Orlando Os Bibber Red-breasted Merganser Pair

Orlando "Os" Bibber (1882-1970) South Harpswell, ME, c. 1910 19 in. long

An exceptional hollow pair of "Down East" merganser decoys with turned heads, horse-hair crests, and their original chamfered bottom boards. This important Maine carver only made decoys for his own rig. John Dinan, author of the Maine chapter in "The Great Book of Wildfowl Decoys," calls the maritime chief engineer's works "the best carvings on the coast." Original paint with even gunning wear. Drake has gunning touch-up to the head, old marlin-wrap bill repair, bottom of horse hair crest is missing, and a few age lines at base of neck. Hen has a replaced bill and light scattered touch-up to flaking on head.

Provenance: Phyllis Travares Anderson Collection Lew Horton Collection

Literature: John and Shirley Delph, "New England Decoys," Exton, PA, 1981, p. 39, exact drake illustrated in reverse. Richard A. Bourne Co., Inc., "North American Decoys & Waterfowl Art," Hyannis, MA, July 11-12, 1989, cover, exact decoys illustrated.

Provenance

Phyllis Travares Anderson Collection Lew Horton Collection