Tern by Obediah Verity (1813-1901)

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The Winter Sale 2016

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Feb 12, 2016 - Feb 13, 2016

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• Lot Description
  Obediah Verity (1813-1901)
  Seaford, Long Island, NY, c. 1880
  
  There was a time when a hat decorated with tern feathers and wings was considered the height of couture and led to the large reductions in tern populations. However, conservation efforts and legislation in the late 19th century forced a change in the millinery industry. While once popular for fashion, terns were evidently never considered a culinary delight. As a result, market hunters received only ten dollars per hundred birds and terns were not widely hunted after use of their feathers was outlawed. For this reason, old working tern decoys are extremely rare, with Long Island being one of the few areas where rigs have been found.
  
  Two of this bird’s rigmates are illustrated on page thirty-one of Henry Fleckenstein’s book, "Shore Bird Decoys." The caption states that they, “were made by Obediah Verity of Seaford, Long Island, New York - c. 1880."
  
  This Verity tern was passed down through the extended family to Nelson Verity (1854-1947). Nelson Verity is known to have guided Yankee baseball greats, Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, in South Oyster Bay.
  
  Provenance: Private Collection, Florida
  
  Literature: Joe Engers, ed., "The Great Book of Wildfowl Decoys," San Diego, CA, 1990, p. 103, rigmate illustrated. Joe Engers, ed., “1999 Year In Review,” Decoy Magazine, Lewes, DE, 1999, front cover, and p. 9, rigmate illustrated. Robert Shaw, "Bird Decoys of North America," New York, NY, 2010, p. 131, similar decoy illustrated (caption reversed). Henry A. Fleckenstein, Jr., "Shore Bird Decoys," Exton, PA, 1980, p. 31, plate 34 and color plate 72, rigmates illustrated. William J. Mackey, Jr., "American Bird Decoys," New York, NY, 1965, p. 58, plate 38, related example illustrated. Timothy Sieger, "The Decoys of Long Island," Water Mills, NY, 2010, pp. 32 and 36, similar examples illustrated. Richard P. Baldwin, "The Verity Family of Long Island, New York," Southold, NY, 2000, p. 126.

  Condition

  Old in-use repaint, with some flaking, gunning wear, and some restoration to top of head.
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