The Purnell-Watson Pintail Pair by Dave "Umbrella" Watson (1851-1932)

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The Sporting Sale 2025, Day 1

By Copley Fine Art Auctions

Jul 10, 2025

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Lots 1-316 Copley Fine Art Auctions cinnie@copleyart.com

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• Lot Description
  The Purnell-Watson Pintail Pair
  Dave "Umbrella" Watson (1851-1932)
  Chincoteague, VA, c. 1925
  17 1/2 in. long
  
  "A couple of interesting and well-informed guides led the way to the former home of Dave Watson, who departed this earth in 1938 [sic]. My two worthy leaders were Delbert Daisey and Millard Jones, historians of both the past and present sporting scene on Chincoteague Island's east side. Actually, without their memories and assistance Dave Watson, the finest carver of decoys that Accomack County, Virginia, produced, would still be unknown. The Watson homestead stands in a quiet spot back from the main road, safe from the summer traffic. Nothing remains to encourage a decoy pilgrimage. Even the knee-high pile of wood shavings, which must be viewed as the all-time fire hazard, is gone. But it seemed the best possible time and place to review what little is known about its former owner, known as "Umbrella" because he never left the house without carrying one. This quirk intrigued and surprised many members of the community of Chincoteague. Year by year the inevitable legend of the umbrella grew, but collectors have not allowed this eccentricity to dim the image of his carving skill. Watson had another habit, too. In a community of men who wore rubber boots as a way of life, the champion was Dave Watson, who was never seen in public or private without the inevitable boots. From head to toe, "Umbrella" or "Bootsie" was the driest carver on record." - Milton C. Weiler, "The Classic Decoy Series: A Portfolio of Paintings," 1969, pl. 24.
  
  David "Umbrella" Watson is among the most distinct and revered of all Southern decoy makers. He first left Delaware for Willis Wharf, Virginia, on the upper edge of Northampton County. From there he eventually settled up the Intracoastal Waterway in Accomack County on Chincoteague. Watson earned his "Umbrella" moniker by always having one on hand, regardless of the weather, he's also said to have worn boots at all times and is also referred to as "Bootsie." In studying his exceptional decoys, it appears his broad exposure paired with his peculiar personality may have led to his unique approach to decoy making. His decoys have a style all their own with hollow bodies, which were not common in Accomack, raised wing tips, and highly pronounced eye brow carving finished with exceptionally detailed paint patterns using a suite of brush techniques.
  
  William Purnell owned the best decoys from this Watson rig. In the "Great Book of Wildfowl Decoys," Purnell and his co-author relay that Watson "... made brant, geese, and black ducks primarily with a few canvasbacks, redheads, pintails, and bluebills and a limited number of shorebirds. The painstaking care that his carvings show is evidence of the time it took to carve them. He was a slow carver, and most of his decoys were too expensive for the average hunter." Indeed, this pintail pair was not made for the average hunter. They were crafted for the well-appointed Assateague Rod & Gun Club, just east across the channel from Chincoteague. This pair seems to have been incidentally preserved by the Great Depression. The Club was thriving in the 1920s, then in 1938 this rig was salvaged from an Assateague shed that was to be razed. They remain his best known pair extant.
  
  Today the Assateague Club's few surviving pintails are recognized as Watson's most important works and they are second-to-none among all Southern pintails. Several drakes reside in top collections around the country with none better than this drake. The hen rounding out this rigmate pair is even more rare and unsurpassed by any Watson decoy to have surfaced. The duo was reunited by Don Kirson and together they represent a unique opportunity to acquire an iconic Southern pair.
  
  Collectors, authors, and curators have celebrated this duo for decades. Flipping the bodies over, a look at the underside reveals nine unique collector and exhibition markings on each bird, including Purnell's "P" and "WHP Jr" brands, the Assateague Rod & Gun Club's "paw" brand, a Ward Museum label, and the "Kirson Collection" stamp. The hen also has the oval tag imprint of the great Southern decoy collector Charlie Hunter.
  Excellent original paint with even gunning wear.
  
  Provenance: Assateague Rod & Gun Club
  William H. Purnell Jr. Collection
  Charlie Hunter Collection (hen only)
  Donald Kirson Collection
  
  Literature: Robert Shaw, "Bird Decoys of North America," New York, NY, 2010, p. 211, exact hen illustrated. Joe Engers, ed., "The Great Book of Wildfowl Decoys," San Diego, CA, 1990, pp. 153-154, Watson discussed, p. 158, rigmate drake and exact hen illustrated. John Clayton, "Massachusetts Masters: Decoys, Shorebirds, and Decorative Carvings," The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, Salisbury University, 2010, pp. 47, exact hen and rigmate drake illustrated. Loy S. Harrell Jr., "Decoys: North America's One Hundred Greatest," Iola, WI, 2000, p. 95, exact drake illustrated.
  
  Exhibited: Lincoln, Nebraska, "The Bird Decoy: An American Art Form," Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery, 1975. (hen only) Ward Museum, Salisbury, MD

  Condition

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