Heck Whittington Outstanding Mallard Drake

Whittington, Heck (1907-1981) Oglesby, IL, c. 1946 On occasion, Whittington would name birds that he felt were particularly well crafted. This bird goes by the name of "Chet," which Whittington wrote on the underside.

Hollow-carved with excellent combing on the back and sides. Displays deep eye-groove and pronounced cheek carving, head is turned approximately 30 degrees, signed "H. Whittington 1946 Oglesby, ILL." Retains the original teardrop-shaped weight, a design adopted from Shang Wheeler's patterns.

In excellent original paint, with a few small rubs on the sides, bill and metal tail curl.

Literature: D. Tonelli, "Hector Whittington: One Man's Life and Decoys," Decoy Magazine, May/June 1998, p. 10. S. O'Brien and J. Carlson, Masterworks of the Illinois River, Boston, MA, 2005, p. 137, similar example.