John C. Schweikart Canvasback Pair

Capt. John C. Schweikart (1870-1954) Detroit and Strawberry Island, MI, c. 1910 17 in. long

A hollow canvasback pair acquired on Belle Isle, Michigan, by collectors Michael and Julie Hall in 1974. The Halls exhibited them at the Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery in Lincoln Nebraska and Schweikart was canonized when the pair was illustrated in Paul A. Johnsgard's, corresponding 1976 book "The Bird Decoy."

John Schweikart lived and worked in Detroit. He and his brother Carl were motorboat and racing yacht builders. In addition to serving as the president of Schweikart Boat Works, John would sail his own boat, "The Huntress," to victory in regattas and to his camp on Strawberry Island on Lake St. Clair to hunt and fish.

This rigmate pair of hollow decoys exhibits two variations of the maker's head positions, each displaying his signature bull neck. Schweikart's construction is meticulous and unique; the wing tips are aluminum, a two-piece copper bottom plate provides a winged keel, and even the heads are hand hollowed. Original paint with gunning wear including some flaking. Hen has touch-up to breast, around tail, and to wing-tip edge.

Provenance: John Schweikart Rig Julie and Michael Hall Collection, acquired from the family of the above, 1974 Donal C. O'Brien, Jr. Collection, acquired from the above

Literature: Paul A. Johnsgard, "The Bird Decoy: An American Art Form," Lincoln, NE, 1976, p. 109, pl. 118, exact pair illustrated. Jackson Parker, "O'Brien Classic Decoys on Display," Maine Antiques Digest, November 1981, p. 34-B, exact decoy illustrated. Julie Hall, "John Schweikart," North American Decoys Magazine, Spanish Fork, UT, Part One, 1977, pp. 24-25 and back cover, exact pair illustrated three times.

Exhibited: New York, New York, “The Art of the American Decoy: Folk Sculpture from the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Donal C. O’Brien Jr.,” Museum of American Folk Art, September 3–November 8, 1981.

Provenance

John Schweikart Rig Julie and Michael Hall Collection, acquired from the family of the above, 1974 Donal C. O'Brien, Jr. Collection, acquired from the above