Holly Family Swan

The Holly Family Havre de Grace, MD, c. 1900 "I am a collector, and swan decoys are the rarest of them all." - Joel Barber. This old Susquehanna Flats decoy is qualified to be in any of the finest American folk art collections in the country. The swan is accompanied by a letter from The Historical Society of Cecil County, asking Dr. Gifford for the loan of his swan decoy, excerpt reads: "I'm not sure how many people now living in this area, who are decoy buffs have actually seen a Sam Barnes swan." Years ago,the few Holly swans were attributed to Samuel T. Barnes. A hole runs all the way through the center of the decoy, the top being bunged; this is consistent with at least one other Holly swan. In very good original condition with gunning wear. In good gunning over-paint with even craquelure and some flaking. The repaint may date back to 1913 when swan hunting was outlawed. Retains original rigging.

Provenance: Sink box gunning rig of Captain Frank Jackson, North East, Maryland Lou Pennock Collection, Greenbank, Maryland Dr. George Edmund Gifford, Jr. Collection, Watertown, Massachusetts By descent in the family to the current owner

Literature: Frank Maresca & Roger Ricco, “American Vernacular,” 2002, p.37 C. John Sullivan, “The Hollys of Havre de Grace” Decoy Magazine, Jan/Feb 1992, pp. 8-13 Joel Barber, Wild Fowl Decoys, Garden City, NY, 1936, pp. 134 and plates 1 and 104. Linda and Gene Kangas, Decoys, Paducah, KY, 1992, pp. 161 and 262-263, plates C-2 481, 485. Adele Earnest, The Art of the Decoy: American Bird Carvings, New York, NY, 1965, p. 82. David S. Webster and William Kehoe, Shelburne Museum Decoys, Shelburne, VT, 1961, pp. 98-99, upper left. Joe Engers, ed., The Great Book of Wildfowl Decoys, San Diego, CA, 1990, pp. 138-139. J. Evans McKinney, “Decoys of the Susquehanna Flats and Their makers,” Ocean City, MD, 1990, pp. 14,21

Provenance

Sink box gunning rig of Captain Frank Jackson, North East, Maryland Lou Pennock Collection, Greenbank, Maryland Dr. George Edmund Gifford, Jr. Collection, Watertown, Massachusetts By descent in the family to the current owner