Martha’s Vineyard Black Duck Decoy by Frank Richardson, circa 1920

Antique Martha’s Vineyard black duck drake decoy by Frank Richardson, Anthier’s Pond in Edgartown (now called Sengekontacket Pond, circa 1920, in a contented posture with head tucked back on a low neck, with carved eyes, delicate feather scratched paint pattern likely inspired by Elmer Crowell, head attached firmly by dowel onto a two-piece laminated body with inset lead weight, in mostly original paint with working touch-ups on bottom. In solid condition with a few slight age cracks, very few shot scars, and some slight cracking to paint along the lamination seam with a small amount of paint loss there on one side. Frank Richardson was one of the finest decoy carvers on Martha’s Vineyard, and thought by Doc Starr to make one of the best Brant decoys on the Atlantic coast (see his “Decoys of the Atlantic Flyway”). Richardson has a lengthy discussion in Stanley’s “Decoys of Martha’s Vineyard”).

Measures: 6 in H x 14 in L x 6 in W.