Black Duck by Albert Laing, possibly re-headed by Benjamin Holmes, 1952-192.47, left side
1 2015-04-11T10:33:22-07:00 Nancie Ravenel bc84e2b969fab7c5f039797f42318c7fcfc8159b 4136 3 Albert Davids Laing (Stratford, Connecticut, 1811-66), with head attributed to Benjamin Holmes (Stratford, Connecticut, 1843-1912), repainted by Charles "Shang" Wheeler (Stratford, Connecticut, 1872-1949) Black Duck Decoy, date unknown Wood, paint, metal, leather, and rope Gift of J. Watson, Jr., Harry H., and Samuel B. Webb, 1952-192.47 plain 2017-08-07T13:43:48-07:00 1952-192.47 Shelburne Museum Nancie Ravenel bc84e2b969fab7c5f039797f42318c7fcfc8159bThis page has tags:
- 1 2015-02-01T12:15:14-08:00 Nancie Ravenel bc84e2b969fab7c5f039797f42318c7fcfc8159b Decoys included in this project Nancie Ravenel 52 The rationale behind which decoys were included in the project. gallery 118948 2017-08-07T05:28:30-07:00 Nancie Ravenel bc84e2b969fab7c5f039797f42318c7fcfc8159b
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Albert Laing (1811-1886)
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Stratford, CT
plain
2017-08-06T13:13:16-07:00
41.185702, -73.123586
Albert Laing is credited with being the creator of what is referred to as the Housatonic style of decoy. These hollow birds have a distinctively-shaped, raised breast, formed so that the decoy floats more easily. The decoys most associated with his style have bodies made from two pieces of wood, each about 2 inches thick, and heads carved from a single piece of wood. He was also known to make decoys that depicted ducks in various postures, especially sleeping.
A gentleman carver who enjoyed hunting and fishing, Laing moved from Rahway, New Jersey to Stratford, Connecticut around 1863 (Engers 2000, 82). Though he maintained a journal at various times during his life, a good deal of his life remains a mystery (Chitwood 1987, 17).In his reading of Laing's journal written during his Stratford, CT years, decoy collector and historian Henry C. Chitwood notes that Laing never discusses decoy making, despite the detail he affords to his other pursuits, leading Chitwood to conclude that Laing made his decoys prior to moving to Connecticut (Chitwood 1987, 19). Chitwood separates Laing's oeuvre into three stylistic groups: narrow bodied hollow decoys made with a thin, flat base board; wider bodied decoys with a thin base board; and those more commonly associated with Laing with a body seam that would sit above water level (Chitwood 1987, 21). He also suggests that, during his lifetime, Laing gave decoys in need of repair to younger Stratford-area decoy carvers Benjamin Holmes and Bruce Weller, who used them as patterns. A black duck marked "LAING" in this study is thought to have been re-headed by Benjamin Holmes (1952-192.47).
There is agreement in the literature that Albert Laing made decoys for his own use, not for financial profit, and owned 111 decoys at the time of his death.
Eight decoys in Shelburne Museum's collection are attributed to Albert Laing; all of them came to the museum through Joel Barber's collection.
