Horace B. Merwin Rare Bluebill Pair

Horace B. Merwin (1888-1947) Westport, CT, c. 1930 14 1/2 in. long

“Horace Merwin, a Fairfield banker and wealthy sportsman,” writes Henry Chitwood, “was a friend of [Shang] Wheeler and his most skillful imitator. He made exhibition grade decoys that were almost indistinguishable from Wheelers.” Only a small number of Merwin decoys are known to exist. This pair was selected for Chitwood's Connecticut book and were sold by his descendants two decades ago.

While Wheeler built on the legacy of Albert Laing, Shang's contemporaries Horace Merwin and Lou Rathmell matched and exceeded Wheeler at times. Both undersides are rigged with tear-drop weights and are stenciled with Merwin’s crisp "HM" initials. Original paint with light wear, drake has noticeable brown spotting on top.

Provenance: Merwin Family Collection Estate of Edwin Schultz

Literature: Henry C. Chitwood, "Connecticut Decoys," West Chester, PA, 1987, p. 116, exact pair illustrated (incorrect caption).

Provenance

Merwin Family Collection Estate of Edwin Schultz