Ned Burgess (NC, 1868-1958), Important Widgeon from Currituck Shooting Club

Churches Island, North Carolina, circa 1930s, carved and painted wood.

Length 15 in.

Former collection of Levie Bunch, Sr., Poplar Branch North Carolina.

This diminutive widgeon has a wonderfully dry paint application. It was used and collected from the Currituck Shooting Club which was North Carolina's oldest and most exclusive hunting club. From its inception in 1857, this magnificent club provided a private retreat for renowned businessmen from New York and Boston. It was not until waterfowl populations declined drastically in the 1960s that some Southern members were allowed to join. The Currituck Shooting Club as well as other historic clubs was of significant importance to Currituck County and the entire North Carolina coastal area. They provided jobs and revenue for the local economy. They also helped improve the quality of the education system.

Original paint with light gunning wear, some thinning to paint on the right side of the head.