Harald Thengs Red-breasted Merganser Pair

Harald Thengs (1893-1974) Babylon, NY, c. 1935 18 1/2 in. long

A fine pair of red-breasted mergansers, known as the "Viking Decoys," made on Long Island by Harald Thengs for his own personal rig. Later in life, he moved to Norway with this rig. A 1990 article in "Decoy Magazine" on Thengs reports, "Until 1983, Thengs' extraordinary rig of decoys lay hidden in a dusty sea chest in the attic loft of his family's 350 year old farmhouse in Tengs, Norway." The sleek lines of the balsa bodies resemble the low profile of Viking long ships. Each has a "H Thengs" ink stamp on the underside. Original paint with working touch-up by the maker, even gunning wear, a small chip to hen's crest, and age lines in both necks.

Provenance: Harold Thengs Rig Private Collection

Literature: Gene & Linda Kangas and the Thengs family, “Viking Decoys,” Decoy Magazine, Mar/April 1990, cover and p. 12, related examples illustrated.

Provenance

Harold Thengs Rig Private Collection