I know very little about decoys, and pass most by without a close look, but occasionally one strikes me as such a gorgeous object that there is no way I can leave it behind. Like this one. The great old black and white paint in combination, the strong horizontal the body in contrast with vertical of the head, the line of that long thin neck and small head--for me, super satisfying sculptural perfection.
I know that this decoy came from the Chesapeake Bay area, and I believe dates to the first half of the 20th century. It was a working decoy, though the lead weight once attached to the bottom was at some point removed. Some paint loss and a little roughness here and there, all to the the good I think. Good structural condition and really a beautiful thing. Approx 17" long x 9" tall x 6" wide.
