Exceedingly Rare Dowitcher Decoy, Lothrop Turner Holmes (1824-1899)

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The Sporting Sale 2019

By Copley Fine Art Auctions

Jul 25, 2019

Set Reminder 2019-07-25 10:00:00 2019-07-25 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : The Sporting Sale 2019 https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/copley/the-sporting-sale-2019-4227
July 25 at 10 am | 550 lots Copley Fine Art Auctions cinnie@copleyart.com

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• Lot Description
  Lothrop Turner Holmes (1824-1899)
  Kingston, MA, c. 1860
  12 in. long
  
  Unlike many professional carvers who earned a living selling their decoys, Lothrop Turner Holmes only carved decoys for his own use along the marshes of the Jones River and Duxbury Bay. Holmes is one of the earliest documented shorebird makers from any region and many consider him the top known decoy maker of the nineteenth century. This singular decoy is believed to be the only known Holmes dowitcher in original paint to have surfaced, making it even more rare than the maker's coveted ruddy turnstones. This one-of-a-kind dowitcher displays a rich red breast, alert posture, and precise split-tail carving. A rigmate golden plover was sold in Session III of the Donal C. O'Brien Jr. Collection in 2018.
  Original paint with even gunning wear. Minimal touch-up to base of the original reset bill.
  
  Provenance: Private Collection, Massachusetts
  
  Literature: Copley Fine Art Auctions, "The Donal C. O'Brien Jr. Collection of Important American Sporting Art and Decoys, Sessions III," July, 2018, lot 16, closely related golden plover illustrated.

  Condition

  Please email condition report requests to colin@copleyart.com. Any condition statement given is a courtesy to customers, Copley will not be held responsible for any errors or omissions. The absence of a condition statement does not imply that the lot is in perfect condition.
• Shipping Info

  • Shipping info

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