Charles Sumner Bunn The Kinnaman Running Turnstone

Charles Sumner Bunn (1865-1952) Shinnecock, NY or William "Bill" Bowman (1824-1906) of Bangor, ME, and Lawrence, NY, c. 1900 9 in. long

An exceedingly rare species carved in an animated pose. This alert shorebird decoy exhibits pronounced shoulder, cheek, and raised-wing carving. The reaching head has recessed, German bead-glass eyes. The underside is marked with Robert Lawrence’s “R.L.” brand by the slightly dropped-thigh and two stick holes. In 1971 pioneer decoy collector William Mackey wrote the text for Weiler’s "Classic Shorebird Decoys" portfolio. Mackey writes that the maker’s “...decoys have the feel of real birds. His knowledge and study of the live bird and his skill with a knife transferred the feel of the wishbone, the unfolded wings and the modeling of the bone structure to blocks of wood. His was a unique talent not given to any other decoy maker.” Mackey also states, “Nothing finer has been found ever since.”

This small decoy reveals the same dropped-thigh form as the famous Nina-Fletcher-Little-O'Brien curlew pair. Only one related running turnstone is known, also from the Lawrence rig, and these Long Island gems rank among the finest of the species by any maker. Original paint with even gunning wear, including minor chipping and rubs to wing and tail tips.

Provenance: Robert Lawrence Rig Robert Kinnaman Collection Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection

Literature: Joe Engers, “Dr. Peter J. Muller: Bringing a good eye and an artistic approach to decoy collecting,” Decoy Magazine, January/February 2008, p. 12, exact decoy illustrated. Sotheby's, "Sale Catalog New York, NY, October 1997," lot 179, rigmate illustrated. Timothy Sieger, "The Decoys of Long Island," Water Mills, NY, 2010, p. 40, similar example illustrated. William J. Mackey Jr., "American Bird Decoys," New York, NY, 1965, color pl. II, related turnstone with Crowell attribution. Milton C. Weiler and William J. Mackey Jr., "Classic Shorebird Decoys: A Portfolio of Paintings," New York, NY, 1971, pl. 3, Mackey quote, and related examples illustrated.

Provenance

Robert Lawrence Rig Robert Kinnaman Collection Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection