MACKEY RED KNOTCape May, NJ, c. 1860
10in. long
This bold running decoy displays a hard chine, a chip-carved breast, and an underside with provenance markings. There is a Joe French Collection white label and...
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OVERSIZE SPEAR-RIG BLACK DUCKJosephW. Lincoln (1859-1938)
Accord, MA, c. 1910
22 in. long
“Lincoln was a laconic man, a consummate Yankee craftsman whose solid-bodied decoys are reflections of their maker’s...
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EXCEPTIONAL MERGANSERFred M. Nichols(1854-1924)
Lynn, MA, c. 1890
17 in. long
Ongoing research has identified this decoy and its two rigmates as the work of Massachusetts master carver Fred Nichols. This hollow...
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CANVASBACKRobert Elliston (1847-1925)
Bureau,IL, c. 1890
15 3/4 in. long
This exact decoy is illustrated in Mackey's "American Bird Decoys," where the author notes the rarity of this example and that "Robert Elliston's...
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AMERICAN EGRETc. 1900
45 in. tall andbird is 26 in. long
This silhouette was carved from a three-quarter-inch board and could be made to represent and egret, stork, or crane. It has a lively weathered surface...
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MACKEY LONG-TAILED DRAKELong Island,NY, c. 1880
11 1/4 in. long
An early hunting decoy that saw use along the rugged waters of the Atlantic Coast. William Mackey owned this decoy and illustrated a pair of rigmates...
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THE SURACE FEEDING PLOVERObediah Verity(1813-1901)
Seaford, Long Island, NY, c. 1870
9 3/4 in. long
“Verity’s most distinctive form is a feeding shorebird, with its bulbous head bent down and forward, its...
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THE MULLER VERITY PEEP PAIRObediah Verity(1813-1901)
Seaford, Long Island, NY, c. 1880
6 3/4 in. long
This exceptional peep pair showcases identical form in two distinct plumages. The first is in a rarely seen darker-backed...
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THE WARD FLYING MALLARD PAIRThe WardBrothers
Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976)
Crisfield, MD, 1936 and 1937
21 in. tall and 19 in. wingspan
The Wards’ ability to capture likeness of species is...
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EXEMPLARY DOWITCHERA. Elmer Crowell(1862-1952)
East Harwich, MA, c. 1910
12 1/2 in. long
A rare and important working Crowell dowitcher decoy displaying glass eyes, richly painted detail, and split-tail carving...
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THE SAFFORD SLEEPING GOOSECharles A.Safford (1877-1957)
Newburyport, MA, c. 1920
24 ½ in. long
“It leaps into the pantheon of the greatest American goose decoys ever made, sculpture and function in perfect...
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THE MACKEY-MULLER SHOURDS LONG-TAILHarryV. Shourds (1861-1920)
Tuckerton, NJ, c. 1890
13 1/2 in. long
This Shourds carving is considered one of the pinnacle gunning decoys out of New Jersey. In addition to its...
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"WHITE MALLARD CLUB" PINCH-BREAST PINTAILTheWard Brothers
Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976)
Crisfield, MD, c. 1932
18 3/4 in. long
“The Ward Brothers made pintails early on in their craft and they were...
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THE O'BRIEN CHAMBERS WOOD DUCKThomasChambers (1860-1948)
Wallaceburg, Ontario, Canada, c. 1900
15 in. long
“There are few, if any, areas in North America which provide such accessible hunting for such a large...
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BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERDaniel Lake Leeds(1852-1922)
Pleasantville, NJ, c. 1890
9 1/2 in. long
Describing a rigmate and its maker in "Classic Shorebird Decoys: A Portfolio of Paintings," William J. Mackey Jr. writes,...
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RARE AND EARLY TUCKED-HEAD BLACK DUCKFerdinandBach (1888-1967)
Detroit, MI, c. 1926
19 in. long
This decoy and its rigmate, lot 457, represent half of the known black ducks by Bach. These rare and highly distinct birds...
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RARE AND EARLY SLEEPING BLACK DUCKFerdinandBach (1888-1967)
Detroit, MI, c. 1926
16 in. long
This decoy and its rigmate, lot 458, represent half of the known black ducks by Bach. These rare and highly distinct birds...
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MACKEY GREAT BLUE HERON DECOYMid-Atlantic,c. 1880
36 in. long
This Mackey Collection decoy is a rare authentic root-head heron with a grand body measuring over two feet from the breast to the tail. The head was fashioned...
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EARLY HOLLOW GOLDEN PLOVER WITH RAISEDWING TIPSFolger Family
Nantucket, MA, c. 1840
9 in. long
“To me,” wrote Donal C. O’Brien Jr. “...these are the greatest of all the Nantucket Golden Plovers; very...
