Harry Mitchell Shourds Swimming Black Duck

Harry M. Shourds (1890-1943) Ocean City, NJ, c. 1930 A hollow decoy with tack eyes, carved bill detail, faint scratch-painted feathering, an inletted weight, and a Mackey Collection ink stamp on the bottom. Retains its original lot tag, 273, affixed to the bottom from session one of the 1973 Richard Bourne-Mackey Collection sale. A series of small holes on the underside indicate prior application of fabric for flocking. Worn original paint on the body with repaint on the head, gunning wear, end of bill worn down, a neck crack, and some body seam filler loss.

Provenance: William J. Mackey, Jr. Collection Private Collection

Literature: Richard A. Bourne Co., Inc., "Very Rare and Important American Bird Decoys from the Collection of William J. Mackey Jr. of Belford, NJ," Session I, July 17, 1973, lot 273, exact decoy described.

Provenance

William J. Mackey, Jr. Collection Private Collection