Rare Running Plover Decoy

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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
  Cobb Island, VA, c. 1870
  11 in. long
  
  Nathan Cobb Sr. sailed his family south from Cape Cod to the Eastern Shore of Virginia where they settled around 1837. The family brought with them Massachusetts carving concepts, including the refined split-tail carving style adopted by Lothrop Holmes, A. Elmer Crowell, and Joseph Lincoln. Over time, the Cobbs evolved this style into one of their own. A well-balanced decoy, this plover exhibits pleasing proportions with full cheeks and a plump body that resolves with a precise Cobb Island tail cut.
  
  Birds from this important Cobb rig were first discovered by William J. Mackey Jr., from whose collection this decoy hails. Later, they were brought to the broader public’s attention when Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr. featured related examples in his "Shore Bird Decoys" book.
  
  This plover, with its crisp clean lines and original bill, hits the highest level of craftsmanship seen in the decoys that survived the remote island’s storm-wrecked history.
  
  The underside bears both the "Mackey Collection" and “NELSON” collection stamps, and an incised "J J."
  In early gunning paint with some flaking.
  
  Provenance: William J. Mackey Jr. Collection
  Robert Gresham Collection
  Grant Nelson Collection
  
  
  Literature: Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., "Shore Bird Decoys," Exton, PA, 1980, p. 130, back dust jacket cover, related example illustrated.
  Joe Engers, ed., "The Great Book of Wildfowl Decoys," San Diego, CA, 1990, pp. 166-167, related example illustrated.
  Dr. Lloyd Newberry, "The Saga of Cobb Island," Sporting Classics, Spring/Summer 2018, pp. 140-145, related example illustrated.
  Robert H. Richardson ed., "Chesapeake Bay Decoys," Burtonsville, MD, 1991, p. 184, 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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