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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Jul 28, 2017 - Jul 29, 2017
Pintail Drake
Charles H. Perdew (1874-1963)
Henry, IL, 1928
16 in. long
This exemplary Illinois River pintail is unused. It showcases the clean lines of Charlie’s carving and the refined elegance of Edna’s paint. The underside is branded "G.K. SCHMIDT." This famous rig was commissioned by George K. Schmidt (1869-1939), a prominent Chicagoan and the president of the Prudential State Savings Bank. For roughly four decades Schmidt rig decoys resided unused in a bank vault.
According to decoy author Donna Tonelli, in 1928 Schmidt ordered a mixed rig of ducks from Perdew including twelve pintail, split evenly between hens and drakes. To date only seven of these Schmidt rig pintails have surfaced, making this a rare find. Two drake rigmates reside in top Illinois River collections. This drake, with its superb condition, beautifully applied paint, and impeccable historic provenance, ranks among the finest Perdew decoys known to exist.
Outstanding original paint with virtually no wear and very minor touch-up to a tiny spot on neck.
Provenance: George K. Schmidt Rig
Grant Nelson Collection
Literature: Stephen B. O’Brien, Jr. and Julie Carlson, "Masterworks of the Illinois River," Boston, MA, 2005, p. 73, rigmate illustrated. Donna Tonelli, "Fish and Fowl of the Great Lakes," Atglen, PA, 2002, p. 143, rigmate illustrated.
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.
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