Nathan Cobb, Jr. Johnson Levinson Running Red Knot

Nathan F. Cobb, Jr. (1825-1905) Cobb Island, VA, c. 1890 10 in. long

This refined decoy was made and painted by the same Cobb Island maker as the previous lot and its famous rigmate, the Cobb Running Curlew, illustrated on the back cover of Fleckenstein’s “Shore Bird Decoys."

Similar to the Purnell Cobb Running Curlew, this red knot was also fashioned in a rare reaching pose. Alluring to top collectors over the last half century, it has been owned by three of the country's most respected shorebird decoy collectors. A closely related red knot, also in a running pose, set the world record for this species by the maker, selling for $74,000 in 2000. The underside retains the “NELSON” stamp. Original paint with even gunning wear.

Provenance: Lloyd Johnson Collection John and Elizabeth Levinson Collection Grant Nelson Collection

Literature: "The Decoy Hunter," Clinton, IN, Nov-Dec 1996, p. 10, exact decoy illustrated. Henry A. Fleckenstein, Jr., "Shore Bird Decoys," Exton, PA, 1980, back cover and p. 130, running rigmate curlew illustrated. Joe Engers, ed., "The Great Book of Wildfowl Decoys," San Diego, CA, 1990, pp. 166-167, rigmate curlew illustrated. Sotheby's and Guyette and Schmidt, "American Waterfowl Decoys: The Distinguished Collection of Dr. James M. McCleery," New York, NY, 2000, p. 32, lot 33, closely related example illustrated.

Provenance

Lloyd Johnson Collection John and Elizabeth Levinson Collection Grant Nelson Collection