South Seaville, New Jersey, circa 1920, classically folky Wheaton pronounced head shape and exaggerated paddle tail, three piece hollow body, stamped and painted eyes, deep separation between neck and back crest of oversized head indicative of this carver, inscribed museum accession number 1996.3.2 (accessioned 1996), 6-3/4 x 13-1/2 x 6-1/4 in.

Provenance: Gift of Edwin and Alberta Gamble; Property from the Collections of the American Folk Art Museum

Literature: Earnest, Adele, The Art of the Decoy: American Bird Carvings, New York, 1965, pg. 64, related example illustrated; Fleckenstein, Henry A., Jr., New Jersey Decoys, Exton, Pennsylvania, 1983, pgs. 32 and 142, related examples illustrated; Waingrow, Jeff, American Wildfowl Decoys: A History and Collector's Guide, New York, 1985, pg. 44, related example illustrated; Doherty, James R., Classic New Jersey Decoys, Louisville, Kentucky, 2011, pg. 166, related example illustrated

generally good condition, surface dirt and accretion, insignificant dents at back and tip of tail, separation at lateral line as made, some minor areas of paint loss including bill and top of head, minor shot strike, two small cracks to base