William Fiske Larrabee The Larrabee Nantucket Curlew

William Fiske Larrabee (1808-1853) Nantucket, MA, c. 1842 14 1/4 in. long

A grand shorebird decoy with a long and thin neck which fits the body with a mortise-and-tenon joint. This appears to be the first time this standout form has appeared in the decoy marketplace. The distinct pattern of this sculpture most closely relates to Nantucket's "Mr. Webster" plover and sandpiper. A pair of these related plover, with their abstracted sweeping bodies and squared tails, has been sold recently in both the Peter Muller and Linda Johnson collections.

The underside bears an old white label with "Made and painted by W. F. Larrabee October 1842" written in script. Faintly visible under the paint on the bottom are the stamped letters “WFL.” Larrabee was a prodigious mariner, records show he sailed up from Cuba to Boston in 1848. Two years later he headed west to San Francisco most likely following the California Gold Rush. A couple years later he sailed back to New York and passed shortly thereafter.

This is one of the earliest documented shorebird decoys that we have ever had the privilege of handling. Old working paint with moderate gunning wear, including some flaking. Old working bill, restoration to front of face.

Provenance: Lew Horton Collection

Literature: Copley Fine Art Auctions, "The Winter Sale 2020," Charleston, SC, February 15, 2020, lots 20 and 21, related Muller Webster pair illustrated. Copley Fine Art Auctions, "The Sporting Sale 2021," Plymouth, MA, July 9-10, 2021, lots 29 and 30, Johnson Webster pair illustrated.

Provenance

Lew Horton Collection