Nathan Rowley Horner Rare Dowitcher

Nathan Rowley Horner (1882-1942) West Creek, NJ, c. 1915

$4,800
Brought, including buyer's premium
Estimate $5,000–$7,000under estimate
Sold Feb 2023at Copley, February 2023

See this lot at Copley →

SpeciesDowitcherConfigRigSize10.5"PaintOriginal

The catalog record

Nathan Rowley Horner (1882-1942) West Creek, NJ, c. 1915 10 1/2 in. long

An exceedingly rare shorebird by this New Jersey master showing the clean lines and stippled paint common in his waterfowl decoys. Widely recognized as New Jersey's master carver, Horner is believed to have only made a single rig of dowitchers. Original paint with light gunning wear, some restoration to head, and a patch of wax fill on lower right side.

Provenance: Fred Ellenberg Collection Linda E. Johnson Collection Private Collection

Literature: Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., "New Jersey Decoys," Exton, PA, 1983, p. 168, pl. 403 (top bird), exact decoy illustrated. Joe Engers, ed., "Jim Allen: A Champion for New Jersey Decoys," Decoy Magazine, May/June 2017, p. 9, rigmate illustrated.

Provenance

Fred Ellenberg Collection Linda E. Johnson Collection Private Collection

Comparable sales

The 2 most recent Nathan Rowley Horner Dowitchers to cross the block.

SoldConditionPaintBrought
Jul 2021—Original$4,800
17 Feb 2017ExcellentOriginal$7,200

Same maker and species, most recent first. Prices include the buyer's premium. All Nathan Rowley Horner sales