Joseph Lincoln Long-tailed Duck Pair

Joseph W. Lincoln (1859-1938) Accord, MA, c. 1900 15 1/2 in. long

O'Brien's notes regarding the drake assert that it is the "best of all Lincoln's Old Squaw; very delicate in construction & paint; subtle and varied pattern on head showing much more shading than usual; Joe Lincoln gave this decoy to Joel Barber; it was part of the Shelburne Collection and bears the Museum's number; I traded one of my Schoenheider geese for it; also gave Museum an Elliston canvasback and a Graves black duck."

Regarding the hen, Donal's notes reveal that he "traded a [Bunn /] Bowman yellowlegs and a pair of Ward balsa teal for the hen." Excellent original paint with minimal gunning wear.

Provenance: Joel Barber Collection, acquired from Joseph Lincoln Shelburne Museum Collection, acquired from the above Donal C. O'Brien, Jr. Collection, acquired from the above

Literature: David S. Webster and William Kehoe, "Decoys at Shelburne Museum," Shelburne, VT, 1961, p. 68, exact decoys illustrated. John and Shirley Delph, "New England Decoys," Exton, PA, 1990, p. 132, exact decoys illustrated. Robert H. Boyle, “The Art of Deception,” Audubon Magazine, May/June 2002, p. 44, no. 8, exact decoys illustrated. Laurence Sheehan, "The Sporting Life," New York, NY, 1992, p. 82, exact decoys illustrated.

Provenance

Joel Barber Collection, acquired from Joseph Lincoln Shelburne Museum Collection, acquired from the above Donal C. O'Brien, Jr. Collection, acquired from the above