The McCleery Summer Yellowlegs by A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952)

Lot 112

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

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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

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Lot Description

The McCleery Summer Yellowlegs
A. Elmer Crowell (1862-1952)
East Harwich, MA, c. 1910
8 3/4 in. long

Crowell's lesser yellowlegs decoys are exceptionally rare. As stated by Crowell author and historian Brian Cullity, "The lesser yellowlegs was a relatively uncommon species to be used as a model for a decoy." On the pattern for this decoy, Crowell identifies the species as "summer yellow leg."

This important example was exhibited in Dr. McCleery's "Call to the Sky" museum exhibition and accompanying book. It was also held back by the McCleery estate from the 2000 sale along with four other of his best Crowell shorebirds. This select group of five was offered at Sotheby's in 2005 where this lot was featured on the catalog cover.
Original paint with light gunning wear and a professionally replaced bill.

Provenance: Dr. James M. McCleery Collection
Private Collection, Florida

Literature: Robert Shaw, "Call to the Sky: The Decoy Collection of James M. McCleery, M.D.," Houston, TX, 1992, pp. 14-15, exact decoy illustrated. Sotheby's, "Important American Folk Art, Furniture and Silver," New York, NY, May 2005, front cover and lot 104, exact decoy illustrated. Brian Cullity, "The Songless Aviary: The World of A. E. Crowell & Son," Hyannis, MA, 1992, pp. 60 and 114, pl. 116, Crowell's pattern and related example illustrated. Henry A. Fleckenstein Jr., "Shore Bird Decoys," Exton, PA, 1980, p. 21, pl. 15, rigmate illustrated.

Exhibited: Houston, Texas, "Call to the Sky: The Decoy Collection of James M. McCleery, M.D.," Houston Museum of Natural History, 1992-1993.

Condition

Please refer to the description; if you have additional questions, email colin@copleyart.com.
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