WHISTLING SWAN
Lot 1046

WHISTLING SWAN

JOHN HAYNES WILLIAMS (1857-1937), CEDAR ISLAND, VIRGINIA, CIRCA 1910

Closed10 May 2018

Price Realised

USD 348,500

More Information

How to sell

WHISTLING SWAN
JOHN HAYNES WILLIAMS (1857-1937), CEDAR ISLAND, VIRGINIA, CIRCA 1910
Mackey Collection stamped on underside
25 in. long

William J. Mackey, Jr., Belford, New Jersey
Sold, Richard A. Bourne Co., Hyannis, Massachusetts, 21 August 1973, lot 201 (see Decoy Index for original cataloguing)

Specialist note

Old working swans are extremely rare. This swan by one of this country's premier makers has a rich and colorful history. Williams was considered a specialist in swan decoys, each of his birds created with a different pose to mimic the the movement of an actual flock of swans. With its long neck held high, this decoy is a true work of art capturing the grace and poise of the swan. Donal C. O'Brien, Jr., decoy collector, carver and advisor to the Rockefellers, felt that this swan was the rarest decoy in the collection.