Early Preening Scoter Decoy by Albert Davids Laing (1811-1886)

Lot 124

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

The Sporting Sale 2023, Day 1 by Copley Fine Art Auctions

Live

The Sporting Sale 2023, Day 1

By Copley Fine Art Auctions

Jul 13, 2023

Set Reminder 2023-07-13 10:00:00 2023-07-13 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : The Sporting Sale 2023, Day 1 https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/copley/the-sporting-sale-2023-day-1-12989 Lots 1-243 Copley Fine Art Auctions cinnie@copleyart.com

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Lot Description

Early Preening Scoter
Albert Davids Laing (1811-1886)
New York, NY, and Stratford, CT, c. 1850
14 in. long

A hollow, turned-head decoy by the father of the Stratford School. Laing, originally from New York City, is one of the earliest and most talented carvers in North America. The underside bears a large “LAING” rig brand and a Baldwin rig brand. This important rig has been referred to as the "early classic rig" and was also used by Charles E. "Shang" Wheeler. This decoy was the cover feature for the marker's "Decoy Magazine" article in 1995.

Laing has been revered for adding a lifelike quality to his rigs with a variety of head positions, such as this elegant sleeper. There is no evidence that Laing ever sold decoys commercially, and it is believed that at the time of his death the 111 decoys from his gunning rig constituted the majority of his entire output. According to Chitwood, Laing’s entire hunting rig was sold after his passing in 1886 for $45.
Old gunning paint with moderate wear, some touch-up, and partial bill restoration.

Provenance: Albert D. Laing Rig
Charles E. "Shang" Wheeler Rig
Private Collection

Literature: D. Webster & W. Kehoe, "Shelburne Museum Decoys," Shelburne, VT, 1961, p. 75, rigmate illustrated. Henry C. Chitwood, "Connecticut Decoys," West Chester, PA, 1987, p. 65, Shelburne Museum rigmate illustrated. Laurence Sheehan, "The Birding Life," New York, NY, 2011, p. 22, Donal O'Brien's rigmate illustrated. Joe Engers, ed., "Albert D. Laing: A decoy maker unequaled in his time," Decoy Magazine, July/August 1995, front cover, p. 12, exact decoy illustrated.

Condition

Please email condition report requests to colin@copleyart.com. 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.
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