Curlew

William Roberts

Cape May, NJ, c. 1880

Though curlew decoys were common in Cape May, few, if any, matched the quality of those carved by William Roberts. This observation was first documented in "American Bird Decoys," when William J. Mackey, Jr. discussed a Roberts curlew in his collection which he endearingly referred to as "Ol' Hookbill." This full-bodied bird with drop-tail carving and a hooked bill measures over 16 inches from bill tip to tail and displays bold lines. The dramatic 90 degree bend in the bill is perfectly mirrored in the bill-to-throat carving and creates an appealing negative space not typically seen in shorebird decoys. The oak bill of this bird would have been soaked or steamed while it was still green so that it could be easily bent and held in a form until it dried. Upon drying the bill would retain both the strength of its straight grain and its new shape.

Original paint with light gunning wear including a chip to the top edge of the original bill.

Bill Staplin Collection
Davidson Hawthorne Collection, Salisbury, Maryland
Private Collection

William J. Mackey, Jr., "American Bird Decoys," New York, NY, 1965, p. 134, plate 114, similar bird illustrated. Gary Guyette and Frank M. Schmidt, "North American Bird Decoys at Auction, "St. Michaels, MD, 2010,