John English The Hillman English-dawson Pintail Hen

John English (1848-1915) Florence, NJ, c. 1880 14 3/4 in. long

English’s importance as the father of the Delaware River school of carving is documented by virtually every authority from the region. Robert “Bob” White describes English as “the ultimate Delaware River carver.” Author Kenneth L. Gosner notes, “The work of John English set a standard against which other Delaware River makers have been measured and compared ever since. Indeed, for many collectors, the English style is the Delaware River style.”

A Decoy Magazine article on the Delaware River master explains “... a large rig of John English decoys were acquired by John Dawson [1886-1959], a hunter from nearby Trenton, who repainted the rig in bold geometric patterns... this unplanned collaborative effort produced a rig that is highly sought by collectors…”

This exact hen is one half of John Hillman’s English-Dawson pintail pair, which has been illustrated in no less than five major decoy publications. In the 1996 Hillman Collection auction, the drake was the first English-Dawson decoy to break the six-figure mark. The underside is marked with the Hillman collection ink stamp. In excellent Dawson paint with minimal wear and working touch-up to four nail holes and a small section of the body seam under the tail.

Provenance: John Hillman Collection Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection

Literature: Kenneth L. Gosner, "Working Decoys of the Jersey Coast and Delaware Valley," Cranbury, NJ, 1985, pp. 89-91, quote, color pl. 27, exact decoy illustrated. H. Harrison Huster and Doug Knight, "Floating Sculptures: The Decoys of the Delaware River," Spanish Fork, UT, 1982, p. 121, exact decoy illustrated. Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., "Decoys of the Mid-Atlantic Region," Exton, PA, 1979, p. 67, exact decoy illustrated. Guyette and Schmidt, "Important Auction of Rare Waterfowl Decoys from the Collection of John Hillman, April 25 & 26, 1996," St. Charles, IL, 1996, p. 93, lot 400, exact decoy illustrated. Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., "New Jersey Decoys," Exton, PA, 1983, p. 40, pl. XXX, exact decoy illustrated.

Provenance

John Hillman Collection Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection