DUCK DECOY BY DAVEY W. NICHOLA finelycarved and painted male Green Wing Teal decoy created by the late Davey W. Nichol (1890-1977) of Smiths Falls, Ontario. Printed in white letters on the bottom of the decoy:...
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YELLOWLEGSWilliam J. Matthews (1855-1930s) Rig
Assawoman Island, VA, c. 1890
9 1/4 in. long
Mackey acquired the Matthews rig from the hunter's estate. The underside of this decoy is marked with the Mackey Collection...
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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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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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THE CHEESEMAN GOLDENEYE DRAKEVerne Cheeseman(1897-1956)
Macomb, IL, c. 1930
11 1/2 in. long
"The carver Verne Cheeseman, from Macomb, Illinois, had many of his decoys painted by Edna, including Mallards, Canvasbacks,...
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"SIGNOR HEMINGWAY" WIGEONGiovanni "NaneCristo" Simoncin (1920-2015)
Burano, Italy, c. 1950
14 in. long
A new book on Italian decoys discusses this legendary European carver, "Giovanni Simoncin, known as "Nane...
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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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EARLY ROOT-HEAD SHOREBIRDThorn Rig
JamaicaBay, Long Island, NY, c. 1850
13 in. long
A large early decoy with an applied root head. Its size suggests it could have been used to attract curlew. This exact decoy and...
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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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MACKEY REDHEADCapt. Benjamin F. Dye(1832-1896)
Perryville, MD, c. 1880
12 3/4 in. long
This early Upper Bay decoy bears the Mackey Collection ink stamp. He illustrated this decoy in his book, noting that "stylized...
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THE MACKEY ENGLISH MALLARDJohn English(1848-1915)
Florence, NJ, c. 1880
16 in. long
John English was “the innovator of the Delaware River decoy,” yet his existence alluded collectors for years and information...
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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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THE MACKEY-MULLER SHOURDS MERGANSERHarryV. Shourds (1861-1920)
Tuckerton, NJ, c. 1890
15 3/4 in. long
“Shourds is one of the acknowledged master makers of New Jersey decoys. His birds were as fine as any made...
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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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THORNE-RIG PEEPEdwin Thorne (1861-1935)Rig
Jamaica Bay, Long Island, NY, c. 1900
7 3/4 in. long
This decoy descended through the Thorne family to the past executive director of Ducks Unlimited, William Thorne,...
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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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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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MACKEY-WHEELER BLACK DUCKCharles E."Shang" Wheeler (1872-1949)
Stratford, CT, c. 1940
17 1/4 in. long
This Connecticut classic features a refined hollow pine body, turned head, and Shang’s signature scratch...
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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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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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EARLY PREENING GREEN-WINGED TEALChaseLittlejohn (1853-1943)
Redwood City, CA, c. 1885
10 in. long
“A more interesting fellow than Chase Littlejohn has probably never existed.” This is the opening line to...
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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 DECOYS TO INCLUDE BRUCE BIEBERRIG OF SHORE BI...Group of Decoys to include Bruce Bieber Rig of Shore Bird Decoys and a set of four William Kautz carved loon decoys. largest 22 inches. Provenance: The Estate...
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WILLIAM FINKLE BLUEBILL HEN DECOY SAGINAWBAY, MICHIGAN, 20TH CENTURY LENGTH 13”.WILLIAM FINKLE BLUEBILL HEN DECOY, Saginaw Bay, Michigan, 20th Century, Hollow-carved. Tack eyes. Dimensions: Length 13"....
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WILLIAM GIBIAN WILLET DECOY ONANCOCK,VIRGINIA, 20TH CENTURY LENGTH 11”.WILLIAM GIBIAN WILLET DECOY, Onancock, Virginia, 20th Century, In preening form. Glass eyes. Carved wings. Carved signature "Gibian"...
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WILLIAM GIBIAN DOWITCHER DECOY ONANCOCK,VIRGINIA, 20TH CENTURY LENGTH 11”.WILLIAM GIBIAN DOWITCHER DECOY, Onancock, Virginia, 20th Century, Glass eyes. Carved wings. Carved signature "Gibian" on underside. Dimensions:...
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WILLIAM GIBIAN WOOD DUCK DRAKE DECOYONANCOCK, VIRGINIA, 20TH CENTURY LENGTH 13”., Onancock, Virginia, 20th Century, In preening form. Glass eyes. Carved signature "Gibian" on underside. Dimensions: Length...
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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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WILLIAM S. HUEY SANDHILL CRANE DECOYTESUQUE, NEW MEXICO, 20TH CENTURY LENGTH 36”., Tesuque, New Mexico, 20th Century, Circa 1960. Hollow-carved. Includes black painted stand. Dimensions: Length 36"....
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WILLIAM VEASEY DECORATIVE GOOSE DECOYNEWARK, DELAWARE, DATED 1974 LENGTH 22”. HEIGHT 12”., Newark, Delaware, Dated 1974, In preening position. Signed on base "William Veasey". Dimensions: Length 22". Height...
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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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