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THBThe Ward-Prescott Ruddy Duck Hen Decoy by The Ward Brothers
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 24, 2024
Lots 239-480 Copley Fine Art Auctions cinnie@copleyart.com
View Full Catalog (242)
- Lot Description
The Ward-Prescott Ruddy Duck Hen
The Ward Brothers
Lemuel T. (1896-1984) and Stephen (1895-1976)
Crisfield, MD, 1931
16 1/2 in. long
This decoy emanates from the estate of Marjorie Wiggin Prescott of Greenwich, Connecticut. She was a lifelong collector inspired by her father, the historic New York financier Albert Wiggin. Her husband, Sherburne Prescott, was also supportive of her collecting and, like his father-in-law, was a president of Chase Bank. While much of the Prescott Collection was sold through Christies, decoys, including this singular ruddy duck, surfaced at the Richard Bourne auction in 1981. The Wards made several exceptional stand-alone pairs for this Greenwich family that now rest on the shelves of top collectors around the country, including an iconic wigeon pair that were reunited by Donald Kirson.
Fortunately, this hen, and its mate, passed through the Ralph Sterling Collection, which was profiled by "Decoy Magazine" in 1986, in which the following was published: "The pair of Ruddy duck decoys are made of solid cedar, in original paint and are in mint condition. They were made in 1931. Oliver Lawson described them as the 'rarest pair of Ward decoys I have seen.' Ken Basile, former museum director of the Ward Foundation in Salisbury, Maryland appraised these in 1984, 'This pair of decoys is extremely rare and an excellent example of the finest of the Ward Brothers work.'
"The Pair have unusual holes in the bill. Sterling asked Lem about it. Lem explained that he had a tool like a screwdriver that he heated and burned through for the nostrils. He used this when making the ducks in the barbershop next to Maddrix's store in the early '30s."
This oversized carving with a broad bill and tail is dated and inscribed "-1931- L.T. Ward - Bro. Crisfield, Md." with Lem's signature underneath.
Original paint with light wear.
Provenance: Marjorie Wiggin Prescott Collection
Ralph Sterling Collection
Private Collection, Florida
Literature: Richard A. Bourne Co., "American Decoys and Bird Carvings Auction," Hyannis Port, MA, July 7-8 1981, lot 294, exact decoy and rigmate illustrated. Decoy Magazine, "Collectors' Corner: Mint decoratives of the Ward Brothers from the collection of Walter Binder and Ralph Sterling," Fall 1986, p. 24, exact decoy illustrated and discussed. Loy S. Harrell Jr., "Decoys: North America’s One Hundred Greatest," Iola, WI, 2000, p. 160, Prescott Collection wigeon 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.
- Shipping Info
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Shipping info
Copley does not offer in-house packing or shipping. For clients who require shipping, please complete the Shipping Release Form and return it with your payment. The form includes a list of shippers we frequently work with.
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