George Washington O'Neal (NC, 1869-1949), Swimming Roothead Brant

Ocracoke, North Carolina, circa 1910, carved and painted wood.

Length 19 in.

From the Personal Collection of Mr. Kroghie Andresen Charlotte, North Carolina

Purchased from David O'Neal in 1988.
From the hunting rig of Stanley Wahab.

George Washington O'Neal is reputed to have been Ocracoke's most prolific and also artistic decoy maker. He made some professionally for the Gooseville Gun Club. Most of the wood for the bodies was juniper cut on the mainland but quite a few were made from old telegraph poles. He made more brant than geese.

Old gunning paint, age checks on each side of the body.