EARLY JAMES STANLEY (1855-1927) CAPE VINCENT, NY GOLDENEYE DRAKE ANTIQUE DUCK DECOY WITH “AEF” ON BOTTOM - WIDE SOLID SMOOTH BODY WITH RAISED BREAST AND HEAD SET BACK IN ALERT POSTURE - HEAD TURNED APPROXIMATELY 15 DEGREES TO THE LEFT - 1 INSET GLASS EYE REMAINS - BILL ROOT CARVING - SYMMETRICAL OVAL BOTTOM - RETAINS A CYLINDRICAL CONNICAL WEIGHT SECURED BY A LARGE FLATHEAD STEEL SCREW - LINE TIE MISSING WHICH WAS A STAPLE ACROSS THE HEAD SCREW HOLE - “A.E.F.” CARVED INTO BOTTOM - WELL-SHAPED HEAD WITH A RIDGE FROM TOP OF THE HEAD DOWN TO THE BACK OF THE NECK


HISTORY:

BORN IN SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA IN 1855, JAMES E. STANLEY (1855-1927), ACCORIDNG TO ADELE EARNEST, WAS A "SAILOR, ADVENTURER, CRAFTSMAN, NATURALIST - HIS LIFE READS LIKE THE ROMANTIC DREAM OF EVERY SCHOOLBOY...THAT IS, EVERY SCHOOLBOY OF A COUPLE OF GENERATIONS AGO (1)."


GROWING UP IN SYDNEY, HE DECIDED TO BECOME A SAILER AT THE AGE OF TWELVE AND JOINED A "SCHOOL SHIP" IN THE BRITISH NAVY (1). ALONG WITH SAILING WITH THE ROYAL NAVY, STANLEY ALSO WORKED ON ARTIC WHALING VESSELS HUNTING WHALES AND SEALS IN GREENLAND. AT ONE POINT, HIS TRAVELS LED HIM TO BECOME A TROPICAL BIRD COLLECTOR FOR THE BRITISH MESEUM, COLLECTING BIRDS FROM ALL AROUND THE WORLD INCLUDING THE AMAZON AND SOUTH AMERICA (1). AS CHANCE WOULD HAVE IT, HE MET HIS FUTURE WIFE, LENA DOWD OF OGDENSBURG, WHILE ON A CARGO SHIP IN THE GREAT LAKES (4).


SOON AFTER DEPARTING THE GREAT LAKES, HIS SHIP SANK SOMEWHERE IN THE CARRIBEAN. HE WAS REPORTED LOST AT SEA IN THE SHIPWRECK (1). FORTUNATELY, HE WAS RESCUED AND RETURNED TO THE GREAT LAKES TO MARRY LENA.


SETTLING IN CAPE VINCENT, STANLEY BECAME A RENOWNED FISHING GUIDE ON THE ST LAWRENCE RIVER. HE ALSO WORKED AS A TAXIDERMIST WITH SOME OF IS WORKS DISPLAYED IN THE NEW YORK MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY. SOONAFTER, HE BEGAN CARVING DECOYS (1,2,4).


ACCORDING TO STEWART AND LUNMAN, STANLEY'S BROAD-CHESTED DECOYS "WERE METICULOUSLY CONSTRUCTED. THE FLAT STAPLE DRIVEN OVER A ROUND HOLE TO ATTACH THE ANCHOR LINE IS A TRADEMARK OF HIS WORK (4)."


IN HER BOOK, THE ART OF THE DECOY, AUTHOR ADELE EARNEST STATES THAT "HIS DECOYS REFLECT HIS TALENT FOR RELATING THE BIRD TO ITS ENVIRONMENT (1)."


HE CARVED ROUGHLY 300 DECOYS BETWEEN 1890 AND THE 1920's, WITH MANY "EAGERLY SOUGHT AFTER BY COLLECTORS (1)."


REFERENCES:

1. EARNEST A. THE ART OF THE DECOY. CLARKSON N. POTTER INC. Pp 190. 1965.

2. KANGAS G AND KANGAS L. DECOYS: A NORTH AMERICAN SURVEY. HILLCREST PUBLICATIONS. Pp 157. 1983.

3. KANGAS G AND KANGAS L. GREAT LAKES DECOY INTERPRETATIONS. CREEKSIDE ART GALLERY LLC. Pp 80. 2011.

4. STEWART J AND LUNMAN L. DECOYS OF THE THOUSAND ISLANDS. THE BOSTON MILLS PRESS. Pp 206-208. 1991.


CONDITION:

EARLY GUNNING PAINT WITH CONSIDERABLE WEAR AND CRAQUELURE


MEASUREMENTS:

APPROXIMATELY 12 ⅝” LENGTH (TIP OF BILL TO EDGE OF TAIL) x 6 ¾” WIDTH x 6 ¾” TALL - WEIGHT: 2 POUNDS AND 10.7 OUNCES 


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