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THBWillet John Dilley
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
LiveJul 27, 2017 - Jul 28, 2017
Copley Fine Art Auctions cinnie@copleyart.com
View Full Catalog (156)
- Lot Description
Willet
John Dilley
Quogue, Long Island, NY, c. 1890
14 in. long
O’Brien owned eighteen Dilley decoys over the decades; this rare willet was his favorite.
Regarding the rig of six Dilley shorebirds that he first acquired, William J. Mackey, Jr. recounted in "Classic Shorebird Decoys: A Portfolio of Paintings," "These decoys had real class and were envied by fellow collectors such as Joel Barber and Edgar Burke, who left my house walking on air because I had given them each a snipe."
When referring to Dilley shorebirds in "American Bird Decoys," Mackey states, “There is no question that the detailed, stylized painting is unsurpassed. They are beautiful examples from the hand of a fastidious workman.” Starting with clean lines and a solid form, Dilley applied some of the finest representations of plumage ever demonstrated. Using a two-tiered paint technique, he was able to imply detail without carving or painting every feather. This grand willet displays the maker's best paint and deep S-shaped wing carving that sweeps back to resolve under the tail. Its large size and sophisticated carving set it apart from the field.
In excellent original paint with minimal gunning wear.
Provenance: Adele Earnest Collection
Donal C. O'Brien, Jr. Collection
Literature: Laurence Sheehan, "The Birding Life," New York, NY, 2011, p. 95, exact decoy illustrated.
Laurence Sheehan, "The Sporting Life," New York, NY, 1992, p. 80, exact decoy illustrated.
Peter Johnson and Alf Wannenburgh, “The World of Shooting,” Lausanne, Switzerland, 1987, pp. 259-261, exact decoy illustrated.
Jackson Parker, “O’Brien Classic Decoys on Display at Museum of American Folk Art,” North American Decoys: Wildfowl Carvers and Collectors News, Spanish Fork, UT, Spring/Summer 1982, p. 30, exact decoy illustrated.
Jeff Waingrow, “The American Decoy: Folk Sculpture from the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Donal C. O’Brien, Jr.,” The Clarion: America’s Folk Art Magazine, Fall 1981, p. 31, exact decoy illustrated.
Exhibited: New York, New York, “The Art of the American Decoy: Folk Sculpture from the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Donal C. O’Brien Jr.,” Museum of American Folk Art, September 3–November 8, 1981.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.
- Shipping Info
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Shipping info
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.PLEASE BE AWARE THAT INTERNET BIDDERS MAY NOT PICK UP THEIR ITEMS AT THE SALE SITE. ITEMS CAN BE PICKED UP BY APPOINTMENT OR SHIPPED STARTING FIVE DAYS AFTER THE CONCLUSION OF THE SALE
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