Charles Sumner Bunn Willet

Charles Sumner Bunn (1865-1952) Shinnecock, NY or William "Bill" Bowman (1824-1906) of Bangor, ME and Lawrence, NY, c. 1900 12 1/2 in. long Bunn/Bowman willet are far less common than the maker’s dowitchers or yellowlegs. Collectors have come to differentiate the maker’s willet in part by their full size with plump round bellies.

This classic Long Island shorebird decoy exhibits the maker's graceful lines with raised wings and split primaries. The maker's signature black bead glass eyes are set within recessed eye grooves above the fully rounded cheeks.

William J. Mackey Jr., one of the most prolific decoy collectors of all time, wrote of the maker of these birds, “Their origin is not definitely known, but the carver created a replica of the live bird as well as any decoy maker of record.” The surface has been take taken down to original paint, gunning wear.

Provenance: Richard LaFountain Collection

Literature: William J. Mackey Jr., "American Bird Decoys," New York, NY, 1965, p. 103, pl. 87, quote. Quintina Colio, "American Decoys," Ephrata, PA, 1972, pp. 68-69, related decoy illustrated.

Provenance

Richard LaFountain Collection