1987 Carved Painted Wood & Copper Sturgeon Fish Decoy A. Hillman Seaville NJ
Description: A very nice vintage carved wood fish decoy in the form of a sturgeon. This decoy appears to be carved of a single piece of wood and is painted in various shade of green with a white bottom, a black top, and a red tail. The decoy, which is ~7 7/8†long, has what appears to be hammered copper fins and possibly glass eyes. The decoy is carved to show the general form of the fish with side gills, a long mouth, and two nostrils on top of the mouth. The body of the fish is slightly curved at the tail. The fins are inserted hammered copper pieces that are textured on one side only. The fish has two eyes which we believe are made of glass and are brown with black pupils. The decoy comes equipped with a metal loop on top to hang from and has a metal weight (lead?) on the bottom. It is signed and dated by the artist in ink on the bottom. A nice vintage decoy which would make a great addition to your collection. Please carefully review the photos presented as they are part and parcel of our description.
Date: The decoy is dated 1987.
Origin: Purchased at an estate auction in Southeastern Pennsylvania.
Size: Measures ~7 7/8" long, ~2 3/4" at its widest including the side fins, and about ~2 1/4" at its highest including the two bottom fins. The piece weighs about 3.5 ounces.
Maker: Anthony Hillman.
Marks: Signed in ink on the bottom "Anthony Hillman 1987 SEAVILLE N.J."
Distinguishing Characteristics - Most Interesting About The Piece: Truly a nice and very well made fish decoy. A beautiful and nice piece which would make a worthy addition to your collection of fish decoys.
Condition: The decoy is in very good condition, with no breaks, cracks, or repairs. The piece has s few minor scratches, some dings to the surface, and minimum losses to the paint especially on the of the mouth along the edge. The piece has minimum wear to the surfaces and paint losses to the body. A truly nice piece worthy of a spot in your collection. Please view the photos for additional condition information.
