William H. Southard Greater Yellowlegs

William J. Southard Seaford, Long Island, NY, c. 1890 The importance of documentation with regards to Verity and Southard decoys cannot be overstated. This greater yellowlegs was first illustrated as lot 336 in the second session of "The Very Rare and Important American Bird Decoys, From the Collection of the Late William J. Mackey, Jr. of Belford, New Jersey." It was purchased by Asa Allen of Harwichport, Massachusetts, on July 18th, 1973. Asa packed this bird along with others into a box and there they remained until July of 2002. One of the finest Southard decoys known to exist, this is the first time this decoy has appeared at auction in over forty years.

A thirteen-and-one-half-inch-long shorebird decoy. This exemplary bird features carved eyes, a splined bill, deeply cut raised wing carving, ticked feather paint on the breast, and stippling along the back. The underside bears the Mackey collection auction stamp. Outstanding original paint with minor gunning wear.

Provenance: William J. Mackey, Jr. Collection Asa Allen Collection Private Collection, acquired from the above 2002

Literature: Richard A. Bourne Co. Inc., "Very Rare and Important American Bird Decoys, From the Collection of the late William J. Mackey, Jr. of Belford, New Jersey," Hyannis, MA, Session II, 1973, lot 336, exact bird illustrated. William J. Mackey, Jr., "American Bird Decoys," New York, NY, 1965, p.102, plate 86, similar decoy illustrated. Timothy Sieger, "The Decoys of Long Island," Water Mills, NY, 2010, p. 37, similar example illustrated. Joe Engers, ed., "The Great Book of Wildfowl Decoys," San Diego, CA, 1990, p. 103, similar decoy illustrated.

Provenance

William J. Mackey, Jr. Collection Asa Allen Collection Private Collection, acquired from the above 2002