 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Nathan Cobb Jr Canada Goose Decoy
Guns International #: 102656432 Seller's Inventory #: AG0496
Category: Decoys - Collectibles - Sporting
Seller's Information
When emailing or calling sellers direct, please mention that you saw their listing on GunsInternational.com
Seller: Cisco's Gallery
Company: Ciscos Gallery
Member Since: 9/2/16
First Name: Sam
Last Name: Kennedy
State: Idaho
Zip: 83814
Country: United States
Phone: (208) 769-7575
Fax: (208) 769-7575
Platinum Seller
Number of Active Listings: 665
Total Number of Listings: 6910
Seller: Private Seller
Return Policy: 3 day inspection and return policy on used guns.
Payment Types Accepted: Visa, Mastercard, certified funds, cashiers checks, money orders, and personal checks (items shipped when cleared). 3% surcharge on firearm purchases made with a credit card.
About Us: Cisco’s Rare & Exceptional deals in one-of-a-kind pieces that define America and the Wild West. The collection is both diverse and expansive, including historic antique western firearms, artifacts, antiques, fine art, and western home furnishings. Our store, located in scenic Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, is filled from floor to ceiling with pieces that spark romantic tales of the western frontier. Cisco’s inventory of authentic Native American art and artifacts is among the finest in the world featuring Navajo rugs, baskets, beadwork, totems, pipes, southwest jewelry and more!
Description:
Hollow-carved Canada Goose decoy by Nathan Cobb Jr, with applied neck and head circa 1880-1895. This decoy features a 33” L x 7 ½” W two-piece hand-scooped and drilled hollow body, constructed with both cut nails (square nails) and wire nails, a one-piece root (limb) head, German glass eyes, tacked leather rigging, and a lead weight affixed with screws. The decoy was carved in the form of an aggressive hissing/swimming Canada goose (a rare and desirable pose.
The neck appears to have been carved from a single branch of either southern wax myrtle or holly root. The body features prominent shoulders, along with a distinct ridge down the back, and a notched V-shaped tail. It was common for Nathan Cobb Jr. to use wood from salvaged shipwrecks in the construction of his decoy bodies.
The nails have been countersunk into the body with putty applied over the top. The cracks and imperfections were sealed with lead caulk prior to painting. An x-ray of the decoy shows that the applied head is affixed to the body using 4 cut nails while the body was secured together using around 15 wire nails. The neck features an additional cut nail at Its crook. This was implemented to either strengthen an existing crack at the time of construction, or to repair a break that had formed through rigorous use.
An incised serifed “N” measuring 1 ¼” tall x 1 ½” wide can be found the bottom of the decoy body. The serifed “N” was the maker’s mark of Nathan Cobb Jr.
While the x-ray is telling of the methods of construction, it also indicates the decoy has remained in Its original structural condition, unchanged since the day Nathan Jr. made it. The only addition to the piece is remnants of lead shot acquired during the period of use.
The decoy has acquired unique wear to Its exterior reminiscent of having been forgotten in the water or possibly swept away in a storm. The paint, while original, is sun bleached and has sloughed off in areas due to being saturated and exposed to water for an extended period. Two cracks have formed along the front of the body near the base of the neck. Minor chipping to the neck seam is present.
“One night in 1893 Cobb Island was literally wiped from the face of the earth when a tidal wave swept over it. Next morning not a building remained. The inhabitants who survived moved to the mainland. The ˜good old days™ were gone forever. But decoys were made to float, and most of those that still survived were picked up adrift after the storm and used again, their fame increasing through the years that followed.” William J. Mackey Jr., "American Bird Decoys"
This decoy is one of the finest examples of a Canada goose decoy made by the hands of Nathan Cobb Jr. The aggressive swimming/hissing pose is both unique and rare making it a highly desirable piece. Of the 200-250 known Cobb family decoys collected to date, less than 200 were carved by Nathan Cobb Jr. Of those, only 15 or 16 known examples of Canada Goose decoys are in the hands of collectors.
This previously undiscovered decoy was found among a collection of miscellaneous vintage and antique decoys. Upon discovery, x-rays were performed. The construction methods, materials, and incised “N” maker’s mark are consistent with that of Nathan Cobb Jr. and have been determined to be authentic. The inclusion of cut nails (square nails) and wire nails indicates this decoy was produced between 1880 and 1895.34 1/2"L
Family Owned & Operated
Cisco’s Gallery deals in the rare, exceptional, and one-of-a-kind pieces that define the history of America and the Old West. Our pieces range from American Indian to Cowboy Western and include original items of everyday life, commerce, art, and warfare that tamed America’s frontier. Our 14,000 square foot gallery opened in 1996 in beautiful Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.
Personal Service
Cisco’s operates on old fashioned values – honesty and integrity, and all of our items are backed by our money back guarantee. We appreciate the opportunity to earn your business. Whether you desire assistance with a jewelry purchase, choosing a gift, identification, or even selling – we hope to be your trusted source.
Price: $300,000.00