Exceptional early Mason Premier Mallard Drake (1896-1924), Detroit, MI A hollow 17 ¾ inch Premier Grade decoy. Features the early head style. Original paint with patina and light wear, baptized by shot. There are a couple very minor tail chips. Purchased at Mackey sale and bears his collection stamp. This decoy and virtually all the decoys from the Angus collection were purchased through the Richard A. Bourne Auction Gallery in the 1960’s and 1970’s. Others were purchased from Dick Bourne at local estate sales earlier and from his auctions held in a local now demolished barn in W. Barnstable. The late Dr. Angus and Dr Arthur Robinson purchased together the crate of Mason Detroit grade bluebills sold by our firm and more recently by Guyette and Deeter from the Swift estate auction in Waquoit, MA. The Swift home is now the site of the Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Reserve. Provenance: Dr. Ralph Angus Collection.