| Description |
Unknown Maker, ex. Bill Mackey Collection
Long Island, NY, c. 1880
11.25" long
Originally believed by Bill Mackey to be a small rig of Labrador Duck decoys, a species that was last seen in 1878 in Elmira, New York, this early decoy is recognized today actually as a long-tailed duck (Old Squaw Duck). Another similarly plumed waterfowl species that would have visited the same coastal waters as the Labrador Duck. Mackey held onto a few of these birds with a pair of rig mates being illustrated in his 1965 book "American Bird Decoys" identified as Labrador Ducks. Later this same pair would be used as a talking point in an article discussing Labrador Ducks in the Summer 1978 edition of North American Decoy Magazine.
Though widely believed to be incorrect, Mackey did have serious basis to assess these as Labradors assuming this decoy represents a drake. They're early enough to have been used to attract Labradors, and the head is painted with a bold black streak which is seen on Labrador drakes, not Long Tailed drakes. The folk paint application leaves the modern collector wondering just what the maker intended this decoy to represent on the water, a long-tailed drake, more accurately a hen? Or was it left vague enough to attract both Labrador and curious Long Tailed ducks?
The decoy is quite early. As Mackey noted in his observations of the decoy, it contains a unique construction design with a curved section cut into the backside of the decoy to be hollowed out and then reapplied with a series of no less than 17 nails. An early and logical evolution in the hollowing process of waterfowl decoys to attempt to lighten the load of hunting, this would have kept the waterline way below any seam line and the decoy watertight. The head is applied with nails. The underside bears a Mackey Collection ink stamp.
Literature:
Russell A. Fink, "Catalog of American Bird Decoys," Lorton, VA, 1976, lot 76, related decoy illustrated.
William J. Mackey Jr., "American Bird Decoys," New York, NY, 1965, p. 62, rigmates illustrated.
Sotheby's and Guyette and Schmidt, "American Waterfowl Decoys: The Distinguished Collection of Dr. James M. McCleery," New York, NY, January 22-23, 2000, p. 138, lot 341, rigmate illustrated.
"North American Decoys Magazine," Summer 1978, p. 26, rigmates illustrated.
Condition: Original construction with a thin second coat of working white paint. Original black paint with a couple small spots of later touch up to mars the left and right side. Small spots of touch up to the bill.
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