William Seneno Yellowlegs

William Seneno (1896-1962) Abescon, NJ, c. 1915 12 in. long

A folky yellowlegs with ingenious construction. From the outside, it is a two-piece body with a vertical seam, exceedingly thin neck, and a metal bill. A look inside reveals the metal rod continues through the neck and into the body to give the bird steel-frame rigidity. Original paint, with old working paint on the white, some seam separation and a small knot cavity in back.

Provenance: The Johnson Collection, acquired from Stephen O'Brien Jr. Fine Arts, 2002

Literature: John M. Levinson and Somers G. Headley, "Shorebirds," Centreville, MD, 1991, p. 89, exact decoy illustrated. Stephen B. O’Brien Jr. Fine Arts, “American, Sporting & Western Paintings, Antique American Bird Decoys,” 2002 Catalog, Boston, MA, 2002, lot 46, exact decoy illustrated.

Provenance

The Johnson Collection, acquired from Stephen O'Brien Jr. Fine Arts, 2002