Golden Plover
Nantucket, MA, c. 1890
10 in. long

A plump decoy with split-tail carving and green-gold feathering. A rare opportunity to obtain an excellent example from this prized rig. Hailing from this storied island, renowned for its 19th-century plover migrations. The underside bears the inked "Hillman Collection" stamp. In addition to Hillman, birds from this rig were collected by William J. Mackey Jr. and David Rockefeller, who acquired one from Donal C. O'Brien Jr. This bird is a rigmate to lot 152 from the Horton Collection.
Original paint with gunning wear, bill is an early replacement. Tiny amount of fill in one shot hole on left wing.

Provenance: John Hillman Collection
Private Collection, Nantucket
Private Collection, Massachusetts

Literature: Christie's, "The Collection of Peggy and David Rockefeller," New York, NY, May 10, 2018, lot 1054 (bottom bird), rigmate illustrated.Guyette and Schmidt, "Important Auction of Rare Waterfowl Decoys from the Collection of John Hillman, April 25 & 26, 1996," West Farmington, ME, 1996, lot 169, exact decoy illustrated.