Ira Hudson Bufflehead Pair

Ira D. Hudson (1873-1949) Chincoteague, VA, c. 1930 This pair of decoys exhibits well-rounded, balanced form achieved by a master craftsman with a carver's axe and drawknife. With graceful lines, fluted tails, and full cheek carving, these boldly carved “butterballs” embody the best of Hudson’s work. Subtle nuances include back-cut bills, recessed tack eyes, and scratch wing paint on the hen.

Nearly a century old, these birds are extremely well preserved. They bear collection ink stamps from Davison Hawthorne on the underside. Hawthorne is one of the few remaining influential and award-winning bird carvers from the 1960s. He was an avid decoy collector and this pair is among the finest Hudson bufflehead pairs known to exist. In original paint, the birds show minor even gunning wear including neck filler shrinkage, the drake has a neck crack and reset bill with touch up.

Provenance: Davison Hawthorne Collection Robert Gresham Collection Private Collection

Literature: Henry H. Stansbury, "Ira D. Hudson; 1873-1949," Lewes, DE, 2002, p. 81, exact decoys illustrated. Henry A. Fleckenstein, Jr., "Southern Decoys of Virginia and the Carolinas," Exton, PA, 1983, p. 61, plate 58 and 59, similar decoy illustrated.

Provenance

Davison Hawthorne Collection Robert Gresham Collection Private Collection