Mackey Long-Tailed Drake
Long Island, NY, c. 1880
11 1/4 in. long

An early hunting decoy that saw use along the rugged waters of the Atlantic Coast. William Mackey owned this decoy and illustrated a pair of rigmates as Labrador ducks in his 1965 book "American Bird Decoys." The same decoys appear in a 1978 publication discussing the elusive Labrador duck. Though historically called a Labrador duck by Mackey, the presence of original black cheek patches and the absence of black neck bands mark a distinction between long-tails and Labradors.

A rare construction element, which Mackey noted, is the curved section cut into the back to hollow the decoy from the top. The underside is struck with a Mackey Collection ink stamp.
Original and old working paint with moderate gunning wear, touch-up to bill, and a wash on black.

Provenance: William J. Mackey Collection
Private Collection, Dallas

Literature: Russell A. Fink, “Catalog of American Bird Decoys,” Lorton, VA, 1976, lot 76, related decoy illustrated.William J. Mackey Jr., "American Bird Decoys," New York, NY, 1965, p. 62, rigmates illustrated.Sotheby's and Guyette and Schmidt, "American Waterfowl Decoys: The Distinguished Collection of Dr. James M. McCleery," New York, NY, January 22–23, 2000, p. 138, lot 341, rigmate illustrated.“North American Decoys Magazine,” Summer 1978, p. 26, rigmates illustrated.

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