Turned-Head Long-Tail Drake
Orlando "Os" Bibber (1882-1970)
South Harpswell, ME, c. 1910
16 in. long

"Bibber's birds are the best carvings on the coast.” — John Dinan, "The Great Book of Wildfowl Decoys"

This turned-head long-tailed drake was carved by renowned Maine maker "Os" Bibber. In "Bird Decoys of North America," author Robert Shaw writes,“[Bibber was] a sophisticated man who worked as a chief engineer on steamships that ran from Portland to New Brunswick and often as far south as Cuba. Known as Os or Ollie, he made decoys that are atypical of the Maine coast...He was apparently a fastidious man who, unlike Huey, made decoys only for his own use and devoted considerable time to their making.”

This decoy is a closely related rigmate to the iconic Bibber long-tailed drake which was also held in the Johnson Collection. It displays fine head carving and a long and wide body that finishes with elegant elongated lines. Bibber’s deceptively simple paint pattern has produced an exceptional minimalist presentation of this sleek sea duck species.
Original paint with moderate gunning wear.

Provenance: Linda Johnson Collection

Literature: Joe Engers, ed., "The Great Book of Wildfowl Decoys," Lewes, DE, 1990, pp. 33-35. related decoy illustrated.Guyette & Schmidt Inc., "North American Decoys at Auction," St. Michaels, MD, July 29 and 30, 2006, lot 83, p. 29, related example with touch-up to flaking illustrated.Robert Shaw, "Bird Decoys of North America," New York, NY, 2010, pp. 62, 145-146, related example illustrated and discussed.Copley Fine Art Auctions, "The Sporting Sale 2010," Plymouth, MA, July 22-23, 2010, lot 726, related hen illustrated.Copley Fine Art Auctions, “The Johnson Collection of American Bird Decoys, The Sporting Sale 2021,” Hingham, MA, July 9, 2021, back cover and lot 22, rigmate illustrated.