New Jersey, c. 1880
14 1/2 in. long

This raised-wing decoy was immortalized by Joel Barber in 1950. The architect borrowed the decoy from John Updike and recorded it with his iconic drawings and paintings. The final watercolor image he produced was immediately published as the lead image in one of his last articles, titled "The Decoy in conservation."

A hollow goldeneye displaying dramatic raised and split wing tips. A painted inscription on underside of base reads, "Goldeneye - Male / Maker Unknown / Barnegat Bay / Updike Collection / John Updike."The carving's right side displays the museum identification code "A51-76" in red paint. The bird appears to be branded "W. T. BAILEY."
In working paint with minimal wear and an early replaced head.

Provenance: John Updike Collection
Walter L. Bush Collection
Collection of a New York City Museum, acquired from the above in 1953

Literature: Joel Barber, "The Decoy in Conservation," The New York State Conservationist, October/November 1950, p. 20, exact decoy illustrated in Barber's watercolor.

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