John English Black Duck

John English (1848-1915) Florence, NJ, c. 1880 15 3/4 in. long

A stylish, hollow decoy with sharp lines and a soft finish. Robert “Bob” White describes English as “the ultimate Delaware River carver” and author Kenneth L. Gosner notes, “The work of John English set a standard against which other Delaware River makers have been measured and compared ever since. Indeed, for many collectors, the English style is the Delaware River style.”

Partial brand on back reads "...K. CLAR..." Original paint with even gunning wear, age lines in head, and a small tail chip.

Provenance: Richard and Lynn Gove Collection

Literature: Kenneth L. Gosner, "Working Decoys of the Jersey Coast and Delaware Valley," Cranbury, NJ, 1985, pp. 89-91.

Harrison Huster and Doug Knight, "Floating Sculpture: The Decoys of the Delaware River," Spanish Fork, UT, 1982.

Provenance

Richard and Lynn Gove Collection