Wigeon Drake, Tom Wilson (1863-1940)

Lot 74

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

About Auction

The Sporting Sale 2018, Day 1 by Copley Fine Art Auctions

Live

The Sporting Sale 2018, Day 1

By Copley Fine Art Auctions

Jul 19, 2018

Set Reminder 2018-07-19 13:00:00 2018-07-19 13:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : The Sporting Sale 2018, Day 1 https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/copley/the-sporting-sale-2018-day-1-3286 On July 19, Copley Fine Art Auctions will lead off their annual Sporting Sale with 140 lots from the Donal C. O’Brien, Jr. Collection of Important American Sporting Art and Decoys. On July 20 Copley will present an additional 425 lots of decoys, fish carvings, and sporting art. Copley Fine Art Auctions cinnie@copleyart.com

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Lot Description

Wigeon Drake
Tom Wilson (1863-1940)
Ipswich, MA, c. 1890
13 1/2 in. long

Early New England widgeon decoys are difficult to find. In 1951, folk art collector Nina Fletcher Little discovered thirteen unused shorebirds, duck, and goose decoys at a hunting camp on Massachusetts’ North Shore. Among the baker’s dozen were at least two wigeon decoys.

As a steadfast hunter and observer of shorebirds and ducks, Wilson’s ability to capture species’ attitudes and nuances was quite astute. This drake shows the telltale stipple and loop feather paint application that Wilson is known for. His carvings are considered among a distinguished group of turn-of-the-century Massachusetts decoys by makers such as Joseph Lincoln, Elmer Crowell, and Henry Keyes Chadwick.
In early working Wilson paint with wear over a reset bill.

Provenance: Donal C. O'Brien, Jr. Collection

Literature: Rob Moir and Jackson Parker, "Massachusetts Waterfowl Decoys," The Magazine Antiques, September 1989, p. 524.
"Decoy Magazine," September/October 1989, cover and p. 25, Wilson decoys illustrated.

Condition

Condition report requests can be made via email or by telephone (info@copleyart.com or 617.536.0030). 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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