Samuel Smith Toothaker Preening Black Duck

Samuel Smith Toothaker (1903-1974) Brunswick, ME, c. 1930 14 1/2 in. long

Along with fellow Maine carver Aaron Augustus Wilson (1864-1950), Toothaker made stylish, animated gunning decoys. Displaying the maker's best form, this is perhaps the best Toothaker example to ever come on the market. Featured in Delph's "New England Decoys," the authors misidentified the bird as a merganser. This important Maine decoy is branded "J.K. COFFIN" on the bottom. Original paint with minor gunning wear and a crack in right side of head.

Provenance: Private Collection, Virginia Private Collection, Tennessee

Literature: Shirley and John Delph,"New England Decoys," Exton, PA, 1990, p. 35, exact decoy illustrated.

Provenance

Private Collection, Virginia Private Collection, Tennessee