Rare Golden Plover in Winter Plumage by George H. Boyd (1873-1941)

Lot 115

About Seller

20 Winter Street
Pembroke, MA 02359
United States

Founded in 2005, Copley Fine Art Auctions is a boutique auction house specializing in antique decoys and American, sporting, and wildlife paintings. Over the course of the last two decades, the firm has set auction records for not only individual decoy makers, but also entire carving regions. Copley...Read more

Bid Increments

Price	Bid Increment
$0	$50
$1,000	$100
$2,500	$250
$5,000	$500
$10,000	$1,000
$25,000	$2,500
$50,000	$5,000

About Auction

The Sporting Sale 2025, Day 1 by Copley Fine Art Auctions

Live

The Sporting Sale 2025, Day 1

By Copley Fine Art Auctions

Jul 10, 2025

Set Reminder 2025-07-10 10:00:00 2025-07-10 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : The Sporting Sale 2025, Day 1 https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/copley/the-sporting-sale-2025-day-1-19844 Lots 1-316 Copley Fine Art Auctions cinnie@copleyart.com

View Full Catalog (316)

Lot Description

Rare Golden Plover in Winter Plumage
George H. Boyd (1873-1941)
Seabrook, NH, c. 1890
10 1/2 in. long

Peter Brams, whose collection this plover comes from, was captivated by the decoys of George Boyd, stating, "his decoys [Boyd's] are instantly recognizable; their form and paint are like no other maker. Though he made hundreds of plovers and yellows, after researching dozens of his birds, I soon realized, no two birds were exactly alike. I constantly upgraded my Boyd plover..."

The construction of this plump working decoy indicates that it is a very early example by the maker. The decoy is solid, but made from two pieces of continuous grain wood. Unlike most Boyd shorebirds, this example's bill was included as part of the full body pattern, a design that Boyd would later change in favor of a more durable inset bill.

The application of thick stipple paint on this decoy is further enhanced by the "wet-on-wet" feather blending that was likely achieved by use of a goose quill. The full range of sepia tints, ranging from light to dark within each stroke, is extraordinary, giving the bird the mottled appearance of the species.
Outstanding original paint with minor gunning wear and an old replaced chip on right side of bill.

Provenance: Peter Brams Collection
Grant Nelson Collection
Private Collection, Florida

Literature: Jim Cullen, "Finely Carved and Nicely Painted: The Life, Art and Decoys of George H. Boyd, Seabrook, NH, 1873-1941," Rye, NH, 2009, p. 23, related example illustrated.

Condition

Please refer to the description; if you have additional questions, email colin@copleyart.com.
Shipping Info
- Copley does not offer in-house packing or shipping. For clients who require shipping, please complete the Shipping Release Form and return it with your payment. The form includes a list of shippers we frequently work with.