Early Maryland Sinkbox Canvasback

Eastern Shore Maryland, circa 1900, painted cast iron.

Length 15 in.

Sinkbox decoys were used primarily along the East Coast of the United States in the 19th and early 20th centuries as part of sinkbox hunting, a method where hunters concealed themselves in a weighted, partially submerged box surrounded by decoys. These decoys, often made of cast iron, served both to attract waterfowl and to stabilize the sinkbox in the water. Regions like the Chesapeake Bay, including Norfolk, Virginia, and parts of Maryland, became centers for their production.

Moderate oxidation to iron element and wear to paint from age and use.