George Sibley Pintail Drake

George Sibley, Sibley & Co. (1861-1938) Whitehall, MI, c. 1899 Pintails by this maker are incredibly rare. This is the only known Sibley pintail to have surfaced in original paint. The original paint is evenly worn and has a nice patina. Slight neck seam separation, an added weight was removed, and the decoy has been lightly hit by shot. A loose bill has been professionally reset with some touch up to head above the bill seam and below one eye; both eyes are replaced.

Literature: Donna Tonelli, "The Sibley Decoy: The Identity Behind the Real Mr. X" Decoy Magazine, Lewes, DE, July/Aug. 1991, pp. 8-13. Donna Tonelli, Fish and Fowl Decoys of the Great Lakes, Atglen, PA, 2002, p. 63.