Joseph Lincoln Mackey Swimming Canada Goose

Joseph W. Lincoln (1859-1938) Accord, MA, c. 1900 26 in. long

This Canada goose decoy displays Lincoln’s classic clean lines with a forward-reaching head in a swimming posture. Part of Lincoln’s genius was his reductionism, which enabled him to capture the essence of the species without overworking the pattern. His signature feather paint was executed by cutting out a section of the bristles on his brush, forming an elongated “C.” Then he would dip the end of the brush into the paint and strike the flanks of the bird in rapid succession, repeating the process the length of the bird.

A patient tracker, Dr. Muller was able to hunt this decoy down thirty-five years after the Mackey sessions.

The underside is marked with the Mackey ink stamp. Excellent original paint with light gunning wear, typical Lincoln check in underside, and minor touch-up to right edge of bill tip.

Provenance: William J. Mackey Jr. Collection Private Collection Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection, acquired 2009

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, 1973, Session I & II, lot 499, exact decoy illustrated. Alan G. Haid and Brandy S. Culp, “The Allure of the Decoy: Historic Charleston Foundation Presents Masterworks from the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Alan G. Haid,” Charleston, SC, 2013, p. 19, related Haid decoy illustrated.

Provenance

William J. Mackey Jr. Collection Private Collection Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection, acquired 2009