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GOLDEN PLOVERMr. Webster
Nantucket,MA, c. 1850
10 in. long
This early plover with a sharp tail cut is among the best of its kind from the iconic Webster rig. It has resided on the island since it was made...
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EARLY HOLLOW FOLGER GOLDEN PLOVERFolgerFamily
Nantucket, MA, c. 1840
11 in. long
“Nantucket decoys are hard to come by and historically they are of great interest. Since they were used for relatively short periods...
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EXCEPTIONAL SWIMMING MERGANSERNorthShore, MA, c. 1890
17 1/2 in. long
This hollow swimming merganser is among the finest decoys discovered in decades. As this Massachusetts masterpiece makes its public debut,...
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GRAND CURLEWCharles Sumner Bunn (1865-1952)
Shinnecock,NY, c. 1900
17 1/2 in. long
In 1971 Milton Weiler’s “Classic Shorebird Decoys” portfolio was published with text by William J. Mackey Jr. Across from Weiler’s Plate...
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EARLY HUMPBACK BLACK DUCKThe Ward Brothers
LemuelT. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976)
Crisfield, MD, 1921
17 in. long
“Stephen W. Ward (1895-1976) and his brother Lemuel Travis Ward (1896-1984) of Crisfield, Maryland...
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THE HARMON RUNNING COBB CURLEWNathanF. Cobb Jr. (1825-1905)
Cobb Island, VA, c. 1880
15 1/2 in. long
“Every Nathan Cobb decoy had its own natural pose. Even his Hudsonian Curlews…seemed to run, feed, and...
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THE CRANDALL SLEEPY-EYED MALLARDHorace"Hi" Crandall (1892-1969)
Westwood, CA, c. 1935
15 in. long
One of California's best decoy carvers, Crandall is also considered by some to be its best painter. Born in Rhode...
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STANDING CANADA GOOSEJerry Mastin (1880-1959)
Portland,OR, 1937
26 in. long
This iconic and peerless rig of geese was initiated by the request of Mastin’s hunting partner, Roger Eaton, for use in harvested wheat fields. The...
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FLYING BRANTGeorge William McLellan(1897-1987)
Eureka, CA, c. 1941
24 in. long, 41 in. wingspan
One of only nine flying decoys originally created for this legendary rig. Few would argue that Bill McLellan’s...
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RARE WHIMBRELMason Decoy Factory (1896-1924)
Detroit,MI, c. 1910
16 1/2 in. long
A rare Mason Factory shorebird decoy with excellent form. In reference to this special model, which they call a Hudsonian Curlew or whimbrel,...
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GROUP OF BIRD DECOYS AND 19TH C. PRINTS1stitem: Hank Walker signed Canadian preening goose decoy, signed "Hank Walker, Salisbury, Mass.", 1980-1982, 21 1/2" L, c. 1980-1982,. 2nd item: Canvas Back decoy, 14" L, early...
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FOUR CARVED AND PAINTED BIRD DECOYS,GOOSE DECOY STAMPE...Four Carved and Painted Bird Decoys, goose decoy stamped "White"; Harris Old Saybrook Shorebird; along with two other shore birds, unsigned, tallest 14...
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EIGHT PIECE FISH DECOY LOT: 1) SlettBluegill Fish Decoy, 4'' in length, stamped signature; 2) Slett Style Bluegill Decoy, 4'' in length, unsigned; 3) Turtle, 5.5'' in length, monogrammed ''RJ'', dated '04; 4)...
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IMPORTANT COLLECTION OF SEVEN SOUTHERNDECOY BOOKS Five important titles include American Bird Decoys by William Mackey. Jr, Gunnin' Birds by Kroghie Andresen, Carteret Waterfowl Heritage by Jack Dudley, Waterfowl...
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10"H shore bird decoy on stand signedon bottom W. G. . 9"H unsigned shore bird decoy on stand. A decoy of two seagulls on driftwood, labeled Jewitt Green Grand Harbor Grand Manan NB/ Condition: seagulls with...
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COLLECTION OF TEN DECOY COLLECTING REFERENCEBOOKS Including Decoys of the Mid-Atlantic Region by Henry Fleckenstein, Jr., Call to the Sky The Decoy Collection of James M. McCleery, MD published by Houston Museum of...
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NINE PIECE FISH DECOY LOT: To Include:1) Unsigned Bird with Open Wings, 7.5'' in length; 2) Mermaid Decoy, 8'' in length, signed Mayre, dated 2013 on the tail; 3) Winged Beetle, monogrammed ''DS'' and dated '02,...
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