Early Black Duck
Albert Davids Laing (1811-1886)
New York, NY and Stratford, CT, c. 1835
16 1/4 in. long
The age and construction of this decoy are notable in decoy history. This black duck from Laing's earliest known rig, made while he was living in New York, is one of the first known rigs of hollow decoys. The underside is branded "B. H. WELLER" twice.
Old paint with gunning wear.
Provenance: Albert Davids Laing Rig
B. H. Weller Rig
Ronald S. Swanson Collection
Literature: Ronald S. Swanson, "Albert D. Laing: A decoy maker unequaled in his time," Decoy Magazine, Burtonsville, MD, July/August 1995, p. 10, exact decoy illustrated.
Henry C. Chitwood, "Connecticut Decoys," West Chester, PA, 1987, p. 24, exact decoy illustrated.
Condition
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