The Hillman-Horn Turnstone Decoy, John Horn

Lot 181

About Seller

20 Winter Street
Pembroke, MA 02359
United States

Founded in 2005, Copley Fine Art Auctions is a boutique auction house specializing in antique decoys and American, sporting, and wildlife paintings. Over the course of the last two decades, the firm has set auction records for not only individual decoy makers, but also entire carving regions. Copley...Read more

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$25,000	$2,500
$50,000	$5,000

About Auction

The Sporting Sale 2019 by Copley Fine Art Auctions

Live

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

John Horn
Oceanville, NJ, c. 1890
9 1/4 in. long

One of approximately seven Horn turnstones in original paint, this is one of the finest examples known. While the rarity of exceptional ruddy turnstones cannot be overstated, Horn decoys have not escaped the purview of the world’s top shorebird collectors, having resided on the shelves of the Noyes, O’Brien, McCleery, Giberson, Headley, and Doherty collections.
This Hillman-Kramer decoy displays pronounced cheek carving, a beautifully contoured body, and a delicate thin tail. With impeccable provenance and striking paint, this is not only one of the finest Horn shorebirds to come on the market, but also one of the finer New Jersey ruddy turnstones.
A letter from Somers Headley, who as a child knew Horn, written to Carol Kramer adds some color to these great decoys. Headley relays that Horn "robbed picket fences for carving wood, he was shot at tearing apart the fences...After the cedar weathered and cured a couple of years the wood was seasoned and easily carved." This decoy does not have the split-rail scars associated with some Horn decoys as a result of this wood-selection technique.
Strong original paint with minimal gunning wear, and a tight age line in top of head.

Provenance: John Hillman Collection
Grove and Kathy Conrad Collection
Dr. Morton D. Kramer Collection

Literature: James R. Doherty, "Classic New Jersey Decoys," Louisville, KY, 2011, p. 175, pl. 388, exact bird illustrated.
Sotheby's and Guyette and Schmidt, "American Waterfowl Decoys: The Distinguished Collection of Dr. James M. McCleery," New York, NY, 2000, p. 220, lot 606, related decoy illustrated.
John M. Levinson and Somers G. Headley, "Shorebirds: The Birds, The Hunters, The Decoys," Centreville, MD, 1991, p. 86, pl. 6-25, 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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