Dave Umbrella Watson Brant

Dave "Umbrella" Watson (1851-1938) Chincoteague, VA, c. 1900 One of approximately a dozen known brant by this Virginia maker. Little is known about "Umbrella" Watson, but it is said that he was originally from Northampton County, Virginia, and that he carried an umbrella everywhere he went. He later moved to the island community of Chincoteague, where he became a waterman, market gunner, and guide. Mix of old and new paint, 1/3 bill replacement, crack in neck, and age lines in back.

Literature: Guyette and Schmidt, "North American Decoys at Auction," Easton, MD, 2007, lot 639, exact decoy illustrated. Guyette and Schmidt, "North American Decoys at Auction," Easton, MD, November 2006, lot 390, exact decoy illustrated.