA LUSSO 28 GAUGE SIDELOCK OVER UNDER SOLD $48,000!

A once in a life-time auction event

The Jim and Diane Cook Collection

For 45 years, Jim and Diane Cook’s aggressive pursuit of high-condition waterfowl decoys has resulted in the finest collection of rare and important decoys ever assembled. Many examples were auction records for the maker when they joined the collection and some were only surpassed when Jim bid on a rarer and more pristine example, setting the highwater mark once again. Over the years when a potential addition to the collection was selected, Jim would often hold up his bid card and not lower it until the auctioneer sold the decoy his way.

The Jim and Diane Cook collection will be sold in its entirety over the next five Guyette and Deeter auctions, commencing on April 23 & 24 at the Westin Chicago Lombard, held in conjunction with the annual North America Decoy Collectors Association show. The opportunity to acquire some of the most important decoys known should not be overlooked.

A 364-page, hardbound book of the entire collection can be purchased for $100 by calling Guyette and Deeter at 410745-0485. The book features over 75 carver biographies, as well as extended writeups about the Cooks and their collecting journey. It is extensively illustrated with over 700 photos of the collection, as well as vintage photos to accompany the many carver bios. If you have questions about any of the upcoming items or would like to consult with a specialist on starting your collection, call Jon Deeter at 440-610-1768 or Zac Cote at 207-321-8091.

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 have guaranteed condition reports. Should the need arise, the auctioneer reserves the right to make verbal corrections and provide additional information from the podium at the time of the sale. 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 a significant impact on the value, you can return the decoy.

2. DURATION OF GUARANTEE ‑ Requests for a refund on an item purchased through a Guyette and Deeter, Inc. auc tion 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 14 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.

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 auc tioneer’s sales records shall be conclusive as to who the purchaser was, and the purchase price.

4. BIDDING BIDDING Bidding usually starts below the low estimate and advances in increments of approximately 10% of the opening bid subject to the auctioneer’s discretion. The auctioneer reserves the right, at his sole discretion, to refuse any bids that he deems unreasonable. The minimum bid increment guideline is as follows:

$500 to $1000 ‑ $25

$10,000 to $20,000 ‑ $500 $100,000 and above ‑ $2,000

$1000 to $10,000 $100 $20,000 to $100,000 $1,000

5. ABSENTEE BIDS ‑ Phone or mail bids, at the discretion of the Auctioneer, will be accepted with a 20% deposit. In such case, the auctioneer will execute such bids competitively. Absentee bids are executed by the auctioneer on behalf of the bidder in accordance with the bid increment policy shown above.

6. TERMS ‑ All items are to be paid for in U.S. funds. No items will be released until they are paid for. The Auctioneer reserves the right to hold merchandise paid for by personal check, until the check has cleared the bank. 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. Merchandise not paid in full withing 30 days will be considered unsold.

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. For payments made using a credit card, the buyer’s premium is 23% up to and including $1,000,000. ONLINE BIDDING: We incorporate several internet bidding services that are provided by separate companies that host our auctions live from their web platforms. They charge our auction company a substantial fee to upload the auction materials to their platforms. Bid.guyetteanddeeter.com has a 1% fee, while Invaluable, LiveAuctioneers, and Proxibid each have a 5% fee. This amount is added on to your Buyers Premium on your invoice if you utilize any of the online bidding platforms that carry this auction.

9. TAX ‑ THERE IS AN 8% SALES TAX IN ILLINOIS. TAX IS WAIVED IF BUYER PRESENTS A VALID RESALE CERTIFICATE FROM ANY STATE OR HAS PURCHASES SHIPPED OUTSIDE OF ILLINOIS.

10. ACCEPTANCE OF CONDITIONS ‑ Bidding on any articles in this sale indicates your acceptance of all of the condi tions of sale.

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 items 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, according to terms and conditions, prior to removing the goods from the premises. Removal is at 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.

14. LEGAL DISPUTE ‑ Any legal disputes arising from this auction shall be settled in the court system of the State of Maryland. UNIFORM COMMERCIAL CODE ‑ The Maine Uniform Commercial Code, Title II, Section 2328 applies to this auction.

15. Stands are not included with the decoys or weathervanes unless specified in catalog. Cases are not included with shotgun shell boxes. All dimensions are approximate and are not guaranteed. All calls are sold “As Is”.

16. 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 or special delivery at the buyer’s expense. Under no circumstances will we be responsible for damage to fragile decorative carvings. These items are marked in the catalog with an *.

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, or Zac Cote at (207) 321-8091. If you have any questions concerning absentee bids, please call us.

ABSENTEE AND PHONE BID FORM

OFFICE USE ONLY REG

Zac

ADDRESS

DEPOSIT $

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.) The 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