Charles Sumner Bunn Willet Or Yellowlegs

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

This classic Long Island shorebird decoy exhibits the maker's graceful lines with raised wings and carved primaries. The maker's signature black bead glass eyes are set within recessed eye grooves above the fully rounded cheeks. This exact bird is illustrated in both black and white and color plates in Fleckenstein's "Shore Bird Decoys" book. A nearly identical rigmate is illustrated and identified as a willet in Colio's book "American Decoys."

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.” Original paint with light even gunning wear, including a couple of scrapes and chips on underside, and minor touch-up under replaced bill.

Provenance: Private Collection

Literature: Henry A. Fleckenstein, Jr., "Shore Bird Decoys," Exton, PA, 1980, p. 41, fig. 44 and p. 63, plate XXXIII, exact decoy illustrated. Quintina Colio, "American Decoys," Ephrata, PA, 1972, pp. 68-69, nearly identical decoys illustrated. Richard E. Cohen and Brandy S. Culp, "Preserving the Art of the Decoy," Charleston, SC, 2012, p. 61, similar decoy illustrated. Timothy Sieger, "The Decoys of Long Island," Water Mills, NY, 2010, p. 41, similar example illustrated.

Provenance

Private Collection