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THBThe Larrabee Nantucket Curlew Decoy, William Fiske Larrabee (1808-1853)
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
LiveMar 4, 2022
Lots 1-264 Copley Fine Art Auctions cinnie@copleyart.com
View Full Catalog (263)
- Lot Description
The Larrabee Nantucket Curlew
William Fiske Larrabee (1808-1853)
Nantucket, MA, c. 1842
14 1/4 in. long
A grand shorebird decoy with a long and thin neck which fits the body with a mortise-and-tenon joint. This appears to be the first time this standout form has appeared in the decoy marketplace. The distinct pattern of this sculpture most closely relates to Nantucket's "Mr. Webster" plover and sandpiper. A pair of these related plover, with their abstracted sweeping bodies and squared tails, has been sold recently in both the Peter Muller and Linda Johnson collections.
The underside bears an old white label with "Made and painted by W. F. Larrabee October 1842" written in script. Faintly visible under the paint on the bottom are the stamped letters “WFL.” Larrabee was a prodigious mariner, records show he sailed up from Cuba to Boston in 1848. Two years later he headed west to San Francisco most likely following the California Gold Rush. A couple years later he sailed back to New York and passed shortly thereafter.
This is one of the earliest documented shorebird decoys that we have ever had the privilege of handling.
Old working paint with moderate gunning wear, including some flaking. Old working bill, restoration to front of face.
Provenance: Lew Horton Collection
Literature: Copley Fine Art Auctions, "The Winter Sale 2020," Charleston, SC, February 15, 2020, lots 20 and 21, related Muller Webster pair illustrated. Copley Fine Art Auctions, "The Sporting Sale 2021," Plymouth, MA, July 9-10, 2021, lots 29 and 30, Johnson Webster pair 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.
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