Charles Schoenheider, Sr. Standing Hollow Pintail Drake

Charles Schoenheider, Sr. (1854-1924) Peoria, IL, c. 1910 Exceptionally well crafted, these unusual standing “ice” decoys are sought after by decoy and folk art collectors alike. In his lifetime, Schoenheider produced only a few dozen standing decoys, consisting of mallards, pintails and Canada geese. These birds were mounted on cast iron legs and used for late season shooting on the ice. A small pinhead-sized hole on the belly is believed to have been a breathing hole to prevent body seam separation, as the seam lines of this decoy are very clean and precise for a bird of this age. This pintail is out of Schoenheider’s personal gunning rig and is stenciled “C.S. PEORIA” and “CS” is also stenciled under the original cast iron foot. The intricate scratch comb paint on the back is all original; head and bill show some touch up and may have been taken down; early working repaint to white on belly extends up into the head; belly was re-stenciled "C. S. Peoria" by the maker; original stick hole was likely plugged at the same time.

Provenance: Peter Brams Collection

Literature: Alan Haid, Decoys of the Mississippi Flyway, Exton, PA, 1981, pp. 85 and 153, rigmate pictured. Adele Earnest, The Art of the Decoy: American Bird Carvings, New York, NY, 1965, plate 107. Sotheby's and Guyette & Schmidt, American Waterfowl Decoys: The Distinguished Collection of Dr. James M. McCleery, New York, NY, 2000, lot 87. Robert Shaw, Call to the Sky: The Decoy Collection of James M. McCleery, M.D., Houston, TX, 1992, pp. 106-107. Linda and Gene Kangas, Decoys, Paducah, KY, 1992, p. 227.

Provenance

Peter Brams Collection