John Dilley Robin Snipe

John Dilley Quogue, Long Island, NY, c. 1890 9 3/4 in. long

Regarding the rig of six Dilley shorebirds that he first acquired, William J. Mackey, Jr. recounts in "Classic Shorebird Decoys: A Portfolio of Paintings," "These decoys had real class and were envied by fellow collectors such as Joel Barber and Edgar Burke, who left my house walking on air because I had given them each a snipe."

When referring to Dilley shorebirds in "American Bird Decoys," Mackey states, “There is no question that the detailed, stylized painting is unsurpassed. They are beautiful examples from the hand of a fastidious workman.” Starting with clean lines and a solid form, Dilley applied some of the finest representations of plumage ever demonstrated. Using a two-tiered paint technique, he was able to imply detail without carving or painting every feather. This decoy shows the best Dilley model with carved wings. Original paint with gunning wear, repair to end of tail.

Provenance: Donal C. O'Brien, Jr. Collection

Literature: Milton C. Weiler and William J. Mackey, Jr., "Classic Shorebird Decoys: A Portfolio of Paintings," New York, NY, 1971, pl. 7. Laurence Sheehan, "The Birding Life," New York, NY, 2011, p. 95, exact decoy illustrated.

Provenance

Donal C. O'Brien, Jr. Collection