Burr Family Early Burr Yellowlegs Pair

Burr Family South Shore, MA, c. 1880 13 in. long

This pair of Burr family yellowlegs from Hingham, Massachusetts, appears to be the earliest work, or even predates the work, of the region's famous shorebird decoy maker, Elisha Burr (1839-1909). The thin necks, lifted wings, dropped tail, and stylized paint are the telltale Burr traits seen in this matched pair. The folky pair was created out of four pieces of wood. Each display unusually fashioned iron bills wrapped with marlin. Original paint with even gunning wear, including some flaking at the lamination seams. Both bills have touch-up at face insertion; one has been reset.

Literature: George Ross Starr Jr. M.D., "Decoys of the Atlantic Flyway," New York, NY, 1974, p. 33, fig. 7, rigmate illustrated.