Hook-Bill Curlew
William Roberts (d. c. 1910)
Cape May, NJ c. 1880
Though curlew decoys were fairly common in Cape May, few, if any, matched the quality of those carved by William Roberts. This observation was first documented in "American Bird Decoys" when William J. Mackey, Jr. discussed a Roberts curlew in his collection which he endearingly referred to as "Ol' Hookbill."
A "F.S.T.N.J." brand is impressed on the underside for the rig of Francis Sidney Townsend. In 2010 a rigmate set a world record for this maker. Original paint with gunning wear, rusted eyes, and a replaced bill with reset tip.
PROVENANCE: Richard and Lynn Gove Collection
LITERATURE: James R. Doherty, "Classic New Jersey Decoys," Louisville, KY, 2011, p. 184, plate 420, similar decoy illustrated.
William J. Mackey, Jr., "American Bird Decoys," New York, NY, 1965, p. 135, plate 114, similar decoy illustrated.
Condition
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