Makers / John English / Wigeon

John English Wigeon Drake

John English (1848-1915) Florence, NJ, c. 1880

$9,000
Brought, including buyer's premium
Estimate $3,000–$5,000over estimate
Sold Feb 2021at Copley, February 2021

See this lot at Copley →

SpeciesWigeonConfigDrakePaintOriginal

The catalog record

John English (1848-1915) Florence, NJ, c. 1880 A rare English decoy showcasing the maker's best form with exceptional wing tip and tail refinements. This hollow carved Delaware River decoy still exhibits its original paint, having evaded John Dawson. Authors Huster and Knight highlight this carving in "Floating Sculpture", showcasing it with a full-page color detail in their mostly black and white publication. Original paint with gunning wear and some old working paint, mostly on the underside.

Provenance: Mort Hanson Collection Herb Wetanson Collection

Literature: H. Harrison Huster and Doug Knight, "Floating Sculpture: The Decoys of the Delaware River," Spanish Fork, UT, 1982, p. 53, pl. 22, exact decoy illustrated.

Provenance

Mort Hanson Collection Herb Wetanson Collection

Comparable sales

The 5 most recent John English Wigeon to cross the block.

SoldConditionPaintBrought
Feb 2026—Original$6,600
Feb 2026—Original$3,900
Jul 2024—Original$1,800
Feb 2021—Original$3,600
15 Feb 2020Excellent—$4,800

Same maker and species, most recent first. Prices include the buyer's premium. All John English sales