The Mackey Mason Long-Tail Decoy, Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924)

Lot 36

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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$1,000	$100
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$25,000	$2,500
$50,000	$5,000

About Auction

The Winter Sale 2020 by Copley Fine Art Auctions

Live

The Winter Sale 2020

By Copley Fine Art Auctions

Feb 15, 2020

Set Reminder 2020-02-15 10:00:00 2020-02-15 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : The Winter Sale 2020 https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/copley/the-winter-sale-2020-4811 Charleston Marriott, 170 Lockwood Blvd., Charleston, SC 29403 Copley Fine Art Auctions cinnie@copleyart.com

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Lot Description

The Mackey Mason Long-Tail
Mason Decoy Factory (1896-1924)
Detroit, MI, c. 1905
16 1/2 in. long

The rarity of this special-order long-tail duck decoy cannot be overstated. Evidence of its scarcity is demonstrated by the absence of any mention of the species in Mason’s own circa 1910 catalog. Yet the vintage sales publication was thorough enough to illustrate wood ducks and list “spoon bill.” Mackey exhibited this decoy extensively while it was in his collection. It was prominently displayed in the IBM exhibit on a shelf by the Mason premier-grade wood duck and the Crowell “dust jacket” plover. Muller was quick to acquire this rarity as the fourth lot of the first Mackey session. Legendary Mason collector Dr. James M. McCleery, whose collection featured over 110 factory decoys, coveted this carving. Correspondence with Muller immediately after the first Mackey Sessions in 1973 reveals that McCleery closed a letter with “...if you should ever decide to ‘cash in’ that Mason old squaw, please give me a shot at it. Good hunting, Jim.”
In 1976 McCleery came back around and proposed a trade, to no avail.
Aside from its rarity, this drake is one of Mason’s best forms and executions with fine head carving, a long thin tail, and strong swirl paint. The underside is marked with the Mackey Collection ink stamp.
Original paint with even gunning wear, some overpaint successfully removed, and old fill to a tail chip.

Provenance: William J. Mackey Jr. Collection
Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection, acquired from the sale of the above, 1973

Literature: Richard A. Bourne Co., Inc., "Very Rare and Important American Bird Decoys from the Collection of the late William J. Mackey Jr. of Belford, New Jersey," Hyannis, MA, 1973, Session I & II, lot 4, exact decoy illustrated.
Byron Cheever, “Mason Decoys,” Haber City, UT, 1974, pp. 100 and 153, exact decoy illustrated.
Quintina Colio, "American Decoys," Ephrata, PA, 1972, p. 5, exact decoy illustrated.
Hal Sorenson, ed., “IBM Exhibits Mackey Decoys,” Decoy Collector’s Guide, 1966-1967, pp. 49 and 50, 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. 10, exact decoy illustrated.
Mason’s Decoy Factory, “Mason’s Decoy Factory, Manufacturers of High Grade Cedar Decoys,” Detroit, MI, c. 1910, reprinted by Midwest Decoy Collectors Association, no mention of species.

Exhibited: Manhattan, New York, “The Decoy Maker’s Craft,” IBM Gallery of Arts and Sciences, August 29-October 1, 1966.
St. Paul, Minnesota, “American Bird Decoys Selected from the Collection of William J. Mackey Jr.,” St. Paul Art Center, September 28-November 12, 1967.
Oshkosh, Wisconsin, “American Bird Decoys Selected from the Collection of William J. Mackey Jr.,” The Paine Art Center and Arboretum, December 2-31, 1967.

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.
Shipping Info
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