John Dilley Dowitcher

John Dilley Quogue, Long Island, NY, c. 1890 10 1/2 in. long

This plump, well-documented "robin snipe" decoy is illustrated twice in Adele Earnest's The Art of the Decoy.. It is identified by species and is signed "Dilley." by the maker on the underside. In addition to Dilley's writing, it bears the "DOCB Jr" ink stamp designating the O'Brien Collection on the underside.

Original paint with even gunning wear and flaking.

Provenance: Donal C. O'Brien Jr. Collection Dr. Morton D. Kramer Collection

Literature: Adele Earnest, "The Art of the Decoy: American Bird Carvings," New York, NY, 1965, p. 60, pl. 41 and 156, exact decoy illustrated. Laurence Sheehan, "The Sporting Life," New York, NY, 1992, p. 80, exact decoy illustrated. Laurence Sheehan, "The Birding Life," New York, NY, 2011, p. 95, exact decoy illustrated. Copley Fine Art Auctions, "The Donal C. O'Brien Jr. Collection of Important American Sporting Art and Decoys, Sessions III," July 19, 2018, p.97, lot 32, exact decoy illustrated.

Provenance

Donal C. O'Brien Jr. Collection Dr. Morton D. Kramer Collection