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THBClassic Black Duck Charles E. "Shang" Wheeler (1872-1949)
About Seller
65 Sharp Street
Hingham, MA 02043
United States
Copley Fine Art Auctions is the world's leading American sporting art auction company. Located in Hingham, MA, Copley specializes in antique decoys and 19th- and 20th-century American, sporting, and wildlife paintings. Principal Stephen O'Brien Jr., a fourth-generation sportsman with a refined colle...Read more
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About Auction
LiveJul 27, 2017 - Jul 28, 2017
Copley Fine Art Auctions cinnie@copleyart.com
View Full Catalog (156)
- Lot Description
Classic Black Duck
Charles E. "Shang" Wheeler (1872-1949)
Stratford, CT, c. 1940
17 1/4 in. long
This hollow pine decoy is one of “Shang” Wheeler’s finest gunning models. Wheeler authority Dixon Merkt was so enthralled with this exact decoy that he chose to illustrate it twelve times in his definitive book on the maker.
Merkt used this exact decoy to demonstrate that “Wheeler was a master at portraying the black duck. His skillful carving coupled with realistic feather painting produced a remarkably lifelike appearance.” He goes on to point out that this bird’s head “shows the alert eye and hint of a smile that give each of Wheeler’s ducks a personality all its own.” The author closes his review by stating, “A characteristic that sometimes appears in this grade is the detail carving under the bill. This is just one of the many subtleties that makes this black duck extraordinary.”
A paper label on the underside appears to read "Property of Perry Avery Stony Creek Conn."
Included with this lot is Wheeler's decoy weight mold.
In excellent original paint with minimal wear.
Provenance: Perry Avery Collection, Stony Creek, Connecticut
Dixon Merkt Collection
Donal C. O'Brien, Jr. Collection, acquired from the above.
Literature: Dixon MacD. Merkt, "Shang: A Biography of Charles E. Wheeler," Spanish Fork, UT, 1984, dust jacket cover, p. 19, 129, 152, 172 and 173, pl. 5, 107, 142, 188-192, exact decoy illustrated 12 times.
Laurence Sheehan, "The Birding Life," New York, NY, 2011, p. 95, exact decoy illustrated.
Laurence Sheehan, "The Sporting Life," New York, NY, 1992, p. 81, exact decoy illustrated.Condition
Condition report requests can be made via email or by telephone (info@copleyart.com or 617.536.0030). Any condition statement given is a courtesy to customers, Copley will not be held responsible for any errors or omissions. The absence of a condition statement does not imply that the lot is in perfect condition.
- Shipping Info
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Shipping info
Copley Fine Art Auctions does not handle the shipping of any items. Shipping is the sole responsibility of the buyer. Once your payment has cleared, and we have received your authorized shipping release form items may be released for shipment. Copley Fine Art Auctions, LLC shall have no liability for any loss or damage to such items. Buyers should allow up to four weeks for shipment.PLEASE BE AWARE THAT INTERNET BIDDERS MAY NOT PICK UP THEIR ITEMS AT THE SALE SITE. ITEMS CAN BE PICKED UP BY APPOINTMENT OR SHIPPED STARTING FIVE DAYS AFTER THE CONCLUSION OF THE SALE
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