Hollow Black Duck Decoy, Cassius Smith (1847-1907)

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The Sporting Sale 2019

By Copley Fine Art Auctions

Jul 25, 2019

Set Reminder 2019-07-25 10:00:00 2019-07-25 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : The Sporting Sale 2019 https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/copley/the-sporting-sale-2019-4227
July 25 at 10 am | 550 lots Copley Fine Art Auctions cinnie@copleyart.com

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• Lot Description
  Cassius Smith (1847-1907)
  Milford, CT, c. 1880
  17 in. long
  
  This decoy is an early Connecticut classic, made by one of the state's most skilled carvers. Cassius Smith is recorded as a market gunner who, prior to the passing of the Migratory Bird Act of 1918, supplied wild waterfowl to his brother George, who owned a hotel in Milford, Connecticut. Smith produced some of the finest waterfowl carvings on either shore of Long Island Sound. His decoys are exceptionally rare, even more so than those of fellow regional carvers of fame Laing or Wheeler. Most of the known Smith carvings in original paint, of which there are perhaps less than ten, reside in top collections. The broad hollow body features gentle shoulder separation, a thick pointed tail, and the bird was finished with fine blended feathering. The underside bears an inset lead weight and an incised "09FHC05251."
  Original paint with even gunning wear and faint age line lower left neck edge.
  
  Provenance: Alan and Elaine Haid Collection
  
  Literature: Gene and Linda Kangas, "Decoys: A North American Survey," Spanish Fork, UT, 1983, p. 205, pl. 26, related 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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