John R. Wells Canvasback Pair

John R. Wells (1861-1953) Toronto, Ontario, Canada, c. 1900 16 1/2 in. long

Displaying Wells' best stippled and scratch-feather paint, these hollow birds are marked with the "JRW Maker" brand and painted "A.A." likely for Andrew Allan, a member of the Long Point Gun Club from 1875-1881. Donal C. O'Brien Jr. described his closely related hen as having "the best paint job I have seen on a hen can." Original paint with even gunning wear, including some shot marks mostly to hen. Both have scattered touch-up. Drake has a small tail chip, a tight age line under left side of neck seam, and restored chip from tip and right side of bill. Hen has tight age line near neck seam.

Provenance: Robert Bradley Collection The George Secor Decoy Collection to Benefit Delta Waterfowl

Literature: Robert Shaw, "Call to the Sky," Houston, TX, 1992, p. 94, McCleery example illustrated. Copley Fine Art Auctions, “The Donal C. O’Brien Jr. Collection of Important American Sporting Art and Decoys, Sessions I-II,” July 27, 2017, p. 59, lot 9, related hen illustrated and discussed.

Provenance

Robert Bradley Collection The George Secor Decoy Collection to Benefit Delta Waterfowl