John Dilley Golden Plover

John Dilley Quogue, Long Island, NY, c. 1890 11 in. long

A rare and exceptional golden plover with bright spring plumage. The full body is finished with raised S-shaped wing carving. The painted feathering is among the most elaborate seen on any shorebird decoy by any maker.

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.” Original paint with light wear, filled crack along right side, and several areas of wear have professional touch-up, including left wing, top of bill, crown, tail edge, and breast.

Provenance: Private Collection

Literature: Ronald Swanson, "The Decoy as Folk Sculpture," Cranbrook Academy of Art Exhibition Catalog, January 1987, p. 21, fig. 32, related decoy illustrated. Timothy Sieger, "The Decoys of Long Island," Water Mills, NY, 2010, p. 47, rigmate illustrated.

Provenance

Private Collection