Date: Fri 04-Jun-1999

Publication: Ant

Author: SHANNO

Quick Words:

Cobb-Wells-decoys-sporting

Full Text:

Cobbs Sell Wells Jr Decoy & Sporting Collection

(with 6 cuts)

By Dick Friz

NASHUA, N.H. -- Wildfowl decoy, sporting trophy, Derry Dale books and other

rod and gun memorabilia collectors from all corners of the country convened at

Cobb Auctioneers' third part of the Wellington Wells Jr trust auction of over

370 lots at the Holiday Inn in Nashua on May 1.

The late Wellington "Bill" Wells Jr, a Boston stockbroker who summered, and

later retired, in Cheshire, N.H., was a devout fisherman and hunter. He spent

much of his leisure time in the marshes and inlets of Chesapeake Bay, and the

bays and estuaries of New England including Cape Cod and the Massachusetts

South Shore, even as far north as Nova Scotia.

Among his bird hunting cronies were some of the foremost decoy carvers of the

post-war era, including East Harwich's A.E. Elmer Crowell and Preston Wright

from Cape Cod, Hy Hotze, Heck Whittington and Charles Perdue from the Midwest,

and Thomas Fitzpatrick and Doug Tester from the Chesapeake Bay area.

Many of Wells' specimens were working birds, unlike those never having been

overboard and intended expressly for show or decoration. Despite rarity and

provenance, the specimens, well used by the fowlers and bleached by

weathering, made bidders a bit skittish.

Standouts among a handsome flock of 225 duck and shorebird decoys were a

Crowell black duck hen and drake at $3,850. A Crowell Golden Eye hen, hampered

by a broken and then renailed bill, was still a real buy at $550

A superb mallard drake by Hotze of Illinois in original paint spurred bidders

to $3,300. A mallard hen and drake by the Illinoisan Whittington, added $880

to the sale tally. A Delaware River area pin tail hen, attributed to

Fitzpatrick, sold for $632.50.

By far the most coveted carved wildfowl entry to be flushed out, a trophy

entry clearly intended for display, was a splendid sculptural grouse in

rosewood by the noted Maine carved Charles Greenough Chase. Inscribed on the

base was the phrase "Russed [sic] Grouse, bonasa Umbellus, Jacaranda #261,

Jan. 1969." The grouse surpassed top estimate and came out at $18,700.

Another highly decorative entry, a lifelike pairing of two pintails in full

flight, carved and signed by George W. Reinhold, soared to $605.

The sale featured an array of 50 limited edition sporting books and prints.

Arousing major interest via the Web, over the phones and at the preview was a

much heralded pair of framed A. Lassell Ripley watercolors, "Grouse & Azalea

Buds" and "Grouse & Grapevines," taking off to $17,700 and $19,880.

A complete four-volume set of Etching and Drypoints , with limited edition

prints of sporting birds in flight by Frank W. Benson, exacted $3,025. Three

volumes by Derry Dale Press, Trout & Angling, Tigers of the Sea and New Lines

For Fly Fishers , advanced to $275. Also by Derry Dale, British & American

Game Birds , by Pollard and illustrated and signed by Philip Rickman, advanced

quickly to $687.50.

With lots of age on it and a sculptural folky kind of charm, an 1890s

menacing-looking three-feet wide hand wrought bear trap and chain brought

$412.50. A huge iron hand wrought clam rake gathered $137.50.

A ten-point rack bull moose mounted head sold for $55, as did the bragging

rights for a fisherman who can now lay claim to a stuffed largemouth bass

trophy mounted with a plaque that lists its weight at a whopping 9 pounds, 6

ounces.

A pair of firearms from Bill Wells' favorite collection included a Winchester

94-30 caliber 30-30 lever action with hooded sight, which brought $605, and a

US Springfield Model 1873 percussion carbine and flip-up sight honed in at

$715.

For details, call 603/924-6391.