EUR
CAD
AUD
GBP
MXN
HKD
CNY
MYR
SEK
SGD
CHF
THBRuddy Turnstone Lothrop Turner Holmes (1824-1899)
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
Live Auction in Progress ... Currently on Lot Two ways to bid:
- Leave a max absentee bid and the platform will bid on your behalf up to your maximum bid during the live auction.
- Bid live during the auction and your bids will be submitted real-time to the auctioneer.
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
LiveJul 27, 2017 - Jul 28, 2017
Copley Fine Art Auctions cinnie@copleyart.com
View Full Catalog (156)
- Lot Description
Ruddy Turnstone
Lothrop Turner Holmes (1824-1899)
Kingston, MA, c. 1855
8 1/2 in. long
Unlike many professional carvers who earned a living selling their decoys, Lothrop Holmes, of Kingston, MA, carved decoys for his own rig used along the marshes of the Jones River and Duxbury Bay. For gainful employment, Holmes first worked the dangerous job of pouring molten iron at New England Foundries. In cataloging this decoy’s record-setting rigmate, Massachusetts Masterpieces: The Decoy As Art author and curator Gwladys Hopkins writes, “Where to start? This seductive little turnstone and his companion, the blackbellied plover are superb portraits done by an unusually observant, sensitive and talented artist. Everything about this calico bird is beautifully captured: its profile, proportions, and attitude-and it is masterfully crafted in form, finish and coloring. The familiar paint with its fanciful curlicues and lush, easy brushwork is exceptional.”
Lothrop Turner Holmes is among the earliest and finest shorebird makers from any region. As Hopkins points out “these shorebirds are rare” with only “three perhaps four ruddy turnstone” known.
This decoy’s rigmate, discussed above, set a then-world record for any shorebird decoy selling for $470,000 in 2000 and now resides in the esteemed collection of Paul Tudor Jones II.
No other turnstone maker’s work is held in higher esteem than that of Holmes.
In original paint with even gunning wear.
Provenance: Donal C. O'Brien, Jr. Collection
Literature: Gwladys Hopkins, "Massachusetts Masterpieces: The Decoy As Art," Lincoln, MA, 2016, p. 46, plate 16, rigmate illustrated.
Sotheby’s and Guyette and Schmidt, “American Waterfowl Decoys: The Distinguished Collection of Dr. James M. McCleery,” New York, NY, 2000, p. 205, lot 537, rigmate illustrated.Condition
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.
- Shipping Info
-
Shipping info
Copley Fine Art Auctions does not handle the shipping of any items. Shipping is the sole responsibility of the buyer. Once your payment has cleared, and we have received your authorized shipping release form items may be released for shipment. Copley Fine Art Auctions, LLC shall have no liability for any loss or damage to such items. Buyers should allow up to four weeks for shipment.PLEASE BE AWARE THAT INTERNET BIDDERS MAY NOT PICK UP THEIR ITEMS AT THE SALE SITE. ITEMS CAN BE PICKED UP BY APPOINTMENT OR SHIPPED STARTING FIVE DAYS AFTER THE CONCLUSION OF THE SALE
-
- Buyer's Premium
