Hank Catton Mallard Hen Decoy

Ridgetown, Ontario, Canada. 6.75" x 17.25" x 6.25". 1st Quarter 20th Century. Painted wood. Outstanding near mint original paint with very light in use wear. Some minimal flaking and wear to the bill paint. Age related crazing (craquelure) on the entire decoy. A few very small paint breaks. Structural condition is excellent with very minor handling wear. Body form and paint detail clearly influenced by the premier grade Mason mallard by the Mason Decoy Company of Detroit Michigan. The original head on this decoy is an outstanding example of this classic early reaching head, smiling Chatham Catton decoy. The original paint bottom holds a Rondeau Bay swing weight leathers and a replaced leather tie strap. Jim Kearns well researched article and pictures of this exact bird from Decoy Magazine along with research from R. Paul Brisco in his excellent book Waterfowl Decoys of Southwestern Ontario And The Men Who Made Them. F W B and 1926 in black paint on bottom.

Condition
Outstanding near mint original paint with very light in use wear. Some minimal flaking and wear to the bill paint. Age related crazing (craquelure) on the entire decoy. A few very small paint breaks. Structural condition is excellent with very minor handling wear. Body form and paint detail clearly influenced by the premier grade Mason mallard by the Mason Decoy Company of Detroit Michigan. The original head on this decoy is an outstanding example of this classic early reaching head, smiling Chatham Catton decoy. The original paint bottom holds a Rondeau Bay swing weight leathers and a replaced leather tie strap.