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THBSalesman Sample Long-Billed Curlew Decoy, Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924)
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
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About Auction
LiveFeb 15, 2020
Charleston Marriott, 170 Lockwood Blvd., Charleston, SC 29403 Copley Fine Art Auctions cinnie@copleyart.com
View Full Catalog (533)
- Lot Description
Salesman Sample Long-Billed Curlew
Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924)
Detroit, MI, c. 1900
17 1/2 in. long
In their 1993 publication on Mason decoys, Goldberger and Haid discuss curlew by Mason as being “huge; the bodies alone are 12-inches long.” This grand example measures thirteen and one-quarter inches from the tip of the tail to the front of the breast. In "Classic Shorebird Decoys: A Portfolio of Paintings," William J. Mackey Jr. writes, “Mason’s skilled company of woodworkers and artists turned out numerous fine decoys...The Mason curlew...in original paint...would be one of the finest of factory shorebirds. Mason’s paint was of unusual high quality...it has mellowed with age, but still retains the original luxurious, gemlike coloring. The method of application was also peculiar to Mason decoys. The paint is applied in a swirling pattern that made it stand up well against the roughest treatment and the saltiest Atlantic tidewaters. The painting style of Mason’s decoys is fixed in a traditional, rather rigid pattern, but there is never a feeling of monotony, but rather one of rich ornamentation.”
This stunning salesman sample fits Mackey’s assessment neatly. In near-mint condition and with no stick hole, it ranks among the top Mason decoys known to exist and closely relates to a fine example previously held in The Peabody Essex Museum Collection.
Original paint with minimal wear, including a flake on the left shoulder.
Provenance: Randy Root Collection
Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection, acquired from the above, 1975
Literature: John and Shirley Delph, "Factory Decoys," Exton, PA, 1980, pp. 110-111, exact decoy illustrated twice.
Joe Engers, “Dr. Peter J. Muller: Bringing a good eye and an artistic approach to decoy collecting,” Decoy Magazine, January/February 2008, p. 8, exact decoy illustrated.
Milton C. Weiler and William J. Mackey Jr., "Classic Shorebird Decoys: A Portfolio of Paintings," New York, NY, 1971, pl. 12, closely related example illustrated.
Russ J. Goldberger and Alan G. Haid, "Mason Decoys: A Complete Pictorial Guide," Burtonsville, MD, 1993, pp. 106, 107, 136, and back dust jacket, similar decoys illustrated.
Alan G. Haid and Brandy S. Culp, "The Allure of the Decoy," Charleston, SC, 2013, p. 61, similar decoy illustrated.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.Condition
- Shipping Info
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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 email info@copleyart.com for a shipping form. Please be aware that internet bidders may NOT not pick up their items at the sale. Items will be available for pick up by appointment or by shippers five days after the sale.
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