Duck and Fish Decoys, Folk Art, Art Glass, Decorative Arts and Furniture
Lot 67:
Description
A hollow-carved wooden canvasback hen duck decoy by R. Madison Mitchell of Havre de Grace, Maryland. This decoy follows the traditional Chesapeake Bay style, featuring a sloping head profile with a black-painted bill and small reddish eyes. The head and breast are finished in brown paint, while the body is painted grey with dark brown combing to simulate feather patterns on the back. The underside is painted grey and retains its original hardware, including a lead strip ballast weight and a metal screw-eye for a tether. The bottom bears a hand-written inscription identifying the maker as R. Madison Mitchell and the date as 1954.
Overall length: 14.5 inches.
Condition report:
The decoy shows signs of age and field use consistent with its period. There is a prominent horizontal crack and a visible seam at the neck joint where the head meets the body. Scattered surface scratches, minor dings, and paint loss are present across the head and body. The metal components show signs of oxidation and surface rust. The original paint and combing remain largely intact but exhibit wear.
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