Lot 1258
  • 1258

PAIR OF CANADA GEESEAMERICAN SCHOOL, CIRCA 1900 | Pair of Canada GeeseAmerican School, circa 1900

Estimate
300,000 - 500,000 USD
bidding is closed

Description

  • polychromed hollow-carved wood decoys with glass eyes
  • Height of each approx. 12 in. by Length 22 1/2 in.
  • circa 1895
stamped T. Gray on the underside

Provenance

John Dillworth, New Jersey;
Fred and Kathy Giampietro, New Haven, Connecticut.

Literature

Tom Geismar and Harvey Kahn, Spiritually Moving:  A Collection of American Folk Art Sculpture (New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1998) cat. no. 52, illus. in color;
Gene and Linda Kangas, "T. Gray's Migrant Goose Decoys," Decoy Magazine, July/August 2011, illus. in color p. 25 and on the cover.

Condition

Retain their original rig rings. Wear, losses and touch up to the painted surface consistent with age and use. IMPORTANT NOTICE: Purchasers may pay for and pick up their purchases from any of our Americana Week sales taking place from January 17-20, 2019, at our York Avenue headquarters until the close of business on Sunday, January 20, 2019. After this time, all property (sold and unsold) will be transferred to our offsite facility, Crozier Fine Art, One Star Ledger Plaza, 69 Court Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102. Once property has been transferred from our York Avenue location, it will not be available for collection at Crozier Fine Arts until Friday, January 25, 2019. Crozier's hours of operation for collection are from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday-Friday. Please note, certain items of property, including but not limited to jewelry, watches, silver and works on panel will remain at 1334 York Avenue. Invoices and statements will indicate your property's location. For more information regarding collection from our offsite facility, please visit sothebys.com/pickup.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Catalogue Note

A number of goose decoys from a remarkable gunning rig, several of which, including these two examples, branded "T. Gray," are known, but neither Mr. Gray, who was probably the original owner of the birds, nor the location where they were made and used has been identified. All the geese are hollow-carved and have unusual head positions. All three of the rig mates in the Teiger Collection have distinctive swelled breasts with their necks and heads pulled back onto their bodies, while another bird in the rig has its head and neck stretched back high over its body. As is the case with other great rigs, the birds in the Gray rig seem to interact with each other and would have presented a lively scene wherever they floated. Decoy scholars Gene and Linda Kangas suggest that "based on regional stylistic norms, conceptual precedents, and serious decoy collector experiences, Massachusetts is the most logical location of inception."