Rare Land-Locked Salmon Decoy, Harry Seymour

Lot 196

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

Bid Increments

Price	Bid Increment
$0	$50
$1,000	$100
$2,500	$250
$5,000	$500
$10,000	$1,000
$25,000	$2,500
$50,000	$5,000

About Auction

The Sporting Sale 2022, Day 1 by Copley Fine Art Auctions

Live

The Sporting Sale 2022, Day 1

By Copley Fine Art Auctions

Jul 14, 2022

Set Reminder 2022-07-14 10:00:00 2022-07-14 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : The Sporting Sale 2022, Day 1 https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/copley/the-sporting-sale-2022-day-1-9460 Lots 1-332 Copley Fine Art Auctions cinnie@copleyart.com

View Full Catalog (332)

Lot Description

Rare Land-Locked Salmon
Harry Seymour
Lake Chautauqua, NY, c. 1880
7 1/2 in. long

This carving represents an exceedingly rare and early Atlantic salmon decoy. The fish exhibits tack eyes, a line hole drilled through the back of the body, carved gills and mouth, and a leather tail. The surface is finished with a dark green back transitioning down to blue sides with white, red, and gold dots and gold head details.

Seymour earned his living as a handyman; however, he is widely considered to be one of the first master carvers from New York State and his fish decoys came to become a standard-bearer of the region's form. Seymour's carvings are rare and highly collectible. Indeed, a collection of his carvings now reside in New York City's Brooklyn Museum.
Old working paint with moderate fishing wear, including some flaking to metal. Tight age line at front of weight.

Provenance: William C. McMaster M.D. Collection

Literature: Steve Michaan, "American Fish Decoys," Pound Ridge, NY, 2003, pp. 12-19, Seymour fish illustrated. Gene and Linda Kangas, "Chautauqua Fish Decoys," Decoy Magazine, November/December 1988, pp. 44-45, Seymour salmon illustrated twice.

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.
Shipping Info
- Shipping info
  
  Copley does not offer in-house packing or shipping. For clients who require shipping, please complete the Shipping Release Form and return it with your payment. The form includes a list of shippers we frequently work with.