Strater and Sohier Tin Black Duck

Strater & Sohier (1874-1910) Boston, MA, c. 1890 One of the rarest and most difficult to find nineteenth-century factory decoys. This pressed-tin black duck exhibits a one-piece tin body and an expertly soldered two-piece tin head. It also displays a two-tiered wooden bottom board with its bronze and brass hardware and original cast lead swing weight. The inside of the tin body retains its original label, reading "Strater's Patent Decoy, Pat. Oct. 27, 1874, Black Duck, By rubbing the Decoy with Tallow, will prevent reflection, and make the paint look dead." The inside also bears a stencil reading "H. Strater & S., Pat. Oct. 27 1874." Original paint with flaking and a dent in the head.

Literature: William J. Mackey, Jr., "American Bird Decoys," New York, NY, 1965, p. 235, plate 186, similar decoy illustrated.