Very Hollow John Rice Wells Hen bluebill Duck Decoy Branded W Great Form
Early Hollow Wells Working Bluebill Decoy, Great Surface. A great hollow working example of John Rice Wells (JRW's) highly sought after and well-made bluebill duck decoys. This bird has that great petite and lifelike form that Wells is known for where his decoys look exactly like the species that were made to duplicate. It has long been said that the best antique wooden decoys depict the species clearly even before paint is applied, and this is specifically the case for all of Wells decoys. His canvasbacks, pintails, redheads, and bluebills all have their own unique form and style making them very special birds.
This is an early decoy form wells circa 1900, that is nicely hollowed and very light weight. It has a large carved "W" into the bottom board. Overall, the decoy has a great appearance and surface that is well-aged. In worn original paint with some very old working touch up. The surface is great with plenty of crazing and crackling to the surface.
There is also a very old, but stable, repair to the back that is held in place by a rusty nail, see photos. Given the delicate nature of the neck design and hollowness of these birds, it says a lot about the craftsmanship that they remain in tact over 100 years later. I have done my best to document this decoy through both the text above and the photographs. I will do my best to accommodate any and all requests.
The decoy you are seeing is the exact one you will be getting, therefore, there should be no surprises if you have taken the time to scroll through all the photos and read the text. Unless the decoy is listed in 100% original paint, expect some old hunter touch-up. Almost every single decoy I have for sale was in fact a working decoy part of a larger rig and subject to typical gunning wear including rubs that were typically touched-up between hunting seasons as a way to pass the time during the off-season. Some of these decoys are more than 100 years old and over the course of many hunting seasons it is bound to happen. Wells was a boatbuilder by trade, a typical trade for many of Ontario's best decoy makers, and was the foreman of Ackroyd Boat Company for 40 years.
Wells hunted mostly Long Point and the St. Clair Flats, all noted hunting areas on Ontario where many of the best makers hunted. Wells carved both solid and hollow decoys in both commercial and higher-end grades. He was an exceptional painter using many different techniques including "finger" painting and his own version of scratch painting.
His decoy form was stand alone, meaning the species was easily recognized even without seeing the paint colors as his form was exceptionally accurate. One of Well's most famous rigs was found very far West in Manitoba at the Oak Lake Hunting Club.
This rig is well-known, and perhaps some of his finest work. Many Wells decoys are branded CEC on the bottom, denoting Well's hunting partner whom he hunted with at Long Point, other are branded JRW Maker, while other are unbranded. This particular bird is branded W and was done so by hand, perhaps noting his last name at a hunt club. I say most because as you see some decoys will have a modest/fair-market reserve. Call it down-sizing if you will. If a decoy doesn't meet reserve, let's talk. NOTE: As with most sporting collectibles, along with being a great addition to a game room or home decor, vintage decoys have shown to be a sound investment that seldom decrease in value.Each decoy is truly a One-Of-A-Kind item as no two hand-carved decoys are exactly alike and with so few available decoys from each carver, as time passes, they will surely only increase in value. Be sure to add my to your favorite sellers/searches. I have many more decoys to add from all regions including the Chesapeake Bay, Ontario, Quebec, Michigan, New York, Illinois, the St. The item "Very Hollow John Rice Wells Hen bluebill Duck Decoy Branded W Great Form" is in sale since Sunday, August 20, 2017.
This item is in the category "Sporting Goods\Hunting\Vintage Hunting\Duck Decoys". The seller is "dckhuntr" and is located in Butler, Pennsylvania.
This item can be shipped to United States, Canada.