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Spectacular & Rare Sicklebill Curlew Decoy Soars To $111550 At Auction

HYANNIS, Mass. - -( Ammoland.com )- A spectacular and rare sicklebill curlew decoy made in Duxbury, Mass., by a craftsman whose identity is a matter of debate among veteran collectors, soared to $111,550 at an auction held July 24-25 by Decoys Unlimited, Inc., based in Barnstable, Mass. The sale was conducted at the Cape Codder Resort & Hotel in Hyannis, Mass., on Cape Cod.

The sicklebill curlew was described by Dr. George Ross Starr, in his book Decoys of the Atlantic Flyway, as “the finest example of a sicklebill decoy in my collection” and “the kind of a decoy a collector dreams about.” He called it “a beautifully proportioned piece of work.” It’s rare in part because sicklebill curlews are scarce in New England and therefore so are their decoys.

It was by far the top lot in an auction that saw just under 1,000 decoys change hands. About 400 people attended in person (121 were registered bidders), plus there were 57 absentee bidders and 90 phone bidders (who together bid on 639 lots). Internet bidding (via Artfact.com) had 153 registered bidders. All of these numbers were new records for Decoys Unlimited, Inc.

“The sale went well above our expectations despite a global economy that is still a bit anemic,” said Ted Harmon of Decoys Unlimited, Inc. “But the market for quality decoys is strong and I see it remaining that way for some time. The less expensive decoys were a bit off, but not as far off as they were last year.” The auction, he added, grossed more than $1.2 million.

Headlining the sale was the private collection of the late Joseph Bard “Joe” French, plus other quality consignments from across North America. Mr. French (1919-2009) was a pioneer in the hobby who collected his first decoy in 1954 and took delivery of his last decoy just two days before his passing. He also wrote extensively on the subject and produced decoy videos.

Following are additional highlights from the sale. All prices quoted include a 15 percent buyer’s premium.

The auction’s second top lot, at $60,375, was an outstanding hissing goose made circa early 1900s by George Boyd, the master decoy maker from Seabrook, N.H. The canvas over frame Canada goose boasted excellent, finely crackled original paint throughout plus a strong, nearly perfect wing, tail and cheek outline, and great feather detailing on the sides and rear neck.

Two lots posted identical sale prices of $37,375. One was an exceptionally rare pair of circa early 1900s unrigged and unused mergansers, acquired as a gift from Irving Wallace from Small Point, Maine. A letter of provenance came with the birds. The other was a pair of racy swimming red-breasted mergansers (circa 1918-1922) by A.E. Crowell of East Harwich, Mass.

Marshall Signs First Contracts In Caribbean - Hotels the Best

SALISBURY — Marshall Hotels Resorts Inc. has sealed contracts to run 3 hotels in the Caribbean, imprinting its initial business in that region.

The firm has executed agreements with well-defined owners to succeed the 160-room Windward Passage Hotel, in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; and to supply consulting services connected to the conversion of the one-time Four Points by Sheraton to the 107-room Wyndham Garden at Palmas del Mar, in Humacao, Puerto Rico.

CRISFIELD — The Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene not long ago expelled its 2010 Nursing Home Pay-for-Performance Scores. The module is written to bestow Maryland nursing centers formed on “accountability measures that show high quality caring or a undertaking to high quality care.”

The Alice B. Tawes Nursing Rehabilitation Center was the tip ranked core on the Eastern Shore.Statewide it ranked 6 out of 168 authorised Maryland-based nursing centers by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

A leading part of the ranking network is the opening of the nursing staff. The Tawes Nursing staff ranked 2nd out of 168 module authorised Maryland nursing homes.

SALISBURY — CoreLogic, a provider of information, analytics and business services, currently expelled its June Home Price Index, that shows that home prices in Salisbury, inclusive unsettled sales, declined by 6.3 percent in June 2011 compared to June 2010 and declined by 5.0 percent in May 2011 compared to May 2010.

Excluding unsettled sales, year-over-year prices increased by 4.0 percent in June 2011 compared to June 2010.

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